Blog Post Sources for thinking about issues and culture of climate change

 

Interstellar is a film directed by Christopher Nolan about having to find a new planet that can sustain human life once earth becomes uninhabitable. While this film focuses on a more science fiction side, i believe it makes more of an impact on the viewer as far as climate issues. We see a possible future where the earth is slowly but surely doomed. It’s a more subtle on climate change compared to the disaster movies you see a lot of time, as we get to see humanity reacts to a global food shortage as well as the governments of the world. How by living on a more doomed earth in its finals stages, we see the brand new lives we are forced to live. One of the more major aspects used in the film were dust storms which you see today and have seen in the past, however we see them more powerful and on a global scale. The main characters going on this journey to find a new planet to live in, reminding us that we still have time in the real world and can possibly prevent potential doom.

“Quarter Rican” play Blog Post

The play, “Quarter Rican” to me was a unique show to watch. A play that took place at the Puerto Rican Travelling Theater, this show was performed by only three actors and a very small stage with not many props. Regardless, this show was able to catch not only mine but everyone’s attention and managed to provide full entertainment. The main storyline of the play was about a mixed Puerto Rican and White man named Danny who just had a baby with his wife who was also white. The baby having a half Puerto Rican father and a white mom is due to become only twenty five percent Puerto Rican. The father “Danny” finds himself in a dilemma on how he will raise his son with Puerto Rican culture and values and fears he will not retain the looks or identify his Puerto Rican origins.

This play brought light to the dilemma mixed kids and adults often feel, a question about which culture to embrace. This play was very interesting to watch as he later came in terms with his identity and realized it is okay. I did some research and found the actor Danny played by Gabriel Hernandez, a native from Hoboken, New Jersey was also the creator of the show along with his wife. The other actors, especially the girl who was the DJ as well had exceptional vocals. I sat next to my friend Michael, and we were appreciating her vocals throughout the play. It was very enjoyable.

Quarter Rican Trip Reflection

The play Quarter Rican dealt with the topic of identity and explored the different ways one can embrace identity even when it feels like something you’re struggling to hold onto. Throughout the play, we follow Danny who is half Puerto Rican, as he struggles to find a way to raise his son, who is a quarter Puerto Rican, in a way that will help him stay connected to his culture’s roots. While Danny is concerned that both he and his son are not “Puerto Rican enough,” in part because of how people perceive them due to their physical appearances (they are mixed and are more white passing,) the play reassures both Danny and us (the audience) that identity is not about how people perceive you, but about how you perceive yourself and about how much of your culture you choose to embrace and keep with you.

Upon reflection I think there are multiple ways to embrace and claim identity. Staying connected to your culture when living somewhere else that has totally different traditions, practices, and people can be a challenge as the play acknowledges, however finding spaces or people with whom you can connect to and bond over similar cultural experiences with, is often a good place to start. For example, one of the items on the “Puerto Rican toolkit” was having Puerto Rican Neighbors. I think that having the play set in NYC/ NJ was a great setting to choose because NYC is known as the melting pot of cultures, which paves the way for anyone to explore cultures that are unfamiliar to them or to feel connected to their own even if they are far away from home. Pride is also a big way to claim identity. The play concluded with pride being the last item in the took kit. I think having pride about your identity is such an important thing because pride is what unites people and keeps traditions and cultures alive for so long. Pride in our identities and our cultures, allows us to pass down traditions and share our experiences with excitement. It also allows us to think about our experience as something more than trauma, and instead allows us to think of them as a uniting force that was overcome by strength.

Colorful Class Trip

The Tenement Museum was very fun and compelling. It colored my view of the historical period we were studying during that time of the semester. Even though we did not see the main suite, it was an amazing opportunity to be in such a well replicated space. I found that being within this space was very different from watching a film or looking at photos in a classroom. Our guide gaves us personal insight into the story of the matriarch of the home we were in. It was immersive to hear about her life when within the replica of her space.

I was struck by our discussion about how colorful the interior was. Hardly any historical periods are represented with lots of color in art. Film directors are usually inclined to use a sepia tone over everything to convey the historicity of the scene. I remember that Carty mentioned that this was a sort of artistic lens. That cinematic language easily informs the viewer that you are watching a period piece of some kind. We often only get the chance to view history through a cinematic lens, and it was refreshing to get away from that. Watching a documentary or period drama, looking at a slide show, or even reading a book would not sufficiently replace the unique chance to be inside the physical space.

 

Trip to the Tenement Museum

This class trip was very interesting.  I felt like going to the tenement museum is a rite of passage for anyone who lives in NYC, but at the same time the museum had their main exhibit closed!  We were unable to see the original and famous tenement, and instead we visited an apartment that felt almost spacious compared to some of the places I have lived in Harlem and Brooklyn.  I felt like the density of people would have made a difference in living situation, but not by that much.  The fact that the entire place was essentially a sewing factory though…. that would have made living in the space much more difficult.  Overall my experience of the tenement museum was that…. I don’t have too much to say.  I feel like If i had seen the original exhibit then there might have been more of a reaction, but this isn’t anyone’s fault.  The old place is literally falling apart.  Yeah, I just am glad that I live in the era of technology and hygiene because I KNOW it did not smell great when people were living there.

List of All Smaller Assignments due by May 16 11:59pm

List of assignments

(or why you should come to class and finish missing work)

  • Participation grade: 20% of the total grade (attendance, comments, one trip reflection)
  • Blog Posts (6) worth 25%
  • Welcome to the Week (1) 10%
  • Paper or podcast  #1 (and separate self assessment)  20%
  • Paper or podcast # 2 (and separate self assessment)  25%

Total number of  Blog posts: 8

Reflection on a field trip (note; the top versions of this post featuring images, critical reflection connecting experience back may earn $100 Student Award). PLEASE USE CATEGORY “CLASS TRIP REFLECTION BLOG POST”

*****

Blog posts Assignments  (3 from each half of the semester):

Total 6 post minimum 

Each has different directions listed on the “Course Schedule.” 

 If you are making up work, your best bet for credit is to post it, not email. Email is the last resort. 

  1. Casting characters for The Jungle
  2. Cultural and historical resources for The Jungle
  3. Literary Devices in The Souls of Black Folk
  4. Annotating 3 lines from “Howl”
  5. Reflecting on and connecting to No-No Boy
  6. Climate Change and Art (in relation to Silent Spring)

***

Welcome to the Week Post.  Total 1 post

***

Comment replis to Welcome to the Week (comment reply) Total approx 15-16 Comments (remember there are 19 students and 16 available posts. Everyone’s work warrants a response)

  1. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle Part I Comment
  2. Welcome to the Week Video/Blog Post Week three Upton Sinclair the Jungle Chapters 5-10; 15-20
  3. Welcome to the Week” Week Four The Jungle posts (1 comment per post) Focus on the Jungle chapters 21-22 & 26-31
  4. “Welcome to the Week” Week Five on The Souls of Black Folk
  5. Six “Welcome to the Week” on Blue Eye’d Black Boy or Claude McKay Poems
  6. Instructor “Welcome to the Week Week 8 on Allen Ginsberg’s Howl”
  7. Instructor “Welcome to the Week Blog Post Week Ten focus on James Baldwin’s Letter to my Nephew (1962) (2 comments for 2 peer posts)
  8. “Welcome to the Week” focus on Joy Harjo’s Poetry Week (2 comments on 2 peer posts)
  9. “Welcome to the Week” focus on Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962) (3 comments for 3 peer posts)
  10. “Welcome to the Week” focus on Stonewall riots and Contemporary Trans issues in the poetry of Raquel Salas Rivera (3)

Rubric and Directions for Paper or Podcast #2 Due May 22

Critical Analysis Essay OR Podcast with Rationale

Due May 22 11:59 pm to Blackbaord (and to this class Blog if you have a Podcast)

Below is the rubric for Critical Analysis Essay # 2 or a 15-20 min Podcast with rationale paper.

Part I: Critical Analysis Paper

Format

  • Design their own prompt OR argument/focus based on annotation assignments, blog posts, and “Welcome to the Week” videos/posts STUDENTS WILL HAVE A 10 MIN CONFERENCE WITH THE PROFESSOR LAST TWO CLASSES AND ON ZOOM DURING READING PERIOD (This is an update. I may need to schedule a time during the reading period if we run out during class)
  • a critical analysis essay of 1500-2000 words or 5 1/2 to 8 pages double-spaced with
  • 3 credible resources, a works cited page featuring MLA or Chicago style bibliography.

Content

  • a persuasive argument that provides further insight into patterns, problems, or unique aspects of the text(s) using
  • literary interpretation and analysis (e.g., close reading of quoted text. The text and the resources are your evidence)
  • at least 3 academic and or credible resources to provide historical and cultural context and works cited page
  • clear writing (grammatical correctness; integrated quotations)
  • and cohesive structure (structure paragraphs and include transition sentences as needed to create flow and to make it clear how each part of the essay supports and develops the overall argument).

Self-Assessment Questions

When you self-assess consider if the following items are in your essay and how well you accomplished the task (a sentence or two for each item listed below):

  1. [Argument] Is the argument clearly stated in the beginning of the essay? Does the essay explain or show how the argument is persuasive?
  1. [Context and background] Do the essay include the name of authors, titles, and dates of publication? Does the essay include short contextualizing summaries so that readers know what the assigned reading discussed is generally about and where selected passages and quotations emerge in the larger text (e.g., in the beginning, middle or end)?
  1. [Context and literary interpretation/analysis] Are there quotations from the text? Are the quotations well selected for critical analysis (close reading), and are the quotations integrated into sentences?
  1. [Using resources and research] Are there quotations or ideas applied from research (e.g., the three resources) to help provide context and definitions or establish your analytical approach? Are resources cited in the essay and featured in the works cited?
  1. [Structure and Argument Development] Are there signpost sentences or transitions that let the reader know the relationship between paragraphs and ideas? Does the essay have moments that explain how smaller claims or ideas, or analyses connect back to the larger argument?
  1. [Conclusion] Does the paper have a conclusion that reiterates to readers what the essay has shown or demonstrated? Does the conclusion explain why the ideas or argument is useful or significant?
  1. [Structure and Grammatical correctness] If one reads through the essay aloud, does the structure of sentences make sense? Are their typos and words missing? If so, to what extent do these errors hinder reader understanding? Is this essay written for an intelligent audience that might be familiar with text and ideas but wants to learn more?

 

Part II: Podcast Expectations

  • 2-4 people
  • 15-20 mins max
  • Posted to the Class blog with a 250-word minimum description of the podcast and its major critical and literary points; a works cited page MLA style; the category “Blog Post with Podcast”
  • Students should submit the link to the podcast to Blackboard as a word document with a hyper link along with the rationale paper
  • Students submit self-assessments separate assignment to Blackboard
  • Reading aloud of passages and selections from assigned readings
  • At least 2 key points (they can contrast or there can be room for debate, especially if members of your group come to different conclusions)
  • A conclusion that reflects on the initial question, the overall discussion and how we might extend the content or points brought up in the podcast to other literary works or contemporary situations.
  • Tech-wise you are encouraged to include some background sound, especially for transitions, but it is not required.

Rationale Paper (to be completed by individuals) 2 ½ to 3 pages double-spaced or 550-700 words

  • What is the podcast about?
  • What question(s) does it consider, and what ideas about the texts are made overall?)
  • What role or tasks did you take? What were your intellectual contributions? Be sure to elaborate on anything you may not have had the time to fully discuss in the podcast but find critical to your thinking and reflection.
  • Quotations or textual material discussed
  • What would you like to improve or consider should you do this assignment again?
  • Why does having a conversation about the text(s) that might be shared with a larger public matter? (In other words, why are the podcast and your voices important?)

https://blog.tcea.org/simple-process-template-student-podcasting/

Self-Assessment Objectives for Podcast

Based on the quality of the material chosen, the script and conversation, and the tech, what grade do you think the podcast has earned?

What are a few things the podcast did well? Things that need improvement. (Specificity and your reasoning are appreciated)

Writing Resources

How to integrate a quotation:

https://www.ursinus.edu/live/files/1160-integrating-quotespdf

How to cite Chicago style:

https://libguides.murdoch.edu.au/Chicago/text

How to Cite MLA:

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html

Tips for Writing about Literature:

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/index.html

Class Trip to the Tenement Museum

On our trip to the tenement museum, we saw the restored home of the Levines and what sharing such a small space means for a family of 7. I always think about how I share a bathroom with other people in my home, and how intimate the shared home space is, that sometimes we hold onto to the little crevice or room that we get in a house we share with other people, and we try to capitalize off of it as much as we can. It was quite common for people to rent out a corner of their tenements to tenants that were looking for temporary stay, or even hiding items in floorboards, to have even a semblance of privacy. The home already is such a personal space, but there are little hierarchies that exist in families, and the structure and space that contains it, greatly contributes to the dynamics that form under that roof.

I also started wondering about the passage of time and how we often put distance between modernity and history, and how we can undermine and forget how close in lifetime we are to people that have lived through historic events or eras in American history that can be depicted in a movie, aesthetically. This picture shows the Levine daughters in the late 80s at a party, which isn’t too far from now.

Welcome to the Week: Stonewall Uprising

The Stonewall Uprising is just one of many uprisings in the 1960’s, and yet it is the first time the LGBTQ+ community had such a major uprising. It was not the first time the police had raided a gay bar, nor was it the first time LGBTQ+ members fought back, but it was the first time such a major uprising occurred for the LGBTQ+ community that led to significantly change the discourse regarding LGBTQ+ activism across America as noted by the History Channel.

Interestingly enough, the Library of Congress also mentions how while the LGBTQ+ community had a shift in activism since Stonewall, this shift was not equal among everyone. It was mostly a shift for white cisgender people while people of color and gender non-conforming people received no benefits from hiding their marginalized identities in the first place. 

Another point that is emphasized by the Library of Congress is the dispute in defining the Stonewall uprising in the media. The police referred to the Stonewall uprising as a riot while Stonewall veterans would refer to it as an uprising or rebellion. Early documentation showed that the term “riot” was not adopted by the LGBTQ+ community until years after the event. 

Defining the Stonewall uprising as a rebellion or uprising early on definitely seemed to be significant, at least early on. If the Stonewall uprising was accepted by both the police and protestors as a riot, then this puts a negative connotation in the media that would put the LGBTQ+ community in a horrendous light. It is understandable in this aspect that the LGBTQ+ community repeatedly emphasized to the media that it was not a riot at all, but an uprising because this is a less negative and violent connotation on their movement. This was not just a clash against the police, but the media and their (LGBTQ+) image as a whole to the nation. 

 

Questions: 

 

  1. While the LGBTQ community early on emphasized repeatedly that the Stonewall uprising was not a riot, they did adopt the term later on years after the event. Why did the LGBTQ community shift their tone in defining the Stonewall uprising? Was the early emphasis of defining the Stonewall uprising as a “rebellion” only important while it was in the media at the time, or was it a genuine view to the LGBTQ+ community?
  2. If the Stonewall uprising was mostly a shift for white cisgender people, why was this the case? Why did people of color not benefit from hiding their marginalized identity? Were their communities more accepting of the LGBTQ+ community? 
  3.  The Stonewall uprising was not the first against police and state brutality, but it is the first major one to create change for the LGBTQ+ community. Why is this the case? What makes it stand out from the other times police raided a gay bar? 

 

Sources:

 

https://guides.loc.gov/lgbtq-studies/stonewall-era#s-lib-ctab-24103782-0

https://www.history.com/topics/gay-rights/the-stonewall-riots

https://www.nytimes.com/video/arts/100000002312200/the-fight-for-equality-then-and-now.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/21/arts/design/greenwich-village-history.html