In-Class Writing:
America was founded as a haven, not only a land of opportunity, but also a land of compassion whose citizens, regardless of personal political beliefs, have a historic right to the pursuit of happiness and a moral responsibility to care for each other despite cultural and political differences.
For Kushner, the ability to feel compassion and love for others is a required element in living up to the ideal of American justice (liberty for all, all men are created equal, life, liberty and...). Without compassion there is no social justice.
Will loved ones abandon us in our hour of need? Has God, who religious faiths suggest loves all of humanity, abandoned his creations? At one point Louis says, "There are no angels in America, no spiritual past, no racial past, there's only the political."
Assignment: Identify a PAIR of characters and describe how their relationship shows a conflict due to a lack of compassion. How does this lack of compassion cause injustice on a personal level?
BRING TWO COPIES OF THE DRAFT, STAPLED
DRAFT DUE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2009 to include the following additional development:
DRAFT DUE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2009 to include the following additional development:
Develop your first response with details from the text of the play.
Show the relationship between the characters - say more than "they are husband and wife" or "mother and son" or "gay lovers." What is the nature of their relationship? How do they relate? If were asked to describe this "couple" to someone else who doesn't know them, what would you say?
Comment on the compassion. How does the couple show compassion toward one another? Is is loving and supportive? Combative and resentful?
Explain how an injustice - lack of justice - is created from the lack of compassion, lack of connection, disrespect and refusal to "see the light" or to accept the truth of their circumstances.
Share you own connection or disconnection with this couple. What do they have to teach you, if anything, about being more compassionate toward someone you love or to other people in general? If you have no connection - then it is a disconnection - what aspects of the couple, their conflict or their relationship are un-relatable to you?
Draft a paper using the ideas and "prompts" above - you may want to keep it organized and logical by addressing each one in order. Paper length is not nearly as important as INTELLIGENT THINGS TO SAY, SUPPORTED WITH TEXT FROM THE PLAY and GENUINE INTEREST IN WRITING A SMART PAPER (it will show in your writing!).
Show the relationship between the characters - say more than "they are husband and wife" or "mother and son" or "gay lovers." What is the nature of their relationship? How do they relate? If were asked to describe this "couple" to someone else who doesn't know them, what would you say?
Comment on the compassion. How does the couple show compassion toward one another? Is is loving and supportive? Combative and resentful?
Explain how an injustice - lack of justice - is created from the lack of compassion, lack of connection, disrespect and refusal to "see the light" or to accept the truth of their circumstances.
Share you own connection or disconnection with this couple. What do they have to teach you, if anything, about being more compassionate toward someone you love or to other people in general? If you have no connection - then it is a disconnection - what aspects of the couple, their conflict or their relationship are un-relatable to you?
Draft a paper using the ideas and "prompts" above - you may want to keep it organized and logical by addressing each one in order. Paper length is not nearly as important as INTELLIGENT THINGS TO SAY, SUPPORTED WITH TEXT FROM THE PLAY and GENUINE INTEREST IN WRITING A SMART PAPER (it will show in your writing!).
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