DISCUSSION 1

We anticipate that this assignment will take you 2 hours to complete (this may vary by student). This includes time for research, reading of outside materials, critical thinking, writing, revision of text, and reflection on the topic. You should expect the assignment to be graded and returned with feedback from your instructor no later than Thursday at 11:59PM following the due date.

Prepare: Prior to beginning your initial post, read the poems "We Real Cool" and "My Papa's Waltz" in your textbook. You are also required to listen to "We Real Cool" and "My Papa's Waltz" before completing this discussion. These clips demonstrate the importance of performance, rhythm, and musicality in the poetic form.

Write: Part One - Answer the following questions about one of the poems based on your reading of them:

• What is the theme of the poem? How do you know this is the theme?
• What poetic devices (e.g., rhythm, figurative language, etc.) are used in the poem? Offer at least two examples.
• How do these poetic devices contribute to the development of the poem's message?
• Support your ideas with textual details and analyses.

Part Two - Describe your listening experience of the same poem you wrote about above. If you are unable to listen to these poems due to an auditory impairment, please reach out to your instructor for an alternative prompt for this discussion. Respond to at least two of the following questions:

• How did hearing the poem recited aloud compare to a silent reading of it?
• Did the performance highlight certain words or phrases that were not as apparent in a silent reading?
• Did the pace change and, if so, how did it change your understanding of the poem?
• Did words have different connotations and, if so, what kind(s) of connotation did you associate with the poem?

Do you think reading poetry aloud is a worthwhile endeavor when analyzing it? Why, or why not?

DISCUSSION 2

Prepare: First, read the information on the Ashford Writing Center's web page, Thesis Statements. Then, read the ENG125 Sample Literary Analysis. Pay close attention to the body paragraphs and thesis statements.

Write: Post your working thesis and your strongest body paragraph into the discussion by Thursday (Day 3) at midnight; do not attach it as a separate document. For the purposes of this discussion only, signify your working thesis by including it in bold type and italicize the topic sentence of your body paragraph. Your body paragraph should include at least three examples of paraphrases and/or quotations (there should be at least one of each) with correct citations in APA format. After the body paragraph, be sure to include reference page citations for the paraphrased and cited sources. Then, answer the following three questions:

• Explain the connection between the topic sentence and your working thesis. Would this connection be clear to someone without your explanation? If so, why? If not, how can you modify your topic sentence and/or thesis statement to make this connection more clear?
• Explain the choice of reference material. How do the references support the topic sentence? Would this connection be clear to someone without your explanation? If so, why? If not, what information should you add to the paragraph to make this connection more clear?
• Does the paragraph contain any unnecessary information? Does everything in it work to support the topic sentence? What information could be added or removed? In essence, you are being asked to evaluate the cohesion of your paragraph.

Note any other specific challenges faced or successes experienced when writing this paragraph or completing this discussion post.