1.) Now that you have been introduced to the framework of this course and the basic principles of rhetoric, apply the elements of the Rhetorical Situation to the Joyce A. Joyce reading, “The Black Canon:  Deconstructing Black American Literary Criticism”. Respond to the reading with 2-3 brief, typed and proofread paragraphs including a summary of the main point(s), your perspective and insights, along with an analysis of the rhetorical situations using terminology from discussions, the handout and online articles. Conclude with an explanation of how this critical essay resonated with you and include a memorable quote, explaining its significance to the work and to you. 

African-American literature was exposed many years ago but, has become popular in the 1900s. Those were the years where many African-American creative writers would explore all the issues in all races. ” A mere glance at the representative works from the Black literary canon chosen by any means of selection reveals that the most predominant, recurring, persistent, and obvious theme in Black American literature is that of liberation from  the oppressive economic, social, political, and psychological strictures imposed on the Black man by white American”. These are Joyce A. Joyce words from her novel ” The Black Canon: Reconstructing Black American Literary Criticism. Her words explained why many Black American became creative writers. It is the way people would speak up without actually speaking physically. In her writing, she listed many creative writers and their words that has shaped our society today. Joyce A. Joyce wrote this novel to show the time structure of when these Black creative writers began and how their work is still being read today. She wrote about how writers like W.E.B.DuBois, Langston Huges, Martin Luther King, etc. wrote about different issues within their time but resulted in the same matter. They were often criticized by the opposite group due to their words targeting them but, as time went on more people began to listen in both groups and stand up. This is significant because if we didn’t have this work to reveal why these creative writers wrote what they wrote, we wouldn’t be able to know why we have the rights we have today and why we needed them. If this piece was not written by Joyce many people wouldn’t have seen how long creative writers were among us all these years.

2.) Now that you have read a few of the first poems published by African American writers and two examples of scholarly writing, as well as the rhetorical situation and the academic writing process, it is your turn to demonstrate your ability to craft an insightful, clear and well-organized response and summary of the poetry from your topic course. Use this DB post as a rough, rough draft of your Summary & Response Essay #1 in the Topic course with 3-4 paragraphs. Refer to the Assignment sheet on the Topic course’s Blackboard for specific instructions and due date for the final assignment. Select one or two of the poems and summarize their content, addressing the thesis, major themes and powerful imagery. Referring to the poetic analysis handout and terminology provided in class and online, respond to the work with your personal opinion as well as the rhetorical situation of the poetry.

Many African-American creative writers were not easily known for their hard work. Many of them had to write behind the white publishers and had to be told what to write about. Soon those creative writers realized that their voice had to be heard. They told deep stories and/or memories behind their writing. Most of their writing was aimed towards the Christians white people to show how they affected the minds of the people before. In “Bars Fight” by Lucy Terry and “On Being Brought from Africa to American” By Phillis Wheatley shows the African Americans were re-educated.

 Lucy Terry was an African American that was stolen from Africa as an infant and sold into slavery. She was basically born into the “white men brain”.She didn’t have anyone to really guide her into the right path in our history so everything that was told to her was basically false. When Lucy Terry wrote “Bars Fight” it was during the time where the Indians and the white families. ” August ‘Twas the twenty-fifth, Seventeen hundred forty-six; The Indians did in the ambush lay, The names of whom I’ll not leave out. Samuel Allen like a hero fout,”. This quote reveals that Terry was basically looking at her own people as they were the enemies and the whites were at no wrong. Throughout the poem, the author uses diction to reveal how she felt about both sides. She uses words like brave and hero to describe the whites that fought during that ambush and uses words like an ambush, killed, fight, grief, pain, and dead to explain what they Indians committed that day. Terry only agrees with that the whites told her to agree with because she basically has their mindset due to being surrounded by them her entire life. Through the use of the words, she has chosen for her poem she was able to help me visualize what had happened on that day. 

In “On Being Brought from African to America” by Phillis Wheatley the writer was able to reveal to the readers that it was a benefit being born into slavery. Unlike the other author, Wheatley knew what was going on during her time just like how she knew she was in the time of slavery. Wheatley was only eight-years-old when she was seized from her country into America. During that age, she knew what was going on but didn’t know how to think for herself. Being raised in that environment in such a young age took an impact on how she thought. ” Some view our stable race with scornful eye, “Their colour is a diabolic die.” Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain, May be refin’d and join the’ angelic train.”. Wheatly believed that listening to the white man was going to lead her into a good life and great afterlife. She believed that slavery was the reason how she found a “belief” and if she had never gone into slavery she wouldn’t have found what she was looking for all this time.

3.) Now that you’ve read a variety of poetic forms, consider the poetics of some of your favorite songs, the ballads and/or lyrics that move you. Select one of your favorite songs and compose a brief analysis of and response to the poetics. Be sure to use poetic terminology as you discuss some of the devices and artistry that make this song so significant to you. Make sure you let your audience know why this song is significant, and quote some of the lyrics to support your analysis. Include a citation or note that indicates the song’s creator(s), title, and album. 

Music is vocal or instrumental sounds ( or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion. The melody of the music can reveal the emotion behind it such as high, energetic music is usually a happy tone and low, smoothly music is usually a calm or sad tone. It was really difficult for me to pick my favorite song because each song puts me in a different mood and I listen to various types of music. One of my favorite songs is “ Meet me on the Battlefield ” by Svrcina. I would say this song is one of my favorites because of the message behind it along with the melody. “This song embraces fellowship and someone who’s altruistic, which is to sacrifice and to go out of your way for someone in the toughest battles that sometimes, you can’t win by yourself. Trying to change history and everything even if you fall down, because it’s not about winning every battle, it’s about winning the war.”. This quote comes from the artist herself explaining the meaning of the song.  I loved the way she explained the song because it helped me better understand how this is shown today because many people are scared to ask for help and by not doing that you’re back to where you began at. Additionally, I am in love with the melody because it puts me in the mood of the words she’s using. It is a soft, smoothing piano and all you hear is the piano beat never changing. She is conveying that society should work together if they are fighting for the same thing because thats the only way we would win and history would change.

4.) Now that you’ve read a variety of narrative and nonfiction pieces, select one (1) of the assigned readings and compose a brief analysis and response. Use related terminology to analyze the rhetorical situation and strategies employed, including literary devices. Be sure to include a significant quote or two, and address the significance to the work. Use in-text citations and be clear to identify the author and text.Post should be two to three (2-3) typed, proofread paragraphs and not exceed 400 words. Consider your word limit as your focus your analysis, condense your sentences and select language to be effective and concise.

In the novel “ Beloved” by Toni Morrison, the author explains a story of a woman named Sethe and her past life after she has escaped slavery. The purpose of the author writing this novel was to reveal that your past would never leave you, but the only thing you can do is to reflect on it and try to own up to those mistakes. The audience of this novel is for anyone but, mainly for people who can relate to trying to move on from their past but, can not also the people was has an interest in the background of slavery and it is evdient through American literature.From the beginning of her writing until the end, Morrison made it known that her message is being delivered to anyone after her time that would be able to read her story about Morrison uses major devices like flashback and allegory to convey that many people can not move on from their past because it is shown everyday through their life until they find a solution.  

Suspended between the nastiness of life and the meanness of the dead, she couldn’t get interested in leaving life or living it, let alone the fright of two creeping-off boys. Her past had been like her present–intolerable–and since she knew death was anything but forgetfulness, she used the little energy left her for pondering color.”. This quote reveals that the haunting manifestation of the ghost has led to Sethe two sons running away because of their mother’s past issues and now Sethe is left to reflect off the ghost because she has never resolve the thought of her killing of her daughter. She knew that in order for her sons to come back, she had to let go of the ghost of her past. Also in relation of this quote allegory is used to disclose that the ghost is actually a representation of Sethe’s past instead of a real ghost haunting them. In conclusion flashback and allegory is used to show how history is never absent without solving it out.Toni Morrison is narrating a story through a woman named Sethe that ghosts of the past would not go away because she hasn’t owned up to them yet. The ghost that is described in the novel is a representation of her history during her time in slavery. The ghost was Sethe daughter that Sethe has killed so she wouldn’t have to be in the struggles of slavery. Sethe believed that slavery was much worse than death but, that deision came to haunt in her in the future literally. Morrison uses flashback in her writing to flip back and forth from past to present time to reveal that Sethe problems had never left her. “   

5.) Now that you’ve read Ta-nehisi Coates’ “The Case for Reparations”, compose a cohesive, thoughtful rhetorical analysis and response.  Briefly summarize the article and his argument, addressing the rhetorical situation, strategies, and appeals used, as well as one or two literary devices. Explain whether or not you find his argument persuasive and why. Identify one section that you found to be particularly compelling or strong writing. Be sure to include a significant quote or two, and explain its importance. Use in-text citations.Post should be two to three (2-3) typed, proofread paragraphs and not exceed 400 words. Consider your word limit as your focus your analysis, condense your sentences and select language to be effective and concise.

The Case of Reparations  by TaNaehisi Coates, was written to explain the story about an African- American man named Clyde Ross and how he was affected by the Jim Crow laws in the South which resulted in him moving to the North for freedom. The purpose of the author writing this, is to explain the hardships that African Americans faced due to Jim Crow laws that prevented them from doing anything such as the segregation laws, African Americans purchasing homes, and also their education. The audience for this writing is anyone but specifically for American- Americans to learn the history of this time era in depth.

Ross had bought his house for $27,500. The seller, not the previous homeowner but a new kind of middleman, had bought it for only $12,000 six months before selling it to Ross. In a contract sale, the seller kept the deed until the contract was paid in full—and, unlike with a normal mortgage, Ross would acquire no equity in the meantime. If he missed a single payment, he would immediately forfeit his $1,000 down payment, all his monthly payments, and the property itself.”. This quote reveals that even when an African- American tries to move on, they can’t because the laws prevent them from doing that. Its comparing and contrasting the things you are able to do based on your skin color which isn’t right.  A literary device that was used was symbolism. Clyde Ross was the symbolism of wanting change. Although he was aware that African Americans were being taken advantage of, he decided to help the families that lost their money by buying homes on contract. Clyde Ross was a representation of wanting change for the African Americans. One rhetorical appeal that is used is logos. The author explains because of your skin color, it determines what you can or can’t do. Also, pathos is used to make the audience want to feel the sadness and anger Clyde Ross felt when he couldn’t do what he wanted because of the Jim Crow laws. The Kairos was the North and the South, Coates reveals through the character Clyde the differences between the North and the South by how he was treated and how the laws are unalike. Coates is narrating the story about a man named Clyde Ross experiencing the segregation of Jim Crow laws in the South that prevents him from doing the majority of things. Clyde later joins the military and comes to be treated the way he wants to be treated but that only lasted for a while when he tries to purchase a home and later realized he was taken for advantage. “