This assignment asks, first and foremost, that you use what immediately comes to mind. Don’t spend time trying to decide on this or that topic; use what very immediately comes to mind. Additionally, try (as best as possible) to relinquish any concerns or doubts you may have about your writing and about whether or not it makes sense, is smart, is interesting, and so forth. Select one word—and only one word—from the novel assigned for the week. The minimum word count for the entry is 500 words. Don’t summarize the importance or try explain the meaning of the word you have chosen. Rather, focus on exploring the different ways in which the word functions (functions as, functions to do, functions with, functions for, etc.). Take a moment to look up the word in the Oxford English Dictionary (a link is provided in its own content area). This means that this journal is a not a reflective journal in which you discuss your opinions and reactions to the course readings. It is also not aimed at being a critique of the readings. It is instead an exercise is learning how to use your writing as a way of being curious about where the play in your thinking can help you to discover, formulate, and articulate your own questions. It is also an exercise in learning how to analyze both literary and critical texts that in ways that elaborate what the text is saying and how it is attempting to say something specific, without being critical of the author, the style of writing, and so forth.