Thanks!

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for making this an enjoyable semester. It was good to have a group of students who seemed engaged with the material.

Have a great summer!

JN

Burke - Second Half

Please post your questions for the second half of Burke below.

Please post your comments about the first half of this book below. Consider examining both the characters and plot lines and what they tell us about southern identity and history.

The Final Paper (or Papers)

For your final, you will do one of two things:

Option 1: Write two three-page papers, one analyzing James Lee Burke's Jolie Blon's Bounce and a second analyzing the film Sling Blade in the context of our other materials on southern identity.

Option 2: Write one five page paper comparing Jolie Blon's Bounce and Sling Blade in the context of southern identity.

These papers will be due the day of our scheduled final exam. To wit, Tuesday May 5. They are due by 5:00 PM, and may be submitted electronically via Google Documents or paper format in my drop box on the door of Bishop 315

Some people call it a Kaiser Blade...

Please post your Sling Blade comments below

No South?

In this last chapter that we will read of Cobb, we will consider whether or not the South remains today a distinctive place. I have also added to Blackboard a copy of a paper that I presented on the crime fiction of James Lee Burke. If you would please read it so that we might discuss.

The South of Guilt and Shame?

As we move into this last section of class, we will be using the Wallace video, lecture podcasts, and Cobb's Away Down South to help us analyze contemporary popular culture about the South. To wit, you will write an essay examining some aspect of James Lee Burke's Jolie Blon's Bounce and the movie Sling Blade. Both engage many of the themes found in southern history and explore dimensions of southern identity.

Use this post for your discussion questions for the Cobb chapter that we will discuss on Thursday.