Seminars

Seminar paper #1
E98

Directions for First Seminar—due Fri., 4/13

Read: Touching the Void, ch. 6

Plan on reading this chapter twice. Time yourself on how long it will take you to read one page and then multiply by number of pages (approx. 20). This will give you an idea of how much time you should budget for your reading. If you read one page in two minutes, then you will need about an hour, at a minimum, to read through this chapter once.

As you read, you should underline, highlight, note in the margin, or index in a reading journal or on blank pages at the end of the book passages, specific terms, sentences, or paragraphs that strike you as important, interesting, confusing, or simply those you want to share with others in the seminar.

Make a list of new words, names, phrases that you looked up in a dictionary. A good reader will have a dictionary available, and look up several words in each section of reading. (taut (p.98) = tightly drawn/tense) Hint: there’s a dictionary of climbing terms in the back of the book.

Your objective is more than just getting through these pages and more than just a passive read to generally familiarize yourself with the topic. Rather your purpose should be to explore this work to see what you can discover or what the author would want you to underline.

To make the seminar work, you will need to be able to point to specific passages and explain in your own words what they mean and why they are important.

Seminar Preparations Paper—to be typed and turned in:

1. Make a list of words you needed to look up in a dictionary and be ready to explain them to your seminar group.
2. Prioritize five of the most important passages you underlined, marking them #1, 2, 3, etc.
3. Choose the 3 quotes you found most interesting/complex/worthy of discussion and copy out exactly including quote marks and page number. Format this in the Modern Language Association (MLA) in-text citation method using the author’s last name and page number in parenthesis after the quote marks but before the period. For example, “Climbing is tough.” (Simpson 47).
4. Finally, in a good paragraph explain what each of these quotes mean in your own words and why you think they are important. If the quote was confusing, work out some possibilities as to its meaning. Ask a further question. Explain what it shows about the characters or the situation.

EXAMPLE:

“For over two hours we had acted as if nothing had happened. We had a silent agreement. It needed time to work itself out. We both knew the truth; it was very simple. I was injured and unlikely to survive. Simon could get down alone. While I waited on his actions, it felt as if I was holding something terrifyingly fragile and precious. If I asked Simon to help, I might lose this precious thing” (Simpson 79).

This passage describes Joe’s reaction to Simon after breaking his leg. Joe knows that generally speaking, a climber in his position is likely to die. He knows that Simon can leave him and survive, but that he wouldn’t be able to survive without Simon. This changes their entire relationship. They used to be partners and now, one person has more of the power and responsibility. Joe is afraid to approach the subject because if he speaks, he’s afraid that this delicate balance might be broken. It’s so strange to think that not communicating about each person’s thoughts and fears would make him feel safer than speaking out about them. But it’s understandable. By not speaking, he doesn’t have to confront the truth and therefore can delay what seems to be the inevitable.

DB3: TTV Online Follow-up

After the seminar, over the weekend, reflect and answer the following things in the DB:

• What new insights into the reading did you get from this type of close reading?
• What or who was helpful in the seminar process? What did you enjoy?
• How might you prepare differently for future seminars?
• What questions would you pose to the group about the reading now?