Paper #4
Choose one of the following topics to write about for your last formal essay:
- Thinking about how James Gibson analyzed the game of paintball, Identify something you think would lend itself to a cultural study or critique. Observe and take notes. Interview at least one person who is involved or touched in some way by the cultural item you have chosen. Read materials associated with and about the subject you've chosen. How does this artifact or phenomenon seem to work or engage in society?
- Consider the readings and movies we have done in class on war:
- The Sniper
- Ambush and/or The Things They Carried
- Paintball as Combat Sport
- Private First Class Reginald
Malik
Edwards - Heaven and Earth
The Hurt Betrayed Son
(WRA 171), and watch another war movie, such as Rambo (which is discussed inThe Hurt Betrayed Son
,) Full Metal Jacket, Platoon, or The Thin Red Line. After watching these movies and rereading the essays, discuss how each deals with men and war. Do you notice differences among the readings and films that might be accounted for by historical circumstances? By social or economic conditions? Do you notice anything about the way each of the readings or films tells a story or narrative? Are there certain codes, expectations, or ways of constructing men/masculinity? Do these differ among the print and visual texts?
For the final paper, you have the option of going back to one of your earlier papers and doing another revision instead of doing a second revision of paper #4. I will consider both your second draft of the fourth paper (taking into account that it is only a second draft) and your other paper (thinking about it as a fourth draft) in assigning the grade for your fourth paper. If you are going to do this, note it on your revision of paper #4 and be sure to schedule a conference with me to talk about your other paper.
Due dates:
- Rough draft: Tuesday, November 6--four copies for peer critique
- Revision: Friday, November 9 by 11:00 a.m. (no class)
- Final: At scheduled exam time.