Homework
3
!!!!This assignment
is DUE WED 5 PM!!!!
by Blackboard, as always
For blackboard help, see handouts |
BE
SURE TO FOLLOW THE FILE-NAMING CONVENTIONS FOR THIS COURSE (5% penalty
if you do not).
All files should be saved on your computer as: your last name, followed
by an underscore ("_"), followed by the first two letters
of your first name, followed by an underscore ("_"), followed
by the assignment number. So if a student named Saddam Hussein were
to submit assignment number 4, the file name would be:
hussein_sa_3.doc
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Don't
stop until you see "end of assignment"
Scene Analysis Assignment
Select either episode 5 or 6 for this assignment. Watch the episode once
from start to finish and, as usual, take notes in your journal. Your first
pass is to get an idea of what the story is about, where it takes place
and what the characters are up to in this episode. This is when you form
your first impressions of the story and it is probably the only time you
will ever enjoy the story because from now on it's all work.
Then, watch the episode again (and again, and again) and start making
notes until you can answer each of the following questions. There are
three sets of questions. The first set asks you to analyze the story world
of the series (until now), the second set asks you to analyze one episode
of your choosing, and the set asks you to assess the audience's viewpoint
on The Wire.
THE STORY WORLD
* What is the situation?
*Who are the characters?
*What are the traits of these characters?
*How have these traits been revealed?
*How have these traits been explained in the current episode?
*How are these traits part of the motivation of characters in the episode?
*What is the life situation of the characters?
*What stock traits, stereotypes, are part of these roles?
THE EPISODE (Either Episode 5 or 6)
*What is the problem for this episode?
*When is this problem introduced?
*What complications arise as the characters deal with the problem?
*How is the “problem” solved?
*What resolution is reached?
*What happens in the various acts of the episode? (A typical TV program
is divided into 3 acts that are broken by commercials. What are the acts
on HBO?)
*What dangling causes finally result in an effect in this episode?
*What unresolved effects are left dangling?
*How are character traits recognized or enhanced in this episode? What
specific examples can you give to identify and verify the traits that
you have listed? How do you know that Bubbles is resourceful, for example?
CULTURAL CODES / SIGNS
*What assumptions are made about the viewers?
*What cultural codes do you see as relevant to this show?
*What traits of characters arise from stereotypes? What traits refute
these stereotypes?
"END
OF ASSIGNMENT"
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