Tag Archives: setting

Reading Quicksand, writing Project #1

Posted on by
6

The reading assignment for this week is to finish reading Quicksand. How is that going? it would be great if everyone were finished with the novel when we meet on Thursday.

You are also working on Project #1, which is due–both parts–on Thursday by the start of class. If you have any questions or concerns about Project #1, please let me know by posting a comment in response to this post or to the post in which I wrote a sample manifesto. And be sure to read that sample! Remember that your manifesto should be written from the voice of either the narrator of the story or one of the characters–except perhaps a bolder version, one who is ready to make a passionate statement about the conditions in which women like those in our texts live.

As you’re reading Larsen’s Quicksand, think about what you want to discuss in class, especially which location of the remaining locations you want to focus on. Write a blog post about that location as the setting for Helga’s development as a character.

OR, think about which man in Helga’s life you’d like to discuss. Write a blog post about the relationship Helga has with that man, why it stands out to you, and how it meets or doesn’t meet your expectations.

OR, think about what Helga terms “the race question,” and how she attempts to rid it from or embrace it in her life. How were her different experiences in each setting fuel for the fire she feels about race?

OR, pose a different question about Quicksand and answer it.

And in case you thought that things would calm down after Project #1, our midterm exam is scheduled for March 27th! Coming soon on our course site: information about the format and scope of the exam, and sample questions.

Nella Larsen’s Quicksand for 3/11 and 3/13

Posted on by
3

I trust that everyone has been able to get the textbook, The Norton Anthology of Literature by Women, volume 2, and has begun reading our first novel of the semester, Quicksand by Nella Larsen. If you have questions about getting the book, please get in touch with me. I have also included a link to an online copy in our Readings page so that you can keep up with the reading even if your book hasn’t arrived yet. The electronic copy is also useful for copying passages and searching within the text. I expect you to bring the book to class on Thursday.

As you read, notice how Helga Crane’s character develops. What contributes to the development of her character, and how is it represented in the text? Choose a passage from the text that highlights the development of her character, and explain what it does to expand your understanding of Helga. Include a parenthetical citation to indicate the page number for the passage.

OR

How does setting matter in Quicksand? From the first line of the novel, we are given descriptions about the time and place of the plot. Choose a passage from the text that highlights the role of setting, and explain what it does to expand your understanding of the plot. Again, include a parenthetical citation to indicate the page number for the passage.

Parenthetical citations are the way we indicate author and page information when we use MLA guidelines. Since all of your passages are from Larsen, and that’s clear from what you’re writing, there’s no need to include her last name in the citation, just the page number or numbers. So yours might look like this (362). Or like this (362-3). If you were making a comparison between Intimate Apparel and Quicksand and you needed to make it clear which text you were referring to in your citation, you would include one like this (Larsen 362). Notice there’s no comma.

Your post should follow our blogging guidelines and use the category Nella Larsen. Comment on 2-4 posts by Thursday morning. Remember that these comments should total approximately 300 words.