Choose a text that voters should read before they vote. The text cannot be anything from our syllabus this semester. You may choose a short story, poem, song, memoir, or novel. Then, you will provide background on the text’s author, articulate the text’s central message, demonstrate close reading of at least 2 significant passages in the text

Background:

This week’s assignment is designed to guide you as you prepare your 2020 election presentation. Specifically, this assignment will ask you to answer questions about how you chose your text and why your text is important for voters to read. It will also ask you to conduct a close reading of one central passage. The content that you produce here can be used directly in your slides!

PART 1:

STEP 1: ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS

Feel free to use bullet points for your responses, but answer in complete sentences. Refer to the 2020 Election Project Instructions to guide you as you respond to the questions.

• Are you doing option 1 (choose a text) or option 2 (write an original piece)?
• Introduce your text:
  • Author:
  • Title:
  • Year it was written:
  • A brief summary of the text:
• Why do you think it’s crucial to vote in this election? What do you think the most central issues of this election are (racial equity, COVID, immigration, climate change, healthcare, criminal justice, education, etc)?
• Describe the characteristics or plot points that you looked for when deciding on your text or that you will include in your original work. Consider time period, genre, setting, plot, characters, etc.
• Close reading (just submit the paragraph highlighted below)
  • Copy and paste one central passage (quote) from your text and conduct a close reading. Follow these steps:
    • Circle/write down several key words
    • Define the words (denotative meanings)
    • Come up with connotative meanings (associations) for the words.
    • Consider possible alternative definitions of the words (this is especially important for poetry)
    • Once you have done steps 1-4, you will compile all of that work into a paragraph which is what you will submit for this part of the RA. In your paragraph, include:
      • the words you chose
      • how these words help you explain/support your reading of the passage and text.
      • Explain what your interpretation of the passage is
      • Explain how the definitions of the words helped you arrive at your interpretation of the passage and overall work
• In one paragraph, explain why your text is important for people to read prior to voting in the upcoming election.
• Ask your peers for specific advice about any aspect of your project.

Background:We are uniquely positioned this semester amidst two pandemics: COVID-19 and anti-blackness, and we will also have a crucial presidential election on November 3rd. To critically engage in these conversations, in this project, you will make meaningful connections between current issues and literature. Literature allows us a critical lens through which to view sociopolitical issues, and now it’s your turn to provide us with your unique lens!Prompt:To do so, students will design a PowerPoint, Google Slideshow, Prezi (or slideshow using another form of software) and choose one of the following options

Option 1: Choose a text that voters should read before they vote. The text cannot be anything from our syllabus this semester. You may choose a short story, poem, song, memoir, or novel. Then, you will provide background on the text’s author, articulate the text’s central message, demonstrate close reading of at least 2 significant passages in the text, explain how the text relates to the upcoming 2020 election, and discuss why voters should read it prior to voting.