Prompts for Response Paper #2

Prompts for Response Paper #2:

Due Tuesday, February 1 in class (and before class on turnitin.com)

For most of these prompts, do your best to incorporate some of the moves Harris talks about in Chapter 1 of Rewriting.

1)      “Talking about communication, talking about language—not the same thing.” These words, spoken by Professor Walsh, open “Hush.” Discuss this idea, beginning with some discussion of how “Hush” illustrates (or fails to illustrate) it and then seeing where the response takes you.

2)      “Hush” was the only episode of Buffy to receive a major Emmy nomination—for writing. What do you make of this? There are lots of ways you could go here—you could talk about the Emmy’s complicated relationship with “genre” shows, what this says about TV writing (how it’s about more than just dialogue), what this says specifically about the writing in “Hush” and why it deserved praise (or didn’t), or something else. Just pick one angle and go with it.

3)      Pick one of your classmate’s blog posts and respond to it in the way that Harris writes about in Chapter 1 of Rewriting. In other words, “give the text its due and then make use of it” (15). (Wide open…)

4)      In Chapter 1 of Rewriting, Harris explains that in some ways, “we all write our own Don Quixote,” meaning that “in coming to terms with others, you also say a good deal about who you are as a writer, about your own interests and values” (15). In your response, write about your own “coming to terms” with “Hush.” In other words, pick an aspect to focus on, summarize, etc. and do something with it. (Another wide open topic.)

5)      “Hush” is one of the scariest episodes of Buffy, a show that actually isn’t scary all that often. If you agree that it is a scary episode, discuss why you feel that way. Or argue the opposite point.