Monthly Archives: September 2023

1. What aspects of women’s lives does Wollstonecraft seem interested in changing? Why?

2. Wollstonecraft quotes Pope’s famous line “Whatever is, is right.” How does she interpret this line? Does she agree with Pope?

3. Do you think women are still raised to be “pleasing”? Why or why not?

4. What does Wollstonecraft have to say about marriage? In her view, what would allow a woman to be a good wife and mother?

1.  What is the narrator’s purpose in writing these “confessions”?  How do you know?

2.  For Rousseau, what is the relationship between feeling and thinking?

3.  How does Rousseau describe his childhood?  What significance can we draw from this description

4. Why do you think Rousseau chooses to include the anecdote about stealing from his employer?

5. Using your own language, how would you describe the narrator, given his self-presentation in The Confessions?

Below please find your group assignment. Your first step should be to connect with the other members of your group so that you can begin working on your presentation. Keep in mind that your presentation (7-10 minutes, max.) should COMPLEMENT the reading and discussion we will be having in class about the text you’ve been assigned. This means it should add to our understanding and appreciation of the text/author/period/context in some CREATIVE way. (You are NOT presenting a biography of the author – though you could take a deep dive into some aspect of his/her life. Nor are you offering an analysis of your text in the way that we might during our class discussion.) If you are stuck, feel free to reach out to me for ideas, but some possible shapes presentations might take include:

-dramatizations (acting something out in live performance or video)

-exploring some aspect of the culture in which your text was produced

-finding a way to connect your text to something contemporary

-helping us to experience some aspect of the place in which this text is set

-taking a deep dive into one of the central issues raised by the text

-deepening our understanding of the historic context for your text

-using another art form to bring your text to life more fully

-offering your own text that responds in some way to the text you’ve been assigned

-creating some kind of audio/visual representation of your text

(These are just some ideas off the top of my head, but hopefully they will help to stimulate your own brainstorming.

Group Assignments

Oct. 2. William Blake: Britney, Tanvir, Aissata

Oct. 16. Frederick Douglass: Ethan, Yusuf, Jason, Richard S.

Oct. 23. Herman Melville: Jennifer, Marvin, Julian

Nov. 6. Leo Tolstoy: Ariel, Richard D., Abigail

Nov. 15. T.S. Eliot: Kate, Madison, Merichel

Nov. 20. Lu Xun: Daniel, Kiki, XiaoLin

Nov. 27. Franz Kafka: Stewart, Anthony, Albert

Dec. 6. Toni Morrison: Gregory, Richard R., Tony

I hope that your understanding of Pope’s “Essay on Man” was deepened and enriched by our class on Monday, September 18th.  In a comment on this post, please share your most important “takeaways” from our exploration of the poem together.  What idea made the strongest impression on you?  What lingering questions are you left with?  What did you learn?  How did your view of the work change as a result of our discussion?  (These questions are just suggestions.  It’s up to you to decide what direction you’d like your response to take.). Please share your thoughts at any point after our class discussion on Monday the 18th, but no later than Monday, September 25th.

A few of you have not yet completed the form for your Group Presentation assignment. Please use the linked Group Presentation Preference Form to identify your top three choices for this project. (This was supposed to have been done by Friday, Sept. 15th!!!)

1. Why do you think people (both in the 18th century, when Akinari was writing, and in our own day) are attracted to ghost stories or tales of the supernatural?

As a reader trying to analyze I think, People are attracted to ghost stories or tales of the supernatural for several reasons, both in the 18th century when Ueda Akinari was writing, and in our own day. Here are some reasons: Curiosity about the Unknown**: Humans have a natural curiosity about the unknown and the unexplained. Ghost stories and tales of the supernatural often deal with phenomena that are beyond our understanding, which can be both intriguing and exciting. Thrill and Excitement, These stories often involve suspense and danger, which can provide a sense of thrill and excitement. This can be particularly appealing in a safe context, where the danger is only imaginary.Psychological Catharsis, Ghost stories can also provide a form of psychological catharsis, allowing us to confront our fears and anxieties in a controlled environment. Simply put, many people find ghost stories entertaining. The combination of suspense, mystery, and the supernatural can make for a compelling narrative. Psychological Catharsis**: Ghost stories can also provide a form of psychological catharsis, allowing us to confront our fears and anxieties in a controlled environment.

• entertainment – makes our world more interesting
• to help us understand own world better”what if 
• revels things that might be unimaginable 
• fill of fantasies

.In the 18th century, these stories might have also served as cautionary tales or moral lessons, reflecting the beliefs and values of the time. Today, while we may have a more scientific understanding of the world, the appeal of the unknown and the thrill of the supernatural remain.

Read Alexander Pope, “An Essay on Man”. You can find the text in Volume D of our anthology.  If you don’t have the book yet, you can easily locate it on the internet.  Please come to class prepared to share a few words about the section of the workyou’ve been assigned below (Look for the Roman numerals in the poem to find your section.)  Rather than trying to explicate the whole section, you may want to identify a particular line or pair of lines, figure out what you think it means, and then connect that passage to the rest of your section or to the text as a whole.  This isn’t a formal presentation – just a chance to help your classmates find meaning in a work that may initially seem challenging. 

I Merichel, Abigail, Ethan

II Aissata, Tony, Albert

III Gregory, Anthony, Albert

IV Ecaterina, Daniel, Britney

V Richard D., Jason, Tanvir

VI Stewart, Richard S., Kiki

VII Yusufu and Jennifer

VIII Ariel and Richard R.

IX Marvin and Julian

X Xiaolin and Madison

Toyo-o continues to be involved with Manago even after he suspects that she is a demon of some sort because he can’t control his lust/desires and nor was he manly enough to scare or keep Monaco away from him. Looking back in the text the author gives us different examples which supports this statement. One of the examples is on page 639-640 the author deliberately describes the samurai guards as muscular men and when they try to apprehend her she vanishes away. Another example is on pg 644 stating “That devil has put you under its spell because you are good looking,” hetold Toyo-o. “You have been bewitched by the beauty of the temporary abode of that serpent. You must develop a more manly, a more determined spirit,” Therefore throughout all text Toyo-o continues to involved with Manago because he was not manly enough and could hold of his temptations towards the beauty of the devil Manago.

Hello my name is Yusufu Diallo, and I am very excited to introduce myself to you all. My career choice is Computer information system . I am originally from west Africa Guinea but was raised right here in Harlem New York. Today I will be sharing a little bit about my background, my interest and my future plans.

  As I mentioned before I am originally from west Africa Guinea but was raised in New York. I have been playing football since I was 5 years old and it was a crucial part of my childhood. I was also a very competitive person and this helped me breathe a sense of selflessness because I was willing to sacrifice anything to win games. My career choice is Computer Information System . The field of Computer Information System is not an easy one, and to crack cases, one needs to learn how to write and communicate. One interesting fact about me other than being a good companion is that I would rather shop for kitchen gadgets than for clothes or shoes, A fact that has been influenced much by how I was brought up. I find myself more comfortable when I wear clothes or shoes that do not create attention, you can say I just like being simple. In culmination , I am looking forward to vast my English knowledge in this class this year and can’t wait to see the learning opportunities this class offers.

1. Why do you think Toyo-o continues to be involved with Manago even after he suspects that she is a demon of some sort?
2. Why do you think people (both in the 18th century, when Akinari was writing, and in our own day) are attracted to ghost stories or tales of the supernatural?
3. Does “Bewitched” have anything to teach its readers? If so, what? What is Akinari’s message in this text?
4. The text describes Manago as”bewitchingly voluptuous.” What does the character of Manago tell us about feminine beauty?