EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY

here is your extra credit opportunity. the last of the semester.

according to narrative magazine, which i like to read from time to time, faulkner "famously said that a novelist is a failed short story writer, and a short story writer is a failed poet." then i guess this guy who thought he was pretty smart, went by the name of hemingway, created something called the "six word story," which combined elements of drama and poetry and (short) short stories.
here are some of the examples that narrative magazine posted:

"for sale: baby shoes. never worn." - ernest hemingway

"longed for him. got him. shit." - margaret atwood

"well, i thought it was funny." - stephen colbert

"revenge is living well, without you." - joyce carol oates


so, your task, should you choose to accept it, is this: write your own six word story that will serve as the title to your portfolio. let it somehow communicate your writing journey, the subject of your papers in your portfolio, etc. let your imagination run wild. have fun with it. then, to actually get the extra credit, you'll need to provide a brief explanation (a short paragraph) that tells your reader how this six word story is representative of the experience that is your portfolio.

the six word story should be included in the front of your portfolio, on a cover page, etc. it should be the first thing i see. then i should encounter your cover letter.

THE COVER LETTER ASSIGNMENT - NOT TO BE POSTED ON THE BLOG

just so we're clear, this is NOT to be posted on the blog - you will complete this assignment and put it in your PORTFOLIO!


Your cover letter should introduce your writing to your reader. Pretend you're not writing to me. You shouldn't write to me. Imagine that your reader is a brand new reader. What do they need to know about your writing when you first began English 101? What do they need to know about your writing now? What do they need to know to understand the journey that is exemplified by your portfolio?

You should write in letter format. (If you can't remember, google it or look at the proposal example).

You should cover -

Where you began in your writing and where you ended

What you believe the most important lesson you've learned about your own writing capabilities

Three specific changes you made in each paper and WHY you made them. This is where you want to be most thorough. You might spend at least a paragraph or two on each paper. This will help your reader understand why you revised - what the revision process means to you.

BLOG PROMPT FOR ALL THREE SECTIONS

Out of the papers you are putting into your English portfolio, which one do you think shows your best work and which one do you think needs to be edited the most? Explain why. Be specific. Provide examples of your best and weakest areas.

Then, when you comment on another person's blog post - address how they might fix their weakest areas.

BLOG PROMPT 101.25

Describe the kind of things you think Chris would do if he did make it out of the wild alive? Would he contact his parents? What would he say to them? Would he get a job, go back to school?

Back up your answers with examples from the text that make you feel this way.

BLOG PROMPT FOR 101.35

In what ways were Krakauer's research and authoritative methods successful and unsuccessful in your opinion throughout his development of Into the Wild. Pick a couple examples from the text to back up your viewpoint.

BLOG PROMPT FOR 101.44

Though the epilogue in Into the Wild was very short, it was also extremely important. How did the epilogue change your opinion or attitude toward Christopher's family after their reactions to visiting the bus in Alaska? Also, if you were in the parents situation, would you also want to visit the bus? Why or why not?

BLOG PROMPT

There is no blog prompt this week for any section because you guys are awesome.