American Realism - Short Story Journaling Blog (Due: Monday, March 2, 2009)

This week you will read two short stories by a single author writing during the period of American Realism in the late nineteenth/early twentieth century. You will keep a short reader's journal in response to your readings.

You have been asked to choose from one of the following authors: Mark Twain, Jack London, Willa Cather, and Kate Chopin. You will read two short stories from one of these authors. The following texts will be made available to you for each author:

➢ Twain: “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” (pp. 460-465); “The Story of the Good Little Boy”/"The Story of the Bad Little Boy" (provided via handout)
➢ London: “To Build a Fire” (pp. 481-492); “The Mexican” (provided via handout)
➢ Chopin: “A Pair of Silk Stockings” (pp. 504-508); “Lilacs” (provided via handout)
➢ Cather: “A Wagner Matinee” (pp.514-520); “Consequences” (provided via handout)
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Guiding questions for your journal:

As you read, you will keep a reading journal guided by the following questions:

1) How do the writings of this author compare to those of the American Romantics we have read? Can we note some progression from American Romanticism into American Realism?

2) What topics, themes, social/political issues does this writer take up in his/her work? What might these tell us as readers about this author and his/her worldview?

3) With regard to author’s purpose consider the following: To whom is this writer writing? For whom are they writing?

4) What relevance does this author’s writing hold for you as a reader?

5) What drew you to the work of this author? Pick a short passage from one of his/her works and write in response to his/her words.
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NOTE: I would prefer to email digital copies of the stories not included in your textbook rather than print these. (This saves both time and paper.) As soon as you know which author's work you would like to read, let me know and I can send you the additional story as a attachment.