Process Essay / Persuasive Essay

Choose only ONE of the following prompts to write about

Process essay:
Americans love recreational activities, especially those that in some way relax us, bring us together, or develop a skill. Whether its perfecting your golf swing or planning the perfect dinner party, we tend to make the most of the activities we enjoy. But for many of us, these pastimes are also ritualized, done in very specific and detailed ways. Remove some component from these activities, and its often just not the same. For this essay you will explore the "process" by which one American recreational activity takes place, walking your reader through all aspects of the experience. For example, what is the process involved in the perfect Super Bowl party, an afternoon at the beach, or a trip abroad? In your analysis, consider the steps involved in this pastime, including time requirements (how long does it take and when?), accessories (which materials are required?), and sequence (what is the order in which this activity happens?), as well as why each aspect is important. Feel free to use any of the recreational texts we read in class to supplement your essay.

Persuasive essay:
If the so-called "Great Recession" has illustrated anything, its been the increasing economic inequality present in contemporary American society. In recent years, we've not only seen the wealthy get wealthier and the poor got poorer, but the middle class increasingly contracting. Traditionally, the middle class has been the class of the American Dream. The nuclear family, suburbia, and upward mobility are all tenants of the American middle class, and yet, recent years has seen a sharp decline in their financial stability. They are now plagued by high debt, foreclosures, and unemployment. Should this trend continue, what might a future America without a middle classslook like? What would be the consequences of an America made up of mostly rich and poor, with few in between? In a persuasive essay, argue for the preservation of the middle class. Persuade your reader that the middle class must be  preserved and why.

Requirements:

• MLA format, including parenthetical citation 
• 2.5 pages minimum

Due: Thursday, Dec. 9th

Week 15: Pastimes in America / Conclusion

"A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz."

—Humphrey Bogart  
 

Tu 12.7

Read: CR—“Food is Good” by Anthony Bourdain, “Satin Worship” by Holly Welker
In-Class: Reading discussion; Presentations
Due: Journal 8

Th 12.9
In-Class: Course review
Due: Persuasive essay OR Process essay; Extra Credit due by email by Friday, Dec. 10th at midnight

Journal 8: Get a Life!

If there is one thing Americans cherish, it's their recreational time. Downtime is a valued commodity in American society and we'll often spend as much time (and money) as possible pursuing our interests. Still, not all activities are viewed equally. There is clearly a hierarchy of recreational activities in America, where golfers and political junkies are respected, but scrapbookers and fanboys are derided. Nonetheless, each person has their own ideas about what constitutes a worthwhile pastime. For your final journal, consider those activities that, from your point of view, are a waste of time. Which activities baffle you? What can't you imagine spending your time doing and why?

Include at least one of the following pieces in your discussion:

• "World of Warcraft—Not Just for Nerds” (Huffington Post)
• "Memory Makers" (Wall Street Journal)
• "Why are Guys Obsessed with Sports?" (Marie Claire)
• "American Harry Potter Fans Conjure an Online community" (USA Today)

Due: Tuesday, Dec. 7th

Extra-credit Assignment

sub·cul·ture n. 1. A cultural subgroup differentiated by status, ethnic background, residence, religion, or other factors that functionally unify the group and act collectively on each member

For this optional extra-credit assignment, you will explore a culture not typically highlighted in the American mainstream. You must spend at least two hours emerged in a subculture, then write a full, two-page essay illustrating your experience inside that group. Research on your subculture is not required; however, the more you understand about your group, the better. I also encourage you to particpate in the activities of your subculture—so long as they are not dangerous or illegal.

Guidelines:

• You must embed yourself in a subculture not typically represented in the American mainstream (e.g. fantasy RGP, hot rod collectors, bird-watchers, coupon clubs)
• This should be a subculture with which you have little or no previous experience
• You must spend a minimum of two continuous hours embedded within this group
• Again, you cannot participate in activities that are either dangerous or illegal

Due: Email by Friday, Dec. 10th at midnight

To Guide Your Final Exam Preparation

In preparation for your final exam, I've written a sample essay to guide you in the Department's expectations. It is annotated to highlight specific techniques.

We will discuss this Jihad/McWorld prompt in class. Find the prompt here and the response essay here. Also, the final exam rubric is here.

Journal 7: In My Tribe

One of the big myths in our country is that Americans are all one and the same, that distinct characteristics, such as race and class, do not matter because we all strive to be like one another. In reality, we are separated by any number of distinctions, either intentionally or not. For example, the way we dress, how educated we are, how we eat, and the color of our skin, all impact who we identify with and how we are ourselves identified. Thus, we are as much a nation of rednecks, Muslims, hipsters, Tea Partiers, vegans, Twi-hards, and Native Americans, as we are anything else. Each of us has a group, maybe even more than one, that we most identify with. And we sometimes congregate into these groups almost as if they were tribes. What is your tribe? Who are the people you most associate with? Why do you feel comfortable What are the characteristics that bind your tribe? Describe who you consider to be "your" people.

Include at least one of the following pieces in your discussion:

• "Tribalism Drove the 2010 Results" (The Hill)
• "Is Healthy Food a Status Symbol?" (Strollerderby)
• "Stuff White People Like: An Interview with Blogger and Humorist Christian Lander" (Culture Mob)
• "Atheist Advertising—or Evangelizing? The Holiday Ad Blitz Starts Early" (Politics Daily)
  

Due: Thursday, Dec. 2nd

Week 15: Pastimes in America

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What's Klingon for I'm going to die a virgin?"

 

—Dan Folger in Fanboys (2008)

 

Tu 11.30
Read: CR—“Erotica and Pornography” by Gloria Steinem, “Against Exercise” by Mark Grief, “Indelible Love: My Son's Tattoos and Me” by Lois Desocio, Prologue from Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H.G. Bissinger; eR—“Scenes from a Mall” from This American Life (2008)
In-Class: Watch—A Fistful of Quarters: The King of Kong (2007); Preview—Process essay

Th 12.2
Read: CR— Excerpt from Joe DiMaggio: The Hero’s Life by Richard Ben Cramer, “On Anticipation” by Alain de Botton, “Why We Crave Horror Movies” by Stephen King
In-Class: Reading discussion; Final exam prep
Due: Journal 7

Sa 12.4
Final exam: BBC 220 @ 8 AM (Bring a large yellow book)

UPCOMING:

WEEK 16: PASTIMES IN AMERICA

Tu 12.7
Read: CR—“Food is Good” by Anthony Bourdain, “Satin Worship” by Holly Welker
In-Class: Process essay
Due: Journal 8

Th 12.9
In-Class: Course review
Due: Extra-credit essay

Week 14: Social Class in America

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.

—Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own (1929)

Tu 11.23
Read: ALL—p. 250-329; eR—“Scenes from a Recession” from This American Life (2009)
In-Class: Watch—People Like Us: Social Class in America (2001); Preview—Persuasive essay
Due: Journal 7

Th 11.25
No class—Thanksgiving 

UPCOMING:
 

WEEK 15: PASTIMES IN AMERICA 

Tu 11.30
Read: CR—“Erotica and Pornography” by Gloria Steinem, “Against Exercise” by Mark Grief, “Indelible Love: My Son's Tattoos and Me” by Lois Desocio, Prologue from Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H.G. Bissinger; eR—“Scenes from a Mall” from This American Life (2008)
In-Class: Watch—A Fistful of Quarters: The King of Kong (2007); Preview—Process essay

Th 12.2
Read: CR— Excerpt from Joe DiMaggio: The Hero’s Life by Richard Ben Cramer, “On Anticipation” by Alain de Botton, “Why We Crave Horror Movies” by Stephen King
In-Class: Reading discussion; Final exam prep

Sa 12.4
Final exam: BBC 220 @ 8 AM (Bring a large yellow book)

Class Canceled AGAIN: Thursday, Nov. 18th.

I'm really sorry, but I'm still down for the count with this cold, so I'll have to cancel yet again. I truly hate to miss so much class, but we can still get done what needs to get done.

So...

1. Email me your final drafts by this Friday at midnight. I know ALL of you are done with the essay now, but just in case, this'll give you more time to work on them. ;) Also, I'll try something different and give you comments by email.

2. If you signed up for tomorrow for presentations, pick another date even if all the slots are taken. Sorry about this!

Email me with any other questions.

Have a good week. Stay healthy! See you on Tuesday.

Week 13: Social Class in America

People say that money is not the key to happiness,

but I always figured if you have enough money, you 

can have a key made.

—Joan Rivers

Tu 11.16
Class canceled

Th 11.18
Read: CR—“Bienvenidos a Newport Beach” by Firoozeh Dumas, “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, “Transients in Paradise” by Aimee Liu; ALL—p. 127-191; “For Richer” by Paul Krugman, “Growing Up Rich: How It Shapes Identity”; ALL—p. 192-249
In-class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Preview—Extra-credit essay
Due: Editorial essay (Final draft; Attach draft 1) 

***

If, for whatever reason, you have not yet presented, pick a date and leave your name, topic, and section number in the comments section below. 

First come, first served. All names must be in by midnight on Wednesday the 17th.

Remaining Presentation Schedule


Th 11.18
1.
2.
3.

Tu 11.23
1.
2.
3.

Tu 11.30
1.
2.
3.

Th 12.2
1.
2.

Th 12.9
1.
2.
3.

Class Canceled: Tuesday, November 16

I need to cancel class for tomorrow. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Two quick points:

1) Turn your editorials in on Thursday as planned, though you must still attach a first and final draft.

2) later tonight, I'll post an agenda for Thursday and next week. I'll also include a calender of the remaining sessions open for presentations, if you have not yet presented (for whatever reason), pick a date and leave your name, topic, and section number in the comments section. First come, first served.

Editorial Essay

Dating in America today would likely best be described as casual. Gone are the days of chaperones, courting, and waiting for sex until marriage. Today, Americans compete for mates in a dating scene that is largely ambiguous. In a world of He's Just Not That Into You and speed dating, a sense of informality often guides people's behavior. On the one hand, Americans can now navigate dating waters free of stiff formalities and an early expectation of commitment. On the other hand, a dating scene with no rules can be confusing and might cheapen the experience of finding a mate. What is your take on contemporary American dating? Should the country return to more formal dating practices or should we relish the idea of no-strings-attached relationships? Citing from the readings in the relationship section of the reader, write a concise editorial describing your ideal dating scene and what we, as Americans, would gain from it.


To guide your writing:

• Keep in mind, that an editorial is a form of persuasive writing; your goal is to persuade your reader of your opinion.
• Your editorial's "voice" can be more casual than a formal essay, but it shouldn't be so casual that it undermines your argument.
• Be very clear on your position; just like an expository essay, state your position early, then cite evidence to support it. Also, stating personal opinions in editorials is appropriate.
• Use any persuasive techniques you think will be affective, including the use of statistics and humor.

Sample editorials:

• "Video Games and the First Amendment" (New York Times)
• "No More Excuses—It's Time to OK Civil Union" (Chicago Sun-Times) 
• "Pssst, Smoking Can Kill You" (Denver Post) 
• "Cookie Charge Half-Baked" (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Requirements:

• MLA format, including parenthetical citation 
• 2.5 pages minimum

Due: Tuesday, November16th (Draft 1; Bring three copies)

Sikh Americans Oppose Turban Screening at Airports

From the CNN Wire
November 8, 2010

(CNN) -- Three of the largest Sikh advocacy groups in the United States are opposing airport passenger screening measures they say require hand-searches of turbans, despite the use of electronic imaging technology.

The Sikh Coalition, United Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund are lobbying members of Congress in an effort to pressure federal transportation authorities to re-examine a policy they say unfairly scrutinizes members of the Sikh community.

"Sikh Americans are already looked at differently in this country," said the Sikh Coalition's director of programs, Amardeep Singh. "Once you start pulling Sikhs aside for extra screening, it sends a message that the government is suspicious of them for the same reasons [other passengers] are suspicious of them."

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration adjusted security procedures in 2007 to include provisions for "bulky" clothing that includes headwear, according to an agency statement.

Removal of all headwear is recommended, it said, but the rules are meant to accommodate passengers who may not want to remove the items for religious, medical, or other reasons.

Transportation officials would not confirm whether "advanced imaging technology" can sufficiently see through turbans, citing security reasons.

Despite the advent of the advanced technology, transportation security officers are permitted to use "professional discretion" in determining if a particular item of clothing should be subject to further screening, according to the statement.

Authorities say the policy has remained unchanged since 2007, but Sikh advocacy groups argue that airport security procedures were recently ramped up to include extra screening for all turban-wearing passengers.
Singh said U.S. Sikh groups that had once observed "a patchwork of [airport security] policies" are now witnessing a process in which "all turbans are searched."

CNN was not able to independently verify that claim.

Week 12: Relationships in America

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She might've considered kissing him, even after the horrible first
date, but he just didn't seem to know what to do. However, Jeremy
does have one outstanding quality. He likes her. And this quality in
a person makes them infinitely interesting to the person being liked.

—Steve Martin, Shopgirl (2000)

 

Tu 11.9

Read: CR—“Why I Fought for the Right to Say ‘I Do’” by Greta Christina, “Old Faithful” by David Sedaris; ALL—p. 69-126; eR—“Break-Up” from This American Life (2007)
In-Class: Reading discussion; Presentations
Due: Journal 6

Thu 11.11
No class—Veteran’s Day 

UPCOMING:

WEEK 13: SOCIAL CLASS IN AMERICA 

Tu 11.16
Read: CR—“Bienvenidos a Newport Beach” by Firoozeh Dumas, “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, “Transients in Paradise” by Aimee Liu; ALL—p. 127-191
In-class: Reading discussion; Writer’s workshop
Due: Editorial essay (Draft 1; Bring 4 copies)

Th 11.18
Read: CR—“For Richer” by Paul Krugman, “Growing Up Rich: How It Shapes Identity”; ALL—p. 192-249
In-class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Preview—Extra-credit essay
Due: Editorial essay (Final draft; Attach draft 1)

Journal 6: It's Complicated / The Color of Love

Choose one of the following two options:


A) It's Complicated

Facebook, eHarmony, Foursquare, and other social media sites, have revolutionized the ways in which people, particularly those under 30, approach dating.  In this new world of high-tech dating, emoticons, relationships statuses, user profiles, friend requests, and tagged photos, have dramatically altered the rules of engagement. Today, people have far more available information about potential mates than at any time in the past. For example, consider how common the practice of Googling someone is these days. But new technology also means new rules. Just what are the spoken and unspoken rules of dating in the Facebook age? What are some of the potential pitfalls of dating through technology? And what must you contend with that perhaps older generations did not?

Include at least one of the following pieces in your discussion:

• "Facebooking for Love, Part 1—Jasmine's Tech Dos & Don'ts" (CNET)
• "5 Ways Facebook Changed Dating (For the Worse)" (Mashable.com)
• "New Dating Websites Find Niches" (Crain's New York Business)
• "Teen Serves Time for Facebook Threat" (NBC Chicago)

Articles are located in the eR.


B. The Color of Love

While President Obama is often lauded as our first black president, he might more accurately be identified as our first biracial president. His white mother and black father were together at a time when such relationships were discouraged by American society. But what was taboo then is increasingly more commonplace today. In fact, recent census date continues to illustrate surges in the number of interracial marriages and relationships. But while their numbers are on the rise, it would be disingenuous to imply that mixed-race relationships today do not face hardships. What issues arise from interracial relationships in 2010 America? What challenges do couples engaged in these relationships face? For example, do racial stereotypes and myths persist? On a personal level, what is your experience with interracial relationships?

Include at least one of the following pieces in your discussion:

• "Asian Pop: Opening the Box" (San Francisco Chronicle)
• "Black Men in Interracial Relationships" (The Washington Post)
• "White Male Seeking Sexy Asian Women" (Salon.com)
• "Diff'rent Strokes" (The Village Voice)

Articles are located in the eR.

Due: Tuesday, Nov. 9th

Week 11: Relationships in America

"I love him so much it just turns to hate."

—Hole, "Doll Parts" (1994)

Tu 11.2
Read: CR—“Talk in the Intimate Relationship: His and Hers” by Deborah Tannen, “I Want a Wife” by Judy Brady
In-Class: Cause and effect essay

Th 11.4
Read: CR—“Romance: Meeting Girls is Easy” by Donald Miller, “Sex Without Intimacy: No Dating, No Relationships” by Brenda Wilson, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” by Raymond Carver; ALL—p. 3-68
In-class: Reading discussion; Presentations (Sec 5: Nicole, Regyna, Julia; Sec. 20: Robert, Jessica, Drake, Laura, Anson, Hadeer, Tanner) Preview—Editorial essay

UPCOMING:

WEEK 12: RELATIONSHIPS IN AMERICA 

Tu 11.9
Read: CR—“Why I Fought for the Right to Say ‘I Do’” by Greta Christina, “Old Faithful” by David Sedaris; ALL—p. 69-126; eR—“Break-Up” from This American Life (2007)
In-Class: Reading discussion; Presentations
Due: Journal 6

Thu 11.11
No class—Veteran’s Day

Diabetes to Double or Triple in U.S. by 2050: Government

By Xavier Briand, Reuters
Sat Oct 23, 2010

(Reuters) - Up to a third of U.S. adults could have diabetes by 2050 if Americans continue to gain weight and avoid exercise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projected on Friday.

The numbers are certain to go up as the population gets older, but they will accelerate even more unless Americans change their behavior, the CDC said.

"We project that, over the next 40 years, the prevalence of total diabetes (diagnosed and undiagnosed) in the United States will increase from its current level of about one in 10 adults to between one in five and one in three adults in 2050," the CDC's James Boyle and colleagues wrote in their report.

"These are alarming numbers that show how critical it is to change the course of type-2 diabetes," CDC diabetes expert Ann Albright said in a statement.

"Successful programs to improve lifestyle choices on healthy eating and physical activity must be made more widely available because the stakes are too high and the personal toll too devastating to fail."

The CDC says about 24 million U.S. adults have diabetes now, most of them type-2 diabetes linked strongly with poor diet and lack of exercise.

Boyle's team took census numbers and data on current diabetes cases to make models projecting a trend. No matter what, diabetes will become more common, they said.

"These projected increases are largely attributable to the aging of the U.S. population, increasing numbers of members of higher-risk minority groups in the population, and people with diabetes living longer," they wrote.
Diabetes was the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States in 2007, and is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults under age 75, as well as kidney failure, and leg and foot amputations not caused by injury.

"Diabetes, costing the United States more than $174 billion per year in 2007, is expected to take an increasingly large financial toll in subsequent years," Boyle's team wrote.

Journal 5: We are Family

We are currently in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. This so-called "Great Recession" has taken a great toll on American families, who've seen their standard of living lowered considerably. In a time when families have had to make serious cuts, everything from retirement to vacations to college is on the table. How has your family adapted to these economic times? What has been the impact of the faltering economy on the dynamics of your own family?

Include at least two of the following pieces in your discussion:

• "Families are Trimming Plans to Pay for College, Survey Finds" (Washington Post)
• "More Dads at Home Playing Mr. Mom" (Chicago Sun-Times)
• "Feeding the Recession's Youngest Victims" (CBS News)
• "How Do People Make Ends Meet?" (24/7 Wall Street)

Articles are located in the eR.

Due: Thursday. Oct. 28th
 

Week 10: Family in America

In so many ways, his family's life feels like a string of accidents, 

unforeseen, unintended, one incident begetting another ... They 

were things for which it was impossible to prepare but which 

one spent a lifetime looking back at, trying to accept, interpret, 

comprehend. Things that should never have happened, that 

seemed out of place and wrong, these were what prevailed, 

what endured, in the end.

—Jhumpa Lahiri, The Namesake (2003)

 

Tu 10.26
Read: “Raising Cain” by Debora J. Dickerson, “Three Fathers” by Kevin Sweeney, “Bumping into Mr. Ravioli” by Adam Gopnik
In-Class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Preview—Cause and effect essay

Th 10.28
In-Class: Cause and effect essay
Due: Expository essay (Final draft; Attach draft 1); Journal 5

 

UPCOMING:

 

Week 11:

Tu 11.2
Read: CR—“Talk in the Intimate Relationship: His and Hers” by Deborah Tannen, “I Want a Wife” by Judy Brady
In-Class: Reading discussion; Presentations

Th 11.4
Read: CR—“Romance: Meeting Girls is Easy” by Donald Miller, “Sex Without Intimacy: No Dating, No Relationships” by Brenda Wilson, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” by Raymond Carver; ALL—p. 3-68
In-class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Preview—Editorial essay

 

Racy 'Glee' Photos in GQ: Time to Tone it Down or Just Get Over It?

'Glee' Actress Dianna Agron Says Shoot 'Wasn't My Favorite Idea,' but 'We Are Not the First' to Push Envelope

By Sarah Netter, ABC News
Oct. 21, 2010

What 8-year-old reads GQ? 

Those were the sentiments of one of the "Glee" actresses under fire for posing in the newest issue of the men's magazine. They appeared racy set of photos as hyper-sexualized versions of their high-school aged characters . "If you are hurt or these photos make you uncomfortable, it was never our intention. And if your eight-year-old has a copy of our GQ cover in hand, again I am sorry," actress Dianna Agron wrote in her blog on Tumblr. "But I would have to ask, how on earth did it get there?"

The backlash against the photo spread, which also features Lea Michele and Cory Monteith, reached its zenith when the Parents Television Council, a conservative media watchdog, released a scathing critique saying the shoot "borders on pedophilia" and is a "near-pornographic display."