ENGL 210-211 Assignments & Dates

T 5/1 - Music
Write: use a song to inspire a poem or story fragment in some way, shape, or form. You can use the characters from the song, use the song in the piece, or simply be inspired by the content or music to write something. In any case, bring the lyrics and song to class to play for the group.

T 4/17 - Workshops
Review: write reviews of the four workshop pieces for tonight.
Music: think of a song you know and maybe like that might be good to use as the basis for a poem/story.

T 4/10 - Stealing
Submit: Ivy, Kristine, Chavi, Samantha
Read: Goon Squad (ch 10-13)
Write: Why I Stole It -- Choose an object from your house, either exotic or mundane. Then create a character. Then tell why the character stole this object, along with how, from whom, what happened after, to whom is she confessing, and why. Next write the beginning of a story that starts before the theft or imediately after.

Poets write a poem based on the same ideas except the object should be something you actually stole. Think about different people you might 'confess' to and how that would change the poem.

T 3/27 - Dialogue
Submit: Mark, Sierra, Charly, Marika
Read: Goon Squad (ch 6-9); "Hills Like White Elephants"
Write: write a scene in a poem or story fragment in which the important information is revealed through dialogue. In the scene two people should talk, and by the end we should know they share something important -- but what exactly that is should NOT be mentioned explicitly. You may include some action/exposition, but let the dialogue do most of the work.

T 3/20 - Other Voices
Submit: Chris (p), Stephen (p), Manuel (f), Ronit(f)
Read: A Visit from the Goon Squad (ch 1-5), 218-237 in 180
Write: Write a poem or story fragment in which you really try to write from the voice of another person. So imitate the language and rhythm of another person's speech -- not in dialogue but in observation.

T 3/13 - In Media Res
Submit: Sarah (f), Ricky (p), Justin (p)
Read: 127-139 in 180; "Rock Springs" (162) in VBCASS
Write: Write five opening lines to a poem or story, trying to begin in media res, or in the middle of the action. Look at examples of opening lines from stories or poems in the books where the authors seem to be starting where the real action is just about to happen. Then choose one of those opening lines and write a full poem or a story fragment (1-2 paragraphs). When you revise, try to focus on revising those words -- nouns, verbs, adj, and adv that seem ordinary. Look for new words that will pop or stand out.

T 3/6 - Triggering Town
Read: "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been" (347) in VBCASS; 193-199 in 180
Write: “Triggering Town": Choose a profession and imagine yourself in that role. Then take someone you trust to a town you like the looks of but don't know a lot about (in real life). Show your companion around. Give your character a starting mood or feeling by imagining a scenario that would lead to the feeling. Don't talk about this scenario or feeling in your piece, but include it at the bottom of the page. Write a story fragment or poem.

T 2/28 - Story of a Photograph
Read: "Tall Tales from the Mekong Delta" (89) in VBCASS; 305-317 in 180
Write: Choose a photograph that you love -- either one you have taken or one you have seen and admire. First, write down all the details of the photo you can see: objects, landscape, people, clothes, trees, architecture, light, and shadow. Narrate the photograph so that we can see it. Next, write two poems or story fragments using two of the following perspectives:
1. Speak the poem/story as the photographer
2. Speak the poem/story as someone or something in the photograph
3. Speak the poem/story as someone or something in the photograph addressing the photographer.
4. Address the poem/story to someone you know has not seen the photo.
5. Address the poem/story to someone in the photograph.
6. Address the poem/story to the photographer.

T 2/21 -
Read: "Cathedral" (108) in VBCASS; 108-122 in 180
Write: Create a setting for your character and furnish it with her character -- ie create the character through observation of the setting. Poets write a poem about the setting, fiction writers write a story fragment describing the place: it can be any kind of locale - a house, specific room, office, cell, outside space, etc. The point is to reveal the character of a person by looking at a space. If you weren't in class, choose from the followign characters: an unsuccessful painter; a member of a lunatic fringe political group; a foster child; a high-school senior about to flunk out.

T 2/14 -- Because
Read: "Muzak" - "Hurdles" (4-14) in 180; "River of Names" (3) and "Girl" (306) in VBCASS
Write: Write three sentences that start with the word "Because." Let the first one be an excuse, the second a lie, and the third a rule. Then write a poem or story fragment that begins with one of your "because" sentences.

T 2/7 -- Exotic Objects
Read: "The Things They Carried" (366) in VBCASS and "Albatross" , "Bedecked", and "Dinner Out" (28-33) in 180 more
Write: a) Choose an exotic object that you possess and write a poem about the object or a story fragment using the object. Try to work in both its description and its history. b) Bring your exotic object to class. c) Look at the exotic object of one of your classmates and create a history/story for that object. Write a second poem or story fragment using that object.

T 1/31 -- Intro to Class
Exercise:
Think about a nickname that you have now, have had in the past, or would like to have, and the story behind that name. Then write a poem or story fragment using some piece of that history in an interesting way.