Gallery Walk on Wednesday!

Gallery Walk of Young Adult Literature Projects

12:45-1:45 on Wednesday, May 5

Regular classroom

The votes are in on how to share final projects. The option that most people chose was the gallery walk. (Small groups came in a strong second.) 

Other than bringing a copy of your project/presentation, you don't have anything to do to prepare. (Although if your project is on-line, try to bring a computer. I'll have mine and we can also use the classroom computer.) We'll do the actual organization on Wednesday, but since we'll want to have everyone have a chance to share and talk about his/her project, we'll divide the class into groups and take turns mingling and "presenting".

I'll bring some treats!

Submitting projects:

• If your project needs to be submitted as a hard copy (i.e. poster, scrapbook, binder, etc.), then you can just hand it in at the end of the Gallery Walk. (I'll also supply post-it notes and ask you when and how you would like the project returned.)
• If your project is a traditional paper, please submit it to the Angel dropbox before the Gallery Walk. I will send feedback via email.
• If your project is on-line, you can either do a post on our blog with a link or go to the Angel dropbox and supply the url for the project. (Either way, I'll email feedback privately.)

 Other questions?

Deconstructing Crank

Thanks to the Deconstructive Theory group for introducing the class to the theory today. I can't emphasize enough the impact this new way of thinking had on how people in all disciplines think about the (im)possibility of objectivity, the relationship between language and thought, and the potential benefits of playing with uncertainty. I was glad that the group made the point that this theory doesn't just "rip things apart", but is a tool to create new ideas, meanings, insights, etc. Here are two examples that have sprung to mind since class:

• Consider Locke's use of "for your own good" and the ways that one person imposing his/her will on another is in tension with the possibility of the recipient "owning" that good.
• Sometimes the "/" (vergule) is used to indicate the instability of categories. For example, talking about "dis/ability" suggests that: 1) disability and ability are always in relation to each other, 2) disability and ability might coexist, 3) we might consider disability "or" ability, etc. (Anderson & Merrill, 2001).

For those of you who want to try a hand at this type of analysis, let's do that here. Some techniques might include:

• Find a very short piece of text and read it multiple ways. You might try out the dictionary activity Peter described in class or generate your own meanings. To use a common deconstructive metaphor, how does the language/meaning "slip"?
• Make a statement about the surface ideology of the text--the meaning that, for the moment, seems "obvious" to you. Then find ambiguities in the text or counter-evidence. What contradictions can we find? What do you now consider to be the sub-text?
• 
  Play with different ways of reading the verse. What happens when you treat the shape of the words on the page in different ways?

These are only a few suggestions. Have fun!

Crank and Censorship

One of the reasons that we are reading Crank during the same week as our discussion of censorship is that last fall the book was challenged and Ellen Hopkins became very vocal about the issue of censorship.

Hopkins wrote a play-by-play on her livejournal, beginning with an entry on September 17 and extending through the next several months. After reading the book and Hopkins' entries, what do you find to be either persuasive or not persuasive about the school's choice to cancel her visit? What issues and values are at stake?

You might also browse the American Library Association page on censorship for more information on the history of censorship in schools, intellectual freedom, and concrete steps teachers, librarians, and other community members can take if a book is challenged. Are there any resources or ideas that might help us make sense of the challenges to Crank?

Crank discussion

Here are several interlated questions to get us started discussing Crank:

• In what ways is Crank YAL? How does it work as a "problem novel"?
• What did you find powerful, surprising, or troubling? What made it so?
• What was the ideological message of the text? To draw on our discussion of deconstructive criticism, any mixed messages? If so, what do we (re)make of them?

As always, try to refer and/or quote specific passages in the text as support or to generate discussion.

Week 13: On-line class (Tuesday) and Crank discussion/activity (Thursday)

I'm sorry for the late notice but, as I said in class, I will need to miss class this upcoming Tuesday. Instead, we'll do an on-line discussion.  So...no face-to-face class Tuesday, 4/13. 

On-line discussion:
Your on-line participation will take the place of the 1-page critical reflection listed on the syllabus.

• Read Crank by Ellen Hopkins and the articles in the coursepack on censorship/selection. 
• I will post several "discussion starter posts"  to focus discussion.
• Before Tuesday, choose a discussion strand that interests you and write an initial comment that responds to a facet of the prompt. If you want to discuss a topic that doesn't seem to be captured by any of these posts, feel free to write your own post to start a new strand of discussion.
• Return to the blog sometime between Tuesday and Thursday, skim the discussion strands, and respond to at least 2 other people's comments.

Remember that comments don't have to be lengthy, as long as they are responsive and substantive.

For Thursday:

Please bring your copy of Crank. We can spend a little time extending the discussion we will have started on the blog, but we'll spend the bulk of our session exploring how the text is shaped by the fact that it is written in verse. We'll use a modified form of Reader's Theater to explore the questions: What changes when we attend to the shape and sound of the poetry, rather than reading it silently to ourselves? What does this say about language? Meaning? (Deconstructive theory) Although I have already selected some of the poems from the book that we might use for this activity, if you have particular favorites, please mark them as options for your group to present. 

I know some of the content in the book may be more or less comfortable to members of the class and that everyone has different comfort levels "performing" in front of groups. I've structured the activity in a way that I hope everyone will be able to make participation choices with which they feel comfortable. Despite the fact that I've just used the word "comfort" three times, I also hope people come willing to take some risks!   

Week 11: Reading "The Arrival" using Reader Response

Reader response theorists distinguish between one’s first read of the text in which the meaning unfolds as one moves through the text and subsequent reads in which the reader has a sense of the whole before moving through the text.


One strategy for reading The Arrival might be to:

• Use post-it notes to mark what you notice/understand as you do your initial reading.
• Reread the text and use a different color post-it to mark what you notice during your 2nd+ reading.
• Or, use different colors to mark visual themes.

In your paper, you might ask questions like: What story did I tell as I read? How does the text invite and shape that story? What assumptions/knowledge/reading strategies, etc. did I use to animate the text?

Reader response criticism varies a great deal in emphasis, so focus on something that intruigued you about the text and use whatever tools help you explore that idea in depth!

On Thursday we'll hear from the post-colonial theory group!

Week 10: Freak Show, Queer Theory, and Reader Response

Thanks to Katie, Emily, Emily, Guy, and Peter for their presentation on Queer Theory yesterday! I've posted the slides from their presentation on Angel. Although you are welcome to ask other types of questions in your critical response papers to Freak Show, one approach that might work well with this book would be to explore how the author plays with the idea of "heteronormativity".

I've also posted an article called "Anti-homophobic Pedagogy" in the Additional Readings and week 9 folders. This is optional reading. I posted it because, although it is written to an audience of educators, I think the author makes some interesting points about how sexual orientation is discussed and why one may or may not one might be public about sexual orientation in the workplace. (He does make the point that those who are heterosexual might have less expeirence thinking of this as a choice that carries certain priviledges.)

To recap, for Tuesday, please read Freak Show and write a one-page critical response. On Thursday we'll hear from the Reader Response Theory Group!

Enjoy the weekend!

Week 9: Professional Resources / Queer Theory

In the spirit of spring break, there's no specific assignment to prepare for Tuesday, March, 16th. (Although you might want to do some reading for the final project.)

On Tuesday, we'll continue our discussion about how young adult bodies are constructed in the media and do the mid-semester feedback. Then we'll spend some time looking at professional resources that might help you in your final projects. Please bring the images of young adults we were supposed to discuss before break and your coursepack to class.

On Thursday, the Queer Theory group will do their presentation!

Have a safe and fun spring break!

Week 8: The Hunger Games & Constructions of the YA body

Thanks to Brandon, Stephanie, Ashley, Samantha, and Alli who introduced us to some key ideas in feminism and gave us examples of the types of questions on might ask to do a feminist read of a text.

For Tuesday, please read The Hunger Games and write a critical reflection paper in which you draw on feminist and/or Marxist theory. We're working on getting everyone access to the power points, but you can also consult the Tyson text for ideas about what types of questions you might ask.  My biggest piece of advice on the critical reflection papers is to focus on only one topic/question so that you can explore that aspect of the text in more depth. Close readings of quotes and specific support from the text is always valued!

For Thursday, please bring 3 representations of the young adult body. These can be from anywhere and can be any type of text, as long as you have a way to share it with the group. Also, read Quick's "Meant to Be Huge" in preparation for class. We'll use this article to talk about the intersection between disability studies and other critical theories, the construction of the YA body in literature, and what writing strategies we might take from the article to use in the final projects.

Week 7: Series Books and Feminist Theory

Hi everyone,

On Tuesday we'll be discussing series books. Series books are generally defined as a sequence of four or more books that are written by the same author, include the same characters, and have either similar plots or an on-going plot through the series. (They do, in general, stand alone so that you don't necessarily have to read them in any order.) As the Cart reading mentioned, this trend in publishing for YAs really got going in the 1980s. Series books are generally valued by educators because they help readers gain reading fluency, rather than for their literary merit. Sometimes series books are examined as popular culture. As always, feel free to disagree!

Please write about the series book you have selected. Include a full citation so that we can talk about who published the book, the copyright date, etc. Possible paper topics:

• What is the relationship between the book you've selected and the rest of the series? Does the text suggest a "formula"? Is it possible to read one of the texts as a stand alone piece or does the series build on itself? This might be a time to look at the "paratext" (Gennette 1997) of the story: the front and back covers, dedication, the preview of the next book in the series, etc.
• What do you notice about the text when you read it through a critical theory? Is there any relationship between the "formula" or genre and the constructions of [class] in the text?
• Who seem to be the implied readers of the text? Who does the text invite the reader to be or value or want? How is the YA constructed in the text? What do you think of those invitations?
• Explore an intertextual connection. For example, connections between series books or between a series books and the spin off texts/merchandice.
• Feel free to write about another topic!

Although I've encouraged people to focus on small chunks of text in their papers, this might be a week where it might make sense to think about a text as a whole or even across texts. For example, if you are interested in thinking about whether the book you've selected falls into the category of "formula fiction" or whether it represents a recognizable genre, it might make sense to think about how the plot as a whole is or is not formulaic in the series. Of course, how you define the limits of the text that you analyze will always depend on what you are interested in analyzing! I can certainly imagine doing a close reading of a quote from a series book.

On Thursday we'll hear from the Feminist Theory Group!

Valerie

Week 5: Intertextuality, Science Fiction, Marxism & Feed

This week we'll be drawing on Marxist theory, intertextual connections, and criteria for evaluating science fiction to inform our readings of Feed by M.T. Anderson. Remember that we'll be working on-line for the first part of the week and then will have our face-to-face discussion on Thursday.

For Tuesday (on-line):

• Watch the Frontline "Merchants of Cool" documentary on-line. (~1 hour)
• Write a short blog post that poses a question or suggests a idea you would like to discuss related to "Merchants of Cool", marketing to YAs, or a related topic. (If someone else has already started a strand related to what you want to discuss, just write a comment, rather than doing a new post.) Be sure to label it "Merchants of Cool" so others can find it.
• Respond to at least 2 other people's posts by Thursday. 

I'll be curious to hear what people think the pros and cons of this on-line discussion format are!

For Thursday (face-to-face class):

• Come prepared to discuss Feed
• Critical reflection paper due. 
• Use Marxist theory as a lens to read Feed. For ideas, either consult Tyson or the slides from the presentation. (I'll post them to Angel as soon as I get them from the group who presented.) 
• OR
• Do an intertextual reading in which you read a specific marketing campaign or a segment from "The Merchants of Cool" against Feed. Remember that you'll need to establish the connection, but also make an argument that reading one helps us see something new in the other.

Critiquing vs using stereotypes/offensive language

This morning I read an article that used some graphic language for the purposes of critiquing the use of that very same language. It made me think about our discussion of American Born Chinese and the web of questions that was raised about whether the stereotypical representation of Chin-Kee was "necessary" in the text; whether it was necessary, but taken too far; how the representations "worked" as characterization and/or as an element in the plot and resolution; how different readers might interpret and appropriate those stereotypes; how the text did or did not invite the reader to take the character seriously; etc.

If anyone wants to keep talking about this, feel free to comment! 

Favorite graphic novels?

I'll bring a couple of other graphic novels to class on Tuesday, but it would be great if people in the class who read them could also bring in their favorites!

I'll bring: Maus I; V is for Vendetta; Blankets; and maybe a couple of others.

Week 4: American Born Chinese, Intertextuality, and Marxist Theory

On Tuesday we'll continue our discussion of American Born Chinese. We'll have time for you to share what you discover as you write your critical reflection papers, but we'll also use the text as an opportunity to talk about "intertextuality".

Here's a recommendation for your paper:

• Introduce:  Begin with a question or aspect of American Born Chinese that interests you. Provide the reader with a little context related to that idea.
• Insert:  Describe the panel or series of panels you intend to analyze to the reader. Focus on the elements most related to the idea you plan to develop.
• Interpret: "Read" the text for us--tell us what we can discover by reading the text in this way!

While I don't want people to think about the above suggestion as a "formula", you may find value in recognizing and being able to draw on conventional forms.

On Thursday the Marxist Theory group will introduce us to the theory and provide us with some practice generating questions and/or using Marxist theory to help us reading texts. If you like, you might want to look at the chapter on Marxism in the Tyson text.

Week 4: Thinking about Theory; Graphic Novels

For Tuesday:

• Read "Theory as Prism" (Moore) and chapter 1 of Critical Theory Today. What has been your experience using critical theory? Did Tyson's experience ring true? Were you persuaded by her arguments that theory can enhance reading?
• This is not required, but you might also want to skim the theory chapter you will be reading for your group presentation.
• No critical reflection paper due. Instead, write a post or comment on the blog. Your contribution can be about anything: a key idea in the class, a response to a quote from the reading, a book suggestion, a link to an interesting on-line resource. Our main goal is to make this a discussion among everyone in the class. :-)

For Thursday:

• Read "Reading Lessons 101" (Rudiger). How does reading graphic novels differ from reading other types of YAL? What place do graphic novels have in YAL?
• Read and come prepared to discuss American Born Chinese. How does this text "work" as a graphic novel? How is it YAL? What questions or points in the text do you want to discuss? (You might think about trying out an idea with your group as the basis for the Critical Reflection paper due on 2/9). 

Week 3: Does My Head Look Big in This?

For Tuesday:

• Read the first half of Does My Head Look Big in This? Take notes, write down questions for discussion and come prepared to talk! 
• Bring your coursepack to class so that we can look at the handout on what makes a good class discussion.
  

n

nFor Thursday:

• Write a 1 page reflection to bring to class on Thursday. You might choose to write on one of these topics:

• qHow is Amal constructed as a YA? For example, in what ways is she “in the middle” of childhood and adulthood? What does this text seem to offer as the “problem” of young adulthood?

• In what ways are characters’ “young adulthoods” shaped by intersecting social identities? Does it make sense to talk about a “generic” young adult identity?

• qIn terms of genre, would you call Does My Head Look Big in This a young adult book? In what ways does it seem to be successful or unsuccessful, as an example of YAL? (What criteria are you using?) 
  

 I'll follow up with a post with writing tips for the critical reflection papers.

Week 2, Preparation for Thursday

On Thursday we'll talk about YAL as a genre.  There are quite a few readings listed, so this is what I would like to propose:

• Everyone should read:
• Genre (Dubrow):  How do genres work on us as readers? What do we gain when we approach texts as a particular type of genre? (Pages 39-46 of the coursepack)
• "Young Adult Literature: The State of the Restless Art" (Cart):  What is the history of the YAL genre? Why are these books different than what came before? What are the trends? (Pages 3-12 in coursepack.)
• "What is Young Adult Literature, Anyway?" (Hertz & Gallo):  I guess the title says it all! (Pages 47-50 in coursepack.)

• Optional/Skim to see if you are interested: 
• "Adult books for young adults" (Carter):  What is a "cross-over" book? What does marketing have to do with the way books are categorized and sold? (Pages 13- in the coursepack.)
• "Young Adult Literature" (Crowe): What are the myths about YAL? What titles can dispel those myths? (Pages 27-30 in coursepack.)
• "Young Adult Literature: Rite of Passage or Rite of its Own" (Proukou):  Why is the story of the young adult so appealing to all audiences? How do characters relate to archetypes?
  
• Come prepared to rank which theory group you would like to be in:
• A brief summary of the theories can be found on pp. 451-456 of Tyson's "Critical Theory Today"
• Be sure to consider your schedule--you'll have work to do the week before you present, as well as during the week of your presentation.

Week 2: YAL in the disciplines & as a genre

On Thursday or Friday of each week I'll write a post about what you can expect for the following week. If a reflection paper will be due, I'll also suggest several possible paper prompts.

During week 2 we'll learn about the different disciplinary "homes" for children's literature (including YAL). As Coats, et al, argues in "Schools of Thought", the study of children's literature looks very different in English departments, schools of education, and the library sciences. We'll explore these differences, as well as the overlaps among the disciplines.

On Thursday we'll focus on what it means to think about YAL as a genre.  What do we mean by genre? What's the history of publishing for young adults? How might a focus on genre guide the way we read this semester and/or the questions we ask about texts?

To prepare for Tuesday:

• Read and prepare to discuss "Schools of Thought" (Coats)
• Write your first reflection:  Read the description in the syllabus of the requirements for the "Critical Reflection" papers. Write a 1-page critical reflection on one of the following topics:
•  Find a representation of a YA. Do a close reading to analyze the representation of the YA and/or the implied audience. Try out the disciplinary convention of: Introducing the text, Inserting an example, and Interpreting the example. How does this text complicate or add to our in-class discussion?
• How would you position your interests in YAL in relation to the disciplinary map introduced in Coats, et al.? Where does this class seem to fall in this field? (You might use the syllabus and/or the “text” of this week’s class.)
• Find a blog related to YAL and read it as a text. What’s the focus or purpose? Who participates? What can you learn from it? How is the YA or YAL constructed in this discourse community? 
  

To prepare for Thursday:

• If you are a person who likes to read ahead, you might skim the articles listed on the syllabus. On Tuesday you'll be assigned 1-2 to read more closely and prepare to share with your classmates.