***Update: I fixed the link to Ellison’s “Prologue to Invisible Man”***

 

Agenda for Monday, Oct 4

 

1–Freewrite: If you could be a writer, which type of writer would you want to be? A journalist, a fiction writer, a poet, a science writer, music reviewer, sports writer, cultural critic, theater critic, essayist, writer of opinions, fashion writer?

 

Freewrite 2: If you could write a book, what would it be? Book of poetry, a novel? A play? Mystery, sports, a memoir about your life, a book about climate change? A book about racial injustice? A book about how to get rich? A book about politics, about NYC? About skateboarding?

 

2–New Term: Redemption:

Noun

redemption (countable and uncountable, plural redemptions)

  1. The act of redeeming or something redeemed.
  2. The recovery, for a fee, of a pawned article.
  3. Salvation from sin.
  4. Rescue upon payment of a ransom.
Verb

redeem (third-person singular simple present redeems, present participle redeeming, simple past and past participle redeemed)

  1. (transitive) To recover ownership of something by buying it back.
  2. (transitive) To liberate by payment of a ransom.
  3. (transitive) To set free by force. quotations ▼
  4. (transitive) To save, rescue
  5. (transitive) To clear, release from debt or blame
  6. (transitive) To expiate, atone (for)
  7. (transitive, finance) To convert (some bond or security) into cash
  8. (transitive) To save from a state of sin (and from its consequences).
  9. (transitive) To repair, restore
  10. (transitive) To reform, change (for the better)
  11. (transitive) To restore the honour, worth, or reputation of oneself or something.
  12. (transitive, archaic) To reclaim
Questions to ask: Who is doing the redeeming? Who has the power to redeem and who is blocked from redeeming others. Is someone blocked from seeking redemption. Can a person redeem themselves or does redemption come from the outside?

 

 

3–Review: Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man:

 

4–Review: Gothic Short Story Essay

 

Homework: In your notebook: make a list of all of our terms and concepts. Look over our list of short stories and then select your favorite two stories. Be prepared to discuss in class on Wednesday.