Looking at this Butterick pattern from the 1970s takes me back. Can you imagine Dee buying this pattern and sewing the "very easy" outfits? As a comparison, here is a picture of Diana Ross and the Supremes from the 1960s, epitomizing style and glamour from the previous decade.
First of all, I have important news for everyone. The midterm has been moved to March 5. It will cover what we have gone over in class: A Doll's House (play, film, actors' videos), Fences (play and film), "Godfather Death" (Brothers Grimm), "Coyote and Eagle Go to the Land of the Dead" (plus video of "Coyote and Eagle Steal the Sun and the Moon"), "Love in LA," "The Necklace," "The Red Convertible" (plus Bill Moyers' interview with Louise Erdrich and Michael Dorris), "Everyday Use," and "Hills Like White Elephants."
We will be reading "Hills Like White Elephants" for Wednesday.
The midterm journals are also due by March 5, but you may email them to me by 11:59 pm that evening. You may use the journals to help you study for the midterm.
Here are a few questions, starting with "Everyday Use."
-- Why does the narrator mention her dream about being reunited with Dee on TV? How does that affect the way you respond to her? the way you respond to Dee/Wangero? Here is a link to a color episode of This is Your Life, the TV show the narrator is referring to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79wVETxFkSQ
-- What do you make of Dee's changing her name to Wangero? Do you know anyone who has changed his/her birth name? What do you make of the decision?
-- Why does Dee/Wangero want to visit her mother and sister?
-- Why does Dee/Wangero want these quilts? Does she deserve them? Why? Why not?
-- Why does the narrator give the quilts to Maggie? What do you make of her decision? Does Maggie deserve them? Why? Why not?
-- What do you make of the story's ending? Why?
-- Here are links to two biographies of Alice Walker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Walker https://www.biography.com/people/alice-walker-9521939 After reading one or both, how does it affect your understanding of "Everyday Use"? Could she be Dee? Could she be Maggie?
Here is a link to an article on the Civil Rights Movement. http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement What does it add to your understanding of "Everyday Use"? How did your reading of Fences add to your understanding of "Everyday Use"?
Here are some questions about "Hills Like White Elephants."
-- How would you describe the couple's relationship in this story? What is he trying to get her to do?
-- This story is written in 3rd person objective. How does this narration affect your understanding of the story? Why don't we see the world from either the man or the woman's point of view?
-- This story is set in Spain in the 1920s. How does this affect the story? How does it affect your understanding of the story?
-- What do you know about the couple in the story?
-- This story has a considerable amount of dialogue. How does this shape the story?
Here are a few more general questions that will help you study for the midterm. These may be your short answer questions.
-- Consider the characters we've encountered in our readings so far this semester. Which seem round? Which seem flat? Why?
-- Discuss the differences between older stories (the folktales, "The Necklace," and "Hills) and newer stories ("Everyday Use," "Love in LA," and "The Red Convertible"). How have short stories changed over time? How have they stayed the same?
-- Discuss the differences between stories written by men ("The Necklace," "Hills," and "Love in LA") and those written by women ("Everyday Use" and "The Red Convertible"). What do these stories focus on? How are characters represented? What seems to be missing from the stories?
-- What role does setting play in fiction?
-- What role does narration play?
-- What role does dialogue play?
-- Plot or character? Which one do you prefer? Why?
On to our last story before the midterm, "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway!
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