Purpose:
Practice discovering the epic themes of the sacred and the secular, the
hero, and gender roles by considering a major African epic, Sundiata.
This discussion should build your critical reading and analysis skills,
as well as help prepare you for your essays later in the course. Keep
in mind that, your central concern is to understand what the
evidence about these epic themes reveals about the relationship between
the epic heroes and their own cultures as well as the relationship
between epic heroes and heroic elements common to human society in all
times.
Tasks: Use the steps below to write 1-2
full paragraphs connected to the purpose and overarching themes in the
readings for this unit.
Option 2: The role of women: Given the
male-centered world of the culture, how do female characters such as
Sogolon and Sassouma Bérété demonstrate their power and seem to
represent the culture’s view of female characteristics? How does the
portrayal of these women compare with ways women are portrayed in other
cultures or in our culture today? Provide some examples of the traits of
Sogolon or other women in Sundiata and discuss the epic’s treatment of
gender.
Start by deciding which option above you would like to write about. Once you have made that decision, then:
Select a relevant passage of your own choosing from Sundiata. Choose carefully, thinking about how your passage might speak to overarching themes and the bolded text in the Purpose, above.
Depending on which option you chose, explain the following:
Option 2: How does your passage illustrate a conclusion about roles of women in Sundiata, and how is that significant or important for understanding women in this culture or more generally?
You might want to sketch out your initial thoughts in lists, a concept map, or whatever note format helps you the most.
Structure and revise your initial thoughts into 1-2
robust, well-developed paragraphs, using the passage you have selected
as evidence to support your ideas, and post them in the discussion.
Respond substantively to at least two of your classmates’
posts, explaining why you agree or disagree with them (and you may agree
with some parts and disagree with others). Include other thoughts you
may have about their topic and ideas. Include a quotation to support
each of your responses.
Criteria on which you will be graded:
Your selection of passages to support your argument is thoughtful
Your analysis is specific and original
Your post speaks to your selected theme and the Purpose above.
Your responses to your classmates are respectful and substantive
Your writing is clear and well-organized
