Varnell Class WebQuest: Southern Literature

This WebQuest will serve as an intro to our Southern Literature Unit:

Each video that follows will address a specific theme of Southern Lit and will have 2 questions after it (one factual from the video, one your opinion). Please post below once you have all 10 answers (+ bonus) prepared. It will count as the first grade in your Southern Literature project Test!

Video 1: Freaks

The freak is a character with physical or mental abnormalities that often make him or her scary and dangerous.

Whenever I’m asked why Southern writers particularly have a penchant for writing about freaks, I say it is because we are still able to recognize oneFlannery O'Connor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsypBOwbDuU

  • (1) Using specific details, describe the crime that has led to Karl being sentenced to this mental institution.

  • (2) Give an example and an explanation of a Southern artistic piece that utilizes the “freak” (any genre acceptable).

Video 2: Religion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFTitXRVM0Y

  • (3) What is God trying to tell the father and daughter pair featured in this clip?

  • (4) How have you seen the influence of religion here in the South, either in your own life or around you?

Video 3: Race

NOTE: Country singer Brad Paisley and rapper LL Cool J created a huge controversy with the release of their 2013 collaboration “Accidental Racist.” The song was an attempt to initiate an honest dialogue on race, but both were criticized for allegedly very poor choices of wording in their lyrics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrrClRTc_fk

  • (5) Peep the lyrics (you can listen too if you’d like) HERE, and identify what LL Cool J says will make him “forget the iron chains” of slavery.

  • (6) Do you think minorities need to “forget” about something as huge as slavery? Does LL Cool J actually mean “forgive?” If so, how?

Video 4: Danger / Violence

Sometimes related to the “Freaks” theme, Southern Literature often has a sense of danger, with violence usually erupting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNgYa39BQIw&

  • (7) The plot of that music video is an allusion back to another violent Southern film/novel named “Deliverance.” What is the plot?

  • (8) Give an example of a Southern piece which displays danger or violence (any genre).

Video 5: Love / Relationships

Love is a common theme in many types of literature, but, again, as with “freaks” and “violence” – things in the South often go SOUTH:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB7ONnfIjaI

  • dang Miranda – U MAD??!!

  • (9) Where have you seen love go wrong here in the South? (can be a fictional or real-life example).

Video 6: Setting / Community

Often in southern pieces, the place where the plot occurs is so important that it’s almost like another character:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOY1hmZIplE

  • (10) Why is the setting of that song so important?

BONUS: try to name as many of the people from the opening slide as you can, and the top winner from each class gets a copy of my CD:

April 21st, 2014
  1. Using specific details, describe the crime that has led to Karl being sentenced to this mental institution.-He hit his “mother outside the head” and killed her.

  2. Give an example and an explanation of a Southern artistic piece that utilizes the “freak” (any genre acceptable).-Bluegrass genre.

  3. What is God trying to tell the father and daughter pair featured in this clip?
    -Get back together.

  4. How have you seen the influence of religion here in the South, either in your own life or around you?
    -Many Of these modern southern church pastors are trying to maintain a “Good Ol’e Southern Gospel Church.”

  5. Identify what LL Cool J says will make him “forget the iron chains” of slavery.
    -(If you don’t judge my gold)But not everything we’ve done (I’ll forget the iron chains)

  6. Do you think minorities need to “forget” about something as huge as slavery? Does LL Cool J actually mean “forgive?” If so, how?

-No. Slavery is world History. But yes, LL Cool J does mean forgive by forgiving slavery.
7. The plot of that music video is an allusion back to another violent Southern film/novel named “Deliverance.” What is the plot?
-4 men in a canoe trip, and one becomes a man-hunter.

  1. Give an example of a Southern piece which displays danger or violence (any genre).
    -Country Music

  2. Where have you seen love go wrong here in the South? (can be a fictional or real-life example).
    -The South Music videos, where a girl is spilling gasoline.

  3. Why is the setting of that song so important?
    -It shows violent southern gangsters. So it is obvious that the setting is a place like that.

April 21st, 2014

@edwinu props for being the first one to finish! Well done!

April 22nd, 2014
  1. He killed both Jessie and his mother; he killed Jessie because he seen him harming his mother and she was bleeding; he killed his mother because she questioned why he killed Jessie (I think).

  2. Robb Banks(in his mixtape “Tha City”, he explained in the interview that everyone was portraying him as a villain so he gave back what people called him

  3. To Talk to them and to help them

  4. Just going to church when I was younger showed me how religion was influenced (it was a crazy experience though, like everyone, even my mom, caught the Holy Ghost).

  5. “If you don’t judge my gold chains…”

  6. NO ! Slavery was an important thing in the past, but that’s where it needs to stay. It’s good to know about as far as knowledge but for practice, no; Yes, people are actually acting integrated, but of course he won’t forget

  7. Basically they ended up at a place where they weren’t welcome so they got beat (wrong place/wrong time)

  8. In Denzel Curry song “Threatz” there are parts where he’s telling you how he’ll do such and such or describing how you would end up

  9. In most Tyler Perry movies love goes wrong at some point throughout the piece

  10. It shows what the hood looks like and where they come from

Bonus : Outkast, Rick Ross, T.I., Martin Luther King Jr., Big Teach

April 22nd, 2014

(1) Using specific details, describe the crime that has led to Karl being sentenced to this mental institution.
He hit his mother and killed her.
(2) Give an example and an explanation of a Southern artistic piece that utilizes the “freak” (any genre acceptable)
Bluegrass genre
(3) What is God trying to tell the father and daughter pair featured in this clip?
Get together
(4) How have you seen the influence of religion here in the South, either in your own life or around you?
Maintain “Good Ol’e Southern Gospel Church.”
5) Peep the lyrics (you can listen too if you’d like) HERE, and identify what LL Cool J says will make him “forget the iron chains” of slavery.
(6) Do you think minorities need to “forget” about something as huge as slavery? Does LL Cool J actually mean “forgive?” If so, how?
No slavery happens in other places to.
(7) The plot of that music video is an allusion back to another violent Southern film/novel named “Deliverance.” What is the plot?
4 men and one becomes a hunter
(8) Give an example of a Southern piece which displays danger or violence (any genre) Rap music
9) Where have you seen love go wrong here in the South? (can be a fictional or real-life example)
South music videos
(10) Why is the setting of that song so important?
It shows violent in the southern.

April 22nd, 2014

(1) Using specific details, describe the crime that has led to Karl being sentenced to this mental institution.
He had walked in on Jessie and his mom. He killed Jessie and then his mom.
(2) Give an example and an explanation of a Southern artistic piece that utilizes the “freak” (any genre acceptable).
Bluegrass genre
(3) What is God trying to tell the father and daughter pair featured in this clip?
Sinners have soul too.
(4) How have you seen the influence of religion here in the South, either in your own life or around you?
When I go to church
(5) Peep the lyrics (you can listen too if you’d like) HERE, and identify what LL Cool J says will make him “forget the iron chains” of slavery.
If you don’t judge my gold chains
(6) Do you think minorities need to “forget” about something as huge as slavery? Does LL Cool J actually mean “forgive?” If so, how?
Forget the slavery mentality
(7) The plot of that music video is an allusion back to another violent Southern film/novel named “Deliverance.” What is the plot?
They are in a swamp type place covered in trees
(8) Give an example of a Southern piece which displays danger or violence (any genre).
Country music
(9) Where have you seen love go wrong here in the South? (can be a fictional or real-life example).
South Music videos
(10) Why is the setting of that song so important?
violent southern gangsters

April 22nd, 2014

1 I think he is sentenced to the mental institute because something wrong with him in his head. He killed his mom and Jessie Dickson because he was at first unaware and scared but once he found out he killed his mom because i think he was mad.
2 one example is “Forest Gump"
3 God brought them back together once again i think he trying to tell them everyone needs forgiveness and family needs to stick together.
4 Yes in the south i think religion is very important and its everywhere ‘church’ is big part of the south.
5 He basically talking about the chains they use to beat us with constantly sometimes for no reason.
6 i think we should forgive because if we don’t it blocks our blessing but i also think we should never forget
7 The plot was they was going to kill those 2 guys and hurry up and leave
8 An example would be the movie “Civil Brand”
9 I seen a lot of places where love go wrong specifically in movies
10 the setting is so important because it helps you visualize where and whats going on from begging to end.

April 22nd, 2014
  1. Using specific details, describe the crime that has led to Karl being sentenced to this mental institution.-He hit his “mother outside the head” and killed her.
  2. Give an example and an explanation of a Southern artistic piece that utilizes the “freak” (any genre acceptable).-Bluegrass genre.
  3. What is God trying to tell the father and daughter pair featured in this clip?
    -Get back together.
  4. How have you seen the influence of religion here in the South, either in your own life or around you? Maintain “Good Ol’e Southern Gospel Church.”
  5. Peep the lyrics (you can listen too if you’d like) HERE, and identify what LL Cool J says will make him “forget the iron chains” of slavery.
  6. Do you think minorities need to “forget” about something as huge as slavery? Does LL Cool J actually mean “forgive?” If so, how? No. Slavery is world History. But yes, LL Cool J does mean forgive by forgiving slavery.
  7. The plot of that music video is an allusion back to another violent Southern film/novel named “Deliverance.” What is the plot?
    -4 men in a canoe trip and one becomes a man-hunter.
  8. Give an example of a Southern piece which displays danger or violence (any genre).
    -Country Music
  9. Where have you seen love go wrong here in the South? (can be a fictional or real-life example).
    -The South Music videos, where a girl is spilling gasoline.
  10. Why is the setting of that song so important?
    -It shows violent southern gangsters. So it is obvious that the setting is a place like that.
April 22nd, 2014
  1. Kari seen a man touching his mother though the kitchen window. He ran in the house hit the man in the head with something and killed him. Kari mom was screaming and said why you killed him then he hit his mother and killed her too.

  2. Lil Wayne /Jimmy Carry

  3. Even though she was a sinner you should love her anyways.

  4. Everybody practice religion in their own way

  5. LL Cool J was saying everybody should forgive

  6. I don’t think people should forget about slavery because its apart of history

  7. They was killing the men in the wilderness

  8. The color purple

  9. Things went wrong back in slavery days

  10. It’s important because many people get treated differently

April 22nd, 2014

•(1) Using specific details, describe the crime that has led to Karl being sentenced to this mental institution.Karl walked into the house and saw his mother laying down on the floor and saw jesie Dickson on top of her and so he went and got a blade and hit him once on the side of the head and then he wasn’t satisfied and came and hit him on the throat with the knife side and chopped off his head. Right after that his mother was asking him why did he kill jesie and so his mom didn’t appreciate what he did so then he came and killed his mother as well.
•(2) Give an example and an explanation of a Southern artistic piece that utilizes the “freak” (any genre acceptable).Robb Banks(in his mixtape “Tha City”, he explained in the interview that everyone was portraying him as a villain so he gave back what people called him.
(3) What is God trying to tell the father and daughter pair featured in this clip?
-Get back together.
(4) How have you seen the influence of religion here in the South, either in your own life or around you?.i see people go to church everyday they make it a part of theyre lives to give time to the church.
(5) Identify what LL Cool J says will make him “forget the iron chains” of slavery.
–(If you don’t judge my gold)But not everything we’ve done (I’ll forget the iron chains)
(6) Do you think minorities need to “forget” about something as huge as slavery? Does LL Cool J actually mean “forgive?” If so, how?
-No. Slavery is world History, we need people to know what happened in the past it is too big of a deal to just forget about. But yes, LL Cool J does mean forgive by forgiving slavery.
(7) The plot of that music video is an allusion back to another violent Southern film/novel named “Deliverance.” What is the plot?
-people were at the wrong place at the wrong time
(8) Give an example of a Southern piece which displays danger or violence (any genre).
- rock
(9) Where have you seen love go wrong here in the South? (can be a fictional or real-life example).
(10) Why is the setting of that song so important?
-It shows violent gangsters, its what they rap about showing how the hood is.

April 22nd, 2014

1.Using specific details, describe the crime that has led to Karl being sentenced to this mental institution.
- Karl was sentenced to this crime because he had killed his mom since he made it seem as if his mother liked what the guy did to her.
2.Give an example and an explanation of a southern artistic piece that utilizes the “freak”
-The whole church was singing and an explanation to it is that sinners have souls as well.
3.What is God trying to tell the father and daughter pair featured in this clip?
-He’s basically saying let’s all get together
4. How have you seen the influence of religion here in the south, either in your own life or around you?
- In the south you’ll see church pastors are trying to keep a good figure about them.
5.Peep the lyrics, Identify what LL Cool J says will make him “ forget the iron chains” of slavery.
- i dont know..
6.Do you think minorities need to “forget” about something as huge slavery? Does LL cool J actually mean “forgive” if so how?
-You can’t forget something that have happen it would be called history and by forgiveness he meant forgive slavery.
7.The plot of that music video is an allusion back to another violent Southern film/novel named “Deliverance.” What is the plot?
-They had landed to a place where they weren’t welcome at the wrong time as well so they got beat.
8.Give an example of a southern piece which displays danger or violence..
- Country music could be one and so can classy music..?
9.Where have you seen love go wrong here in the south?
-In the show meet the browns their love for each other seems to go off and on; they go through difficulties in which it’s hard to find a solution.
10.Why is the setting of that song so important?
-It shows how the hood they live in looks like and how violent and dangerous it is.

April 22nd, 2014

(1) Using specific details, describe the crime that has led to Karl being sentenced to this mental institution.
He had walked in on Jessie and his mom. He killed Jessie and then his mom.
(2) Give an example and an explanation of a Southern artistic piece that utilizes the “freak” (any genre acceptable).
Bluegrass genre
(3) What is God trying to tell the father and daughter pair featured in this clip?
Sinners have soul too.
(4) How have you seen the influence of religion here in the South, either in your own life or around you?
When I go to church
(5) Peep the lyrics (you can listen too if you’d like) HERE, and identify what LL Cool J says will make him “forget the iron chains” of slavery.
If you don’t judge my gold chains
(6) Do you think minorities need to “forget” about something as huge as slavery? Does LL Cool J actually mean “forgive?” If so, how?
Forget the slavery mentality
(7) The plot of that music video is an allusion back to another violent Southern film/novel named “Deliverance.” What is the plot?
They are in a swamp type place covered in trees
(8) Give an example of a Southern piece which displays danger or violence (any genre).
Country music
(9) Where have you seen love go wrong here in the South? (can be a fictional or real-life example).
South Music videos
(10) Why is the setting of that song so important?
violent southern gangsters

April 22nd, 2014

1) Jesse Dickson, the boss of Karl’s father, was having his way with Karl’s mother. Karl hit him to get him away, but then he killed him. When Karl thought that his mother didn’t really mind what Jesse was doing, Karl killed her as well.
2) I have never read “The Color Purple,” but I think the main character’s husband might be an example of a freak. Celie tells her life story beginning at the age of 14 in this book, and she finds out that her abusive husband has been keeping her sister’s letters from her. The book sounds a bit like a coming of age story, and Celie’s husband seems psychotic from the summary, making me believe that he’s a “freak.”
3) ”Sinners have soul, too.”
4) I’ve seen that, because of religion, a lot more people are conservative in the south than in other places in the USA, especially when elections roll around.
5) ”If you don’t judge my gold chains”
6) No one needs to forget about slavery. But one person can’t speak for a whole race, so it would be better if the singer used “forgive” since that seems less outrageous than saying that he’ll “forget.”
7) In both stories, a canoeing trip turns into a murder. A man is the murder in the book, and in the music video it’s a group of men terrorizing another group.
8) ”Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”
9) Gone With The Wind? I can’t really remember anything Southern, and I barely read romance novels.
10) The setting is so important because it’s the whole point of the song. The song is about the “hood” and it’s set in the “hood.”

April 22nd, 2014

1)Using specific details, describe the crime that has led to Karl being sentenced to this mental institution: – He had walked in on Jessie and his mom. He killed Jessie and then his mom.
2)Give an example and an explanation of a Southern artistic piece that utilizes the “freak” (any genre acceptable): – Robb Banks(in his mixtape “Tha City”, he explained in the interview that everyone was portraying him as a villain so he gave back what people called him.
3)What is God trying to tell the father and daughter pair featured in this clip? – to get together.
4)How have you seen the influence of religion here in the South, either in your own life or around you? – Many Of these modern southern church pastors are trying to maintain a “Good Ol’e Southern Gospel Church.”
5)–(If you don’t judge my gold)But not everything we’ve done (I’ll forget the iron chains)
6) Do you think minorities need to “forget” about something as huge as slavery? Does LL Cool J actually mean “forgive?” If so, how?
Forget the slavery mentality
7)The plot of that music video is an allusion back to another violent Southern film/novel named “Deliverance.” What is the plot?
-4 men in a canoe trip, and one becomes a man-hunter
8)Give an example of a Southern piece which displays danger or violence (any genre).
-Country music
9)Where have you seen love go wrong here in the South? (can be a fictional or real-life example).
South Music videos
10)Why is the setting of that song so important?
violent southern gangsters

April 22nd, 2014

(1) Using specific details, describe the crime that has led to Karl being sentenced to this mental institution.
He hit his mother and killed her.
(2) Give an example and an explanation of a Southern artistic piece that utilizes the “freak” (any genre acceptable)
Bluegrass genre
(3) What is God trying to tell the father and daughter pair featured in this clip?
Get together
(4) How have you seen the influence of religion here in the South, either in your own life or around you?
Maintain “Good Ol’e Southern Gospel Church.”
5) Peep the lyrics (you can listen too if you’d like) HERE, and identify what LL Cool J says will make him “forget the iron chains” of slavery.
(6) Do you think minorities need to “forget” about something as huge as slavery? Does LL Cool J actually mean “forgive?” If so, how?
-No. Slavery is world History, we need people to know what happened in the past it is too big of a deal to just forget about. But yes, LL Cool J does mean forgive by forgiving slavery.
(7) The plot of that music video is an allusion back to another violent Southern film/novel named “Deliverance.” What is the plot?
-people were at the wrong place at the wrong time
(8) Give an example of a Southern piece which displays danger or violence (any genre).
– rock
(9) Where have you seen love go wrong here in the South? (can be a fictional or real-life example).
(10) Why is the setting of that song so important?
-It shows violent gangsters, its what they rap about showing how the hood is.

April 22nd, 2014

Video 1: Freaks
The freak is a character with physical or mental abnormalities that often make him or her scary and dangerous.
Whenever I’m asked why Southern writers particularly have a penchant for writing about freaks, I say it is because we are still able to recognize one — Flannery O'Connor

Loading embed…
• (1) Using specific details, describe the crime that has led to Karl being sentenced to this mental institution. He beat his mother and killed her.
• (2) Give an example and an explanation of a Southern artistic piece that utilizes the “freak” (any genre acceptable). Bluegrass genre
Video 2: Religion
Loading embed…
• (3) What is God trying to tell the father and daughter pair featured in this clip? To join together
• (4) How have you seen the influence of religion here in the South, either in your own life or around you? Well we all have different religions and in church I guess.
Video 3: Race
NOTE: Country singer Brad Paisley and rapper LL Cool J created a huge controversy with the release of their 2013 collaboration “Accidental Racist.” The song was an attempt to initiate an honest dialogue on race, but both were criticized for allegedly very poor choices of wording in their lyrics.
Loading embed…
• (5) Peep the lyrics (you can listen too if you’d like) HERE, and identify what LL Cool J says will make him “forget the iron chains” of slavery. If you don’t judge my gold chains
• (6) Do you think minorities need to “forget” about something as huge as slavery? Does LL Cool J actually mean “forgive?” If so, how? slavery mentality
Video 4: Danger / Violence
Sometimes related to the “Freaks” theme, Southern Literature often has a sense of danger, with violence usually erupting:
Loading embed…
• (7) The plot of that music video is an allusion back to another violent Southern film/novel named “Deliverance.” What is the plot? swamp type place covered in trees
• (8) Give an example of a Southern piece which displays danger or violence (any genre). Country Music
Video 5: Love / Relationships
Love is a common theme in many types of literature, but, again, as with “freaks” and “violence” — things in the South often go SOUTH:
Loading embed…
• dang Miranda — U MAD??!!
• (9) Where have you seen love go wrong here in the South? (can be a fictional or real-life example).like in slavery
Video 6: Setting / Community
Often in southern pieces, the place where the plot occurs is so important that it’s almost like another character:
Loading embed…
• (10) Why is the setting of that song so important? it shows and tells you what the hood is like and the danger there’s in there

April 22nd, 2014