Colonial Authors Comparison

Your rough draft of your colonial authors paper will be due on paper on Thursday, November 1st. Please use this slideshow to help you in writing your paper.

Due Monday 10/22

Please take home your red book and review the excerpt from Thomas Paine's "The Crisis" (130-132). Remind yourselves that his purpose (our "why" step) is to reassure his audience that although the fighting in the Revolutionary War may be difficult, it is worth it to keep going.

Then create a chart or outline (of your preference) in which you identify three different literary or rhetorical devices that Paine uses to help him achieve this. You will provide a quotation for each device (your where and what) and analyze HOW this device is creating effects. Please note from the all caps on HOW that this step is really important and needs to be specified and in a lot of detail. An example (that you can't use) is provided below.

You may wish to choose from these devices/techniques:

aphorism
metaphor
appeal to anecdote
appeal to logic
appeal to ethos
appeal to emotion
faulty dilemma


What/Where:

Paine uses an aphorism when he states, "These are the times that try men's souls" (130).

How:

Because this is an aphorism, Paine creates a short memorable saying that is likely to stay with his audience long after they have finished reading his pamphlet. The specific idea behind his aphorism is an acknowledgement of how difficult current times are. It's possible that these men have been separated from their families for extended periods of time and were short of food and other necessities. The people reading it may also have fears for their lives or for the lives of others they are close to. By acknowledging the truth of these difficulties at the beginning, instead of trying to ignore the hardships, he validates the sacrifices they are making with the result that the men feel pride in themselves for overcoming these challenges and pride in the cause they are fighting for.


Why:


By making them ultimately focus on their pride instead of their discomfort, he reassures them that they are making the right decision to keep fighting the British for independence even if it means temporary sacrifices.

Book Correction

Please bring the white book for Friday.

Due Thursday 10/18

Please take your white book home and read all about appositives from 535-541. Then complete exercise 3 which will have you combine 8 sentences using an appositive. This will be handed in on paper.

The information about dependent and independent clauses is available in white book starting on page 336 if you are feeling like you need a little grammar review.

And, remember to explore the link in the previous post to find various grammar exercises and answers.

Grammar Practice and Book Juggling

Here is a link to some grammar practice activities. You'll see a menu on the left with some exercises and some answers that will help you prepare for the grammar quiz on Friday. Please use your "homework time" this week to review your grammar notes and practice.

Here is the book schedule for this week as far as what to bring to class:

Wednesday: Red Book
Thursday: White Book
Friday: Red Book (I think)

Due Monday 10/15

You will be reading poetry, letters, and essays on Phillis Wheatley, an 18th century American poet. They are located in White Book from pages 506-534. You should take notes and gather quotations that help you address, either by support or refutation, what you will develop as your opinion on the question below.

Background Information:

(Please also read the background information on 506-507)

Phillis Wheatley was born in Africa and sold into slavery at a young age. She was brought to America and purchased by John and Susannah Wheatley. In addition to her duties as a slave, Wheatley was taught Latin, mythology, and various other subjects and converted to Christianity. She began writing poems, many of which became quite famous, and she traveled to London where her work was published with support of a local countess, becoming the first African American woman (and only second American woman) to have a book published in this young nation.

Many of Wheatley's poems bear a strong resemblance to the other traditional poetry of her time period and use elevated language, classical allusions, strict rhyme scheme, and rhythm and meter. They often celebrate important American religious and patriotic figures and at times express her gratefulness that she was brought from what she deems "a Pagan land." Understandably, this last idea generates a lot of the controversy about the legacy of Wheatley as many people struggle with a desire to celebrate Wheatley for her accomplishments but struggle to process the notion that she praises and emulates the culture that enslaved her and millions of others.

This brings us to our question which should guide our reading:

To what extent should the legacy of Phillis Wheatley and her poetry be perceived as a triumph or tragedy?

Our discussion on Wheatley will take place on October 15th, so make sure that you divide up your reading appropriately and don't save it all until the last minute. Please create a chart of your own design that helps you categorize the evidence in response to the question above.

Info

Please see the previous post for the reading and chart homework that is due on Monday. Remember you will need your white books at home this weekend.

Below you will find links to some additional usage "rules". Please peruse them as per your interest, but there is no assignment based on them.

Usage 1
Usage 2
Usage 3

Reading due 10/8

You will be bringing red book on Thursday and Friday, and your white book on Monday.



Your Columbus Day reading project will be due next Monday, 10/8.

Our question is: Should the United States celebrate Columbus Day as a holiday?

You will need to read the following passages in the WHITE BOOK!



198- Momaday
286- Image
291- Berliner
293- Mankiller
296- Connell

You will also be creating a chart (for turning in) that identifies quotations or supports for the texts that are in support of Columbus Day as a holiday, opposed to Columbus day as a holiday, and any other interesting ideas or thoughts that the passages generate for you. You can determine the style of chart that works best for you as long as it clearly distinguished this information.

Edwards paragraphs

Please provide a print copy at the beginning of class tomorrow of your Edwards paragraph which will be used for grading. Additionally, please upload a copy to turnitin.

The revision slideshow from in class today is available here.