Discussing Truman (10/6)

From JonathanRosenbaum.com

A. Check the unscrambled summary for The Truman Show HERE. 


B. Practice writing claims, reasons, and evidence on topics from The Truman Show.

1. Go to the group page "Truth, Reality, and You" (the link is on the right under Online Communities).
2. Join the group.
3. Find the Discussion Forum for our class.
4. Read the four questions I have posted in the Forum.
5. With your partner, discuss the four questions.
6. On your own, reply to ONE of the four questions using the following format:

Claim:
Reason:
Evidence:

Where CLAIM is a clear argument or position, REASON is the motive or explanation as to why you are arguing what you are arguing, and EVIDENCE is one example, fact, quote, description, story, definition, etc. that develops your claim and reason.

EXAMPLE: 

CLAIM: Truman should have stayed in Seahaven.
REASON: He made millions of people happy.
EVIDENCE: Everyone (the bartenders, the security guards, the old ladies, etc.) seemed  to love watching his show.

 7. Now browse through your classmates' replies.
 8. Choose ONE that seems significant.
 9. Reply to your classmate using the same format:

Claim:
Reason:
Evidence:

 10. Repeat steps 7-9 for another classmate. (You should have three replies total; one for me and two for your classmates).

C. Finish Blog 5. If you have finished Blog 5, begin Blog 6: Truman and Me (questions below).

Choose ONE question to answer for Blog 6:

1. The Perfect World
Cristoff creates what he considers a “perfect world” for Truman to live “happily ever after.” How does Seahaven compare to your world in terms of family life, neighborhood life, work life, and leisure time? Would you choose to live in Cristoff’s world? Why or why not?

2. Coming Out of the Cave
Truman’s conformity to his society is often depicted as childish. He sometimes behaves wildly and is constantly being told to “grow up." He begins to “grow up” when he questions everything he has always known and believed in to the point that his view of Seahaven is radically altered. Consider your own life (or the life of someone you know well): Can you think of a similar situation in your own life that has changed the way you view the world? If so, please describe it in detail. Was your change in worldview for the better or the worse? Why? In what ways are you still conforming to your surroundings? What things/people are keeping you from “growing up”? Please remember this is a public blog. You may want to alter the names of real people you mention.)

3. Self -determination
Truman struggles between what his society (and his "god," Cristoff) tells him to do and be, and what he feels he wants to do and who he wants to be. Consider your own life (or the life of someone you know well): Have you ever disobeyed society’s rules because you were trying to follow your own instincts? What made you want to disobey the rules? What did you expect to gain from your disobedience? Did the consequences to your disobedience confirm that you made the right choice?

HOMEWORK
1. Finish Blogs 5-6.
2. On your own, watch The Matrix and complete The Matrix Quiz at the top of my blog before Thursday, October 13.

Thesis-based Writing (3/21)

To Do:

You will have until 6:05 to write Blog 6: Things I do Not Believe in Any More. See instructions below.

Last week, the class was brainstorming on connections to Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave." Here is one way to get you started thinking about how you can relate to Plato's notion of "coming out of the cave":

Blog 6: Make a list of ideas and facts you thought were true at some point in the past but you no longer do (for example, "Santa Claus"). For each item on the list, explain the change in your beliefs. What brought you to doubt the reality of something you used to believe true?

***

Today we will

• Read about and discuss thesis-based writing
• Review sample claims and theses in response to a CAT reading
• Work in groups to create a claim and a thesis for a second CAT reading
• Work individually to create a claim and a thesis for a third CAT reading 
• Reflect on what we have learned

I.  Understanding Thesis-based writing
We will read and discuss the information on pages 3-4 of your packet. Then we will re-read "How To do One Thing at a Time" (page 9) and examine and discuss the "Claim to Thesis" document below, which has a series of possible claims, reasons, and thesis statements that identify a significant idea and respond to it.

Claim to Thesis

II. Writing Claims and Theses

1. With your group, write a BOTH a simple claim AND a map thesis that identify a main idea in "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" (page 11) and respond to this main idea. Once the group is satisfied with the claim and the thesis, copy and paste them under your group section in the Google Docs below.

Google Docs: Group Work for "Is Google Making Us Stupid?"

2. On your own,  write a BOTH a simple claim AND a map thesis that identify a main idea in "I Know the Truth, so Don't Bother Me with Facts" (page 12). Copy and paste them under your section in the Google Docs below. 

Google Docs: Individual Work for "I Know the Truth, so Don't Bother Me with Facts."

3. I'll assign someone else in the class to evaluate your claim and thesis and give you feedback. For this person, please write a comment under that person's section that answers these three questions:

• What did you like about the claim and about the thesis?
• What was confusing about the claim and about the thesis?
• How would you have written this claim and this thesis?

4. Now go to your blog and create Blog 7: Reflecting on Thesis-based Writing. In this blog entry, please answer the following questions:

• What have you learned from the thesis-based writing class?
• How do you know that you have learned it?
• Can you describe how you learned it? 
• What helped your learning? What made it difficult?
• How do you feel after today's class? 

Second Lab / Blog 6 (10/1)

 Hello Corbett!

Blog 6: Use one--at most two--of the following questions on The Truman Show to write a blog of 400 words. Feel free to elaborate from personal experience, what we have read and discussed in class, etc.

Your entry should have a clear beginning (main point or the question you will try to answer), middle (or discussion paragraphs) and end (conclusion or answer to your question).
 
Questions

1. What are the similarities and differences between The Truman Show and Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave"?
2. What are the similarities and differences between Truman’s life in Seahaven and a reality TV show like “The Bachelor," “Survivor," or “The Real World”?
3. During an interview, Christof states the following: "I have given Truman the chance to lead a normal life. The world, the place you live in, is the sick place. Seahaven is the way the world should be." Is Christof correct? What, if any, would be the benefits of living in Seahaven as opposed to the real world?
4. As Truman begins to piece together the falsity of the world that surrounds him, his view of Seahaven is radically altered. He starts to question and analyze all that he encounters. Can you think of a parallel in your own life that has changed the way you process the world?
5. When speaking of Truman, Christof states: "He could leave at any time. If this were anything more than a vague ambition, if he was absolutely determined to discover the truth, there is no way we could prevent him." Truman eventually does discover the true nature of his reality despite the strong efforts of Christof and the network. What does Truman’s triumph have to say about the role of free will in our lives?
6. When Truman finally exits Seahaven, what do you think it is that he expects to find on the other side of the door?