Blog Response #3: Book Critique

Now that you have finished, or are almost finished with the text, I'd like to get your honest reaction about Capote's work. I do not want this to turn into a place for you to simply tell me whether you like or dislike this text; rather, I'd like you to look at this as a book review, a place for you to offer a critique of this work.  You may even want to view sample book reviews to use as models. It may be more effective to choose a certain aspect/component of the text on which you would like to comment; writing about the entire text could become overwhelming.  As always, you must include textual evidence to support your position on this text. Be sure to analyze the evidence you include.  Feel free to respond to another student's response.  I welcome and encourage this!  I'd love to see disagreement among the responses, as long as any disagreement is respectful.  Your blog is due by 8 a.m. on Monday, February 8th.

Blog Response #2: Due Friday, January 22nd

Part II of the novel, "Persons Unknown", provides extensive information about Dick and Perry.   In fact, the reader leaves the Clutters and Holcomb behind completely. For example, on page 110 of the text Capote details a conversation between the killers.  Perry is ruminating about the murders, even though his partner has told him to cease any discussion of the crime.  He says to Dick, 'I think there must be something wrong with us' and this is an "admission he 'hated to make.'"  This is just one example of the very telling information readers are privy to in part II.  Point to other passages in part II where the reader really begins to get a sense of whom Dick and Perry are.  Please include cited textual evidence to support your ideas.  Ensure that you are not simply repeating the thoughts of those who have posted before you.  Analyze the textual evidence which you include so that you make a clear point concerning how you think this information about Perry and Dick affects the way you view the murders, the two men, the story as a whole, etc. Just pointing out some information is not enough; I want to see analysis and ORIGINAL THINKING!

Blog Response Rubric

Rubric: Response #1

	5	4	3	2
The response contains a clear thesis and is focused
The response is based on the prompt and/or directly responds to a response in the thread:
Evidence is explained and related to the blog response’s main idea
Textual evidence is given and in text citations are used

TOTAL:  _______/ 20

Blog Response #1: Meeting the Clutters and Their Murderers

In part I of In Cold Blood the reader is introduced to Holcomb, Kansas and its residents. Specifically, the reader learns more about the Clutter family. Essentially, this is the novel's exposition- it shares the background information necessary to understand the impact this tragedy has on the community.  It is important for the reader to know about the town, its inhabitants, and, of course, the Clutters before any action takes place.  How, rhetorically, does Capote go about relaying this information to the reader?  Please discuss specific rhetorical strategies that Capote uses and analyze what effect each has on the reader's understanding of and engagement in the novel.  For your response, mentioning one specific strategy and providing textual evidence and explanation is adequate. Identify a strategy, give an example of the strategy in use, and explain its effect on the readers and/or the novel's meaning. Remember to use in text citations and to lead into quotations.

Blog posts are due 1/15 by 8:00 a.m.

Welcome to Our Class Blog

As we read In Cold Blood, you will be completing a series of blog posts.  All blog post due dates are listed on your calendar.  If a blog is due on a particular date, that means that they are posted by 8:00 a.m. on that date, or they are late and they will not be graded.  The point of the blog is not to tell your classmates what you do and do no like about the text, although that may be part of your response. Responses must specifically pertain to the prompt given to you and they must be grounded in textual evidence (i.e. they should show proof of your close reading).  Along the same lines, you are not to repeat what other have said; you are, however, encouraged to respond to others by name, as long as responses are appropriate.  My advice is to complete these posts as soon as you can, as computer or other technology issues will not suffice as a reason for late work.  Happy Blogging!