Workshop: Looking for Larger Ideas in Terminology Used

For Every Essay: Defining Beliefs and Norms

• Are the words belief, norms, value, or variances of those words (normal behavior, ideology, etc.) show up in the essay draft? Where can the writer use more contextualizing of their ideas in terms of these larger terms? Which topic sentences seem to be the strongest in claiming something about a belief or a normal behavior? 

For those whose essays focus on ideas about gender roles:

• What type of terminology does the writer use that deepens our understanding of what each gender role is?

• How is a Marstal woman's role defined? What are a woman's duties or obligations to her family, to her town?
• How is a Marstal man's role defined? What are a man's duties or obligations to his family, to his town? 

• Do they discuss any ideas of hierarchy, power structure, or any similar concept? What could they add to their paper, whether they address the male to female power structure or not?

For those whose essays focus on ideas about spirituality:

• What types terms are used that deepen our understanding of how Marstallers view religion?

• Do they categorize different types of faith? How could they further clarify any differences in views of faith using classification? 

• By gender, by occupation, by family history? By individual character?

• What is the "ends" of faith in the eyes of Marstallers? In other words, what is the purpose of religious faith and what is the purpose of "atheistic" faith?

• If a character doesn't believe in the church, what does he or she seem to believe in--and why? 

• Who is life lived for? Does the writer address that question at all, in regards to Marstallers and individual characters? 

For those whose essays focus on ideas about war:

• Does the writer address this question: Why do Marstallers participate in wars, and do their views change over time or remain fairly consistent? 

• What reasons do they have as far as nationalism/patriotism? Do they use these terms and others that relate to the purpose? 

• Do they address Denmark's neutrality in the World Wars? What more can they add about the ideology of Marstallers that come from their town's and country's want to stay out of these wars? 

• Do they interpret their characters' mindsets about war? What terms most strike you as appropriate descriptions of war, as seen through characters' eyes?