The following is the full assignment for your final.
Click here to read the original essay by Margaret Atwood.
Hello Martians
Allegory: a
story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning,
typically a moral or political one.
Margaret
Atwood uses three literary texts to describe America to the Martians. These texts are all from the same time
period and all have the same overall comment about the U.S. right now: that it
is contradictory, even puritanical and at times hypocritical.
How does
America appear to you? If beings
from another planet landed in your backyard, how would you describe America to
them? What is the overall concept
that you would present? What work
of literature, art, music, film, or television would you use to represent this
idea?
Part I:
Planning
1.
Figure out how you would
represent your idea of America – this concept should be boiled down to one
word, but then must be explained in your written piece. (Remember, you can be
positive if you’d like.)
2.
Choose three artistic pieces
that exemplify your conception of America.
3.
Explain exactly how these three
artistic pieces represent your idea of America.
Part II:
Writing
1.
Start with aliens landing in
your yard. They want to know about
America.
2.
Tell them what others might
think of the U.S., especially in light of current and historical events.
3.
Use your three artistic pieces
to explain what America really is – at least in your opinion.
a.
You must explain each work of
art separately.
b.
You must relate each work of art
to a current idea that supports your concept of America.
c.
Be specific. Your reader needs to understand what
you are asserting.
4.
Include the aliens’
reactions. Include humor or
misunderstanding.
5.
Do the aliens accept your
view? Do they fully understand?
Part III:
Visual
Directions
and explanations are forthcoming.
Part III:
Visual
You will
create a visual representation of your Martian essay/story/poem. Each group member must create his/her
own visual representation that the group will then assemble as a complete
work. Look to Maira Kalman’s work
on the New York Times website, and
her work in And the Pursuit of Happiness
for inspiration.
Requirements:
·
Show your essay/story/poem
through text, photos, pictures, and drawings.
·
Incorporate aspects from the
works of art you chose into your depiction – quotations from movies, songs,
T.V. shows, or literature; stills from movies or T.V. shows; images of the
visual art.
·
Take your own photos to represent
ideas in your essay/story/poem
·
Use “found” images from the
Internet or magazines
Your finished
project must include:
·
Five images – at least three
with accompanying text
·
200 words (separate from the
image text) – at least 125 must be words from your essay.
·
Your entire essay must be
expressed in the final project. I
should be able to read blog and read your essay and get the same idea from
both.
