Week 12.1: Jhumpa Lahiri and Junot Diaz

Reading:
Jhumpa Lahiri (1691), "Sexy," 1692-1707
Junot Diaz (1708-9), "Drown," 1709-16

Study Questions:
1. What does it mean to be "sexy" in Lahiri's story "Sexy"? What is sexiness opposed to? How does this speak to the plight of the immigrant?

2. What does it mean to "drown" in Junot Diaz's story? Who is drowning? What are they drowning from?

BONUS:
Listen to Jhumpa Lahiri speaks about her experience of becoming American on NPR. 

Week 11.1: Flannery O'Connor & Alice Walker

Reading:
Flannery O'Connor (1366-7), "A Good Man is Hard to Find," 1381-92
Alice Walker, "Everyday Use"

Study Questions: 
1. At the end of "A Good Man is Hard to Find," the Grandmother exclaims to the Misfit, "Why you're one of my babies. You're one of my own children." Although not literally true, how might it be true thematically?

2. Standard readings of “Everyday Use” position Wangero (Dee) as the character who fails to understand the true meaning of her heritage and Mama as the character who stands up for that meaning. How might you reverse (or at least trouble) that reading by focusing on Mama’s
control of the narrative, her possible control of Maggie, and her feelings of inadequacy when faced by her daughter?