J155 Spring 2012 Assignments & Tests

"First Paragraph Comparisons" (Post-Spring 2012)

When does this happen?

Once, for every author.

This is an assignment you do at home and bring to class to turn it AS YOU COME THROUGH THE DOOR on the first day of any new author. This is work you can discuss with others BUT I do not want you quickly filling out something just before class, either after discussing with others or just on your own. That is meaningless in terms of a learning experience and I don't particularly want to give you credit for it. Therefore, please just submit it as you enter the room, as the very first thing you do (even if there is a presentation in progress). Walk in and place it on the desk at the front of the room if I am not there, or hand it to me if I'm there and not busy setting up. If you are late, please quietly bring it to the front anyway.

What do do

Each PDF has a thick red bar that indicates what I define as the first paragraph of an assigned text. (The means the first paragraph of the story, not the first paragraph of each segment of the story for each different day.) That is what you compare NOT the stories in full.

You do not need to compare the new sentences with all the previous authors. Be judicious in your comments. For example: "The tone of X is very dark, in some ways similar to the darkness in Y and definitely contrasting with the cheerful beginning of Z. And it has a softness, or quietness, to Z."

First compare:

overall tone (MUST BE INCLUDED IN ALL COMPARISONS, BE ARTICULATE—consider using metaphors but at least give me a clear sense of what you mean)

Then, in a new paragraph, expand your comparison with any of these things (listed from large to ever smaller units) or if something you think is important doesn't fit into any of these categories, please mention it:

overall paragraph structure (length, components)
apparent pace
sentence length
"connectedness" between sentences or phrases
rhythm created by sentence or phrase length
phrase patterns if any
diction
repetition or parallelism in structure or rhyming
sound of the written language itself:
- pitch if relevant
- unusual sound elements

Leave room at the end to answer this (in a new paragraph):

based on the first paragraph alone, where does this story seem to be headed and why do you think so?

What the submission should look like

Spaces between the three sections above.
Please use a half-sheet of regular 8.5 x 11 inch paper (so I can shuffle papers of the same size — so much easier when alphabetizing!) You can type or hand write (if clear and easy to read) and you can use both sides of the paper if you want but no more.
Make sure your name is on it.
Also at the top somewhere write the date and "FIRST PARAGRAPHS COMPARISON: [author of the assigned material]".
Please write clearly.

How this homework is graded

I am most interested in whether you can sense, through the original language, a difference in the "feel" of our various stories. Communicate that. If you are capturing feel primarily through the English plotline, try to take some time separating that away from the Japanese and ponder the Japanese for a while. Granted, for some, this will be very difficult. I ask the question, "Are these comments based on the Japanese close to the level of language or are they conceptual and even perhaps overly based on the translation?" So, try to include something that is very much a language thing.

Also, avoid simply listing the characteristics or two stories, so stay away from tables and lists. Instead, compare them in prose sentences that explore the texts.

Late submissions are not commented on and automatically receive a "C" if completed in good form, otherwise no credit.

These are graded fairly quickly so be clear and easy to understand in your expressions and hand-writing. It is unlikely that there will be grading comments written for this assignment, just a grade posted.

I am currently using this grade scale:

13: Surprising or subtle in some way
12: Very well done
11: Very well done but missing a little something
10: Standard, reasonable, expected
9: Good
6: Average, late
0: Missing or insufficient