Monkey Beach blog prompt

So, now that you've finished reading Monkey Beach, what did you think? Which part(s) of the book did you find most interesting? Any questions about the book you'd like us to cover in class?

You might also want to check out the video of Eden Robinson's reading here last fall.

Blog and participation grades

We've briefly discussed this in class a couple of times, but here's a more extensive breakdown of how I determine blog and participation grades:

Blog grade:

A: To earn an A on the blog component of the course all assignments must have been completed and comments posted by the assigned deadline. Comments are thoughtful, fully answer the question asked, and, if specified, take into account the comments of other students.

B: All assignments completed, mostly on time. Thoughtful comments, though perhaps briefer and less engaging than those that merit an A.

C: Most assignments completed, primarily at the end of the semester and/or comments are short, perfunctory answers to the blog prompt with little consideration of the comments of others.

D: Only partial completion of the assignments and comments show little commitment to making a contribution to the discussion.

F: Failure to complete more than 50% of the assigned blog questions.

Participation grade:

A: Nearly 100% attendance, unless due to illness or family emergency AND active participation in class. Clearly on top of the reading and regularly speaks in class. Always engaged in the discussion, whether vocally contributing or not.

B: Missed very few classes (2 or 3 max), unless due to illness or family emergency. Participated in class vocally on a fairly regular basis, but, more importantly, is always listening and attentive to the ongoing discussion. Unprepared for class occasionally, but usually caught up on the reading and willing to contribute.

C: Misses more than three classes for reasons other than illness or family emergency. Clearly behind in the reading on at least several occasions. Mostly attentive and speaks in class several times over the course of the semester. Makes a good effort to stay involved in class discussion and appears interested.

D: Regularly missing from class and/or frequently appears disinterested. Routinely behind on reading and fails to bring books to class. Leaves class from time to time to take phone calls thinking that the professor thinks they are using the bathroom, continually passes notes back and forth with someone else, works on other homework, reads the newspaper during class, checks e-mail or text messages while instructor or classmates are speaking, all of which, I should add, are apparent to the instructor and your classmates and immediately qualify you for a D.

F: Attendance and participation not worthy of a D or higher. Failure to attend most classes and/or to participate in any meaningful way.

Final exam format and essay questions (Fall 2007)

Here are the essay questions for the final, as well as the layout of the first part of the exam.

For the essay questions, only two of those listed below will be on the actual final. So, you should plan out how you would respond to at least two of them; if you plan for only one of them, you might find that it is the one I've chosen not to include. When you prepare to write on the essay topics, give yourself some flexibility as to which texts you might use so that you can have a wider range of choice for the passage identifications. Remember that you can't deal with the same work twice over the course of the exam, so you need to be ready to discuss all of the books we've covered in the course.

PART A (40 points):

CHOOSE FOUR OF THE FOLLOWING SEVEN PASSAGES AND IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING:

• The title and author of the text from which the passage is taken (1 mark)
• The names of the speakers, listeners, or narrator if relevant (1 mark)
• When and where this passage takes place in the book if relevant (1 mark)
• The significance of this passage. Questions you will need to consider in this regard include: What do we learn from this passage? Does this passage affect the overall plot of the text? Which of the major themes in the text are present here? How does this passage tie into other themes or ideas we’ve seen in some of the other novels we’ve looked at in the course? What else do you notice about this passage? (7-9 marks)

ANSWER ONLY IN COMPLETE SENTENCES AND PUT YOUR ANSWER IN PARAGRAPH FORM. WRITE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN WHEN ANSWERING EACH OF THESE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION FULLY IN JUST A FEW SHORT SENTENCES.

PART B (40 points):

USING AS YOUR CHIEF EXAMPLES THREE TEXTS WE HAVE DISCUSSED IN CLASS, WRITE AN ESSAY THAT FULLY ANSWERS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (N.B. only two of the following questions will be on the actual final exam)

1. In this course, we have studied a wide variety of Canadian fiction. If someone were to ask you what Canadian fiction is like, how would you describe it based on what we've read? Your answer must take into account the complex issues we have discussed in class as well as the diversity of texts we have read. Your discussion must also include a detailed discussion of at least three texts covered in this course.

2. Almost everyone of the books we read this semester engages with the tenuous line between "fact" and "fiction." Looking at three of the books we've read, examine this theme and describe how it comes into play in each work.

3. Memory is a significant theme in many of the works we have looked at in this course. With reference to three of the texts we have read in the class, discuss the role of memory in each.

N.B. Over the course of the exam, you may not focus on the same work twice.