DAY 13: "New African" and Point of View & Conflict

Today, we reviewed words 6-10 in unit 2 of the vocabulary book, and covered lesson 2 in the Diagramming Sentences workbook. There, we learned about how to diagram definite and indefinite articles. For purposes of review, I also asked you to circle the modal auxiliaries in each sentence where they occurred.

Afterwards, I asked you to spend several minutes flagging parts of the story where:

• Sarah experienced conflict with herself, others, or larger forces.
• Sarah's perspective seemed limited.
• Sarah's perspective differed markedly from those around her.

I then reminded you that the story is set in 1963, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, and suggested you consider what is implied by that. Starting with your own interpretive questions from the night before, I asked you to discuss the story, eventually trying to steer conversation toward answering the following questions:

• What does the title of the story mean?
• By the end, whose perspective is the reader supposed to consider limited?
• Aside from Sarah's conflict with joining a Baptist church, what larger conflict is suggested by the story?

When conversation seemed to stall or drift, I pointed you to passages that indicate what the African-American church-going community of New African seem to have traditionally valued. Then, keeping in mind that Baptism is the means by which an individual officially joins a church community, I asked you think about just why she doesn't want to join the church.

That's about as far as we got.  I asked one of the three sections to complete a self-assessment on participation.  Those of you who did not get the assessment will see it soon enough (to be added to the wikispace on Thursday).

HOMEWORK:

1. Post your sentences on the wikispace.

2. Write a 12 sentence paragraph on "New African."  You may choose any topic of your choice, but if you are at a loss, try this: Why doesn't Sarah want to be baptized?