Hi folks--just a few quick citations here for those of you who are using the PDFs I uploaded to the resources folder on elearning. Blogging function won't let me indent the second line of each indentation (for those of you who are as anal as I am about citation format).
Gessner, Ingrid. "Liberating Dachau: Transnational Discourses of Holocaust Memory." Transnational American Memories. Ed. Udo Hebel. New York: Walter de Gruyter, 2009.
Ginsberg, Terri. "Towards a Critique of Holocaust Cinematic Culture." Holocaust Film: The Political Aesthetics of Ideology. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2007.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Reading Guide to "Of Mice and Mimesis"
Andreas Huyssen's "Of Mice and Mimesis" is an undeniably dense article, so take your time establishing what it is he argues, and be sure to summarize in your own words before Tuesday's class, as it will help you during class discussion as well as in understanding the overview I will provide during class.
First things first, in order to fully understand Huyssen's argument, we need to establish the concept of mimesis. Mimesis, from the Greek word meaning imitation, is a term used to describe the function of art in imitating (read: representing) the truth or reality of the world. All art is representation at its most fundamental level, and thus can be viewed as interpretations of the truth. The Holocaust is very often an event said to defy representation, as it exists outside the realm of human reason. For example, so many of the works we've read claim that their experiences are beyond human comprehension, and they often point out that their survival was based on luck. Upon viewing/reading representations, we task ourselves with comprehending a reality that isn't available even to the survivors.
All that being said, Huyssen contends that Maus is a successful example of an "image-text" (a narrative that combines the visual with the textual) because of its multifaceted approach to engaging mimesis. While comic books have largely been considered mainstream and mindless, and elevated forms of literature and poetry have always held an esteemed place opposite that of the mainstream comic book, Spiegelman succeeds in proving that a genre need not be wholly condemned, and that "mainstream" art can still invite a challenging, complicated interpretation.
To sum up Huyssen's argument about the success of Maus, note his statement on page 70:
"Rather than providing us with an enlightened moral or with a happy reconciliation between high and low, human and animal, trauma and memory, the aesthetic and emotional effect of Maus remains jarring throughout. This jarring, irritating effect on the reader results from a variety of pictorial and verbal strategies that have their common vanishing point in mimesis, both in its insidious and in its salutory aspects which, as Adorno would have it, can never be entirely separated from each other."
*******************************************************************************
Some questions to ponder as you read through the article:
What is at the root of Huyssen's praise for this image-text?
What examples does Huyssen provide to support his argument that the jarring effects of Maus are specifically tied to the concept of mimesis (both as he describes it and in the simplified explanation above)?
Since Huyssen claims that whether or not to represent the Holocaust is no longer a relevant question, what do you ascertain he means by the "how" of representation? (Note: The first page sets up the how/why argument, and his subsequent interpretations of specific scenes in Maus should help you understand how he views representing (through mimesis) the events of the Holocaust)
First things first, in order to fully understand Huyssen's argument, we need to establish the concept of mimesis. Mimesis, from the Greek word meaning imitation, is a term used to describe the function of art in imitating (read: representing) the truth or reality of the world. All art is representation at its most fundamental level, and thus can be viewed as interpretations of the truth. The Holocaust is very often an event said to defy representation, as it exists outside the realm of human reason. For example, so many of the works we've read claim that their experiences are beyond human comprehension, and they often point out that their survival was based on luck. Upon viewing/reading representations, we task ourselves with comprehending a reality that isn't available even to the survivors.
All that being said, Huyssen contends that Maus is a successful example of an "image-text" (a narrative that combines the visual with the textual) because of its multifaceted approach to engaging mimesis. While comic books have largely been considered mainstream and mindless, and elevated forms of literature and poetry have always held an esteemed place opposite that of the mainstream comic book, Spiegelman succeeds in proving that a genre need not be wholly condemned, and that "mainstream" art can still invite a challenging, complicated interpretation.
To sum up Huyssen's argument about the success of Maus, note his statement on page 70:
"Rather than providing us with an enlightened moral or with a happy reconciliation between high and low, human and animal, trauma and memory, the aesthetic and emotional effect of Maus remains jarring throughout. This jarring, irritating effect on the reader results from a variety of pictorial and verbal strategies that have their common vanishing point in mimesis, both in its insidious and in its salutory aspects which, as Adorno would have it, can never be entirely separated from each other."
*******************************************************************************
Some questions to ponder as you read through the article:
What is at the root of Huyssen's praise for this image-text?
What examples does Huyssen provide to support his argument that the jarring effects of Maus are specifically tied to the concept of mimesis (both as he describes it and in the simplified explanation above)?
Since Huyssen claims that whether or not to represent the Holocaust is no longer a relevant question, what do you ascertain he means by the "how" of representation? (Note: The first page sets up the how/why argument, and his subsequent interpretations of specific scenes in Maus should help you understand how he views representing (through mimesis) the events of the Holocaust)
Final Research Project Links
Hi folks,
I've stumbled upon some interesting links recently that may be of use to you as you research your final projects.
Cheers,
EM Clark
Teaching Maus:
http://dev.lagcc.cuny.edu/maus/teachmaus.htm
Holocaust/Japanese American Internment Overlap:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126000274
http://www.tellingstories.org/
I've stumbled upon some interesting links recently that may be of use to you as you research your final projects.
Cheers,
EM Clark
Teaching Maus:
http://dev.lagcc.cuny.edu/maus/teachmaus.htm
Holocaust/Japanese American Internment Overlap:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126000274
http://www.tellingstories.org/
Maus Reading Response Prompt Questions
Final reading responses are due Tuesday 20 April in class or in Avery 475 by 5 PM. Choose one of the following prompts and develop a thesis in an essay of 2-3 pages:
1. Spiegelman's depiction of humans as animals is of central importance to Maus. How does this representation approach depicting the realities of the camps? What benefits and drawbacks are there to be had from depicting animals as humans?
2. Maus is a graphic novel that is both wholly focused on and entirely distant from the events of the Holocaust. What role does the Holocaust play in the text? For Artie? For Vladek?
3. Maus is often considered a work of second generation Holocaust narrative; what evidence do you see that supports this conclusion?
1. Spiegelman's depiction of humans as animals is of central importance to Maus. How does this representation approach depicting the realities of the camps? What benefits and drawbacks are there to be had from depicting animals as humans?
2. Maus is a graphic novel that is both wholly focused on and entirely distant from the events of the Holocaust. What role does the Holocaust play in the text? For Artie? For Vladek?
3. Maus is often considered a work of second generation Holocaust narrative; what evidence do you see that supports this conclusion?
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Maus, Volume II Discussion Questions
Otis Redding Jr.-Jr. thanks you for your patience in waiting for the discussion questions. Below are the questions for Thursday's class:1. Now that you have read the full text, how might you classify Maus? Is it fiction? Nonfiction? Memoir? A hybrid of classification? How does the comic book genre factor into your classification?
2. How do you interpret Vladek's racist response when Francoise picks up a hitchhiker?
3. Vladek's memory of his experiences at Auschwitz (both arrival and the duration) is both similar and dissimilar to other texts we have read. What main overlaps or departures do you notice in his narration of events?
4. Spiegelman inserts a somewhat cheeky (but quite astute) question on page 43, the frame in which Art is depicted entering his psychiatrist's office that is "overrun with stray dogs and cats." Spiegelman interjects, "Can I mention this, or does it completely louse up my metaphor?" How do you understand the meaning of this interjection? What hidden meanings or interpretations can you ascertain? How does this differ from Delbo's narrative interjection?
5. The economy of the camps plays a significant role in representing camp life in a couple of texts we have read for the course, namely, Levi's Survival in Auschwitz and Sara Nomberg-Przytyk's Auschwitz: True Tales from a Grotesque Land. In Volume II of Maus, Art Spiegelman illustrates (pg. 64) the trade-off Vladek contemplates for bringing Anja near his barracks. How does this visual depiction differ from the texts we have read?
6. Chapter Three is entitled "And Here My Troubles Began..." Besides Vladek's memories, what does this title suggest? How does it relate to Vladek's racist outburst to Francoise after she picks up an African American hitchhiker?
7. What is the role of the American troops in the frames depicting/narrating liberation? What praise as well as critiques do you interpret in these frames?
8. How do you interpret the closing of the volume? Is anything resolved? Are there questions left unanswered? How might you characterize the sense of "closure" Art sought in gathering/representing his father's experiences?
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Discussion Questions for Maus
1. Maus assigns different animals to nationalities and "races." How do you interpret the use of animals as stand-ins for ethnic and national identity? What are the metaphorical/symbolic interpretations of each animal representation? How might the graphic novel be different if Spiegelman had used human characters?
2. At one point, early on in Volume I, Vladek asks Artie not to write about the personal details of his courtship and marriage of Anna--why do you suppose we are provided with the anecdotes that Vladek wishes to keep private? How do you interpret Spiegelman's betrayal of his father's wishes?
3. In class, we discussed some of the characteristics of second generation Holocaust narration; which of the factors we discussed do you see as important to understanding Maus?
4. How is the graphic novel genre different from other Holocaust novels and cinematic representations we have studied? What advantages and limitations do you note that influence your comprehension of the text?
5. Spiegelman has described comics as “a vital and expressive language that talks with its hands.” How does this quote call attention to "handwriting" as a theme in Maus?
6. How do you interpret the difference in tone/coloring of the meta-narrative, "Prisoner of Hell Planet," the short "case history" of Art's mother's suicide? How do you interpret the case history's meaning in relation to the rest of the text? To Art's relationship with Vladek?
2. At one point, early on in Volume I, Vladek asks Artie not to write about the personal details of his courtship and marriage of Anna--why do you suppose we are provided with the anecdotes that Vladek wishes to keep private? How do you interpret Spiegelman's betrayal of his father's wishes?
3. In class, we discussed some of the characteristics of second generation Holocaust narration; which of the factors we discussed do you see as important to understanding Maus?
4. How is the graphic novel genre different from other Holocaust novels and cinematic representations we have studied? What advantages and limitations do you note that influence your comprehension of the text?
5. Spiegelman has described comics as “a vital and expressive language that talks with its hands.” How does this quote call attention to "handwriting" as a theme in Maus?
6. How do you interpret the difference in tone/coloring of the meta-narrative, "Prisoner of Hell Planet," the short "case history" of Art's mother's suicide? How do you interpret the case history's meaning in relation to the rest of the text? To Art's relationship with Vladek?
Everything is Illuminated Reading Response Prompt Questions
Choose one of the following questions and develop an essay of 2-3 pages, due Tuesday 13 April:
1. Alex's linguistic idiosyncrasies play a dual role in the film, providing both humor and ambiguity. Given our constant theme in this course, analyzing the role of language in transmitting experience, develop an essay that "illuminates" the role of language in the film, Everything is Illuminated.
2. What role does collection play in the film? Both Jonathan and Lista collect ephemera that many of us might consider to be useless material. Why do they collect, what purpose does ephemera serve, and how do you interpret the coincidence that both Jonathan and Lista are collectors?
3. Since everything in the film is eventually "illuminated," how do you interpret the grandfather's role? Why does he pretend to be blind, and why does he eventually commit suicide? What is illuminated, both physically and metaphorically, about the grandfather?
As always, have a wonderful weekend, and remember: "Everything is illuminated in the light of the past."
1. Alex's linguistic idiosyncrasies play a dual role in the film, providing both humor and ambiguity. Given our constant theme in this course, analyzing the role of language in transmitting experience, develop an essay that "illuminates" the role of language in the film, Everything is Illuminated.
2. What role does collection play in the film? Both Jonathan and Lista collect ephemera that many of us might consider to be useless material. Why do they collect, what purpose does ephemera serve, and how do you interpret the coincidence that both Jonathan and Lista are collectors?
3. Since everything in the film is eventually "illuminated," how do you interpret the grandfather's role? Why does he pretend to be blind, and why does he eventually commit suicide? What is illuminated, both physically and metaphorically, about the grandfather?
As always, have a wonderful weekend, and remember: "Everything is illuminated in the light of the past."
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Poetry Reading Response Prompt Questions
Hi folks, I have been offline in observance of Passover festivities, so my apologies for not having these questions up earlier. I will go ahead and extend the due date for reading responses to the poetry unit until Thursday 9 April to give you all enough time to orchestrate an essay.
Choose one of the following prompts and develop a thesis in an essay of 2-3 pages:
1. As we have seen throughout the semester, the ambiguity and changed texture of language after the Holocaust is a common motif in testimonial literature. Much of the poetry you read employs a similar focus on the ambiguity of language. Choose 2-3 poems and develop a thesis that notes the role of language in defining suffering.
2. In "Stalks," Abraham Sutzkever employs "stalks" to call attention to the terrorized landscape. What do the stalks symbolize, and how does Sutzkever develop this symbol into a powerful metaphor for violence and suffering?
3. What is the relation between "Chorus of the Rescued" and "Chorus of the Unborn" by Nelly Sachs? What role(s) does Sachs' emphasis on collectivity play in memorializing?
4. Drawing upon imagery and motifs in 4 poems, develop an essay that focuses on 1-2 recurring themes or motifs, and their contribution to making tangible the language of suffering and loss.
Choose one of the following prompts and develop a thesis in an essay of 2-3 pages:
1. As we have seen throughout the semester, the ambiguity and changed texture of language after the Holocaust is a common motif in testimonial literature. Much of the poetry you read employs a similar focus on the ambiguity of language. Choose 2-3 poems and develop a thesis that notes the role of language in defining suffering.
2. In "Stalks," Abraham Sutzkever employs "stalks" to call attention to the terrorized landscape. What do the stalks symbolize, and how does Sutzkever develop this symbol into a powerful metaphor for violence and suffering?
3. What is the relation between "Chorus of the Rescued" and "Chorus of the Unborn" by Nelly Sachs? What role(s) does Sachs' emphasis on collectivity play in memorializing?
4. Drawing upon imagery and motifs in 4 poems, develop an essay that focuses on 1-2 recurring themes or motifs, and their contribution to making tangible the language of suffering and loss.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
An Estate of Memory Reading Response Prompt Questions
Reading responses are due Thursday 1 April in class or by 5 PM in Avery 475. Choose one of the questions below and answer in an essay of 2-3 pages.
1. S. Lillian Kremer has argued that An Estate of Memory fails to capture the attention of American audiences because "Karmel's tough, unsentimental treatment of victims was at variance with the pathos and redemptive mode many American readers crave in Holocaust writing and film" (35). Do you agree with Kremer that Karmel's narrative structure and focus is difficult for American readers who are used to sentimental portrayals of Oskar Schindler and Anne Frank?
2. An Estate of Memory is a psychological novel that uses interrupted chronology (through the use of extended flashbacks) to recreate the psychological chaos of the concentration camp universe. What other narrative techniques or recurring motifs does Karmel employ to probe the depths of the psychological in the novel?
3. Tola, Barbara, Alinka, and Aurelia develop a bond that transforms over time. How does their relationship change, and what events of the novel illustrate the transformation of their relation to one another?
1. S. Lillian Kremer has argued that An Estate of Memory fails to capture the attention of American audiences because "Karmel's tough, unsentimental treatment of victims was at variance with the pathos and redemptive mode many American readers crave in Holocaust writing and film" (35). Do you agree with Kremer that Karmel's narrative structure and focus is difficult for American readers who are used to sentimental portrayals of Oskar Schindler and Anne Frank?
2. An Estate of Memory is a psychological novel that uses interrupted chronology (through the use of extended flashbacks) to recreate the psychological chaos of the concentration camp universe. What other narrative techniques or recurring motifs does Karmel employ to probe the depths of the psychological in the novel?
3. Tola, Barbara, Alinka, and Aurelia develop a bond that transforms over time. How does their relationship change, and what events of the novel illustrate the transformation of their relation to one another?
An Estate of Memory Discussion Questions for Tuesday 30 March
1. On page 234, Tola comes across a group of "old-timers" who were among the original prisoners of the camp, and they relate a legend of a pregnant woman who was not punished when she gave birth in the camp. Tola is conflicted by the legend's possibility, and she fears "what soon might be demanded of her" (235). How do you interpret Tola's apprehension? What moral dilemma does Aurelia Katz's pregnancy indicate to Tola and the others?
2. Flashbacks and interrupted narrative progression are important throughout the novel. In the afterword, Ruth Angress notes that these characteristics are central to the psychological focus of the novel. How do flashbacks and interruptions in chronology and perception relate the characters' psychological progression? How do they reveal the moral dilemmas and importance of human relationships to the four womens' survival?
3. How does the family network the women create develop and change over time through the end of the novel? How does it help the women cope and comfort themselves in the face of extreme degradation?
4. Finally, how is this fiction representation different from and similar to the representations we have read and viewed this semester? Lawrence Langer claimed that representing the Holocaust carries with a burden to which writers of other historically-based fiction are not usually subject. How does Ilona Karmel's novel illustrate this point?
2. Flashbacks and interrupted narrative progression are important throughout the novel. In the afterword, Ruth Angress notes that these characteristics are central to the psychological focus of the novel. How do flashbacks and interruptions in chronology and perception relate the characters' psychological progression? How do they reveal the moral dilemmas and importance of human relationships to the four womens' survival?
3. How does the family network the women create develop and change over time through the end of the novel? How does it help the women cope and comfort themselves in the face of extreme degradation?
4. Finally, how is this fiction representation different from and similar to the representations we have read and viewed this semester? Lawrence Langer claimed that representing the Holocaust carries with a burden to which writers of other historically-based fiction are not usually subject. How does Ilona Karmel's novel illustrate this point?
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Resources available
For those who emailed me asking about Holocaust multimedia resources, I have a couple that are immediately available to you:
The Holocaust Cantata CD
Voices of the Shoah
If you are interested in one of the above titles (check out the Amazon links for full descriptions), let me know via email and we can set up a time for you to stop by my office.
Have a great weekend.
The Holocaust Cantata CD
Voices of the Shoah
If you are interested in one of the above titles (check out the Amazon links for full descriptions), let me know via email and we can set up a time for you to stop by my office.
Have a great weekend.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Online education resources for Option B
Here are a few links to educational resources available online, for those of you currently at work on Option B.
A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust, courtesy of Florida Center for Instructional Technology: http://fcit.usf.edu/HOLOCAUST/activity/activity.htm
Teresa Moretta's Holocaust lesson plans, courtesy of Remember.org:
http://remember.org/educate/moretta.html
CANDLES Holocaust Museum Education Lesson Plans:
http://www.candlesholocaustmuseum.org/index.php?sid=41
USHMM's excellent teaching resources page:
http://www.ushmm.org/education/foreducators/
Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute:
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1980/6/80.06.01.x.html
"We Remember the Holocaust" lesson plan from U of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign:
http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/ylp/96-97/96-97_curriculum_units/Holocaust_KO_Malley/table_contents.html
A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust, courtesy of Florida Center for Instructional Technology: http://fcit.usf.edu/HOLOCAUST/activity/activity.htm
Teresa Moretta's Holocaust lesson plans, courtesy of Remember.org:
http://remember.org/educate/moretta.html
CANDLES Holocaust Museum Education Lesson Plans:
http://www.candlesholocaustmuseum.org/index.php?sid=41
USHMM's excellent teaching resources page:
http://www.ushmm.org/education/foreducators/
Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute:
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1980/6/80.06.01.x.html
"We Remember the Holocaust" lesson plan from U of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign:
http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/ylp/96-97/96-97_curriculum_units/Holocaust_KO_Malley/table_contents.html
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Shoah Reading Response Prompt Questions
2-3 page reading responses to Shoah will be due Tuesday 9 March in class or in Avery 475 by 5 PM. For all responses, you must use specific examples from the film in your essays, although exact names of interviewed subjects are not required.
Note: Please see the assignment handout distributed in class or download a copy from elearning for proper heading and requirement procedures. Keep in mind that failure to adhere to set guidelines lowers the content grade of your essay.
1. How does Lanzmann utilize silence in Shoah, and what role does it play in representing the experiences of the interviewed subjects featured in the film? How does silence affect your viewing of the film?
2. Lanzmann adamantly denied that Shoah is a documentary, and rather claimed the film is a "fiction of the real." How do you view the film's relationship to documentary as well as to art? How do you interpret Lanzmann's claim that the film is a fiction based in reality?
Note: Please see the assignment handout distributed in class or download a copy from elearning for proper heading and requirement procedures. Keep in mind that failure to adhere to set guidelines lowers the content grade of your essay.
1. How does Lanzmann utilize silence in Shoah, and what role does it play in representing the experiences of the interviewed subjects featured in the film? How does silence affect your viewing of the film?
2. Lanzmann adamantly denied that Shoah is a documentary, and rather claimed the film is a "fiction of the real." How do you view the film's relationship to documentary as well as to art? How do you interpret Lanzmann's claim that the film is a fiction based in reality?
Friday, February 26, 2010
Shoah Film Discussion Questions
1. There are two very different kinds of silence that dominate Shoah. The silence of the landscape and the silence of interviewed subjects permeate much of the film; how are these two types of silences different? What role do they play and what effects does silence have on your interpretation of the scenes in which silence plays a role?
2. Lanzmann's use of landscape seems to be fundamentally at odds with Resnais' use of landscape in Night and Fog. What important similarities and differences do you see in the depiction of landscape as it relates to the content and/or purposes of the films?
3. Lanzmann does not narrate the action of the film, and instead relies on the interviews to punctuate the action of the film. He has in the past gone so far as to completely reject the use of archived photographs and/or stock footage, noting that if he "had stumbled on a real SS film...that showed how 3,000 Jewish men, women, and children were in gassed...not only would I not have shown it but I would have destroyed it." Alternatively, Resnais' Night and Fog relies almost exclusively on stock footage, photographs and the spoken narration written by Jean Cayrol. What makes these films different in their intent, cinematographic mode, and ultimately, the films' messages?
4. What particular scenes/interviews were particularly striking to you? What was the experience like for you as a viewer, and how did your experience viewing the film differ from other films we have watched this semester?
2. Lanzmann's use of landscape seems to be fundamentally at odds with Resnais' use of landscape in Night and Fog. What important similarities and differences do you see in the depiction of landscape as it relates to the content and/or purposes of the films?
3. Lanzmann does not narrate the action of the film, and instead relies on the interviews to punctuate the action of the film. He has in the past gone so far as to completely reject the use of archived photographs and/or stock footage, noting that if he "had stumbled on a real SS film...that showed how 3,000 Jewish men, women, and children were in gassed...not only would I not have shown it but I would have destroyed it." Alternatively, Resnais' Night and Fog relies almost exclusively on stock footage, photographs and the spoken narration written by Jean Cayrol. What makes these films different in their intent, cinematographic mode, and ultimately, the films' messages?
4. What particular scenes/interviews were particularly striking to you? What was the experience like for you as a viewer, and how did your experience viewing the film differ from other films we have watched this semester?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Auschwitz: True Tales from a Grotesque Land Reading Response Prompt Questions
Choose one of the following questions to answer in an essay of 2-3 pages:
1. What is the role of maternal relationships in the text? What do maternal relationships reveal about the nature of life in Auschwitz? What are the metaphorical implications of the maternal in Auschwitz: True Tales from a Grotesque Land?
2. What is the role of language in Auschwitz? How does Nomberg-Przytyk approach the ambiguity of language noted by Holocaust scholars and other writer-survivors?
3. What is the structure of camp hierarchy as represented in the text? How does Nomberg-Przytyk approach camp hierarchy in relation to her experiences?
All reading responses are due Tuesday 23 February in class or by 5 PM in Avery 475, along with all Schindler's List reading responses
1. What is the role of maternal relationships in the text? What do maternal relationships reveal about the nature of life in Auschwitz? What are the metaphorical implications of the maternal in Auschwitz: True Tales from a Grotesque Land?
2. What is the role of language in Auschwitz? How does Nomberg-Przytyk approach the ambiguity of language noted by Holocaust scholars and other writer-survivors?
3. What is the structure of camp hierarchy as represented in the text? How does Nomberg-Przytyk approach camp hierarchy in relation to her experiences?
All reading responses are due Tuesday 23 February in class or by 5 PM in Avery 475, along with all Schindler's List reading responses
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Schindler's List Reading Response Prompt Questions
Reading responses for Schindler's List are due Tuesday 23 February in class or by 5 PM. Please be sure to review the assignment handout before completing the assignment, with particular attention paid to the labeling system outlined, as it ensures your work is graded and recorded without difficulty.
Choose one of the following prompts to respond to in an essay of 2-3 double-spaced pages:
1. In other representations of the Holocaust we have read for the course, the loss of identity plays an important role in the process of dehumanization. How does Schindler's List address the function of identity and the loss and/or reclaiming of identity? What role does identity play in the film?
2. Oskar Schindler's transformation on-screen from a cold, callous businessman into a caring defender is a slow process. What specific events does the film link to his transformation?
3. Some have argued that Itzhak Stern's role in the film is vital to Schindler's realization. Examining the role of Itzhak Stern (played by Ben Kingsley) in the film, what makes him a vital character to the unfolding of events in the film?
4. Read through this account of Oskar Schindler, excerpted from "The Real Oskar Schindler." How does this depiction of him differ from his depiction on film? How does this change your view of the film's representation of events?
Choose one of the following prompts to respond to in an essay of 2-3 double-spaced pages:
1. In other representations of the Holocaust we have read for the course, the loss of identity plays an important role in the process of dehumanization. How does Schindler's List address the function of identity and the loss and/or reclaiming of identity? What role does identity play in the film?
2. Oskar Schindler's transformation on-screen from a cold, callous businessman into a caring defender is a slow process. What specific events does the film link to his transformation?
3. Some have argued that Itzhak Stern's role in the film is vital to Schindler's realization. Examining the role of Itzhak Stern (played by Ben Kingsley) in the film, what makes him a vital character to the unfolding of events in the film?
4. Read through this account of Oskar Schindler, excerpted from "The Real Oskar Schindler." How does this depiction of him differ from his depiction on film? How does this change your view of the film's representation of events?
Auschwitz: True Tales from a Grotesque Land and Due Date Reminders
Hi folks--technical indigestion is over. A few date reminders:
Reading responses for Schindler's List will be due next Tuesday 23 February, in class or in Avery 475 by 5 PM
Reading responses for Sara Nomberg-Przytyk's Auschwitz: True Tales from a Grotesque Land will also be due Tuesday 23 February
You should plan to finish Auschwitz by tomorrow's class, when we will discuss the text and discussion questions outlined below:
1. Gender plays an important role in Auschwitz: True Tales from a Grotesque Land, and more specifically, maternal relationships are a recurring motif in the text. Noting the specific examples in which Nomberg-Przytyk invokes the role of motherhood in camp life, how do you interpret this motif? What are her motivations for invoking the maternal? How is her approach to gender different from/similar to Delbo's approach in Auschwitz and After?
2. As we acknowledged in our discussion of Levi's Survival in Auschwitz, camp hierarchy and the organization of camp life is central to representation of life in Auschwitz. What does the structure Nomberg-Przytyk outlines look like? How is the camp organized? How is her description of the hierarchy different from Levi's focus on the economy of camp life?
3. How is the text structured? Most critics describe the text as a series of vignettes (short literary sketches), the very same description used in summaries of Delbo's Auschwitz and After. How is the function of Nomberg-Przytyk's vignette different from that of the vignette found in Delbo's text? Why is the term vignette used instead of chapter? How do you understand the function of chapter sequence in a narrative?
4. What is the role of medicine in the infirmary? How does Nomberg-Przytyk depict the role of medicine in the infirmary and in camp life?
Reading responses for Schindler's List will be due next Tuesday 23 February, in class or in Avery 475 by 5 PM
Reading responses for Sara Nomberg-Przytyk's Auschwitz: True Tales from a Grotesque Land will also be due Tuesday 23 February
You should plan to finish Auschwitz by tomorrow's class, when we will discuss the text and discussion questions outlined below:
1. Gender plays an important role in Auschwitz: True Tales from a Grotesque Land, and more specifically, maternal relationships are a recurring motif in the text. Noting the specific examples in which Nomberg-Przytyk invokes the role of motherhood in camp life, how do you interpret this motif? What are her motivations for invoking the maternal? How is her approach to gender different from/similar to Delbo's approach in Auschwitz and After?
2. As we acknowledged in our discussion of Levi's Survival in Auschwitz, camp hierarchy and the organization of camp life is central to representation of life in Auschwitz. What does the structure Nomberg-Przytyk outlines look like? How is the camp organized? How is her description of the hierarchy different from Levi's focus on the economy of camp life?
3. How is the text structured? Most critics describe the text as a series of vignettes (short literary sketches), the very same description used in summaries of Delbo's Auschwitz and After. How is the function of Nomberg-Przytyk's vignette different from that of the vignette found in Delbo's text? Why is the term vignette used instead of chapter? How do you understand the function of chapter sequence in a narrative?
4. What is the role of medicine in the infirmary? How does Nomberg-Przytyk depict the role of medicine in the infirmary and in camp life?
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Technical Difficulties *Fuzz*
Hi folks. Bear with me as I restore my poor laptop (RIP). I will post discussion questions for Sara Nomberg-Przytyk's Auschwitz: True Tales from a Grotesque Land, as well as prompt questions for the Schindler's List reading response, as soon as my external hard drive is located tomorrow (most likely by the afternoon).
In the meantime, remember to back up your files. And give your computer a kiss. Who knows, it might just stave off the crash fairies.
In the meantime, remember to back up your files. And give your computer a kiss. Who knows, it might just stave off the crash fairies.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Final Research Paper Survey
Please follow the link below to complete a quick survey regarding the content of your final project for the course:
Click here to take survey
Click here to take survey
Friday, February 5, 2010
Grade queries and formatting reading responses
Hi folks, I hope you are all off to a restful weekend. In the meantime, I have uploaded the first reading response grades onto elearning (as well as the grades for the last quiz from Thursday). I hope to upload the second reading response grades before Tuesday's class, and I will distribute the drafts at that point for your perusal. Should you have any questions once you receive your draft as to how to improve your writing content, make an appointment, and I will be happy to discuss further progress.
Please keep in mind the specific guidelines for formatting outlined in the assignment handout, particularly if you choose to write a response to Night and Fog. If you have lost or otherwise misplaced the handout, it is currently available for download on elearning. Labeling of assignments is crucial to making sure I get your grades in on time and accurately, and correct MLA format citation is a minimum requirement for completing assignments.
Please keep in mind the specific guidelines for formatting outlined in the assignment handout, particularly if you choose to write a response to Night and Fog. If you have lost or otherwise misplaced the handout, it is currently available for download on elearning. Labeling of assignments is crucial to making sure I get your grades in on time and accurately, and correct MLA format citation is a minimum requirement for completing assignments.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
NIght and Fog Reading Response Prompt Questions
For those of you who plan to write a reading response for Night and Fog, here are the prompt questions. The first question asks you to engage both the film and Lubline's summary of the film's reception; the second question only asks you to focus on the film.
1. Warren Lubline outlines the specific criticism many critics of Night and Fog have for the film, including its lack of survivor testimony. Noting specific claims made by critics, do you agree or disagree with their assessment of the film? In your opinion, what are the film's strengths and weaknesses?
2. What is your interpretation of the message of the film? What specific visual, aural and narrative clues does the film employ to represent this message?
Due date: Tuesday 9 February in class or under my office door in Avery 475
1. Warren Lubline outlines the specific criticism many critics of Night and Fog have for the film, including its lack of survivor testimony. Noting specific claims made by critics, do you agree or disagree with their assessment of the film? In your opinion, what are the film's strengths and weaknesses?
2. What is your interpretation of the message of the film? What specific visual, aural and narrative clues does the film employ to represent this message?
Due date: Tuesday 9 February in class or under my office door in Avery 475
Theresientstadt Film Clips
Here are a couple of links to clips of the Nazi propaganda film, Theresientstadt: Ein Dokumentarfilm aus dem judischen Siedlun.
A 6-minute clip of the film: http://bit.ly/9hxVwR
The filmed performance of Brundibar: http://bit.ly/cYDXEh
A 6-minute clip of the film: http://bit.ly/9hxVwR
The filmed performance of Brundibar: http://bit.ly/cYDXEh
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Night and Fog/Lubline article discussion questions
While we will obviously focus much of our discussion on the film and its reception, Lubline makes a number of references to concepts that tackle the larger issues surrounding representing the Holocaust. Some of the discussion questions below will ask you to consider representation beyond Resnais's Night and Fog:
1. In the introductory rationale to the article, Lubline notes the example of an Old Navy commercial, in which a student gushes praise for the chronological appeal of history. Thinking back to your own historical education preceding your entrance to university, is this an accurate description of how you were taught about historical events? What are the benefits and drawbacks to linear history? Given the non-linear approach to narrative we have encountered in Delbo and Levi, is the lack of chronology a barrier for you as a reader?
2. Lubline recalls the controversy surrounding The Diary of Anne Frank and its subsequent theatrical adaptation in the late 1950s, specifically noting that passages from the diary pertaining to the Jewish religion were excised from the staged version because the universality of the Holocaust was of central concern at the time. The recent controversy over Anne Frank's diary suggests that Americans are still concerned over how best to represent the Holocaust. What shift in focus does this new controversy suggest? How is the shift similar to the excising of religious passages from the play version of the 1950s? (Note: here is a link to a news story about the current controversy over Anne Frank's diary)
3. What does the censorship of Resnais's films in both Europe and the United States suggest about what Lubline terms the "Americanization" of the Holocaust? What does censorship suggest about the role of visual media in chronicling historical events?
4. Testimony by survivors is a critical facet of representing the Holocaust, and in the absence of witness testimony in the film, Lubline notes that audiences are "put off" by the lack of personalization or access to survivor testimony. How would your view of the film change if survivors' voices had been included? Are you "put off" by this absence?
5. The conditions for Jews in Europe is noticeably absent from the film (and thus to some signaled an apolitical message), yet it was later criticized for what some interpreted as a Zionist agenda. What does the politicization of the film in US circles say about the role of cinema? What does the appropriation of the film (and ultimately the history of the Holocaust) by those protesting the Vietnam War illustrate about the role of cinema?
*A little correction to the Lubline essay is in order: while Night and Fog was effectively banned from top billing at the Cannes Film Festival, it was in fact screened to a small, resistant band of critics, most of whom were appalled at the thought of censorship being tolerated in the art world.
1. In the introductory rationale to the article, Lubline notes the example of an Old Navy commercial, in which a student gushes praise for the chronological appeal of history. Thinking back to your own historical education preceding your entrance to university, is this an accurate description of how you were taught about historical events? What are the benefits and drawbacks to linear history? Given the non-linear approach to narrative we have encountered in Delbo and Levi, is the lack of chronology a barrier for you as a reader?
2. Lubline recalls the controversy surrounding The Diary of Anne Frank and its subsequent theatrical adaptation in the late 1950s, specifically noting that passages from the diary pertaining to the Jewish religion were excised from the staged version because the universality of the Holocaust was of central concern at the time. The recent controversy over Anne Frank's diary suggests that Americans are still concerned over how best to represent the Holocaust. What shift in focus does this new controversy suggest? How is the shift similar to the excising of religious passages from the play version of the 1950s? (Note: here is a link to a news story about the current controversy over Anne Frank's diary)
3. What does the censorship of Resnais's films in both Europe and the United States suggest about what Lubline terms the "Americanization" of the Holocaust? What does censorship suggest about the role of visual media in chronicling historical events?
4. Testimony by survivors is a critical facet of representing the Holocaust, and in the absence of witness testimony in the film, Lubline notes that audiences are "put off" by the lack of personalization or access to survivor testimony. How would your view of the film change if survivors' voices had been included? Are you "put off" by this absence?
5. The conditions for Jews in Europe is noticeably absent from the film (and thus to some signaled an apolitical message), yet it was later criticized for what some interpreted as a Zionist agenda. What does the politicization of the film in US circles say about the role of cinema? What does the appropriation of the film (and ultimately the history of the Holocaust) by those protesting the Vietnam War illustrate about the role of cinema?
*A little correction to the Lubline essay is in order: while Night and Fog was effectively banned from top billing at the Cannes Film Festival, it was in fact screened to a small, resistant band of critics, most of whom were appalled at the thought of censorship being tolerated in the art world.
Friday, January 29, 2010
A few reminders for Tuesday 2 February
I mentioned a change to the syllabus in class, but I thought I would post those reminders on the course blog for those who may have forgotten, or whom were not present for class. There is no reading for Tuesday's class, as I have pushed back the Inga Clendinnen chapter ("Representing the Holocaust" on the syllabus) until a later date. We will watch Night and Fog during Tuesday's class and consider the questions listed at the end of the PowerPoint from Thursday's lecture.
In addition, the PDF of the reading for Thursday's class, Warren Lubline's "The Trajectory of Night and Fog in the USA," is now available for download on the course elearning site: http://elearning.wsu.edu/. The file is named "night and fog." I will distribute hard copies of the reading on Tuesday, but for those of you who would like a head start on next week's reading, feel free to download the article. I will post discussion questions for Lubline's article and our discussion of the film Tuesday evening.
One final note: if you will be writing on Delbo's Auschwitz and After, the prompt questions are located in the previous post, and the reading response essay will be due during Tuesday's class or by 5 PM that day.
In addition, the PDF of the reading for Thursday's class, Warren Lubline's "The Trajectory of Night and Fog in the USA," is now available for download on the course elearning site: http://elearning.wsu.edu/. The file is named "night and fog." I will distribute hard copies of the reading on Tuesday, but for those of you who would like a head start on next week's reading, feel free to download the article. I will post discussion questions for Lubline's article and our discussion of the film Tuesday evening.
One final note: if you will be writing on Delbo's Auschwitz and After, the prompt questions are located in the previous post, and the reading response essay will be due during Tuesday's class or by 5 PM that day.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Auschwitz and After Reading Response Prompt Questions
For this reading response, you do not have to limit your answer to one of the two books we read from Delbo's trilogy. Choose one of the following questions to answer in an essay of 2-3 typed, double-spaced pages. Use MLA in-text citation but you will not need a Works Cited page. Refer to the assignment directions handout for further instructions.
Due date: Tuesday 2 February in class or in Avery 475 by 5 PM
1. In Auschwitz and After, community plays a significant role in both Delbo's memories and in the well-being of the women in the camp. What are both the benefits and the drawbacks to writing a text that stresses the collective as opposed to individual experience?
2. The ambiguity of language in Auschwitz and After is striking in that from the very first page ("Arrivals and Departures") Delbo calls attention to words that would never be the same in a post-1945 world. What example or examples best illustrate the ambiguity of language?
3. Extremely graphic, incredibly visceral descriptions are a central feature of Auschwitz and After. How do these descriptions affect your reading experience? Do they help you to visualize and comprehend the experience, or does the graphic nature of the descriptions make it more difficult for you to imagine?
Due date: Tuesday 2 February in class or in Avery 475 by 5 PM
1. In Auschwitz and After, community plays a significant role in both Delbo's memories and in the well-being of the women in the camp. What are both the benefits and the drawbacks to writing a text that stresses the collective as opposed to individual experience?
2. The ambiguity of language in Auschwitz and After is striking in that from the very first page ("Arrivals and Departures") Delbo calls attention to words that would never be the same in a post-1945 world. What example or examples best illustrate the ambiguity of language?
3. Extremely graphic, incredibly visceral descriptions are a central feature of Auschwitz and After. How do these descriptions affect your reading experience? Do they help you to visualize and comprehend the experience, or does the graphic nature of the descriptions make it more difficult for you to imagine?
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Useless Knowledge Discussion Questions
1. Charlotte Delbo begins None of Us Will Return with an epigraph that claims, "Today, I am not sure that what I wrote is true. I am certain it is truthful." Useless Knowledge begins with a very different epigraph, written by Paul Claudel, a controversial French poet who championed the collaborationist Vichy regime: "We came from too far to merit belief" (115). Why do you suppose Delbo would include Claudel's voice in opening you as the reader to the text? What does the epigraph mean? How does it function outside of the actual text?
2. Choose a poem from Useless Knowledge and read it closely. What tactics does Delbo employ to engage you as the audience? What is your reaction to the poem's meaning and/or goal?
3. In "The Marseillaise Beheaded" (130-133), what is the significance of the French national anthem to the events in the sketch? We discussed in class the famous singing recitation of "La Marseillaise" when Delbo's convoy entered Auschwitz, so why would she dramatize this scene? How does this complicate your understanding of witnessing as opposed to narration?
4. How is Delbo's text an example of witnessing as opposed to strict narrative?
5. Water and thirst play prominent roles in the chapter sketches "Thirst" and "The Stream." Drawing upon our discussions of thirst and the physical reactions we discussed in None of Us Will Return, what is Delbo attempting to relate to us in these two chapters? What is your reaction to these two chapters in succession?
6. Language after Auschwitz is ambiguous; one cannot utter the words "train" or "thirst" in a classroom such as ours without thinking about the experiences of those we have read about, as well as those we can never know. Delbo is particularly sensitive to the ambiguity of language; which examples in Useless Knowledge stick out to you? How do you see these everyday words and concepts differently having read her works (or Levi's)?
7. "Prayer to the Living To Forgive Them for Being Alive" (229-231) is the final section of Useless Knowledge. How do you read its message? Is it one of hope? Solace? Helplessness? Guilt?
2. Choose a poem from Useless Knowledge and read it closely. What tactics does Delbo employ to engage you as the audience? What is your reaction to the poem's meaning and/or goal?
3. In "The Marseillaise Beheaded" (130-133), what is the significance of the French national anthem to the events in the sketch? We discussed in class the famous singing recitation of "La Marseillaise" when Delbo's convoy entered Auschwitz, so why would she dramatize this scene? How does this complicate your understanding of witnessing as opposed to narration?
4. How is Delbo's text an example of witnessing as opposed to strict narrative?
5. Water and thirst play prominent roles in the chapter sketches "Thirst" and "The Stream." Drawing upon our discussions of thirst and the physical reactions we discussed in None of Us Will Return, what is Delbo attempting to relate to us in these two chapters? What is your reaction to these two chapters in succession?
6. Language after Auschwitz is ambiguous; one cannot utter the words "train" or "thirst" in a classroom such as ours without thinking about the experiences of those we have read about, as well as those we can never know. Delbo is particularly sensitive to the ambiguity of language; which examples in Useless Knowledge stick out to you? How do you see these everyday words and concepts differently having read her works (or Levi's)?
7. "Prayer to the Living To Forgive Them for Being Alive" (229-231) is the final section of Useless Knowledge. How do you read its message? Is it one of hope? Solace? Helplessness? Guilt?
Friday, January 22, 2010
Auschwitz and After Discussion Questions
First off, I hope you all weren't waiting in the classroom for me, and I further hope that none of you contracted this same stomach flu. Please see the previous post for an explanation regarding what you should read for Tuesday.
Here are the discussion questions you should ponder while reading Delbo's None of Us Will Return, the first book/section of Auschwitz and After:
1. How is your reading experience different while reading Charlotte Delbo's Auschwitz and After from that you experienced while reading Primo Levi's Survival in Auschwitz? What narrative strategies does she use?
2. How is the book set up? How might you characterize her narrative strategy as a whole?
3. In the epigraph to the book, Delbo notes that "Today, I am not sure that what I wrote is true. I am certain it is truthful." How does this impact your reading of the text (or does it impact your reading at all)? Why would she choose to include such an inscription?
4. There are a number of extremely graphic, visceral scenes in None of Us Will Return. Which scene sticks out in your memory, and why?
5. Camp life in None of Us Will Return is both different from and similar to the camp life Levi outlines in Survival in Auschwitz. How specifically is her account similar to/different from the previous text we read?
Here are the discussion questions you should ponder while reading Delbo's None of Us Will Return, the first book/section of Auschwitz and After:
1. How is your reading experience different while reading Charlotte Delbo's Auschwitz and After from that you experienced while reading Primo Levi's Survival in Auschwitz? What narrative strategies does she use?
2. How is the book set up? How might you characterize her narrative strategy as a whole?
3. In the epigraph to the book, Delbo notes that "Today, I am not sure that what I wrote is true. I am certain it is truthful." How does this impact your reading of the text (or does it impact your reading at all)? Why would she choose to include such an inscription?
4. There are a number of extremely graphic, visceral scenes in None of Us Will Return. Which scene sticks out in your memory, and why?
5. Camp life in None of Us Will Return is both different from and similar to the camp life Levi outlines in Survival in Auschwitz. How specifically is her account similar to/different from the previous text we read?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
21 January CLASS CANCELLATION
I am ill, so there will be no class held this afternoon. We will finish discussing Survival in Auschwitz on Tuesday, at which point you should also have read through the first book of Delbo's Auschwitz and After (the book you should read is entitled None of Us Will Return). I will post reading/discussion questions by tomorrow to help guide you through Delbo's book.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Survival in Auschwitz Reading Response Prompt Questions
Choose one of the following questions and answer in a typed, double-spaced response of 2-3 pages:
1. Survival in Auschwitz employs a number of themes to paint a vivid portrait of camp life. Some of those themes include the difficulty of communicating, loss of identity and loss of humanity. Choose one theme from the text that see as the most important (and effective) in relating to you the horrors of life in Auschwitz. Why does this particular theme stand out, and what examples of events, scenes or characters explore your chosen theme?
2. How is life in Auschwitz different from the world outside the concentration camps? What specific events and characteristics of the camp illustrate your view?
3. Levi describes the process of dehumanization that occurs almost immediately upon arrival to the camp. Of all the factors that are meant to dehumanize the inmates, which one(s) is/are the most striking to you? Incorporating appropriate evidence, why are these factors effectively dehumanizing?
1. Survival in Auschwitz employs a number of themes to paint a vivid portrait of camp life. Some of those themes include the difficulty of communicating, loss of identity and loss of humanity. Choose one theme from the text that see as the most important (and effective) in relating to you the horrors of life in Auschwitz. Why does this particular theme stand out, and what examples of events, scenes or characters explore your chosen theme?
2. How is life in Auschwitz different from the world outside the concentration camps? What specific events and characteristics of the camp illustrate your view?
3. Levi describes the process of dehumanization that occurs almost immediately upon arrival to the camp. Of all the factors that are meant to dehumanize the inmates, which one(s) is/are the most striking to you? Incorporating appropriate evidence, why are these factors effectively dehumanizing?
Monday, January 18, 2010
21 January Reading Assignment
You should plan to finish Survival in Auschwitz by Thursday's class, during which we will discuss themes and literary devices the novel employs to illustrate the experience of camp life. You should continue noting passages that you find particularly striking, but also be able to articulate why you find the particular passages thought-provoking.
Reading Questions:
1. What personal appeals does the author make to the reader? How would you characterize Levi's narration? For example, is your impression of narration style one of personal appeal/emotion, logic, detachment, etc.?
2. Why does the selection process invoke thoughts about God for Levi in Chapter 13? Is there a logic system to selections?
3. What is the function of lying? Is there a moral standard or lesson to be derived from the case of Klaus in Chapter 14?
4. What is different about the "last man" whose execution the prisoners are forced to watch in Chapter 16?
5. In the final chapter, how are the inmates' outlooks on life different from when they first arrived, particularly that of Levi? What has been lost from Levi and his comrades' humanity? What remains?
Reading Questions:
1. What personal appeals does the author make to the reader? How would you characterize Levi's narration? For example, is your impression of narration style one of personal appeal/emotion, logic, detachment, etc.?
2. Why does the selection process invoke thoughts about God for Levi in Chapter 13? Is there a logic system to selections?
3. What is the function of lying? Is there a moral standard or lesson to be derived from the case of Klaus in Chapter 14?
4. What is different about the "last man" whose execution the prisoners are forced to watch in Chapter 16?
5. In the final chapter, how are the inmates' outlooks on life different from when they first arrived, particularly that of Levi? What has been lost from Levi and his comrades' humanity? What remains?
Good News from the Bookie
Survival in Auschwitz is available in the Bookie, so it looks like everyone should have no problem accomplishing the reading for tomorrow's class. Thanks to all who alerted me to the problem.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The Bookie/Crimson & Gray
Hi folks,
Anyone having trouble securing a copy of Survival in Auschwitz from the Bookie or Crimson & Gray, please send me an email at erin_mae [at] wsu.edu so I can give the representatives an estimate of how many texts are still needed. From what I understand, Crimson & Gray sold their last copy this morning. The Bookie is not open on Sundays so I will call in the morning and find out how long the wait will be until the next shipment.
I will be dropping the two lowest quiz grades from the semester, so if you are still in need of a text, the quizzes this week will not affect your grade for the course. However, I will expect that everyone will have read the text by the midterm exam, as this and all texts we read will be central to the exam's completion.
In addition, if there are any other texts that you have not been able to purchase due to delays or backorders, please let me know so I can find out an estimated shipment date.
Cheers,
EM
Anyone having trouble securing a copy of Survival in Auschwitz from the Bookie or Crimson & Gray, please send me an email at erin_mae [at] wsu.edu so I can give the representatives an estimate of how many texts are still needed. From what I understand, Crimson & Gray sold their last copy this morning. The Bookie is not open on Sundays so I will call in the morning and find out how long the wait will be until the next shipment.
I will be dropping the two lowest quiz grades from the semester, so if you are still in need of a text, the quizzes this week will not affect your grade for the course. However, I will expect that everyone will have read the text by the midterm exam, as this and all texts we read will be central to the exam's completion.
In addition, if there are any other texts that you have not been able to purchase due to delays or backorders, please let me know so I can find out an estimated shipment date.
Cheers,
EM
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Grade Book on elearning
I have posted the grades for the first quiz on elearning. You can access them in the "My Grades" tab for the course site space. I will post all quiz and midterm final grades for the duration of the semester in this capacity.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
19 January Reading Assignment
For next Tuesday's class, be sure to have read through the 11th section (through "The Canto of Ulysses") in Primo Levi's Survival in Auschwitz. To guide your reading, keep these questions in mind:
1. How does Levi attempt to demonstrate humanity in its totality? What appeals to the good and evil of humanity does he make? Come prepared to discuss specific examples.
2. What direct appeals does Levi make to the reader, and what effect do they have on your experience of the narrative?
3. What does the dream of Tantalus mean?
4. Referring to chapter 7, how has Auschwitz changed the prisoners' values?
5. With careful attention to chapter 8, what is the economic system of the camp?
6. What events do you find particularly striking? Come prepared to discuss at least one passage or event you found striking.
During Thursday's class, we will discuss the rest of the novel, so it might be a good idea to read ahead if you are pressed for time, but on Tuesday, we will only discuss the first eleven chapters. Please remember to Google any terms that you do not find in your glossary of Holocaust terminology.
1. How does Levi attempt to demonstrate humanity in its totality? What appeals to the good and evil of humanity does he make? Come prepared to discuss specific examples.
2. What direct appeals does Levi make to the reader, and what effect do they have on your experience of the narrative?
3. What does the dream of Tantalus mean?
4. Referring to chapter 7, how has Auschwitz changed the prisoners' values?
5. With careful attention to chapter 8, what is the economic system of the camp?
6. What events do you find particularly striking? Come prepared to discuss at least one passage or event you found striking.
During Thursday's class, we will discuss the rest of the novel, so it might be a good idea to read ahead if you are pressed for time, but on Tuesday, we will only discuss the first eleven chapters. Please remember to Google any terms that you do not find in your glossary of Holocaust terminology.
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