5 (6/15) | Crime & Short Story Plot Form | Questioning Enigmas to Frame Interpretation
READ:
–Diaz, “The Money” (p. 23)
–Essay 1s, 6 or so
—Essay 2 assignment sheet
–Skim the remainder of the readings (below) to get ideas for Essay 2
We are now reaching the midpoint of the course and as such need to begin shifting towards Essay 1 revisions and Essay 2. With that, the reading assignment for Thursday is light, so as to allow you more time to do the following:
–Read Diaz’ “The Money” (p. 23) if you haven’t already. There is no formal writing assignment I want you to do in response to this short story (yet), but I do want us to think about what the key events in this crime story are. On the other hand, I also want us to think about what events/details are NOT essential to this story.  Also, please consider the question of whether or not this is a kind of “double crime” story—a kind of revenge plot in which one crime is paid for by another. In keeping with this, I want us to think about how this story is centered around at least one “enigma” (look this term up–you will be rewarded!)—one of which is the question of who committed the robbery, which the story (like many crime stories) resolves through the “detective work” of the narrator. However, one of the other enigmas of the text that I want you to examine is the way (well, ways, plural) in which the narrator (the “I” who tells this story) incriminates himself: I call this an enigma because it’s not altogether clear or certain (nor can it be) why he (the narrator) might choose to do this and what effects his self-incrimination might be supposed to have on us as we read. Does the fact that he (the narrator of “The Money”) shows us his own criminal impulses make us like him more? Hate him? What else does this “enigma” of this text (the self-incriminating aspect of the narrator) do to us?
- Read and comment on the Essay 1 drafts of 8 of your classmates. This will bring your total number of feedback comments to 10 so far. It’s up to you whose essays you choose to read and give feedback on. Below, again, are the guidelines for providing essay feedback. REMEMBER: you are not (yet) required to comment on other students’ HW responses/comments—just their Essay 1s!
27 times throughout the course (1 per student), you will be expected to post your feedback on other students’ essays to the blog as a “comment” under the post each student-author will create (which will contain their essay as well as a note containing any specific feedback requests).  In your feedback, please comment on at least 1 specific passage in the essay you’ve learned something from (and explain what you’ve learned) and make 1 specific suggestion about one passage in the essay that you think could be improved (explain how to improve it). Please quote from the essay at least once in your post.
- Read the Essay 2 assignment sheet and skim the remainder of the readings in the first and last sections of the PDF reader in order to begin deciding which text you want to focus your Essay 2 on. Post below a paragraph describing how you understand what you will be doing for your Essay 2 and what your plan is. Please also post any questions about the assignment if you have any.
6/18)
5 (6/15) | Crime & Short Story Plot Form | Questioning Enigmas to Frame Interpretation
READ:
–Diaz, “The Money” (p. 23)
–Essay 1s, 6 or so
—Essay 2 assignment sheet
–Skim the remainder of the readings (below) to get ideas for Essay 2
We are now reaching the midpoint of the course and as such need to begin shifting towards Essay 1 revisions and Essay 2. With that, the reading assignment for Thursday is light, so as to allow you more time to do the following:
–Read Diaz’ “The Money” (p. 23) if you haven’t already. There is no formal writing assignment I want you to do in response to this short story (yet), but I do want us to think about what the key events in this crime story are. On the other hand, I also want us to think about what events/details are NOT essential to this story. Also, please consider the question of whether or not this is a kind of “double crime” story—a kind of revenge plot in which one crime is paid for by another. In keeping with this, I want us to think about how this story is centered around at least one “enigma” (look this term up–you will be rewarded!)—one of which is the question of who committed the robbery, which the story (like many crime stories) resolves through the “detective work” of the narrator. However, one of the other enigmas of the text that I want you to examine is the way (well, ways, plural) in which the narrator (the “I” who tells this story) incriminates himself: I call this an enigma because it’s not altogether clear or certain (nor can it be) why he (the narrator) might choose to do this and what effects his self-incrimination might be supposed to have on us as we read. Does the fact that he (the narrator of “The Money”) shows us his own criminal impulses make us like him more? Hate him? What else does this “enigma” of this text (the self-incriminating aspect of the narrator) do to us?
Read and comment on the Essay 1 drafts of 8 of your classmates. This will bring your total number of feedback comments to 10 so far. It’s up to you whose essays you choose to read and give feedback on. Below, again, are the guidelines for providing essay feedback. REMEMBER: you are not (yet) required to comment on other students’ HW responses/comments—just their Essay 1s!
27 times throughout the course (1 per student), you will be expected to post your feedback on other students’ essays to the blog as a “comment” under the post each student-author will create (which will contain their essay as well as a note containing any specific feedback requests). In your feedback, please comment on at least 1 specific passage in the essay you’ve learned something from (and explain what you’ve learned) and make 1 specific suggestion about one passage in the essay that you think could be improved (explain how to improve it). Please quote from the essay at least once in your post.
Read the Essay 2 assignment sheet and skim the remainder of the readings in the first and last sections of the PDF reader in order to begin deciding which text you want to focus your Essay 2 on. Post below a paragraph describing how you understand what you will be doing for your Essay 2 and what your plan is. Please also post any questions about the assignment if you have any.
I understand essay 2 directs us to make critical analysis of the text infrastructure, style, interpretation, contents and sentence structuring. A formulation of a thesis based upon the deep analysis of our chosen reading and basing quotes followed by an analytical examination of their significance in connection to our thesis. Our thesis should be able to target why our text is unique by focusing its range upon the variety of literary composition listed previously and staying true to the 3 main objectives, Close Reading, Research and Comparison.
I understand the Essay 2 instruction, which is a continuation of Essay 1. It is just elaborating more on our perspective based on research, evidence, and comparison. The essay is focusing on the styles of interpretation based by facts, that are also supported by proven evidence. The thesis statement should be directing the topic, in order to establish an argument that is based from evidences to prove the point.
2- For essay two I understand what I have to do, instead of making an interpretation I have to now make a deep analysis on whatever text I chose to write about.Also carefully look for things like word choice, formation, style, etc… The essay focusses on you analyzing an interpretation then making a strong statement/question (my thesis statement) on the text. I also have to use my own unique style and formation to support my thesis in the body, the thesis should also address what your main message you are trying to get across to build an argument.
2- I understand what I have to do for Essay 2. I know that I have to elaborate in a profound basis on the text and pay attention to details that I feel is important to include in the text, and use them to analyze what my interpretation of the text might be. In addition, I will have to use my own style of writing by a well built thesis and details to back up my argument.
Read and comment on the Essay 1 drafts of 8 of your classmates. This will bring your total number of feedback comments to 10 so far. It’s up to you whose essays you choose to read and give feedback on. Below, again, are the guidelines for providing essay feedback. REMEMBER: you are not (yet) required to comment on other students’ HW responses/comments—just their Essay 1s!
I’ve been posting feedback on essays since 10:30 AM minus snack breaks, lunch, and the Zoom meeting. I completely sympathize with you, Professor. It’s rough but I really enjoyed reading all the different versions! To date these are the 10 essays I posted feedback on:
-Jesse Abarro
-Kwameh Manuh
-Aravis McBroom
-Galina Drozdova
-Haziq
-Miguel Garcia
-Kelly Pinedo
-Brittny
-Jamal
-Melanie
Some have quotes included in the actual comment, but the ones that I could open in google docs, I used the suggestion option to comment on the essays and highlight quotes to add comments to.
Read the Essay 2 assignment sheet and skim the remainder of the readings in the first and last sections of the PDF reader in order to begin deciding which text you want to focus your Essay 2 on. Post below a paragraph describing how you understand what you will be doing for your Essay 2 and what your plan is. Please also post any questions about the assignment if you have any.
I don’t have any questions at the moment, but if any do come up I’ll ask in the group chat on hangouts!
Thank you for your due diligence, Stephanie–you are an inspiration to many students (so I’m told) and to me as well. I promise I’ll get to those Essay 1s in the next day or so!
Awwwww! That’s so sweeeeet! I’ve always seen that working together to help each other provides the best outcome so I try to apply that in all my classes.
2) I understand that essay 2 is more detailed and research-based than essay 1. We also are doing comparisons to a similar text of whichever story we decided to write essay 2 about. The essay is more like a research paper in terms that we trying to write arguments and counter-arguments of what an interpretation is. My plan is to write about “The Money” by Junot Diaz once again because I feel that it’s easy to understand the story but that there’s so much more to it. No further questions about the assignment for now.
I understand that for essay 2 I have to come up with a thesis based on the analysis of a chosen reading. Then, I will do some research to support the thesis with proven evidence. Additionally, I will use my own writing style in the essay 2.
1- I’ve gave feedback on 6 of my classmates I will be doing more to help out.
2 – After reading Essay 2 assignment sheet it seem much clear to me for what to expect I know we have to do a more detailed essay based on your essay 1 but elaborate on close reading, research and comparison for essay 2. Also I was bit of confused because I don’t know what reading we have to choose I know its shown in the assignment sheet an example of Junot Diaz story with the purloined letter reading to help us understand the assignment, which to my understanding is that we have to read that reading and then do close reading, research, and comparison as explained on the assignment sheet based on our essay 1.
Emily, thanks for the question. You are allowed to choose whichever reading you’d like from the PDF, so long as it is in the first section (Mini-Literatures) or last section (Addendum: More Mini-Literatures). I chose to use Diaz’ story just as an example, but you can use whichever text from those two sections in the PDF that you find most unique. M
2) I understand that essay 2 needs to be more detailed and research-based. We are trying to write arguments and counter-arguments of what an interpretation is. I plan to write about “The Money” by Junot Diaz again because I feel that iI can build the story more from where I left off. I have no further questions about the assignment.
2) I understand the essay 2 due on monday, it going to be more detailed than essay 1, I will finish skimming through the last couple readings and decide what the focus of my essay 2 will be on. No questions
1. I understood essay 2, thanks for explaining some of it in the zoom meeting.
2. I’m almost finished with the reading, I know I should have been done with but there so many things happening within my family.
3. I have posted the comments on the essays.
and another thing if I have any question trouble with the essay I’ll email you and also try to ask one of the classmates for help.
HW 5. 6/15 (due 6/18)
1) I posted 8 feedbacks –
Jesse Abarro , Starlyn Hiraldo ,Victor Li, Emanuel Pichardo, Emily Mendieta, Kelly Pinedo,Stephanie Dirani,Miguel Garcia .
Altogether I have done 12 Essay feedbacks so far.
2) I do understand that Essay 2 structure is different from Essay one 1.
I understand that I will need to do more critical and analytical writing for this essay. I need to pick a passage that intrigues me the most in “The Money” by Junot Diaz and create a thesis based on it. Then I will need to do some research and comparison of similar content while analyzing style and choice of wording in the text. Later I need to build body paragraphs supporting my thesis statement.
At the moment, I don’t have any questions, as you explained everything during yesterday’s Zoom session. If I do come up with a question I surely not hesitate to ask.
Kwame Manuh
Assignment due 6/18
Prof. Monroe
1. I have commented on 8 additional essays bringing my total responses to 10.
2. For essay number 2 I understand what we are supposed to do. Unlike the first essay the second essay will consist of research and comparisons presumably using the web as a source for the essay also it is an argumentative essay. Also for essay 2 there will have to be a critical explanation of the interpretation being used. For example there has to be an inclusion of the style, word choice, figurative and thematic contents that makes the essay more complicated. Lastly the organization of the text is key in order to be able to write an argumentative essay. There will also be evidence required in order to successfully write an argumentative essay. I will be using the essay “The Money” by Diaz to write this essay.
I have no questions regarding the essay
I understand Essay 2 and I understand it will consist of more questions and research. We will be summarizing our selected piece and highlight uniqueness, questions and any confusion. We will then expand into quotations that spark questions and confusion. Using research we will then answer these questions and finally compare and analyze the text to a similar one. One question I have is does the selected passage of Essay 2 have to be different from Essay 1?
Chelsea, good question. No it does not have to be a different text. You’ll just be writing about this text in a very different way than you did for Essay 1.
I have no questions regarding essay 2. Although similar to the first essay, this will require a bit more work. I will have to compose a thesis based off of what I think of a reading. I will have to look out for things that make the reading stand out, such language use and structure. Along with that, I would have to do some research.
1) Feedback Given: Jesse Abarro, Sosa, Indeevari Kumarasing, Emily Mendieta, Starlyn Hiraldo, Aravis McBroom, Brittney Sobers, Galina Drozdova.
2) I understand that Essay 2 will consist of a more critical/investigative approach. This approach will entail us exploring what makes a text specifically unique. Whether it’s the style, structure, wording, vocabulary, or theme, these contents will identify the uniqueness of a text.Our thesis can be hypothetically expressed. We must have a clear beginning, middle, and end. We have to include interpretive strategies such as close reading. This is where we summarize, provide quotes, and question the message being portrayed through those quotes. We have to provide research from credible sources. Finally, we must compare the passages we wrote to the original text and also analyze the similarities and differences. There is only one question I have. When taking a more critical approach, do we have to completely remain neutral to the messages or themes that we are discovering in the texts? Since a thesis is an argument, do we have to take a stance in our essay even though we’re using hypothetical language?
Great questions, Jamal. Your last one first: your “stance” or thesis in this essay is your theory of what makes the text you’ve chosen unique (evidenced by your observations of its plot, style, themes, and other features). As for your first question, you do not need to remain “neutral” regarding the topics discussed in your essay (nor do you need to abstain from criticising aspects of your chosen text that you dislike). For instance, if you choose Namwali Serpell’s text which deals primarily with police brutality, you absolutely do not need to remain “neutral” with regard to police brutality and racism!!! However, I want to emphasize that the main focus of your essay will be on what makes the text unique rather than on, say, your views regarding police brutality. Feel free to express your views, but remember that your primary task is to show why this particular text is so particular–so, for instance, why/how Serpell’s text offers us a unique way of looking at the issue of police brutality.
Make sense?
“Read and comment on the Essay 1 drafts of 8 of your classmates.” Yes, I’ve done.
Based on our zoom drop- in meeting, I understand what is due from the assignment. It’s a comparison essay between two texts, “critical analysis of the text infrastructure, style, interpretation, contents and sentence structuring.”I would also like a recording of the zoom meeting so that I may play it back. I would also like to use the prompt that you gave as an example for my essay. If it’s too hard, then I would reach out to you and get your approval for said assignment.
Sounds good, Aravis. I’m sorry that the Zoom recording didn’t work this week. We can discuss Essay 2 more at this coming week’s Zoom meeting–hope you can make it!
1.) I provided feedback for following students
-Kerving
-Starlyn
-Victor
-Emmanuel
-Aravis
-Jamal
-Galina
-Melanie
2.) For essay 2 it is a continuation of Essay 1. We can choose any of the readings to do essay 2. We’re going to look carefully at the “features” of the text we chose. That means ranging from style, word, choice, figurative language. Thesis question – What makes this text unique?
– At the moment I have no questions but if I do I will e-mail. 🙂
2.) I understand for Essay 2, the essay is more detailed and research based. In Essay 2, the directions say to pick a part in “The Money” that fascinates me the most and create a detailed analysis on it. It focused more on reading, comparison and critical thinking. I will do my research to back up my thesis with evidence. I will use my own style of writing and create a good thesis statement for my essay. I have no questions so far.