AGENDA WEEK SIX
Monday Sept. 27
Walking in Music: "I Can't Write Left-handed" - Bill Withers, Lyrics
Announcements:
Note: that narrative is a useful communication tool. It engages readers in ways that both differ from and compare to essays. This course will not be concerned with the development of narrative skills in writing. That being said, sharing a story is often a very powerful way to support a thesis or introduce any essay. Activity: Exploring the book - War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning
* About Come and See: Here is a quote from an audience review:
There's not much one can say about this movie, besides "Be warned, it's going to hurt you - a lot". The story is simple: Byelorussia in 1943 and it's Hell on the Earth. The Nazis are fighting a no-quarter-given-or-asked war against huge Soviet partisan units, and the population is caught in between (historically the German security forces destroyed hundreds of Byelorussian villages murdering most of the population (One in four Byelorussians died). Those who haven't been deported or killed by the Nazis are trying to join the partisans. One of them is Florya, a young boy - and in his quest to "join the fight" he get much more he had bargained for. It's a movie about an apocalyptic world (the title is taken from the Book of Revelation, and most of the movie looks like it has been filmed on another planet), but unfortunately it was all-real. The emotional centre of the movie is a lengthy sequence involving the destruction of a village, with all the sickening (but not exploitative) details shown with cold determination. There's no catharsis (this is not Schindler's List, Apocalypse Now, or Full Metal Jacket), there is no hope, no redemption - even the eventual revenge against the village's destroyers become just a sad and murderous business. "Come And See" is a difficult, violent and surprisingly poetic movie, compared to which even classics like "Saving Private Ryan" (Spielberg payed homage to this movie on SPR's beginning) or "The Thin Red Line" just seem artificial."
The title comes from the Book of Revelations in the Bible's New Testament. Here is the quote:
I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
STUDENTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO VIEW THIS FILM. DR. THOMAS WILL PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT FOR STUDENTS WHO CHOOSE TO PASS ON THIS.
Walking in Music: "I Can't Write Left-handed" - Bill Withers, Lyrics
Announcements:
- Essay Assignment: Due Oct. 25.
- Reaction Papers Due Oct 4 - topic - War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning.
- Reading Assignments:
- War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning - (Finish the book)
- Stephan King - selections from On Writing (title pages for ref.) "What Writing is" and "Toolbox"
- Reaction papers on the Stephan King readings due Oct. 10 or as assigned
- Reaction paper (on Come and See*) Due Oct 13. (The showing is on Oct. 6)
Note: that narrative is a useful communication tool. It engages readers in ways that both differ from and compare to essays. This course will not be concerned with the development of narrative skills in writing. That being said, sharing a story is often a very powerful way to support a thesis or introduce any essay. Activity: Exploring the book - War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning
- Group Organization (some improvisation due to absences):
- Kareem, Violet, Hinano, Yareli, Megan
- Razhinder, Kathleen, Malia, Aaron
- Samuel, Sariah, Erika, Reija, Janiine
- Issues to consider
- What are the main points Hedges makes?
- What stories does he use to illustrate or illuminate his points?
- What are the take-aways for you?
- Anything weak or equivocal in Hedge's argument or presentation?
* About Come and See: Here is a quote from an audience review:
There's not much one can say about this movie, besides "Be warned, it's going to hurt you - a lot". The story is simple: Byelorussia in 1943 and it's Hell on the Earth. The Nazis are fighting a no-quarter-given-or-asked war against huge Soviet partisan units, and the population is caught in between (historically the German security forces destroyed hundreds of Byelorussian villages murdering most of the population (One in four Byelorussians died). Those who haven't been deported or killed by the Nazis are trying to join the partisans. One of them is Florya, a young boy - and in his quest to "join the fight" he get much more he had bargained for. It's a movie about an apocalyptic world (the title is taken from the Book of Revelation, and most of the movie looks like it has been filmed on another planet), but unfortunately it was all-real. The emotional centre of the movie is a lengthy sequence involving the destruction of a village, with all the sickening (but not exploitative) details shown with cold determination. There's no catharsis (this is not Schindler's List, Apocalypse Now, or Full Metal Jacket), there is no hope, no redemption - even the eventual revenge against the village's destroyers become just a sad and murderous business. "Come And See" is a difficult, violent and surprisingly poetic movie, compared to which even classics like "Saving Private Ryan" (Spielberg payed homage to this movie on SPR's beginning) or "The Thin Red Line" just seem artificial."
The title comes from the Book of Revelations in the Bible's New Testament. Here is the quote:
I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
STUDENTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO VIEW THIS FILM. DR. THOMAS WILL PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT FOR STUDENTS WHO CHOOSE TO PASS ON THIS.
Wednesday, Sept. 29
Walking in Music: "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" - Julia Ward Howard (1861) - performed by Mormon Tabernacle Choir - lyrics
Announcements:
Walking in Music: "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" - Julia Ward Howard (1861) - performed by Mormon Tabernacle Choir - lyrics
Announcements:
- War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning: Reaction Papers Due Oct. 4
- Essay Assignment: Due Oct. 25.(brief discussion)
- Viewing Assignment: Come and See (Oct.6 3:30 - 6:00): Reaction paper Due Oct 11.
- Traditional - example - The Dani of DEAD BIRDS - Dominant Psychological feature - : Responsibility to community
- Mythic - example - Warriors of The Iliad - Dominant Psychological feature - The Ethos of Honor - personal and collective
- Visceral/Sensory - example - The focal individuals in COME AND SEE - Dominant Psychological feature - Will to survive
- Practical/Abstract - example - the war strategists of FOG OF WAR - Dominant Psychological feature - Intellectual vindication
- . Societal -
- The loss of productivity (Warriors create no wealth, Weapons create no social good...arguable point - Warriors do, however, use resources, and creating arms involves expenditures of both resources and labor).
- The diversion of resources (US defense budget for 2022 is $768.2 billion = $2273 for every man, and child in the US) and this does not include domestic, non-federal forces and weaponry, both public and private.
- The material losses
- The disruption of social bonds
- The cost of maintaining or healing damaged individuals
- The destructive capacities of unoccupied fighters both during and after war (story of Odysseus)
- Consequent possibilities - famine, social chaos, economic collapse
- Personal - All of these, of course, have societal implications
- Emotional damage
- Disrupted social life - marriage, family bonds, effects of parental disruption the development of children
- Physical wounds, long term disability
- Psychological Damage - PTSD, etc.
- Economic loss
- Job loss
- property loss
- professional momentum disruption
- debts
- Spiritual Disruption (with social, psychological, and economic consequences
- Loss of Faith
- Anomie
- Spurious Conversion
- Vulnerability to cults and spiritual manipulation