I'm back to bring all of you more webbing about my project. After I posted yesterday I went to IUCAT. I typed in "How Green was my Valley." Yes, I have already read this wonderful book, but I thought I could use some of the subject headings. The subject headings were not helpful, so I typed in Welsh literature. A book called the Mabinogion appeared. It looked like a collection of Welsh folktales. OK, I thought, I have to check this out. One of the subject headings was Tales--Wales, so I double clinked on it.
My search produced "The Celtic Legends of Glamorgan," and Culhwch and Olwen: an edition and study of the Oldest Arthurian Tale." The rest of the results were in Welsh, or I think they were in Welsh. Anyways, if anyone out there can read Welsh? Anyone? I think I hear crickets.
That's actually another question I have, "how many people in the world still speak Welsh?" I believe it is more than the number who still speak Gallic (the language native of Scotland) and Cornish( the language from Cornwall).
I digress, back to my search for Welsh literature. Since the IU System didn't seem to have many Welsh books, I went to OCLC's WorldCAT. I entered in Tales--Wales and found the Oxford Guide to Welsh Literature. I was excited and it is even in our own library. Tomorrow I am going to look through it and discover more Welsh literature.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
A tangled Web We Weave.
Webbing is the next phase of my project. According to Annette Lamb, the webbing process includes locating, searching for and connecting information. I am doing Welsh literature. I first identified Welsh literature and film I had already heard about. I only know of one book so far, "How Green was my Valley," by Richard Llewellyn. I had heard about when I was a little girl and remembered it when I became obsessed with Wales. I immediately went to the library and checked it out. No surprise the book was readily available.
At work, I work at a library, we discuss the books we are reading. When I told people about my latest book, not one person had heard of it. I found this disturbing because the book was made into a movie in 1939 or 1940. It was such a good movie, it won Best Picture, beating about Citizen Kane. Yes, you heard right, Citizen Kane, AFI's best movie of all time.
The book is about a young boy named Huw (pronounce Hugh) Morgan. His father and brothers are all coal miners. However, young Huw is bright and is sent to a government school. The Welsh language is forbidden, only English is to be spoken. Huw learns this the hard way and receives several beatings. At one point in the novel, Huw, witnesses another student being punished for speaking her own language of Welsh. The little girl beaten and bruised, is thrown out to the school yard with a heavy sign hanging around her neck cutting through her flesh. The sign reads, "I will not speak Welsh."
Another interesting scenes in the novel takes place between Huw and his teacher. Huw's teacher is Welsh, but covers his Welsh accent and degrades the Welsh tongue and people. Never a moment goes by without him reminding Huw that he despises the Welsh. Huw asks him why does he hate himself so much. The teacher replies he had the unfortunate accident of being born in Wales. He is English through and through. Huw doesn't understand his disgust.
I will continue my search for more Welsh literature and provide updates!
Lamb, Annete http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/ws.htm
Llewellyn, Richard (1940) How Green was my Valley, New York : Macmillan Co.
At work, I work at a library, we discuss the books we are reading. When I told people about my latest book, not one person had heard of it. I found this disturbing because the book was made into a movie in 1939 or 1940. It was such a good movie, it won Best Picture, beating about Citizen Kane. Yes, you heard right, Citizen Kane, AFI's best movie of all time.
The book is about a young boy named Huw (pronounce Hugh) Morgan. His father and brothers are all coal miners. However, young Huw is bright and is sent to a government school. The Welsh language is forbidden, only English is to be spoken. Huw learns this the hard way and receives several beatings. At one point in the novel, Huw, witnesses another student being punished for speaking her own language of Welsh. The little girl beaten and bruised, is thrown out to the school yard with a heavy sign hanging around her neck cutting through her flesh. The sign reads, "I will not speak Welsh."
Another interesting scenes in the novel takes place between Huw and his teacher. Huw's teacher is Welsh, but covers his Welsh accent and degrades the Welsh tongue and people. Never a moment goes by without him reminding Huw that he despises the Welsh. Huw asks him why does he hate himself so much. The teacher replies he had the unfortunate accident of being born in Wales. He is English through and through. Huw doesn't understand his disgust.
I will continue my search for more Welsh literature and provide updates!
Lamb, Annete http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/ws.htm
Llewellyn, Richard (1940) How Green was my Valley, New York : Macmillan Co.
I wonder!
Now I am at my wondering phase of my project. According to Daniel Callison in, The Blue Book: On Information age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy, humans are naturally curious. The tasks, according to Callison, is to question and then refine your questions.
I wonder a lot about Wales. I wonder about her history, culture and literature.
Who are the Welsh and where does their history begin?
How did they become dominated by England?
How have they dealt with the English and others?
How has the landscape of Wales affected her peoples?
Many people have commented that they don't know much about Wales, unfortunately neither do I. I find this disturbing because I was both a history major and I am into genealogy. I feel there is a huge gap in my knowledge about history.
I once took a graduate level history class on colonialism. One of our papers had to be on a group that has been dominated by another. These groups were dubbed "the others." My paper was on Christian Missionary Women in China, who were treated horrifically by Americans and the Chinese. So what is my point, the history about "the others," is hard to find. Often any attempt to articulate their nationalism and identity have been thwarted by their oppressors. It may be difficult, at times to identify the Welsh voice. The English, of course have much to say about their neighbors, but it is doubtful that it is totally accurate.
I feel that through Welsh literature and film, I can get a glimpse of the history, culture and the relations between the Welsh and her oppressors. I have always felt that literature and film should be used often in history class. Literature is like a photograph, it paints a picture of a certain time and place. The authors values are forever frozen in time, giving an information inquirer an opportunity to glimpse the past.
Film, does the same, but since some are visual learners, watching a film is more effective than reading a book. Therefore, I am going to create an annotated bibliography on Welsh literature and film.
Callison, DAniel, Lesile Preddy (2006) The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy.
I wonder a lot about Wales. I wonder about her history, culture and literature.
Who are the Welsh and where does their history begin?
How did they become dominated by England?
How have they dealt with the English and others?
How has the landscape of Wales affected her peoples?
Many people have commented that they don't know much about Wales, unfortunately neither do I. I find this disturbing because I was both a history major and I am into genealogy. I feel there is a huge gap in my knowledge about history.
I once took a graduate level history class on colonialism. One of our papers had to be on a group that has been dominated by another. These groups were dubbed "the others." My paper was on Christian Missionary Women in China, who were treated horrifically by Americans and the Chinese. So what is my point, the history about "the others," is hard to find. Often any attempt to articulate their nationalism and identity have been thwarted by their oppressors. It may be difficult, at times to identify the Welsh voice. The English, of course have much to say about their neighbors, but it is doubtful that it is totally accurate.
I feel that through Welsh literature and film, I can get a glimpse of the history, culture and the relations between the Welsh and her oppressors. I have always felt that literature and film should be used often in history class. Literature is like a photograph, it paints a picture of a certain time and place. The authors values are forever frozen in time, giving an information inquirer an opportunity to glimpse the past.
Film, does the same, but since some are visual learners, watching a film is more effective than reading a book. Therefore, I am going to create an annotated bibliography on Welsh literature and film.
Callison, DAniel, Lesile Preddy (2006) The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Information Inquiry One: What shall I question?
Wow, anything, any topic I want. I could do a lot of things. I am interested in books, movies and sports.
I am not really interested in inquiring about my hobbies. Currently, I am searching for a job. I will graduate in December with my degree in Library Science, maybe I can do an information inquiry about job searching. That is dull, and painful. Never Mind!
I went on my honeymoon recently. My husband and I never got to have our honeymoon when we married last October. We traveled to England, Ireland and Wales. Ireland was beautiful and I dubbed it "Middle Earth." Apparently Ireland is now the wealthiest country in the European Union. Who knew? Aren't the Irish suppose to be poor?
I am a quarter Irish, I could do an inquiry about Ireland, but it seems overdone. The Irish are no longer hated but celebrated, not poor, but wealthy. I'm sorry, but I like an underdog.
England was wonderful, beautiful scenery and London was exciting and cosmopolitan. Again I'm not feeling a great need to research England.
Wales, however, is a different story. When I was a little girl my mother told me I was 1/8th Welsh. Apparently my great grandmother was born in Swansea on the coast. "What and where is Wales," I thought?" I looked on my globe and spotted Wales. Wales shares an island with England and Scotland. Scotland is the head, England is the body and Wale is the stomach. This satisfied me for many years.
On our honeymoon, we drove through Wales and spent a night in Cardiff. Wales, with her mountains and valleys was gorgeous. Her people were friendly and Cardiff lively, but not to crowded. I learned from our tour guide that Wales is economically depressed. The coal mines have been shut down and not much industry has come to Wales such the 1980's.
As I said I love an underdog and the Welsh are still struggling. After we came home from our trip, I became obsessed with Wales. I read and rented "How Green was my Valley," and "The Englishman who went up a Hill but came down a Mountain." My husband has been patient with this last obsession. He considers it more tolerable than my Jane Austin and Lord of the Rings obsessions.
Anyways, I figured Wales would be perfect for an information inquiry. I decided to compile an annotated bibliography of Welsh literature and film. I feel this would be ideal for teachers who want to teach their students about Wales and her people.
Theresa Bruno
I am not really interested in inquiring about my hobbies. Currently, I am searching for a job. I will graduate in December with my degree in Library Science, maybe I can do an information inquiry about job searching. That is dull, and painful. Never Mind!
I went on my honeymoon recently. My husband and I never got to have our honeymoon when we married last October. We traveled to England, Ireland and Wales. Ireland was beautiful and I dubbed it "Middle Earth." Apparently Ireland is now the wealthiest country in the European Union. Who knew? Aren't the Irish suppose to be poor?
I am a quarter Irish, I could do an inquiry about Ireland, but it seems overdone. The Irish are no longer hated but celebrated, not poor, but wealthy. I'm sorry, but I like an underdog.
England was wonderful, beautiful scenery and London was exciting and cosmopolitan. Again I'm not feeling a great need to research England.
Wales, however, is a different story. When I was a little girl my mother told me I was 1/8th Welsh. Apparently my great grandmother was born in Swansea on the coast. "What and where is Wales," I thought?" I looked on my globe and spotted Wales. Wales shares an island with England and Scotland. Scotland is the head, England is the body and Wale is the stomach. This satisfied me for many years.
On our honeymoon, we drove through Wales and spent a night in Cardiff. Wales, with her mountains and valleys was gorgeous. Her people were friendly and Cardiff lively, but not to crowded. I learned from our tour guide that Wales is economically depressed. The coal mines have been shut down and not much industry has come to Wales such the 1980's.
As I said I love an underdog and the Welsh are still struggling. After we came home from our trip, I became obsessed with Wales. I read and rented "How Green was my Valley," and "The Englishman who went up a Hill but came down a Mountain." My husband has been patient with this last obsession. He considers it more tolerable than my Jane Austin and Lord of the Rings obsessions.
Anyways, I figured Wales would be perfect for an information inquiry. I decided to compile an annotated bibliography of Welsh literature and film. I feel this would be ideal for teachers who want to teach their students about Wales and her people.
Theresa Bruno
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