Gender and Relationships

Midterm exam for Prose class

Do men and women have different style of communication? Many would say "yes." Deborah Tannen's You Just Don't Understand proved the case. If it is so, is it also reflected in literature?

Read John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" by following this link:
http://amb.cult.bg/american/4/steinbeck/chrysanthemums.htm

To get more understanding of gender communication style, go to:
http://raysweb.net/poems/articles/tannen.html

Write a short essay of 3-4 pages on the above issue. Use these questions as the guidelines:
1. How does Eliza communicate with her husband, Henry?
2. How is Eliza's conversation with the tinker different from her conversation with Henry?
3. Do you notice any changes in the way the tinker converses with Eliza? If so, do the changes bring any effects on his purpose?
4. How does the story employ non-verbal language (facial expressions, body language) to reflect the issue of gender and relationships?

Have your essay typewritten, 1.5 spaced, in Times New Roman-12. The essay is due on Wednesday, November 26, 2008. Submit the print-out version to Pak Khoiri (class A) and Pak Fahri (class B).

Poetry and the Poet

While it's important to be aware that the voice of a narrator in prose or poetry should not be considered representing the author, we also notice that many poems were actually written to reflect the author's life and thoughts. Take the case of Emily Dickinson and try to see whether "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" reflects the poet's idea of religiousity and the kind of life she lived. Relate the poem to the other two poems we discussed earlier in class, "I'm Nobody, Who are You?" and "Success is Counted Sweetest." Also, find some references on Emily Dickinson's biography on the internet to help you justify your answer.

P.S. This entry is for my Poetry class, English Education 2005.

What Kind of Love Do I Believe In?

One of the various ways to feel emotionally involved in literature is by putting ourselves in the character's situation. In the case of an adultery, for instance, if we're asked to give our personal response to the case, most would either condemn the adulterer or judging him/her by our standard. However, when we pretend to be the one involved in the case, many of us would shift our perspectives and become more imaginative (if not crazy in imagination).

Take a look at Raymond Carver's "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" and choose to be either Mel, Terry, Laura, and Nick. Write a diary entry or a letter addressed to someone, and express what kind of love you believe in. Remember, you are taking the character's position, not talking about the kind of love "you yourself" intend to find in your life.

Note: This post is for Prose class, 2006. However, anybody other than the members of the class would be welcome to give comments.