Bernadette Flynn-Low
Web Quest- English 102

The Quest

Information Sources

Activity

Activity Sheet

Evaluation

The Quest

Introduction

As you begin your study of Bernard Malamud, it would be be helpful to know a bit about his background. Most writers are influenced by their own lives, and Malamud is no exception. Reading quickly through the following material will enable you to see how Malamud's life shaped his fiction, in particular, The Assistant.

Task

Write a paragraph explaining the ways that Bernard Malamud's life influenced his novel, The Assistant.

Process

1. visit the sites listed below
2. skim the material looking specifically for information about his life and how it influenced The Assistant
3. jot some notes to yourself
4. talk to a partner or two to compare information
5. write a paragraph that:
   • has a topic sentence that generalizes about the points you will make
   • has at least five sentences
   • uses two critics or sources introduces each critic
   • Provides minimal information about source in parentheses at end of sentence

Information Sources Top

Suggested Web Sites:

Bernard Malamud - American Literature on the Web. Links to other web sites

Articles in magazines & Journals: 

To access these databases from home or office please go to Magazine & Journal page and follow the instructions for setting your browser.

Use the Literature Databases to find the best databases for finding articles on literature.

Literature Resource Center by Gale is the best database for literary research. Follow the steps below to access articles on Malamud.

1. Click on Literature Resource Center
2. In the author search box type in Malamud, Bernard
3. After the search under the items found choose one or more of the following:

"Bernard Malamud," in Contemporary Authors. (A profile of the author's life and works)

"Bernard Malamud," in Contemporary Literary Criticism-Select. (A brief review of the author's life, works, and critical reception)

Leslie Field, "Bernard Malamud," in Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 28: Twentieth-Century American-Jewish Fiction Writers. A Bruccoli Clark Layman Book. Edited by Daniel Walden, Pennsylvania State University. The Gale Group, 1984, pp. 166-175.

ActivityTop

After gathering information, write a paragraph. It should:

• generalize about what you found,
• develop your point in at least four supporting sentences,
• use two critical sources.

You should introduce each critic or critical source in your text and you should cite enough information about the source that the reader can find this source on your Works Cited page. For example, you sentence might begin like this: Critic Leslie Fielder explains that Malamud learned about Italians through his Italian wife (Fielder " Malamud and The Assistant'). This connection with Italians helped Malamud create the believable Italian-American character, Frank Alpine. Not that you only include what is essential in the parentheses where you cite your source, for you will include the entire web address in the Works Cited page. Be sure to copy and save that information as you do your research.

Evaluation Top

Your paragraph will be evaluated by a peer and by your instructor using the following criteria:

Does paragraph:

• generalize about your point in a topic sentence (ideally the first sentence)--20 pts.
• have at least four sentences that support the topic sentence--20 pts.
• use two critical sources--20 pts.
• introduce each critic at least once--20 pts.
• provide minimal information on source in parentheses at the end of the sentence where critic is referred to--20 pts.

Please exchange paragraphs with peers or groups to see the total points you earned for this activity.

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