Dr. Who Marathon Today? NO WAY!!!

Okay, APES!  Here's how we're going to rearrange our final week and a day to accommodate all of this snow:

Friday: Kaitlynn and Mikaylee will teach 
Monday: Kaitlynn and Mikaylee will teach
Tuesday: We'll work on the second and third section of our final exam.  This may take longer than one class period, which means that if we don't finish it, we'll need to get together after finals on Wednesday to do so.  That way, by Wednesday afternoon, I can give you each a copy of your final so that you can study.
Wednesday: Meet up to finish writing the final.  (I'll be around from 12:00-3:30ish.)
Thursday: Study group after finals?  With Pagoda?  (Again, I'll be around from 12:00-3:30ish.)
Friday: Final exam.  The writing portion of your final projects and all lit. devices are due by 3:30.  

So, you have an entire day off of school...Use it to your advantage: kick out some lit. devices, start on the writing portion of your final--but don't waste it.  That may make your day relaxing, sure, but you'll pay the price in stress and sleeplessness for the last week of the semester.

If you have any questions, please let me know!

Lesson Reflection

Okay, so here are your questions:

1.    What's your honest opinion of the steps that you took to prepare for your lesson?  (Please answer this question both individually--like how you feel about your own level of preparation--and as a part of a group: how you feel about the time when your group worked together.)

2.  What expectations did you have for yourself--and your group--as a teacher/teachers?  Did you meet them? 

3.  Overall, what do you think of how you did? What would you change if you had to do it again?  What are you super proud of? 

4. Last one: What is your opinion of the assignment as a whole?  Since I've never done this before, I tried not to give you a ton of "rules" or parameters; instead, I just tried to be available to provide assistance with your ideas about the pieces and how you were going to teach them.  Do you have any suggestions of what I should change/add/subtract for next time?

You don't need to turn in anything fancy--just make sure that you're really explaining yourself as you answer the questions.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

Zuss is it? If I Had a Nickel…

Alright, so here are your jobs for this weekend:

1. Read the J.B. critiques and mark them up.

2. Read at least one of the MacLeish bios.  (The sites are listed below.)

3. Consider your notes from class, the Book of Job, the critiques and bios, and your own nerdy ideas.  Think about what you'd like to discuss about this play—an idea you'd like to prove.  This can be about any aspect of the play (its purpose, characterization, stage design, lighting, motifs, symbols, etc.).  Once you've decided on your focus, email or text it to me.  (This needs to be done by 10:00am on Sunday.)

4. I will email/text you back with an essay prompt written just for you.  : )  Your job will be to time yourself for 45 minutes and write a response; a thesis and two body paragraphs are all that you'll need.  Be sure to reference specific parts of the play—quoting is not mandatory, but always helps.  If you'd like, practice the essay-attacking set-up that we tried last week: 2-3 minutes reading and dissecting the prompt; 10-15 min. of outlining; 20-25 min. of writing; 2-3 min. of proofreading/editing.  Please don’t type this, and please don’t allow yourself to cheat and go over the time limit; that’s not going to help in the long run.

You also have the J.B. close reading and—if you’d like—the opportunity to rewrite your timed essay for Everyman. 

If you have any questions at all, please let me know! Have a great weekend!

MacLeish Bio Info

These two sites are particularly comprehensive:

http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/m_r/macleish/life.htm

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/archibald-macleish

A few of you may pull these up and think to yourself: "Holy moley!  I'm not reading all of that!"  That choice is up to you.  Although you'll be faced with a barrage of writers' names that you may not know, and titles of poems with which you're unfamiliar, these bios look at MacLeish's place in history, both politically and artistically.  They also address his beliefs on humanity.  Interesting stuff, I think.

Monster Essay Citation Info...

So, you should have almost all of the information that you need to go to easybib.com and make your Works Cited page.  Make sure that you delineate what's an interview, letter, etc., plug in the info, and easybib will do it for you.

The introduction to Beowulf that I gave you comes from the Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces Volume I.  The Bloom critique comes from the Afterword of the 1965 Signet Publication of Frankenstein.

Paloma has correct citations for the Bloom critique, the Gardner letter, and the Heany interview--I'm sure that she wouldn't mind sharing them.

If you have any other questions, just send me a text.

Oh, don't forget to put your essays on turnitin.com AND bring my edit and your classmate's edit with you tomorrow to turn in with your final copy.

See you tomorrow!

Dear Mr. Bloom...

Your homework for the weekend is this:

1. Build a monster from scraps of dead bodies, mysteriously bring it to life, and attempt to assimilate it into the social realm and teach it the ways of the world.  (Well, that last step is kinda optional...)

(Step 1 is a joke, Paloma...Put away your decapitated chickens, Exacto knives and duct tape.)

2. Read Bloom's essay on Frankenstein and make notes as you go--noting what you believe to be strong arguments and insights.  (Please feel free to mark any weak or faulty arguments as well.)

3. Write (well, type) a response to Harold Bloom.  This is a letter--not an essay--so you may use your own personal, colloquial voice.  In your letter, I'd like to you use at least two quotes from the Bloom essay (make sure that you cite them correctly), but there is no need to quote from Shelly's novel--you must, however, use detail and focus on specific parts of the book in support of your ideas.  In your response (which I imagine would take about two-three double-spaced pages), you should identify the points Bloom makes which you would like to discuss and then either add to his analysis or argue against it.  We have discussed almost every facet of the novel: use that to your advantage.  (Thursday's and Friday's discussions were SUPA interesting--I thought--and extremely enlightening; we got the chance to peer into some of the more nit-picky aspects....)

5. Complete your Frankenstein journal.

If you have any questions, please let me know.  On Monday, please bring Beowulf, Grendel and Frankenstein to class with you.  (And be prepared to start a monstrous paper...)

10/11 Homework

Okay, so here are the two questions that I was talking about at the end of class.  Remember, you don't need to write out fancy-shmancy answers--just notes will do.

·      It’s easy to get caught up in Victor, the monster, and Walton; what is the meaning behind the roles of the ancillary characters: Justine, Elizabeth, Clerval, William, Victor’s professors (Krempe and Waldman) and the cottagers (Mr. DeLacey, Felix, Agatha, and Safie)?  (You only have to focus on the character that you picked in class--Hanna, you have William.)

·      Unlike when Gardner crafted Grendel, when creating her characters, Shelley employed many archetypes: the beautiful, innocent woman; the mad scientist; the orphan; the tragic hero; the faithful sidekick.  These characters are not unique; as archetypes, their defining character traits have been used over and over in different pieces of literature.  (We’ve already seen this proven true through the Prometheus, Paradise Lost, and “Mariner” connections.) What is the benefit in doing this?  Why is the use of archetypes so applicable to her story and purpose?  (This one's not about individual characters, but the group of characters as a whole.)

 

We'll discuss these tomorrow.  Also, remember that I'm bringing pizza for lunch tomorrow--just bring whatever you'd like to drink.

Grendel chapter breakdown

Here's the breakdown again of who has what chapters:

Hanna: 4,6
Kaitlynn: 5,8
James: 7,9
Mikaylee: 1,12
Brandon: 2,3
Paloma: 10,11


Now, spend 15-20 minutes per chapter making notes about the following:

• the major happenings of the chapter (both inside Grendel's brain and in the plot)
• the characters involved in the chapter and their roles
• if and when the format changes from prose to something else (play, poem, etc.)
• any cool quotes?
• ideas or themes exposed

I realize that by going to a website-that-shall-not-be-named, all of this would be made easy for you, but there's no need to compromise your nerd integrity...

Bring your notes in tomorrow for more mind-blowing discussion!!!

Not An Essay

So. The English students in a lunch and class period gone by
and the teacher who taught them had intelligence and nerdiness.
We have heard of those APES' mind-blowing discussions.

(Does anyone get that?  Open your books to page 3...)

Anyway, the thesis idea has won over the essay idea--only because it requires you to use all of the discussion that we've had the past two days. 

So here are the questions:

1. Beowulf contains some very detailed and elaborate settings—consider Heorot, Grendel’s and his mother’s underwater abode, and the dragon’s lair.  What are the larger implications found within these settings?  How do they contribute to the meaning of the poem?

2. What are the roles of the three monsters—Gendel, his mother, and the dragon—in Beowulf?  What purpose(s) do they serve and how do they contribute to the meaning of the poem?

3. Why are there so many stories-within-the-story in the poem? What is the relationship between these “digressions” and flashbacks and the main narrative and purpose in Beowulf?

Craft your thesis statements as if you're writing a timed essay: you want to make sure your points and, perhaps, some textual references are worked into it.  Take a look at your past work and see where you need to make improvements.

This is due on Monday, but you can get it done tonight.  Tomorrow you'll have a poem to dissect in class and an essay to begin.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to text me.  I'll be in and out of service on Friday and Saturday, so don't be offended if I don't get back to you right away.

Oh, I'll also be here at lunch tomorrow, so if you need help with these thesis statements, let me know.

9/20 Homework

I think that one thing that we can all agree on is that this is a faith-based novel--Irving's point about faith, though, we may still need to iron out. 

Today we spoke about archetypal connections and--briefly--John's character and how that would affect his narration and the way in which the story is structured. 

Think about what you've read in the critiques, interviews, and the Afterward: Irving finalizes his last thought and then writes from there, expunging detail that doesn't add up to his predestined ending before it can begin.  Now I'd like you to take a look at a secondary character (Merrill, Dan, Tabby, Harriet, Wiggins, Mr. Fish, etc. are good examples) and try to discern his or her purpose. 

I understand that consulting Sparknotes or some other internet source would make this task a lot easier.  Don't give in to the dark side...Give your brain a good workout.

Tomorrow, be prepared to discuss your chosen character's purpose, but be ready to supply specific, detailed textual examples that support your analysis.

If you have any questions, let me know.  I really enjoyed our discussion today!  See you tomorrow!

Look into Johnny as a character:
--a "Joseph"
--a virgin
--he lives in Canada, but he doesn't fit in...consider the reasons
--his namesake (one of the interviews/critiques referenced a Puritan minister...)
--what are his views on faith?  He's "a Christian because of Owen Meany," but consider how he condemns the Meanys for their belief that Owen is a virgin birth, or how he pities and condemns others for their faith (581)...How many times has he switched churches?  What book does he carry around with him?  (check out the first three paragraphs of the book)

Now consider that he's our narrator:
--first person
--writing a memior
--jumps between past and present
--tone shifts?

What does having Johnny as the narrator do for the story?  If we had a narrator who was uninvolved, then we could simply focus on the story being told.  Instead--in order to thoroughly look for meaning in the novel--we have to filter the story through the first person narrator...Hmmm....

Spend some quality time letting this marinate in your brain; make some notes if you'd like.  We'll discuss tomorrow--in addition to taking another look at the first and last pages of the novel.

Oh, speaking of the first and last pages, please read the Afterword tonight as well.

What is the "Meany" of All of This?

This assignment is due on Wednesday.  Here's what I'd like you to do:

1. Read the critiques and interviews that I gave you in class today and make notes as you go--recording what you believe to be strong arguments and insights.  Please feel free to mark any weak or faulty arguments as well.  (You can do this on the photocopies.)

2. You'll need ten notecards for this one.  On the front (or back) of each notecard, place a quote from one of the critiques or interviews; on the opposite side, react to the quote, citing specific passages from the novel (there's no need for quotes from the work, though) as support for your assertions and explaining yourself thoroughly.  (Those of you with ginormous handwriting may have to write smaller than usual.) 

If you have any questions, please ask!

"The Mediterranean" notes...

Read over Tate's "The Mediterranean" again after reading these notes:

The epigraph is extremely important--not necessarily for its context in the Aeneid (but that is important as well), but moreso along the lines of what the question is asking and to whom metaphorically...

Throughout history, the Med. Sea has been known as a big-time route for not only trade between cultures (as far as goods go), but also an exchange and blending of cultural ideas themselves...

Also, in the third stanza, there's a reference to Aeneas eating his plates.  Check out this reference in the epic and why it's such a big deal...

In the seventh stanza, there's a reference to Atlantis--do some research and see what it has to do with the Gates of Hercules (stanza 8), the Straight of Gibraltar and the Med. Sea.  Pull up a map of the globe: what happens if you go "Westward, westward" from there?

Stanza 9: What does "muscadine" mean?

We'll dig into this more tomorrow...

9/10 Homework

Here are your two questions.  Remember, I'd like you to spend about 10 minutes per question; the first one should be 10 minutes of freewriting--don't pick up your pencil or pen to think, just keep writing.  For the second one you need to craft a thesis.  It only has to be one or two sentences, but spend some time (well, 10 minutes) crafting it.  Carefully consider not only your ideas but the sentence(s) that houses them--choose your words and phrasing carefully.

     1.  What does Virgil want us to see in those last two stanzas?  Are they in line with what he's
          shown us so far in the poem? Explain.

2.  One of the many purposes behind crafting an epic poem is to laud the beliefs, customs and morals of a certain group of people.  This is especially true of The Aeneid, which Virgil penned to celebrate the strength and power of the Roman Empire.  Read the passage below from Book IV, Anchises to Aeneas:

"Others, no doubt, will better mould the bronze
To the semblence of soft breathing, draw from marble
The living countenance; and others plead
With greater eloquence; or learn to measure,
Better than we, the pathways of the heavens,
The rising of the stars; remember, Roman,
To rule the people under law, to establish
The way of peace, to battle down the haughty,
To spare the meek. Our fine arts, these, forever."

            What aspects of Roman culture is Virgil praising; are they truly represented

within his poem?  Explain.

Homer-made Advertising

When advertisers create movie posters, they incorporate all sorts of components from the movie they're advertising; they combine or isolate any of the following: a still frame from the movie itself, a picture of the major characters made especially for the poster, a line or piece of dialogue, catch words or phrases, etc.--all in the name of creating buzz for the movie by targeting what is presumed to be its fan base.

You are going to do something similar for The Iliad: Your job is to create a poster for Homer's epic that advertises the poem based on the archetype which you believe is embodied within it the most intensely. You can use any number of the methods listed above, or Google "movie posters" and see if that gives you some inspiration.

These are due on Friday and will be graded on how well you prove your understanding of your chosen archetype (dig into it, don't just work with the surface level...reread its explanation in the Stillman text if necessary) and how well you connect details from or components of the poem--plot, lit. devices, etc.--to it in your poster.

This should be completed on a plain sheet of white paper.  Whether or not you use color is up to you.

If you have any questions, please let me know!

8/27 Homework

1.     Everyone: Read your pages from the Fagles intro and make notes (I will collect them); what you’re reading can and should be entered into discussion tomorrow.

2.     Hanna, Kaitlynn, Paloma and Mikaylee: Post the page numbers for your close reading on the blog by 7:00 tonight.

3.     Everyone: Reread these pages. (James, Brandon and Mackenzie get copies of the pages from someone.)

4.     Hanna, Kaitlynn, Paloma and Mikaylee: Be prepared to discuss your close reading in reference to everything you picked it apart for according to the journal assignment, but you’ll be expected to hit especially hard on its purpose and importance in the scheme of the epic. We’ll also discuss how it lends to the archetype of the epic; also, consider what other parts of the epic go well with it or contrast it. (Please don’t spend a lot of time preparing for this: if you’ve read the epic and done your close reading, you’ll be fine.)

Stillman Assignment

Like I said in class, the second set of pages for the Stillman reading is based on four different archetypes that are prevalent in literature: the hero's quest, a fall from innocence, dualities, and cycles.

For each archetype, brainstorm at least two pieces (poems, stories, novels, songs, movies, plays, comic books, etc.) that illustrate the archetype at work; then, time yourself for 10 minutes per archetype and explain why and how these pieces illustrate this archetype--this should be handwritten, please. Although this is kind of a freewrite, you do have to get down to business; when I grade the assignment, I'll be looking for your understanding of the archetype and your ability to connect the ideas within it to the movies, stories, etc. of your choice.

Write quickly: don't worry about an oddly written phrase or possible misspelled word.  See how much information you can "barf up" in 10 minutes.  Then stop and go to the next archetype...

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Stuff for The Aeneid

So, Virgil's poem, The Aeneid, is the story of Aeneas--who escapes the destruction of Troy--and goes on to found Rome.  Like Homer's Iliad, it's an epic, but it was written something like 700 years later.  Oh, and unlike Homer's epic, Virgil actually wrote and composed this piece (I think that it took him like a decade)--instead of telling it orally.  Because of this key dissimilarity, you'll see some differences between the way that the two poets craft their epics. Look for those as you read.

We're going to read the entire Aeneid.  I would still recommend using the gradesaver and shmoop sites for assistance with the plot (if needed); the shmoop site has the interesting historical tidbits that may help as well.

We scheduled our EPIC discussion (of the two epics) for Saturday, 7/21, from 3:00-5:00.  As we near the 21st, please let me know if that date still works for you.

Like I said in my text, I really don't mind answering questions while I'm gone, so please feel free to text me if you have any questions.

P.S. Remember, we're reading the Fagles translation of the Aeneid; this is the same guy who translated the version of the Iliad that we read.

Summer Reading Texts

Homer. The lliad.  Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, Robert Fagles, translator. (GET THIS COPY, please!)

Irving, John.  A Prayer for Owen Meany.

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Signet, 1965.  (If possible, GET THIS COPY, please!)

Virgil. The Aeneid. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, Robert Fagles, translator. (GET THIS COPY, please!)

·      At the 6/7 meeting (see below for more information), I will give you the reading selections for Homer, and at the 6/28 meeting, you’ll receive the readings for Virgil. 

·      A complete first semester reading list and weekly syllabus will be distributed the first day of school.

Reading Log Directions

Okay, so here's the skinny on the reading logs:

Each piece we read gets its own log, and each log is divided up into two different sections (as explained below).  The logs will be graded on completeness, organization and depth of thought, and how well you follow the directions. 

Part One…Dissecting the Piece:

This part of the log is to be done AS you are reading.  In this class, the emphasis is on active reading—reading slowly and digesting the different pieces that make up the whole of the work—as opposed to skimming.  Because of this, you should either be doing stickies or writing in your books as you go: put questions or revelations in the margins, mark important passages or places in which the author uses a literary device or some fancy wording and sentence structure to make a point; exist with the text as you are reading it.

For this section, you’ll need three blank sheets of paper. Draw a line down the middle (hamburger bun-style) of both sides of those sheets.  Now you should have ten different boxes.  Each box will contain a different type of information that will lead you to a comprehensive view of the work—and three will remain blank.    The focuses of eight of the ten boxes are:

characters                                setting                         symbols                                  vocabulary

themes                                     questions                     big quotes                              lit. devices

genre

As you’re reading, you will craft a spiderweb-map for each of these focal points—make sure that each one fits on one half of the paper.  In the spiderweb-maps, you should identify:

·      For the “characters” map: Who are the significant characters in the piece?  What are their relationships to the other characters? Analytically, how would you describe these characters? (At least three analytical characteristics for each.) What are their purposes or functions in the story?  What do they do for the story as a whole?

·      For the “setting” map:  What are the major settings in the piece?  (Consider place and time.)  How are they described?  What are their significance?  (Not as far as the plot is concerned…think metaphorically.)

·      For the “symbols” map:  What are the key symbols in the piece?  Where are they seen?  What do they mean?

·      For the “vocabulary” map:  What are at least five words that you hadn’t seen or didn’t understand until you read this piece?  What do they mean?  How were they used?

·      For the “themes” map: What are the major themes presented by this piece?  (Feel free to focus on between two and three.) Where are they seen?  Why are they important?

·      For the “questions” map:  What are three major questions that you have about this piece?  (Make sure to ask something that digs into the deeper meaning of the piece and isn't clarified simply with plot.  Putting "Why?" at the end usually helps...) What sort of answers do you have for them?

·      For the “big quotes” map:  What three quotes stick out to you the most as being the most important from this work?  (Quote and cite them.) Why?
·      For the “lit. devices” map:  Identify and explain the use and effect of three-five lit. devices. (We'll make a list of these during our discussion of the piece.)  There's no need to quote, but provide at least one specific example of each as well. 
    For the "genre" map: With what genre(s) are we dealing? How do you know?  What are the key components of the genre and how are they represented within the piece?

·      We’ll get to the blank boxes during our discussion of each piece.

I chose to use spiderweb-maps because you can make note of a lot of information very efficiently: you may use one-word entries or phrases as opposed to crafting sentences or paragraphs.  That puts the emphasis on the information itself and not on how it’s presented. 

A rough draft of this section of the journal will be due on our first day of discussion of its accompanying piece.   As we discuss, you can make notes: add or subtract ideas and fill in the blank boxes.  The final copy of this section is due on the last day of discussion for the piece for which it’s written.

Part Two…A SUPA Close Reading:

Once you’ve finished the piece, please choose one-two pages on which you’d like to focus; these pages should be a good representation of the style of the piece as a whole (see the questions below for clarification on what I mean by that).  Then, scan and print or photocopy these pages.  Read them slowly and carefully (and, ideally, multiple times) in order to provide detailed and well thought-out answers to the following questions:

A. Why did you choose this passage?  Out of the ENTIRE work, why did this jump out at you?  This should end up being a small paragraph (four-five sentences). 

B. What is the tone of the passage?  (The tone is the author’s attitude toward the subject. Instead of broad, general terms, we want to try to use words that focus on a more precise meaning than “angry” or “happy”—use specific terms that pinpoint the exact feeling you’re looking for.)  This should end up being a small paragraph (four-five sentences). 

C. Reflect on the elements that contribute to the tone of the passage: how does the writer achieve that tone?  Here are some authorial choices to consider:

o   What is the point of view used?  First person?  Third person?  Omniscient or limited?  What does the specific type of point of view do for the piece?  How is that embodied in the excerpt you picked?

o   How is the character or situation in the excerpt treated?  Is the narration objective?  Subjective?  Judgmental?  Descriptive?  In what tense? How does the narrative point of view lead or guide the reader? Does the narration show the reader more about the thing being described or the narrator him-or-herself?

o   What type of language, or diction, does the author employ?  Slang?  An elevated vocabulary? Colloquial? Are certain types of words repeated? How do these words contribute to the overall tone of the excerpt?

o   How are the sentences structured?  In other words, what is the syntax of the piece?  Long, drawn out sentences?  Short phrases? Questions?  Exclamations?  How does the placement and arrangement of the words—the syntax—of the piece help contribute to the reader’s experience and the author’s meaning? The punctuation?

o   What type of literary conflict is illustrated in the excerpt?  (Man vs. man, self, nature, society, etc.)  In what way does the conflict add to the meaning of the excerpt and the work?

o   Finally, do you see any rhetorical devices being used by the author?  (For example: similes, metaphors, personification, etc.)   Identify the devices and how they add meaning to the excerpt and work.

This section of your journal should be about one-two pages long.  When attacking part “C,” you may make notes on or color-code your scanned or copied pages and provide the explanations as to what they are in the typed section; as long as I have a key as to what is what, there’s no need to type out all of the specific words, phrases or sentences on which you’d like to focus.  Just color-code them (or do something of the like) and type up the analysis (the answers to the above questions) in your journal.  Also, when you do part “C,” please keep the different focal points separate.

Please contact me (christine.dyer@k12northstar.org or 460-1704) if you have any questions.