Barbara Kingsolver gives a vivid depiction of life for the working poor during the holiday season.
Monthly Archives: December 2013
Female Bildungsromans for College Grads
One of my students, studying the female bildungsroman, is studying Salinger’s “Franny,” Lena Dunham’s “Girls,” and other works.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Ben Stiller, bildungsroman, Claudia Weill, female bildungsroman, Feminism, Francis Ha, Girlfriends, Girls, Lena Dunham, Noah Baumbach, Reality Bites Comments closed
Lit’s Ten Most Likable Characters
My top ten likable characters.
Posted in Uncategorized Comments closed
Think of Writing Essays as Method Acting
To teach writing about literature, think of your students as method actors.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre, Literary Criticism, method acting, teaching Comments closed
If Oz Became Modern Day America
This Scott Bates poem revisits the Land of Oz and finds that modern America has broken out.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Letter from Oz", Christmas, gun control, NRA, Planned Parenthood, Santa Claus, Scott Bates Comments closed
Dear God, Drive These Cruel Doubts Away
Anne Bronte’s moving poem shows her wrestling with deep spiritual doubts.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Doubter's Prayer", Anne Bronte, Christianity, Prayer Comments closed
Crossing (or Not) the Hellespont
I revisited Byron’s poem about swimming the Hellespont/Dardanelles after a friend tried the feat.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Written after Swimming from Sestos to Abydos", Lord Byron, Sports, swimming Comments closed
Mandela Inspired the World
An Elizabeth Alexander poem to remember Nelson Mandela and a past post on how he turned to Shakespeare in prison.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Poem for Nelson Mandela", Elizabeth Alexander, Nelson Mandela, Shakespeare in prisons, William Shakespeare Comments closed
Debating Whether Lit Is Useless
I take issue with a “New Yorker” blog on whether or not literature can be considered “useful.”
