Assignment:

What do 8 Mile and/or Step Up suggest about representations of community versus individuals?  What gets left out when non black American

characters dominate ?  What stays the same?  What changes?   Consider themes, community focus, identity issues, etc.  Do aspects of

American white supremacy/stereotypes kick in or not?  Do whites get to appropriate styles and still benefit from being white?  Or can you

argue something different?  You could, compare Tyler in Step Up or Ray the white drummer in Drumline to B Rabbit in 2 Mile.  How is

appropriatondealth with?  Follow discussion guidelines and make sure you reference some of the course reading materials.

Remember these films are NOT reality.  They are the materialization of expressions of ideologies or refutation of those beliefs that exist

in society, sometimes from Hollywood, sometimes from a black perspective.  Your job is to use academic writings and your own

interpretations to produce and essay that analyze words, themes, miseen scene as they project beliefs.

What should be included in your essay(for more detail look at the rubric attached to this discussion):

600 Words for initial post for Discussion/Essay
Contains a thesis
At least 3 proofs to support the thesis
two from course materials
one from your own academic or primary research
Use of in text citations with page numbers
Works cited with webpage links or full printing press information
Good Grammar
Discretionary points for Excellence
Essay Format:

This is generally the format of what your essay should look like.

Paragraph 1 — introduction to tell me where you are going. This paragraph includes or starts with a specific distinct thesis that states

exactly what you plan to argue. It does not say “I will discuss…”  Instead, state your argument and move on to prove it.  If I have to

wait until the end of the paper to figure out what your point is, you have already failed.  Some students put the thesis sentence in

italics or bold it. If you want to do this that’s fine.  It helps me zero in immediately on what you will argue and may help you keep

track of your focus.

Paragraphs 2-5 — justifications. Each subsequent paragraph proves some part of your thesis. They start with and include sub assertions.

These sub assertions introduce related bits of evidence and are in effect a mini thesis that makes a refined point about SOME aspect of

the thesis. In other words, it pinpoints a specific part of the thesis and explains why the information you present is relevant. After the

sub assertion, include your evidence — an example, quote, and citation, for example. You must include examples from the narrative. You

can combine justifications in paragraphs as long as they relate to the sub assertion, which on a larger scale connects to the thesis.

Start each new paragraph with new sub assertions and justification that highlights a another different part of the thesis.  Continue until

all parts of your thesis are illustrated and justified.  Adjust your thesis if need be.

Final Paragraph — add some deeper insight. You started with a thesis — what additional intellectual points can you add that both

reflects the original thesis but seems to carry your initial concept further?

Under no circumstances are you to attack anyone personally.  Thoughtfulness, creativity and clarity will work in your favor.  Simply

repeating what someone else has previously said will not work well in this area.  You will not get credit if you do not respond in a

scholarly way.