Week 8: Contemporary Realistic Fiction (1950-present)
Instructions for Weekly Online Activities/Assignments

ENGL 231: JC Clapp (North Seattle Community College)

Due no later than Thursday, November 19th, 2009 by 11:00 p.m. PST:  Choose at least two pieces of contemporary realistic fiction both dealing with generally the same topic.  For instance, you could choose two books both about coping with school, or two books about having an ill parent. There are lists of books in your textbook in Chapter 9 that can help you to get started. Once you have your two books, evaluate them, individually and as a set, according to the criteria established on page 369 of Chapter 9.  (The criteria are also online, if you don't have your book with you: http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073378569/student_view0/chapter9/evaluation_guides.html) Create a comprehensive post that includes complete evaluations of your two chosen books. Then, compare and contrast them by indicating the strengths and weaknesses of each. Be sure to include the titles, authors, publishers, and copyright dates (all the bibliographic data) as well in your post!  Title your post with the issue/topic your books are about.

Due no later than Monday, November 23rd, 2009 by 11:00 p.m. PST: Read all of your classmates evaluation posts, and then choose one of the issues/topics you see represented more than once.  So, you might notice that three of your classmates chose to evaluate books about living with a disability. Then, synthesize the evaluations of that particular topic/issue and draw some conclusions about how that particular topic/issue seems to be represented in the class samplings. What common themes or approaches do you see? Are some issues handled with more delicacy than others? Do there seem to be any topics that don't seem to be covered? Respond to at least two of your peers posts.