Question of the Week (8/28/09)

Building on our class discussion, elaborate on what the word “hero” means to you? What value is placed on heroes in our society? Is it someone who puts her life on the line for others? Is it someone who lives with integrity? Or is it someone who simply does more than is expected of her? Is there only one definition of a hero? Explore these questions in writing and don't forget to critique one of your classmates responses.

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Welcome!

Greetings and welcome to your Early English Lit blog. The purpose of this blog is to create a community of writers who share their thoughts and ideas about the texts studied in class.

Each week I will post a question(s) on the blog for you to answer. The question(s) will relate to what has been discussed in class, so you will have a frame of reference from which to draw your response, but your task is to reflect further and showcase this reflection through writing.

After you have answered the question thoroughly (using complete sentences), choose another reflection from one of your classmates and respond critically to it. The goal of both reflections is to show through writing your point of view and that you have read and understood the text. Use your well-constructed written argument (always using quotes and/or direct references to the text in question) to illuminate your point.

*Keep in mind that responding critically to a classmates’ reflection does not entitle you to berate their writing style, grammar or spelling choices. Use this opportunity to create and organize your written argument.

We took Beowulf, the epic poem in Old English, and put it right together with John Gardner's contemporary retelling. If you bring it into today, we really feel that it has something very fresh to say now. Julie Taymor