Yikes--two days of no blog and I forgot . . .
But the only thing to do:
Make a list of ALL of the reference to Paul's eyes. Include the whole phrase and the page number. Put this on a separate sheet of paper, not part of your other class notes.
Don't worry about other characters, and don't try to include sight-related words. Just focus on Paul's eyes.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Friday, October 25, 2013
Make-ups:
If you missed either the poetry timed write (Wednesday, Oct. 23) or the baseline Multiple Choice exam (Thursday, Oct. 24), you need to SEE ME on Monday.
TODAY IN CLASS
Finishing "Araby." Initial practice on writing theme statements.
Expectations for theme statements:
If you missed either the poetry timed write (Wednesday, Oct. 23) or the baseline Multiple Choice exam (Thursday, Oct. 24), you need to SEE ME on Monday.
TODAY IN CLASS
Finishing "Araby." Initial practice on writing theme statements.
Expectations for theme statements:
- Universal
- Insightful/Concise
- State as a complete sentence that makes an assertion or claim
We will do more with this, of course--the value is that such insightful claims will need to be embedded into much of what you write, usually just as a deft subordinate clause. This skill involves both the insight to hone in on the most essential thematic idea as well as the ability to state it in the most powerful and clear way. That's our goal.
Everything else here falls under the heading of FOR MONDAY, I guess, but it involves several steps.
First--Everyone should already have read the intro material and "review box" sections for the following chapters from Perrine's Literature:
1- Reading the Story
2- Plot and Structure
3 - Characterization
5 - Point of View
You should also have read the small packet from the Kennedy-Gioia book on Setting, and an alternative presentation of Point of View. (This was distributed in class last Tuesday and probably with a further shout-out on Wednesday; PICK IT UP from the bookshelf if you don't have it.)
NOW, that means that everyone has to read three more chapter "teaching" sections and review boxes:
4- Theme
6 - Symbol, Allegory, and Fantasy
7 - Humor and Irony (which we will ultimately see as just one part of Tone and Style)
Timing for reading these chapters:
Some of you will need to read one of them over the week-end in order to prepare your work on "Rocking-Horse Winner" for Monday. EVERYONE will need to have read all three by the end of next week. I strongly suggest getting started with the Theme chapter for Monday, and picking up the other two during the week. There will be additional stories next week, of course.
SPECIFICALLY FOR MONDAY
You were assigned to groups, numbered 1 through 6. These will be your stable groups for the next two weeks. Most of the work that you actually do will be individual, but there will also be some cooperative informal presentations/discussion-lead responsibilities that you will undertake with other group members.
(1st period--two people were absent, and you both happen to be l's. In 5th, I don't think anyone was absent. If I'm wrong, email me please.)
SO--here is your topic assignment for D. H. Lawrence's "The Rocking-Horse Winner":
1 = Plot/Structure and Setting
Do not focus on "plot" at all; everyone should know the plot. DO consider "structure," using both the limited elements in Perrine and at least some of the other structural components that were on the board (and appear in an earlier blog post). EXPOSITION is a big omission from your text, for example.
"Setting" is lumped here because the key question in this story is not merely the where/when, but the question of how essential is it in this particular story??
2 = Characterization
Note that this isn't just "what" the characters are like, but HOW WE KNOW. Expand as much as you can. Be sure to deal fully with BOTH Paul and Paul's mother. But have something to offer for at least two of the other characters as well (choices may vary).
3 = Theme
Yes, what is it, and create an excellent theme statement. But also be prepared to show what sorts of other elements are particularly strong at supporting/reinforcing the themes (these are the sorts of things that vary so widely by story I'm not giving you examples or general guidelines). Try to assume that you should uncover some interesting features here.
4 = Point of View
Be very careful to use appropriate vocabulary here, and for this story, I want you to use BOTH sets of terms. Put what you observe in the terms used by the Kennedy-Gioia text (hand-out) as well as the terms used by your own textbook. Pay attention to the "so what" here--once we "label," how else can we use POV to "get into" the story more deeply?
5 = Symbol, Allegory, Fantasy
This is not an "everything" chapter, and sometimes, for some stories, it's a "nothing" chapter. Notice, of course, that this is where the book put "The Chrysanthemums." For RHW, decide what fits, what doesn't, and why; and what's the "so what" pay-off.
6 = Tone and Style
This is not a chapter in your book, but you have studied TONE in at least some ways, and STYLE here can refer to all sorts of matters of an author's, well, style--knowing, of course, that good authors may vary what they do depending on the story. See what you come up with here.
But "Humor and Irony" (Ch. 6 in your book) fall under this heading as well, and if you are in group 6 I DO want you to read this section before you prepare your work.
SO--what is this "prepare" I've been speaking of??
You do NOT need to produce a cohesive, typed analysis for this assignment. You probably will for next time. You DO need to dedicate a full page or very possibly more to careful notes, insights, examples--whatever would be the thorough work you would have to do before you could even start to WRITE a well organized and substantially developed analysis. I want you to do all the work (and "show your work"); I just don't want you to take the time to write the full sentences, fret about embedding quotes, get side-tracked by MLA issues, or worry about if you need a thesis for such a paper.
You need to show that you fully understand how the element you are assigned for this story "works" in RHW. You should do this at a level that will enhance the understanding of classmates who have certainly read the story as well as you have but have focussed on one of the other elements.
I hope this is clear . . . it really boils down to becoming quite expert, as Miss Brill might say, about how the element of fiction assigned to you operates in Lawrence's story.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Thursday Catch-up Post (after 2-day teacher absence!)
TUESDAY
In-class poetry timed write. Required; will be scored, but lightly counted as a preliminary base line. Please make up after school as soon as possible (today/Friday; Monday if at all possible). See me.
WEDNESDAY
Make sure you've read both the hand-out from Tuesday (Setting plus a different take on Point of View) and the D.H. Lawrence story "The Rocking-Horse Winner."
THURSDAY IN CLASS
Today there was a baseline Multiple Choice exam. Again, make-up is required, the sooner the better. See me.
FOR TOMORROW
I didn't assign anything new . . . I will assume engaged reading has occurred for both the packet and the Lawrence story. Also, it would not hurt to re-read the last page or two of "Araby," because that will be our beginning point.
In-class poetry timed write. Required; will be scored, but lightly counted as a preliminary base line. Please make up after school as soon as possible (today/Friday; Monday if at all possible). See me.
WEDNESDAY
Make sure you've read both the hand-out from Tuesday (Setting plus a different take on Point of View) and the D.H. Lawrence story "The Rocking-Horse Winner."
THURSDAY IN CLASS
Today there was a baseline Multiple Choice exam. Again, make-up is required, the sooner the better. See me.
FOR TOMORROW
I didn't assign anything new . . . I will assume engaged reading has occurred for both the packet and the Lawrence story. Also, it would not hurt to re-read the last page or two of "Araby," because that will be our beginning point.
Monday, October 21, 2013
TODAY IN CLASS
We did not quite finish discussing "Araby." What you should do tonight is cinch your own understanding of how the long day of waiting for his uncle and the late arrival at the bazaar affect the boy and pave the way for what happens at the end. Focus on the last paragraph as the finale to what the first paragraph began. Is the last paragraph the "inverse" of the opening paragraph, or is it a consistent completion of the imagery?
FOR TOMORROW
Actually, you will have until Wednesday to read "The Rocking-Horse Winner," the D. H. Lawrence story that I announced at the end of class today (pp. 311-325).
But it is fairly long, there will be some additional reading assigned tomorrow ("Point of View," Ch. 5, pp. 253-259). So you might want to get started.
P.S.
1. I am assuming that you HAVE read the "Characterization" material assigned late last week. If not, do that as well.
2. Several AP students are among the 30 or so of my students who have not turned in the Culminating Project. Take care of this before they start sending the call slips.
We did not quite finish discussing "Araby." What you should do tonight is cinch your own understanding of how the long day of waiting for his uncle and the late arrival at the bazaar affect the boy and pave the way for what happens at the end. Focus on the last paragraph as the finale to what the first paragraph began. Is the last paragraph the "inverse" of the opening paragraph, or is it a consistent completion of the imagery?
FOR TOMORROW
Actually, you will have until Wednesday to read "The Rocking-Horse Winner," the D. H. Lawrence story that I announced at the end of class today (pp. 311-325).
But it is fairly long, there will be some additional reading assigned tomorrow ("Point of View," Ch. 5, pp. 253-259). So you might want to get started.
P.S.
1. I am assuming that you HAVE read the "Characterization" material assigned late last week. If not, do that as well.
2. Several AP students are among the 30 or so of my students who have not turned in the Culminating Project. Take care of this before they start sending the call slips.
Friday, October 18, 2013
Thursday/Friday Update
THURSDAY IN CLASS
Remaining personal essays collected. A few people still do not have turned-in papers on www.turnitin.com . Submit them ASAP.
New 2-page opening of a 12 page Munro story from the New Yorker, originally appearing in December of 1999 but re-published in the current issue. We looked at what appears to be a conventional exposition that turns out to be less connected than one might expect with the actual story that, with no transition whatsoever, picks up 50 years later in the very next paragraph. We also took note of the fact that sometimes allusions can involve random cultural or other references that students may or may not know. In this case, "The Bear Came Over the Mountain" . . . .
I checked student responses to the first paragraph of "Araby" (starts on p. 434), and we talked a bit about them.
TODAY IN CLASS
Discussion of 2nd paragraph --> the narrator's naivte
Listing of dark/light elements in the 3rd paragraph
And in 1st only--we finished discussing that and went on to Paragraph Four!
FOR MONDAY
Read from Chapter Three, Characterization, pp. 161-165.
It would be useful if you have time to go on to the material in Chapter Five, Point of View, pp. 253-259. (I mentioned that to 5th but not to 1st--so not an absolute for Monday, but useful in a time management sense.)
We'll pick up Ch. 4 (Theme) soon.
.
Remaining personal essays collected. A few people still do not have turned-in papers on www.turnitin.com . Submit them ASAP.
New 2-page opening of a 12 page Munro story from the New Yorker, originally appearing in December of 1999 but re-published in the current issue. We looked at what appears to be a conventional exposition that turns out to be less connected than one might expect with the actual story that, with no transition whatsoever, picks up 50 years later in the very next paragraph. We also took note of the fact that sometimes allusions can involve random cultural or other references that students may or may not know. In this case, "The Bear Came Over the Mountain" . . . .
I checked student responses to the first paragraph of "Araby" (starts on p. 434), and we talked a bit about them.
TODAY IN CLASS
Discussion of 2nd paragraph --> the narrator's naivte
Listing of dark/light elements in the 3rd paragraph
And in 1st only--we finished discussing that and went on to Paragraph Four!
FOR MONDAY
Read from Chapter Three, Characterization, pp. 161-165.
It would be useful if you have time to go on to the material in Chapter Five, Point of View, pp. 253-259. (I mentioned that to 5th but not to 1st--so not an absolute for Monday, but useful in a time management sense.)
We'll pick up Ch. 4 (Theme) soon.
.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
SAT / PSAT Wednesday
All personal essays due on turnitin.com by 11:59 p.m. TONIGHT, Wednesday. Hard copies due in class no later than tomorrow.
YESTERDAY IN CLASS
1) Make sure you know/understand the terms in bold in Ch. 2 (Plot and Structure). We looked at the limitations of "rising action / climax / falling action" as descriptors for the components of story structure. Consider the alternates we discussed from other high school and college texts:
The real point of this is that though we do need language to discuss parts in order to say something useful about their ordering, there is no universally "set" terms for this. The goal is to think about what authors do with structure (an artistic, creative construct) that is a different thing from simply "plot" (what happens). And so that's why we are still trying to figure out the structure of Munro's "How I Met My Husband" vs. more traditionally-structured stories such as "The Chyrsanthemums" or "Miss Brill."
FOR TOMORROW
1) Read the first paragraph of James Joyce's "Araby" (434). Stop there.
2) IN YOUR NOTES, write up a brief analysis of the paragraph. Note what it "does"--what's the element of fiction mostly featured? What's the structural component it exemplifies? What do you notice about the language/literary devices within the three short sentences? Do have any sense of how this paragraph might suggest a tone or tones for the story to come?
3) Now read the whole story (434-439).
YESTERDAY IN CLASS
1) Make sure you know/understand the terms in bold in Ch. 2 (Plot and Structure). We looked at the limitations of "rising action / climax / falling action" as descriptors for the components of story structure. Consider the alternates we discussed from other high school and college texts:
- Exposition / Conflict / Complications / Climax / Resolution
- Exposition / Complication (Narrative Hook) / Rising Action / Climax / Conclusion (Resolution, Denoument)
- Exposition / Inciting Incident / Development / Climax / Resolution / Denoument
The real point of this is that though we do need language to discuss parts in order to say something useful about their ordering, there is no universally "set" terms for this. The goal is to think about what authors do with structure (an artistic, creative construct) that is a different thing from simply "plot" (what happens). And so that's why we are still trying to figure out the structure of Munro's "How I Met My Husband" vs. more traditionally-structured stories such as "The Chyrsanthemums" or "Miss Brill."
FOR TOMORROW
1) Read the first paragraph of James Joyce's "Araby" (434). Stop there.
2) IN YOUR NOTES, write up a brief analysis of the paragraph. Note what it "does"--what's the element of fiction mostly featured? What's the structural component it exemplifies? What do you notice about the language/literary devices within the three short sentences? Do have any sense of how this paragraph might suggest a tone or tones for the story to come?
3) Now read the whole story (434-439).
Monday, October 14, 2013
Correction! Correction! Correction!
CORRECTION for SAT Start Time on Wednesday:
Precisely for the reason given in this message below from the counselors' office, I was misinformed (no, actually just UNinformed) about the correct SAT start time. It's 7:30 a.m.
Seniors taking the SAT will receive personal directions today or tomorrow. They must be in the 2300 hallway, ready to check into their assigned room by 7:30am SHARP. Only 83 seniors of 460 are taking the test, so I’m not widely broadcasting instructions, but rather pulling seniors out to inform them.
Further information you need to know: The Common App system is having major issues.
No need to detail everything people have experienced, but it's been enough to cause an entire article in the New York Times: Online Application Woes (Common App)
The College and Career Center recommends several things that I'll list out soon, but chief among them is SUBMIT EARLY. Also, "like" the Common App Facebook page so that you will get updated information regarding on-going changes in procedures, directions, and deadlines.
TODAY IN CLASS
Finished. Miss. Brill.
1st period moved on briefly to the Plot/Structure chapter and the Munro story "How I Met My Husband" (see week-end post). Results showed a shaky Monday morning all around. We will start afresh tomorrow. 5th period was just enough later getting to this point that we didn't have a chance to try.
FOR TOMORROW, THEN--
- Realize that all the terms in bold in your book are bolded for a reason: they are important to know.
- Insofar as the actual components of "normal" plot structure is concerned, a variety of terms and break-points are sometimes discussed. We'll briefly look at a couple of other options.
- Think about--that is, seriously consider--the structure of Munro's story. How are the parts put together? How does structure affect other components mentioned in ChapterTwo?
- If you have not yet read BOTH of the articles about Munro/Munro's work linked to prior posts, DO SO.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Culminating Project Due Monday!
A quick scheduling clarification:
All final drafts of the personal essay are still due as originally scheduled--no later than 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16. However, since the SAT/PSAT schedule on that day requires you to attend class only during 6th period, you can turn the hard copy in on Thursday instead.
FRIDAY IN CLASS
Not done with "Miss Brill" in either class; close reading / discussion continues. As 1st period knows, students are being asked to run the discussion on specific sections of the texts. We'll do that in 5th as well.
By Friday, you should have read Chapter Two, Plot and Structure, pp. 104-112. (Sorry for the misleading indication that there were review questions in a box at the end of this chapter; there are story review questions and essay topics, but not the review questions in a box. )
FOR MONDAY
Pick up a second article about Alice Munro:
2nd Munro article: Intricacies of the Human Heart
And read the story called "How I Met My Husband," pp. 126-141.
All final drafts of the personal essay are still due as originally scheduled--no later than 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16. However, since the SAT/PSAT schedule on that day requires you to attend class only during 6th period, you can turn the hard copy in on Thursday instead.
FRIDAY IN CLASS
Not done with "Miss Brill" in either class; close reading / discussion continues. As 1st period knows, students are being asked to run the discussion on specific sections of the texts. We'll do that in 5th as well.
By Friday, you should have read Chapter Two, Plot and Structure, pp. 104-112. (Sorry for the misleading indication that there were review questions in a box at the end of this chapter; there are story review questions and essay topics, but not the review questions in a box. )
FOR MONDAY
Pick up a second article about Alice Munro:
2nd Munro article: Intricacies of the Human Heart
And read the story called "How I Met My Husband," pp. 126-141.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Culminating Project Due Date is MONDAY
Alice Munro Wins Nobel Prize
TODAY IN CLASS
Yes, we talked about Alice Munro; please read the full article above for some insight into why she won, and how she connects with the assignment for tomorrow.
Still on split tracks between 1st and 5th, but ever closer. Done (for now; it's always recursive) with the Steinbeck story in 1st, and just a smidgen to go in 5th. So we're naturally not together on "Miss Brill" either.
FOR TOMORROW
Read Perrine Chapter Two--Plot and Structure, and also review the questions in the box at the end of the chapter. I have decided for sure to have you read the Munro story in this section ("How I Met My Husband") because its presence there ties in so perfectly with a key contribution of her work noted in the article above. However, you are not compelled to have that story read for tomorrow; Monday will be fine.
TODAY IN CLASS
Yes, we talked about Alice Munro; please read the full article above for some insight into why she won, and how she connects with the assignment for tomorrow.
Still on split tracks between 1st and 5th, but ever closer. Done (for now; it's always recursive) with the Steinbeck story in 1st, and just a smidgen to go in 5th. So we're naturally not together on "Miss Brill" either.
FOR TOMORROW
Read Perrine Chapter Two--Plot and Structure, and also review the questions in the box at the end of the chapter. I have decided for sure to have you read the Munro story in this section ("How I Met My Husband") because its presence there ties in so perfectly with a key contribution of her work noted in the article above. However, you are not compelled to have that story read for tomorrow; Monday will be fine.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
TODAY IN CLASS
"Bathing scene" short papers were collected. If you were absent or if it's simply late, have it with you tomorrow.
We are still farther ahead in 1st than in 5th. But since I'm going to be gone during 5th, we will defer finishing the story in that class until Thursday.
BOTH CLASSES: Bring your Perrine text tomorrow for absolute sure.
HOMEWORK
Culminating Project: due Monday (after Homecoming). Get this out of the way ASAP. Work on it tonight if you have not checked this off your to-do list.
Personal Essays: Revisions should be taken seriously, not hastily typed up next Wednesday morning. So if you've finished the Culminating Project, you can work on that.
"Bathing scene" short papers were collected. If you were absent or if it's simply late, have it with you tomorrow.
We are still farther ahead in 1st than in 5th. But since I'm going to be gone during 5th, we will defer finishing the story in that class until Thursday.
BOTH CLASSES: Bring your Perrine text tomorrow for absolute sure.
HOMEWORK
Culminating Project: due Monday (after Homecoming). Get this out of the way ASAP. Work on it tonight if you have not checked this off your to-do list.
Personal Essays: Revisions should be taken seriously, not hastily typed up next Wednesday morning. So if you've finished the Culminating Project, you can work on that.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Homework Assignment=="The Chrysanthemums"
TODAY IN CLASS
People started handing in personal essays; the cover sheets are in the basket. Fill it out and paper clip it to your essays before handing them in. (This is not the same as the assignment sheets.) I'll be opening turnitin.com as soon as I finish the blog.
We got to through to the rebuffing scene in 1st; in 5th, we just got to the point where the joking about the dogs reveals a new side of Elisa's character. Everyone should have read the story in its entirety for today. IF YOU DID NOT, do that before you even attempt the short writing assignment for tomorrow.
FOR TOMORROW
People started handing in personal essays; the cover sheets are in the basket. Fill it out and paper clip it to your essays before handing them in. (This is not the same as the assignment sheets.) I'll be opening turnitin.com as soon as I finish the blog.
We got to through to the rebuffing scene in 1st; in 5th, we just got to the point where the joking about the dogs reveals a new side of Elisa's character. Everyone should have read the story in its entirety for today. IF YOU DID NOT, do that before you even attempt the short writing assignment for tomorrow.
FOR TOMORROW
Study the two short paragraphs in which Elisa takes her bath and then gets dressed for the evening out. We are calling them, collectively, "the bathing scene." You are to write about 250 words, either neatly in ink or typed (double-spaced if typed). The prompt is straightforward: Discuss the significance of the bathing scene. [Note to 1st; yes, I said 3 paragraphs in class, but there's no reason to go ahead with the writing. Focus on the bathing scene itself, and we'll pick up the aftermath later.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
TODAY IN CLASS
Students received the hand-out concerning the final draft of the personal essay. Pick it up from the bookshelf tomorrow and HEED what's written there.
Some annotating on the first page of a story by John Steinbeck, "The Chrysanthemums." We began discussing it (no writing this time)--got through several paragraphs in 1st but not done with the first in 5th! You'll get the whole story tomorrow.
FOR TOMORROW
Read at least the substantive part of the Perrine text that I outlined a day or two ago (sans page numbers, because my book was at school) concerning Chapter One: Reading the Story. This will seem like review--you've been reading stories nearly all your life; however, trust me when I say that the discussion in the next several chapters concerning elements of fiction will serve you well throughout the course.
So--read carefully pp. 61-67 AND pp. 101-103. You'll refer to these questions so often they will become automatic. Do this for tomorrow, for sure.
As for the stories in between ("The Most Dangerous Game" and "Hunters in the Snow")--read them. Yes, read them. But read them as you would a story in Atlantic or the New Yorker (what? you mean you don't regularly read those?) :) We are not "studying" these stories, but they make a very important point. And wedged into the next 4-5 school days, make time to read them in addition to the other day-to-day work. The board said something about "skimming," but that really doesn't work here.
Students received the hand-out concerning the final draft of the personal essay. Pick it up from the bookshelf tomorrow and HEED what's written there.
Some annotating on the first page of a story by John Steinbeck, "The Chrysanthemums." We began discussing it (no writing this time)--got through several paragraphs in 1st but not done with the first in 5th! You'll get the whole story tomorrow.
FOR TOMORROW
Read at least the substantive part of the Perrine text that I outlined a day or two ago (sans page numbers, because my book was at school) concerning Chapter One: Reading the Story. This will seem like review--you've been reading stories nearly all your life; however, trust me when I say that the discussion in the next several chapters concerning elements of fiction will serve you well throughout the course.
So--read carefully pp. 61-67 AND pp. 101-103. You'll refer to these questions so often they will become automatic. Do this for tomorrow, for sure.
As for the stories in between ("The Most Dangerous Game" and "Hunters in the Snow")--read them. Yes, read them. But read them as you would a story in Atlantic or the New Yorker (what? you mean you don't regularly read those?) :) We are not "studying" these stories, but they make a very important point. And wedged into the next 4-5 school days, make time to read them in addition to the other day-to-day work. The board said something about "skimming," but that really doesn't work here.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Catching Up . . .
Tuesday in Class--
Wrapping up Tess.
Wednesday in Class--
Timed write on Tess of the D'Urbervilles
FOR THURSDAY and beyond . . .
Be working on the essay revisions. You'll receive a hand-out with final draft deadlines, tips, and scoring guidelines on Thursday, but you don't need that to be doing productive work tonight.
The College and Career Center reports that relatively few Culminating Projects have been turned in.
Reminder: due Oct. 14.
In class on Thursday--you don't need a book. We'll proceed without one. BUT starting on Friday and for the next couple of weeks, you'll need Perrine. Every. Single. Day.
Wrapping up Tess.
Wednesday in Class--
Timed write on Tess of the D'Urbervilles
FOR THURSDAY and beyond . . .
Be working on the essay revisions. You'll receive a hand-out with final draft deadlines, tips, and scoring guidelines on Thursday, but you don't need that to be doing productive work tonight.
The College and Career Center reports that relatively few Culminating Projects have been turned in.
Reminder: due Oct. 14.
In class on Thursday--you don't need a book. We'll proceed without one. BUT starting on Friday and for the next couple of weeks, you'll need Perrine. Every. Single. Day.
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