X2 – E110: Seminar in Composition

Class, Mon, 9/30

Voice and Clarity

Jane Rozenweig, “The Whistle-Blower Knows How to Write“, New York Times, 9/27/2019

From Restatement to Interpretation

“Simple, Uncomplicated” vs. “Concealed Meaning”

Zubia and Amita respond to Rita, pp. 68–70, and Blake’s “The Blossom”

What’s in a Name?

Anaya and Nathan respond to Rita, pp. 76–77

To Do

Wed, 10/02, class: Discuss Push, pp. 1–140
Fri, 10/04. class: Discuss all of Push.
Mon, 10/07, class: Submit X3.

Class, Mon, 9/23

UD Climate Change Rally, Friday, 9/20

Workshopping X2

Getting Started

Do the fastwrite for Friday, 9/20. Read it as a way of telling your readers what sort of feedback you’d like to get to your piece.

Follow the Workshop Guidelines (As Before)

Added Question

What is most distinctive about this piece? (Think in terms of how the “moving parts” connect.) How can the writer develop this aspect of the piece?

To Do

Wed, 9/25, class: Watch the first 14 minutes, and then minutes 41–49, of the film version of Educating Rita. I’d like to talk about the “interpretive spin” the film puts on the play. (We will also continue today’s workshop of X2, if needed.)
Fri, 9/27, class: Read pp. 1-66 of Push, by Sapphire.

Class, Wed, 9/18

Moe, Larry, and Curly, in perhaps their most famous skit, from “Gents Without Cents”

X2: Educating Rita and Learning to Write

Fastwrite

Make a quick start on responding to X2. Identify a moment in your own experience (or from another book or film) that you feel you can relate (either by connecting or contrasting) to Rita.

To Do

Fri, 9/18, class: I’d like to look at a few scenes from the 1983 film version of Educating Rita. So there’s nothing you need to prepare. But I will set aside about 10 minutes at the start of class for you to share your ideas for X2 with two or three classmates. So be ready to talk about what you plan to write about, as well as any questions you may have about that.
Mon, 9/23, class: Post X2 to the class folder on Google Drive. Bring three print copies with you to class.