Finding and Understanding Argument

Part one

1.What is your most significant writing challenge?

2.Adapt a text to reflect current conditions and reflect on the impact of the changes on the theme: Time can now be divided neatly, almost, between pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19. Films, series, and texts, produced prior to the outbreak, remind us of this. Any story we read or watch can be a painful reminder of how much is changing. Characters are dancing, hugging or shaking hands, and talking to each other in public places; characters are having children, weddings, funerals, parties, and other gatherings surrounded by family and friends. Some people find it comforting to be immersed in that world, while others find these moments upsetting, a reminder of the way things used to be and may never be again. How do you feel? So, here’s your task:

1.Select a text: film, series, game, novel, play, or short story. Provide the title and link to information about it.

2.Rewrite one scene from the selected text, considering what needs to change for it to be realistic in our current situation (that is, the viral pandemic and the lockdown) but try to retain the original essential themes and meaning.

1.Note: Here is a short article about writing scenes. You do NOT need to read the article closely, but it contains examples of how you might approach presenting your scene, if you need help with this.

3.Then, write two or so paragraphs about:

1.How making the changes made you feel about your choices/options.

2.How the changes you made impacted the flow or narrative of the story, film, or series.

Part 2

Please select a documentary from the following site: PBS Frontline Films. Or, access the link via https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/watch/.

1.You must select a documentary that is longer than 50 minutes.

2.**No one may select the same documentary film–so, select early and post the title of and link to your documentary in the “Title” field ASAP–you can always come back and edit/complete your post by the deadline.

In one discussion post, respond to the questions and prompts below. Please also make sure to provide the title of and link to your selected film.

1.What is the central topic or set of related topics of the PBS Frontline video?

2.What is the central question or set of questions asked by the narrators/interviewers/creators of the PBS Frontline video?

3.What is the thesis or central claim of the PBS Frontline video?

4.What specific visual elements of the PBS Frontline video contribute to your understanding of the thesis or central claim?

5.What evidence is used by the PBS Frontline video to support its thesis or central claim?

6.Is the PBS Frontline video convincing? Why?

7.Is the PBS Frontline video compelling or interesting? Why?

8.How does the information contained in the video relate to or impact your community (however you define it)?

Note: Respond to two of your peers’ analyses by the deadline.

Make sure to note shared interests and communities as well as comment on the information your peers provide about the documentary film they’ve selected, i.e., Do you see and understand what they have seen/understood? What might you add to their analyses? How are their films and analyses similar and dissimilar to your own?