You can find the reading assignments on the "Reading Calendar" at our WebCT site, but here at the blog you are invited and requested to comment upon those readings: reading, reacting to others responses, and so on. You may also visit last year's blog post to see additional commentary on these readings.
See below.
9 | Read Chapter 3 “Ceili at Flanagan’s” in Glassie | · What are the differences in the two experiences being described? What is the significance of those two contrasting experiences? · What is the relationship between “insider” and “outsider”, and how/why might music and folklore help cross those boundaries? · Do “outsiders” use music and folklore to cross boundaries? Do “insiders” use music and folklore to cross other kinds of boundaries? · What do we have to say about the language and rhetoric of these two writers? How might that shape our experience of reading them? |
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| Read “Last Night’s Fun” in Carson | |
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| For 1.12 | Read Preface and Chapter 1 “Crossing Drumbargy Brae” [CDB] in Glassie | · What does Glassie reveal about himself? His goals? His academic background and prior experience? How does he say these things might shape his approach in this book? · How would you describe Glassie’s language and organizational structure? Is it like or unlike other scholarly books you’ve encountered? If different, why might Glassie have chosen these different approaches? What different results might he expect to occur? · P: Why do you think he includes the descriptive anecdote about meeting the man mowing the hedge? Why here, in the Preface? · CDB: What various academic or analytic approaches does Glassie employ or allude to? What strengths or limitations does he describe or imply for each? · CDB: What is the significance of the extensive use of maps? · CDB: What does Glassie believe is the role of story? |
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| Read “Boil the Breakfast Early” [BTBE] and “Hurry the Jug” [HTJ] in Carson | · BTBE: Why does Carson devote much of a chapter to descriptions of different ways to boil an egg? How can this possibly have anything to do with music and folklore? · BTBE: how does he relate cooking eggs to playing music? Why might musicians care about such issues? · HTG: This is a lengthy set of descriptions of different situations in which he’s listened to music; why do you think he spends so much time describing the details of the environments? How does that lead into a description of some of his earliest experiences? |
