Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas. Part A: Values What is literature, and what does it have to do with people today—especially those of you who are studying at a “technical” university? When many think of literature, they envision old, dusty, leather-bound books written about people in ages past who spoke strangely (“Hark! Who goest there?”) and wore corsets or top hats.
But literature is arguably more relevant today in our bustling 21st century than ever before, and reading it can be a fun, meaningful endeavor. So open your textbook, your mind, and your heart, and experience the joy and inspiration of reading stories, poems, and plays as never before. 1. Define literature in your own words. 2. In what ways do you suppose reading literature might benefit people personally and professionally? 3. What are 3 of the best pieces of fiction that you have ever read? (Fiction includes stories, novels, or poems, and not biographies, factual accounts, or how-to books.) 4. What did you like about the 3 stories? Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny. ? Mahatma Gandhi In this course, you are studying literature, but you are also exploring human values. Woven throughout the fiction, poetry, and drama you will be reading are considerations such as What is right? What is wrong? and What makes our lives meaningful? One way to think about values is to ask yourself, “What in my life is most important to me? Who or what do I value?” In 1–2 paragraphs, list 5 of your core values (e.g., family, work, health, creativity, honesty, fun, spirituality, freedom, beauty, loyalty, and so on), and explain how these values have shaped who you are now and how you feel they will continue to, as Gandhi said, “shape your destiny.” Part B: Short story, “Lust” This assignment begins the process of exposing you to various forms of short fiction. In Literature to Go, read the short story “Lust,” by Susan Minot. In 3–5 paragraphs, discuss your reaction to the story by answering the following questions: 1. After reading this piece, what are your thoughts about the narrator? Do you think you would feel the same way if the narrator was a male? 2. What do you think about the title of the piece? Was the story what you expected? 3. The author intentionally breaks up the flow of the narrative with spaces in between individual segments. Why do you suppose she chose to present the information this way? What impact does it have? 4. Based on descriptions of places where the narrator has her experiences, where is the setting? What clues does the narrator provide to tell you more about her situation? 5. Describe Minot’s tone. Do you think the narrator enjoys her experiences? How else do you think she feels about the boys she talks about here?
Jermaine Byrant
Nicole Johnson
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RATING
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