Resource Author
O'BrienResource Description
Oral Presentations and Handout
For this assignment you need to prepare a presentation that responds to the prompts given about specific aspects of Caribbean literature and culture. Each student should choose one of the topics given and prepare their presentation for class periods beginning March 28th and ending on May 2nd.
For the oral presentation you need to remember the following:
Being an effective speaker and an effective writer requires you to
* Understand the context for your presentation,
* Analyze your audience,
* Understand and articulate your purpose clearly,
* Develop sufficient and appropriate supporting material,
* Organize the material so it is easy for the audience to follow,
* Choose a speaking style, level of language, approach to the subject, and tone suitable to your role as well as your audience and purpose,
* Select graphics that will enhance your audience's understanding of your message.
Because listening is a different processing method than reading, you will need to know how to adapt guidelines for organization, style, and graphics to fit the speaking situation. However, you will see that writing and speaking are, nevertheless, similar communication activities.
Before Sring Break a sign-up sheet will be circualated giving you the opportunity to choose the date of your presentation. On March 28th one student will make her/his presentation; every class day subsequent to this wil have time set aside for two students to make their presentation. We will proceed like this until May 2nd.
Each presentation should be exactly 10 minutes long and should be accompanied by a handout that emphasizes your main point, gives an outline of your presentation, or provides supporting materials such as important quotations, graphics representations or statistics etc. Feel free to design presentations that utilize the technology in the computer class room (including audio-visual equipment, LCD projectors, and the classroom computer. Think about what you want to present on so that you can make that decision when the sign-up sheet is circulated.
The topics/prompts are as follows:
1. Masters of the Dew depicts life in a rural Haitian village in the early 1930s, specifically suggesting that the answers to the problems in the village lie in the hands of the villagers. Historically Haiti is marked by continued conflict and economic stagnation, issues that are not necessarily within the control of the Haitian people. Give a brief presentation that recounts the history of conflict in Haiti and give reasons why you believe Haiti has such a tragic existence today.
2. I have suggested that Merle's visit to Africa at the end of The Chosen Place, The Timeless People is necessary for her ability to visit those dark places in her mind that then will allow her to overcome her trauma and be more useful to the people of Bournehills and their struggles. In another way her journey to Africa is a way to become more connected to the villagers because of their unassailable African spirit of resistance. In their own way they maintain certain African customs. Give a presentation that identifies a specific African cultural custom or practice that has been transplanted to the Caribbean by enslaved Africans and show how the people who practice it have tried to maintain its original form.
3. With the many different peoples that came to the Caribbean during the age of colonization, the Caribbean has become a hodge-podge of different cultural practices and customs. In A House for Mr. Biswas we are introduced to some aspects of East Indian culture that are still practiced in the Caribbean. Give a presentation that highlights the way in which certain East Indian traditions are still practiced in the Caribbean. Students should choose one of the following events:
a. Hosay
b. Divali
c. Eid-ul Fitr
d. Any other event of your choosing.
n.b. If you choose option "d" let me know in advance.
4. One aspect of Caribbean existence we have looked at this semester is migration. With migration Caribbeanites have taken their culture with them to places in the U.S. and Europe. Give a presentation on the transmission of the Caribbean Carnival to other locales, paying attention to the history of this transmission and how the festival is celebrated by the Caribbean community in that region. Students should choose one of the following locations:
a. Miami
b. New York
c. Atlanta
d. Any other location in the U.S.
e. London
f. Any other location in Europe
n.b. If you choose option "d" of "f" let me know in advance.
5. We have been introduced to Carnival through Paule Marshall's novel and we have also been exposed to Caribbean music in class. Give a presentation on the history, cultural significance, and practice of Carnival in the Caribbean. Students should choose from the following locations:
a. Trinidad and Tobago
b. Barbados
c. Jamaica
d. The U.S. Virgin Islands
e. The British Virgin Islands
f. Any other Caribbean island.
n.b. If you choose option "f" let me know in advance
6. In the U.S. there is a newly revitalized market for Caribbean music. Give a presentation showcasing influential contemporary Caribbean musical artists in the U.S. and their music. Make sure to link the music to some of the themes we have addressed in the course and to explore the significance of the music produced to the social, cultural and political realities of the Caribbean.
7. Finally, if there is a specific topic, aspect of culture, aspect of Caribbean literature, aspect of Caribbean history or contemporary Caribbean issue that you are interested in and would like to give a presentation on for the class, see me in advance to choose this option.
We have a very tight schedule for these presentation so please stick to the time limit and use as many other resources, handouts etc. as you can so that you can use you can utilize your time wisely during your presentation.