WHAT+AM+I+DOING+HERE

ESSAY

Either:

Compare and contrast Chatwin's attitude towards Mr Lung King Cheung and Mel Lyman.

or:

'I too am mystified by this story.' (p.345) What insight does this line give into Chatwin's motivation for travelling and writing? Answer with reference to 'The Albatross' (pp.343-450 and 'Maria Reiche: The Riddle of the Pampa' (pp.94-104)

(max. 1000 words)

by Friday 30th September


 * COPIES OF //WHAT AM I DOING HERE// MUST BE RETURNED TO ME IN GOOD CONDITION ON FRIDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER**


 * Friday 23rd September**

Read and discuss 'The Albatross' (pp.343-45)



Some closing thoughts on Bruce Chatwin and //What Am I Doing Here//.


 * Monday 19th September**

Read and discuss questions on the following excerpt:






 * Friday 16th September**

Discuss questions on attached sheet:




 * Wednesday 14th September**

Homework: Read the chapter entitled 'The Lyman Family' (pp.36-41)


 * Wednesday 14th September**

Read the excerpt entitled The Chinese Geomancer. Answer the questions on the attached sheet. Complete for homework.





ESSAY

Either:

Why is Chatwin interested in investigating phenomena such as Yetis and Wolf-boys?

or:

What is Chatwin's attitude towards foreign influences on indigenous cultures?

Answer with reference to **two** out of excerpts 4-6.

max 1000 words

Please submit by Monday 19th September


 * Wednesday 7th September**

Homework:

Come to Friday's class prepared (with notes!) to discuss the following questions:

1) How does this essay demonstrate Chatwin's view on the relative merits of travel and academic study as paths to understanding? 2) Why is Chatwin 'lamenting' for Afghanistan? 3) What attitudes towards Western and Eastern cultures does Chatwin express in this essay?

Make sure you support your ideas with references to the text.




 * Wednesday 7th September**




 * Monday 5th September**

Homework:

Read the attached essay. We will discuss it in detail in class on Wednesday.




 * Friday 2nd September**

Homework:

Read 'On yeti tracks' (attached)



Answer the questions on the following attached sheet:




 * Assignment #1**

Choose ONE of the following two options:

1) Discuss Chatwin's use of humour in 'A coup', 'Werner Herzog in Ghana' and 'Until my blood is pure'.

2) What attitudes towards Africa and Africans do you think Chatwin reveals in 'A coup', 'Werner Herzog in Ghana' and 'Until my blood is pure'?

(max 1000 words)

To be submitted by 12th September


 * Wednesday 31st August**

Homework: Read the story (attached below) Come to class on Friday prepared to discuss the following questions:

1) What is the overall mood/tone of the story? 2) What do we learn about Cameroon and Cameroonians? 3) What kind of opportunities/dangers does travel provide? 4) What attitude towards Africa and Africans—and Chinese—do you think Chatwin reveals in this story? Do you sympathise with this attitude?




 * Monday 29th August** ... homework:

Read 'Werner Herzog in Ghana' (attached)

Be prepared to discuss the following questions in class on Wednesday:

What do you learn about: 1) Ghana? 2) the foreign film-makers? 3) Bruce Chatwin?

[|herzog.PDF]


 * Monday 29th August**

Discussed the sequence of events/scenes in the story. Also, the main mood of each scene, and how the text conveys this mood to the reader?

Homework: see 'herzog'


 * Friday 26th August**

Read 'A Coup' (attached below).

Come to class prepared to contribute: 1) Five things you have learned about the place and people being visited - Benin 2) Five things you have learned about the writer - Bruce Chatwin 3) Five examples of the way the text makes the reader emotionally or intellectually involved in the story.