Lorca Journal Act 3

Great discussions today in both classes.  Truly proud of your progress with literary analysis and your ability to examine how pieces work together.

Read act 3

Journal: 

1.  Examine Lorca's treatment of honor, guilt and/or silence.  How does Lorca address these issues?  What happens to the characters who embrace or reject the concepts?

2.  Choose a key passage from act 3.  You should have a general idea why you chose it, but you need not analyze it in depth.  Type it up, double space and bring it to class.  The passage should be short - no longer than about 10 lines.

Lorca Journal 1 and 2

Journal 1:  Read act I and write a journal discussing whether a character meets or rejects the archetype and examine one or two symbols.

Journal 2: Read act II - graded discussion tomorrow

Journal: write on one or a couple of the questions below.  Please keep in mind that all of the questions are open to discussion tomorrow, so you might want to jot down some notes about all of them.

1.   Which characters appear to be miserable in the play and why?  When and how do the characters express their misery?  What do the characters desire and what stops them from going after what each desires? 

 2.  When and how does Lorca break the fourth wall?  What is the effect of reminding the reader that the events on the stage are not real? 

3.  There are a variety of youths in the second act, why?  How does Lorca use the youths to affect the themes of the play?

4.  How does the set change between acts and what effect does the set have on the atmosphere?  

5.  Consider the cultural connections we discussed in class.  Where can you identify Lorca's social commentary in the play?  What does he suggest about the social issues?  

Ibsen Journal 3 and 4

Read Act 3

Journal 3
Consider how Ibsen discusses language by addressing how and when characters provide or leave out information.  Try to connect the language to characters actions 

OR
 
Consider which characters are at fault for the events that are unfolding and why?  Is there a character without blame?  Why or why not?  Is there a character who should carry more of the blame?  Do any of the characters take responsibility?

Read Act 4 -
Commentary passage analysis

After analyzing your passage in class.  Identify three to four links between your passage and events/lines in Act 4.  Consider how the lines work together and for what purpose.

Ibsen Journal 1 and 2

Ibsen Journal 1

Finish Act I

Journal:  Examine and write about the relationships between the fathers and sons.

Ibsen Journal 2

Read Act 2

Journal:  Choose three of the five points to discuss.
1. Fate
2. Illusion
3. The set up
4. Disease
5. Appearance

Anouilh Cultural Reflection Info

Reflective Paper:

To demonstrate your understanding of the culture and or context, you must complete a reflective statement.  The paper should be 300-400 words and must respond to the following question.

How was your understanding of cultural and contextual considerations

of the work developed through the interactive orals? 

Cultural Group topics

In no particular order:
1. WWII - German occupied France
2.  Anouilh - life, writing, why he wrote Antigone
3.  Antigone -by Sophocles and Greek theater terms
4.  Additional play by Anouilh
5.  Literary movement of the time (general literature and theater)
6.  French Culture: gender roles, age, specific words...
7.  Greek Culture:  gender roles, age, names...

Final week of Antigone

Schedule for Monday April 23- Friday 27

Monday 23rd
      30 min for cultural groups to organize research for 8 min interactive oral
      30 min discussion of minor characters
      30 min discuss contrasting motifs 
      HW - work on cultural presentation, journal 4: write about a set of contrasting motifs

Tuesday 24th
     ACT test
     HW- Keep working on the interactive oral and write journal 5: discussing multiple characters'
             views of how to live life

Wednesday 25th
     45 min Cultural discussion- create interactive oral 8 min max
     Discuss characters' views on "life"
     HW - Create a thesis and topic sentences for contrasting motifs: review notes and journals

Thursday 26th
    Edit thesis and examine effectiveness of topic sentences   
    60 min writing on Antigone essay questions
    HW - practice and finalize interactive oral presentation


Friday
     Cultural interactive oral presentation
     Bring your ID - we'll check out Ibsen's The Wild Duck
     HW- write a rough draft of the cultural reflection for Antigone and complete the quick read of
              Ibsen's The Wild Duck along with the quick read guide.

Antigone Journals

Antigone reading and journals

Journal 1:
Read to Ismene's entrance on page 20.  In your journal discuss how Anouilh uses time in the play.

Journal 2:
Read to Ismenes entrance on page 43.  In your journal consider the elements of tragedy (both the article and the information in the text) and whether or not Antigone is a tragedy.

Journals 3:
Finish the play.  In your journal discuss how the minor characters effect the play.

Monday April 16th

Cultural interactive

Finish your quick read of Oedipus.
Identify the basic plot and what Sophocles seems to make the focus of his play.

Read and annotate the Idea of Tragedy article.

We'll use these for small group discussions tomorrow.

Turnitin.com

Just a quick reminder.  A small handful of you still need to submit your papers to turnitin.com.  Please do so immediately so your grade can adequately depict your work.

The Plays

Congratulations!  You made it through your first quarter.  We'll start Monday by being off and running with the plays.  Please bring your ID to check out the plays from our library, or pick up the plays. 

If you purchase the plays, please make certain you get the same translator. I'm listing the plays in the order that we'll be reading them in class.

1.  Five plays by Jean Anouilh (we're only reading Antigone) Translator: Lewis Galantier
    - supplemental reading: The Three Theban plays by Sophocles Translator: Robert Fagles

2.   Four Major Plays by Henrik Ibsen (we're only reading The Wild Duck) Translator: Rolf Fjelde

3.  Three Plays by Federico Garcia Lorca (we're reading Blood Wedding)  Translators: Michael Dewell and Carmen Zapata

Stranger thesis

Bad news.  The youngest of my family fell ill, so I'll be out tomorrow.  If you would like help with your thesis, please leave it as a blog entry.  I'll check them tomorrow while I'm home, so you'll have information after school.

Good luck with your writing.

The Stranger Journal 7

Don't forget Journals are due Friday.

Finish Reading the novel

Write your journal on the conclusions that Meursault comes to at the end of the novel.

The Stranger Journal 6

Reading:  Part II chapters 3 and 4 

Journal:  The title of the novel in French is L'Étranger.  As you know, translations can be tricky.  Words carry a variety of meanings, both connotative and denotative, that the translator must between to best portray the author's text.  With this being said, there are three different titles for the novel: The Stranger, The Outsider, and The Foreigner.  Each carries a slightly different meaning and focus.  After considering the connotations of the the title, write a journal that examines how the title connects to the text.  Try to move beyond characters to discussing different elements of literature: setting, theme, POV, plot, and language (stylistic devices such as similes, ambiguity...).

The Stranger Journal 5

Read Chapters 1 and 2 from part II

Journal:  Choose a motif /image or two to track and consider the effects of the Camus' choice.

The Stranger Journal 4

Read chapters 5 and 6

Today you discussed one of the following topics:
Religion
Work
Food/Drink
Apology
Ambiguity
Violence
Morality

As you read the next chapters, develop your understanding of how the author discusses your idea.  Make certain that you pull quotations to develop your understanding.

The Stranger Journal 3

Read chapters 3 and 4

Examine the characterization of the minor characters? Consider how they relate to Meursault.

The Stranger Journal 2

Read Chapters 1 and 2

Examine places where Meursault avoids what he should be doing.  Does he choose to avoid things or do things distract him?  What types of things does he avoid?   Do try to connect all of the points together, but what sort of ideas do your observations spark?

The Stranger Journal 1

I hope that all of you spent some time with your commentary essays.  Don't forget to bring in your outlines and rough drafts with edits and the final draft on Tuesday.

Journal 1.
Examine the first page of The Stranger as if it were a commentary passage.  What patterns do you notice?  What is the rhythm?  How does Camus develop the characters or conflicts?  What should we keep in the forefront of our minds as we read the rest of the novel?

Please bring your ideas to discuss with the class. 

Also, finish reading and annotating the existentialism.  Your findings will also be part of our discussion.

Eyes Journal 9

There are two parts to tonight's journal.

1.  Edit one of the following class commentary outlines for the clarity of ideas and the organization of ideas.

2.  Continue practicing your editing skills by commenting on 3 other students outlines from journal 7 for clarity of ideas and organization.

Post your improved class outline and your 3 comments in journal 9.

Per 3

I.  The purpose of the passage is to discuss how when women choose to settle for an opportunity that is less desirable they forfeit their chance of achieving their ideals of love.

II.   In the passage, Hurston introduces Joe as a charming and ambitious man who entices Janie to take a risk and change her situation.

However, Joe objectifies Janie by defining her not based on her qualities but how he wants her to be.

IV.  Although Joe portrays a life with him as being easy going and rich, Janie see through his portrayal.

Per 4

I.  The purpose of this passage is to describe how when women settle their expectations for love, they gamble with their potential for

II.  Hurston characterizes Joe as an ambitious and charming figure who tries to entice Janie to marry him.

III.  Although Joe appears charming, he is in fact domineering figure who attempts to control others to benefit himself.

IV. By Janie’s reactions to Joe

V.  Hurston uses elements of nature to express Janie’s desire for change and growth.

 

Eyes Journal 8

Study your vocabulary - test on Tuesday

Make certain the outline for the cultural presentation is complete up to the conclusion (we’ll address those on Wednesday). 

Final journal read chapters 18-20 this journal is due Wednesday.

Identify a scene that interests you in the last chapters.   Retell the scene using Hurston's style from a minor character's perspective.

For example, if I were writing from an earlier chapter, I might choose to write about what it was like for one of the men to sit on the porch with Joe as Janie worked inside.  This would give me an opportunity to discuss how the townspeople saw Joe and Janie's relationship.

Eyes Journal 7

No reading

Develop a simple outline (thesis [purpose of the passage], context, topic sentences, and points to argue) for last night's passage.

Bring material for your cultural group to class on Friday

Eyes Journal 6

Read Chapters 11-17

Journal:  Prepare the following passage for writing a commentary.  Do not write the paper, but take notes as if you were going to write the paper.  Please print out a copy of your blog and bring it to class on Monday.  We will discuss the passage and discuss organization for the essay on Monday.  

Commentary steps to follow:

1.  Read the passage through once with pencil in hand.  As you read write questions in the margin about words or ideas that catch your attention.
2.  Before the second reading, clarify any unknown words and make certain you understand what is happening in the piece.  Then identify the point of view, characters involved and the subject of the passage.
3. On the second reading mark the passage.  Look for patterns in the text: if an image, word(s) or idea repeat.  What feeling does the passage evoke?  What words help create the feeling will establish the mood and tone.  If you don't know where to start, use your knowledge of Hurston's style to get you started.
4. Read again to develop your analysis.  How does Hurston use images or language?  How do the images or language connect to other parts of the passage? 
5. Identify a purpose for the passage

Advice:  You must cover the entire piece.  Use the commentary graph to make certain you cover all areas available for analysis.



Passage:

They put her to bed and sent for her married daughter from up around Ocala to come see about her.  The daughter came as soon as she could and took Annie Tyler away to die in peace.  She had waited all her life for something, and it had killed her when it found her.
      The thing made itself into pictures and hung around Janie's bedside all night long.  Anyhow, she wasn't going back to Eatonville to be laughed at and pitied.  She had ten dollars in her pocket and twelve hundred in the bank.  But oh God, don't let Tea Cake be off somewhere hurt and Ah not know nothing about it.  And God, please suh, don't let him love nobody else but me.  Maybe Ah'm is uf fool, Lawd, lad dey say, but Lawd, Ah been so lonesome, and Ah been waitin', Jesus.  Ah done waited uh long time.
      Janie dozed off to sleep but she woke up in time to see the sun sending up spies ahead of him to mark out the road through the dark.  He peeped up over the door sill of the world and made a little foolishness with red.  But pretty soon, he laid all that aside and went about his business dressed all in white.  But it was always going to be dark to Janie if Tea Cake didn't soon come back.  She got out of the bed but a chair couldn't hold her.  she dwindled down on the floor her head in a rocking chair.

(Hurston, 119-120)

Tuesday February 14th

No reading tonight.  Catch up on your assignments.

1.  Edit your topic sentence for your group commentary paragraph. 
FYI Tomorrow the groups will get together examine the topic sentences and edit one to share with the class.  The class will place all of the topic sentences on the board and choose the best topic sentences and then organize them for the class paper.  Once the topic sentences have been chosen for the class, return to your groups and edit your commentary paragraphs.  One student is charged with commenting on my blog with the paragraph. 
2.  Finish your blog
3.  Check your journal entries for completeness
4.  Take tonight as a chance to apply the information you learned about commentary writing to your commentary paragraphs or your cultural paper.  

Eyes Journal 5 -Monday Night

Do not work on your group assignments tonight, we'll discuss them further tomorrow.
 
Read Chapters 7-10

Your journal for tonight is to write a pastiche of Hurston's style.  A pastiche is an artistic work that imitates another work or artist.  For your pastiche, you will be using the paragraph in chapter 7 that starts with, "So Janie began to think of Death [...]" (84).  Please make note of Hurston's stylistic choices (techniques, sentence structure, dialect...) as you read and then write a pastiche of the paragraph.  It needn't be perfect, but your reader should hear an echo of Hurston's style from your creative passage.  I find it easiest to go sentence by sentence for this.  For example, I decided to keep the "so," but then changed the character from Janie to someone else and choose an abstract noun to personify. 

Example:

So Lydia started to consider Jealousy.  Jealousy, that small creature with the sharpened nails who danced in the shadows of each man's heart.  The deceptive one who spied on dark thoughts like an opera attender without monocles, and without a seat.  Why would Jealousy want to sit, and what secret thought wouldn't reach her?  She peers through the facades that everyone creates.  Peers directly and intimately never resting with her nails clicking, searching for the first crack to let her in.   

Abstract nouns you could consider using:

Revenge, giggles, time, escapism, lust, morale, pride, or any other that strikes your interest.


Have fun with the creative writing.

Monday's Class

It seems that the plague has hit the youngest member of my family, so I'll be out of the building tomorrow.   During class, you will need to accomplish two things.

1.   Complete a paragraph for our class commentary. 
Bring your journal entry from this weekend so you can work in small groups to develop a topic sentence, your key points, the support you'll use, and your analysis.

2.  Work with your cultural group to discuss your findings, establish a thesis and identify the topic sentences. 

Eyes Journal 4

Read Chapters 5-6

This weekend's journals will have two parts.

Part 1: As you're reading the chapters look for descriptions of setting.  Try to find two to three places where the setting either connects to a mood, tone, characterization, or conflict.

Part 2.  Returning to last night's passage, find the lines that connect to your category (Joe's view of Janie, Janie's view of Joe, Joe's Agenda, or Janie's dream - those of you who were absent choose only one area).  Identify the techniques within the line and analyze them.  Also write down any questions that come up as your analyzing.  This can be a list of points.

Reminders:
Study your vocabulary the test is the 21st
Bring in your annotated (underline and take notes on what you read) article Monday

World Lit

Quick reminder. 

Please submit your papers to turnitin.com. 

Schedule

Just a reminder of what we discussed today.

Thursday:  Receive Antigone essay questions
                  Work in your groups developing the cultural connections to Blood Wedding

Friday:  Develop cultural connections presentations
             Critique sample topic choices and essay directions

Tuesday:  Topic choice due - student conferences and topic approval

Wednesday:  Lorca Cultural presentation




              

Blood Wedding Journal 6

Just a reminder that we'll spend 45 min writing on the Lorca essay prompts and the remainder of the class working on the cultural connections.

In preparations for the interactive cultural connections, please find nine quotations, three from each act, that suggest a cultural connection.  Discuss your thoughts on each in one to two sentences.   Please make certain that you have your ideas in class tomorrow.

Blood Wedding Journal 5

Read Act 3

Tomorrow we'll delve into a discussion about themes of the play and Lorca's social commentary.  For tonight's journal create a list of themes that Lorca creates in the play.  With the list completed, write about the following ideas and how each could connect to a theme:

1.  The symbolism of the woodcutter, beggar woman  and moon
2.  What happens when the runaway couple are caught?
3.  What happens to the Mother after the death of her son?
4.  At least three significant lines of imagery
5.  What elements of a tragedy does Lorca incorporate in Blood Wedding?

Blood Wedding Journal 4

Read Act II


Write a journal on one or a couple of the questions below.  Please keep in mind that all of the questions are open to discussion for Monday, so you might want to jot down some notes about all of them.

1.   Which characters appear to be miserable in the play and why?  When and how do the characters express their misery?  What do the characters desire and what stops them from going after what each desires? 

 2.  When and how does Lorca break the fourth wall?  What is the affect of reminding the reader that the events on the stage are not real? 

3.  There are a variety of youths in the second act, why?  How does Lorca use the youths to affect the themes of the play?

4.  How does the set change between acts and what effect does the set have on the atmosphere?  

5.  Consider the cultural connections we discussed in class.  Where can you identify Lorca's social commentary in the play?  What does he suggest about the social issues?    

Blood Wedding Journal 3

No reading tonight.  Enjoy the breather before we jump back into the water.

However, tonight's journal has three parts.
1.  Choose any two symbols from your list and discuss their significance.
2.  Examine Lorca's use of the horse.  I don't expect brilliant answers, but I do expect a good hypothesis with reasoning and possibly a couple of questions attached.
3.  Respond to at least two student's blogs.

Blood Wedding Journal 2

A quick reminder, you receive the Ibsen essay topics tomorrow.  Please prepare for in class brainstorming by reviewing notes concerning The Wild Duck and bringing all materials you think you might use.

Read Act I of Blood Wedding –  This journal has two parts.  First, as you read the Act create a list of symbols that you come across.  If you have an idea about the meaning feel free to jot it down, but a well thought out idea is not required.   

Second, examine how Lorca characterize the archetypes of the play?  Does Lorca embrace or reject the archetype?  What is the effect of the characterization?