*As always, this topic is a suggestion. Feel free to write on an issue of your choosing related to The House of the Seven Gables.
Consider whether the house does, in fact, as many critics have suggested, operate as a character in the text. If you believe it does, what are its attributes and how does it contribute to the development of the narrative? If not, how does the house function in the text? Feel free to situate your discussion with respect to the themes of domestic space and domesticity discussed in class today.
Requirements: 1-2 pages, handwritten is fine (but type if your writing is less than legible); this is an informal assignment--full engagement with the suggested topic, or one of your own choosing, will result in full points received.
*As always, this topic is a suggestion. Feel free to write on an issue of your choosing, related to the course texts, if you are so inclined.
We'll begin with a very loose suggestion: Consider the operation of space/place (i.e. domestic space, frontier space, etc.) in the work of at least one of the authors from the first week of the course (Poe, Columbus, Cabeza de Vaca, Smith, Morton, Bradford, or Winthrop). How does the author make use of space? Does the space the author writes about constrain the text? Is such constrainment something the author struggles against? Embraces? In what ways does space serve as a metaphor, and what does it represent? What does the author's engagement with the problem of space reveal about their relationship to the American context at the moment of their writing?
Requirements: 1-2 pages, handwritten is fine (but type if your writing is less than legible); this is an informal assignment--full engagement with the suggested topic, or one of your own choosing, will result in full points received.
This is just a reminder--I've canceled the quiz originally scheduled for this afternoon. Given the hectic nature of the first week, we're skipping this quiz altogether--not rescheduling it. Everyone will receive full points for this first quiz. Enjoy!
How to Post
--Go to: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/
--Click on "Log in to UTHINK" at the top right
--Enter your X500 and password
--This will take you to your list of available blogs
--Click on "3005W SU 09"
--This will take you to the main set-up page of our blog
--Click on "New Entry" at the top left
--Enter your name in the "Title" field (you can enter your full name or your first name and last initial, whatever you prefer)
--Under "Primary Category" select "Entries"
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--When you're finished, click on "Save" at the bottom of the page
Welcome to ENGL 3005W! This blog is intended to serve as a point of contact outside the classroom. While there is no requirement to post, you should feel welcome to use this blog to further our classroom discussion, should you feel so moved. This is your space, and I encourage you to make good use of it. For information on how to post to the blog, check out the "How to Post" entry found on the site. If you still have questions, do feel free to contact me: troc0020@umn.edu.