Welcome to De Anza!
Agenda
• Introduce the topic of Sexuality
• Summary Assignment
• Homework
Sexuality
• We will be discussing sexuality
scientifically (in a non-judgemental and
objective way) and in terms of its effects on
literature and in particular on The Book of
Salt.
• Before we begin, discuss in a small group
how and in what context you have
discussed sexuality. Be prepared to share
with the whole class.
Sexuality
• Before we begin, discuss in a small group
how and in what context you have
discussed sexuality.
– Not really discussed in public; not a conversation
starter, unless it is personal
– Psychology classes; in Catholic school
– Social science classes; professors are trying to get
people to be accepting of everyone, not everyone is
the same
– Sex education in middle school
– Artistic perspective in school; many people avoid
discussion
Summary Assignment
• The assignment description is posted on
the course web site.
• We will work on summaries during class on
Tuesday.
• I will give your first summary assignment
back to you on Tuesday.
Sexuality
• Here are things to pay attention to:
– What kinds of relationships are allowed?
– What kinds of relationships are not allowed?
– What are the penalties for breaking the rules?
– Who enforces the rules?
– Where did the rules come from?
– How are the rules related to colonialism and
socioeconomic class?
• Let’s test this framework out on specific
characters from The Book of Salt
Colonialism
•
•
•
•
What is colonialism?
Atlas of Colonialism
French Indochina
A quick exercise: Within your group, come up with ways
to discuss the topic of colonialism.
– Religion
– Manifest Destiny; the right to take over; colonizers feeling superior to
spread their ideas
– Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony
– Architecture, language, daily lifestyles
– Profit and exploitation; European colonizers profiting, colonized peoples
exploited; mixture of ethnicities
Colonialism
• What is colonialism?
– Colonialism created very unequal social relationships.
– Colonialism limited possibilities for peoples who were
colonized. Colonies were established by colonizers to
create places that would serve the interests of
colonizers, not the colonized peoples.
• According to colonial ideologies, how should
natives treat colonizers?
• According to colonial ideologies, how should
colonizers treat natives?
Homework
• Finish reading The Book of Salt.
• If you missed Tuesday, see me after class.
• If possible, complete the first three steps for
Summary 2 so I can help you to formulate a thesis
statement on Tuesday.