Assignments for Sacco's _Palestine_

English 155D: Palestine

For Tuesday, May 8:

Read Sacco’s “Foreword” (page vi) and then chapters one and two.

Then, write up the following: choose ONE of the encounters Sacco has with a Middle East native and resident and explain 1) the image it gives you of the local population and situation, and 2) the understanding it gives you of Sacco’s personal and political outlook.

Then, choose ONE of the encounters Sacco has with one of the other visitors to the Middle East, and explain what ideas their interactions give you about how the world views the Middle East.

For Thursday, May 10:

Read chapters three through five

Then, respond in writing to any three of the following questions:

How is daily life presented as being affected by the political and military conflict?

What’s at stake for Sacco in understanding the conditions for women in Palestine?

How do different page layouts correspond to the different parts of the story-telling?

How do you see the role, in terms of the overall narrative, of the one-page “gags”, such as “A Palestinian Joke” (96) or “Still One of the Boys” (141)?

What do you think of the persona Sacco creates for himself?

For Tuesday, May 15:

Read the balance of the book and do the following, in writing:

Evaluate the book as a continuing narrative—as a work that has a coherent story arc.

Sacco balances a more realistic drawing style with his cartoony style. How is he using each of them? What is the relationship between them?

Write up your own question—a real question, one you’d like an answer to—about the work.

We’re looking for a coherent, well-developed paragraph for each of your writings. AND we’re looking for specific examples, with page numbers, to support your claims.