I'm almost done reading your responses to Paine and while you all did a very good job, it's clear that very few of you feel that what he says is still relevant today. It looks like I should've chosen something more relevant to today's issues (Obama, JFK, Chavez, Malcom X?). I don't want to make next year's students read irrelevant texts, so next year I'd like to use a different text for our final assessment... which brings me to my request.
If you have come across any persuasive texts that you think are particularly good for students of American Literature to read, please let me know. I'm open to just about anything as long as it's school appropriate and 4 pages or less. You might look for texts that have universal themes, but contemporary application. You might also consider texts that students wouldn't otherwise be asked to read in school, but which you feel are important to understanding the American experience. You are not limited to the speeches on this site, or this one, or this one, but I thought they might be a good starting place.
I am offering extra credit to students who provide a link to the text and an explanation as to why they think it should be used.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to tell you which text I choose, as some of you may have friends enrolling in the class next year. This is your chance to help create the curriculum for next year!
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This is a speech by Gloria Steinem that's somewhat recent (as in later half of the 20th century). I have never read a speech by her in school...
ReplyDeletehttp://gos.sbc.edu/s/steinem1.html
Anything by howard Zinn!
ReplyDeleteHere's one, though it's a bit long..
http://www.democracynow.org/2006/11/24/howard_zinn_on_the_uses_of
I thought that John McCain's concession speech in 2008 was very good..
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96631784
FDR's first inaugural address:
ReplyDeletehttp://artofmanliness.com/first-inaugural-address-of-franklin-d-roosevelt/
It is very relevant today as our country is in a somewhat similar situation, and his solution then may be applicable now.
He speaks of uniting, taking action, and being bold; all are universal themes.
Here is a speech given by an Irish general before entering the Iraq war. It's pretty interesting, making an effort to justify it it seems.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/3562917/Colonel-Tim-Collins-Iraq-war-speech-in-full.html
I didn't really explain that, sorry. Its relevance today is that it brings up the topic of whether or not war is justifiable and as war seems to occur all the time across the world it is a very important topic
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