Quotes & Questions post info

What makes certain lines from a text jump off the page and fill you with interest and curiosity? Why do some passages carry more meaning and significance than others?

For example, Roland Barthes tells us:

The modern writer (scriptor) is born simultaneously with his text; he is in no way supplied with a being which precedes or transcends his writing, he is in no way the subject of which his book is the predicate; there is no other time than that of the utterance, and every text is eternally written here and now.
― Roland Barthes, The Death of the Author

This idea, that there is no Great and Powerful Author behind every text that we read, that the writer of a text has no special authority (see how the word author works there?) over our reading of that text, was a little mind-blowing when Barthes first proposed it. But it's an awesome, liberating idea - one that acknowledges our power and freedom as readers to not just interpret but also create a text as we read and understand it. In short: there's a lot to discuss about this passage, isn't there?

Book and tablet photo by Engin_Akyurt on Pixabay.com

On the Fridays that you don't have paragraphs due, we'll have what I call Quotes and Questions. Your responsibility will be to post a quotation that seems to merit in-depth discussion OR a question that you think we all need to consider about our recent readings - one that will enrich our thinking or help us consider the texts we've discussed in a useful way.

As with the paragraphs, we will both post them here and read them aloud in class.

You are required to give your post two labels 1) the name of the theory for the day (they are listed below in my labels on this post), and 2) Quotes & Questions. If you are posting a quotation, you must give a correct citation for it (line numbers for poetry; page numbers for prose). You do not have to post anything other than your quote or question - no elaboration is required here unless you choose to offer some.

Although you are not required to post an image in your Quotes & Questions posts, you are highly encouraged to include one that illustrates the idea expressed (if you do, please be sure to credit the image source, as in your paragraph posts). 

Paragraph post info

A paragraph is an elusive thing: it seems like something really obvious, something we have known how to write since elementary school. But how do you define a paragraph? How can you tell a good paragraph from a lackluster one? And how do you write the kind of paragraphs that make it easier to communicate your ideas to your reader?

Simply put, a paragraph is a group of sentences that develop a single idea. That’s it. The correct length for a paragraph is however many sentences are required to introduce the idea of the paragraph, explain that idea, provide any necessary examples or evidence, explain that evidence, wrap up your idea, and (sometimes) transition into your next idea. However, you have to stick to a single idea!

If you can’t write a clear, well-developed paragraph, you can’t write a good paper, a clear memo, a convincing email, or an enticing cover letter. Those who master the paragraph are ready to take on the world!

Home Office photo by Free-Photos on Pixabay.com

On the days you are responsible for this part of the project, you will write a single paragraph of between 100-200 words. This will require you to limit yourself to a single idea that refers specifically to the theory we are working with and to develop it in a concise manner.

We will post our paragraphs here on the blog and read them aloud at the beginning of the day's in-class discussion.  This will help us ensure that we are giving all members of our learning community time and space to express their thoughts.

There are two additional requirements for posting your paragraphs here on the blog: your post must have two labels 1) the name of the theory for the week (they are listed below in my labels on this post), and 2) Paragraph. Your post must also include an image (static or gif) that illustrates the idea of your paragraph. Your photo should be captioned with a title and source. (Please note: the source for an image is NEVER "Google Images." Credit where credit is due, please!)

Welcome!

Welcome to English 210! In this course, we'll discuss and evaluate the many different theoretical approaches that modern scholars have used to interpret literary and cultural texts. We will also have the pleasure of working with each of the full-time English faculty for a week and learning how these theories have influenced their own reading and writing.

This work can be intense, so on most Fridays during the semester, we will take a break from reading and take time to share our own thoughts on our readings. We'll do so with our Paragraphs, Quotes, & Questions Project.

The site will serve as the archive for that project. Be sure you keep up with the schedule that is posted on Bb! ;-)

In addition to giving us a space for our own thoughts, this project will serve as a great resource when it comes time to review for our two exams!