Comments on: An Inconvenient Tangent http://harlotofthearts.org/blog/2009/04/03/an-inconvenient-tangent/ Wed, 07 Jul 2010 04:21:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Kate http://harlotofthearts.org/blog/2009/04/03/an-inconvenient-tangent/comment-page-1/#comment-1013 Kate Wed, 08 Apr 2009 02:26:29 +0000 http://harlotofthearts.org/blog/?p=848#comment-1013 It does seem remarkably well-suited as a sort of introduction to rhetoric in general. Textbook logos, ethos, and pathos analysis! It's been interesting to talk about it while they're watching it: the first day just the first 10 minutes, then 30 minutes another class, and the final half today. This wasn't necessarily my plan, but it seems to pull apart their responses in a way that highlights the film's progression. So after we talked about the issues they were having with his personal tangents and his tendency to ignore or mock counterarguments, then we watched as he did get to those refutations later. Brought up cool questions about strategies of organization... And I'm personally fascinated by our developing critique of the personal narrative component. But would it have worked better to just "document" his slideshow? It does seem remarkably well-suited as a sort of introduction to rhetoric in general. Textbook logos, ethos, and pathos analysis! It’s been interesting to talk about it while they’re watching it: the first day just the first 10 minutes, then 30 minutes another class, and the final half today. This wasn’t necessarily my plan, but it seems to pull apart their responses in a way that highlights the film’s progression.

So after we talked about the issues they were having with his personal tangents and his tendency to ignore or mock counterarguments, then we watched as he did get to those refutations later. Brought up cool questions about strategies of organization…

And I’m personally fascinated by our developing critique of the personal narrative component. But would it have worked better to just “document” his slideshow?

]]> By: Evan http://harlotofthearts.org/blog/2009/04/03/an-inconvenient-tangent/comment-page-1/#comment-910 Evan Sat, 04 Apr 2009 17:52:28 +0000 http://harlotofthearts.org/blog/?p=848#comment-910 I've been teaching from An Inconvenient Truth for three semesters, and my students respond well to the movie. They're first-year writing students, but they pick up quickly on the movie's rhetorical moves, especially the "heavy-handed" pathos. One of the blessing of teaching the movie, for me, is that my students come to recognize that even something as "factual" (their favorite word) as a documentary is always simultaneously performative. That's an earth-shattering realization for my students, most of whom come from disciplines where facts and objectivity reign supreme. I’ve been teaching from An Inconvenient Truth for three semesters, and my students respond well to the movie. They’re first-year writing students, but they pick up quickly on the movie’s rhetorical moves, especially the “heavy-handed” pathos. One of the blessing of teaching the movie, for me, is that my students come to recognize that even something as “factual” (their favorite word) as a documentary is always simultaneously performative. That’s an earth-shattering realization for my students, most of whom come from disciplines where facts and objectivity reign supreme.

]]> By: Kate http://harlotofthearts.org/blog/2009/04/03/an-inconvenient-tangent/comment-page-1/#comment-881 Kate Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:24:56 +0000 http://harlotofthearts.org/blog/?p=848#comment-881 Hi Ben, I'm teaching a special section of our advanced/second-year writing course (367) focused around digital documentary. (I think there are about 5 sections running.) We spend the first 2/3 of the quarter watching and analyzing docs, and then students create short docs of their own. My class is considering the use of personal/autobiographical narratives as frames for public conversations. So we're spending a fair amount of time with An Inconvenient Truth and Born into Brothels, with supplementary clips from SuperSize Me, maybe Roger & Me, My Architect, 51 Birch Street... still playing around with the selection. So I'm always looking for recommendations! Hi Ben,
I’m teaching a special section of our advanced/second-year writing course (367) focused around digital documentary. (I think there are about 5 sections running.) We spend the first 2/3 of the quarter watching and analyzing docs, and then students create short docs of their own.

My class is considering the use of personal/autobiographical narratives as frames for public conversations. So we’re spending a fair amount of time with An Inconvenient Truth and Born into Brothels, with supplementary clips from SuperSize Me, maybe Roger & Me, My Architect, 51 Birch Street… still playing around with the selection.

So I’m always looking for recommendations!

]]> By: b e n m c c o r k l e http://harlotofthearts.org/blog/2009/04/03/an-inconvenient-tangent/comment-page-1/#comment-875 b e n m c c o r k l e Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:58:51 +0000 http://harlotofthearts.org/blog/?p=848#comment-875 hi kate. just curious: in what class are you showing the film, and what other texts are you having your class analyze? hi kate. just curious: in what class are you showing the film, and what other texts are you having your class analyze?

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