African American Study

Watch the video : Love Jones, 1997 (104 min) at Youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wExFPBHbd8

Love connections can mirror or metaphorically reflect ideas about family/community connections, traditions and support. In other words -- Love between a couple can suggest larger love and commitments to and between black communities. For example, in the movie Brown Sugar, the couple Sidney and Dre find themselves separated and in relationships that are problematic. Love between the couple does not happen until the couple focuses on hip hop, its origins and meanings for black people rather than hip hop as a vehicle for mere profit and acceptance in mainstream communities. The comic mockery of the Dalmatian Brothers is one way the film exposes this. The movie also suggests that in a rush for approval and acceptance in capitalist worlds, Blacks have abandoned themselves and a deeper love for self and for blackness.

So the question is how do the films of the modules suggest or not suggest a larger connection, appreciation and respect? How does the relationship between the couple(s) and between other people mirror or suggest love by and for black people among themselves and their culture? How does it suggest lack of appreciation by outside sources? Brown Sugar perhaps more strongly than the others, for example, suggest ways black love can survive or come under attack. Pick one of the romance films in this module and explain how a larger love for blackness is suggested in the music, story line, characters, etc as appropriate. Include an analysis of mise en scene in one scene as one of the proofs to support your thesis. Go into detail on the love relationships, their characterizations and speculate what the films may be saying about black on black commitment and love.

Remember these films are NOT reality. They are the materialization of expressions of ideologies or refutation of those beliefs that exist in society, sometimes from Hollywood, sometimes from a black perspective. Your job is to use academic writings and your own interpretations to produce and essay that analyze words, themes, mise en scene as they project beliefs. Note this paper must be uploaded into the dropbox as well as posted here.

Guidelines:

Remember the essays should contain citations and are practice for the final course paper. However they are also an opportunity to start less formal conversations and responses among group members. You must complete both aspects, so be sure to respond to at least one of your group members about what they found and/or to the comments of others who respond to your post. This assignment counts toward class participation. Copy and paste or type your discussion/essay in the discussion area and submit your file to the dropbox for a plagiarism check.

What should be included in your essay(for more detail look at the rubric attached to this discussion):

600 Minimum Words for initial post for Discussion/Essay. YOU CAN ALWAYS WRITE MORE.
150 or more words for your response to one classmate
Contains a thesis
At least 3 proofs to support the thesis
two from course materials
one from your own academic or primary research
Use of in text citations with page numbers
Works cited with webpage links or full printing press information
Good Grammar
Discretionary points for Excellence
Essay Format:

This is generally the format of what your essay should look like.

Paragraph 1 -- introduction to tell me where you are going. This paragraph includes or starts with a specific distinct thesis that states exactly what you plan to argue. It does not say "I will discuss..." Instead, state your argument and move on to prove it. If I have to wait until the end of the paper to figure out what your point is, you have already failed. Some students put the thesis sentence in italics or bold it. If you want to do this that's fine. It helps me zero in immediately on what you will argue and may help you keep track of your focus.

Paragraphs 2-5 -- justifications. Each subsequent paragraph proves some part of your thesis. They start with and include sub assertions. These sub assertions introduce related bits of evidence and are in effect a mini thesis that makes a refined point about SOME aspect of the thesis. In other words, it pinpoints a specific part of the thesis and explains why the information you present is relevant. After the sub assertion, include your evidence -- an example, quote, and citation, for example. You must include examples from the narrative. You can combine justifications in paragraphs as long as they relate to the sub assertion, which on a larger scale connects to the thesis. Start each new paragraph with new sub assertions and justification that highlights a another different part of the thesis. Continue until all parts of your thesis are illustrated and justified. Adjust your thesis if need be.

Final Paragraph -- add some deeper insight. You started with a thesis -- what additional intellectual points can you add that both reflects the original thesis but seems to carry your initial concept further?