FINAL PAPER DUE TODAY MONDAY 12/9

NO CLASS NEXT WEEK

ALL GRADES WILL BE POSTED BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.

Prof. O'Connell

Outside Sources and Vale

Consumer culture:
http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/126/American-Consumer.html

http://teachingamericanhistorymd.net/000001/000000/000129/html/t129.html

http://www.albany.edu/jmmh/vol1no1/peiss-text.html

http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/1305/American-Consumer-RISE-CONSUMER-CULTURE.html

Violence:
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching/eecd/Learning%20Environments/Health%20and%20Safety/edudev_art_00107_072305.html

http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/961205/violence.shtml

http://www.research.vt.edu/resmag/sc99/media_violence.html

Identity:
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/identity/

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/focus-forgiveness/201212/who-are-you

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/insight-therapy/201309/your-happiness-and-health-dont-belong-you

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sold/201309/we-are-what-we-consume

Follow this link and create an account (it is free) so you have access to the database (it contains many, many outside sources):

http://www.valenj.org/

FINAL PAPER DRAFT DUE NEXT MONDAY (NOV. 25)

FINAL PAPER DRAFT DUE NEXT MONDAY (NOV. 25)

If you do not hand in a draft next week, hand in your final draft on Dec. 9th

3 PAGES

·         You must use at least 2 outside sources to support your thesis.

·         You must use examples from the texts we have read in class and the outside sources. Papers that do not quote outside sources or the text will not pass.

·         Follow MLA guidelines we have discussed all semester

·         Works Cited Page

·         Never end a paragraph with a quote.

·         Cite outside sources within in your text; if it appears on your works cited page it has to be used in the paper (direct quotes or paraphrasing).

·         Always keep in mind: is this quote proving and supporting my thesis? If not, do not use it!

Fight Club

1)       Pick one of the following themes and using 2 outside sources and examples from the text explain what role they play in the novel:

Vanity

Identity

Violence

Consumer Culture

Death

Masculinity

2)       What are the men in fight club searching for? Why do their everyday lives fail to satisfy them? How does being in the Fight Club give more meaning to their lives?

 

3)       What does Tyler Durden represent in the Narrator's mind? Why does he need to create him to be with Marla Singer? Essentially I am asking you to compare and contrast the two sides of the narrator here.

 

4)       Explore how deceiving appearances played a role in “Lola.” What did the main character decide about Lola based solely on her appearance? How does this turn out for him? See the class blog for sources on deceiving appearances.

 

5)       Explore the role of obsession in “Lola.” The main character clearly had an unhealthy obsession with Lola and it got him in a lot of trouble. Use outside sources to define his obsession.

 

6)       Stereotyping and profiling played a role on ‘A Bag For Nicholas,” explain how the main character falls victim to this profiling and use the sources on the blog to define what “If you see something, say something” is supposed to do to keep people safe.

More Fight Club for Final Paper

High School Fight Club:
http://gothamist.com/2013/03/27/nj_high_school_officials_get_freake.php

Link to author's essays on writing:

http://litreactor.com/essays/36-writing-essays-by-chuck-palahniuk

Fight Club : A Ritual Cure For The Spiritual Ailment Of American Masculinity

http://www.thefilmjournal.com/issue8/fightclub.html

Fight Club: An Exploration of Buddhism

http://www.unomaha.edu/jrf/vol11no2/ReedFightClub.htm

Fight Club and the Effects of Anger

http://usf.usfca.edu/pj//fightclub_cairo.htm

This podcast speaks about the novel Fight Club and its impact on culture. Skip to about the 39 minute mark:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/ttbook

Click on the one entitled "Film and Philosophy"

The below link will take you to Google Scholar's links for Fight Club:

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=fight+club&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C31

Fight Club

Interview with the author:

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/files/features/fight-club-anthology-intro.pdf

Consumer Culture:

http://www.businessinsider.com/birth-of-consumer-culture-2013-2?op=1

http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/12/consumer.aspx

http://www3.nd.edu/~olizardo/papers/jcr-fight-club.pdf

http://www.hartman-group.com/hartbeat/understanding-consumer-culture

Narrator-The narrator is the protagonist of the book and co-creator of Fight Club. The Narrator works as a recall specialist for the automobile industry, a job he despises. He attends support groups for individuals struggling with terminal diseases, though he is physically healthy.

Tyler Durden-Co-creator of Fight Club, Tyler is the charismatic and vicious leader of Fight Club who eventually starts Project Mayhem. He starts out as the Narrator's friend but…things become complicated.

Marla Singer-A young woman who the Narrator encounters at the support groups. She too attends them searching for some sort of meaningful human interaction and, like the Narrator, is faking her illnesses. She begins a relationship with Tyler, which upsets the Narrator.

Big Bob/Robert Paulson- A middle-aged former steroid abuser who the Narrator meets at a testicular cancer survivor support group. Bob is the first to encourage the Narrator to cry at the support group meetings.

Emasculation

It asks the question: “What have men been reduced to? Why do all people accept things they way they are?”

Violence

The novel is called Fight Club for a reason; there is such an underground club that exists. It starts with Tyler and the narrator but quickly spreads. The fighting is supposed to serve as a spiritual reawakening. The fighting itself reminds the men that they are alive. As part of Tyler's philosophy, it also reminds them that they will die.

Chaos & Societal Breakdown

Tyler has named their group Project Mayhem and the philosophy of the group is that through chaos a better world will be achieved. He wants to destroy what mankind had done to the planet in hopes of cleansing it.

The Threat of Death

Tyler preaches the importance of knowing that one’s life will come to end. He believes only at that point will people really seek to improve their lives.

Consumer Culture

The Narrator complains about the emptiness her experience from consumer culture and how we as individuals are tied to our “stuff”. He hates his job and doesn't appear to have much of a social life. When he deems a product worthy of purchase it is the only real power he feels over his life. If he can buy more, he can improve his life

"Lola" and "A Bag for Nicholas"

Deceiving Appearances

http://www.personal-development.com/chuck/appearances.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23645413

http://invisibledisabilities.org/educate/invisibleawareness/lookscanbedeceiving/

Immigration

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2013/11/jersey_city_touts_first_in_state_immigration_affairs_department.html

http://blog.nj.com/njv_guest_blog/2013/11/immigration_debate_can_learn_f.html

If you see something, say something

http://www.dhs.gov/if-you-see-something-say-something%E2%84%A2-campaign

http://ifyouseesomething.org/





Obsession

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/obsession

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/lets-connect/200910/obsessions-small-and-monstrous

http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/108647/psychology/the_psychology_surrounding_obsessive_personalities.html

New Jersey Noir

http://oneminutebookreviews.wordpress.com/2012/08/12/new-jersey-noir-taking-the-final-exit-in-the-garden-state/

http://www.thewhitonline.com/?p=27451

http://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/towns/index.ssf/2011/11/award-winning_author_visits_gl.html

ESSAY TWO DUE MONDAY NOV. 11

ENG 215

Essay 2

Due Monday November 11^th

3 pages

USE TWO OUTSIDE SOURCES (NOT INCLUDING THE TEXT!) AND QUOTE THE PRIMARY TEXTS AS WELL.

Some sources can be found on the class blog: english215fall13.blogspot.com/

1>    We have discussed the impact of the assembly line and the development of the automobile on the life of Americans at the time of Ragtime.  Using examples from the text and from other outside sources explain how these two developments changed America. (You can write about both or just one of them)

2>    The characters in Ragtime all lived through a time of great change and turmoil in America. Pick one of the main characters and explain how he or she dealt with that change. Consider how their social standing helped or hurt their ability to change.

3>    Use examples from the text and outside sources to discuss the appeal of Harry Houdini.

4>    Take a closer look at the sections where Freud is present and do some research into how he felt about America at the time of his visit . Just be sure to include examples from the primary texts as well.

5>    What role does race play in the novel? Obviously this is a big question but try to narrow it down to a few examples to illuminate this very large issue.

 

 

 

·         Make sure you quote and cite TWO OUTSIDE SOURCES and Ragtime.

·         Be sure to include a Works Cited oage.

·         Do not start or end a paragraph with a quote:

o   Your words

o   Quote

o   Your words

·         DO NOT TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NOVEL, STICK TO YOUR THESIS AND TELL ME WHY THINGS HAPPEN.

·         Read over your work or better yet have someone else read over it for you!

·         Bring your work to the Learning Center.

·         Hand in the paper when it is due (NEXT MONDAY) so you can take advantage of improving your grade.