Intro to Unit 6 - Classism: The Proletariat as the Other

In Karl Marx's The Communist Manifesto, he argues, "The bourgeoisie has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has reduced the family relation into a mere money relation," while Jordan Abrams and Angelica Castro mention, "[t]he roots of magical realism are cemented in Latin American culture taking place primarily in the mid-20th century, and was used to criticize the class and social system during the time" (online). 

After reading Marquez's "The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings," in what ways does the text address or criticize class and social systems, as well as the idea of family as a social system? 

What possible lessons, themes, and/or social commentary emerge from the short story? 

In what ways does Marquez's short story connect to Karl Marx's argument about family in the The Communist Manifesto?

"12AM" and Mullen

Last week, we ended our discussion of one of Mullen's poem's in regard to supermarkets and packaging.

How might that apply to "12 Angry Men" and the court/trial/jury room process in general?

- Is the defendant in the play "packaged"? How so and what implications/effect does this have?
- Are players in a trial generally packaged -- both on the defendant and prosecution side? Should they be?
- How does Mullen's poem "Elliptical" correlate to the readings from this unit ("Just Walk on By" Prologue from Invisible Man, "12 Angry Men," information from the handout on logical fallacies, deductive reasoning, and **Rogerian argument)?

Respond to TWO of these questions above in a comment, then reply to another student who commented on the question you did NOT, extending what she said, and offering additional perspective.

This is due by class time tomorrow.

BIAS/ASSUMPTIONS: Invisible Man and Brent Staples

In a discussion post, respond to at least one of the questions belong, then comment on another student's post who answered a DIFFERENT question than you.

1. Both Staples and the narrator in Invisible Man experience a similar situation while walking down the street. Do they respond to this situation similarly or differently and how so? What does the narrator's approach suggest about his mental state at that point in the reading? How is your response reinforced in the rest of the Epilogue?

2. When the narrator of Invisible Man says the blonde man was "almost killed by a phantom," is he being literal or figurative? Explain what he means by this.

3. What does the narrator mean by the term "sleepwalkers"? How is the blonde man a sleepwalker and why might awakening them be dangerous? Are there any "sleepwalkers" in Staples' text? Explain.

4. What is ironic about where the narrator lives?

Mantsios

Overall, what is Gregory Mantsios's argument? Do you agree, disagree, or a combination of both? Which parts of his argument are convincing? Are there any problems with his argument or any way you might complicate it?

Also, which texts or real world instances can you see Mantsios's ideas at work?

What are some larger implications of Mantsios's claims about how the media represents certain types of people? How might his ideas foster bias and assumption amongst individuals in society?

Respond to at least one other student and extend their comment. 

Pozner & Alvarez

Now that we are toward the end of the unit, we will now discuss how the media constructs identities and influences relations between cultural groups. 

In this discussion post, respond to the following questions in a comment, then reply to at least 2 other students, engaging in dialogue, and extending their ideas about the texts/questions in conversation. Be sure to include your ideas and thoughts about the specific Pozner and Alvarez texts in your responses.

• What/how does patriarchy effect both individuals and large groups within societies?
• Are femininity and masculinity real?
• How do both individuals and the media construct and/or influence gendered identities?
• In what ways do stereotypes and external identity construction affect gender relations?
• Is the media responsible for propagating and influencing stereotypes? And, if you believe so, what larger implications does that have on certain cultures and types of people?
• Should the media have a political and/or ethical responsibility in the way it represents groups of people?
• Any other reactions, observations, or personal experiences related to the above???

Yen Le Espiritu + Sharon Smith

After reading and discussing both texts, ultimately, what do the two readings by Yen Le Espiritu and Sharon Smith suggest about patriarchy -- particularly as it relates to certain women of color?

Is Gender Real

In the very first unit, we discussed whether or not race is real. To that extent, now that we are currently studying patriarchy, feminism and gender relations, we can have similar discussions on this topic as well.

As a warm up, respond to the following question:

Is gender real? Explain your answer.