English 221: Intro to Creative Writing
Agenda: February 19

• Quiz on Setting
• Handout: Poets and Writers Reading Schedule. Reminder: 2 Responses to Live Readings.
• Group Discussion: Sherman Alexie's "At Navajo Monument Valley Tribal School"
  
  • Group 1: Nicholas, Tamar, Amanda, David: Setting as the World
  • Group 2: Erica, Elicia, Daniel, Emily: Setting as a Camera
  • Group 3: Jean Louise, William, Kristin, Ian: Setting as Mood, Atmosphere, & Symbol
  • Group 4: Erin, Colleen, Ryan, Emma, Sarah: Setting as Action

• Questions for Groups:
  • Setting as the World: How is heritage and culture communicated through the poem's setting? Why does this matter? How is this setting related to questions of identity and exile? What is the date, approximately, of this poem? Why does this matter?
  • Setting as a Camera: How does the poem communicate with (a) a long shot (b) a middle shot, and (c) a close-up? Is the placement of the poet's "camera" impartial and detached? Or does it communicate a subjective judgment about this place and its people? What is that judgment?
  • Setting as Mood and Symbol: How is tone communicated through setting in this poem? What tone? Why this tone? How is this setting in some way symbolic? How does the setting communicate emotion? Does this setting in some way signal change?
  • Setting as Action: Is there conflict between the characters (the foreground) in the poem and the setting (the background)? Are the characters in conflict or harmony with their setting? What is ironic about this setting?
• Questions for Everyone:
  • What is this poem about? What is it trying to say? What remains mysterious or enigmatic about this poem?

For Next Time: 2/21

RE-READ & WRITE: The School. Choose one of the questions above, about setting, and type a one paragraph response as preparation for discussion on Thursday. I will collect these paragraphs, which will receive full-credit, half-credit, or no credit.

FREEWRITE: In your free write journals, Make a Map.  Draw, by hand, a map.  This may be of a particular place that is important to you.  This may be the earliest neighborhood you remember.  It may be a map of a drive you took.  It may be the map of the inside of a house, or an abandoned building.  A forest path.  An intersection where something strange or curious happened.  The route you took on your walk to school, to a relative's house.  A small town.  A downtown. Write (cram) on the map as much detail as you can.  Place names, people, events—anything.