the end approaches!

My students, 

As the end of the semester rapidly approaches, here are some important things you need to know about:

Tomorrow (Wednesday), we're going to do a revision exercise in class. That means you need to bring a copy of your first draft. It should be at least four full pages, double spaced. We will also have our final vocab quiz. 

Friday is our LAST CLASS. We will discuss "Water Liars," and I can answer any questions or problems you're having with the paper. We'll wrap up the semester, and I will bid you adieu, confident that you are now a CAPABLE COLLEGE WRITER! (That is, if you've been coming to class, paying attention, and doing your work :-) 

Your final paper is due on MONDAY. You must e-mail your final paper to me AND to Dr. Chappell by Monday morning. NO EXTENSIONS ARE POSSIBLE!

Yours by the Word, 

Chris Bolster 

Your Final Paper

This week, there is no response due on "The Misfits." Instead, you are required to post the first paragraph of your final paper (including a thesis statement), although I'll give you until Wednesday to post. I will grade it as though it were a response essay.

You will have another vocab quiz on Wednesday as well, so study up!

"Shiloh"

Post your response to "Shiloh" below.

Also, remember that the 9am class will meet this Wednesday and Friday in the Higgins Lecture Room (the same place as Monday's class).  The 8am class will meet in the normal Berkshire classroom.

(And at time I'm writing this, only five people have posted a response to the essays on "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" This was due today!)

"The Story of a Scar"

There is no response due this week on "The Story of a Scar." Instead, your homework is to read two critical articles on Joyce Carol Oates's "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been." You may want to re-read the story before you read the two articles. Both of these articles are available through the MLA International Bibliography, one of the library's databases. After you've read the articles, post a SHORT response below (about one paragraph for each article, for two paragraphs total). This post is not due until Monday, to give you some extra time to complete the assignment.

"The Shadow of a Satyr in Joyce Carol Oates's 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been" by Joan Easterly

"Joyce Carol Oates's 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?' As Pure Realism" by A.R. Coulthard

Wolff's "The Liar"

Post your response to "The Liar" below. You should have plenty to write about, considering our discussion on Wednesday!

Remember that there will be a vocab quiz at the beginning of this Friday's class.

Your Weekly Task

EDIT: There is no response paper due this week.
Also, this Friday's grammar quiz will cover sentence structure, with a special emphasis on the passive voice. You can prepare by studying the Bedford Handbook, pages 142-151.

Your Choice

Below, you may post EITHER on "The Weekend" or on "The Fat Girl." You do not need to do both. This response is due next Friday, March 9th.

So in other words, if you've already written on "The Weekend," then you get a break next week.