Option One: Patton Oswalt Blog and Discussion

*I recommend reading the details outlined on this post completely and browsing the blog link before you decide whether or not you want to select this one.

For this option, you will click on the link below to be directed to a well-known comedian's blog. In this blog, Patton Oswalt reflects on certain aspects of his career as a stand-up comic; he takes on controversial topics like joke stealing, audience hecklers, and whether or not rape jokes are ever funny.

You will need to click the link and read the blog post in its entirety (it's pretty lengthy, but the reading is engaging). As you read, it might not be a bad idea to record his "big ideas" either in your notebook or in a Google Doc. Then, after you have read the blog post, please do the following:

1. Create a comment (please create a Google Doc and type the following things into that Google Doc first; you can then copy and paste into the comment form; please also make sure you type your name at the start of the comment if you are not logged into your account) to this post that includes the following:
• A brief summary of each section (i.e. what was the big idea of each section?). You will have three summaries: one for the joke thievery section, one for the hecklers section, and one for the rape jokes section.
• Your reactions to each section of the blog. This means you will have three reactions: one for his section about joke thievery, one for his section about hecklers, and one for his section about rape jokes. Each reaction should include your feelings about what he says: Do you agree or disagree with his ideas? Why? Your reactions should also include your evaluation of his voice/writing style. Do you think his voice and writing style are appropriate for what he's trying to accomplish? Why or why not?
• Finally, I need you to create a discussion question for each section of the blog. Your discussion questions should be critical and they should encourage critical thinking. You will want to create questions that could spark a debate or generate a fruitful discussion. Good discussion questions: "Does the author make a point that has already been made? If so, who else has made a similar point, and why might the author have made this point even though others have made it before him?" or "Is the author's perspective or criticism fair? Why or why not?" Bad discussion questions: "Who does the author mention in this section?" or "Do you like what you just read?"
2. After you have accomplished the above, post your comment. You will then craft thoughtful, well-developed responses to discussion questions for at least three other students on this post. 

I recommend that you use Thursday's class time to read the blog and write your summaries and reactions (do this in a Google Doc). Then, on Friday, you can generate your discussion questions, copy your work from the Google Doc and paste it into the comment form, and then you can read and respond to at least three other classmates' questions.

Here's the blog link: Patton Oswalt Blog

Option Two: Locate Satiric Texts, Analyze Them, and Start a Discussion

If you decide that the Patton Oswalt blog reading and tasks are not for you, you can instead choose to navigate the internet and find two pieces of satire that address one of the following vices or follies. In addition to locating the satiric pieces, you will also need to conduct some analysis tasks, and you will create a few discussion questions to go along with your texts and analysis. Please read the specifics of this below:

Here is the list of vices and follies from which you may select:

• Addiction 
• Aggression
• Apathy
• Arrogance 
• Bigotry 
• Dishonesty
• Extremism
• Gullibility  
• Greed
• Hastiness
• Ignorance
• Intolerance
• Jealousy
• Narcissism
• Obsession 
• Racism
• Sexism
• Stubbornness 
• Wastefulness/Gluttony

Once you decide on a vice or folly that you want to work with, you will go to an internet browser (i.e. Google) and try to find two satiric pieces that call attention to that vice or folly. One of these pieces should be written satire/humor and the other piece should be visual satire/humor (like an info-graphic or a cartoon).

When you find these two satiric pieces, you will create a Google Doc and paste their links in the Doc. Then, in that same Google Doc, please do the following:

1. Identify each piece's SOAPSTone
2. Explain how each piece uses satire to call attention to the vice or folly you selected. Be specific with your explanation. Make sure you're explaining how various aspects of the pieces SOAPSTone as well as various satire/humor techniques are used to communicate disdain of your selected vice or folly.
3. Then, generate 2-3 analysis or evaluation level questions for your peers to respond to. You only need 2-3 questions TOTAL; however, make sure you ask at least one question per piece.
• Keep in mind that analysis level questions will ask you to examine and/or scrutinize something in order to explain how one (or a few) smaller aspects of something work to achieve a bigger goal or impact the piece as a whole. Examples of analysis level questions would be: "How does the author of this piece use diction to create an aggressive tone?" or "What impact does the figurative language in the piece have on the text as a whole?"
• Keep in mind that evaluation level questions will ask you to make judgement or evaluations of something. Evaluation level questions ask you to generate your own opinions or perspectives on something. However, a thoughtful, well-developed explanation/rationale for those judgments and evaluations are also required. Examples of evaluation level questions would be: "Do you think this piece is effective in achieving its goal? Why or why not?" or "Do you think this message could be communicated in another way? If yes, how? If no, why?"
4. Then, after you have completed steps 1-3, copy everything from your Google Doc and then paste it in the body of a comment to this post. Make sure you write your name at the start of the post if you're not logged into your account.
5. Finally, you will browse the comments, satiric pieces, analysis, and questions of your classmates. You will then select and respond to the discussion questions for three other classmates. When you post a comment to respond to a classmate's discussion questions, try to post your comment as a reply to their comment.

I recommend using Thursday's class to locate your two pieces of satire and complete the analysis tasks. That will give you all of Friday's class to create the discussion questions, post everything to the blog, browse the work of your classmates, and select four that you will respond to discussion questions for.