Phase 2 Writing Prompts for Oct. 8

Here are the writing prompts for Phase 2. Don't forget to post your 500–750-word reading responses by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 8. As always, I am available during office hours and via email if you need any advice during the writing process. The Writing Center is also a valuable resource; they are open 9:00 to 5:00, MWF, on the first floor of the Philosophy building next door.

Prompt 1: Names seem to be very important in Huxley's A Brave New World. For this response, gather research on some of the different names in the novel and present what you find. Make sure that your thesis statement makes a claim about why these names are important and how they bring new meaning to the novel's overall themes (be specific about what those themes are). Use textual evidence to support your claims and be sure to cite all of your research (including where you researched the names).

Prompt 2: Huxley's A Brave New World is a dystopian novel originally published in 1932—are the themes in this novel still relevant today? For this response, compare A Brave New World with a dystopian or post-apocalyptic novel, short story, or film produced since 1990. In what ways are the two stories similar or different from one another? (Be careful not to get stuck on obvious similarities and differences. Think in terms of overall themes rather than plot points.) Is the message from Huxley's Brave New World mimicked, modified, or completely different in the post-1990 film? Be sure to include evidence from both stories to support your claims.

Prompt 3: Prompt 2 calls A Brave New World a "dystopian" novel, but could it also be read as utopian? For this response, make an argument about why Huxley's futuristic society is actually utopian. Be sure to support your claims with ample textual evidence. Consider comparing A Brave New World with other utopian or dystopian societies from other books, films, or stories throughout time if this will help you make your case.

Already have an idea of what you want to write about? Great! Go for it. I do, however, require that if you do not follow one of the above prompts, you must email me in advance your thesis statement or the question of your own that you want to answer. This way, I can give you helpful feedback concerning scope and depth, and you can rest assured that you are on the right track for this assignment.

Phase 1 Writing Prompts for Oct. 1

Here are the writing prompts for Phase 1. Don't forget to post your 500–750-word reading responses by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 1. As always, I am available during office hours and via email if you need any advice during the writing process. The Writing Center is also a valuable resource; they are open 9:00 to 5:00, MWF, on the first floor of the Philosophy building next door.

Prompt 1: Throughout the stories Alexie vividly evokes the fragility of the tribal world. There is a sense that the tribe threatens to die out: "Sometimes it feels like our tribe is dying a piece of fry bread at a time" (199). Consider these questions: How does this sense of threat to the culture affect the lives of the characters? How does it inform the tone in The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven? What sort of humor prevails? 

To answer these questions, choose a short story from the book and identify, illustrate, and discuss one or two literary devices (like characterization and tone) that Alexie uses to "vividly evoke the fragility of the tribal world." 

For this prompt, please research an aspect of Native American history or culture that provides insight into the short story that you choose to discuss. Don't forget to provide citations for your research.

Prompt 2: For this prompt, view the following three-minute video clip of Victor and Thomas Builds-the-Fire on their way to Phoenix, Arizona, from Smoke Signals, the film version of The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. How well do you think this clip captures the characters of Victor, Thomas, and what it means to "be Indian" as they are presented in Alexie's book? In your response, compare and contrast this clip with one (maybe two) short story of your choosing from the book. Be sure to support your claims with a variety of textual evidence and discuss your observations in terms of how the film clip obscures or supports the overall themes and tone of Alexie's novel.

Consider integrating outside research on Smoke Signals the film: how it was written, where it was shown, how it was received, etc. Don't forget to provide citations for your research.

Prompt 3: In his Introduction, Sherman Alexie confesses the largely autobiographical nature of these stories, but he also asserts that they really are not true. They are the vision of "one individual looking at the lives of his family and his entire tribe, so these stories are necessarily biased, incomplete, exaggerated, deluded, and often just plain wrong. But in trying to make them true and real, I am writing what might be called reservation realism." He doesn't explain "reservation realism," but rather points to the stories and instructs the reader "to figure that out for yourself." What, in fact, do you think he means by "reservation realism"?

As you write your response, remember to focus your discussion on just one (maybe two) specific short story from the book. Please incorporate a little outside research to provide background for the parts of the stories that draw from actual Native American culture and reservation life. (For example, you could research Indian boarding schools from the mid-1900s and argue how realistic or unrealistic the narrator's experiences are in "Indian Education." Do the narrator's experiences seem typical? Does the variety of the kinds of schools he attends seem typical?) Don't forget to provide citations for your research.

Already have an idea of what you want to write about? Great! Go for it. I do, however, require that if you do not follow one of the above prompts, you must email me in advance your thesis statement or the question of your own that you want to answer. This way, I can give you helpful feedback concerning scope and depth, and you can rest assured that you are on the right track for this assignment.

Phase 3 Writing Prompts for Sept. 24

Here are the writing prompts for Phase 3. Don't forget to post your 500–750-word reading responses by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 24. As always, I am available during office hours and via email if you need any advice during the writing process. The Writing Center is also a valuable resource; they are open 9:00 to 5:00, MWF, on the first floor of the Philosophy building next door.

Prompt 1: Thomas Builds-the-Fire, the seer, becomes increasingly isolated as the stories progress. Why do you think this is? How would you characterize his visions, his place in the reservation, and the nature of the threat that he poses? Be sure to discuss specific scenes and moments from the book to illustrate your points.

Consider, if desired, researching the historical allusions that Thomas includes in his visions. You could also research the history of storytelling in Native American culture (Spokane tribes in particular), or the recent histories of reservation life from the time period in which this book was published.

Prompt 2: Sherman Alexie refers to storytelling throughout The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven as both a tradition and a survival skill. Identify some specific moments from the book that illustrate stories being used or relied on for survival. Do you agree that "imagination" or "dreams" or "stories" are survival skills, or are they more like escapist techniques—a refusal to face life honestly? Support your argument with textual support.

Consider, if desired, researching historical information on the Spokane Native Americans or Alexie's biographical details. You could also research the history of storytelling in Native American culture (Spokane tribes in particular), or depictions of reservation life from the past twenty years.

Prompt 3: In "The Only Traffic Signal on the Reservation" (and many other stories), Alexie depicts basketball as having extraordinary significance on the reservation. With what meaning(s) is basketball invested? Why are the players seen as "heroes"? How does this connect with the book's overall themes? 

Consider, if desired, researching the history of basketball on Native American reservations or biographical information on Alexie. 

Prompt 4: The deep longing of young men to be warriors emerges in several stories. Why? What is the particular freight of this desire for young Native American men? What fuels their desire? What frustrates its fulfillment?

Consider, if desired, researching the history of the "warrior" in Native American culture (particularly the Northwest tribes, if possible).


Already have an idea of what you want to write about? Great! Go for it. I do, however, require that if you do not follow one of the above prompts, you must email me in advance your thesis statement or the question of your own that you want to answer. This way, I can give you helpful feedback concerning scope and depth, and you can rest assured that you are on the right track for this assignment.

Phase 2 Writing Prompts for Sept. 17

Did you know that Lubbock is home to many different kinds of egrets and herons? I recommend visiting the many parks in town that have bodies of water in them. You are bound to catch a snowy egret during the daytime stretching its black legs and orange feet, and you can nearly always spot black-crowned night heron hunched over the waters' shores at dusk. There are many birds beside the ubiquitous grackles and pigeons here, I promise!

Here are the writing prompts for Phase 2. Don't forget to post your 500–750-word reading responses by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 17. As always, I am available during office hours and via email if you need any advice during the writing process. The Writing Center is also a valuable resource; they are open 9:00 to 5:00, MWF, on the first floor of the Philosophy building next door.

Prompt 1: Sarah Orne Jewett's "A White Heron" and Alice Walker's "A Memory" both deal with the idea of perspective. The girl in "A White Heron" experiences quite different perspectives from the other characters in the short story, and the narrator in "A Memory" frequently points out the unique perspective of her past self. Compare and contrast the types of perspective in these two short stories: how is the idea of perspectives dealt with differently in both stories? What do the characters' perspectives tell us about the kind of characters they are? What do these perspectives have to do with the overall themes of both stories?

Consider, if desired, researching biographical information on Jewett and Walker and on the different time periods, cultures, and settings in which they wrote their stories.

Prompt 2: Sarah Orne Jewett's "A White Heron" has often been compared to fairy tales like "Little Red Riding Hood" and others. Do you agree that this story could be read as a fairy tale, with the hunter, the heron, the grandmother, the tree, and the girl (among other characters) taking on mythical significance? For your response, compare and contrast "A White Heron" with another fairy tale with a similar setting, plot, or characters, and identify in what ways the tales use similar literary elements or techniques to produce very different overall themes. Be sure to include in your discussion what you think Jewett's overall themes are in "A White Heron," and why a fairy tale model was an effective vehicle for communicating these themes.

Consider, if desired, researching biographical information on Jewett as well as background and historical information on the fairy tale you choose to compare with "A White Heron." Discuss in your response the different historical and cultural contexts of both the fairy tale and "A White Heron."

Prompt 3: Guy de Maupassant's "Mother Savage" illustrates the seemingly ambivalent way that people can go from "enemy" to "neutral" to "friend." Identify, illustrate, and discuss one or two literary devices that Maupassant uses to illustrate this ambivalence. Be sure to connect what this ambivalence between "friend" and "enemy" has to do with the story's overall theme/s.

Consider, if desired, researching biographical information on Maupassant and on the different time period, culture, and setting in which he wrote "Mother Savage" or other works.

Already have an idea of what you want to write about? Great! Go for it. I do require that you email me in advance your thesis statement or the question of your own that you want to answer. This way, I can give you helpful feedback concerning scope and depth, and you can rest assured that you are on the right track for this assignment.

Phase 1 Writing Prompts for Sept. 10

Comparing and contrasting Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" with Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games is just one of the writing prompts that Phase 1 students can select from in this first round of reading responses.

I've been enjoying everyone's biographies. Thank you so much for sharing these details of your lives with us—we have a remarkable mixture of talents, hobbies, and experiences in these two sections of  2307!

As we begin the "official" purpose of these blogs in responding critically and analytically to the readings, please study the assessment rubrics carefully and understand what I expect out of these discussions. Although your reading responses do not need to be as carefully crafted and polished as a major essay for this class, they should still be organized into paragraphs and should be proofread. You may not be an expert at grammar and punctuation, but give it your best shot. Always consider your fellow student readers and take time to make your thoughts and ideas accessible to them through clean, clear writing. Be sure to start writing early; these writing prompts are purposefully thought-provoking. Make sure you are reflecting and pondering on these prompts while you drive/walk/bike to school, while you shower, while you are lying in bed, etc. Don't wait to start thinking about your answer for that moment when you sit down at the computer to type!

I'm so excited to read what our Phase 1 students come up with!

Here are the writing prompts for Sept. 10. Please feel free to leave a comment or a question here on the blog—I will be checking frequently for commenters and leaving my responses to these questions and comments here. You can, of course, also contact me via email, but keep in mind that many students likely have your same question. This way, everyone will be able to have access to my responses.

So without further ado, here are the prompts (you only need to choose one):

1. Alice Walker's "Everyday Use" and Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl" are two very different short stories that both identify with themes like heritage, family (especially the mother-daughter relationship), and work. Compare and contrast these two stories by taking a close look at a specific aspect of each story such as narrator voice, writing style, setting, character, etc, and discuss how these aspects contribute to each story's overall theme (and be sure to identify what you consider that theme to be). (Remember not to try to cover everything—it is best to compare and contrast how just one or two aspects are treated in each story in your 500–750 words.)

Consider, if desired, researching biographical information on Walker and Kincaid and on the different time periods, cultures, and settings in which they wrote their stories.

2. Consider Shirley Jackson's comment on her purpose in writing the short story "The Lottery": "I hoped, by setting a particularly brutal ancient rite in the present and in my own village, to shock the story's readers with a graphic demonstration of the pointless violence and general inhumanity in their own lives." With this observation in mind, identify, illustrate, and discuss one or two key elements in the story that contribute to the final effect of shock and horror. Be sure to make clear how these various elements contribute to an understanding of the story's overall theme (and be sure to identify what you consider that theme to be).

Consider, if desired, researching biographical information on Jackson and on the time period in which this story was first published.

3. Or, a twist on prompt #2, consider Shirley Jackson's comment and compare this with Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games series. Many critics have already pointed out the influence that Jackson's short story had on Collins and her young adult book series. If Jackson was attempting to "shock the story's readers with a graphic demonstration of the pointless violence and general inhumanity in their own lives," how was Collins doing something similar? Compare and contrast "The Lottery" with The Hunger Games series and point out specific scenes/moments that seem to be working in the similar ways. How are Jackson and Collins doing something both similar and different? (*Note: Do not attempt this prompt unless you have read at least the first Hunger Games novel and you currently have access to this book for gathering direct quotations and page citations.)

Consider, if desired, researching the historical time period in which Jackson's story was first published and how this compares to the more recent time period in which Collins has published her work.

Already have an idea of what you want to write about? Great! Go for it. I do require that you email me in advance your thesis statement or the question of your own that you want to answer. This way, I can give you helpful feedback concerning scope and depth, and you can rest assured that you are on the right track for this assignment.