Make sure you are using (and citing) the text to support your ideas and challenge your peers.

In Chapter III, Thomas King continues to critique historical and contemporary representations of the Indian, arguing that Indians have been typecast and stereotyped throughout history and into the present. King includes the story of Ishi, the “Wild Man of Oroville,” and reminds us of the Puritan views of Native Americans–they were described as “‘wonderous cruel,'” “‘strangely base and vile,'” and like beasts of prey (King 75). He concludes that the role of the Indian in North American history is the role of the entertainer. The Indian is entertainment. You might consider this idea of “entertainment” in the context of storytelling. Isn’t a story’s purpose to entertain? How is entertainment the “story of survival”? (89). One of the paper topics, in fact, is directly connected to this chapter.

ALL of the research project topics are connected to The Truth About Stories. This discussion board begins our conversation about the research project. For this discussion board, brainstorm ideas in response to two separate paper topics. List the paper topic first, then brainstorm a possible response. Brainstorming is the first stage of the writing process, and it includes listing ideas and making connections. In this case, your brainstorming should consist of complete sentences, and it should include connections to specific parts or ideas in The Truth About Stories. Try to end your brainstorming for each paper topic with a thesis statement – it can be a weak or a broad one, but any thesis statement is a starting point.

(You should choose the best of the ideas you generate in this week’s discussion and use it as the basis for your research paper and annotated bibliography, but be sure to brainstorm TWO possible topics in this week’s discussion. Even if you opt not to pursue something, your ideas might inspire one of your peers to look into that topic.)