Mlesson11reflectivewriting

In order to successfully complete Lesson 11, please do the following:

Lesson Check List

Readings

· Read:

· "The Hunger Artist" by Franz Kafka (textbook)

· "The Lives of the Dead" by Tim O'Brien (textbook)

· Review/Re-read

· "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien (textbook)

Activities

· Complete discussion: Introduction to Critical Approaches

· Complete Module 11 Reflective Writing Assignment

Presentation: Uncertainty and Truth as a Literary Theme

Uncertainty and Truth as a Literary Theme

Reading is an interactive experience. Authors create a story with the expectation that someone will read it.  Most authors of fiction want to make the reader feel something as they experience the story: fear, happiness, dismay, joy, etc. They want to appeal to the reader in some way and offer a sort of escape from reality. In turn, the reader agrees to be manipulated, in a way, and believe what the story is telling them. Just like getting lost in a movie- even though you know you're sitting on your couch in your pajamas. 

Uncertainty (refers to the state of being unsure or doubtful about something. It can refer to characters' feelings, the plot, or the themes of a story) and Truth (refers to the state of being accurate or in accordance with fact. It can refer to characters' beliefs, the plot, or the themes of a story) are important literary themes that have been explored by many writers throughout history. They are often intertwined and can be found in various forms such as characters' inner thoughts, dialogue, and plot events. In this lesson, we will explore how these themes are used in literature and how they can be analyzed.   The nature of truth within a fictional story can take many roles and can be affected by many things:

·

· It can be influenced on a character level depending on the point of view (POV), or who is telling the story.

· This is where narrative style is important and whether or not we have a reliable narrator. Remember unreliable narrators often distort the truth.

·  In "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare, the main character is uncertain about whether to believe the ghost's story about his father's murder and whether to take revenge. This uncertainty drives the plot and reveals the theme of the uncertainty of truth.

· It can be manipulated by the author and can reflect personal beliefs or the beliefs of a society.

· So many times fiction is a reflection what a culture or society is going through in that moment. Civil war, political strife, feast or famine are all reflected in the literature being written during that time. 

· Stories can definitely be influenced by the personal beliefs or internal struggles of the author, which can affect the truth or purpose of a text. 

· Authors can also intentionally mislead readers by warping reality. There is an example of this below.

· In "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger, the main character Holden is uncertain about the truth of adult life and the meaning of life. This uncertainty reveals the theme of the uncertainty of life. 

· It can depend on the genre.

· Is the story supposed to mirror reality?

· Is it fantasy fiction set in a mystical place where the reader's perception of "real" or "true" is completely dependent on the story?

· In "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the characters are uncertain about the true nature of Gatsby's wealth and past. This uncertainty creates tension and reveals the theme of the uncertainty of identity.

· It can be a literary device: reality vs. illusion

· This is a method authors use to trick the reader into one reality while something completely different is actually happening. 

· Authors will give clues that the action of the story isn't really happening.

· An example of this would be Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". The story is told in three different sections:

· In the first section, a soldier is about to be executed.

· The second section is a long winded flash back.

· The third section is the solder's very detailed escape. For example, the protagonist is able to see the veins of leaves on trees on the shore while being carried away down a rapidly flowing river. However, the reality was that the soldier imagined his escape. These were his final thoughts. Bierce used the second section to completely distract us, the reader, so that when the "escape" began, we were on board and cheering him on with a distorted reality.

· Truth in fiction can even be affected by your own experiences and what you bring to the table as a reader.

· The purpose and message of some stories are interpreted differently depending on a reader's personal belief and life experiences.

· Analyzing uncertainty and truth in literature:

· Identify instances of uncertainty and truth in the text.

· Consider the characters' thoughts and actions in relation to uncertainty and truth.

· Consider the plot events and how they relate to uncertainty and truth.

· Consider the themes and how they relate to uncertainty and truth.

Important notice for next week: Your annotated bibliographies are due.

Next week you will be turning in your annotated bibliography assignment. Remember that we practiced for this in Module 8. This assignment is for research that you are doing towards your final paper. Since research can get overwhelming at times, this is a really good method to stay organized. Researching literature is also a good way to learn how you personally conduct research. Considering that most college majors and many professions require some elements of research, it is something that is important to know and you can only get good at it through practice. 

A few things for your upcoming Annotated Bibliography assignment:

· It is important to know that research takes time. Do not wait until the last minute to start this project. Research is not something that can be done well when it is rushed. 

· Start thinking about your paper topic now and determine which text do you want to work with.

· Do a basic, general research (just "Google it") about your idea before you start doing scholarly research. You will need to know any terms that are specific to your topic. It will help you narrow your research. 

· Do that same basic general search on whatever text you are working with. I will always encourage you to read about the story so that you understand the story. However, you must still read the actual story. 

Review following documents (previously given in Module 8):

· Example formatting for annotated bibliography     

Go ahead to Module 12 and look at the assignment so that you are aware of the requirements and can get started!

ASSIGNMENT: Reflective Writing (300-400 words)

DETAILS

Assignment Overview

Respond:  These are reflective writing opportunities. Use these as experimental spaces - ask questions, think about readings, reflect on your own work, expand on ideas brought up during discussions, prepare for upcoming assignments, consider new ideas.

Now that you have submitted your second paper, I want you to go back and revisit your process. It is important to start learning your writing style. Pay attention to how you gather information and how you get to the final draft. A lot will have to do with your personality. Often times, analytical thinkers write short, efficient sentences while creative thinkers tend to write longer, multi-line sentences. Neither is wrong! Learn to embrace your own style and use it as a foundation.

Once you have this foundation, you know how to get to your end goal, which, for this class, is that beautifully crafted final draft. You learn to reflect and grow. For example, if you know that you write brief, choppy sentences, how can you develop them? What information can you add? If you write long, flowy sentences, consider whether or not every word is really needed. 

Think about the following:

· What was your brainstorming process? How did you come up with your idea (while driving, cooking dinner, ideas hastily written on a paper napkin at a birthday party)?

· What did you do with the idea?

· Did you try to write the paper from start to finish?

· Did you write in sections or parts and piece it together at the end?

· How much time did you (honestly!) give to editing and revising your work?

For this assignment, consider your writing process and reflect. What do you feel you did well? What part of the process needs improvement?

Your writings should be:

· About 400-500 words long

· Related to the readings, assignments, and/or discussions from this week

· Evidence of critical thinking

· Follow MLA formatting guidelines.  Find help with MLA formatting guidelines, here: 

You can:

· Discuss your own experiences readings, writing, and working in this module (time management, understanding of materials, etc.)

You should avoid:

· Copy / pasting from other submissions.

· Focusing on a reading from a different module only (you can connect this week to a previous week, though)

· Unprofessional discourse

· Conversational language (you, I, etc.)

Guidelines

Your response should be cohesive (in paragraph form, not as a list). Use academic writing conventions, and proofread and edit before submitting.

Your journal entry should be a cohesive 400-500 word entry.