Part 1:
A Tentative Outline for AA100B TMA
I. Introductory Paragraph:
A. What is "culture"?
B. What is a "cultural encounter"?
C. What are the different types of cultural encounters?
D. What is "personal identity"?
E. How can a cultural encounteraffect/alteran individual'spersonal identity/character?
F. Thesis Statement:Briefly outline the significance of culturalencountersand their impactsin the short story "Bella Makes Life".
II. Body Paragraph 1:
A. How is the concept of cultural encounter treated in the short story "Bella Makes Life"?
1. What culturesare involved in the encounter?
2. What type(s) of cultural encounterdo you recognize in the story?
3. How does each of the two cultures involved perceive the following themes:
a. Material life
b. Roles of men and women in the family/society
c. Dependence and independence
d. Marriage and relationships
4. How do Bella's, Joe Joe's, and Ms. Blossom's characters and attitudes change?
III. Body Paragraph 2:
A. Is the author, Lorna Goodison, aware of the cultural encounter theme? How does she manifest her awareness in terms of her character development andchoice of words, grammar, and ideas?
1. What are the author's cultural backgrounds?
2. How do her cultural backgrounds show themselves in her choice of words, ideas, and characters?
IV. Body Paragraph 3:
A. Are the main characters of the short story aware of the cultural encounter theme? How does the author express their awareness?
1. Discuss the parts of the story which show the awareness of the characters of the conflicts/differences between the cultures involved.
2. Are they aware of the gradual changes in their characters/identities?
3. How do the characters respond/react to the cultural encounters and personal identity alterations they experience?
V. Body Paragraph 4:
A. What role do "clothes" play in highlighting the theme of cultural encounter?
1. Does clothing reveal anything about a persons' character or attitudes?
2. DescribeBella's clothes each time she returns from the U.S. and discuss what her clothes show about her changing character/attitudes.
3. How do the other characters react to her clothing?
4. What is the significance of Bella's bringing clothes from the U.S. for sale?
VI. Body Paragraph 5:
A. How is the final encounter between Joe Joe and Ms. Blossom used to highlight the theme of cultural encounter in "Bella Makes Life"?
1. Describe Ms. Blossom's clothing style at the end of the story and say what has changed in her character/attitudes.
2. How does Joe Joe react to her clothing style in the final scene?
3. How does Joe Joe resolve this encounter? What is Joe Joe's final decision? Why?
VII. Conclusion Paragraph:
A. Outline the main cultural encounters and their impacts on characters.
1. How does each characterexperience thecultural encounters?
2. How are these encounters resolved?
Your essay is an analytical research paper about cultural encounters and their impacts on the characters' values, attitudes, and identities. It is not supposed to be a mere summary of the events in the story! You are required to discuss and elaborate on the concept of cultural encounters closely and support your ideas with details from your sources! Each paragraph is supposed to discuss a main topic and you must support that main idea with properly documented references to your sources!
Moreover, the paper should include a list of sources (print and electronic) at the end ("Works Cited" page) in addition to in-text citations as per the requirements of the LMS or Harvard Referencing Styles. Proper referencing is a serious academic requirement and skill and will be rewarded accordingly.
Part 2:
Format and Word Count:
The student's work should be presented in an ESSAY of around 1200 words.
Referencing:
The essay should include a list of references (print and electronic) at the end in addition to in-text referencing as per the requirements of the Harvard Referencing System. Proper referencing is a serious academic requirement and skill and will be rewarded accordingly.
Writing and Discussion Topic:
Cultural encounters are a common occurrence in human history. Their impact varies on cultures and individuals especially as they relate to questions of identity and self-worth. The cultural encounter in such a case becomes fundamental to one's perception of oneself and the cultures to which s/he relates.Explore how cultural encounters are manifested in literary works, specifically short stories from An Anthology of Short Stories from Five Continents, with particular reference to "Bella makes Life"by Lorna Goodison.
In the process of answering the TMA, you should make sure to include the below five sub questions:
1) How is the concept of cultural encounter treated in the short story ‘Bella Makes Life'?
2) Is the author, Lorna Goodison, aware of the cultural encounter theme? How does she manifest that awareness in terms of ideas and her selection of words?
3) Are the main characters of the short story aware of the cultural encounter theme? How does the author express their awareness?
4)What role do "clothes", as treated in the short story, play in highlighting the theme of cultural encounter?
5) How is the final encounter between Joe and Ms. Blossomused to highlight the theme of cultural encounter in "Emma Makes Life"?