Reading due Thursday

Please read TFA through chapter 19 (through part 2).

Reading due Tuesday 5/30

Please read Things Fall Apart through chapter 13 for Tuesday.

If you were absent in class on Thursday, please answer these questions to turn in for points.

Chapters 1-8 Questions

What are some key character details about Okonkwo in the first few chapters? How do the details given about his past affect his character? In what way is he complex?

What role do women play in the novel? What inferences can be make about their role in society?

What understanding of the religion of the Ibo people does the reader develop in chapters 1-8? What inferences can be made about the role religion plays in the society of the Ibo people?

What foil character relationships are established in the novel so far? Why are they important? What purpose do they play?

What are some key character details about Okonkwo’s son, Nwoye? What is the importance of these details in developing the relationship with Okonkwo?

The people’s reaction to the arrival of the locusts in chapter seven is a memorable and illuminating section of your reading. View this through two different lenses: a western lens and an African lens. From a western perspective, what associations exist with the arrival of locusts? What is the western perspective on the eating of locusts? From an African perspective, what associations exist and what is their perspective on their consumption? What does this help to reveal about cultural mores? (mores: essential customs or conventions of a community)

The death of Ikemefuna is one of the most significant plot elements of chapters 1-8. What is the importance of this event in developing Okonkwo’s character and contributing to the larger themes and conflicts of the novel?

You’re familiar with the concept of hubris from your study of Greek tragedy. To what extent do you feel that Okonkwo demonstrate hubris in chapters 1-8?

Group Book Project, Day 1

For those of you who were absent on Thursday, your group book project assignments for today are available in this powerpoint. Please adapt them as best you can, even though you may not have a group to discuss with.

Homework over the weekend is to continue to read your group book as decided on by your group.

Final Essay Assignment

Please pace yourself on the final essay assignment. Details available here.

OPTIONAL Citizen Kane Character Analysis essay.

If you are in the market for "completion" style points to enhance your grade, you may complete the following character analysis essay on Citizen Kane to be submitted through Turnitin. If you do not complete this essay, it will not hurt your grade, but it will obviously not help your grade.

This will be due by Friday (not a typo) May 19th at 3:00 pm.

Write a character analysis paper focusing on Charles Foster Kane. Again, it will be in formal voice, 2 pages, double-spaced, but no structure requirements. Consider discussing Kane's influences, motivations, desires, fears, relationships with others, etc. Do your best to use some quotations or near quotations from the movie.

Due Monday

For those of you gone from class today, we stopped right before Kane goes on a picnic to the Everglades with Susan. (Some guy starts singing, "It can't be love...") Please don't finish the film.

Your assignment is below:

Please write a 2 page minimum (typed, double-spaced) reflection paper on the use of a minimum of 3 film techniques in Citizen Kane. Please describe the specific technique and analyze its effect and how its use contributes to the meaning of the film. There are no structural requirements for the paper, but the paper should be written in formal voice.


This will be uploaded to Turnitin and due Monday morning by 7:30.