Time flies for real!
I thought I was at the late half of the course blog post at the start of the semester, but now it is already my turn to have it. Excluding some of the “half-weeks,” we only have 2 full weeks to go for Fall 2021 semester, which means winter break is approaching!
After our debut of Unit 3 Project last week, we are at the mid stage of formulating the last unit. Feeder 3.1 is a worksheet containing some detail about the interview plan—like the demographic information of the interviewee, the purpose and the things that we hope to learn about the interviewee, sources of information to be incorporated, and a list of potential questions for the interview. This feeder should be providing us a broad idea of what to ask and what to aim for the interview. For example, the potential question list would provide a base and reservoir of questions to be asked, although we can always make changes and selection from them according to time constriction and our needs.
From feeder 3.1 we have now moved on to feeder 3.2, which, according to my opinion, is the core of this project. During this week, we need to conduct the interview and polish our transcript or notes to make them look like narrative. Having this detailed interview notes, and incorporating some outside sources, would give rise to our final unit 3 project.
At class time this week, we looked at close reading of text (text here could be literally anything). Close reading would be diving into the sentences and grasp things beneath the meaning of sentences. To name a few, dictions, selection of objects or details that is described in the text, adjectives of people’s feelings, and orders that certain element are being arranged can all be analyzed. Our in-class analysis of the short fiction Empty was especially interesting. Basically, the story is about a hungry father’s interaction with his daughter after their family pet had died when the girl’s mom is out shopping. Although the story is simple, after discussion of the class, turned out to be a little eerie. We have noticed that all the family member does not have a name except for the dead hamster Duane; little girl’s trying out of makeups would normally associate with cute and beauty, but described by the father as like a bruise (violent associated); the father always uses her mother to refer to his spouse, giving us a sense why would the tie through the little girl so strong that the identity of his wife does not matter at all? It is after close-reading this story makes the simple plot so interesting. For me, I think the story could be expanded into a starting scene of the novel while the suspense and mystery could lead us into the deeper story.
The close reading activity also made me think about how the choice and every detail of the text could have a meaning. I am going to be more aware of this as I am writing, trying to convey the information that I want to convey and avoid any confusion. (And I am aware I am writing right now and my course blog could be close read by someone else too!)
I am looking forward to my interview this week and hope that could carry out smoothly and accomplish all my objectives.
Featured Image:
Google Image, Creative Commons Licence.