For Tuesday, December 1

Read and finish Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge."

Enjoy your holiday!

For Tuesday, November 17

Read the Jean Toomer selections from the Heath Anthology, including:

Karintha (1923)

Blood-Burning Moon (1923)
Box Seat (1923)
Seventh Street (1923)
Song of the Son (1923)

For Thursday, November 12

You'll want to read the following from the Heath anthology: Hughes, “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain,” Alaine Locke, “The New Negro.”

Modernist recap

For Thursday, November 5, think about all the modernist poetry and prose we've read in class. Write down at least three things that make these texts "modernist." I.e. what are the criteria - -thematic, technique - - that make a text "modernist"?

Many historians point to the Armory Show of 1913 as an authentic starting point for American modernism. From February 17th to March 15th, 1913, organizers presented an exhibition of about 1250 paintings, sculptures, and other works in the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue in New York City. Many critics and viewers were shocked by the show; many, especially younger, artists and critics were energized and inspired by the show.

For next class, instead of meeting in Burk Hall, we'll meet in the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue. Virtually, of course. Instead of coming to class on Tuesday, November 10, point your browser to: the Armory galleries. Take a tour of the show - - browse through as many rooms as you can. Afterward, write a 3 page review (typed) of the show.

Address your review to a classmate who asks the question: what makes this stuff modern? E.g. think about all the modernist poetry and prose that we've read. What connections do you see between the artwork in the Armory Show and the texts we've read in class? Think about our "Modernist recap" on Thursday where we tried to arrive at four broad ways of describing the modernist ambition and aesthetic.

Don't try to write about the whole exhibition; instead, focus on two or three works of art - - sculpture or painting - - that seem particularly related to the poetry and prose that we've read. What similar subject matter do they share? What similar techniques? What similar approaches to the reader, to the art work, to the artistic effect, and to tradition?

Hand in the review on Tuesday, November 17.

Secrets of Google Sites revealed . ... .

Many of you have had trouble logging into the Eliot wiki and accessing the edit functions. I worked a bit with some of you after class on Tuesday, and I think this is the problem: in order to accept the invitation to the wiki and gain full access, you must sign up for google with your SFSU email address. I.e. I sent the invitations via the batch function on my SFSU roster page, so google is inviting you via your SFSU email. You are identified by this email, not any existing gmail account.

So . . . if you're still having trouble: go to the original message from me inviting you to join the Eliot wiki; click on the link to access the wiki; when you are asked to create a google account, use your SFSU email to create your account. This should get you into the wiki . . . if not, email me.