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MUSIC |
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"The band was playing Jimmy Cliff's 'Many Rivers to Cross,' and he focused on the words, singing under his breath, trying to take himself away, at least in his head." -pg 118 |
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Throughout this portion of the WebQuest, you will have the opportunity to hear several of the songs that are mentioned in Graceland. You will be introduced to highlife, a genre of African music, and will be asked to read through some song lyrics. As you work your way through the different websites and assignments, consider the cultural, emotional, and political significance of music in Elvis' life. |
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In order to learn about Highlife, a genre of music that is mentioned in Gracland, click on the Highlife link. Read the short Highlife description that the link leads you to. Then click on the Highlife directory below the description. Choose a couple of the Highlife artists and listen to a few of their songs. As you listen, pay attention to the instruments and the singers voice. What do you notice about the beat? What is the tone of the music you are listening to? Find a section of the novel in which Elvis is listening to Highlife music, and imagine how he might be feeling at that very moment. |
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Bob Marley, a famous song writer and anti-racism, human rights activist, is mentioned several times through Graceland. For this assignment, click on the Bob Marley link, which will take you to a website that lists several of his songs. Read the lyrics, and listen to sound clips for the following songs, "Natural Mystic," "Get up Stand up" and "War." After you have finished, answer one of the questions below in a music blog entry. |
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Bob Marley |
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Important Questions To Consider:
1) What seems to be the message encompassed in the lyrics of Bob Marley's songs? In Graceland, Abani manages to give a voice to the "thousands of nameless, faceless Nigerians" (Abani, 163). How do Marley's songs also work to give a sense of voice and power to these underpresented classes of individuals.
2) In Graceland, Elvis wonders, "What if he had been born white, or even just American? Would his life be any different? Stupid, he thought." (78) Is Elvis' rhetorical question really stupid, or is it one that is importnat and that should be addressed?In at least paragraph, examine this quote using the following Bob Marley "War" lyrics as critical lens.
"Until the philosophy which holds one race
Superior and another inferior
Is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned/
Everywhere is war, me say war..."
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"'There's a natural mystic blowing through the air/ If you listen carefully now you will hear...'" - pg 4 |
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Music Assignment |
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For this assignemt you will work in a group of four, and will be combining your appreciation for music with your ability to analyze and understand different characters and situations in the novel. Your task will be to choose one chapter from the novel, and to choose four songs that you feel best portray this chapter. After you have chosen your four songs, email me the chapter you have chosen, and a list of songs you are going to use to represent this chapter. You should also send me a version of at least one of those songs. I will be creating a Graceland CD based on the songs you send to me. Afterwards, you and your partner should write a short paper (2-3 pgs) in which you consider the following questions:
1) Why are these songs representative of the chapter you have chosen?
2) What have you learned about the importance of music to the characters in the novel?
3) How is music used by the different characters in the novel? How is the music used by Abani?
Finally, please include one direct quotation to support each of your song choices.
*Be prepared to explain your song choice to your peers because we will be listening to the CD in class*
**You will have a weekend and four days to complete this project. Please make sure you send me a version of one of your song choices at least 2 days before the project is due, so that I have ample time to compile and create copies of our class Graceland CD.**
- Songs that are not appropriate to play in class, will not be included on the CD. |
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WebQuest Home |
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TASK 4 |
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