{"id":607,"date":"2017-08-17T07:16:53","date_gmt":"2017-08-17T07:16:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/?p=607"},"modified":"2017-08-17T07:19:05","modified_gmt":"2017-08-17T07:19:05","slug":"creative-writing-assignments-in-african-languages-and-literature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dept.writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/creative-writing-assignments-in-african-languages-and-literature\/","title":{"rendered":"Creative Writing Assignments in African Languages and Literature"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Professor Linda Hunter,\nAfrican Languages and Literature 201\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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There will be five exercises in writing, which together will count for 20% of the final grade. They are to be typed, double spaced, using no smaller than 12 point font size, on one side of one sheet of paper with one-inch margins all around (approximately 250 words). Exercises must be no longer than one page. They must be turned in on the due date. No late papers will be accepted. Please do not use any kind of folder or binder, and do not make a cover page. Write your name and discussion section number on the upper right-hand corner of the BACK of the page.<\/p>

Grading Scale<\/p>

19 – 20 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 stellar, imaginative ideas, polished writing<\/p>

17 – 18 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 fine work, well written, good examples<\/p>

15 – 16 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 solid work, addresses assignment, could use more analysis<\/p>

13 – 14 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 weak, little evidence of analysis, poor organization and expression<\/p>

11 – 12 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 very poor, lack of analysis, poor writing<\/p>

below 10\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 not acceptable<\/p>

Exercise I: Due Thursday, February 4<\/strong><\/p>

  1. Assume for the purposes of this exercise that the three stories \u201cA Handful of Dates,\u201d \u201cPapa, Snake, and I,\u201d and \u201cMy Father, the Englishman and I\u201d are autobiographical. Now imagine that the three authors meet as adults. Write the discussion that might take place among them, or have any one address the other two on the subject of the impact the incidents described had on their lives; how they socialized them; their feelings about language and power, betrayal, faith, humiliation.<\/li>
  2. Write any one of the stories (\u201cA Handful of Dates,\u201d \u201cPapa, Snake, and I,\u201d \u201cMy Father, the Englishman and I,\u201d \u201cMrs. Plum\u201d) as a ballad: a song or poem that tells a story in short stanzas. Remember that a ballad is meant to be sung, so your language should be rhythmic; and is meant to evoke an emotional response, so your language should be lyrical. Be sure to focus on language issues (socialization, power, attitudes, identity).<\/li>
  3. Write (\u2018re-write\u2019) a portion of \u201cMrs. Plum\u201d in the voice of either Mrs. Plum or Dick, focusing on issues of language attitudes, beliefs, and identity.<\/li><\/ol>

    Exercise II: Due Tuesday, March 2<\/strong><\/p>

    1. A Zimbabwean writer once wrote, \u201cIt was the songs that won the liberation war.\u201d Based on the songs you heard in Flame, write a song which Zimbabwean women might have sung during the war, paying attention to style, voice, tone, and content. The form is important: it should be rhythmic and spirited.<\/li>
    2. Imagine you are a South African journalist who has just arrived on the scene of the car crash in \u201cA Gathering of Bald Men.\u201d Write an article about the event, using an appropriate style.<\/li>
    3. Write a letter, from Florence and\/or Nyasha, to the Zimbabwean government arguing that women guerillas should have been honored in the country\u2019s 1995 celebration of fifteen years of independence. Support your argument with clear examples from Flame.<\/li>
    4. Discuss the structure of Living, Loving and Lying Awake at Night. You might want to expand on one of the metaphors used in class (web, tapestry, mosaic, music), or you might want to create your own. The key issue here will be to establish the metaphorical relationship and to develop it as fully as possible.<\/li><\/ol>

      Exercise III: Due Thursday, April 1<\/strong><\/p>

      1. \u201cBlack Girl\u201d (\u201cLa noire de…\u201d) was one of Ousmane Sembene\u2019s first films. It is an hour-long black and white film in French with English subtitles. Just these characteristics speak to some of the linguistic and stylistic decisions a film-maker must make: What language? What length? Color or black and white? Assume you are planning a film based on either \u201cBlack Girl\u201d or \u201cGirls at War.\u201d Discuss the kinds of stylistic decisions you will make and what impact you hope they will have on the audience. You might consider writing this in the form of a screen play or a proposal to a producer.<\/li>
      2. At the end of \u201cWhy Don\u2019t You Carve Other Animals\u201d the author says, \u201cHis carving is also his dreaming.\u201d In the preface to the story she is also quoted as saying, \u201cCaught between memory and dreaming, the hopeful exile weaves a comforting performance out of a tale of agony.\u201d Write an essay which addresses cultural translation and which uses specific examples from this story.<\/li>
      3. Write a response from Ocol to one of Lawino\u2019s laments. Pay attention to the form you choose to use: oral (song, confession), written (poem, letter), etc.<\/li><\/ol>

        Exercise IV: Due Thursday, April 15<\/strong><\/p>

        1. Imagine that Dodo and the ogress in \u201cLouliyya, Daughter of Morgan\u201d meet. Create the dialogue they might have. Note that in an imaginative way it should provide a profile of each character. You might, for example, have them discuss their most recent exploit, their views about their adversaries, plans for future victims.<\/li>
        2. The following table illustrates some of the character actions and fantastic elements in the episodic structure of Ta-Kitse. It is adapted from: Stephens, Connie L. (1978) \u201cThe Hausa Tale of Ta-Kitse: Oral Narrative as Artistic and Educational Experience\u201d in Studies in Hausa Language, Literature and Culture<\/u> edited by Ibrahim Yaro Yahaya and Abba Rufa\u2019i, Kano: Bayero University, pp. 497 – 511.<\/li><\/ol>

          \u00a0<\/p>
          \u00a0<\/td>

          Episode I<\/p><\/td>

          Episode II<\/p><\/td>

          Episode III<\/p>

          (Inversion of Episodes I & II)<\/p>

          \u00a0<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

          Special Issue<\/p>

          \u00a0<\/p><\/td>

          Abuse of political power<\/p><\/td>

          Marriage improperly arranged<\/p><\/td>

          Jealousy among co-wives<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

          Character Interaction<\/p>

          \u00a0<\/p><\/td>

          Sarki expropriates old woman\u2019s bull<\/p><\/td>

          Disguised Sarki kidnaps old woman\u2019s daughter as a bride<\/p><\/td>

          Co-wives destroy Sarki\u2019s young bride<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

          Fantastic Transformation<\/p>

          \u00a0<\/p><\/td>

          Bone to splendid bull<\/p><\/td>

          Bull\u2019s entrails to beautiful daughters<\/p><\/td>

          Melting of Ta-Kitse and her reincarnation<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

          Function of Song<\/p><\/td>

          Delay and eventual success in slaughtering the bull<\/p><\/td>

          Delay and eventual success in kidnapping Ta-Kitse<\/p><\/td>

          Expediting Ta-Kitse\u2019s reincarnation<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

          \u00a0<\/p>

          1. Do an analysis of \u201cThe Girl Who Married A Dodo\u201d or \u201cDaya and the Dodo\u201d in which you discuss (or illustrate) the structure. Consider at least some of the following: jealousy; well; fertility; protectiveness of parents \/ mother; Dodo\u2019s pact; role of Maria\u2019s dog, gourd seed, Dove; transformation of Maria \/ Daya; Dodo\u2019s wealth; Dodo\u2019s child. You can write this as an essay or you can develop a table similar to the one above.<\/li>
          2. You are creating a version of one of the following\u2014\u201dTa-Kitse,\u201d \u201cDaya and the Dodo,\u201d \u201cThe Girl Who Married a Dodo,\u201d or \u201cLouliyya, Daughter of Morgan\u201d\u2014for an American audience (specify who that audience is, for example, college students, nursing home, children, etc.). What format would you use (Music video, TV show, Play, Illustrated Story)? What message would you want to convey (Moral, Humorous, Success)? Why?<\/li>
          3. Imagine that you are applying for a job as the editor of a collection of oral tales. The publisher has asked you how you will appeal to the audience of the collection. The storyteller has asked you how you plan to capture the art and energy of her creative performances. Write a single letter, which you will give to both of them, in which you answer their questions. Use examples from the stories you have read and watched.<\/li><\/ol>

            Exercise V: Due Tuesday, May 4<\/strong><\/p>

            1. On their first visit to Tatem, Avey Johnson took her husband Jerome (Jay) to the Landing and told him the story of the Ibos crossing the river on foot on their way back home. Avey was sure he would dismiss the story, but \u201cinstead, his gaze on the dark still floor of the water, he had said quietly, \u2018I\u2019m with your aunt Cuney and the old woman you were named for. I believe it, Avey. Every word.\u2019\u201c Imagine a communication (in a dream perhaps, or a kind of prayer) from Avey\u2019s husband, Jerome (Jay) Johnson, at the end of her excursion to Carriacou. What might be his reaction to her experience?<\/li>
            2. Design a curriculum for Avey Johnson\u2019s envisioned summer camp at the house in Tatem, left to her by her great-aunt. Be sure to make it relevant to Africa and African influences on the New World.<\/li>
            3. In Praisesong for the Widow<\/u> we are introduced to the legends of Ibo Landing and of The Bongo. Write what might become the legend of some aspect of Mona\u2019s transformation in the film Sankofa<\/u>.<\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                Professor Linda Hunter, African Languages and Literature 201 There will be five exercises in writing, which together will count for 20% of the final grade. They are to be typed, double spaced, using no …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[61,60],"class_list":["post-607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-designing-effective-assignments-courses","tag-african-languages-and-literature","tag-creative"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dept.writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/607","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dept.writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dept.writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dept.writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dept.writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=607"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/dept.writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/607\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":612,"href":"https:\/\/dept.writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/607\/revisions\/612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dept.writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=607"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dept.writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=607"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dept.writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}