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Cade Mullins

4/14/16

American Lit

 

Larry Bird: An American Hero

 

                As kids we all wanted to be a hero and save the world or be a hero and make a major change in the world. When we grow up we tend to lose this. We tend to think that we can’t be a “hero” anymore. When in reality, even in our culture and world today, we all can be a hero! Now I’m not talking about wearing a cape and fighting bad guys like superman, fighting crime all over the world like the Justice League, or protecting a city like batman. We all can be an American hero and make a massive difference! An American hero is someone who is morally good, tough, brave, courageous, and compassionate. An American hero is someone who inspires others to dream and to reach for the stars. The American Dream and typological heroic journey melt together.This would be a great place to include secondary scholarship (or just outside sources) to support your definition.  In the biography ----, X presents Larry Bird as an American hero because he does A, B, and C. 

                Now an American hero isn’t necessarily a really famous person. Its everyday people that walk the streets and live around us. It’s the people we look up to, the people who inspire us to go beyond, the people who make us want to be better, and the people who make us want to make a difference. One person that inspires me, that makes me want to make a difference, that makes me want to be better, is Larry Bird. I believe that Larry Bird’s life and basketball career symbolizes what it means to be an American hero.

               X presents Bird's life through the typological heroic journey modeled/outlined by (Vladmirr Propp or Picture/artist).  Throughout Bird’s life we see what is called the “Heroes journey” The Heroes journey in Bird’s (Heroic) journey to becoming a hero. It’s his “Call to Adventure”, “Threshold”, “Challenges and Temptations”, “Abyss”, “Atonement”, and his “Return.” Bird’s Heroes  (Heroic)  Journey is his journey to becoming an icon, an inspiration, someone you look up to, someone who symbolizes what it means to be an American Hero.

X uses Bird's humble beginning to make his "Call to Action" more significant.... 

                Larry Bird was born on December 7, 1956 in West Baden Springs, Indiana to Joe and Georgia Bird. He was the fourth child out of six and was raised in the small town of French Lick. Bird came from humble beginnings, being a country boy. The town he was raised in had fallen on hard times by the time Bird arrived. The Bird family always struggled to make ends meet. They had enough coal to stay warm, but many nights the old furnace would break down. (What is the significance of a daily struggle in the heroic journey - or is this an American Dream moment?)

Larry played all sorts of sports including baseball and softball. Bird however, did not settle on basketball as his primary sport until he was in high school, when it was soon found out that he excelled at the sport. When Bird was in high school, he played guard during his sophomore and junior years. At the time, he didn’t really show any great ability. By his senior year Bird had grown to 6 feet 7 inches and was a key player on his high school basketball team. By the time he graduated in 1974, he had become the all-time leading scorer. Bird’s basketball prowess is what would call him to adventure and kick start his hero’s journey.

                Bird earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Indiana because of his basketball prowess. He only lasted 24 days at the college. Bird felt uncomfortable with the size of the school and the lack of emotion they had. So he withdrew from school and returned to French Lick and enrolled in junior college there. However, within two months he had dropped out again.

                Around this time Bird faced one of his toughest battles yet. His father, Joe, had committed suicide. It was at this time, after this tragedy, that bird decided to go back to college. This time however, he enrolled at Indiana State. Bird felt that he could help the basketball team so he joined. He had to sit out his first season due to rules having to do with players moving from one school to another. When Bird was allowed to play he helped the Sycamores to a 25-3 record, their best in almost thirty years. He soon became one of the most talked about players in the country. Unlike a lot of players, he shared his fame with his teammates on and off the court.

After Bird’s junior year of college he was selected the sixth overall pick in the NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. Bird, however, chose to return to Indiana State for one more year. He led the Sycamores to the NCAA championship game against the Michigan State Spartans. It’s at this time that Bird begins to go through a transformation and meets his mentor/helper.

                It’s in the championship game that Bird would start to really transform into what he would become, a legendary basketball star. It is also where he would meet his mentor/helper/rival, ErvIn “Magic” Johnson. The championship game would be the first time the two star players would face each other head-to-head. This began a friendship and rivalry that would span both players’ careers. Bird and his team lost to Johnson in the championship game, but Bird would leave Indiana State that year with the USBWA College Player of the Year Award, the Naismith Award and the Wooden Award.

                Bird then would sign with the Celtics, and right out of the gate he took the NBA by storm as a rookie, averaged 21.3 points per game and claimed rookie of the year honors in the 1979-80 season. The following season, Bird led the Celtics to the championship game, where they defeated the Houston Rockets. After two years in the NBA Bird was already known for his consistent scoring and tenacious defense. Bird developed a reputation of a crazy smart player, being able to anticipate his opponent’s moves ahead of time. His concentration and composure was unrivaled as well. Bird also established himself as one of the most driven and unshakable players in the NBA.

                Larry Bird played 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics. Bird won 3 championships, made the All-star team 12 times, for three straight years bird was named NBA MVP, and he scored a milestone 20,000 points. Through his 13 seasons, Bird battle injury. However, he never would quit. Larry kept fighting and kept playing.

                Larry Bird started out from humble beginnings as a simple country boy, to rising to be one of the best basketball players in history. He also battled injury and played harder than most all other players. It’s Bird’s determination, hard work, his fighting spirit, and his toughness that makes him an American hero. Larry Bird showed everyone that where you come from means nothing. He showed that just because you come from a small town doesn’t mean you cannot do big things. This is why Larry Bird symbolizes what it means to be an American hero.

 

 

Rubric

 

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

 

Name (paper): _______________________

Name (reviewer 1): _________Michael Mawdsley________________ 

Name (reviewer 2): MyKenzie Roach_________________________

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.	The organization of the paper is fairly well. I liked how you included that Heroic Journey of Larry bird and went into detail about it. I also enjoyed that you gave a brief summary, or short paragraphs about Larry Bird's background. ___________________________ MR:  Good description of American hero.  Thesis stays on a single theme.
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).	There is not much of a close reading done, besides giving statistics about Larry Bird. ___________________________ MR:  Artifact is not posted so  the primary text and artifact cannot be related as of yet.
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.	Very good research from your book.     ____________________________ MR:  Arguement is not overpowered, but secondary sources needs a little more connection.
Pre-Writing	Completed all pre-writing activities on-time (includingconferences and rough draft workshop)	Did not complete all pre-writing activities on-time.	All assignments are not yet complete.
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.	Online presentation not complete at this time.

 

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Final Conferences

 

I will be giving you MY feedback during conferences next week. 

 

Be sure to sign up for one of the conference times on the wiki here: CONFERENCES (also located on COURSE). Remember, conferences will be held in MY OFFICE (Rish Hall 002). Please remember to arrive a few minute early so that conferences can run on-time (we do not have any time to go over or make up missed conferences). 

 

You will receive THREE DAYS of attendance credit for you 10-minute conference! 

 

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.  

6.  Thesis and Outline 

7.  Revising a Paper 

8.  Reflection Letter and Participation

 

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Final Paper

Larry Bird: An American Hero

 

                As kids we all wanted to be a hero and save the world or be a hero and make a major change in the world. When we grow up we tend to lose this. We tend to think that we can’t be a “hero” anymore. When in reality, even in our culture and world today, we all can be a hero! Now I’m not talking about wearing a cape and fighting bad guys like superman, fighting crime all over the world like the Justice League, or protecting a city like batman. We all can be an American hero and make a massive difference! An American hero is someone who is morally good, tough, brave, courageous, and compassionate. An American hero is someone who inspires others to dream and to reach for the stars. Mark Shaw presents Larry Bird as an American hero because he characterizes the everyday struggle that the majority of people go through today, he embodies the dreamer that is in every American, and he shows us that anything is possible.

                Now an American hero isn’t necessarily a really famous person. Its everyday people that walk the streets and live around us. It’s the people we look up to, the people who inspire us to go beyond, the people who make us want to be better, and the people who make us want to make a difference. One person that inspires me, that makes me want to make a difference, that makes me want to be better, is Larry Bird. I believe that Larry Bird’s life and basketball career symbolizes what it means to be an American hero.

             Mark Shaw presents Bird’s life through the typological heroic journey modeled/outlined by Vladmirr Propp. Throughout Bird’s life we see what is called the “Heroes journey” Bird’s heroic journey to becoming a hero consists of  his “Call to Adventure”, “Threshold”, “Challenges and Temptations”, “Abyss”, “Atonement”, and his “Return.” Bird’s heroic journey is his journey to becoming an icon, an inspiration, someone you look up to, and someone who symbolizes what it means to be an American Hero.

               Mark Shaw uses Bird’s humble beginning to make his “Call to Action” more significant. Larry Bird was born on December 7, 1956 in West Baden Springs, Indiana to Joe and Georgia Bird. He was the fourth child out of six and was raised in the small town of French Lick. Bird came from humble beginnings, being a country boy. The town he was raised in had fallen on hard times by the time Bird arrived. The Bird family always struggled to make ends meet. They had enough coal to stay warm, but many nights the old furnace would break down. This is significant because it characterizes the struggle that the iconic hero goes through, like superman.

Larry played all sorts of sports including baseball and softball. Bird however, did not settle on basketball as his primary sport until he was in high school, when it was soon found out that he excelled at the sport. When Bird was in high school, he played guard during his sophomore and junior years. At the time, he didn’t really show any great ability. By his senior year Bird had grown to 6 feet 7 inches and was a key player on his high school basketball team. By the time he graduated in 1974, he had become the all-time leading scorer. Bird’s basketball prowess is what would call him to adventure and kick start his hero’s journey.

                Bird earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Indiana because of his basketball prowess. He only lasted 24 days at the college. Bird felt uncomfortable with the size of the school and the lack of emotion they had. So he withdrew from school and returned to French Lick and enrolled in junior college there. However, within two months he had dropped out again.

                Around this time Bird faced one of his toughest battles yet. His father, Joe, had committed suicide. It was at this time, after this tragedy, that bird decided to go back to college. This time however, he enrolled at Indiana State. Bird felt that he could help the basketball team so he joined. He had to sit out his first season due to rules having to do with players moving from one school to another. When Bird was allowed to play he helped the Sycamores to a 25-3 record, their best in almost thirty years. He soon became one of the most talked about players in the country. Unlike a lot of players, he shared his fame with his teammates on and off the court.

After Bird’s junior year of college he was selected the sixth overall pick in the NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. Bird, however, chose to return to Indiana State for one more year. He led the Sycamores to the NCAA championship game against the Michigan State Spartans. It’s at this time that Bird begins to go through a transformation and meets his mentor/helper.

                It’s in the championship game that Bird would start to really transform into what he would become, a legendary basketball star. It is also where he would meet his mentor/helper/rival, Ervin “Magic” Johnson. The championship game would be the first time the two star players would face each other head-to-head. This began a friendship and rivalry that would span both players’ careers. Bird and his team lost to Johnson in the championship game, but Bird would leave Indiana State that year with the USBWA College Player of the Year Award, the Naismith Award and the Wooden Award.

                Bird then would sign with the Celtics, and right out of the gate he took the NBA by storm as a rookie, averaged 21.3 points per game and claimed rookie of the year honors in the 1979-80 season. The following season, Bird led the Celtics to the championship game, where they defeated the Houston Rockets. After two years in the NBA Bird was already known for his consistent scoring and tenacious defense. Bird developed a reputation of a crazy smart player, being able to anticipate his opponent’s moves ahead of time. His concentration and composure was unrivaled as well. Bird also established himself as one of the most driven and unshakable players in the NBA.

                Larry Bird played 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics. Bird won 3 championships, made the All-star team 12 times, for three straight years bird was named NBA MVP, and he scored a milestone 20,000 points. Through his 13 seasons, Bird battle injury. However, he never would quit. Larry kept fighting and kept playing.

                Larry Bird started out from humble beginnings as a simple country boy, to rising to be one of the best basketball players in history. He also battled injury and played harder than most all other players. It’s Bird’s determination, hard work, his fighting spirit, and his toughness that makes him an American hero. Larry Bird showed everyone that where you come from means nothing. He showed that just because you come from a small town doesn’t mean you cannot do big things. This is why Larry Bird symbolizes what it means to be an American hero.

 

Shaw, Mark. Larry Legend. Lincolnwood, IL: Masters, 1998. Print.

Truvianni, Gianni. Larry Bird vs. Earvin "Magic" Johnson. Print.

Storman, Howard. Larry Bird: The Ultimate Celtic Pride. Print.

 

 

Daily Course Work