ENG 3U
Culminating Activity for Reading Lolita In Tehran
-:- in-class writing assignment on Tues, Jan 9, 07 -:-
Instructions: In a short, focused essay, present your interpretation of Nafisi's memoir based on one of the following topics:
1. The interweaving of reality and fiction and the importance and danger of dreams are important themes in Reading Lolita In Tehran. Examine the parallels apparent between the works studied in Nafisi's class and the reality of the situation in
2. Using the following explanation of "narrative," explain why Reading Lolita In Tehran is (or is not) a successful narrative.
For general purposes in Semiotics and Literary Theory, a 'narrative' is a story or part of a story. A story is any form of text, regardless of medium, describing a sequence of events caused and experienced by characters, some of whom may be fictional. (This sequence of events may be linear or nonlinear.)
It may be spoken, written or imagined, and it will have one or more points of view representing some or all of the participants or observers.
In stories told verbally, there is a person telling the story, a narrator whom the audience can see and hear, and who adds layers of meaning to the text nonverbally. The narrator also has the opportunity to monitor the audience's response to the story and to modify the manner of the telling to clarify content or enhance listener interest.
This is distinguishable from the written form in which the author must gauge the readers likely reactions when they are decoding the text and make a final choice of words in the hope of achieving the desired response.
(Note: the essay rubric that will be used to evaluate this assignment is available on the Glee forum as a downloadable handout.)
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Note: The interpretation presented in your essay must: