Cultural Criticism SB. 1.14 and 1.17

23 September 2014 Today you will need your: IRN Journal SB book

In the Journal section… Define the term: Culture

In your groups… Arrange the cards into groups based on similarities. Label each group. Be prepared to share!

In your Journal… Revisit your initial definition of culture… Add the components of culture to your definition. As we watch the video, add additional components or elements of culture. With a partner, share your definition and be prepared to share  Together, predict what you think Cultural Criticism may be.

Cultural Criticism Focuses on the elements of culture and how they affect one’s perceptions and understanding of texts. Four common assumptions to use when using Cultural Criticism as a lens to understand literature: Ethnicity, religious beliefs, social class, etc. are crucial components in formulating plausible interpretations of text. While the emphasis is on diversity of approach and subject matter, Cultural Criticism is not the only means of understanding ourselves and our art. An examination or exploration of the relationship between dominant cultures and the dominated is essential. When looking at a text through the perspective of marginalized peoples, new understandings emerge.

In your SpringBoard… Follow along as I read the Learning Focus on pg. 44 Mark the text for: Words and Concepts you know Words and Concepts you do not know

Consider the culture at CHHS Using the categories we found in the word sort, list some examples of CHHS culture for each category. Now consider SCHOOL RULES and list several of those. Compare and Contrast how those have stayed the same and/or changed over the years as a result of changed administration. Can power have its own culture? How so?

pg. 46: “Speaking with Hands” Silently read the poem “Speaking with Hands” and prepare for a class discussion by marking the text for elements of Cultural Criticism.

In your groups… Questioning the Text- with three levels of questioning: Literal: What is the name of the neighborhood in which the narrator’s family lives? What is the allusion of Moses and “the burning bush”? Create another “literal” question within your group and find the answer. Interpretive: Why did Mama make her children stand around as she argued with the store owner? Why does the author compare Mama’s “madness” or craziness to “the burning bush” from the Bible? Original “interpretive” question and answer. Universal: Why is going crazy and expression of “tired of being tired?” Does speaking broken English marginalize people? Original “universal” question and answer.

1.17

Organizational Structure of a Reflective Essay Most reflective essays are structured similarly