Assignment: Education Analyzed Through Nonfiction and Fiction
Perhaps you come from a long line of women who had access to formal education, or perhaps you are the first in your family to attend a university. Education is more than learning fundamental skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic. It is access to opportunity and choice that you may or may not take for granted. Although the value of formal education is inestimable, it does not replace or undermine what women have always had access to—their own knowledge learned and shared with families and communities—gained through life experience.
In this week’s Assignment, you consider the styles of creative nonfiction and fiction to relay messages concerning women’s education experience.
To prepare for this Assignment:
• Review the brief biographies of Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, and Ntozake Shange in the Women’s Voices and Social Change timeline media piece.
• Review the Angelou and Walker readings from this week’s Learning Resources to uncover the authors’ perspectives on the value of education.
• Review the “Glossary of Terms and Techniques for Literature and Creative Writing” document for descriptions of creative nonfiction and fiction.
• How would you describe the difference between the two styles of writing? Do you have a preference? Why?
• Consider people in your life who may have a strong sense of mother wit—natural wit or intelligence or innate knowledge. What distinguishes people with this type of knowledge?
The Assignment:
Write a 2-page analysis of women’s educational experience as depicted in the works of Angelou and Walker. Include evidence of formal education and mother wit. How do these works support your understanding of formal education vs. mother wit?
Shange, N. (1997). For colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf. New York, NY: Scribner.
Reprinted by the permission of Russell & Volkening as agents for the author. Copyright 1993 by Ntozake Shange.
These poems are part of Ntozake Shange’s award-winning “choreopoem,” for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf. The choreopoem is performed by seven women identified only by the colors they wear.
Learning Resources
Required Readings
Angelou, M. (1988). I know why the caged bird sings. London, UK: Hutchinson Education.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Angelou, Maya. Copyright 1969 by Nelson Thornes Ltd. Reprinted by permission of Nelson Thornes Ltd. via the Copyright Clearance Center.
This excerpt provides an autobiographical perspective on education and its impact on individuals and communities. This piece is examined in this week’s Application Assignment.
Shange, N. (1997). For colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf. New York, NY: Scribner.
Reprinted by the permission of Russell & Volkening as agents for the author. Copyright 1993 by Ntozake Shange.
These poems are part of Ntozake Shange’s award-winning “choreopoem,” for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf. The choreopoem is performed by seven women identified only by the colors they wear. Below you will find five of the poems (more are in Week 6).
“graduation nite” Lady in Yellow (pp. 21–24)
“i’m a poet who” Lady in Orange (pp. 28–30)
“latent rapists” Lady in Blue, Lady in Red, Lady in Purple (pp. 31–35)
“one” Lady in Red (pp. 45–49)
“Lucetta live in the world” Lady in Blue (pp. 50–53)
Walker, A. (1994). Everyday use. In B. T. Christian (Ed.), Women writers texts and contexts (pp. 23–35). New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Everyday Use by Walker, A. Copyright 1994 by Rutgers University Press. Reprinted by permission of Rutgers University Press via the Copyright Clearance Center.
This excerpt addresses women and education and its impact on family and community. This piece is examined in this week’s Application Assignment.
Walden University. (2015b). APA style: Overview. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/apa
Walden University. (2015e). Writing center. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/home
Document: Glossary of Terms and Techniques for Literature and Creative Writing (PDF)
This resource provides support in analyzing various forms of literature. Use this to identify elements of style and apply literary terms to assignments.
Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (2015). Women’s voices and social change [Interactive media]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
With this week’s content on women and education in mind, review the timeline information on Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, and Ntozake Shange.
The following audiocasts are readings of excerpts from Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf. Hearing poetry read aloud lends depth to the experience of the reader/listener and may increase comprehension and connection to the meaning behind the words. To enhance your interaction with the work, consider listening to these audiocasts as you read the assigned poems.
Note: Be sure to access closed captioning as needed to follow along with the dialog.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2010b). Graduation nite [Audio file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 5 minutes.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2010d). I’m a poet who [Audio file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 1 minute.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2010e). Latent rapists [Audio file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 2 minutes.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2010f). One [Audio file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2010c). I used to live in the world [Audio file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
Optional Resources
Cooper, A. J. (1892). Womanhood a vital element in the regeneration and progress of a race. In A Voice From the South by a Black Woman of the South (pp. 9–47). Retrieved from http://docsouth.unc.edu/church/cooper/cooper.html
Note: After accessing the document, scroll down to page 9 to begin this reading.
The New York Times. (2014). Sotomayor’s notable court opinions and articles. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/05/26/us/0526-scotus.html
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