Welcome back students from what I hope was a reinvigorating Spring Break.

This week I want to introduce Akaeke Emezi’s novel Freshwater, which we will be reading prior to their talk on April 27 (4-6) in the New Theater on Jay Street.

Watch: My introduction to  Akwaeke Emezi’s Freshwater: Video

I am also giving an extension for your modernism assignment. If you have not uploaded it, please do so by Monday, April 24th.

Here are the directions:

The Modernism Assignment asks that you review two sites on the Poetry Foundation website:

1) Literary Modernism and 2) “Harlem Renaissance”

STEP ONE: Read “Literary Modernism,” then scroll down. Choose one of the listed poets.  Read the poet’s biography, then choose one of his or her poems for discussion.

STEP TWO: Write a 3 paragraph response to the poet and poem

Paragraph #1: Summarize key points from the poet’s biography (be sure to use the biography from this site)

Paragraph #2: Connect a biographical detail to the main theme of the poem (or connect the poet or poem to a point addressed in the essay on modernism).

Paragraph#3: Discuss what you find “modern,” interesting, or unusual about the poem.  Include your favorite line(s) that demonstrate this.

STEP THREE: Do this again for a poet from the “Harlem Renaissance”

STEP FOUR: By Mon., April 27, upload this assignment to our googledrive link: HERE

To upload a file from your computer press “new” (on upper left corner) and then “upload file”

Due Date: Mon. April 27

If you have not done so yet, please also watch an interview of Emezi by Trevor Noah on the Daily Show.

Interview on the Daily Show (2022)

Here is a link to the opening chapters of Freshwater: HERE

Content Warning: After chapter 3, the novel covers some difficult material relating to self-harm and sexual assault.  We will not be reading the full novel together but I encourage you to do so if you find the novel as captivating as I do. It is a brilliant, beautiful work but, again, covers difficult material.

As always, please email me regarding any questions or concerns.