Week 1 Discussion Forum
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ALERT: Before beginning to work on any assignments, you MUST review the welcome announcement posted under the Announcements page of your Canvas course. Announcements are where I share all of my lessons and materials for class. Sometimes these include videos, handouts, templates, etc. Review the “Welcome to English 240” announcement before getting started on any of your work for this week.
ALERT #2: Do NOT look up any information about the literature from the internet for your discussion posts. The entire idea is for you to discuss what you think it all means and to exchange ideas with each other, supporting your theories with evidence from the literature itself. There is no one right answer anyway when it comes to literature. Multiple interpretations are possible.
Read Story of an HourLinks to an external site. by Kate Chopin. I’ve recorded my own little audiobook of the story for you, which you can listen to below in case that helps your understanding of it. If you use the audio, make sure to also be reading the text at the same time.
Link to story: https://youtu.be/AgDhMd_Cjl8
Respond to the following questions:
Why do you think that Chopin decided her main character should have heart disease as opposed to any other ailment?
When the main character is in her room looking out her window, she sees typical scenes from a beautiful spring day. Why would Chopin choose the season of spring for this scene?
The final sentence is full of irony – a common literary device. Merriam-Webster defines dramatic irony as “a literary technique … by which the full significance of a character’s words or actions are clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character.” Why is the last sentence of “The Story of an Hour” so ironic?
Add any extra thoughts/ideas/insights that came to mind for you as you read this week’s text. Try to bring to the forefront something interesting that you’ve noticed about the story and that you’d like to share with me and your peers for further discussion.
week 2
Read Désireé’s BabyLinks to an external site. by Kate Chopin. This is another story by the same author who wrote last week’s Story of an Hour. It’s the only time in the term that we’ll be reading two works by the same author. I’ve recorded my own audiobook of the story for you, which you can listen to below in case that helps your understanding of it. If you use the audio, make sure to also be reading the text at the same time.
story link: https://youtu.be/0cgKEOkEJrs
Respond to the following questions. SPOILERS — Reading the questions may ruin some of the story for you, so wait until you’ve finished reading it. ;o}
Does Madame Valmondé know the truth about Désirée’s baby before Désirée herself does? Let’s look for evidence within the text. (Chopin offers plenty of clues.)
Midway through the short story, Chopin likens Armand to Satan: “And the very spirit of Satan seemed to suddenly take hold of him in his dealings with the slaves” (p. 2). Although this is a turning point in the story, there are hints of Armand’s darkness from the very beginning. Let’s identify these clues in the first couple pages of the story.
What are some themes in this story?
What do you think Chopin is saying about race in America?
Add any extra thoughts/ideas/insights that came to mind for you as you read this week’s text. Try to bring to the forefront something interesting that you’ve noticed about the story and that you’d like to share with me and your peers for further discussion.
