Remember: discussions are worth 20 points (10 for your posting, 10 for your responses) each, and you must post your response to the Message Board no later than the due date in order to get credit. After the class has posted to the Message Board, read what everybody has to say about the discussion topic and respond to any or all of them (at least two), and feel free to respond to responses over the next couple of days :)

You can earn a "C" (15 points) with a solid posting and just one substantive responses, but to earn a full 20/20, you will need at least two thoughtful, idea-and-example-filled responses in addition to a solid posting.

As stated on the class Discussion page, postings are graded for both form (editing) and content, and they are not simple opinion pieces. Postings are the equivalent to in-class essays in a face-to-face class, so they must show your understanding of the reading, your ability to apply the situations to actual experiences described in precise detail, the depth of your thinking and creativity developing an essay about the topic. A typical posting should be about 300+ words long and, when appropriate, incorporate documented quotations from the readings.

Likewise, the responses are not simple "I agree" or "Good job" bits of chat. They need to demonstrate your ability to add examples and ideas to the discussion. Ideally, they will introduce new ways of looking at the topic that will allow others to pick up on your examples and expand on their own discussions. A typical response will be about 200+ words.

Also remember (and this is true of all discussions and essays for this class) your are not summarizing what you read, and you are not just giving unsupported opinions; you are trying to show that you understand what you have read. When possible, you must quote and document examples from the readings, and you should be able to apply the situations to actual, specific, detailed (not general) examples you have experienced or studied in the real world.

Hellos and Detective Work

This week's readings are short who-dunnits (murder mysteries? suicides?) You are going to have to do your best to figure out one of the two mysteries and back up your conclusions with evidence from the story you are discussing (try to quote directly from the stories--that is the best evidence).

For your post, first, in a couple of sentences, introduce yourself (you might want to let us know a little bit about your background, your goals, your thoughts (fears?) about the course--whatever you feel you want to share).

Then discuss one of the following:

  1. In the Luisa Valenzuela story "All About Suicide," who kills whom?

    That may seem simple enough, but the story is very tricky. What makes it tricky? What leads you to your own conclusion? What doubts do you have about your conclusion and why?

    Finally, what is the point of the story? This last question is very tricky.

  2. Akutagawa's "In a Grove" is like a murder mystery, but this mystery has a twist: three potential suspects actually claim to be the lone killers. Make a case for one of the three versions--the bandit's, the wife's, or the samurai's. What evidence do you have (from their testimonies or the testimonies of others) to support your conclusion? What are some of the problems with the side you've chosen?

    Consider why each seems to claim guilt.

    Also, what do we actually learn from the side testimonies? Are they even relevant, or do they just add to the confusion? Why are they included?

    Finally, what is the point of the story? This last question is very tricky (and I would not be too surprised if the answer was similar for both stories.

Try to have some fun with this :)

IMPORTANT REMINDER: if you end up repeating what others have already discussed in detail on the board, you will not get as many points. This is the "law of diminishing returns" discussed on the Class Discussion information page. So if many have selected one story, I recommend you select the other story. That is one advantage of posting early.