Day 5 Team Assignment

      Today we will be foregrounding the class differences in late 19th century Parisian society, in general, and the situation of the very poor, in particular. You may have strong personal reactions to some of today's material, which is perfectly appropriate if it happens. But for this assignment I would like you to temporarily set aside your personal judgments about this society and to focus on what this information about class differences adds to our understanding of the period. You will have an opportunity to share your personal reactions after the presentations.

      So, work with your team to prepare a presentation answering the questions below and provide some examples from today's reading and from those earlier in the week that support your points. (Be sure to consider the pre-class material and that from each of the first four days of this class, as well as what you read today.) If members of your team come to different conclusions about this, be sure that these differences are represented in your presentation.

 Note you do not have to include the entire structure that you have been using in previous presentations (i.e. thesis, etc.) but you do need to include examples that support what you are arguing.

Questions to be answered:

To what extent, if any, has the focus on class differences in today's material challenged the visions of Parisian culture and society that you formulated in the first four days of this week? What would we not understand about this world, if we did not consider this aspect of its history? What pieces of evidence were particular important in shaping your response to these questions.


 
Beraud Scene du Bal
Slum on the Outskirts of Paris