Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas:
Part A: Values
What is literature, and what does it have to do with us today—especially those of us who are studying at a “technical” university? When many think of literature, they envision old, dusty, leather-bound books written about people in ages past who spoke strangely (“Hark! Who goest there?”) and wore corsets or top hats. But literature is arguably more relevant today in our bustling 21st century than ever before, and reading it can be a fun, meaningful endeavor. So open your textbook, your mind and your heart and experience the joy and inspiration of reading stories, poems and plays as never before.
Define literature in your own words.
In what ways do you suppose reading literature might benefit us personally and professionally?
What are 3 of the best pieces of fiction you have ever read? (Fiction includes stories, novels or poems, and not biographies, factual accounts or how-to books.)
What did you like about the 3 stories?
Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.
? Mahatma Gandhi
In this course we are studying literature, but we are also exploring human values. Woven throughout the fiction, poetry and drama we will be reading are considerations such as What is right? What is wrong? and What makes our lives meaningful? One way to think about values is to ask yourself, “What in my life is most important to me? Who or what do I value?”
In one or two paragraphs, list 5 of your core values (ex: family, work, health, creativity, honesty, fun, spirituality, freedom, beauty, loyalty, etc.—the list is endless) and explain how these values have shaped who you are now and how you feel they will continue to, as Gandhi says, shape your destiny.
Part B: Short story, “Carnal Knowledge”
This assignment begins the process of exposing you to various forms of short fiction. In Literature to Go read the short story, “Carnal Knowledge” by T.C. Boyle and in 3 to 5 paragraphs, discuss your reaction to the story by answering the following questions:
Put yourself in the position of Jim, the protagonist, whose values are dramatically different from Alena’s. Why do you think he is so easily swayed to compromise his beliefs in Alena’s presence?
Now imagine that you are Alena; in what ways does she consistently live out her convictions? Can you empathize with her passion for justice?
In your opinion, who has more integrity, Jim or Alena? Why?
What is the theme, or main message, of this piece?
Describe Boyle’s tone and use of irony as a means of reminding us that our assumptions about life and people are not always accurate.
NOTE: Example,
A
1. Define Literature in your own words.
To me, literature is an ability. It is the ability to express a dream, a creation, a world beyond the one we know and live in. Literature can be whatever you want it to be. Through the means of writing, a person has the ability to be anyone, do anything. It doesn’t have to make sense or be realistic. You can live in the stars or go on dangerous adventures, anything you want. Reading literature has the same effect. Getting lost in a good story, becoming a character that you can identify with; that’s the best part about reading. Then, having been able to see life and it’s principles through another’s eyes, feeling for them as they go through trials and tribulations, making the tough decisions. Reading good literature can be an adventure of its own.
In what ways do you suppose reading literature might benefit us personally and professionally?
When I read a good book, I get very wrapped up in the personality of the characters. I learn from what they are going through and the mistakes that they make. I get to expand my mind and see things from their perspective, or the perspective of the writer, and in doing so, I have the opportunity to understand people better. Maybe I would not have made the same choices as the character, but through reading the full story, I might understand why one would make those decisions.
3. What are 3 of the best pieces of fiction you have ever read? (Fiction includes stories, novels or poems, and not biographies, factual accounts or how-to books.)
The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy (trilogy), by Douglas Adams
Ender’s Game (trilogy), by Orson Scott Card
The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe
What did you like about the 3 stories?
The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy is a series of science fiction novels. I read them all together in one big book, but originally they were separate. I find these stories to be interesting because they are complete fantasy, being science fiction, but also, I find them incredibly humorous. The writer, Douglas Adams, has a way of telling a story so that it makes fun of simple situations and shrinks issues like impending death into laughable situations.
Ender’s Game is another science fiction trilogy. It is about a boy, Ender, in the future. To make a very long story short, he and other children like himself, have the intelligence and ability to assist in fighting a interstellar war and thus, save the world. I think this story really made its mark by bringing the characters to life. Orson Scott Card is one of my favorite writers. He really knows how to develop a character so that the reader genuinely cares about them and what happens to them.
The Raven is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. I would like to think that most people know this, but maybe they don’t. I like this piece of literature because of its macabre nature. The story is about a man who lost his lover and this shadow, raven, haunts him. I also enjoy all the descriptive words the author uses to describe the scene of this event. I can literally picture the silky purple curtains in his library and, of course, the bust of Pallas just above the chamber door.
Core Values
God
God has to come first; not religion, just God, because, without him there is nothing. There is no me, no you, no world to be concerned with.
God has always helped me and I trust he will continue to do so in my future.
Family
This was not always one of my core values. I did not have the best childhood, but I like to think that I am who I am, not because of my past, but in spite of it. I made a choice to be better than what life was preparing to give me. I decided to work harder and push past the stigmas. I am not my parents and I am not their mistakes. I do, however, have a wonderful son, Jacob, who is my inspiration and my reason for trying as hard as I do. He deserves the best of me and I am determined to give it to him. As for the future, family will have a different meaning to him then it did for me as a kid.
Respect
I know that when I mention respect, the first thought is that I am asking for people to respect me, but this is not what I mean. When I say respect, I mean that I think it’s important to treat others with respect. In doing so, one will earn respect in return. This has, for the most part, worked well for me in the past and although sometimes it is hard to treat others with respect, I still try to do it and keep in mind that I do not know the path they have travelled.
I will continue to do my best to treat others with the same respect I would like to be treated with. This even includes the inmates I see at work every day. I have found that even these guys know what it is to be treated fairly and they do react to it.
Love
Doing battle against the terrible odds that life throws at you is too daunting a task to face alone. Having that true partner to see you through is incredibly important. Finding that someone, however, is not so easy.
My current situation is less than perfect, but, all is well that ends well. Someday I will find the impossible.
Ambition
If you’re going to do something, do it to the best of your ability. That’s how I see it. Work, school, family and fun; do it right and it will always be better. A little bit of ambition goes a long way, plus, the people around you will be inspired to do better in their daily tasks. Try it, it works.
Hopefully, this attitude will help me in the future as it always has in the past. After graduation, I especially think this will be helpful in my new career.
Part B: Short story, “Carnal Knowledge”
This assignment begins the process of exposing you to various forms of short fiction. In Literature to Go read the short story, “Carnal Knowledge” by T.C. Boyle and in 3 to 5 paragraphs, discuss your reaction to the story by answering the following questions:
Put yourself in the position of Jim, the protagonist, whose values are dramatically different from Alena’s. Why do you think he is so easily swayed to compromise his beliefs in Alena’s presence?
I think initially Jim just wanted to be the person that Alena would be attracted to. He saw a beautiful, passionate woman and he wanted to be part of her world. After a while, he felt like he was part of something. In the beginning of the story, I got the idea that Jim didn’t have a whole lot going on in his life, he was alone and useless. With Alena, he became a warrior for the animals and a hero in her eyes. It was an adventure that he was willing to shirk his responsibilities to continue living.
Now imagine that you are Alena; in what ways does she consistently live out her convictions? Can you empathize with her passion for justice?
Alena is not a hypocrite. She truly lives the life that she preaches. Between protesting, being vegan and her illegal activities, she is definitely dedicated to the cause. Unfortunately, she doesn’t consider the consequences of her actions, like the turkeys and their sad fate.
In a way, I can empathize with Alena. I don’t disagree that animals are not treated fairly, however, I also eat meat. I think there’s a happy medium to everything. Animals should not be treated with cruelty, but people should be able to eat meat and use other animal products like leather without being persecuted.
In your opinion, who has more integrity, Jim or Alena? Why?
Alena is true to her cause and her beliefs in helping animals. Jim wins on integrity when it comes to the relationship. He would have never left her behind, even if it meant getting caught. In the end, when Alena runs off to bear country with Rolfe, the reader really sees how much Jim was into this relationship. I felt bad for him.
What is the theme, or main message, of this piece?
I don’t know if it’s really a lesson. He doesn’t exactly say that it wasn’t worth it. Would Jim do it all over again, knowing the end result? Maybe the message is not to pretend to be something you’re not. Be true to yourself.
Describe Boyle’s tone and use of irony as a means of reminding us that our assumptions about life and people are not always accurate.
Even I was convinced that a woman who was so passionate about her love for animals would be equally passionate about a man that shared her same goals. When she deserted Jim for the bears I realized, as I’m sure he did, that she was exactly what she seemed, only I hadn’t been looking at it the right way all along. It was kind of a slap in the face.
I guess it was pretty ironic in the end, after all his realizations, Jim returns to eating meat. In fact, it’s one of the first things he does after Alena leaves him broken-hearted. His desire to fill that empty feeling in his gut overrode his new found passion for animal rights.
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