Announcements

1) There is no blog response during spring break. Just make sure you're caught up on all the readings and keep to the schedule on the calendar.
2) Our entire class will be going to the Holocaust Survivor talk (Leon Leyson) when we return from spring break. Tue, April 6, 12:00-1:30PM in the Campus Theater. Go directly there. I'll look around and check you in on my roster--you don't need to find me. I'll offer extra credit afterwards if you want to write a letter to Mr. Leyson about the talk. Please remind me about this. Check the blog that day to double-check what your HW for that night will be.

Note: If you're turning in your bibliography late, attach your late coupon, write my name [YOU NEED TO SPELL IT CORRECTLY--ANNIE LIU] near the top of the first page, go to the Campus Mailroom (near the DSS office and the math lab), and drop it in the "CAMPUS MAIL" slot.

Post #12 and Announcements

For your new blog response, answer both of the following questions:
1) What is your response to the "Two Ways" article?
2) What is the line/section that struck you the most in the "Appearances" article?

Due: before our next class meeting

Announcements:
--> Remember that we won't be having class on Tuesday, 3/23, because I'll be at a conference.
--> Don't forget that your Paper #3 final drafts are due on Thursday, 3/25.
--> Questions to think about as you continue your LOP reading:
What would you do if you were in Pi's shoes?
What earlier images/ideas/symbols do you see revisited in the novel now that the plot has picked up and the "main" part of the story has begun?
How do you make sense of what has happened to Pi?
Why is there a constant flux between positive and negative things happening to Pi after the ship sinks?
--> Extra credit: Take one of the Project Implicit tests at this website ( https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/selectatest.html ) and type up a one-page reflection on the test and your results.

Note about Annotated Bib Final Drafts

Annotated Bibliography Final Drafts
· First page will have your header, refined research question, and thesis statement. (Do not put this header on subsequent pages--only put your last name with the page number in the upper right corner.) Then go ahead and start your outline.
· Minimum of 8 full annotations, in alphabetical order, by author’s last name.
· Stick to the exact format of the sample annotation I distributed with the prompt.
· Attach all rough draft work.

More announcements to come...stay tuned!

Sample Thesis and Outline for Paper #3

http://www.sartuno.com/classdocs/SamplePaper3ThesisAndOutline.doc

Reminder: This Thursday is our last class day to work on Paper 3 together (since I'm cancelling class next Tuesday and then your final draft is due Thursday of next week). Please be prepared with a rough draft with at least 6 full annotations, a thesis statement, and an outline.

Post #11

At the end of class today, I said that we all think stereotyping others is wrong but we all find ourselves doing so anyway. Given this disconnect between what we say we believe and how we actually think/act, do you think it's really possible to change how we put other people into categories?
Due: before our next class
Length: at least 1 well-developed paragraph


Reminders:
--Go directly to the Library, Room 827 (upstairs by the presidential doll collection) on TUE, 3/16. We will have class there.
--E-mail me your rough drafts (with at least 6 full annotations) by this weekend if you want extra credit (first couple of takers will get EC).

Post #10 & Announcements

Dear Class,
Those of you who went to the walkout today, how did it go?

Here are some things to be thinking about (those of you who stayed for the class discussion, we already started delving into some of these):

1) Reread LOP Ch. 22. What is that chapter about? Why would it be its own chapter?? Something to consider: Yann Martel has said that Ch. 21-22 are the core of this book.

2) How do you come to terms with the fact that Pi simultaneously embraces Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism even though those basic tenets of those belief systems do *not* reconcile with each other? Tip: avoid simplistic answers with this one.

3) If you haven't read the responses to Post #9 yet, I highly recommend it. They were very entertaining. (sorry, I'm not laughing at your misery, those of you who hate your jobs; I've got some horror stories to share as well)

4) Take the job description that you wrote about for Post #9 (or the one someone else wrote about) and imagine working at that job for the rest of your life and depending on that job to pay your bills *and* support people who depended on you. Barbara Ehrenreich's experiment opened her eyes to a lot of people whose lives are precisely like that. To what extent do you think the people in her excerpt had the ability to get out of their situations? Think about George, Carlie, Ellen, etc.

Okay, now for tonight's blog response:
Read "Framing Class" and write a well-developed response to it here.
Due: before our next class
Length: at least one well-developed paragraph

Now a quick note from your sponsor:
"Dear Class,
Help me help you. We seem to be reaching that point in the semester when people get tired and aren't quite keeping up with all the reading. I don't think that the homework--reading, blog responses, essays--is taking up to 4 hours a night, but I could be wrong. Please give me some feedback about why not everyone is finishing the work on time and share any (realistic) suggestions you have. Extra credit to anyone who includes comments on this in their blog response.
Your instructor,
Ms. Liu"

Post #9: Worst Jobs

What is the worst job that you have ever had? If you have not had a job before, what do you think would be the worst job? Explain.

Due: Before our next class meeting
Length: At least one well-developed paragraph