We will be reading three short stories this week: “Salvation” by Langston Hughes, “Araby” by James Joyce, and “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara.
Activity 1
Click this link to access the short story “Salvation” by Langston Hughes.
Activity 2
Click this link to access a Youtube lecture on “Salvation.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN1D8ValcPY
Activity 3
Click this link to visit an interesting site, published by the Kansas Heritage Group, which explores the life and work of Langston Hughes.
Activity 4
The short story “Salvation” by Langston Hughes is rich with various forms of irony, which will be relevant to the week’s discussion board. Click this link for a short video that explains the three types of irony.
CC0 Public Domain
Original composite CConway
Note from Professor:
“Araby” is not a love story.
Activity 5
Please review this short pre-reading Lecture on “Araby” by James Joyce.
Short Lecture
Activity 6
Click this link to access an interactive reading of “Araby” by James Joyce on the Commonlit website. You do not have to answer the assessment questions, but they may enhance your understanding of the story. In order to access the Commonlit, website. It takes less than a minute to set up an account. See COURSE INFORMATIon for directions.
Optional – Audio Reading of “Araby”
Click this link to access a very good podcast recording of “Araby” by James Joyce.
PD US
Activity 7
Click this link to read “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara.
(Optional): Click here for an audio reading of “The Lesson.”
Activity 8
This link brings you to an interesting discussion of “The Lesson” by literary critic Rena Korb from the BMCC database Literature Resource Center. It is important for you to familiarize yourself with the library’s literature databases because you will be accessing these databases later on when you write your final research essay. I have also attached the article in PDF format.
Activity 9
Please review this short PowerPoint presentation on thesis statements. It includes exercises that test your skill at writing a good thesis statement.
Check your skill at thesis statements. Click here.
Activity 10
Click this link to access a Youtube review of common literary terms and devices.
Click this link for another view, which includes other literary terms and devices.
Activity 11
Quiz 1 on Literary Terms and Thesis Statements
This week’s quiz tests knowledge about thesis statements, as well as common literary terms (See Activities 9 and 10). This is not a memorization quiz. It requires you to use critical thinking to apply learned material.
Quiz will be available from 9:00 a.m. Monday, January 3 to Sunday, January 9, 5:00 p.m. Once the test closes, it will not be available or visible to students. Review materials are in Activities 9 and 10 on this page.
To access the quiz, please navigate to your Blackboard course. On the black navigation panel, click Links to Quizzes. Then click Quiz 1 .
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Activity 12
Essay 1 due: Sunday, January 9, 11:59 p.m.
In this class, you will be developing a single research essay over the course of the three-week semester. We will be working on this essay in two steps: first and final draft. The first draft will be a thesis-driven essay of 2-3 pages in length (500-750 words).
Your essay will be focused on one of the three stories read in Week 1.
Click here to access essay directions for the first draft (Essay 1). Follow the outline please. Also, be sure to follow MLA formatting style. See resources below.
To submit your first draft, return to your Blackboard course and click the “Essay Submission Links” folder on the black navigation panel. Within the folder, click the subfolder labeled “Essay 1.”
Be sure to follow format guidelines
Please watch the Format Matters video.
BMCC Library Guide to MLA Format
Student Sample First Draft
Note: You may also choose one of two optional stories. Links to the optional stories are included below. If you choose one of the optional stories, you will read them on your own.
Optional stories:
“A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett. (optional reading)
“A&P” by John Updike (on Commonlit website) (optional reading)
Activity 11
Click this link to access the Week 1 discussion board.
