Class--9/26/07

It's time to start putting together the pieces that we have been working on in class with all of the reading that we have been doing. And the way that you are going to do that (notice I said you :-)) is in the form of an essay. I'd like for you to write a 5-7 page essay in which you address the writing style, cultural influences and personal connections in O'Connor and Faulkner's fiction. In order to accomplish this task, you are going to have to discuss how their fiction represents their society--whether it reflects it and/or comments upon it--the historical setting. In addition, you will be sure to discuss the elements of the literary movement that you can find within their writing. I've suggested that you can locate both authors within the Southern Gothic tradition. So why do you agree or disagree with that. Of course most authors write what they know. So in analyzing their writing, you'll need to discuss how their personal experiences are represented in their fiction. This essay will be due two weeks from today--October 10, 2007

Your task for today is to find 2 more academic sources (use the databases that PJC subscribes to) for each of those elements: Historical/cultural, biographical, and Southern Gothicism. I've already given you at least one for each of these. If I were you, as I did my search I would be sure to combine the key word terms and put each in quotation marks. My search would look something like this:

"Flannery O'Connor" and "Souther Gothic"
"William Faulkner" and "Biography"

To demonstrate that you have accomplished your goals, I would like a list of the sources that you have found which includes a good, well-developed paragraph summarizing each source. This list should include the title, author, and as much publication information as you can provide. It's due by Monday via email (cmcguire@pjc.edu)

Mrs. M

PS. Do you have a PJC ID and has it been activated at the Library? If so, you can go to the library website and access the databases that they subscribe to from their website--click on "find articles." When you do, it will take you to this page:https://www.linccweb.org/index.asp?lib_code=flcc2100&screen=SubjectAt this page, you enter the bar code from your id as your borrowers id and the last for digits of your SS# as your passcode.From there, you can choose the database in which you can search for articles. If you don't have your id yet, you can only do this assignment at the library until you get one and it's activated. If you have your id, but it's not activated, read the directions here:

http://lrc.pjc.edu/FAQ.htm#checkout

Mrs. M

Southern Belle meets Southern Gothic

Wow. What a great discussion we had today about "Good Country People." I enjoyed hearing your comments. My students never disappoint me in their ability and willingness to delve into a text that's not necessarily an easy or comfortable read and come out with astute insights. Good job all ya'all (if it's okay for a yankee like me to appropriate a "southernism").

So our next literary journey will involve another Flannery O'Connor tale that is just as disturbing as "Good Country People," but in a more subtle way. I'm curious to see how you react to the main characters of this story and hear what your insights are into their characters and motivations. And just as Faulkner focuses on the clash of the old South and the new South, this story does so in a more overt way--within the confines of a weekly bus ride to the "Y."

So here's your link for "Everything that Rises Must Converge" (Yes, the title is just as significant for this one as it was for "Good Country People")

http://www.geocities.com/cyber_explorer99/oconnorconverge.html

Also, I wanted to round out your picture of the writer--Flannery O'Connor herself, so I'm including a wonderful piece that was published in Time magazine. Here's the link for that:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,916650-1,00.html

Finally, it's time to start a conversation about the literary tradition that Miss Flannery and Mr. William employ in their writing. I've suggested that their writings might fall in the Southern Gothic tradition. Here's a pretty accurate website chock full of informative links should you run across a term that is unfamiliar:

http://www.answers.com/topic/southern-gothic

So here's your assignment for this weekend. First of all, read and digest all the material here.

Second, is a two part assignment:
1. Instead of answering my questions, post at least three questions concerning "Everything that Rises Must Converge," Southern Gothic Literature, and/or the biographical information posted for this assignment.

2. Pick one question from a classmate and answer it--as always providing good details from the story/articles to support your answer.

Have a fantaxtic weekend, enjoy your reading, and I look forward to our next conversation.

Mrs. M

Class Discussion 9/17/07

My two-year-old son woke up at 4 am this morning with a fever of 101. I am very sorry that I can't be there with you today. I was/am looking forward to a lively class discussion concerning "Good Country People." So come armed with your ammunition on Wednesday. We will have fun with this one. While it's a fun tale, there is lots there lurking below the surface to have fun with.

To prepare you for that discussion, here's what I'd like for you to do today for class. I'd like for you to pick your favorite or perhaps least favorite character in "Good Country People." Then give me a 2-3 page essay that discusses what motivates them. In other words, figure out why they do what they do and tell me why you feel that way. A successful paper will focus on the actions of the characters, provide details from the story for support, and be clearly and logically argued. Please have it to me before the next class meeting--Wednesday morning by 6:00 am

I'm not sure if you can post something of that length to the blog, so just email it to me (cmcguire @pjc.edu) as a MS Word attachment.

Thanks again for being understanding and cooperative in my absence. It means a great deal to me.

See you Wednesday, and happy writing.

Mrs. M

Flannery O'Connor

Now that our visit with Faulkner is complete, let's walk a few year's down the time line and meet Flannery O'Connor. First of all, take some time to get acquainted with her. Here is a pretty good short biography of her life:

http://www.biblio.com/authors/74/Flannery_OConnor_Biography.html

Once you have introduced yourself to her, it's time to have a nice long chat with her. So grab a nice tall glass of iced tea, kick back, and read her tale: "Good Country People," another one of my personal favorites. I appreciate authors who laugh in the face of convention and have their say in spite of the society that envelopes and often suffocates them.

So here is the link to the story:

http://www.geocities.com/cyber_explorer99/oconnorgoodcountry.html

I hope you appreciate the ironic twist at the end. . . it relies on a kind of twisted humor I think to appreciate it.

So here are your questions for this one:

1. So tell me why this happens to be one of my favorite short stories.

2. Talk about the ending of the story. Did you "see it coming"? Why or why not?

3. Talk about the family relationships. Were they realistic? Why or why not?

4. Talk about the view of religion presented in the story. What's the point she is trying to make? Do you agree or disagree?

5. I'd like to propose that all the characters of the story are "disabled" in some way. In what ways do you agree or disagree with that statement?

6. How is the point of view of the story different from what we've become used to with Faulkner? How does that affect the story?

7. What elements of her life appear in her fiction?

Enjoy your trip with Ms. O'Connor. I'm anxious to see your reactions to the story. Have a super weekend--

Mrs. M

"That Evening Sun"

The first all black, incorporated town in Florida is Eatonville, FL. Check out this link if you want some more information on it. http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/rapids/8428/hikeplans/eatonville/planeatonvil.html

Faulkner is not afraid to tackle "delicate subjects" in his short stories. In "A Rose for Emily," he artfully tackles racism, mental illness, sexual abuse/incest, and necrophilia. You know, the lighter side of life. The title of our next story is deceptively bucolic (if you don't know what it means, look it up (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/). From the title, "That Evening Sun," you would expect a pleasant little tale. However, remember that we are dealing with Faulkner theses days, so if that's your expectation, it won't be realized. Like "A Rose for Emily," it takes a couple trips through the story to come to grips with what is going on and the point of view is not what you would expect and contributes to the overall effect of the story. We are limited by what the narrator knows and comprehends about the events. Finally, unlike Emily's tale, "That Evening Sun" is rife with Biblical allusions. We'll see how well you know your Bible or at least how well you can research. :-).

You are only required to answer one question or reply to someone else's post. Be sure to use specific examples from the text. So here are you questions:

1. Why is the point of view just as critical with this story as it was with "A Rose for Emily" and how does it affect the plot of the the story?

2. Why do you think that Faulkner tackles "taboo" subjects in both "A Rose for Emily" and "That Evening Sun"?

3. In what ways is Faulkner commenting on his society?

4. Are these characters believable/realistic? Why or why not?

5. "That Evening Sun" is characterized as a psychological story. Why do you think that is? What elements in the story lead to this characterization?

6. Which character or character to you sympathize with the most? why?

Hope you enjoy this one--

Mrs. M

The Truth Behind the Fiction

Dear Fellow American Literature Devotees:

Thank you for your insights and willingness to engage in a text like "A Rose for Emily." Thank you for participating in the discussion today. And thank you for appreciating Faulkner's craft as a writer rather than giving up and saying "it's too hard."

While many would stop with our new found appreciation for Faulkner as a writer and his craft in the short story "A Rose for Emily, our fun with Miss Emily and Faulkner is only beginning. I propose that to truly understand the literature of a period, you have to understand the period of the literature. Faulkner, himself, is not that far removed from the "The War of Northern Agression," as many well-bred southerns would call it, or the Civil War as it is commonly known--he was born, as you will discover shortly--a scant 30 years after it ended. What does that tell you about the clash of the "old guard" and "new regime" that is clearly evident in "A Rose for Emily"? To which group do you think Faulkner himself subscribed? How are his philosophies evident in the text? How much of "A Rose for Emily" is social commentary concerning his own society? These questions and many more are answered--or will be--as you read and digest the information in the following links. After the links, is your actual assignment which will demonstrate that you've read the material.

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/reconstruction/index.html

http://www.historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=587

http://mshistory.k12.ms.us/features/feature74/Reconstruction.htm

http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/faulkner_william/

So now that you've read both "A Rose for Emily" and this historical information, what do you think "the point" of "A Rose for Emily" is? What "evidence" from the historical information and the story itself lead you to this conclusion?

As always, happy reading and writing.

With love,

Mrs. M