FOR THU DEC. 11

Watch at least ONE (possibly TWO) of these three movies (AVAILABLE ON BLACKBOARD AND AT THE LANGUAGE LAB.)

MARTY
TRUE LOVE
KISS ME, GUIDO

The first student to comment WILL write his/her opinion about MARTY and a recommendation whether it is worth watching or not (do not reveal the plot!)

The second student will do the same thing about TRUE LOVE.

The third student will do the same thing about KISS ME, GUIDO.

WARNING: Kiss me Guido is "charmingly" racist and bigoted. Some may find it offensive (at least, I do.)

THE FIRST THREE TO POST WILL BE EXEMPT FROM THE WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT.

Everyone else will be free to choose one of the three movies and REPLY to the initial recommendation.

For THU NOV. 20 (n. 1)

Choose a MINOR DETAIL in the book that attracted your attention, and explain the reasons of your choice.
It could be something that offended you, or hurt your sensibility, or made you laugh, or made you think.
Or maybe a line of dialogue worth quoting. Or a particularly well written (or poorly written) paragraph. 
The possibilities are infinite.

 --- ---- Start with a reply to the comment immediately above yours. USE THE REPLY BUTTON for your reply. Use "comment" for your comment.

---- REPLY ALSO to any other comment by classmates.

In total you must have two REPLIES and one COMMENT.

For THU NOV. 20 (n. 2)

Choose a MINOR character from Godfather  and explain why s/he got your attention.

For example: why did you like/dislike him/her?
Was it well fleshed out or s/he deserved better treatment by Puzo?
Did it provide a different insight into the unusual dynamics of the family?
Did it provide a different perspective about the psychology of a main character?


---- Start with a reply to the comment immediately above yours. USE THE REPLY BUTTON for your reply. Use "comment" for your comment.

---- REPLY ALSO to any other comment by classmates.

In total you must have two REPLIES and one COMMENT.

FOR THU NOVEMBER 13 (also info about quiz)

Three part posting for two separate questions:

1) Your well-argued opinion about the characters in Give Us This Day: most likely they are not what you expected. Did it make the film more interesting or a disappointment? Or something else?

2) Choose one scene or a character from the movie that you think would be appropriate for the book Christ.

3) Reply to the comment immediately before yours: did you notice the scene/character your classmate mentioned? Do you interpret it the same way?

QUIZ: I will test GIVE US THIS DAY and CHRIST IN CONCRETE. If you did not take or did not pass the previous quizzes on Christ this is your last chance to show you did the reading and you did it the right way.

FOR THU NOV 6

In two separate paragraphs:

1) Choose a particularly poignant quote from FIESTA and explain the reason of your choice. Copy the quote LITERALLY.

2) Choose a quote from ANNUNZIATA that you can connect with your choice from FIESTA - explain the logic of this connection. Copy the quote LITERALLY.

================================

Part 2)

1) Read the comments immediately above yours and state whether you had/had not noticed it. Also, evaluate its importance.


2) Read all your classmates' comments: choose one or more to reply to, using the same approach.

I will select some of the quotes from the blog and use them in the quiz for identification.

FOR OCTOBER 30

Find information about the BOOK OF JOB (part of the biblical text). Post a comment: Don't do a book report: rather, mention doubts, perplexities or other questions about the meaning of this biblical tale -- and if you want, give you interpretation on how it relates to Christ.

FOR OCTOBER 30

1) REPLY to the comment immediately above yours. Avoid the "agree/disagree" bit: did the comment say something you had not thought about? Or, you had reached the same conclusions?
The first student to post will have the luxury of not having to reply to anyone.

2) From the list of quotations I selected for the assignment, CHOOSE A QUOTE different from the two quotes in your assignment. Explain the reason of your choice and what it means for you. Please, try to choose a new quote, something that has not been posted here by someone else.

For Oct 28

I am glad I said that!

OR

I wish I had said.........

If you participated in the discussion in class this past THU (Oct 23), tell us: what is the thing you said that you are proud or happy about?

("Prof. Carasi! What a sloppy way to ask a question!")

I agree. Let me try again. Today (THU Oct 23) we had a great discussion in class. Did you participate? Are you happy about your "performance?" Did you say something valuable? Were you able to articulate your thoughts the way you wanted? Are you happy about what you said?

Conversely, if you did not participate with comments: do you wish you had said something? WHY didn't you speak up (please, no excuses like "somebody else said what I wanted to say.") What were you about to say before you decided to keep quiet?

FOR OCTOBER 23

WEB SEARCH on one of the following topics:

1) The political climate at the times of Sacco and Vanzetti and the RED SCARE (please, do no discuss the trial per se or the issue of innocence/guilt). 

2) ITALIAN therefore ANARCHIST: in the first part of XX century, the trope of "violent, passionate, out-of-control Italians" switched from the personal to the political: at first they were seen as dangerous and volatile foreign element (see The Italian), but once they started integrating into society, they were still seen the same way, but in an even more dangerous role, that of "enemies" of the establishment within the realm of political struggle. The settings changed but the plot remained the same. 

3) ARTURO GIOVANNITTI: a young Anarchist, accused of murder during a violent labor strike, he defended himself in court. It was the first time he spoke in English in public: his closing argument was so eloquent that he literally saved his own life with words. He was acquitted. His speech (and subsequent literary work, poetry etc.) is easily available online.  

DIRECTIONS Premise:

READ your classmates' comments. I will remove comments that do not conform to the directions, and I will also post POSITIVELY REPLIES to comments that you can use as examples of a good job.

WARNING: If you write too much, your classmates won't read the whole thing. If you write too little, they won't think you are giving them enough information. It's the Goldilock dilemma.

i) The first student will do research on topic n. 1. Second student, topic n. 2, and so on. Obviously, student n. 4 will start over from n.1. I

i) Post the link of the website(s) you consulted. NO WIKIPEDIA. Avoid using the previously mentioned sites.

iii) Do not do a summary of the website content. Rather, EVALUATE the information CRITICALLY. What does it mean? It means you have to decide if the site is worth recommending.

FOR INSTANCE (but you don't have to address every suggestion in this list):

How is the quality of the info?
What about the quantity of information? Enough? Too much? Would you have liked more information or more links to other sites with additional information? Was there an overt political bias?

Is the website useful to learn things (well organized etc.)

DUE OCTOBER 16 [dont' forget the poll]

Quote a dialogue line or a statement from Christ that you found particularly important for you and explain why it grabbed your attention.

It must a quote nobody else has mentioned before.

Reply to other quotes that, for whatever reason, you found worth noticing.

DUE OCTOBER 9 [and don't forget the poll]

Read the assignment for today on the homepage: COMPARE THE QUALITY OF ONE OF THE EXAMPLES TO YOUR WORK IN GENERAL.

DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING VALUABLE?

PICK a passage that has not yet been chosen and WRITE A COMMENT according to the assignment's directions.

There are 10 passages: that means that the first 10 people will each choose a different one. The second 10 people will start over; and so the 3rd 10 people.
(When you write a comment, start with your comment's number -- if you are the first person or the second etc. Then CLEARLY INDICATE THE NUMBER OF YOUR CHOSEN PASSAGE.)

SKIP THE USUAL "I AGREE" "I DISAGREE". It is irrelevant. Look at the quality of argument and the quality of style in supporting the arguments. WRITE COMPLETE SENTENCES not fragments. REVIEW before you click "send".

Feel free to engage each other with replies etc.

One task of next week's writing assignment will be to copy-and-paste your comment (for grade.)

For TUE OCT. 7

Please follow these steps.

1) Do not read your classmates comments.

2) Choose a photo from the slideshow Italian Immigrants.  Add your comment explaining why you chose that particular photo.

4) Return here and read your classmates' comment. Write a reply to the comments you liked the most.

FOR OCTOBER 2 "L'EMIGRANTE"

This is a hard one: what question, related to L'EMIGRANTE, would you ask your classmates to initiate a discussion on the film?

Add your question or topic in "comment". Also, REPLY to the comment left by a classmate that you liked the most.

FOR OCTOBER 2 "SON OF ITALY"

SON OF ITALY:  what is the moment or scene (not a major theme) that you remember most vividly? Why do you think it has made such an impact on you?

EXAMPLES:
the vampire;
the "commissary system," similar to the Gulag or indenture servitude (aka slightly less cruel than slavery);
the wheel barrow scene;
the flooded room;
the letter to the editor.

PART 2: choose one of your classmates choice and comment about it, either because you missed it or because it also made an impact.

Children of Immigrants

“I don’t always think of myself as Italian or American or Italian-American. Oddly enough, when I’m here in this country I think of myself as a little more Italian, but when I’m in Italy I think of myself as slightly more American. For me, being American has to do with a certain way of life. The New York lifestyle is much more frenetic than the laid-back Italian lifestyle. — Giorgio Ravalli, 22, Italian-American


Read more personal statements by young hyphenated Americans from all over the world.

CLICK HERE

Comments? 

Do you care to comment?

This cartoon appeared about a month ago in the New Yorker, one of the most sophisticated, most liberal and best written magazines in the U.S.

The reference is to a business dispute between Amazon and the publishing house Hachette that rejected Amazon's conditions for selling ebooks (low price etc.) Amazon, the 800-pound gorilla of everything on sale on the web was trying to strong-arm the publishers with threats and other unseemly tactics.

Bonus

I will grant an exemption from one assignment (either Sept 23, Sept 30 or Oct 2) to the first person who will detect a blatant "racist" stereotype on this page.

http://kitchenette.jezebel.com/a-restaurant-is-deliberately-trying-to-be-the-worst-rev-1636532498/+Ubertrout

I will also give a bonus (to be determined later) to all the students who will add their comment after the discovery.

FOR TUE 23 SEPTEMBER (OK if you are a little late)

Look at assignment n. 4 (due Sept 23).

In general do you find the guidelines helpful or overbearing? Do they help or hinder your spontaneity?

When you write your comment, please do not address me directly. Speak to your classmates, not to me.

1) Read your classmates comments first. If you find one that you agree with, write your comment mentioning the comment you liked. When you write yours, try to contribute with a different view point, or a differently-argued opinion. You can also mention a view point you disagree with and proceed with your opinion.

2) Leave a reply to the comment (if any) that inspired you to write your comment.

3) Return as often as you want and reply to other students' comments.

For THU Sept 18

Which aspect of this week's assignments are worth mentioning here , either because you 'liked' them or because you 'disliked' them?

For TUE SEPT 16

Who is the audience of the cartoons, videos and the movie?
Whom are these TEXTS produced for? What is their goal? To please? To indulge? To convince? To scare? To warn and alert? To hurt? To help? To make money?

1) YOUR OPINION, please, in your comment.

2) After at least 15 students left their comments, return to the blog and leave a reply to one or more comments YOU DISAGREE with. (I count on you being able to disagree in an intelligent, calm, respectful tone.)

For TUE SEPT 16

Screening THE ITALIAN :  Focus on one detail or aspect of the film that captured your attention. Example: quality of acting, representation of Italy at the beginning of the film, the "FRAME" (the movie begins with a well off gentleman opening a book), modernity of editing, police conduct, the ethnic origin of the political boss......

1) Leave a comment and reply to the comment immediately above yours.

2) After your classmates have left at least 15 comments, choose one or more that you found interesting and give them kudos (for their smart ideas, or their good writing, or interesting comments etc.)

3) COUNT how many replies you received and send me an email message (Subject: replies to my comment). Whoever gets the most replies will get special credit.

For Tuesday Sept 16

We have established that the principle "Feel free to say (or write) anything you want" refers to content and not to form: i.e. it doesn't mean "say it any way you want."

Discussion: would you interpret the principle to mean: "Say (or write) the first thing that comes to mind?'

1) ADD YOUR COMMENT FIRST, THEN REPLY TO THE COMMENT POSTED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE YOURS. ("What should I do if I am the first person to comment" Then you are out of luck. No one to reply to.)

2) ADD ANOTER REPLY TO ANY COMMENT YOU WANT, BUT WAIT UNTIL AT LEAST 15 STUDENTS HAVE COMMENTED. (You, first person to comment: here is your chance.)

For THURSDAY SEPT 11 -- 3

Focus on your research on "ITALIAN AMERICANS, NEW ORLEANS 1891, LYNCHING" and on SALVETTI's article (on the course homepage.)

What kind of insight did you gain into the practice of lynching? Were you aware that it was not just an act of revenge or brute rage, but a method of repression exercised by the dominant class on a subordinate class? Is anything similar happening today?

BE  CONCISE: process your emotions and analyze your thoughts. Then, give your answers. Handle with care.

For THURSDAY SEPT 11 -- 2

This time try to avoid the temptation to read your classmates' postings before you write your own.

 

1)  First, comment on any DETAIL (not the main topics) of last class that stuck with you. 

2) Wait until at least 15 students have left their comments: at this point read the comments and choose the one that made a particular impression on you and tell the author the reasons of your choice.

FOR THURSDAY SEPT. 11 - 1

This has nothing to do with the class, but I want to bring your attention to the fact that you are probably among the youngest "eye witnesses" of the 9/11 attack that will be able to tell -- many years from now -- where you were and what you were doing when you heard of it (probably you were already in school or on your way to it.)

You will be asked by younger generations to tell your story as you remember it. It may be worth for you to write down your memories now that those events are still fresh in your mind. In the future you will be able to go back and re-visit details that inevitably will slip from memory.

NOT REQUIRED: use 'comment' to tell your classmates ONE LITTLE DETAIL that in your memory is associated with 9/11. EX: at that time I was living in SoHo and for a week or two that area was open only to residents. I remember having to show my driver's license in order to get back to my apt. To this day, whenever I see police barricades, those wooden, light blue barriers used to cordon off a street, my mind immediately brings back the images and sounds of those days.

Due SEPT 4

ONE BIT OF INFORMATION YOU REMEMBER WELL FROM THE FIRST CLASS.

In "comments" below, tell your classmates about one detail from the first meeting that made a particular impression on you and stayed with your after class. It could be a rule (no phones, no late assignments,) or  the word "tribe," or the let's-clear-the-air discussion on stereotypes, or anything, ANYTHING else, that you happened to think about after you left the classroom.

First, you should write your own comment without looking at what other people have written before you (make an effort, be honest.)

Second: Read your classmates' comments and leave your comments to them. Did your classmates choose something you didn't notice, or something that registered with you? Return as often as you want to add more comments.