The Outsiders | A Hood Project

Hey guys, I saw this quote today and I thought it was really relevant to our discussion today so I just wanted to share!

In order to make sure your group is making timely process, I am providing the optional check-in activity.  Below you will find first the name and date by which you can submit a check-in activity.  Below the dates are questions for each check in activity.  The purpose is to help your group gain momentum and use your time wisely for the final project.  These check-ins are not required work.  You may also just choose to use them as  personal reference in your group without ever turning a check in to me.  Whatever works best for your group.

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Individual Contribution Check-In  Thursday, April 23^rd at 5pm

Future Research Check-ins  Saturday, April 25th at Noon

Project Layout Check-ins Sunday, April 26th at 5pm

Project Questions Check-ins Tuesday April 28th at 5pm

First Two Intro Paragraphs Check-ins Thursday April 30th at 5pm

Annotated Bibliography Draft Check-ins Tuesday May 5th at 5pm

Project Link Check-Ins  Thursday, May 7th at 5pm

Project Questions Check-Ins  Tuesday, May 12th at 5pm

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Individual Contribution Check-In  Thursday, April 23rd at 5pm

One person should post a tentative list of who will be responsible for what in the final project.  Please be specific about the actual paper or piece the person is contributing.

Future Research Check-ins  Saturday April 25th at Noon

Please post a list of the remaining research tasks your group has.  Alongside each item, please list the name of the group member who will head up that research task.  You can use the below form as a template.  Add or delete blank rows as necessary.

Research Task                                            Member Responsible for Task ___________________________________    ______________________________________ ___________________________________    ______________________________________ ___________________________________    ______________________________________ ___________________________________    ______________________________________ ___________________________________    ______________________________________ ___________________________________    ______________________________________ ___________________________________    ______________________________________ ___________________________________    ______________________________________ ___________________________________    ______________________________________

Project Layout Check-ins Sunday, April 26th at 5pm

In class, I asked you to map out how you want your project site to look.   Please post a photograph of your site map.

In your post, please include the answer to the following two questions:

1) Are you making your own site and linking it to the course page or do you plan to upload your content within the existing course site (meaning, you will work within the project menus)?

2) What text (image, quote, etc) do you want to be the central text of your project?

Project Questions Check-ins Tuesday April 28th at 5pm

Please post 2-3 questions your group has about your final project or the final project in general.

First Two Intro Paragraphs Check-ins Thursday April 30th at 5pm

Please post a well-written and thoughtful draft of the first two paragraphs of your group authored introduction.

Annotated Bibliography Draft Check-ins Tuesday May 5th at 5pm

Please post a draft of your groups annotated bibliography.  This draft should have at least four entries.  It should be well written, and the citations should accurately follow MLA citation guidelines.

Project Link Check-Ins  Thursday, May 7th at 5pm

If you are using a separate site for your project, please include a link to the site you are putting together, so that I can see where you are.  If you are uploading your materials into the already existing site, you should have already designated a point person.  Please have that point person confirm with me about what has already been posted.

Project Questions Check-Ins  Tuesday, May 12th at 5pm

Please post 2-3 questions your group has about your final project or the final project in general.

Project Requirement Overview:

1-Revised Single Authored Papers (1 from each person in the group; see details below)

2-Primary Texts + Description papers (amount varies; see details below)

3-Creative Piece

4-Group Authored Introduction

5-Group Authored Annotated Bibliography

6-Group Created Call to Action

7-Collective Work Cited Page

Every group project regardless of the number of people in your group must include the following:  1 group-authored introduction; at least 1-creative piece; 1 work cited page; and some sort of call to action or aspect of your site that asks the reader to actively engage rather than just consume information.

Not all groups are the same size.  Here are the modified final project requirements according to the size of your group:

5 person Group:   1 F1 paper; 1 F2 paper; 3 Close Reading papers; at least 3 primary text each accompanied by  a 1 page double spaced description; and an annotated bibliography with at least 8 entries (2 historical references; 2 scholarly references; 2 creative text [literature or other art texts]; and 2 up to you.)

4 person Group:   2 F-papers (either F1 or F2); 2 Close Reading papers; at least 3 primary text each accompanied by a 1 page double spaced description; and an annotated bibliography with at least 6 entries (1 historical references; 2 scholarly references; 1 creative text [literature or other art texts]; and 2 up to you.)

3 person Group:   1 F-paper; 2 Close Reading papers; at least 2 primary text each accompanied by a 1-page, double-spaced description; and an annotated bibliography with at least 5 entries (1 historical references; 2 scholarly references; 1 creative text [literature or other art texts]; and 1 up to you.)

During class discussion this semester, it was noted that there were multiple instances in A Lesson before Dying where Jefferson is dehumanized by and referred to as a hog by his own defender, much like what is seen in The Bluest Eye, where Pecola is dehumanized in almost all aspects of the novel by multiple characters in her black community because she is portrayed as ugly due to her dark skin. The repetitive theme of dehumanizing blacks, whether comparing them to animals or anything “not human”, is an essential part of the way these characters race and monstrosity is portrayed.

• Stowe, Harriet Beecher, and Amanda Claybaugh. Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Trade Pbk. ed. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2005. Print
• This novel tells the story of how slaves were dehumanized by their owners.

• Lynn, Richard. “Skin Color and Intelligence in African Americans: A Reply to Hill.” Population and Environment. 2nd ed. Vol. 24. Springer, 2002. 215-218. Print.
• This scholarly article discusses the positive association of African Americans with light skin, which can be shown to be a result of discrimination of blacks of darker skin by whites.

• Munzenrieder, Kyle. Miami-Dade Police Choke Black Teenager Because He Was Giving Them “Dehumanizing Stares” MIami: New York Times, 2013. Print.
• This article exposes the reality of how some whites feel when tables are turned and they are the ones being looked at as not human.

Many times during the semester, the class has been interested in talking towards the idea of being accepted in society through physical appearance. We explored fitting in physically to be different during many time periods and environments. All in which we found are subject to change and fitting to its environment. There are many ways people aim to fit in physically, whether it is naturally (changing your attire) or permanently (undergoing surgery), this is generally to avoid pre-assumed judgements. In A Lesson Before Dying, although Grant and Jefferson are different characters, they are connected because they both deal with social acceptance due to the expectations they fall into because of their race. Connecting the theme of not fitting in through physicality, and being bounded by unchangeable features, our class discovered that everyone just wants to find some who is just like them, who can accept their pursuit to success in the many forms it comes in.

•  Anderson, Laurie Halse. Twisted. New York: Viking, 2007. Print.

This novel reflects the emotions and pressures of being an outcast to peers, like Jefferson was as a murderer. It explores the importance of longing for acceptance and searching for someone who understands him and why he is feels to be in a static position.

• Harter, Susan. “The Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children.” Child Development 55.6 (1984): 1969-982.JSTOR. Web.

This scholarly article is meant to explain the various types of acceptance that youth encounter daily. It expands the theme of not fitting in, and the levels in which young people should fulfill a specific standard.

• Walton, Gregory M., and Geoffrey L. Cohen. “A Question of Belonging: Race, Social Fit, and Achievement.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology92.1 (2007): 82-96. Web.

This article focused more towards exposing predetermined destiny due to race and social class. If you looked a certain way, your path was already quickly made for you. Expectations for excellences were very slim. (Particularly helpful in Lesson Before Dying, Bluest Eye, and The Outsiders)

One theme that appears in A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaine and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison is the stealing of innocence to teach others a lesson. In A Dying Lesson, the character Jefferson has his innocence stripped from him as he is put on death row and made out to be a monster for a crime he did not commit. While on death row he opens up and his teacher, Grant, finds that he is the one learning from Jefferson. This can also be seen in The Bluest Eye. The narrator, Claudia, and her sister watch as their friend Pecola continues to go through changes and be faced with problems that strip her of her innocence and humanity. By turning her into a sacrificial lamb society learns what not to do and how not to act.   Being taught a lesson through a sacrificial lamb is also present in these further readings:

• Hinton, S. E. The Outsiders. New York: Puffin, 1997. Print.

Johnny has his innocence stripper of him after killing an enemy who threatened to kill his friend, Ponyboy. After dying, Ponyboy finds a message left for him by Johnny that teaches him to not change and maintain his innocence.

• Crucifixion by Matthias Grunewald

This is a painting depicting the crucifixion, where Jesus became a sacrifice for the sins of man to teach all a lesson.

• Auger, Philip. “A lesson about manhood: appropriating ‘The Word’ in Ernest Gaines’s ‘A Lesson Before Dying’.” The Southern Literary Journal 27.2 (1995): 74+. Academic OneFile. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

This article discusses the importance of becoming a man in this book not only through Grant’s learning from Jefferson who becomes a Christ figure, but also through Jefferson’s coming to terms and understanding of his position.