313 Fall l997 -- Assignments September l999
A . Group Assignments:
These are the
earliest dates for presentations of about twenty minutes by two students. More than one listing in a week here indicates simply that there may be more than one presentation that week.
. Three options in order of reference to be handed-in on September 7th
Week of September 13: Jarrell
Week of September 20: Lowell (
N.B.: Different poems must be usedWeek of September 27: Wilbur
for assignments A. B. and C.Week of October 4: Dickey and Levertov
Week of October 11: Merrill and Ammons
Week of October 18: Creeley and Ginsberg
Week of October 27: (J) Wright (not "Autumn Begins….) and Rich
Week of November 1: Plath (not "Daddy") and Piercy 
Week of November 8: Hass and Gluck
Week of November 15: Larkin
Week of November 22:Hughes
Week of November 29: Heaney (not "Digging")
Groups will meet in class to divide the workload and to arrange a longer meeting out of class to rehearse the final presentation. Presentations should include information on the life of the writer, recurring themes in the poems, characteristics of form and style, and a close reading of one poem. Student questions will follow the presentations.
Students should identify the focus poem on the blackboard at the beginning of class a week before the presentation.. Within a week after the presentation, each member of the group should submit a one page summary that includes information on the group's preparation, the work contributed by each member of the group, and any recommendations about the process.
B: Analyses: Brief analyses(500 - 600 – words – 2 pp.):
à
-- September 20: Either of these Wilbur poems: "On the Eyes of an S.S. Officer" or "Praise in Summer." Include (a) a clear, exact paraphrase of the poem; (b) a paragraph on the basic theme and meaning of the poem; and (c) a paragraph commenting on specific characteristics of the poem.à
October 4: Merrill’s "Angel"13: or an analysis of a Justice ‘s "The Missing Person"à
October 18: J Wright’s "The Jewel" or "The Journey’à
November 1: Larkin’s "Dockery and Son" or "Mr. Blaney"à
November 15: Heaney’s :"Death of a Naturalist" or Hughes’ "The Thought Fox"
C. Parenthetical Documentation Paper:
Parenthetical documentation paper (7-8 pp.) comparing and contrasting two poems by any of these poets: Hass, Gluck, Dove, Larkin, Hughes, Heaney, Gunn, Davie, Tomlinson, Hill, Muldoon. (You may work on two poems by the same poet or by different poets.). Further explanation of the paper will be given during the week of October 27.. Brief oral report on progress: November 15. Paper due: December 6.
