The Book of Negroes Seminar #1

1. The Book of NegroesSeminar #1 The will to survive knows no bounds…

2. Section summary • On this slide, you will provide a BRIEF summary of the main details that occur in your section • This slide is not meant to “catch up” any individuals who didn’t read your section. It is mainly to remind the class of the most important plot or thematic points of the section prior to your presentation. • As an audience, it is your responsibility to have read to the end of the section in order to participate in the discussion

3. A note on history • The Book of Negroes traces through a part of history that has largely been left out of classroom textbooks. • On this slide, please provide information to the class about anything that happens in your section that references a specific time in history. • For example: The capture of free peoples in African villages by homelanders, the slave ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the sale of African peoples as slaves, etc. • You MUST reference all of your sources in a Works Cited slide.

4. Subjects • On this slide, list a few subjects that emerge in your section and highlight the important ones that you will be dealing with in the presentation. • The images, visuals, media, and any extra flair that you add to your seminar should be connected to the subject that you focus your presentation on. • For ex: if survival is your focus, you can play a song that encompasses survival, bring in snacks that are survival based, show images that are symbolic of surviving, etc.

5. Introduction • It often helps to draw the class toward your thesis statement through a few key sentences leading up to your argument. • On this slide, you will include the introduction paragraph • For example: In Western society, history dictates that the dominant group – white, upper-class, heterosexual, able-bodied men - occupies a social location of power. By this definition, anything “other” is disempowered and these individuals must face obstacles that stand in the way of self-actualization. The elderly and young are often considered incapable, dependent and thus unable to survive without a helping hand. Similarly, women and people of colour have been distrusted by the dominant group as capable bodies.

6. Section 1 - Thesis • In The Book of Negroes, Lawrence Hill shatters the stereotypes of traditionally marginalized groups to demonstrate that true strength is not defined by colour or gender. Through the protagonist, AminataDiallo, the reader learns that when facing seemingly insurmountable odds, survival is two part: one needs courage in the face of immediate danger and strength to fight against the status quo, in order to tell the story to future generations in hopes of social change.

7. Analysis of theme through ECDs and Literary Criticism • In the following slides, each group member will prove the thesis statement using a different ECD. • You may use Point, Proof, Analysis to identify the ECD, the quotation, and analysis from the perspective of your literary criticism. • Your delivery of the argument must be engaging. DO NOT simply write the paragraph and read it to the class. Talk to the class. Engage the class. Keep us interested and willing to participate in the discussion. • Each group member is responsible for 2-3 discussion questions to be worked into each slide or at the end.

8. A Word on Effective Questions • You should be asking open-ended questions that demonstrate critical thinking. • The questions should • An open-ended question: • does not generate a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response. • challenges the class to think, feel, and engage • often begins with “How”, “Why”, or “What”

9. In your seminar groups... • Evaluate the thesis on slide 6 and try to create 3 PPAS to prove it. • Create 3 effective questions for class discussion • Remember, you must examine a literary theory in your analysis. • Present your findings to the class and discuss the questions!