Reaction Paper 1 Toni Morrison’s The Pieces I am (2019) & The Site of Memory (1987/1995)

Option 1:
Choose a moment from the documentary on Toni’s life and her social impact and
interpret it’s cultural/political significance to you.
i.e. I am also “Head of Household” moment as a total feminist stance and self-defense
against patriarchy within the chambers of her worksite and the economic decision-
making process of that institution. (Intersections of Gender/Sexuality/DSPS/Age)
Option 2:
Toni Morrison offers us not just African American feminist literature, but most
importantly, a working-class women worldview, she called it “Pedestrian
Literature”, describe the reasons why.
Option 3:
Toni Morrison’s life is also an invitation to literature through poetry and music,
personal and collective resilience, tenderness and curiosity, how so?
Option 4:
Life itself transformed Chloe Anthony Wofford into Toni Morrison, a look at her
different identities show you how we all have personal power to define who we are
against this cruel, though also at times, beautiful world we live in. How does her life
inspire you to hold on to your courage or your emotional prowess as a survival tool
kit during this historical moment we are forced to face? Think of the intimate ties
between self-identity and survival to convey your answer.
Option 5:
Write a letter to Toni about anything you want to express to her about themes or a
specific moment that inspired you from either her documentary or her essay on how
historical memory shaped her literature.
Length: 1-2 Pages
Texts: Draw from passages from “The Site of Memory” or from her documentary
Be sure to format your paper to MLA Style, see syllabi for details.
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