Now that you have shared your experience with literature in Discussion 1, you will complete your first discussion about a specific piece of literature: the short story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin.
Prior to reading the story, make sure you read the textbook chapters on “Fiction: Reading, Responding, Writing” and “Plot” by Mays.
In the textbook chapter on “Plot,” author Kelly Mays explains that while some fictional works “relate events in chronological order, starting with the earliest event and ending with the latest,” there are multiple ways fiction writers choose to tell their stories (Mays 46). In “Sonny’s Blues,” for instance, Baldwin chooses to begin the plot in medias res and utilizes other plot devices, such as flashbacks, to structure the narrative:
Write an initial post and one reply in which you consider the following questions: What does Baldwin achieve by beginning this story as he does? How does the use of flashbacks reinforce or defy your expectations about the story’s conflict and/or resolution? How does the order in which events are related throughout the story affect your experience of reading it and interpreting its meaning?
Other Requirements and Details
Your writing style should be academic.
There must be at least one direct quotation in your initial post (indicate the page number). Remember to avoid quoting any text longer than 25 words at a time.
You will not be able to see any posts until you have posted your initial post.
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