Please have “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” by Martin Luther King Jr., and “I Want a Wife,” by Judy Brady read in time for our next class (1/24/2011). We will be discussing both essays, so make sure to engage in active reading and take notes.
Here are some questions to direct your reading, which we’ll use as the basis for our in-class discussion on both texts:
- What issue(s) or problem(s) does the writer address?
- What’s the writer’s purpose?
- What is the writer trying to say? What is his/her main idea and what are his/her supporting ideas?
- How does the writer say it? What’s his/her tone, ethos (persona)? In what form is the piece written?
- Who is the author’s primary audience? Be specific; don’t just say “anyone who reads it.”
- Does the writer effectively communicate his/her message? Does he/she successfully communicate the intended message? How so?
- Was the piece worth saying? Why or why not.
You might consider posting your responses to your blog to ensure that you’re prepared for the in-class discussion.
