Blog #1

This is my second attempt at posting my blog. Let's hope I've got it  and I'm no longer "anonymous."

Here is the link to my GoogleDoc for Blog #1:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Go8N7lS6Vku4Or5T8nu4gX2ZG_pA8JLPerP8jesd9UY/edit?usp=docslist_api

Blog #1 - The Relevancy of the Little Women in Little Women

The Relevancy of the Little Women in Little Women

     According to Katherine Bucher and KaaVonia Hinton in Young Adult Literature: Exploration, Evaluation, and Appreciation, young adults should have access to “well-written books that deal with important adolescent issues and that reflects their interests and concerns” (11). However, the definition of young adult literature varies due to questions about the age range of young adults which consequently leads to questions about young adult development, interests, and awareness. As Bucher and Hinton find, contemporary adolescents develop faster physically, cognitively, and socially than previous generations (2). Also, the issues of contemporary adolescents are different than those of previous generations. Although Little Women held wide appeal as a model of female behavior to the comfortable classes up to the 1960s, today its relevance has diminished due to its lack realism and the abundance of modern young adult literature that reflect this change in contemporary young adult development, interests, and awareness.

     In Barbara Sicherman’s “Reading Little Women: The Many Lives of a Text,” she acknowledges that Little Women is an American fairy tale (653). She finds that the author of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, provided young women with Jo March as the comfortable classes’ “model of female independence and of intellectual achievement and literary achievement” (650). Yet Sicherman acknowledges that Little Women did not have the same meaning and appeal to all classes of women. To working-class women, Little Women is an American fairy tale (653). Due to its descriptions of “everyday happenings,” working-class women even found middle-class domesticity “banal” (651). Today, young adults can begin working at the age of sixteen. Just as Meg and Jo discuss their jobs as a tutor and a companion in the opening chapter of the novel, modern teenagers are working outside the home in fast food restaurants and retail stores. The demands of working-class teens have shifted significantly since Alcott's day and even since the 1960's. Teenagers today expect to own a car and to have independence; they also have a sense of entitlement that is absent in Little Women unless Amy's selfishness could be considered a nod to self-centered youth. Alcott's characterization of the little women, girls who model mature behaviors for young American women, remains an admirable model today; however, according to Bucher and Hinton, young adults want to identify with characters. A modern audience is more likely to sympathize with Jo because she is surrounded by women, albeit loving family, whose greatest ambitions are to marry. Arguably, Amy could be the exception because she is an artist, yet her ambition and independence does not match Jo, who does not indicate a need for a man, while Amy's selfishness demands a partner to appreciate her as much as she appreciates herself. The social issues of today stretch modern young adults' awareness beyond the limits of parent-child relationships, being mindful of the poor, hooking a man, and establishing independence. While a modern audience may understand the need for manners and admire a good mother-daughter relationship, these remain the primary issues of the same comfortable class that existed when Alcott first published Little Women.

     According to Bucher and Hinton, a change in the perception of young adults is represented in young adult literature. Unheard voices such as the disabled, homeless, and gays are represented in literature (7). While the March's willingly give up Christmas breakfast and scarves to help the poor on Christmas morning, the starving German family is a means to demonstrate the need for generosity, but ultimately this act demonstrates that those who do not struggle typically remember those who do struggle on the days that they are expected to do so, such as Christmas and Easter. In terms of realism, this sense of Christian charity still exists today. However, it is more effective to hear the voice of the poor and the homeless. Young adults are more savvy today and are willing take the opportunity to read literature that reveals the realities of life. While Little Women can be counted amongst young adult literature that is about diverse people and a world beyond a working-class community, it does not necessarily cover the breadth of the modern realities of life and, therefore, lacks relevancy with a diverse modern audience.

Blog 1: I Am the March Sisters

              Young adult literature is a loosely defined grouping of literature. Bucher and Hinton, in fact, note varying definitions of what young adult literature is and who young adults are. These definitions differ in age spans, qualifying characteristics, and rates of quality. Bucher and Hinton graft together several definitions into a consensus of ideas. The pair explains that young adult literature exhibits an excellence of form, depicts a unique adolescent point of view, and reflects young adult issues (Bucher and Hinton, 8). Although Little Women contains antiquated ideologies of the female’s role in society and daily habits not regularly observed in the 21^st century, the text adheres to Bucher’s and Hinton’s definition of young adult literature while allowing readers to identify with each March sister.

            From the opening lines of Little Women, readers can identify with each sister’s point of view. Readers first glimpse the sisters on the eve of a Christmas without gifts. Jo, Meg, and Amy are each sadden by the knowledge that they will not receive gifts. In turn, the sisters lament their misfortune. Beth, however, attempts to discover something positive in their situation. She explains “We’ve got Father and Mother, and each other” (Alcott, 1). Readers can readily identify with wanting gifts and the disappointment of not receiving any. Alcott features four sisters who desire what many young adults desire today: new things. The situation the March sisters find themselves in is still relatable to readers today.

            In addition, readers can relate to the sibling dynamics Alcott introduces throughout the text. Readers can easily understand Jo’s outrage at Amy when she discovers her manuscript was burned (41). Readers who experienced a sibling date or marry a new partner can identify with Jo’s jealousy of Meg and Mr. Brooke’s relationship and marriage. Many readers can remember a similar sense of humiliation Amy experienced after she was punished at school. Even the outgoing young adult can identify with timid Beth who fears the new and different. Each sister, while characterized very differently, contain characteristics that young adult readers find within themselves.

            As readers are able to relate to each sister’s point of view, they become aware of issues they share with the March sisters. As the sisters grow, their perspectives begin to shift from the family to the outside world. Amy continues to seek high society and art. As she takes art lessons, she becomes acquainted with many young women. Amy wants their friendship and invites her art class to a special dinner party (146). Her efforts are nearly in vane as only one young woman attends. Amy’s need to be accepted and liked drives her to wonder “where all her money had gone to” (148) as she purchased the necessary items for the dinner. Young adults can identify with Amy’s desire for acceptance by those outside of her family.

            Young adults can also identify with the frustrations and pain of the other March sisters. Jo becomes frustrated with her dependence and desperately seeks independence. Mr. March and Beth become ill. Love interests develop for Meg, Amy, and Jo. Perhaps an issue young adults can most easily understand is that of body image. Amy despises her nose and feels she is uglier because of it. Jo, after she cuts her hair, is sad because it was the only feminine feature she and the family valued. Young adults confront a world obsessed with one’s body image. Readers observe their own experiences through the March sisters’ lives.

            While some of the experiences explored in Little Women may feel outdated, the text presents these experiences and characteristics in a way that allows young adult readers to say “I am the March sisters”. Each sister has characteristics readers can identify with. Jealousy, disappointment, and fear are emotions every person experiences. As their bodies change, they battle insecurities about their body image just like Jo and Amy. It is difficult to define the characteristics of young adults and to categorize young adult literature. While some literary scholars may find the characteristics of young adult literature futile to define, those definitions are invaluable. Young adult readers need literature they can identify with and be engaged in. Guidelines and definitions allow teachers to select age appropriate literature for students that students will be read. In order for students to read the classics, they must first be confident, engaged readers. Alcott’s Little Women presents readers with dynamic, relatable characters and experiences that engage young adult readers. It is a timeless example what of defines young adult literature.

Works Cited

Alcott, Louise May. Littler Women. Google E-book.

Bucher, Katherine and Kaavonia Hinton. Young Adult Literature: Exploration, Evaluation,       and Appreciation. 3^rd ed. Boston: Pearson, 2014. Print.

            

Blog #1 Little Relationships

Little Relationships

In her essay, “Reading Little Women: The Many Lives of a Text,” Barbara Sicherman explains that Louisa May Alcott’s books survives the test of reader time due to the book's dynamic and nearly chameleon-like ability to adjust interpretation to each reader. Sicherman’s essay goes on to cite many readings of the book from feminist to historical. What Sicherman does not mention is the timelessness of the plot and themes that Alcott emphasizes in Little Women. Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women remains relevant to today’s readers because it deals with the emotional turmoils that young adults experience when attempting to form and maintain relationships.

Alcott’s choice to continually emphasize family makeup allows the book to remain relevant to today’s readers. According to the Standford Institute for Economic Policy Research, “today’s average household is half as large as in 1850. The decline in fertility explains part of this change, as the average household today contains two fewer children of the head. However, other forms of cohabitation also have become less common. While in 1850 almost every household included a married couple, today less than half of households do” (Salcedo, Schoellmand, Tertilt 1). The “fertility changes” to which the authors refer is the rise in birth control; in the 1860’s, contraceptives were not widely used and families tended to be larger than families today. However, Alcott’s choice to limit the March family to a family of four girls is a believable family size for readers of today. Had the March family been made up of more children, today’s reader may be less inclined to connect with the text, and the complexity of adding two to three more voices may disengage readers that come from small households with fewer children. As Salcedo, Schoellman, and Tertilt point out, 1850’s households usually contained two parents whereas many modern households contain only one. Throughout volume one, Mr. March is absent. This absence results in the March women, mother and sisters, being alone in what can be construed as a single-parent, specifically a single mother household. This makes the text so much more relevant to all of the children of single parents and to the single parents themselves. It is not only through family makeup that the book remains relevant to today’s readers, but also through the relationships that the family members from outside of the home.

The initially awkward relationship between Laurence and the sisters remains relevant to readers today because many readers can see themselves reflected in some way in the relationship between Laurence and the March sisters. Awkwardness is a rite of passage in the adolescent world. The awkwardness of adolescence is, in part, the reason why there is a market for Young Adult literature. Alcott uses Laurence as a representative of adolescent awkwardness. Laurence as a character is, when the reader meets him, a bumbling shy-guy and a male Rapunzel archetype. He is stuck in his metaphorical tower until Jo comes along to rescue him. Aside from the blatant feminist deconstructive read of Laurence’s rescue, all readers, including today’s, can relate to a time that she or he felt like an outsider looking in, as Laurence was when he confessed that he often watched the March sisters forlornly from his study tower. Anyone who has ever felt awkward and cast off, immediately empathizes with Laurence’s feelings of loneliness. The relationship between Jo and Laurence appeals to all the young ladies and gentlemen who, in their preteens and teens, had best friends from the members of opposite sexes. Watching as Laurence’s brotherly love for Jo grows into something more appeals to all the readers who have suffered when friendship went awry due to the onset of unwanted sexual attraction. The idea of Amy growing to become Laurence’s wife appeals to those young ladies who still believe in happily-ever-after fairy tale endings, because in the end Amy is the youngest character who got precisely what she had always dreamed of-a rich and good husband.

Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women was and remains a text that is accessible to many readers from the 1860’s to contemporary readers because the plot and themes deal with timeless observances on forming and maintaining relationships. The success of the novel, as Sicherman points out, depends upon “readers’ experiences and aspirations” (656) in order to remain relevant. Alcott’s work in this novel appeals to a variety of readers from a variety of backgrounds because she deals with universal themes and creates relationships that act as a mirror to readers.

Works Cited

Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women or Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1880.

Google Play E-book.

Salcedo, Alaejandrina, Todd Schoellman, and Michele Tertilt. Families as Roommates: Changes

in U.S. Household Size from 1850 to 2000. Publication no. 09-01. Stanford Institute for

Economic Policy Rearch, Oct. 2009. Web. May 2015.

Sicherman, Barbara. "Reading Little Women: The Many Lives of a Text." Introduction. Little

Women. New York: n.p., 2004. 632-57. Print. Norton Critical Edition.

Blog # 1 - Little Women: A Classic Example of Young Adult Literature

Little Women: A Classic Example of Young Adult Literature

            Young adult literature is a genre that has proven to be difficult to define. In Young Adult Literature: Exploration, Evaluation, and Appreciation, Katherine Bucher and KaaVonia Hinton attempt to define young adult literature as "prose or verse that has excellence of form or expression in its genre, provides a unique adolescent point of view, and reflects the concerns, interests, and challenges of contemporary young adults" (8). Based on this definition of young adult literature, Louisa May Alcott's classic tale Little Women can easily be classified within the young adult genre. Alcott's story is beautifully written, employs an adolescent point of view, and is a timeless tale of adolescence, in which readers can identify with the characters and the challenges the face throughout the work.

            In Little Women, Alcott presents readers with a piece of prose that is written in excellent form, which is the first standard for young adult literature as defined by Bucher and Hinton. The story is written in a way that is sophisticated yet accessible for adolescent readers. While some of the language is clearly dated and readers can identify that the story was written in another era, the language is not archaic nor difficult to understand. Instead, the prose is easy to comprehend and digest. Beyond the language, Alcott also utilizes some different writing formats in her story including letters from Jo and Amy to their family and poetry in "The Pickwick Portfolio" (140). Alcott's use of these modes of writing is reflective of some more contemporary characteristics of young adult fiction, which includes "journals, diaries, and letters" (Bucher & Hinton 8).

            Alcott also employs a unique adolescent point of view in her book as the she shares the perspective of the four sisters as they are growing up and maturing. The writer does not focus solely on one stereotypical character, which allows readers to better indentify with the different perspectives of the girls. The story offers a rebellious tomboy, a shy musician, a materialistic attention-seeker, and a rule follower. Yet, the characters are also so much more than those characteristics. The adolescent perspectives are all unique and offer young adult readers relatable characters that may reflect their own selves, especially Jo who is a relatable character for any girl who has ever felt different or alienated for not fitting into a conventional female role.

            Despite the fact that Little Women was written in 1868, the story is still very much reflective of the concerns, interests, challenges of young adults today. For instance, the work contains issues of young love, questioning identity, dealing with death, examining class differences, and dealing with family relationships. These issues are all very much reflective of different concerns and challenges that young people face today. In "Reading Little Women: The Many Lives of a Text," Barbara Sicherman argues that "with its multiple reference points and voices (four sisters, each distinct and recognizable), its depictions of joy as well as sorrow, its fresh and unlabored speech, Alcott's classic has something for everyone" (656). While the text may prove to be difficult to identify with based on the context and time period of the story, the issues presented are timeless and relevant to modern readers. Readers may just have to go beyond the surface to make those connections to their modern world.

             The young adult literature genre is still developing, and there are many questions about what truly constitutes young adult literature. The genre can be difficult to define; however, young adults themselves are difficult to define as they have vast differences in growth and development throughout that time period in life, so perhaps that difficulty makes sense. The parameters addressed by Butcher and Hinton are a good start for understanding what constitutes young adult literature. While not all works that fit within those guidelines will be appropriate pieces of young adult literature to examine in the classroom, their definition provides a guide for determining what can even be classified as young adult literature. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is a classic example of a work that can fit the mold of a young adult literature book, despite the fact that it not a contemporary novel.

Entry 3 - Marxist Theory in The Catcher in The Rye

If teaching Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger were to be paired with a Select Literary Theory, the Marxist theory would be a natural approach. The Marxist theory is based on the philosophy of Karl Marx and has the students view the text as a product of work while focusing on class and power relationships (Bucher and Hinton, 67). Through this theory students can examine issues of power, class, resistance, and/or ideology. In Catcher in the Rye there are some clear examples of class conflict and economic power, as well as Holden, the main character's, resistance to be a part of any specific social class.

Holden is adamant about not wanting to be a “phoney.” He often refers to most of the other people he meets as “phonies.” For example, when referring to one of his old Headmasters, Mr. Haas, Holden says, “...(he) was the phoniest bastard I ever met...if a boy's mother was sort of fat or cony looking...and if somebody's father wore those suits with very big shoulders and corny black-and-white shoes, then old Haas would just...give them a phony smile and then go talk ...with somebody else's parents” (Salinger, 14). Holden has a clear image of at least one incident in almost of the people he comes across that would classify them as phoney in his eyes. He is terrified of being phoney himself and at one point refuses to eat his bacon and eggs because the person next to him only has coffee and toast (Salinger, 100).

An example of the Marxist theme of economic power in Catcher in the Rye is when Holden reminisces on a time at one of the boys' schools where his roommate is much less off than his family. 

Holden's bags are name-brand and rather expensive, whereas his roommate's are knock-offs and clearly tattered. Feeling embarrassed by his family's money, Holden places his bags under his bed where no one can see them, but his roommate takes them out and places them on the rack for all to see, hoping that others will mistake them as his (Salinger, 108). This clearly shows a struggle among classes, as well as economic power. Holden also does not feel that he fits in to any one class nor does he have a desire to because he finds them all to be phoney. He says, “...it's (the world) is full of phonies. And all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to be able to buy a goddam Cadillac some day” (Salinger, 13). Holden's resistance to become part of society is only perpetuated by the fact that he is clearly a very privileged, white, depressed young man, who has a hard time finding the good in any situation.

Another example of Marxism in Catcher in the Rye can be seen in Holden’s privileged status and it's stark contrast to the scenes and people that he encounters in New York. For example, Holden's interactions with Maurice and Sunny. Maurice is the elevator man, who is clearly also trying to make some extra money by pimping out ladies to hotel guests and Sunny is the girl that he sends to Holden's room. Holden immediately feels poorly for doing anything with Sunny because of the clear class difference. Maurice sees an opportunity to take advantage of a young, wealthy boy and ends up physically assaulting Holden for more money than they originally agreed upon. Both of these are examples of the contrast between Holden's social status and other people that he encounters in New York.

When introducing the Marxist theory, a teacher could start by asking students to think about class and power structures, through cliques and groups, in their school. He/she could use the examples of athletes (jocks) and academics (nerds) and have students think of other types of cliques that could be included. Then, have the cliques/classes ranked from the most to the least influential/powerful with justification for their rankings. If prompting was needed, the teacher could ask questions such as, Are there specific groups with power? Without power? Where does the power come from in these groups? Is your perception of power affected by your personal experiences with some of these groups? Are class structures fixed or is it possible to move among the class designations?

Finally, the teacher will explain that power and class structures are a part of a literary theory called Marxism and that the novel they will be reading include issues of power between and among characters and groups. While the students are reading Catcher in the Rye, they would be looking for clues that point to or justify the Marxist theory. Using this approach to Marxism, the teacher could clearly help guide students to see the themes of class conflict and economic power that are prevalent in this book.

Entry 2 - How Effective is Dryer in Convincing the Reader of YAL Importance?

Sarah Dryer does a fantastic job convincing the reader to bring young adult literature into the classroom. She argues that “Although, the canon is filled with important titles, high school English teachers need to focus much less on classic literature and much more on young adult literature in order to best serve their students.” Her belief is that there is an undeserved stigma attached to young adult literature and that it in fact is beneficial to students of all ages and abilities. She argues that many young adult titles are “complex, interesting, and more pertinent to modern readers' lives than classic texts.” Dryer is successful in providing reasons why the young adult literature should be embedded into the curriculum and how teachers can go about incorporating titles into their classroom.

She begins by stating that students are going to get the same access to literary theory whether the teacher uses classic novels or young adult novels. Dryer states that, in her opinion, the young adult titles are reaching the same language arts curriculum standards and yet, they offer more to the readers. Her next argument is that young adult literature is a “powerful way for teachers to include multiculturalism in their classrooms.” The characters in the young adult literature are of a wider variety and include female voices, LGBT voices, and voices from many races and cultures. Dryer argues that students need to be exposed to multiculturalism because it is more immediately relevant to the readers' lives and it helps them develop into empathetic members of our diverse society.

Part of Dryer's successful persuasion lies in her citing other professionals research or personal experiences/opinions. One such example is through another teacher, Patti Swartz, that backs up Dryer's belief in young adult literature providing classrooms with tools to change students' intolerant attitudes towards the LGBT community, specifically. Another example is when Dryer cites the results of the qualitative research done by Wayne Martino, where he concluded that the students identified with a gay protagonist and that such classroom reading and discussion might not only increase student tolerance, but also change their concept of normal. Dryer even quotes young adult authors. One such example is Chris Cutcher, who says that young adult literature can help teenagers believe that they will survive their adolescence.

Dryer's next reason for using young adult literature is her belief that although the genre benefits all readers, it is particularly good for reluctant readers. She states that reading expert Kylene Beers has identified characteristics that appeal to kids who are reluctant to read. It is the belief of Dryer and Beers that young adult literature is more likely to have these characteristics than classic novels.

Dryer's last point is that many classics have been read so many times and are so well known that students begin the book looking for the “One True Meaning” rather than to interpret the book for themselves. She quotes Harry Mazer saying that “the classics are too distant from the lives of kids.” and that students should be reading to enjoy and interpret nooks themselves.

Once Dryer adequately convinces teachers to use young adult literature in their classrooms, she then goes on to give teachers advise on how to select titles that will expose their students to “high-quality writing, important real-world questions, and a personal meaningful reading experience.” She argues that teachers should take the selection process seriously. Dryer suggests using books that have been considered for a prestigious award or that are very popular among teenage readers.

The article is closed with teaching strategies for how to incorporate these books into the classroom. Dryer suggests using literature circles; using current technology for blogging or discussing books, such as Facebook or Twitter; having students write creative responses to texts; integrating the the book with other content areas or the arts; pairing it with the canon/classics; and allowing students time to read their own books in the classroom. She provides details and examples of each suggestion.

 This article was powerful and successful in convincing teachers to bring young adult literature into their classrooms because Dryer provided good evidence of the benefits of such books and then helped teachers apply this to their classrooms by giving them advise on how to choose said books and what instructional activities could accompany them.

Blog 1 - Little Women - An Example of YAL or Classic?

Butler and Hinton define young adult literature “as literature in prose or verse that has excellent form or expression in its genre, provides a unique adolescent point of view, and reflects the concerns, interests, and challenges of contemporary adults” aged 12 to 20 years old (8). The authors then go on to further list common qualities of books that fall into the young adult literature genre. In my opinion the authors provide a great definition and list of qualities that help one determine or classify a book as fitting into the genre of young adult literature. Given the definition and qualities, I would argue that Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is no longer a relevant example of young adult literature. I believe that when it was written and for a number of years thereafter, Little Women was very clearly an example of young adult literature, but that as times have changed, the book no longer meets the needs of young adults aged 12 through 20 and rather just barely meets the needs of young ladies aged 12 and 13.

Little Women was published in 1868 and Alcott admits that she used her own life with her sisters as inspiration for the story (Bucher and Hinton, 2004). She claims to relate mostly to the character Jo Marsh. Times are very different than they were in the mid-to-late 1800s. The first quality that Butler and Hinton claim to define young adult literature is that it should reflect young adults' age and development by addressing their reading abilities, thinking levels, and interest levels” (9). The main characters are four sisters aged sixteen through twelve. I do think that book meets this first quality, as the characters are the same age as the readers. I also feel that the book is written in a way that meets the readers' reading abilities and that the writing style is especially appropriate for those aged 12 to 13. I fear that once the readers' reach the age of 14, the book may have less appeal.

The thinking levels and interest levels of young adults living in the 21^st century are much different than those living in the 19^th century. Although, many argue that Little Women is a timeless novel, I disagree. I find there to be a mixture of timeless and contemporary issues that the Marsh sisters face, yet just not enough timeless elements to hold it as a true example of young adult literature. Butler and Hinton state the novels should include topics such as dealing with parents and other adults in authority; facing illness and death; dealing with peer pressure, specifically relating to drugs, alcohol, and sexual experimentation; and facing the realities of pregnancy and addiction (10). Some examples of the timeless issues that present themselves in the novel are the on-going struggle of trying to impress their Papa when he returns from the war, when Beth gets sick with scarlet fever, the death of the Hummel baby, Papa's illness that Mother has to go tend to, and Mr. Brooke's romantic interest in Meg. These are clear examples of how the girls must deal with parents and other adults in authority, as well as facing illness and death. One example of timeless peer-pressure that comes to mind is when Meg is pressured into a makeover for a ball that she later regrets. Peer-pressure is something that tends to shift with current culture. Most of what adolescents are being pressured into by their peers has changed with time, especially for young ladies.

Due to the change that occurs with time, I am not sure that this novel adequately considers world perspectives, especially cultural and gender diversity, which is the final quality that Bucher and Hinton claim relevant in distinguishing a book as young adult literature (10). The book is written from the perspective of four young sisters and therefore, does not meet the needs of young boys. Many of the chapters have life lessons or morals at the end that the reader is to learn from the characters' experiences. While some of these are timeless lessons, I find them all to be based off of out-dated experiences. For example, when Amy takes the lemons to school and gets in trouble as a result, she learns that is not okay to show off what you have. A good lesson, but the entire experience would be hard for young adolescents of the 21^st century to relate to their daily lives. Teachers are no longer allowed to hit students nor is the example of bringing lemons to divvy out to your friends something that would be done by young adolescents of the 21^st century. Perhaps some would argue that the lesson itself and the example are timeless enough, but I disagree.

Given the fact that Little Women is not as timeless as many would argue, I find many of the experiences would be hard to relate to for readers. I would like to read this book with or have my young girl of 12 or 13 read this book, however I don't see my son reading it nor do I see a 14 year-old girl or older reading it simply because the issues no longer stand true for that age group in the 21^st century. With all of this in mind, I do not find Little Women to be a true example of young adult literature, but rather an example of a classic or literary canon - a term used widely to refer to a group of literary works that are considered the most important of a particular time period or place. Perhaps it could have a place in the secondary classroom when paired with a more authentic young adult piece of literature, but standing alone, I think many students would struggle to read this book. I know I did.

Blog Response Grade Guidelines

This is the rubric I'll be using to grade your blog responses and comments.

Grade of 90-100: Exceptional Work

·         Response is 500-750 words

·         Response has an exceptionally interesting/creative thesis and is focused on one clear topic/idea/question

·         Response has an intelligent, clear structure, excellent topic sentences, a captivating introduction and a memorable conclusion

·         Response uses fine textual evidence to argue/support specific points and/or refer to someone else’s posts and explicates that evidence

·         Response has correctly formatted citations (including a works cited page)

·         Response and comments contain no errors in punctuation, usage, and spelling

·         At least two significant (error-free) comments on other posts

Grade of 80-89: Very Good Work

·         Response is 500-750 words

·         Response has an interesting/creative thesis and is focused on one clear topic/idea/question

·         Response has a good, clear structure, good topic sentences, a good introduction and a good conclusion

·         Response uses solid textual evidence to argue/support specific points and/or refer to someone else’s posts and explicates that evidence

·         Response has correctly formatted citations (including a works cited page)

·         Posts and comments contain only one or two errors in punctuation, usage, and spelling

·         At least two significant (error-free) comments on other posts

Grade of 70-79: Competent/Acceptable Work

·         Response is 500-750 words

·         Response has an adequate thesis and is mostly focused on one clear topic/idea/question

·         Response has a clear structure, adequate topic sentences, a clear introduction and a clear conclusion

·         Response uses textual evidence to argue/support specific points and/or refer to someone else’s posts and explicates that evidence

·         Response has mostly correctly formatted citations (including a works cited page)

·         Post and comments contain some (but few major) errors in punctuation, usage, and spelling

·         Two significant (error-free) comments on other posts

Weekly Grade of 69 and below: Poor/Unacceptable Work

·         Post is less than 500 words

·         Response is unfocused and/or not specific with an unclear thesis and poor paragraph development/organization  

·         Response uses little to no evidence and doesn’t explicate evidence

·         Response lacks correctly formatted citations and a missing or incorrectly formatted works cited page

·         Response contains a number of errors in punctuation, usage, or spelling

·         Comments are non-existent or insignificant or error-ridden

Welcome! Getting started...

Here are some guidelines for your response blogs this semester:

Response Blogs: You will write 10 short response papers (between 500-750 words) in response to specific prompts distributed in advance. You will also post these responses on our class blog and submit a copy of each on Sakai. Each response paper should have a specific thesis, well-developed body paragraphs with clear topic sentences, adequate evidence, and correct MLA citations (where necessary). Additionally, your papers should be neat and proofread. For the version you submit on Sakai, use one-inch margins, a reasonable font (Times New Roman 12 or Arial 11), and double-spacing. Also, only for the version you submit on Sakai, include your name, the date, and the course number on the top of the page (no cover pages, please).

Blog Comments: On the blog each of you will also submit at least two comments per set of response papers. These comments should be on your peers’ posts or in response to comments your peers have made on your posts. Comments are due by the deadlines listed on the syllabus.

Blogging tips for beginners:

First, you’ll need to respond to the email invitation you get from Blogger which will give you permission to post to the blog.

Blogger actually has some helpful documents you can check out if you need more guidance on getting started with blogging, but here are some quick tips:

To write a new post:

1. Make sure you are signed in (click sign-in at the top right side of the page)
2. Click on “New Post,” also on the top right side of the page
3. This will bring you to a new screen.
4. Type your post’s title in the box marked “Title”
5. Then post the body of your response in the large white box. You can also type up your response in Microsoft Word and simply cut and paste it in. (That’s how I am writing this post.)
6. To insert a link, type the text you want to be displayed as a link, then click on the little button that says “Link.”
7. This will bring up a pop-up box. Paste or copy the URL of the site you want to link to into that box.
8. Inserting a picture is a similar process. You can either upload a picture or link to a picture elsewhere.
9. When you are all done, click “Publish Post” (the orange box below the big white box).

That’s it! Have fun!