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Michael Mawdsley 

 

Major: Criminal Justice

I hope to gain a better understanding of American Literature.

 

Personal Online Presentation Material: Final Paper Daily Course Work

 

 

Personal Online Presentation Material:

Group Number: ---

Term: ---

 

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Final Paper

1. The Nineteenth Century in Print and Making of America Project: finding an artifact from after 1865

1. Find and identify an artifact from online databases above.

2. Find and identify three possible primary texts for your final paper (American literature written before 1865 that is not being studied in class) 

2.  Race, Sex, and Citizenship: Redefining America 

1. Think about the course theme of race, sex, and citizenship in ethnic American literature. In 3-5 paragraphs, define this theme/term (or some other theme from the course). What are the criteria for your theme/term? When and where do we see this theme/term being used (and how)?  

3.  Doing a Close Reading 

1. Select one passage from the text and do a close reading (3-5 paragraphs). The close reading should tie into the theme for the paper. 

4.  Making Connections: texts and artifacts 

1. Think about the course theme of American encounters. In 3-5 paragraphs, discuss how you see this theme (or some other theme from the course) developing in both your artifact and one of your primary texts 

5.  Secondary Sources 

1.  Create a list of possible sources (5 secondary, scholarly texts) from your annotated bibliography.

1.  See "Primary vs Secondary Sources" if you have questions about what constitutes secondary texts.  

2. Hollywood Heroism.pdf

3. Army Sniper Acquitted.pdf

    

6.  Thesis and Outline 

7.  Revising a Paper 

8.  Reflection Letter and Participation

 

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Daily Course Work 

 

•What was the main point of the article we read about short fiction: "The Remarkable Reinvention of Very Short Fiction"?

The main point of the article “The Remarkable Reinvention of Very Short Fiction” is, “iridescent insects” Iridescent insects are insects that have the ability to change color.

 

 

◦What EVIDENCE did the author give to support this claim?

The author supports his claim by comparing a novel to a mammal

•How does this relate to the short stories we read from Sudden Fiction?   

                We compare two things, or we compare a story to the definition of the American Hero.

•In "Cannibals and Explorers" - a MICROSTORY - Ana Maria Shua makes a commentary about the behavior of European explorers and in the New World. What is she saying? How does the condensed form of the microstory enhance her message (see The Remarkable Reinvention of Very Short Fiction for ideas about the power of these mini-stories)? 

In cannibal, I think Ana Maria Shua is implying that they are fakes.

•How does Fernando Benavidez's story "Montezuma, My Revolver" related the history of conflict between Native Americans and Europeans to the present? Why is this significant?

This goes back to early history where the native Americans land was taken over and they had to fight for it.

•Don Quixote is a satiric Spanish epic critiquing Spanish military and chivalric ideals (and actions). It was written by Miguel de Cervantes in the 1600s (as Spain sent conquistadors to plunder the New World).  What do you think Juan Martinez is saying about the relationship between modern life and the past in "Customer Service at the Karaoke Don Quixote"?

 

Juan Martinez is implying to give everything you have and to better yourself in everyday circumstances.

I have included links to videos and further information on the material for class today

 

 

 

 

Authors Questions

 

 

 

1. How is the map significant in this novel?
2. How does Majiro classify as a American hero?
3. Is it harder to have a nonfiction novel,  than a fiction novel about the American hero?
4. Does this genre fit into the American hero discussion?
5. What exactly is the details of the genre in this novel?

 

Friday Discussion Questions & Answers  

 

1. Would he rather live in Japan or the U.S. and why does he make the decision(s) to live where he does?

                The United States has greater opportunities in the 19^th century as it does today in the 21^st century. I believe Manjiro would rather have more opportunities in the United States than he would in Japan.

2. How does Manjiro relate to the ocean (use the map above and the text)?

                Manjiro relates to the ocean as maybe good things come from the ocean. When reading the text, I found that he likes to be near the ocean. Manjiro has a map showing all the places he has gone. The map is full of Red color showing the journey has traveled.

3. If the roles were switched, could Manjiro have been as successful?

                This is a good question, a part of me says yes and a part of me says no. But I will go with no, especially in the 21^st century because in todays world so many people are too busy working all the time and they are not getting anything out of life. Most Americans are not into all the adventuring where in some other countries, the “Norm” is to go and adventure out. I do not think this book would have been successful in America.  This book is not really known in the United States.

4. Give two examples of continuity in Manjiro's experiences and relationships with people in different places.

                Manjiro basically does his own thing and tell others how it is. He does not sugar coat anything.

 

 

 

 

American Hero Definition

 

I believe the American hero is someone who gives their life everyday for other people. Law Enforcement, military personnel, and all public servants are my definition of a American hero.  

 

 

 

"American Sniper" (Book)

 

My book, “American Sniper” fits right in with the topic of American Hero.  A Hero is an ordinary person who faces extraordinary circumstances and acts with, courage, honor, and self-sacrifice. That is described to be my character in the book. When reading in “American Sniper” Chris Kyle, tells us about how he was the watch dog over many military troops.  To be the watch dog over all these troops is incredible. It is up to him to have his eyes peeled and to watch people back.

 

 

 

 

American Sniper Artifact (Library of Congress)

 

 

 

https://www.loc.gov/item/2006677473/ 

 

Artifact                                                       Main Text

Relaxed                                   Some parts of the text stated that a shooter needs to be relaxed

In some sort of uniform                                                                                          Dressed in Uniform

Using the help of dogs            Snipers traveled in groups of two. One shooter and one spotter

In a group of two                                            Camo was important to wear while overseas in Iraq

The clothing goes with the scenery                                                    Main text was in the 2000s

Picture looks like it is from the 1800s                        Shooting was not for fun, but for a mission

It is a shooting sport where the hunters shoot for fun

Looks like it does not take much skill                                     Important to have skill as a Sniper

Very Classical picture                                                 Was not a very nice place during the time of the Operation  of Iraq Freedom (OIF)[IBP1]

 

 

 

Rough Draft

 

Michael Mawdsley

4-14-2016

American Sniper Rough Draft

 

 

 

 

 

Throughout the book of American sniper Chris Kyle has battled many areas of his life. Growing up he wasn't sure what he wanted to be. He was born and raised in the state of Texas into a strong Christian family. His dad was a Deacon in their local church. He grew up with a younger brother. Both of the boys loved the outdoors and always wanted to be outside. When Chris Kyle was a young kid he began to participant I local bull riding competitions where he says that he would go down to the local bull riding facility and pay twenty dollars. ( You did good introducing the story of the american sniper)Twenty dollars was the minimum and the standard payment. It was twenty dollars for everyone, whether you stayed on the bull for 5 minuets or stayed in there for 5 seconds. Chris Kyle started to become successful in bull riding and his twenty dollars would go a lot further in the night.

When he became older all he wanted to do was ride a bull. In his late teens, Chris Kyle started entering into these different competitions and became very good at it. All he wanted to do was to become a rancher in Texas. Chris Kyle absolutely loved his country and was the definition of an American country man. Growing up he would do anything for people and he would get in several fights in school because his brother was getting bullied. Everyone younger than him in high school would be intimidated by him, in a good way, because they knew that he was on their side. Chris Kyle was a hero in the making. Chris Kyle wanted to be great and one day he woke up wanting to do someone other than ranching on the farm in Texas. He wanted to join the United States military. Chris Kyle always wanted to push him self to be better than everyone and to be elite at everything he did. He knew know that he wanted to join the armed forces and some Elite group of the military.( I feel like you talk about chris kyle background alot)

 Chris Kyle walked into the Armed Forces Recruiting Facility in Texas, not knowing anything about the military. All he knew is that he lived his country. Walking into the recruiting offices he first stepped into the United States Marine Corps office and started talking about how he wanted to be apart of the force recon unit, which is the elite group for the Marines Corps. After he talked to the United States Army recruiter. Chris Kyle wanted to be part of an elite group so he started talking to him and Army recruiter said you can be part of the Army Rangers which is the most elite group of the United States Army. Chris Kyle was set on becoming a United States Army Ranger until after he met with the recruiter he stepped into the United States Navy recruiting office. The United States Navy officer told him about the SEALS.

The Navy has an elite group called the seals which they are a small group of mean who undergo a intense and extreme trading called BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition Scuba). After Chris Kyle meet with these United States armed forces recruiters he knew and had his mind set on the United States Navy to become a SEAL. He didn't want to be part of the Navy at all if it wasn't for the SEALS. After a while half past Chris call receive the call on his cell phone from the Navy recruiter. The Navy recruiter has looked at Chris Kyle’s background and information and found that he had surgery on his arms the required him to have pins and rods put in. When the Navy Recruiter called Chris and told him the news that he will not be allowed to join the Navy because of his previous surgeries in his arm from the times he was bull riding and a bull stepped on his arm and crushed it. Chris Kyle was so devastated from the news, all he wanted to do was to serve his country because he lived it so much. Chris Kyle moved to his cousin’s ranch in Colorado and started doing the same thing he loved to do, which was ranching. Until one day he went out on the ranch I received a call from the United States Navy. The United States Navy recruiter call Chris Kyle out of the blue and asked him if he still had intentions of becoming the United States Navy seal.( American Sniper seems like a good topic but I need a little more)

Chris Kyle stated that he did, and never wanted to do anything more in his life. Chris Kyle headed back to Texas to meet up with the Navy recruiter. Chris called shipped out a few weeks after to undergo an intense training. Kyle think God every day for giving him this opportunity again because he loved American with his whole heart and wanted to protect it. As a kid he grew up playing with guns and shooting. Chris Kyle says that he is so blessed that God called him back to become this. Reading American sniper, I found that Chris Kyle was a very humble guy and did not brag on his achievements.

He wrote this book to tell everyone what exactly went on, he didn't write this book to brag about that he had about 160 kills. Did Chris Kyle write this book for himself, so he could see that he was a hero, or did he wrote this book for others and loved ones to know he was a hero?

 

Rubric

 

For the Final Project Rough Draft Workshop, begin by copying and pasting the rubric below onto YOUR wiki page with the rough draft of your paper. Remember, if BOTH the paper and the rubric are directly pasted to the wiki, it's a LOT easier for your reviewers.

 

Try to leave as many comments as I did on the paper above for your paper here.

 

Name (paper): ___________Michael Mawdsley____________

Name (reviewer 1): ______Marlon Short (On paper)( orange)___________________ 

Name (reviewer 2): _________________________

American Literature I Final Paper Rubric

 

	Satisfactory	Unsatisfactory	Comments
Organization	Strong thesis at the conclusion of the introduction to guide the paper. Thesis connected and supported in all body paragraphs. Thesis makes a strong argument about a single theme or idea using the primary text and artifact. Discussion of the primary text and artifact is coherent and succinct.	Thesis is vague or spread throughout the introduction and the paper. Thesis is not clearly connected to all body paragraphs. Thesis does not make a strong argument about the primary text and/or artifact.
Close Reading	Analyzes the theme of the American hero in or through a primary text and artifact. Close reading brings the primary text and artifact together in meaningful ways. Places close reading in conversation with secondary sources. Summarizes and paraphrases evidence from the primary text to support the close reading (only using direct quotes when it is necessary to analyze the language).	Does not clearly analyze a theme from American Literature in or through a primary text and/or artifact. Close reading does not relate the primary text and artifact in meaningful ways (although it may discuss both separately). Does not situate close reading among secondary sources. Primarily summarizes the text or quotes it (rather than analyzing it).
Support (Research)	Integrates support from secondary sources to support close reading. Creates a clear conversation with secondary sources (without being overpowered by them). Uses strong evidence from secondary sources. Summarizes and paraphrases evidence except when quotations are necessary.	Does not integrate support from secondary sources. Argument is either overpowered or disconnected from secondary sources. Evidence from secondary sources is not clearly connected with the argument. Uses unnecessary quotes from the secondary source.
Pre-Writing	Completed all pre-writing activities on-time (including conferences and rough draft workshop)	Did not complete all pre-writing activities on-time.
Presentation	Addresses the main points of the paper in a succinct and engaging way. Interactive and creative online presentation with text and visual elements (NOT a power point)	Does not address the main points of the paper. Is not interactive or online. Does not include text and/or visual elements.

 

Final Draft

 

Michael Mawdsley

4-24-2016

American Literature

Final Draft

 

American Sniper

 

     Throughout the book of American Sniper, Chris Kyle battled many areas of his life. Growing up, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do. He was born and raised in the state of Texas to a healthy Christian family. His dad was a Deacon in their local church. He also grew up with a younger brother. Both of the boys loved the outdoors and always wanted to be outside. When Chris Kyle was a young kid, he began to participate in local bull riding competitions where he says that he would go down to the local bull riding facility and pay the minimum standard payment of twenty dollars. It was twenty dollars for everyone, whether you stayed on the bull for five minutes or stayed in there for 5 seconds. Chris Kyle started to become successful in bull riding, and his twenty dollars would go a lot further in the night. Chris Kyle began entering into these different competitions and became excellent at it. Chris knew now he wanted to be a rancher in Texas. Chris Kyle bled Red, White, and Blue and was an exact definition of an American countryman. Chris Kyle wanted to be great and one day he woke up wanting to do someone other than ranching on the farm in Texas. Chris wanted to join the United States military. He always wanted to push himself to be better than everyone and to be elite at everything he did. He knew that he wanted to join the armed forces and some elite group of the military. In this book, Chris Kyle is working on the balance of success and failure and is struggling to understand himself as a hero in practice that began as the sport and became life and death.

     During Chris Kyle's life, he has gone through the journey of a hero. The journey of a hero starts with the call to adventure, Supernatural aid, Threshold Guardians, Threshold (beginning of transformation), Challenges and temptations, Revelation, Transformation, Atonement, and Return. Walking into the recruiting offices he first stepped into the United States Marine Corps office and started talking about how he wanted to be a part of the force recon unit, which is the special forces for the Marines Corps. After he spoke to the United States Army recruiter. Chris Kyle wanted to be part of an elite group, and an Army recruiter said you can be part of the Army Rangers, which is the most elite group of the United States Army. Chris Kyle had his heart set on becoming a United States Army Ranger until after he met with the recruiter he stepped into the United States Navy recruiting office. The United States Navy officer told him about the SEALS.

     The Navy has a special operations group called the seals. They are a small group of men who undergo an intense and extreme trading called BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/Scuba). After Chris Kyle meet with these United States armed forces recruiters he knew and had his mind set on the United States Navy to become a SEAL. He didn't want to be part of the Navy at all if it wasn't for the SEALS. After a while, he received the call from the Navy recruiter. The Navy recruiter has looked at Chris Kyle's background and information and found that he had surgery on his arms the required him to have pins and rods put in. When the Navy Recruiter called Chris and told him the news that he will not be allowed to join the Navy because of his previous surgeries in his arm from the times, he was bull riding and a bull stepped on his arm and crushed it. Chris Kyle was so devastated by the news, all he wanted to do was to serve his country because he loved it so much. Chris Kyle moved to his cousin's ranch in Colorado and started doing the same thing he loved to do, which was ranching. Until one-day Chris went out on the farm, I received a call from the United States Navy. The United States Navy recruiter called Chris Kyle out of the blue and asked him if he still had intentions of becoming the United States Navy seal.

     Chris Kyle stated that he did, and never wanted to do anything more in his life. Chris Kyle headed back to Texas to meet up with the Navy recruiter. Chris called shipped out a few weeks after to undergo an intense training. Kyle thanked God every day for giving him this opportunity again because he loved American with his whole heart and wanted to protect it. As a kid, he grew up playing with guns, and playing soldiers, and so it was no wonder that he would want to join the military. Chris Kyle says that he is so blessed that God called him back to become a Navy Seal.

     Patriotism is heroism, which means risking it all for people you do not even know. Patriotism is meaningful symbolism and often has comfort and inspiration for hurting people. It also means the community which is an ethic of service beyond one time expressions of support. Patriotism rejects the state of mind in which one anticipates undesirable outcomes or beliefs that the evil or hardships in life outweigh the good or luxuries. It values judgments that may vary dramatically between individuals, even when judgments of fact are undisputed (Zavaliy). Chris Kyle was the definition of patriotism; he went into the United States Military knowing that he will defend the constitution of the United States. Being a sniper, Chris Kyle did not know a lot of the guys he was protecting because they were in a different branch of the armed forces, but he was aware that they were a family, and he had to protect his guys. Patriotism does have comfort; Chris Kyle was comfortable around his team; he showed him in a selfless manner that he will always protect his team.   

     “Our data suggest that their responses were connecting to their sense of patriotism and American identity, which, along with this tragedy, was interpreted through a racialized framework” (Alter). On September 11, 2001, hundreds of thousands of people were killed in the United States that morning. On September 11th three commercial airlines were hijacked by individuals who were investigated to be terrorist. These people wanted to take America down to nothing. So they crashed the planes they hijacked into the industrial buildings of America, which were the World Trade Centers, and then the other plane flew into the side of the United States Pentagon.

      The United States Pentagon represents the military power that we have in this great country. After the devastating day on September 11th, America grew as one and became one unit. The emergence of displays of the American flag and billboards and handmade signs reading "United We Stand" and "God Bless America" seemed to reveal an esprit de corps that touched all Americans. Echoing similar sentiments expressed on television and radio, an October 1 Newsweek headline proclaimed, "The New Shape of Patriotism: Still Shocked, We're All Patriots Now" (Alter). Chris Kyle was just that. Chris Kyle had God number one, following God he had is country. Chris knew that he could do all things through Christ. After the September 11th attack, he was aware that the country he loved, needed him. The United States was one and that we were all patriots, regardless of what ethnic group you were in, and regardless of what type of people you associated with. Everyone had one thing in common, and that was, being an American Patriot.

      An article that talks about "Hollywood Heroism" and basically, what is it? Hollywood heroism is Hollywood's definition of saying that things that happen in movies are usually not right. Like in the movie Superman, where he stops a whole plane in the air and saves everyone's life, that is a definition of Hollywood's heroism. No way in life can anyone have that much strength to stop an aircraft. A lot of times, Hollywood makes movies for the viewer to see the action, but in Chris Kyle's life, it was the real thing, where every day involved work. This is an empire steeped in extreme violence, willing to trample over any country in the name of the war on terrorism, and leave in its path massive amounts of misery, suffering, dislocation, and hardship. It is also an empire built on the backs of young men and women, though only men are featured, who are relentlessly engaged in buying into the myths of American military masculinity. “Kyle is portrayed as an unstoppable and unapologetic killing machine, a sniper who was proud of his exploits.”(Giroux).

      Chris Kyle is described to be a "sheepdog" because of his "superhuman" desire to serve and to kill a threat. In his case, the threat was the Iraqis who acted like the wolves, and the sheep were the Americans. The sheepdog serves as a protector of the sheep from the enemy of the wolf. The sheep and sheepdogs may not get along sometimes, but at the end of the day, they will always be on the same side. “American Sniper is less about a lone wolf vigilante than it is symptomatic of a much larger and secret killing machine” (Giroux)

      One article I found talks about an Army Solider was charged for "war murder." War murder occurs when someone in the armed forces kills an innocent person during the time of war. If the other person does not show any threat and an armed United States officer, kills that person, then they may be charged with war murder. In Chris Kyle's case, he was never accused of that. He had to submit paperwork at the end of each day, to make sure all of his kills were witnessed and recorded. The United States Military only gives credit for those number of kills. In Chris Kyle's case, it was 160 kills. If this occurred, the military has in hold an ACTA. An ACTA is a liability for aiding and where liability can exist in "facilitating the commission of human rights violations by providing the principal with the tools, instrumentalities, or services to commit those violations with an actual or constructive knowledge that those tools, and instrumentalities (American Internal Law).

      Chris Kyle had a challenging life; he grew up shooting guns, farming and hunting. He first went into bull riding and had some few injuries which some of them resulted in surgeries. After bull riding, Chris Kyle tried to join the military. At first, that did not work out, so he went back to ranching. Chris Kyle was born to serve his country, and when he did not reenlist into the military, he made sure he fixed all the problems that were going on in his family. An article I read stated, "An American warrior was not the mercenary or regular soldier, but an original farmer or hunter that had their closeness to God and nature" (Adams). Chris Kyle’s character held very true to this quote. He was an American hero, who gave his life serving the country he loves, and protecting the freedoms that we hold so dearly. He was not a flashy movie poster hero, but a down to earth kind of man. He gives us an example to prove that anyone can be a hero.

 

 

Works Cited

Adams, Michael C. C. Echoes of War: A Thousand Years of Military History in Popular Culture. Lexington, KY: U of Kentucky, 2002. Print

Alter, Jonathan. "The New Shape Of Patriotism." Newsweek 138.14 (2001): 63. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

"Army Snipers Acquitted of Murder Charges in Killings of Iraqis Using Disputed Tactics". The American Journal of International Law 102.1 (2008): 185–186. Web

Giroux, Henry A. America's Addiction to Terrorism. Monthly Review, NYU, 2016. Print.

Zavaliy, Andrei G., and Michael Aristidou. "Courage: A Modern Look At An Ancient Virtue." Journal Of Military Ethics 13.2 (2014): 174-189. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

 

 

 

Mawdsley Final Presentation

 

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 [IBP1]