Assignment — Note that the word requirement is less for this assignment:
Select One of the following for your original essay/discussion:
1. Straight Outta Compton and New Jack City make similar statements about drugs originating in and being disseminated by nonblack communities although blacks are highly stigmatized. They also make statements about business skills and abilities that can only be expressed in illegal venues because of lack of opportunity and of police brutality. Compare and contrast how these movies make these and related points. You can focus on just one of the above points. In this assignment, be sure to pick one or two specific scenes that tie into your analysis. Important for this assignment is that in your writing, you describe aspects of mise en scene (lighting, sets, clothing, music, etc.) that support your ideas. Consider how course writers do this in their articles and how it adds to your understanding of the film. Use information from the writings to support your beliefs. You can optionally reference current events.
2. Pick one specific quote from the readings Rockabye Baby or What It Do Shorty? that offers a salient perspective of black females in hood movies. Explain how this aspect applies or does not apply to female characters in Set It Off and Straight Outta Compton. What do the women’s portrayals suggest in relationship to stereotypes or power relationships? Describe specific scenes from the film and note the colors, background, music, dialog, etc that prove your point. Quote from the textbooks or lectures and follow the discussion guidelines. Suggest the significance of the film’s representations. Important for this assignment is that in your writing, you describe aspects of mise en scene (lighting, sets, clothing, music, etc.) that support your ideas. Consider how course writers do this in their articles and how it adds to your understanding of the film. You can optionally reference current events. You can also reflect on aspects of misogyny and how you would compare representations and characters in Set It Off and Straight Outta Compton.
3. Compare Straight Outta Compton with either Drumline or House Party. What black community issues are the same? Which are different? Describe specific scenes from the film and note the colors, background, music, dialog, etc that prove your point. Quote from the textbooks or lectures and follow the discussion guidelines. Suggest the significance of the film’s representations. Important for this assignment is that in your writing, you describe aspects of mise en scene (lighting, sets, clothing, music, etc.) that support your ideas. Consider how course writers do this in their articles and how it adds to your understanding of the film. You can optionally reference current events
Remember these films are the materialization of expressions of ideologies or refutation of those beliefs that exist in society, sometimes from Hollywood, sometimes from a black perspective. Your job is to use academic writings and your own interpretations to produce an essay that analyze words, themes, mise en scene as they project beliefs. Note this paper must be uploaded into the dropbox as well as posted here.
Guidelines:
Remember the essays should contain citations and are practice for the final course paper. However they are also an opportunity to start less formal conversations and responses among group members. You must complete both aspects, so be sure to respond to at least one of your group members about what they found and/or to the comments of others who respond to your post. This assignment counts toward class participation. Copy and paste or type your discussion/essay in the discussion area and submit your file to the dropbox for a plagiarism check.
What should be included in your essay(for more detail look at the rubric attached to this discussion):
• 600 Words for initial post for Discussion/Essay
• 150 or more words for your response to one classmate
• Contains a thesis
• At least 3 proofs to support the thesis
o two from course materials
o one from your own academic or primary research
• Use of in text citations with page numbers
• Works cited with webpage links or full printing press information
• Good Grammar
• Discretionary points for Excellence
Essay Format:
This is generally the format of what your essay should look like.
Paragraph 1 — introduction to tell me where you are going. This paragraph includes or starts with a specific distinct thesis that states exactly what you plan to argue. It does not say “I will discuss…” Instead, state your argument and move on to prove it. If I have to wait until the end of the paper to figure out what your point is, you have already failed. Some students put the thesis sentence in italics or bold it. If you want to do this that’s fine. It helps me zero in immediately on what you will argue and may help you keep track of your focus.
Paragraphs 2-5 — justifications. Each subsequent paragraph proves some part of your thesis. They start with and include sub assertions. These sub assertions introduce related bits of evidence and are in effect a mini thesis that makes a refined point about SOME aspect of the thesis. In other words, it pinpoints a specific part of the thesis and explains why the information you present is relevant. After the sub assertion, include your evidence — an example, quote, and citation, for example. You must include examples from the narrative. You can combine justifications in paragraphs as long as they relate to the sub assertion, which on a larger scale connects to the thesis. Start each new paragraph with new sub assertions and justification that highlights a another different part of the thesis. Continue until all parts of your thesis are illustrated and justified. Adjust your thesis if need be.
Final Paragraph — add some deeper insight. You started with a thesis — what additional intellectual points can you add that both reflects the original thesis but seems to carry your initial concept further?
Under no circumstances are you to attack anyone personally. Thoughtfulness, creativity and clarity will work in your favor. Simply repeating what someone else has previously said will not work well in this area. You will not get credit if you do not respond in a scholarly way.