Summarizing a text and then applying the ideas in the text youve summarized to another work, in this case either the song “Under My Thumb” by the Rolling Stones or the song “Wide World” by James Taylor. This will help you learn to explain what someone says quickly and accurately, and also how to analyze language. These are both essential tools for good essay writing.
Read the two short readings in Patriarchy Packet 1 – an excerpt from the Book of Genesis and the German philosopher Schopenhauer on women. Keep in mind our class discussion on Patriarchy – the ideology that women and men are biologically different and therefore have different characteristics and different roles to play in society. Patriarchy uses this supposedly “natural” difference to justify the unequal treatment of men and women in society – everything from what toys we give children to unequal pay to who can be President. Patriarchy also uses this to reinforce stereotypes about women and to objectify women as sexual objects. In this way, Patriarchy rationalizes society as it is and keeps men in charge, therefore benefiting those at the top of the power chain in society. The two texts in this packet are key patriarchal texts. When you read them, you should see the expression of typical patriarchal attitudes toward gender. Also, be sure to look at the PowerPoint and help sheet on active vs. passive voice as you will be responsible to write in the active voice in most cases.
Once youve read the texts, pick the one you would like to focus on for this discussion board – Schopenhauer or Genesis. Write a summary of the text. You should have no more than one or two sentences for each paragraph in Schopenhauer or section of Genesis. These sentences, however, must express all the key ideas in the passage. Use our example from class as a model for your own summary.
After you complete the summary, write an interpretation of one of the two songs on the unit page. Read the song through the ideas of the passage you summarized. How does the song you chose embody the ideas in the passage you summarized? Begin your analysis with a short one or two sentence introduction in which you say the point you will prove – song x embodies idea y from Schopenhauer or Genesis. Be as specific as you can. Then write two paragraphs in which you prove this point. Each paragraph should link at least one verse from the song with some language from the passage from Schopenhauer or Genesis. Be sure not to just quote the words, but explain how the words mean what you say. Again, use our example from class a model for your own summary. End this interpretation with a short one to two sentence paragraph in which you say why this argument is important (do not summarize what youve already said). Be sure to avoid passive voice in your summary and your analysis.
