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September20_2012

Page history last edited by Dundee Lackey 11 years, 6 months ago

Today's Agenda:


 

Workshopping Intros/Thesis Statements:

Choose three (or more, if you've time!) of your colleagues intros/thesis statements from the blog, and offer them some constructive criticism and answer any questions you can.  (I'm sure they'd appreciate help beyond "that's great!" or "you've got a spelling error here...", so be sure to be honest about what they're doing well AND what they might improve upon.)

 

Thoughts as I read your blog posts tonight:

  • One question I'm seeing lots more of than I thought I would: YES, you have to talk about the author, his/her purpose, their audience, and the context. You also have to talk about the rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) and tactics they use to try and achieve their purpose. (That's what a rhetorical analysis IS.)
  • One suggestion: the "argument" you make in a rhetorical analysis MUST BE an argument about how this author, their purpose, their intended audience, and this text enacts the author's purpose with this audience, but: there's a reason I required these texts to somehow relate to gender. Conceptions of gender/gender roles play a big role in the context we live in. So, in considering the context, one thing you should be asking yourself is this: what does this text show us about gender, and how, and how does that effect individuals/our society?
  • Be careful about doing too much research on this one. It can be useful for fleshing out an argument rooted in your rhetorical analysis of the text, BUT if you haven't really yet done a rhetorical analysis of the text, and you're spending all your time researching the topic of that text, you're probably headed the wrong way. Remember, it's not a research paper.

 

Here are some resources that may be of help as you read and comment:

 


 

Practicing rhetorical analysis/discussion of reading:

Divide into small groups. Each group will take one of our readings ("The Turkish Republic Comes of Age" + "Women of Saudi Arabia" pages 40-49 and 60-71, Gender Roles...for today, write a citation for it, and perform a rhetorical analysis of it.  Below are resources on rhetorical analysis, as well as some ideas our facilitators offered up for consideration. We'll come back together in about 20-25 minutes for discussion.

 

Rhetorical Analysis, Resources:

 

The Facilitators said:

"The Turkish Republic Comes of Age"

  • To me, this story was about Turkey after WWI and how they had to start over. It told the story of the new republic, Ankara, that was started by Kemal Ataturk. Although the summary in the beginning of the story mentions that this story is about the "new rights" for the women in Turkey, I didn't get that from this story. I honestly didn't notice what freedoms these Turkish women had received. Was it the freedom of the "American" style of dress i.e. short skirts, red lipstick, wedged/platform sandals that the author was speaking of? The reason I did not feel as though these Turkish women really had any "new rights" was because after mentioning this new stylish way of dressing for the Turkish women, the author then mentions that "there are still many things that these slim princesses may not do."  
  • What I got from the story was the triumph of watching this new city of Ankara build herself up. I felt pride in those young Turkish citizens that built 51+ buildings "with minimum supervision". I respected the many roles that a new Village Institute man took on after graduating, including becoming the teacher of the very school he built.
  • I found this website that talks a little about the Village Institute. http://blog.iae.org.tr/index.php/sergiler/dusunen-tohum-konusan-toprak/?lang=en
  • On this site, I read that the Institute was actually closed because they feared "it would educate the communists of tomorrow"...interesting!  http://www.iisg.nl/today/en/16-09.php
  • Questions, in no particular order:
    • Why do you think only unveiled women were allowed the choice seats?
    • Describe the difference in Turkey’s landscaping between now and the 1920s.
    • What beliefs do American Men/Women share in common with Turkish Men/Women?
    • Is Turkey a wealthy or poor country?
    • Why is the announcer telling America what type of country Turkey is?
    • What things are young female children being taught at school?
    • What do male students become after graduating?
    • What are male students awarded after graduation?
    • What is the author’s purpose?
    • What are the graduate students trying to persuade the villagers to do?
    • How young are women taught to make rugs? 
    • What does the author mean when he says "the Turkish republic is now of age"?
    • Why do you think the author mentions the engagement ring on the radio announcers’ hand?
    • If women were given new freedoms why were some women continuing to cover themselves in
      traditional attire?
    • What was the author’s purpose for mentioning background information about Huseyin Pektas?
    • Why did the author mention the Madame Pektas comment at the end?
    • At the time, how were the Turkish women as independent as American women?
    • Does the author support the Turkish women's new rights or is he against them? 


"Women of Saudi Arabia"

  • This story was about the expansion of new freedoms the Arabian women achieved throughout the years. It tells a story from the view of an American wife to an Arabian husband. Before reading this story, there were some facts that I actually already knew about. For example, Saudi Arabian women not being able to drive. My uncle works as an Emergency Room Nurse in Saudi Arabia and always tell me how he can't believe that it's still like that to this day. But of course, if that's what you're accustomed to, it wouldn't seem out-of-the-ordinary for you. 
  • I was very happy for the later generations and this new profound freedom they now had. Being able to be outside in public, visit friends, own property, attend school, etc. Why is it that the men wouldn't want the women photographed (without their permission)? I also found the story about the widowed mother of five sons having to get permission from one of her sons to spend the night in a hotel quite ironic.  It was a very enlightening and informative read!
  • Questions, in no particular order
    • Who has more dominance in Saudi Arabia?
    • What do Saudi Arabia & Turkey have in common?
    • What is the author's purpose?
    • What type of life did the Saudi Arabian people used to live?
    • What did the facial coverings mean to women?  
    • What is the irony in the first sentence?
    • What did the author mean by "Islam is the one thing not changed"?
    • Why did the author choose to introduce her article with her conversation with Ibtissam Lutfy?
    • Why are the women of Saudi Arabia acceptant of the restrictions placed upon them?
    • Why was the Saudi professionals uncomfortable with the "too free life"? Is she the only one who would feel this way or would there be other women who feel similar?
    • On page 68, why did the women at the hospital laugh when they explained that the reason why girls outdo boys scholastically is because the men have their cars?
    • What is the authors position on said Arabian women's rights? Does she respect their customs?
    • What is your opinion on the Islamic cultures?
    • What is Islams justification for the restrictions on women's rights?
    • Explain how the women of Saudi Arabia are similar to the Turkish women in "The Turkish Republic"? 

 

 

 


For next time:

Read “Reflective Writing and the Revision Process: What Were you Thinking?” (online)

 

Facilitators: consider writing questions that will serve as prompts, helping you and your colleagues draft your reflections. (Look at the prompt, the assignment sheet, and the learning goals of the course as articulated in the syllabus to help you do this.)

 

Heads up:

  • Don't forget your discussion facilitation dates, and DON'T forget the due date is one date before the readings you are assigned, by 8 am! (I heard from 2 of 7 today.) This is an easy 10% of your course grade, unless you don't do it.
  • You will need a COMPLETE draft of your rhetorical analysis essay for use in class on 9/27, one week from today.
  • Portfolio 1 (including final version of the rhetorical anslysis essay AND the reflective overview) is due (electronically) before class on 10/2--11 days! 

Comments (2)

Dundee Lackey said

at 10:22 pm on Sep 19, 2012

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