Ryan Reeder
History 390R
Derr and Esplin
April 17, 2001
Discussion Questions
The Discussion Questions were an interesting assignment. While they usually took only half an hour or so, plus the few hours of accompanying readings, I probably only completed them on time about half the time. It's nice that they didn't get penalized too severely for that, if at all. I'm including a copy of the last set of questions for April 10. I chose to discuss somewhat all three of the questions I raised. It was often a challenge to come up with the questions, though it helped me to learn and focus my thoughts. I think there is somewhat of an evolution in the questions. The instructions were to move away from specific details of the readings and focus on the issues as a whole, drawing in a number of the readings on each question. It helped me think more analytically and learn to question.
So, in answer to the questions, I learned how to think and ask thoughtful questions, I probably wouldn't revise too much, as the questions represent an evolution in the types of questions I came up with over the semester, and through questioning, I came to understand more of identity and community.
Discovering My Identity as a Latter-day Saint
This assignment was difficult to get started, largely because I didn't know where to begin or how to organize the paper. The Church has had an overarching influence in my life, and it was somewhat difficult to condense that into a 5-6 page paper. It ended up being a couple of weeks late, but I was satisfied with my effort. I believe I was very open and honest in that paper, candidly exploring my strengths and weaknesses, without trying to hide one behind the other. There isn't much detail on a lot of the events, but I think it represents me pretty well. After rereading the paper, I think that I would have included something more on the development of my testimony. Perhaps an evaluation of myself at each stage of my life could also have been included. It did help me continue to grow and learn more about myself from an evaluation of former journal entries. I think the theme of 1990-2 being a turning point in my life came out of that.
Feed the Press: An analysis of United States national media portrayals of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their causes, 1950-2000
I think this was an interesting paper. It was more along the lines of a scholarly historical paper, though it was largely limited to a synthesis of secondary sources as per the instructions. It was also due about the same time as several other papers, one of which was significantly larger, significantly more important, and already significantly late. I didn't get a chance to incorporate a second draft of this paper-if you'd still like me to do that, I should have some more time this week, and could get it into you by the final. My choice of this particular topic was interesting. Sometime about the middle of the semester, shortly before I woke up, I had a dream. I was pulling out various papers on Mormon History and looking at their titles. They all looked interesting. The only one I remembered, though, was entitled "Feed the Press," and it was about U.S. media portrayals of The Church in the 1970s. So I thought that might be an interesting topic to look at when I got around to actually writing the paper. Hence the unusual title and the disjointed comparison with NBC's "Meet the Press." When this paper finally came up in my personal queue, I thought of this topic, considered some others, including a history of the LTM at the KMB, but finally decided to go with it. The sources I found were useful, and led me to a few others. I decided, based on the sources, to expand the paper to analyzing media portrayals of the Church since roughly the end of World War II. Based on the sources, I identified five distinct periods of media portrayal of the Church, and found some ideas about why there had been an alternating positive/negative (or something else) image of the Church. This became the basis for my thesis and organization, which I felt were clear and tight. Interestingly, one of the sources which I found reference to, but was unable to consult, was presented at the 1998 Sunstone Symposium. It was entitled "The Mormon Image Since 1960" by Jan Shipps.
I don't think that there is too much I would have changed in this paper. The "Meet the Press" analogy feels a little disjointed, I'd be willing to look at some feedback on whether or not to eliminate it. I believe that the paper was well-organized and well written. While it does take up eighteen pages, part of the reason why I plan to reuse the copy which may be handed back today-that's $1.26 printing costs, and I'm still trying to pay my tuition-the actual text without footnotes, bibliography or title page is twelve pages, so it conforms to the guidelines on the syllabus. The process helped me learn more about the subject matter.
Midterm
Since I'm not sure if you want the midterm returned to you or for me to write out a copy of the essay, I'll copy the essay now. The main feature of this essay was the time limit on the test. I began with about an hour of the 90 minute time, but still had to briefly mention several important points. Such is the nature of the timed test.
I remember noticing the Dean May quote in the first set of readings. I really thought that was significant, and that contributed to my choosing this particular essay to write on. I think I tried coming up with a clear organization and carefully crafting the introduction, and give explicit details. This may be a good thing or a bad thing-It seemed to generally impress the grade, but it contributed to a lack of a second part of the essay. I put the theme of the essay as proving a general, faithful point, that of the Lord being in charge of the work and all experience, good or bad, ending up turning for our good. The history of the Church proves this, on an individual and collective level.
Burdens of Earth
Finally, I enjoyed this play. I made an effort to attend at least part of all three events, but I haven't received a response on the Jan Shipps paper yet, and I was busy enough the Saturday of "Lives of the Saints" that I only caught the last half-hour, and didn't write a paper on it. Burdens of Earth was an enjoyable play. I think my one-page evaluation was basically just an expression of my feelings toward the play; thus there's really nothing I would revise. It looks like I turned it in about two weeks after the play-maybe I could have gotten it in sooner. I think it was a high-class production. I couldn't find the original response, so I've reprinted it-the other one might have had some of your comments on it. It seemed to be a glimpse of a turning point in Liberty Jail-before the play began, they were in Liberty Jail, after it ended, they were still in Liberty Jail, so the storyline had a different emphasis than their imprisonment. The recollection sequences were interesting. Attending it with other members of the class was also enjoyable. I think it contributed to understanding one interpretation of who Joseph Smith was.
I've got a few free lines down here. I'll use them. I enjoyed the class. Thanks for everything. I'm really not sure where I go from here after graduation next week, but I think this was one of the more significant classes I've taken at BYU. Thank you.
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