After reading Keith Krause and Michael C. Williams, “Broadening the Agenda of Security Studies: Politics and Methods” and Buzan and Hansen, “The Evolution of International Security Studies, Ch.7: Wide
Read and View: Read "The Fall of House of Usher.”
https://poestories.com/read/houseofusher
Homework Questions:
In Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of House of Usher," one of the main characters, Madeline, is more than likely prematurely buried. Focusing on actions and incidents taking place in the story, how can we interpret them to understand the roles of women in the nineteenth century?
How does do both Madeline and Beatrice in “Rappacini’s Daughter” compare and contrast? What does this comparison and contrast show about the place of women in the nineteenth century America?
How is the House a representation of America in the nineteenth century? If the House is America, what state was it in?
You are required to read the short story.
Do not rely on online summaries or interpretations. Give yourself the opportunity to creatively and independently think about the meaning of the story. Please remember that the meaning of the story is not some hidden aspect of the story that you are trying to pull out; there are always multiple meanings to stories and multiple ways to approach a story. You are taking the words of the story and creating a meaning based on your creative thinking. Relying on outside sources will complicate the process. If you do consult interpretations from outside sources (and I do not recommend it at all since this is a survey course), you must give credit to these other sources. However, you also must voice your own opinion and one of the aims of this course is for you to develop your skill in creating meaning and interpreting. Failure to give credit to outside sources when consulted will result in a grade of zero.
Rely on your own reading and creative thoughts. Do not pull ideas from outside sources and pass them off as your own. This would be plagiarizing. Plagiarized work will earn a grade of zero. Per college policies, the dean will also need to be notified.
One possible reason to fail this homework assignment:
The ideas are clearly plagiarized. The writer has copied all or parts or even one sentence of this in depth response from an online source or any other source. The in depth response has been recycled. Or, ideas have been gathered from different sources without giving the original source any credit. Plagiarized work earns a grade of zero with no possibility to rewrite the response for a higher grade.
Please note that a strong, sincere effort to independently produce an analysis that is clearly the author's own immediately establishes the author's credibility and ethos. For a quick explanation of what is needed to establish a strong argument in writing (and speaking), please see the explanations below:
From: http://courses.durhamtech.edu/perkins/aris.html
Logos (Greek for 'word') refers to the internal consistency of the message--the clarity of the claim, the logic of its reasons, and the effectiveness of its supporting evidence. The impact of logos on an audience is sometimes called the argument's logical appeal.
Ethos (Greek for 'character') refers to the trustworthiness or credibility of the writer or speaker. Ethos is often conveyed through tone and style of the message and through the way the writer or speaker refers to differing views. It can also be affected by the writer's reputation as it exists independently from the message--his or her expertise in the field, his or her previous record or integrity, and so forth. The impact of ethos is often called the argument's 'ethical appeal' or the 'appeal from credibility.'
[P]athos (Greek for 'suffering' or 'experience') is often associated with emotional appeal. But a better equivalent might be 'appeal to the audience's sympathies and imagination.' An appeal to pathos causes an audience not just to respond emotionally but to identify with the writer's point of view--to feel what the writer feels. In this sense, pathos evokes a meaning implicit in the verb 'to suffer'--to feel pain imaginatively.... Perhaps the most common way of conveying a pathetic appeal is through narrative or story, which can turn the abstractions of logic into something palpable and present. The values, beliefs, and understandings of the writer are implicit in the story and conveyed imaginatively to the reader. Pathos thus refers to both the emotional and the imaginative impact of the message on an audience, the power with which the writer's message moves the audience to decision or action.
[The above text drawn verbatim from Ramage, John D. and John C. Bean. Writing Arguments. 4th Edition. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 1998, 81-82.] http://www.u.arizona.edu/ic/polis/courses021/ENGL_102-78/EthosPathosLogos
The Language of Short Stories
To study short stories, we pay attention to:
our own thoughts, ideas and reactions as we are reading
the plot - the beginning, middle, conclusion
objects
symbols
setting
characters - the way they are described, what they say, what they don't say (silences can carry significance)
characters' relationships with one another
dialogue
particular choice of words
To study film, we pay attention to:
our own thoughts, ideas and reactions as we are viewing the film
colors used in film
music
tone of voice
actors - the way they dress, how they speak,
plot
setting
Analytical words and Phrases to Show Analysis: Please consider using any phrase or words that suit your purposes:
Analytical Words and Phrases
Readers may think…..or, readers may come to the conclusion that …..
Viewers may think…..
(people) may think…..but in all reality, if we examine the short story more closely…..
If we examine the film more closely…..
It might be evident
It helps to keep in mind
What truly matters ……
Frankly, / Fortunately, / Evidently, / To our surprise
This segment of the film deserves great attention because....
That particular character's action in this segment of the film speaks volumes about ……
It might represent
It may show
show / suggests / means
Perhaps it reveals
Viewers may come to the conclusion that it may mean
It may symbolize / It becomes clear
(Important verb)****** may **********he may have…….
The way the director concentrated on an up close image shows ..or may point to the fact that
Describing various components of the story, the following may help you communicate your ideas:
In the beginning of "The Fall of House of Usher"
There is a woman in the story
Van Gogh has drawn / has depicted / has shown
readers are introduced to a scene where
Roderick Usher says, "..............." ( ).
Transitional words
As if this were not horrifying enough
As much as she struggled, she may have found hope ….
To make matters worse,
To make matters more hopeful,
Overall,
For this reason,
After all,
