Drafting the Declaration

During the screening of John Adams last night, we discussed the drafting process for the Declaration of Independence. With so many different versions, a helpful way to make sense of these changes is to read a hypertext copy from Duke University in which areas of difference are highlighted (taking you to an explanation of the additions, alterations, or deletions).

The Catholic Church & Art

Stumbled on an interesting BBC article about the Pope's interest in trying to renew interest in Vatican art.

Letters of a Peruvian Woman - Discussion Questions

I've posted your discussion questions up on the wiki, but you can also see the revised versions here:

• In what ways is eighteenth-century French culture gilded? (think: "Furniture which I thought to be made of gold, is gold only on the surface, its true substance is wood; in the same way, what they call politeness thinly covers their shortcomings with an outward show of virtue" (59).
  
• How does the voice of the Peruvian woman work as a critique? (think: of French culture? of women's roles in French society?)
  
• How does the novel's epistolary structure become integral to the development of ideas about language, communication, and writing?
  
• How can we understand Zilia's exploration of the differences between the written and spoken word?
  
• What is the signficance of the novel's references to sun and light? (think...gold, knowledge, divine fire, etc.; go to Meghan's blog for an answer to this)
• What do the roles that Zilia inhabits tell us about her relationship to her environment (Paris, French countryside, salon, Peru, etc.)