Discuss how successful Frey is in bringing the characters of Corey, Russell, Tchaka, and Stephon, to life. Be sure to mention which character you thought was the most interesting to you and why. In this section be sure to discuss the writer’s craft of Frey and how he made the people and places of Coney Island stand out in your reading. Did he use certain descriptions, conversations, comparisons, transitions, or other writing techniques you remember? Did his embedded perspective (spending significant time with the young men) strengthen his writing voice and authority (or ethos)? You must quote or paraphrase at least two passages from The Last Shot to support your point. This first section of the essay, then, has you reading closely and deciding what Frey did well as a writer and how he did it. Shoot for around 2-3 pages here.
Transitioning from the above section, next discuss how the films we watched in class—Soul in the Hole, Through the Fire, and He Got Game—helped your understanding of the characters and scenes of Coney Island basketball. In other words, discuss how films helped deepen or challenge your learning and understanding of the issues facing Russell, Corey, Tchaka, and Stephon. You may talk about Sebastian, Booger, and Jesus here, but make sure you link back somehow to the characters in The Last Shot and give the reader of your essay a clear understanding the value and insights of the films in understanding the themes and characters in The Last Shot. Shoot for 2 pages for this section. You are not required to write about all three films but do work with at least one in depth.
Finally, discuss at least two online resources from any of the nine subfolders in the “Unit 2: The Last Shot” folder and how they help you come to a deeper or different understanding of The Last Shot and/or Coney Island basketball culture in general. Connect your ideas in this last section of the essay with things you have said earlier to strengthen your argument. You may also bring up new points (but make sure to keep them in line with your thesis).
We have studied some online resources in class and journals, so feel free to review those, or find something we did not look at. Folders about Mr. Lou and the Juice Memorial, for instance, are very interesting; also, different images in various folders may really connect with you. In “More Coney Island Hoop Dreamers” the Lance Stephenson video may be of interest—he may be the latest CI hoop dreamer on the NBA stage.
For this last section, be sure the reader knows which sources you are talking about and don’t be afraid to push your critical thinking here. You may even bring in online sources we did not cover in class—just remember to document them with in-text quotation or paraphrase as well as list them in your essay’s Works Cited section. I am interested in what you are still wondering about, connections you are trying to make, and how these online sources rekindle your sense of wonder about the Coney Island Hoop Dreamers, past, present and future. Shoot for 2-3 pages here.
Last Completed Projects
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