Rhetoric
& Composition 2: Public Sphere Literacy
Unit
Two: Narrative Literacy (Weeks 4-7)
Inquiry
Theme: Linking Texts, Cultures, Ethics
Literacy
& Rhetoric Goals:
Students will
• Define narrative terms
•
Identify & critique the textual dimensions of narrative
•
Identify and critique the cultural dimensions of narratives
•
Identify and critique the ethical dimensions of narratives
•
Identify links between textual, cultural, and ethical dimensions
of narratives
•
Identify and critique the function of narratives in our daily
lives
•
Identify and employ various types of introductions & conclusions
•
Define & employ analysis & synthesis as well as summary
•
Integrate research sources into writing/reasoning
Writing
Goals: Students will
•
Employ short writings (SW) for invention/revision of their ideas
•
Define a topic question that examines textual, cultural, and/or
ethical conventions
of a narrative
•
Use a thesis statement to assert stance and to organize academic
argument paper
•
Organize effectively (a) the ¶s in the paper and (b) the information
within each ¶
•
Effectively introduce and conclude the essay
•
Clearly state reasons that support the thesis
•
Effectively employ particular details as evidence
•
Effectively integrate research sources into their prose as evidence
for their claims
•
Address audience (classmates & teacher) as readers/listeners
who are part of our
class conversation,
who are as equally informed on the narratives read in class,
but who are curious to see how writers
link textual, cultural, and/or ethical
dimensions of narrative
•
Employ an engaged, confident, authoritative voice or ethos
•
Employ sentences whose shape (length,
punctuation, wording . . . ) does not
interfere with
meaning
•
Employ effective citation practices
Speaking
Goals: Students will
•
Employ oral presentations (OPs) for invention/revision of their
final written projects
•
Adapt final written project into a 5-minute summary for a listening
audience
Suggested
Readings:
•
Stanley Kranow, “Vietnam Still Looms Large” (editorial)
•
Tim O'Brien, “The Things They Carried” (fiction)
•
Douglas Brinkley, “Tour of Duty: John Kerry and Vietnam“
(biography)
• John McCain (with Mark Salter),
“Preface” and “Lanterns of Faith” (autobiography)
•
Tracy Wood, “Spies, Lovers, and Prisoners of War” (autobiography)
•
Louise Erdrich's “The Red Convertible” (fiction)
•
Michael Lee Lanning, “Hollywood the Mythmakers” & “The
Only War We Had” (film)
•
Nguyen Quí Dú'c, “La Fin d'un Cauchemar” (autobiography)
•
Students' writings (sample papers and classmates' short writings)
Suggested
Writings:
Short
Writing 1: Identify an important textual
element of O'Brien's narrative and
explain why it's important in telling this story(1¶)
Short
Writing 2: Narrate a scene from any story, using an
unusual narrative point of
view (1-p.)
Short
Writing 3: Write one ethical question that a story
raises for you; then write
your responses to
that question (1-p. freewrite)
Short
Writing 4: Summarize 1 research source--not the entire
source, just the
information that applies
to your paper topic (1 ¶))
Paper
2: Write a thesis-support paper that examines a cultural
and/or ethical
question that is suggested by the narratives and that uses
textual
elements of the narratives
and research as evidence. Use at least
2 research sources. (5-6 pp.)
Suggested
Oral Presentations:
Presentation
1: Present SW #2 to class (Present uncommon narrative
view)
Presentation
2: Present SW #4 to small group (to invent ideas
for paper topic
Presentation
3: Present briefing
of final paper to class (5 people, 5 minutes each)
Unit
Grade: 25% of final
course grade
The
unit grade will be awarded to the final essay; however ,
short writings must be completed on due dates AND turned in with
Portfolio Two; likewise, oral reports must be performed. Otherwise
students may lose 1/4 percentage point for each SW or oral report
not completed on time or not included in the unit portfolio.
