Scholarly Questions (optional)

Feel free to share any questions you’re formulating for your first Essay, as an optional way to possibly get feedback from peers.

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5 Responses to Scholarly Questions (optional)

  1. Stacie Cassarino

    Hey All — here are some very quick responses on a Sunday night, which I hope are helpful in some way as you develop your question/intro/essay this week.

    Mars: Your question must stay rooted in the poem, it can’t be a broad sweep about the world. Just work on converting this question within its context. How does Danez Smith’s poem do something with these ideas? Name how the poem functions to portray/subvert.

    Harman: Both parts of this question are workable, but the question between the, the thread tying direct address/tone to science/song isn’t made clear yet. Can you connect the parts?

    Bella: This is a good start, but to a reader unaware of the poem’s depiction of nature, how might you specify this more? “Nature” is too general, or the link you’re drawing between nature and resilience isn’t clear. How is Cervantes specifically portraying nature or representing an idea of resilience through nature, and could you make “cultural erasure” more specific? Your question is a good one, just unfold it. The second sentence you add does the device list, and if certain elements such as a blend of tongues are important to your question, they should be woven into it. Just don’t do the list…and be attentive to how “stylistic diction” and “figurative language” are in most poems, so these aren’t specific enough in describing Cervantes’ poem.

    Alexandra: Could you construct your question as a complete question, rather than as a fragment? Name the shift of perspective. My sense is that you already know where, but perhaps the question is how? You shouldn’t necessarily know the answer to the question. Distaste and admiration for what? Your language needs more detail. There’s a question within this, just unveil it further.

  2. Mary Kueter

    For my scholarly question, I was wondering if it is too broad, as in not specific enough to the poem?
    For the poem: The 17 Year Old & the Gay Bar”
    How does homophobia within Christianity encourage LGBT youth to find community in traditionally “sexualized” areas?
    Another wording could be:
    How does christian homophobia, hidden under the guise of “purity” and “morality” end up backfiring and leading LGBT members to find community outside of the church?
    The question doesnt specifically talk about the poem, but it does reflect in the themes of the poem and throughout it, which I would discuss in the essay.

  3. Harman Jaswal

    I still do not know if this question is enough, but it is much better than where I was at yesterday! Here is my new question: How does Sun Yung Shin’s use of direct address to the reader shift and deepen the tonal evolution of the poem by exploring the synthesis and balance of science and song throughout history as well as contemporary American society?

  4. Bella Schwartzberg

    I’m writing about Lorna Dee Cervantes’ poem, “Freeway 280,” and my question is: how does nature symbolize the speaker’s resilience in the face of cultural erasure?

    I’m planning to write about Cervantes’ use of stylistic diction, figurative language, and a blend of tongues to support my argument.

  5. Alexandra Zook

    Ok, so my scholarly question need a lot of work, so feel free to leave any comments! I am writing about Franny Choi’s poem “Choi Jeong Min”, and here is my question: “where is there a shift of perspective about their culture? When does the narrative adapt from distaste to admiration?”

    Also just a little side note, if you haven’t read any other of Franny Choi’s work I highly recommend it! It’s so good!! (after midterm season)
    I also have some of their books if anyone wants to borrow them!

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