This is the Blog/website for CWL1000!

We will use this blog to share information and have discussions outside of class time. I will also post any class announcements here so you should check this blog at least once a day!

 Each day you will answer a question posted here.

Also, please read your fellow students posts and interact with them – for example, if someone says something, which you think perfectly explains how you would have answered the question please explain why you think this is the perfect answer.

Finally – don’t forget that you always need to post a quote that is related to your answer  and a discussion question you have generated about one of the readings. [If this question is to generate any good discussion, then it cannot be answered with yes or no]

Please post your thoughts below:

We have begun or class by looking at three stories in the section of our book entitled “Roots and Rebellions.” I would like you to briefly note how these  three stories relate the title of this section. Also, please read your fellow students posts and interact with them – for example, if someone says something, which you think perfectly explains how these stories relate to the title of the section explain why you think this is the perfect answer.

Extra Credit

“How to Tell a True War Story”

Write a response paper that disscusses this story thematically.

MLK – Freedom

King Uses the word freedom several times in his speech. What do you think he means by it? Consider the possible different meanings of freedom. What does it mean to you?

Chinua Achebe – Civilized Vs. Tribal or Pagan

Achebe story, “Dead Man’s Path” presents us with two opposing cultural viewpoints  – one which called modern or educated and one which is represented as fantastic or  pagan. You could on some level call the difference civilized and uncivilized. Consider Obi’s and Ani’s perspectives. Who do you think is civilized or uncivilized and why?

Peggy Macintosh and our other readings

In the article “White Privilege” Peggy Macintosh “unpacks” her understanding of the privileges that she is afforded by being white. While this essay is a bit dated, she is pointing out an undercurrent of continued racism in American culture – not just black/white racism but all kinds. Explain why she perceives racism in our culture and reference at least one other text from the reading to help make your point.  

Finally, you feel like it  – think about  the privileges and oppression of living in you own skin – what are your privileges? What are your oppressions?

James Gilligan and Kimmel

In his conclusion Gilligan says, “The psychology of shame, pride, guilt, and innocence can be understood as constituting the psychology of self-love and selfhate, which in turn is central to the vicissitudes of love and hate toward others. Taken as a whole, this analysis can increase our understanding of what is arguably the most urgent social-psychological issue in the contemporary world: the causes and prevention of violence.”

Like Kimmel, he also mentions a connection between Masculinity and violence. Do you see this connection and do you think that Gilligan’s research can help us overcome violence – why or why not?

Culture and gender

This is the question for 2/7:  Using examples from any of the three readings discuss the degree to which society and culture influence our concepts of masculinity and femininity? To what extent is it possible or desirable to go beyond stereotypical definitions?

This is for fun: Today is class I mentioned Disney and gender and thought some of you might be interested in this video:

Gender identity and Virginia Woolf

How do you define the angel in Woolf’s essay? Do women still have to deal with the angel today? Do you agree that a woman must kill the angel to survive both personally and professionally?

Matrix and Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”

Today you have two questions to answer.

First, watch this:

An allegory or parable, is a concrete story on one level and an explanation of abstract, moral truths on another. First explain how the “Allegory of the Cave” relates to The Matrix? Give specific examples from both texts – then answer this second question –

If we assume the people in the cave represent humankind,  why does Plato call them “prisoners”? Who are the jailers? [We know who the jailers our in The Matrix, but who/or what jails us?]

If you feel like showing off – can you figure out how these ideas relate to Toni Morrison’s “The Nobel Lecture in Literature”? Hint: This also deals with questions of mastery.