Some time over the weekend after watching the Kony 2012 video in class and on your on if need be (video can be found on youtube, search kony 2012 video), go to the following website:
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/ and in the top right corner in the search box, type "white man's burden and click go. The search engine will bring up the article "African critics of Kony Campaign See a 'White Man's Burden' for the...(it will be the first article to come up!) click on it and read the article, the comments and watch the video even. After viewing and reading, I'd like you to answer the following questions:
1. Why do you think Jason Russell made the video? What impact has it had?
2.What criticisms of the video have emerged? What do you make of these criticisms?
3. Where do you draw the line between 'helpful activism' and this notion of westerners being the savior all incapable foreigners?
4. What are the potential pros and cons of “distilling a very complicated 26-year war into something that’s consumable and understandable”?
5. Can you make one comparison between what is happening with 'Kony 2012' currently in our culture and what Chinua Achebe was discussing in TFA from what you've read so far?
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Blog Post 4 TFA
Things Fall Apart Language and Style Questions due Wednesday, March 14th
Examining the syntax and structure of Achebe's first chapter, it's easy to identify simple, short, terse sentences that are linked by sense rather than by grammar that would make them flow together better.
1) Why do you think Achebe used this straight forward, simplistic syntax in his novel?
The following are verbatim examples of sentences from page 7 that are written separately and showcase this simplicity:
1. Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond.
2. His fame rested on solid personal achievements.
3. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat.
4. Amalinze was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia to Mbaino.
5. He was called the Cat because his back would never touch the earth.
2) Reading these five sentences, try to rewrite them into one complex sentence showcasing all the details.
3) What's the impact of the proverb examples we see immediately within chapter one?
4) How are proverbs the oil of social relationships as stated in chapter one?
Examining the syntax and structure of Achebe's first chapter, it's easy to identify simple, short, terse sentences that are linked by sense rather than by grammar that would make them flow together better.
1) Why do you think Achebe used this straight forward, simplistic syntax in his novel?
The following are verbatim examples of sentences from page 7 that are written separately and showcase this simplicity:
1. Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond.
2. His fame rested on solid personal achievements.
3. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat.
4. Amalinze was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia to Mbaino.
5. He was called the Cat because his back would never touch the earth.
2) Reading these five sentences, try to rewrite them into one complex sentence showcasing all the details.
3) What's the impact of the proverb examples we see immediately within chapter one?
4) How are proverbs the oil of social relationships as stated in chapter one?
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