Well getting started has been a little difficult, but I actually enjoyed my time at the library today. I am having a hard time narrowing down all my thoughts into one thesis that won't make a totally scattered paper, but it is coming along. Good luck everyone!

I'm very very late, i know, and this won't count for credit but I know that I should do it anyway. I have my sources for my paper and I am just now starting on it. So I can't say that I have had any real problems yet. Good luck to everyone on their final papers.

As of 6:05 a.m. June 2, message board posts will no longer be accepted towards your final average; not even for half credit.

Yes, I too am late on this posting. I knew I would forget. I'm beginning to waver on my topic...but I'm not sure yet. I really need to find motivation also. Well thats about it. Good luck to everyone on finals, and have a safe and fun summer.

per the usual, am late in my posting. aaarrgghhh!!!! i'm JUST beginning my paper---i've been way too busy this spring! still leaning towards "bastard out o' carolina"-- might use "the bean trees" too. could be very interesting, no? wishing everyone a fab summer--i'll be here in good ol' swampy athens taking summer classes and playing in my garden. later...

Well it looks like we've got another quarter under our belts. I hope everyone is doing well on their papers and that they aren't getting too stressed out with exams coming up and everything. I was just finishing my paper when I realized that I ran out of time to do a posting. However, I will do one anyway. I am writing my paper about the similarities and differences between We Were the Mulvaneys and Bastard Out of Carolina. I looked at the psychological profiles of certain characters that were similar to ones in both books and cited the differences as family structure and economic factors. Thats all folks! Everyone have a great summer!

This paper is driving me nuts!!! I feel so unmovitvated right now, that its so hard to pull this together. I think the hardest part was figuring otu a paper I could write roughly six pages on, not more, not less. It took me a while to come up with a topic. Although we were given a great six page guide to writing the paper, I am still unsure as to what grade to expect. Maybe because we haven't done any papers this quarter. I didn't ever feel as though the quizzes and the midterms we had were "papers" I thought they were graded more for the content, and whether or not we knew what we were talking about (and back it up). All in all, this has been a good class, and I have enjoyed reading.

Good luck writing your papers. Have a great summer.

Becca and I have started on our paper and it is coming along. I think that it is stupid to write a paper on something that someone has already written. But, anyway, it will be finished on time and I have learned many new things about the author and how her life was affected by the sexual abuse that her step father did to her, like Bone in Bastard out of Carolina

Welp, unfortunately I have not started my research paper yet. I've had a busy week with family engagements and other school work. However, this weekend is devoted to the paper.... wish me luck! I hope the research part goes fairly well, but it seems a lot of people are complaining it's been rather difficult! :(
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Good luck on your paper!

I suppose this is the part where I should say something brilliant and profoundly inspiring.

*pause*

Sorry. Nothing it coming to me.

I guess I will just talk about the final project. It is going along well enough, however having to find research sources is a pain in the ass. Honestly, for my topic, the entire project relies on my ability to asses and sumarize two books that I read. It does not require an outside source of any kind.

Where has my motivation gone? I'd suspect that it is outside getting some sun. I wish I was there right now too. Anyway, I've been doing alright on my paper. I was one of what, 2 people on campus last weekend? So I spent my weekend in the library. It appears as if I'll be back there again this weekend. Guess I'll see some of you there :) Anyway, I think I've got a good start on this thing. Now the only problem will be finishing it. Good luck to all of the rest of you as well!

I too am at a loss for something profound to say, so i'll just make a small entry about my paper. So far its going really well. I watched "The Shining" over the weekend, and obviously I was able to find a TON of differences, and finding critiques hasn't been any trouble at all. Basically i need to find an internet source, then i'll be pretty much home free. Good Luck everyone! Have a great summer!

well in honor of this last posting, i thought i would try to think of something profund, but no. the paper has been a bit troubling for me as well, mainly b/c of the rather phenominal weather outside, it is coming along though, i found the people at the research desk to be quite nice considering they work at the research desk, but i hope all of you are making good strides with your papers and are able to study for other finals at the same time, take care, and everyone have a nice summer.

This paper has been a bit frustrating for me. I initially began my search looking for articles, except the only place they were located was on microfilm. I spent 3 hours in the library copying them. Microfilm is a pain! And as it turns out, most of the "critical opinions" that I found were just brief blurbs in praise of the books. No offense to the literary critics, but I was at least hoping for some criticism. In just our class alone we had a tremendous variety of opinion. But whatever. Now I'm just looking for things about the role of women in the 50s, which has been more difficult than I thought it would be. I'll be glad when this is all over.

When i first started my paper I was really motivated. I did a little each day and eventually it was done last Wednesday. But then the torture of proofreading came along and I've been kinda slacking since then. I must admit that I have found more good qualities on the movie version of The Shining since reading the critical essays so I'm glad about that. Researching these books has really opened my eyes to the great aspects of the stories. I hope everyone has a great summer and good luck on the papers.

I must also confess and say that I have absoultly no motovation to complete the research paper. It is the end of the year and I am finding it extremely hard to get myself to do any work. However, I am aware I must complete this assignment and I have done some research and started my paper. Although my other classes are very demanding I must find time for this paper. So I figure I will also spend some time at the libary this weekend and continue my research. Hopefully I will not be forced to pull an all nighter to complete my paper.

Well this is my last posting and I wish it was my last thing to do for the end of the quarter but it isn't. My research hasn't been too thorough due to my other classes and their demands but this weekend I am planning on camping out at the library to get this paper done.

Is it a bad thing that an English major has bad physical reactions to writing papers regardless of the length? Maybe it's just a phase? Hmmm...so yea, writing papers is not one of my favorite things. I just hope that when I do finish this paper I am halfway please with it. I have this habit of getting it done just to get it done and not really giving my best effort. I'm sure people can relate. In any case, I'm gonna kick this paper's arse this weekend.

Well most of my research is done. Hoorah! I admit it was alot easier finding sources then I ever thought it would be. Finding sources for Beloved was a bit difficult, because everytime I searched for it I got reviews for the movie. The only thing left to do now is to actually write it. I knoe that once I get started it'll be over before I know it, but being the procrastinator that I am, there's always tomorrow to worry about that:)

  May I just offer the simple utterance of blah in relation to my research paper, which at the moment is rather kicking my ass. Anyway, my paper is quite doable, but I lack any sort of strong motivation. I think this mostly has to do with the fact that in less than a week's time I will be back home in good old Denver, Colorado. Anyway, I don't dislike the idea of a paper as our final. As a matter of fact I quite enjoy it. I do however strongly dislike the fact that this is not merely a research paper, but a research paper that is six pages in length. That makes me cringe. I remain positive however that this paper will be a good thing, and turn out well. I only hope that the mass amount of time devoted to this epic of a research paper does not effect my other finals in a negative manner. All the same this has been a interesting class which I am glad I took. See everyone in the fall.
-ChEeRs-

...i'm listening to ignite right now, they rock...anyway...my topic is about how rape affected the families in "Bastard" and "We Were the Mulvaneys." the library has plenty of books about rape in general but so far i haven't found any books about how a rape affects a family. nothing has been mentioned about how the parents and siblings of the rape victim are affected. so my endeavors have been a little frustrated to say the least.

Edited by author 05-31-2002 10:15 AM
I have chosen to write my paper on the effects of rape on the victim. In most books that we have read, the common theme of rape has prevailed. I will compare actual research to the novels to find whether or not they hold true.

I did my paper with alcohol being the main theme. When I went to the library, I was surprised about all of the books that dealt with the exact issue of alcohol and the family. There had to been at least two to three shelves with that exact topic. I think that says something about the society we live in and the accuracy of the books that we just finished reading. Also, within these books it shows the families how they can deal with the problem. The characters in the different books could have really used them.

While doiong research for my paper I have not had any problems so far with finding materials. My paper is going to be based on a topic provided by one of the criteria sheets. I will discuss how the popular culture characterizes the american family, and discuss how that characterization fits or does not fit in the books we have read.

I'm writing my paper about the similarities between Bone in Bastard Out of Carolina and the author Dorothy Allison. I really need the book One or Two Things I Know for Sure by Allison but it's out at the library and they don't have it at the bookstore. I've only checked one and I'm going to check some more. If anyone has a copy for whatever reason let me know if I can borrow it.