World Literature, Spring 2012 -- Mr Furr

Homework Page

I will post all writing assignments on this page.. You should create a 'bookmark' of your own to this page, so you can go to it without having to first go to the Home Page for the course.

NOTE: BE SURE TO USE THE PROPER SUBJECT LINE ON ALL YOUR EMAILS TO ME! SEE BOTTOM OF HOME PAGE FOR EXAMPLE!

BE SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO PRODUCE PLAIN TEXT ONLY!

Be sure to "send a copy to yourself" of ALL your homework assignments!

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

For Monday, January 23:
- please review the "Eight Main Themes", outlined here.
- send me two emails, from different email accounts..
  - One of these MUST be the MSU 'mail' account. It is "free" (you've already paid for it, in your tuition), but you MUST use it for this course.
  - See the full instructions on our Home page.
- Make sure that the Subject line of the email messages conforms to the model at the bottom of our Home Page -
  Subj: Lastname WL date assignment is due
THIS IS A REQUIRED ASSIGNMENT. It is NOT "optional" or "extra."
ALSO for Monday, January 23: listen to, and study, the lectures on ANY THREE of the Eight Main Themes.
Here are the links to them:
- The Eight Important Themes in World Literature: Imperialism/Colonialism; Tradition vs. Modernity; The Elite vs. the Masses; The Writer and the Audience; Education vs. "Schooling"; Religion As Tool of Imperialism; Racism and Imperialism; The Role of Women and Sexism.
You will need to complete the set-up for Streaming Audio. Or, you may use one of the computer labs.

Summarize the three themes, about 50+ words each, or 150+ words in all. Email to me.

THIS IS A REQUIRED ASSIGNMENT. The fact that it is over the Internet doesn't mean it is "optional" or "extra." If it is not sent in on time, you will get an "F" for this assignment.

NOTE: If you are listening to these lectures over the Internet (i.e. from off-campus, rather than on the MSU network), do not try to do so during "peak net use hours" -- roughly, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays, and maybe a little longer on weekends.

NOTE 2: If you prefer, you can download these eight files to your home computer. Then you can listen to them by using the "File-Open" menu. They will "stream" smoothly, regardless of how busy the Internet is, because they are on your on Hard Drive. At the end of the class, you can simply delete them.

Here are the links for the 8 files -- just right-click on them to download them:

In RealPlayer format (.rm). This is the best, clearest format with the best sound and smallest fines: File 1; File 2; File 3; File 4; File 5; File 6; File 7; File 8.
In MP3 format (.mp3). I coverted the .rm files to mp3. They are much larger files and the sound is not quite as clear: File 1; File 2; File 3; File 4; File 5; File 6; File 7; File 8.

But try streaming them off the 'Net first -- it's easier.

NOTE 3: I have also created a 'slide show' on these 8 themes and put it on the web. The link to it is here. It is also in one of the link boxes on our Home Page. USE IT -- it is like a summary, or brief notes.

: For Thursday, January 26:

Set up Streaming Audio -- instructions are linked on our Home Page.
Complete your paper on Achebe, Things Fall Apart. EMAIL it to me and to your group.
See the Guidelines for Short Papers and How to Email an Essay, both linked to our Home Page. Study these carefully. Any essay that does NOT follow these guidelines will be returned uncorrected.

Assignments on Achebe, Things Fall Apart (Papers due Thursday, January 26)

Please read this page: "Now that we have completed the first two weeks of the class..."

Assignments on Endore, Babouk (Papers due Monday, February 13)

For Thursday, February 16. Also, prepare Babouk's stories for presentation in class during the next few classes.
For Monday, February 20.
For Thursday, February 23.
For Monday, February 27.
For Thursday, March 1 - Bring your last HW assignment (for Feb. 27), the text, and the list of Babouk's stories to class with you. Be prepared to ANALYZE these stories, in class.
Write 350 words on one of these stories: Group 1: #3 or #4: Group 2: #5 or #6; Group 3 #7 or #8; Groups 4: #9; Group 5: #10.
Analyze, do not summarize, or "summary plus comment."

Assignments on Sembene, God's Bits of Wood. (Papers due Monday, March 5)

Read the Wikipedia article on Sembene Ousmane

Here is a helpful website on this novel, God's Bits of Wood.

Here is Prof. James Jones' great article "Fact and Fiction in God's Bits of Wood" (Research in African Literatures, 2000). Jones interviewed some of the surviving veterans of the Dakar-Niger Railroad strike.

For Monday, March 5. Complete your paper on Sembene, God's Bits of Wood. Print out and use the "Guide to the Characters in God's Bits of Wood", also linked on our Home Page.
For Thursday, March 8

Optional Mid-Term Project

March 12 - 18 Spring Recess No Classes

For Monday, March 19.
For Thursday, March 22.
For Monday, March 26.
For Thursday, March 29: No special assignment, but come to class on time to see and discuss a film by Sembčne Ousmane.

Assignments on Argueta, One Day of Life (Papers due Monday, April 2)

For Thursday, April 5
For Monday, April 9. Also -- print out this page. Study it carefully. Bring it to class with you.
For Thursday, April 12
For Monday, April 16
For Thursday, April 19

Assignments on Barrios de Chungara, Let Me Speak! (Papers due Monday, April 23)

For Thursday, April 26.

http://chss.montclair.edu/english/furr/wl/wlhw12.html | Email Me | created 17 Jan 12