WEB QUEST: AMERICAN NOIR, FICTION AND FILM

INTRODUCTION

American noir genre and form has its origins in the Depression-era hard boiled novels of Cain and McCoy, and in a particular type of film that emerged in the 1940s, which later will be named as ‘film noir’. With this web quest I want to familiarize students with the theory and practice of ‘noir’ writing and film-making in America during the 40s and 50s. This activity will be addressed to the students of Bachillerato due to their level of English and a general knowledge in literature. This web quest is designed to give students the opportunity to develop their analytical and literacy skills as well as to foster the ability to learn independently and as a part of a group.

TASK

Students will be divided in small groups of three people each. Then, you have to choose one of the books and/or films proposed in class in order we study all of them. Once you know your topic the activity will consist in:
An oral presentation providing a handout of at least one side for the rest of your classmates. You will have to introduce and explain a particular theoretical argument, make connections with the rest of noir novels or films and set out a series of possible questions to be tackled by the class.
A 500 to 1000 words essay in which you must refer to at least two relevant texts or a text and a film, comparing them, outlining the most relevant features, explaining if they follow noir convections and how and you can conclude with your personal opinion. This essay will be an individual activity.

PROCESS

Each group has to choose one of the following topics:

The postman always rings twice
They shoot horses, don’t they?
If he hollers let him go.
The killer inside me.
The talented Mr. Ripley.
The black Dahlia.
Double indemnity.
Klue.

Once they have chosen a topic, they have to compile information about the context when it was written or directed, the author and the characteristics of American Noir in the book or film they have selected. Each member of the group can look up a specific part and explain to the rest of the group. Then, in groups they have to do an oral presentation in class providing the rest of students a handout to follow them and to take more notes about the topic they have been working on. In order to help themselves, they can use PowerPoint, pictures, videos, etc. Finally, when all groups have done their presentations, each student has to write an essay following the same structure as for the oral presentation, an introduction to the context, characteristics and then compare two different texts or a text and a film. They can conclude with their own opinion to develop their critical thinking through written work.

RESOURCES

Students will have printed texts given in class but the rest of the information they have to look up the following sites:

General information

http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/decade40.html
http://www.h-net.org/~hst203/documents/friedan1.html
http://www.filmsite.org/filmnoir.html
http://wikipedia.org/

The postman always rings twice
http://www.filmsite.org/post.html
http://www.bookrags.com/shortguide-postman-rings-twice/

They shoot horses, don’t they?
http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue08/reviews/theyshoothorses/text.htm
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/hmccoy.htm

If he hollers let him go.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2838/is_1_37/ai_100959601
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/96232/If-He-Hollers-Let-Him-Go/overview

The killer inside me.
http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides_K/killer_inside_me1.asp
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/6437/jim.htm
http://www.headbutler.com/archives/jim_thompson.asp

The talented Mr. Ripley.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0134119/combined
http://www.randomhouse.com/vintage/screen/books/ripley.html

The black Dahlia.
http://www.bethshort.com/dahhome.htm
http://blackdahliasolution.org/

Double indemnity.
http://www.filmsite.org/doub.html
http://www.moderntimes.com/double/

Klute
http://www.sover.net/~ozus/klute.htm
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/27570/Klute/overview

EVALUATION

This activity will be evaluated in two different parts. First, the oral presentation and the work in group and it will be marked from 10 to 40 percent of the final mark. The highest mark will be obtained if all the members show to have worked in the same conditions and creating a good atmosphere when working and the skills in oral expression. The other mark will be the individual work, which would be the rest 60 percent. Here we will take into account the content and presentation of the information, the connections between the theoretical argument and the set texts, the use of correct vocabulary and grammatical structures and spelling mistakes.

CONCLUSION

At the end of the activity students will be able to outline the key aspects and interpretative contexts of ‘noir’ writing and filmmaking in the United Sates, they will have evolve their independent and critical thinking, and the most important thing, they will develop the ability to learn independently and as part of a group, that can be very helpful for other different areas as well as in everyday life.

Mi primer blog

Bear in mind:
If you keep your mouth shut, you will never put your foot in it.