Final exam format 2011

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

As you recall, the final exam is divided into two sections. In the first, you will have a choice of two questions and will write an essay that responds to one of them. In that essay, you will talk about three texts we have read this semester, at least two of which have to be novels. In the [...]

Blog prompt #7 2011

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

On Monday’s class, we had a productive discussion about many of the themes that work their way through Boyden’s novel. Find and discuss a scene that you think contributes to one of the main themes of Through Black Spruce . Discuss this in relation to the novel, but also consider whether or not this connects to things we’ve observed [...]

Class moved for 4/27 only

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

Our class today has been moved to Jeffords 112 due to a power failure in Marsh.  

Blog prompt 6: Monkey Beach

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

What was your response to the ending of Monkey Beach?  What happens to LisaMarie?  What makes it so ambiguous?  What do you think is the significance of the final passage, which clearly echoes one found on page 135?

Blog prompt 5: Green Grass, Running Water

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

What did you find to be the most interesting aspect of King’s novel?  How does it connect to the other books on this course? Was it more challenging than other works we’ve read?  Why? (Your response to this prompt is due Monday May 2)

Second essay topics 2011

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

1. In many of the novels that we’ve read, characters’ lives are affected and even shaped by violence. Focusing on two  novels (and this can include novels you’ve not already written about in your previous essay), compare how one character from each text responds to the violence in his/her life. What does this response reveal to us about each [...]

Blog prompt #4 2011

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

In class, we talked about Beatrice Culleton Moisioner’s statement that she began writing In Search of April Raintree in order that she might better understand what had happened to her family and why. What do you think that she hopes the reader will understand after having read this novel?  What choices does she make as a writer in [...]

More links worth investigating

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

I was talking in class the other day about the case of Helen Betty Osborne who was murdered in 1971 by four white men, a crime very similar to one that we learn about in Kiss of the Fur Queen . Shelley found this important site for us to look at called Stolen Sisters .  It’s a campaign by Amnesty International to [...]

Montreal trip

Paul W. Martin on English 252: Literatures of Montreal

As I mentioned last class, our trip is definitely going ahead on April 1 and 2.  I’ll have a full itinerary for you in the next day or two, but here are the essentials. The bus will be waiting for us at the roundabout outside the Davis Center at 8 AM on Friday April 1 (I promise [...]

Resources on the history and continuing effects of the residential school system

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

As part of this course, I hope you will do some research and reading on your own about issues touched on in the novels we’re reading. Here are some sites that will help you to learn a bit more about the history of the residential school systems and their continuing effects on indigenous peoples today: Where Are the [...]

Topics for first essay Spring 2011

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

For this essay topic, you may write about  Ravensong, Kiss of the Fur Queen , and/or  In Search of April Raintree . You can refer to The Truth About Stories and other sources, of course, but your essay still needs to focus on two of the three novels we’ve read so far. 1. Each of the novels we’ve looked at so far features [...]

Blog prompt 3 2011

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

Tomson Highway’s powerful Kiss of the Fur Queen is unlike anything we have read so far in our course.  Thinking about the assumptions or expectations you brought to this text as a reader, what surprised you the most about this book?  In your answer, make sure to provide specific examples and refer to what you feel to [...]

Tomson Highway and Kiss of the Fur Queen links

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

Here are a few links of interest that I’ve tracked down online: Interviews with Tomson Highway An interview with Tomson Highway from 2009 about the launch of his latest show, Kisageetin: A Cabaret (video) Journey man : The nomadic Tomson Highway talks about writing the first Cree opera (2008) Tomson Highway speaking on stage (and playing the…[Read more]

Ravensong discussion 2011

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

In today’s class, you split into groups to discuss major themes from the novel.  For your blog posting on Ravensong, tell us about one of the themes your group found to be important to Lee Maracle’s novel.  Why is this theme crucial to the novel?  What two scenes do you think are especially illustrative of this [...]

Definitions and self-definitions

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

Last class we talked about the passages from Tom King’s The Truth About Stories in which he describes how legislation was used in the past to define Native status in ways that frequently worked to strip individuals of their designation as Indian and the rights to which that status entitled them.  Thursday’s Globe and Mail has [...]

Ravensong - resources

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

Here’s a link to a video of a reading by Lee Maracle from 2004.  She reads extensively from Ravensong, so you’ll definitely want to take the time to watch this.   This 1993 interview with Lee Maracle is excellent and contains a good deal of discussion that complements what we’ve been talking about in class. Here’s the bibilographic info for that [...]

Syllabus now updated

Paul W. Martin on English 252: Literatures of Montreal

You’ll find our schedule now in place on the course syllabus.  Thanks for your patience.  I’ve rearranged the placement of Barney’s Version and Beautiful Losers in order that we might try to see the movie together after discussing the novel.  

Blog prompt #1

Paul W. Martin on English 182: Recent Fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada

This is the first blog prompt for our course. I’ll be posting a blog prompt for every book we read. Your job is to respond within one week of the blog prompt being posted. As you will be graded on the effort you put into this, take the time to offer a considered response. There’s no [...]

Blog assignment in partial place of today's missed class

Paul W. Martin on English 252: Literatures of Montreal

I’m sorry we had to cancel class tonight.  If anything should cause a Canadian literature class to be cancelled, it should definitely not be the weather.  When it became clear that almost none of you would be able to make it tonight, though, there seemed like little other choice.  I wish I could have done that [...]

Class cancelled for tonight

Paul W. Martin on English 252: Literatures of Montreal

Hopefully you all received my e-mail earlier this afternoon to inform you that class is cancelled for tonight.  I’ll stop by our classroom at 4 just to make sure no one is there wondering what is going on. Stay tuned for a discussion assignment later today….