May 20th, 2014

5/20/14

In Class:
Journal--  Reflect on Gandhi's Paradox, particularly as it applies to social injustice: 'Nothing that we do as individuals matters, but it's vitally important we do it anyway.'

Discussed the responsibilities and processes of deconstructing systems of privilege as presented in Privilege, Power, and Difference, 2nd. ed., by Allan G. Johnson.

Students used the remainder of class time for the following tasks:
  * Finish The Tortilla Curtain.
  * Work on your final project.
  * Catch up on any missing work and journal entries.
  * Turn in your A Better Life worksheet.

Exit ticket: Indicate the progress you made during class today.

Homework:
Finish The Tortilla Curtain.
Finish your final project by Thursday at 1:00 PM.
Catch up on any missing work and journal entries.

May 15th, 2014

5/15/14

In Class:
Journal--  How does Delaney's attitude toward Mexican people change over the course of the novel?

Finished A Better Life (2011) -- 43:00-end.

Introduced and reviewed final project and expectations.

Students used the remainder of class time to read The Tortilla Curtain, work on the A Better Life worksheet, and start their final projects.

Exit ticket: Set one personal and one academic goal for yourself for the next week.

Homework:
Read through ch. 6, part 3 of TC.
Start the final project.
A Better Life worksheet due Tuesday.
Catch up on any missing work/journals.

Final Project -- Modern Literature: Privilege and Society

Modern & Contemporary Literature: Privilege and Society

Final Project

To demonstrate your engagement with our reading, discussion, and topics of study thus far, please respond to two of the following three prompts and questions on a separate sheet of paper. This exam is worth 300 pts. of your total grade.

1) Using at least 4 direct quotes from the book, describe and analyze various characters’ responses to the heat wave, fire, flood, and mudslide. What do their reactions, behaviors, and words tell us about their worldviews, status, and privilege?

2) Using one of the passages excerpted on the attached page, reflect on the use of gates and walls in Arroyo Blanco in a ‘close reading analysis’ (~3-5 paragraphs—think golden lines and part-to-whole).

3) Create an artistic/creative representation of one more of the following themes as they are portrayed in The Tortilla Curtain:

            - imprisonment        - the dominance of Nature            - male privilege/misogyny

            - safety & security    - commodity fetishism & reification        - fear of the unknown

            - racism & ethnic prejudice            - healthy families & relationships          - mortality

You will be graded based on the content of your responses, particularly in your abilities to demonstrate understanding of the text, to interpret & analyze the material, and to synthesize the concepts of presented in this course (e.g., privilege, Marxism, Maslow’s hierarchy, etc.).

May 13th, 2014

5/13/14

In Class:
Journal--  Identify and reflect on at least one golden line from your most recent reading of The Tortilla Curtain.

As a class, we read and discussed "Proofs" by Richard Rodriguez, focusing on how traveling North can be a rite of passage.

Distributed missing work reports.

Screened 00:00 through 43:00 of A Better Life (2011).

Exit ticket: What page of The Tortilla Curtain are you on?

Homework:
Read through chapter 4, part 3 of The Tortilla Curtain.

May 8th, 2014

5/8/14

In Class:
Journal-- After hunting and cooking some small, wild birds, Cándido eats them: "The very taste on his lips was the taste of desperation" (Boyle 203). Reflect on this quote.

As a class, we discussed the notion of safety & security through the recent events of The Tortilla Curtain, specifically focusing on:
  * How do gates, fences, and walls provide a false sense of security?
  * How can fear be used to manipulate people?
  * Why is it unjust and irrational to create exclusivity to promote security?
  * How do different characters respond to unsafe situations? What degree of safety does each character pursue? Why?

Students used remaining class time to read. Starting next class, we will be screening A Better Life.

Exit ticket: What is one place where you feel safe?

Homework:
Read through Ch. 2, Pt. 3 of TC.

May 6th, 2014

5/6/14

In Class:
Journal--  What comes to your mind when you hear the term "human nature?"

Screened and discussed two stories from The Colbert Report: "Supreme Court's Affirmative Action Ban" and "The Ballad of Cliven Bundy." Today's racism is rarely as overt and violent as it was only fifty years ago; oftentimes, racism comes from 'good' intentions and ignorance. While this does not excuse prejudice, it explains how our society allows for implicit or subtle racism.

Today's overarching question: Is separatist behavior inherent in human nature?

Human Nature, according to Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, well-known 17th century philosophers:
Humans are flawed, capable of brutality, immorality, and general nastiness. But the question remains--does society corrupt man's natural goodness, or control man's natural badness?

This connects closely to a theory of literary criticism relevant to The Tortilla Curtain: Marxism.
Karl Marx's philosophy suggests that:
 * All social change is driven by conflict--bourgeoisie v. proletariat.
 * Capitalism is an artificial system that contradicts and bastardizes human nature through learned behaviors:

• commodity: any good or service which can be traded for money or other commodities
• commodity fetishism: obsession with (even sexualization of) commodities, ownership, and wealth
• commodification: the transformation of abstract ideas like labor and time into commodities
• reification: the process by which people begin viewing fellow humans as commodities, modes of production, or objects.

Connected back to The Tortilla Curtain using the following excerpt:
"Delaney was thinking about that as Kyra came to the end of her dissertation on Cynthia Sinclair: Kyra had cleaned up the corner of Shoup and Ventura, and Dominick Flood had cleaned up the labor exchange. All right. But where were these people supposed to go? Back to Mexico? Delaney doubted it, knowing what he did about migratory animal species and how one population responded to being displaced by another. It made for war, for violence and killing, until one group had decimated the other and reestablished its claim to the prime hunting, breeding or grazing grounds. It was a sad fact, but true" (Boyle 192-3/198).
  * Capitalism, through the notion of competition, drives Delaney to dehumanize and fear the Mexican population; he sees them as a threat, like brutish animals, even though much of the brutality and hate comes from within his white community.

With remaining class time, students began the reading assignment for next class. In addition to reading, please complete two "golden lines" in the following format:

Exit ticket: Define proletariat.

Homework:
Read through the end of Pt. 2 of The Tortilla Curtain.
Identify two golden lines. 

May 1st, 2014

5/1/14

In Class:
Journal--  Take an inventory of the social roles you play in your day-to-day life. Which of these roles are ascribed and which are achieved?

Discussed Früdelgorkins activity, particularly explaining material discrepancy, overcoming obstacles of privilege, and separation vs. collaboration.

Students spent the remainder of class catching up on reading.

Exit Ticket: Identify at least one time period this weekend that you will spend reading.

Homework:
Read through Pt. 2, Ch. 5 of TC. 

April 29th, 2014

4/29/14

In Class:
Journal--  How do male figures in The Tortilla Curtain exact male privilege/dominance toward América?

Read and discussed part two of "Rodney King's Question" from Privilege, Power, and Difference by Allan G. Johnson, focusing particularly on the idea of privilege as a social system (as opposed to an individual bias or prejudice).

Früdelgorkins
In groups of three, students constructed a bridge to span 9 inches between two desks using only materials provided to his or her group. This activity will be discussed and reflected upon next class.

Homework:
Read through Pt. 2, Ch. 4 of The Tortilla Curtain.

April 24th, 2014

4/24/14

In Class:
Journal--  Reflect on the first half of the block. What have you accomplished? What could have gone better? What will you do differently in the second half to ensure your success?

Students worked independently on midterm.

Homework:
Read through Ch. 2, Pt. 2 of TC.

April 22nd, 2014

4/22/14

In Class:
Journal--  What do you need to survive? To thrive?

Reviewed and discussed Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs, particularly as it pertains to The Tortilla Curtain. Is this model accurate? Realistic? Applicable?

In pairs, each student reflected on the characterization of the primary characters in The Tortilla Curtain: Delaney, Kyra, Cándido, and América. Discussed and debriefed as a class (to be followed up on next Tuesday).

Introduced and explained the midterm 'exam.' Although 80 minutes of the next class period will be allotted for this 'exam,' it is recommended that you start as soon as possible.

Homework:
Begin midterm.
If you have not already finished Part One of The Tortilla Curtain, do so.
Catch up on any missing work. 

Midterm Exam -- Modern Literature

Modern & Contemporary Literature: Privilege and Society

Midterm Exam

To demonstrate your engagement with our reading, discussion, and topics of study thus far, please respond to the following prompts and questions on a separate sheet of paper. This exam is worth 200 pts. of your total grade; each prompt is valued at the number of points listed in bold beside it.

1) Compare and contrast the following pairs of characters from The Tortilla Curtain. Consider their personal attributes, philosophies, actions, and worldviews.

            - Delaney & Cándido

            - Kyra & América

            - Jack Jardine, Jr. & José Navidád

2) In traditional literature, there is typically a protagonist (good guy) and antagonist (bad guy). However, as we first discovered in “The Love of My Life,” T.C. Boyle blurs the lines of morality to create a much more realistic portrayal of his characters—human beings are never all good or all bad. What attributes and actions make Delaney the protagonist? What attributes and actions make Cándido the protagonist? What attributes and actions make Cándido the antagonist? What attributes and actions make Delaney the antagonist?

3) How does Maslow’s hierarchy apply to the following excerpt of The Tortilla Curtain? How do América’s needs and aspirations frame the concept of suffering? How does this connect to the concept of privilege?

“She was tired, that was all. Her shoulders ached and her fingers burned where the skin was peeling back from her nails. And she was hungry, always hungry. If she’d stayed in Tepoztlán through all the gray days of her life she would have had enough to eat, as long as her father was alive and she jumped like a slave every time he snapped his fingers, but she would never have had anything more, not even a husband, because all the men in the village, all the decent ones, went North nine months a year. Or ten months. Or permanently. To succeed, to make the leap, you had to suffer. And her suffering was nothing compared to the tribulations of the saints or the people living in the streets of Mexico City and Tijuana, crippled and abandoned by God and man alike. So what if she had to live in a hut in the woods? It wouldn’t be for long. She had Cándido and she’d earned her first money and now Cándido was able to work again and the nightmare of the past few weeks was over. They’d have a place by the time the rains came in the fall, he’d promised her, and then they’d look back on all this as an adventure, a funny story, something to tell their grandchildren. Cándido, she would say, do you remember the time the car hit you, the time we camped out like Indians and cooked over the open fire, remember? Maybe they’d have a picnic here someday, with their son and maybe a daughter too” (139/___).

4) Read “Putting up the Gates” by Edward J. Blakely and Mary Gail Snyder. Reflect on the use of a gate in Arroyo Blanco Estates using evidence from the novel and from the reading.

April 17th, 2014

4/17/14

In Class:
Journal--  In The Tortilla Curtain, Boyle uses Candido's and Delaney's voices to refer to both Candido and Sacheverell as 'sorry lumps of meat/flesh'--a phrase also used in "The Love of My Life." What sort of statement do you think Boyle is trying to make, particularly about Delaney's perception of Mexicans?

As a class, we read and discussed "Rodney King's Question" excerpt from Privilege, Power, and Difference, 2nd edition. [Those who were absent should read the handout and take notes to submit for credit.]

Independently, students began the next reading assignment from The Tortilla Curtain.

Homework:
Read through the end of Part One of TC; prepare to write a plot summary.

April 15th, 2014

4/15/14

In Class:
Plot Summary-- Recall what you can from the last reading, including the answers to the following prompts:
* Describe the accident and the characters' reactions.
* What is the fate of Sacheverell? How does Delaney respond?
* Has América found work yet?
* What happens to the camp at the end of this reading assignment?

Journal--  Listen to "White Privilege" by Macklemore. How does Macklemore identify and discuss the concept of privilege within the world of hip-hop?

As a class, we reviewed and discussed the plot details so far:

Exit ticket: Define 'privilege.'

Homework:
Read through p. 124 of TC.

April 10th, 2014

4/10/14

In Class:

Journal--  How does the video challenge us to question our privilege?  
privilege: a systematic social advantage belonging to a group or groups of people.

Since most students did not complete the reading assignment, the following agreement was arranged:
 - Today will be spent catching up on the reading.
 - Starting Tuesday, students are subject to a five-minute written plot summary on the prior reading assignment at the beginning of class, before the journal entry.
 - If every student in attendance submits an adequate plot summary, the instructor will provide a reasonable reward chosen by the students. (This round, the reward will be a serving of doughnuts.)

Students read The Tortilla Curtain for the remainder of class.

Exit ticket: Identify a time over the next five days that you can dedicate to reading.

Homework:
Read through p. 65 of TC.

April 8th, 2014

4/8/14

In Class:
Journal--  What right do immigrants have to be in America? How should the government respond to illegal immigration?

Discussion and mini-lesson on the history of immigration policy in America, including Mexican Repatriation, the National Origins Formula, the Bracero program, and the DREAM Act. Screened Stephen Colbert's "Alabama Migrant Workers" excerpt, and then read "So Mexicans are Taking Jobs from Americans" by Jimmy Santiago Baca. Ultimately, immigration is not an issue of economics or ethnicity--it is a matter of privilege, power, and compassion.

Students began reading The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle.

Exit ticket: Describe Delaney Mossbacher.

Homework:
Read through p. 49 of TC for Thursday.

April 3rd, 2014

4/3/14

In Class:
Journal [Postponed to 4/7/14.]

Reviewed remaining section of class syllabus.

As a class, read "The Love of My Life."

Homework:
Read the New York Times articles on the teenagers who inspired "The Love of My Life."
Complete the reflection worksheet for "The Love of My Life."

April 1st, 2014

4/1/14

In Class:
Welcome! Binder set-up and organization.

Journal--  Respond to (agree, disagree, qualify, explain, re-word, connect, reflect) the following quote: 
"The love of family and admiration of friends is much more important than wealth and privilege." -Charles Kuralt 
 

Students participated in a gallery walk of 17 images, responding to what they saw and what it made them think by writing on the images themselves. The class shared out responses afterwards to try to ascertain the thematic connections: how are these images related? 

All of these images contain examples or manifestations of privilege.
privilege: a systematic, social advantage belonging to a group or groups of people.
Discussed the existence of privilege in our society:
- How is privilege designated?
- Is privilege always bad?
- Is privilege universal?
- Is privilege always apparent?
Noted that those who are privileged have not necessarily done anything wrong: those with white privilege are not necessarily racist, nor are those with male privilege necessarily sexist. Therefore, we should not shy away from these terms as 'accusatory'. Rather, it is the responsibility of the privileged as well as the non-privileged to acknowledge, discuss, and act upon social inequities.
intersectionality: the concept that a person's identity is made up of an infinite number of intersecting identity traits. 
Noted that our racial, sexuality, gender, ability, and class identities are important, but far from the only defining factors that make us up.

Began reviewing class syllabus and expectations. (We will continue doing so next class.)

Homework:
Read "The Love of My Life" by T.C. Boyle by Thursday.

Syllabus -- Modern Literature: Privilege and Society

Modern & Contemporary Literature: Privilege and Society

April 1^st – May 22^nd, 2014

TTh   10:40 – 12:10  , Room  3

http://boulderprepmodernlit.blogspot.com/

Shane Abrams

shaneabrams@boulderprep.org

Course Texts

Boyle, T.C. The Tortilla Curtain. New York: Penguin, 1995. Print.

The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms, 3^rd ed. Eds. Ross Murfin and Supryia M. Ray. Boston: Bedford, 2009. Print.

Foster, Thomas C. How to Read Literature Like a Professor, 1^st ed. New York: Harper, 2003. Print.

Ung, Loung. First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers. New York: Harper, 2000. Print.

The following blog will also serve as a resource for disseminating materials, notes, and texts: 

http://boulderprepmodernlit.blogspot.com/

Course Description

This course endeavors to explore modern literature through the lens of two 20^th Century novels and associated texts by examining thematic concepts of society and privilege. By studying The Tortilla Curtain and First They Killed My Father, the class will analyze themes of class, race, gender, community, and the human condition. Students will further develop their literary and critical thinking skills through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. By examining these novels, amongst other writings, students will sharpen their awareness of literature as a cultural reflection and critique.

Learning Outcomes and Essential Questions

During this course, students will develop the ability to…

·       read, analyze, discuss, and respond to a variety of texts.

·       engage in unique and relevant literary discussions and assignments by drawing on personal experiences, academic analysis, and textual information.

·       develop higher-level cognition skills and critical reading techniques to engage literature at a college preparatory level.

We will aim to explore—perhaps even answer—some of the following questions:

·       How does literature reflect and critique our current society? Our historical backgrounds?

·       How do we establish our identity roles in social, familial, and personal spheres?

·       How are social, ethnic, class, and other distinctions in status built into our human communities? How do we identify and deconstruct stratification and privilege?

Outcomes Assessment

The following assignments will be used to assess students’ progress toward learning outcomes: participation & attendance (graded daily); daily journal entries (graded twice per block); discussion questions and/or golden line analysis; a midterm project or exam; and a final analysis and presentation. Additionally, other artistic or academic assignments will be collected and assessed when the instructor sees appropriate.

Classroom Policy – Grading, Attendance, and Comportment

*** My classroom is a place for personal growth, be it intellectual, emotional, or otherwise. I expect all students to help me maintain an environment conducive to such growth. All students are entitled to the right to improve and evolve, and no person should infringe upon this right in any manner. My classroom will be a safe and respectful environment for my students to exercise their right to learn. ***

Attendance and Breaks

Students should attend all classes as possible. There will be only 16 sessions of Modern Literature; each absence is detrimental to learning potential. I will not deduct points for absences, whether they are excused or unexcused.

Even though I will not lose any points for being absent, I am responsible for any assignments I miss, including journal entries.

If a student misses class, I advise visiting the course blog – http://boulderprepmodernlit.blogspot.com/— to see what she or he missed and what she or he needs in order to catch up. If you know in advance that you will miss a class, please consult with me beforehand.

Students are expected to arrive to class on time. This means that each student should be sitting at a desk with all necessary materials, including any assigned reading for the class, ready to begin working at 10:40. This does not mean walking from the Commons to the classroom at 10:40; this does not mean arriving at 10:39 and leaving to use the bathroom until 10:45. In regards to individual breaks, you should think of yourselves as adults during this class:

I will leave the classroom only when I must and only when it is appropriate.

Grades

Grades for Modern Literature will be calculated on a points-based scale; i.e., each assignment, including long-term projects and daily participation grades, will be valued at a certain number of points possible. Over the 8-week course, points possible will amount to roughly 1000-1200 points. At any time, a student may request his or her grade, and I will do my best to provide a response in a timely fashion.

Extra credit will not be provided, barring unforeseen, extenuating circumstances; therefore, students are expected to complete each and every assignment to the best of their respective abilities. Opportunity for success will not be withheld: each student will have the chance to excel, in terms of grades and personal growth. However, the burden lies upon the student to optimize these opportunities.

Course Specific Grades:

   Daily participation    –  10  pts. / day

  Daily journal entries  –  140  pts.

 Discussion questions/golden lines  – approx.  200  pts.

  General assignments  –  10-20  pts. / each (approx. 200 pts. total)

    Midterm     –  200  pts.

 Final project  –  300  pts.

                  * see particular assignment sheets for specific breakdown and expectations

                  Miscellaneous

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism and cheating, whether intentional or unintentional, shall not be tolerated. Every student is expected to follow any and all codes of academic honesty endorsed by Boulder Preparatory High School.

Electronic Devices

In order to contribute to a classroom environment which respects everyone’s educational opportunities, students are asked to refrain from the use of cell phones and other unnecessary and/or distracting devices during class time. When you are in class, regardless of the nature of the activity, your cell phone should be put away, your music device shut off, and any other devices out of sight. Devices that seem to be distracting any student will be impounded for the remainder of the period.

Materials Needed

Please bring these things to class every day:

Writing materials (pen/pencil, paper)                  Writing journal          

      Course texts (books, handouts, assignments, etc.)

 Binder, folder, or other organizational system for hand-out readings

Approximate Schedule of Study and Curriculum

This schedule is a rough estimate and is subject to change.

            Reading assignments should be completed before the beginning of the class period for which they are listed.

Week one (3/31 - 4/4) –	Introduction to Critical Reading, Analytical Thought, and the Concept of Privilege Introduction to T.C. Boyle 4/3 – ”The Love of My Life”
Week two (4/7 - 4/11) –	Ethnic and Class Division in American Culture Stratification 4/8 – Tortilla Curtain, p. 30 4/10 – TC, p. 65
Week three (4/14 - 4/18) –	Domestic Violence, Human Rights, and Gender Roles 4/15 – TC, p. 146 4/17 – TC, p. 200
Week four (4/21 - 4/25) –	Safety, Security, and Fear of the Unknown Sociological and Psychological Perception 4/22 – TC, p. 246 4/24 – TC, p. 265
Week five (4/28 - 5/2) –	Character, Identity, and Worldview Self-Actualization 4/29 – finish TC 5/1 – First They Killed My Father, p. 27
Week six (5/5 - 5/9) –	Psychoanalysis and Religion 5/6 – FTKMF, p. 92 5/8 – FTKMF, p. 128
Week seven (5/12 - 5/16) –	Religion, Family, and Education 5/13 – FTKMF, p. 183 5/15 – FTKMF, p. 218
Week eight (5/19 - 5/23) –	Final Projects and Presentations 5/20 – finish FTKMF

Miscellaneous

I reserve the right to amend or alter this syllabus; please note that any changes are made in an effort to create the best possible academic environment. I will notify students of any such changes as promptly as possible.

I wholeheartedly welcome feedback. Please do not hesitate to provide response to my teaching practices, assignments, etc.—but please provide this feedback while class is not in session.

[Please complete and return this section.]

During the course of this block, I hope to:

Ex.:     earn an 85 or higher in this course.            attend every one of my classes.	Identify at least two concrete, measurable academic goals.
Ex.:     become a more critical reader.            be a more supportive sister.	Identify at least two abstract, subjective, and/or personal goals.

I think my biggest asset as a student is:

I believe my greatest struggle as a student is:

I do best on assignments which:

I, _______________________________, hereby acknowledge that I have received and reviewed this

(print name)

syllabus. Any questions or concerns that have arisen have been addressed adequately.

I recognize that I am a student: I am capable of anything I encounter in this course, though it may be challenging—and it should be challenging. I will not state that I “can’t” do something, but that I “can’t yet.” I will ask for help when I need it, whether assistance is from Shane, from my peers, or from another responsible individual.

I will contribute to a classroom environment which is healthy, fun, welcoming, intellectual, emotional, and safe, among other things.

I will read things all the way through before signing them; if not, I will give Shane a candy bar of his choosing.

I will respect everyone’s educational opportunities; I will respect our building; I will respect my peers’ and instructors’ belongings; I will respect everyone’s right to make amends.

I will be the best person—intellectually, socially, and otherwise—that I can be.

_____________________________________                                                                                        __________________

    (signature)                                                                                                                                                   (date)