Outline

I know this is probably way to late, but I wanted to post my outline for my RAE on the blog. I thought you said that it was okay if we just handed it in with the final paper, but I guess I misunderstood.

It will be in a comment below. 

Were we supposed to post our outlines?

The Writing Center is fabulous.

I don't know if this can qualify for extra credit, but I did attend the Writing Center today. I met with Roy (?) and he is my new favorite person ever.

Basically, we focused on editing my topic sentences and quote integration, which, following Ms. Bates edits with my draft, I really needed to focus on.  We started workshopping my topic sentences and now I'm going to go through and edit all of them.  He said (agreeing with Ms. Bates) that a lot of my topic sentences were just introducing the next example, rather than making arguments and furthering the paper.  Now, I realize, I want the sentences to really help evolve the paper, rather than being cursory, elementary parts of it.  He praised the body of my paragraphs and said that my thesis was good and the overall paper was very provocative and interesting, which was a major self-esteem boost.  

We also took a few quotation examples and worked with them, taking the full quotation out and picking the pieces that were truly necessary and paraphrasing the rest.  He said that it often felt like I was shoving quotations in and it felt a little strained.  I think I was using too many quotations that really don't help my argument.  Also, with Ms. Bates advice that the paper is supposed to be mostly our own words rather than the secondary sources', I'm going to sift through the paper and make sure I am using the quotations in an effective way.  

There is definitely a lot of workshopping that needs to be done, but I think the paper is coming along.

OOHHH, I forgot. Another point that I need to work on is making sure the paper emphasizes the evolution of the two heroines, rather than just their change.  A little tweaking of the phrasing will help out with that one. 

I really like the blog. 

Yet Another New Working Thesis

I am having far too much fun with this blog tonight...

Thesis: The contrasting mobility of Thelma and Louise's vehicle, in contrast to the essentially stationary or immobile vehicles of the men within the film, allows the main characters to evolve and develop within the film, while simultaneously dismissing the conventions previous placed on them by society and the men they escape from.

Input, again?

Also, I responded to your last comment below.

New Working Thesis

 Vehicles, particularly cars and trucks, in Thelma and Louise are the catalyst, methods, and means by which Thelma and Louise dismiss traditional conventions of femininity and evolve throughout the film.

Input?

I was thinking that I would focus on three (-ish) main aspects of the film: cars and trucks as symbols for women and men, cars as the mode for change within the film (physical movement, journey, etc.), and the car as a lens to compare scenes from the beginning of the film to the end.   

Also, the poetry workshop was cancelled today. I was planning on going. Is there any other ways to get extra credit before the end of the year?

Some overheard lines of conversation:
How effective is the movie at portraying the cultural changes that were going on during the early 1990s?
How do the different aspects of the film come to portray this journey of change?

My voice will be a conglomerate of the different views of the people. The changing cultural climate and establishment of stronger voices of women reflects a journey towards a more accepting and understanding world. Thus, the portrayal of these women on film is a microcosm of the larger change in cultural standards and establishment of new traditions.
People will talk about the extent to which the film accurately portrays the changing climate. Mainly, how far does the movie go? Griggers will assert that the film contains lesbian subtext, while Cook will state that the movie is successful because it asserts a so-called “gender-bending” of sorts. I think this is the most pertinent example to my paper because, in order to show change, there has to be a blending of lines. This blending is a journey that ultimately leads to another end. Since culture builds and shape the concept of “gender,” the blending of gender lines shows a change in culture and cultural attitudes.
A questions that the “idea” side of the table may ask the “support” side of the table is how the individual aspects of the film come together to produce the final product. How does laughter fit into the picture? Laughter is a means to generate a larger audience. The film is comical, yet violent. This disconnect is important for establishing a larger audience. The film appeals to both sexes, thus more people will know about the change the film wants to bring to culture.

Annotation

I switched the source I'm using for my Synthesis Essay.  I'm now using "Cultural Generation of the New Butch-Femme" by Cathy Griggers from the book Film Theory Goes to the Movies.  The annotation will be in a comment because my computer won't copy and paste into the blog