Questions After 3/24

 Welcome back :)

Today we went over the stand-alone paper.  Here are some useful links for you.  First is a link to our library's handouts on MLA:

 http://libguides.montgomerycollege.edu/mla

Next is a link to a handout on signal verbs:
http://academic.ursinus.edu/writing/signal.html

Finally, here is a link to a handout on the templates from They Say, I Say.

http://www2.bgsu.edu/downloads/enrollment/file108404.pdf

For Wednesday, please start reading The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.  We watched the following videos about his life, so they may be helpful to watch:

This video from the Biography Channel is contemporary but short:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su-4JBEIhXY

OTOH, the video from the National Park Service is comprehensive but dated:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfydkNcLyFk

 

Here are a few questions for you.

-- How do the videos prepare you to read Douglass' Narrative?

-- Which theme fits his Narrative best?  Why?

-- How does Douglass represent his childhood?

-- How does Douglass portray slavery? slaves?  masters and mistresses?

-- Discuss Douglass as a narrator.  What is most believable about his narrative?  What is least believable?  What is most compelling?  Why?

-- If you have read the Narrative before, what have you learned from re-reading it?

-- If you have studied slavery before but not read the Narrative, what does it add to your understanding?  why?

-- Have you read other slave narratives (besides Equiano's Interesting Narrative)?  If so, compare/contrast them to Douglass' (and Equiano's).

-- Have you seen 12 Years a Slave or Django Unchained (or another movie about slavery)?  If so, how did it prepare you to read Douglass and Equiano's narratives?

-- Where does Douglass' narrative fit into American literature?  American identity?  the idea of America?

-- Have you been to any historical sites connected with slavery?  If so, how did these visits prepare you to read Douglass and Equiano's narratives?

See you in class!

Dr. Szlyk