Week Five Thought Question

I was so impressed by the quality of posts last week! Excellent job! This makes me very excited for when you begin to write opinion papers later this semester!

This week's thought question is brought to us by Chazz:

In "A Letter to America," Margaret Atwood used the tone of a scolding mother. Joel and I had a discussion about this on our Facebook wall--although our discussions mainly centered around America's role as "world police." "Inside the Home" raised another question for me. Rather than trying to make other countries "function properly," shouldn't our health care be improved before we worry about others'? Couldn't the money spent on foreign affairs go towards bettering our nursing homes, hospitals, and assisted living programs? What is your opinion on how we seemingly put off our own needs in order to deal with other countries' needs first? Even more, what might Atwood, Frawley, and Shalit say? What is some of the rhetoric you may have heard concerning this issue?

Thank you, Chazz! Again, remember to post a minimum of five sentences and proofread closely! I'm anxious to read your responses!

Week Four Thought Question

Thanks again for your high quality posts last week! I really enjoyed reading each one. Some of the posts were incredibly insightful. Remember that each post is worth 1% of your final grade. Please proofread closely and feel free to write more than just the minimum :)

This week's thought question comes from Chris Brown, and it is excellent! Thanks, Chris!

Here is the question:

Both of the stories we read in class on Thursday talked about America’s shortcomings. Sojourner opens a window into a past filled with racism, sexism, and disconnection. Margaret Atwood, in “A Letter to America,” informs us of our current mistakes in environmental, economical, and foreign relation issues.
Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence: “…all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” What do you see today that would go against this statement, if anything? What issues do you think Sojourner would stand behind today if she was alive? Would she and Atwood agree on issues currently facing this country?
Constitution Day is next week. Consider how our nation has progressed over the years and where we have room for improvement. Is there ever an “expiration date” on a strong argument? Can a writer’s argument be as relevant today as it was 100 years ago? Why or why not? How so?

Week Three Thought Question

Thank you all for your replies to the Week Two thought question! Many of you raised excellent points and responded well to each other. I also really liked some of the questions that you asked. Remember to proofread your posts carefully. Check for spelling and grammar. I noticed several posts with errors.

Now, onto this week’s question! After having read “The Good Immigrant Student” by Bich Minh Nguyen and “No Name Woman” by Maxine Hong Kingston, what are some common themes that you noticed in both essays? Cite any outside source information used. Would Kingston and Nguyen be in agreement in regards to the notions of assimilation and preservation? Explain. Lastly, which of these essays did you enjoy reading more? Why?

I’m anxious to read your thoughts!