The Wise Essay

First of all, my suggestion regarding meeting in L-202E is not possible as there is a class meeting there at 10 AM, Monday, June 28, so we will meet in our regular classroom, D-205. (We will meeting in A-202E on Thursdays beginning July 1. I am also scheduling a library orientation ASAP, so stay tuned.)

Bring your completed Wise essays and/or drafts to class. The final essay will be due the following day, so.... It would probably be a good idea if when you completed the book, each of you at least wrote a fast draft on one of the questions posted here in the next day or two.

Many students are stuck on the requirement/suggestion regarding spending time in the writing center, 4-6 hours for the summer. If you feel you don't need the extra assistance, don't worry about it. I did notice errors in SV Agr., spelling, and missing words in the comparative news story assignment. Read your papers aloud to yourself before you turn them in. I do not know if you can do better when you give me work with errors I would think writers of your status could catch in the editing process.

Questions I offer here speak to the thoughtful task Wise has set for himself, that is to use his privilege to disturb the rest of others like himself. He mentions that to tell his story, he of course has to tell that of his family, a story they might not want to share or appreciate Wise's airing of the family's collective laundry. However Wise says, he writes "from a place of pure love, which is neither unreflective nor uncritical nor blind, but which is above all else, honest" (xi).

Essay Assignment
In each essay response include three citations from Wise: 1 block quote, 1 in-text citation, and 1 free paraphrase. (3 for the entire essay which should be between 3-4 pages long, not including the works cited page.)

The essays are to be typed. Please include an outline with the essay. Read 1 scholarly article on the theme: "privilege." You do not have to cite it, include it in the bibliography section of your essay.

Use the 3-part thesis to develop the thesis for this essay. Staple the pages together and bring a copy to class Monday, June 28. Again, we will meet in D-205.
You can access the COA library database off campus. Before you come to class stop at the library and find an article to augment your research on "privilege." Ask the librarian for the password for the library database.

Questions
1. The word "privilege" is used multiple times in Tim Wise's book White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son. How does the author define the word and what examples does he use to support his claim that privilege is not earned, it is inherited, that privilege by its very nature, like capitalism means there is a clear divide between those that have and those who have not?

2. Choose 3-5 salient arguments which illustrate the point that one's "privilege" affects all aspects of one's life. If one is among the "anointed" then life is good, if not, what then according to Wise?


3. Look at Wise's writing: style, tone, language used or diction. Analyze his examples--describe their variety. Identify the themes. Who is his audience? What are the strengths of his argument(s), what if any are its weaknesses?

4. Wise uses his life to illustrate "privilege." Describe how he does this and its effectiveness.

5. According to Tim Wise, are you privileged? Are you disappointed with his assessment? Had you thought yourself privileged prior to Wise's scholarly treatment on the topic? Do you agree with his assessment? Write a letter to Wise sharing your personal story with him in light of what you know about his experiences. Use historic analysis, description, examples and statistics where necessary to convince Wise that you have given the question serious consideration.

Students can post essay questions here at the link. I will evaluate them and add the better questions to this list. Post your suggestions by Friday.