Identity, "Live For Today" and "Sonny's Blues"

We will discuss identity and how we become who we are in "Live For Today"and "Sonny's Blues"  We will different characters and explore how they constructed their identity. Setting also plays a major role in these stories. We will look at how that effects these characters as well.

This link below has a wide variety of articles on how we construct identity.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/identity

Identity and choice:

http://gawker.com/how-i-identify-is-not-your-choice-1741671073

Newark and the surrounding area plays a big role in "Live For Today" and we will look at how that colors how people view the city and people from there. Here are some links about Newark:

http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Newark-New-Jersey.html

http://libguides.rutgers.edu/content.php?pid=158675&sid=4109423

Outside sources for Baldwin:
http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap10/baldwin.html



http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin.html?scp=3&sq=james%20baldwin&st=cse

Baldwin sources:
http://www.literaryhistory.com/20thC/Baldwin.htm



History of Harlemhttp://www.harlemheritage.com/history-of-harlem/

http://www.biography.com/tv/classroom/harlem-renaissance

http://www.history.com/topics/harlem-renaissance



Below is the Bible scripture that Baldwin refers to:
“The cup of trembling”
22
Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:
23
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over

Syllabus

September

14        Introduction to class, discussion of syllabus and plagiarism, Read “Live For Today” (Handout) and “Sonny’s Blues” (250), GET TEXT!!!

21       “Live for Today” and “Sonny’s Blues” (250), Read Two Kinds (382), “Brave We Are” (Handout)

             28       “Two Kinds” (382), Read “Brave We Are” (Handout)

October

5          ASSIGN FIRST PAPER, FILM: The Namesake, Read “The Lottery” (242), The Sisterhood of the Night (Handout)

12        ***NO CLASS***        

19        PAPER DUE, “The Lottery” (242), The Sisterhood of the Night (Handout)

26        FILM: The Village, Read “The Temp” (Handout), “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” (289)

 November

2          “The Temp” (Handout), “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” (289)

9          ASSIGN SECOND PAPER FILM: Edward Scissorhands, Read “The Old Man With Enormous Wings” (Handout) and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” (276)

16        “The Old Man With Enormous Wings” (Handout) and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” (276)

23        SECOND PAPER DUE, FILM: Life of Pi, Read “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” (312)

30        ASSIGN FINAL PAPER, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” (312)

December

7          Bring Final Paper Drafts

 

14        FINAL PAPER DUE—LAST CLASS—NO LATE PAPERS!