Charting a course through Johnson
Exploring the range of readings
It's clear that there are four general areas of Johnson's writing in which there is interest:
Here's how I think we can proceed. We'll set up four groups. Each group should organize to explore and propose a specific set of readings we all should do that would help us come to a deeper understanding of each of those areas, and take responsibility for telling the rest of us what we need to know about them and posing some discussion issues for a class session on them. We'll devote one class session to what each group proposes.
What you should do, once we've set the groups up, is plan to assemble, by Friday morning, a wiki page which tells the rest of us exactly what to read (not "some of X," but specifically what, and where we can find it) and indicates what issues seem to you most important as we read. The reading assignment should be enough to fill two or three hours' reading time. You should include a list of references on your wiki page.
There'll be some time in class Wednesday afternoon for groups to touch base, but you should plan on working separately. You can organize what various people might do in the time remaining in class today after we've set up the groups.
The wiki pages will be accessible after class today. I'll create linked pages for each person to add or propose whatever she likes, or offer what background she can find that might be helpful, between now and Friday morning.
On Friday morning at 10:30 I'll create and post on the Web site a schedule for reading and discussion between now and the end of term.
Next time
On Wednesday we'll take some time to consider the Dictionary, and the specific readings I proposed in the last prompt, and give groups a chance to touch base.