Stranger Sequence prep#3

OPTION A: “MASKS/PASSING/PERSONAS”: We have obviously been taking about passing and personas in Gatsby—now let’s see how this process gets used in the next set of readings. Passing often requires irony, “hustling,” risk, humor and/or pain—thus authors and artists find it to be a very compelling subject. Please explain the ways in which two or more people in our recent readings try to test out how to “mask” themselves. (HINT: Make sure to see what James Baldwin has to say about “dissembling.”)

“OPTION B: “STRANGE” LANGUAGE: Sometimes a stranger can come right out and say what’s on their mind. At other times and for various reasons, writers and artists are forced (or willingly try) to present a false front, to “hustle,” to deceive, to “feint,” to mislead, to use words in ways that actively resist the expectation of “clarity,” to speak a truth and also “slant” it. Please refer to some of our recent texts and try to refer to some ways in which artists use language in unfamiliar ways.

Choose ONE of these options. Please submit a post of at least 250 words by midnight on Saturday, May 15th.

If you quote from a poem, I expect that you will try your best to use the proper format. See the handout and/or BB link about “Quoting a Poem.” It is worth 4 points.