Homework and misc info, 10/15

Due Monday 10/20

READ the excerpts from Colson Whitehead's John Henry Days that I handed out in class.
(A summary of the novel, to give you a little context, is available here.)
Those of you who weren't in class and didn't get the handout will need to take the book out of the library. The pages to read are: 83-6, 118-122, 137-142, and 238-241.

FIND the lyrics to a version of "John Henry" and bring them to class. (Please don't bring in the versions by Woody Guthrie or Bruce Springsteen; I'm bringing those.)


In-class essay

As I announced in class tonight, on Wednesday we're going to be doing an in-class essay about Whitehead's John Henry Days and Solnit's River of Shadows. I'm going to hand out a list of essay questions for you to choose from, and you'll have 45 minutes to write an essay incorporating one or both of these readings, and two outside sources that you will bring in with you.

You need not bring them on Monday; I'm only posting this now so that you can start preparing over the weekend if you want to. You're welcome to bring in as many outside sources as you like, but you need only incorporate 2 into your paper. The more carefully you've read them and marked them up in advance of class, the more prepared you will be to use them effectively in your essay.

You'll probably find a lot more literary criticism about John Henry Days than you will about River of Shadows, but you need not limit yourself to literary criticism. The essay questions will be about technology, the mythology of the West, the railroad, the symbolism of the folk hero John Henry, etc., so essays or historical resources about any or all of these subjects would be helpful to you.


Re-writes on paper #1

...are due on Wednesday 10/22! You may not do a re-write unless you've met with me to discuss it first. When you hand your rewrite in, it's very important that you attach the old version of your paper to the new version so I can see what changes you've made. I can't wait to see what you guys come up with!


See you Monday.