Ibsen Journal 6

Finish reading the play.

Journal 5: Who is to blame?  Consider who is to blame and who takes responsibility.   Also discuss how Ibsen creates a social commentary - consider at least two of the following topics: decorum, the past, gender roles, the family, idealism, pragmatism, etc.

Ibsen Journal 5

No reading tonight, but we'll be reading Act 5 tomorrow night if you want to get ahead.

Tomorrow we'll finish the presentations and discuss the text.  I would like you to consider the following quotations for tomorrow as a starting place for our discussion, but we will probably branch off into some of the other topics as well.

Quotations:

Gina: Oh, well, he has plenty and to spare, he has.
Hjalmar: Light the lamp for me, please!
Gina [ (lighting the lamp).]: And, of course, we don't know as it's Mr. Werle himself; it may be Graberg --
Hjalmar: Why attempt such an evasion?
Gina: I don't know; I only thought -
Hjalmar: H'm!
Gina: It wasn't me that got grandfather that copying. It was Bertha, when she used to come about us.
Hjalmar: It seems to me your voice is trembling.
Gina [ (putting the lamp-shade on).] Is it?
Hjalmar: And your hands are shaking, are they not?
Gina[ (firmly).]: Come right out with it, Ekdal. What has he been saying about me?
Hjalmar: Is it true - can it be true that - that there was an - an understanding between you and Mr. Werle, while you were in service there?
Gina: That's not true. Not at that time. Mr. Werle did come after me, that's a fact. And his wife thought there was something in it, and then she made such a hocus-pocus and hurly-burly, and she hustled me and bustled me about so that I left her service.
Hjalmar: But afterwards, then?
Gina: Well, then I went home. And mother - well, she wasn't the woman you took her for, Ekdal; she kept on worrying and worrying at me about one thing and another - for Mr. Werle was a widower by that time.
Hjalmar: Well, and then?
Gina: I suppose you've got to know it. He gave me no peace until he'd had his way.
Hjalmar:[ (striking his hands together): And this is the mother of my child! How could you hide this from me?

2.
Gina: Do you repent of the fourteen -- the fifteen years we've lived together? Hjalmar [ (placing himself in front of her).]: Have you not every day, every hour, repented of the spider's-web of deceit you have spun around me? Answer me that! How could you help writhing with penitence and remorse? Gina Oh, my dear Ekdal, I've had all I could do to look after the house and get through the day's work --
Hjalmar: Then you never think of reviewing your past?
Gina: No; Heaven knows I'd almost forgotten those old stories.
Hjalmar: Oh, this dull, callous contentment! To me there is something revolting about it. Think of it -- never so much as a twinge of remorse!

3.
Hjalmar:  I want to know whether -- your child has the right to live under my roof.
Gina[ (draws herself up; her eyes flash).]:You ask that!
Hjalmar: You shall answer me this one question: Does Hedvig belong to me -- or -- ? Well!
Gina:[ (looking at him with cold defiance).] I don't know.
Hjalmar:[ (quivering a little).] You don't know!
Gina: How should I know. A creature like me --
Hjalmar:[ (quietly turning away from her).] Then I have nothing more to do in this house.
Gregers: Take care, Hialmar! Think what you are doing!
Hjalmar[ (puts on his overcoat).]: In this case, there is nothing for a man like me to think twice about.

4. (ACT 3)
Werle: Is it I, then, that have crippled your mind, Gregers?
Gregers: You have crippled my whole life. I am not thinking of all that about mother -- But it's thanks to you that I am continually haunted and harassed by a guilty conscience.
Werle: Indeed! It is your conscience that troubles you, is it?
Gregers: I ought to have taken a stand against you when the trap was set for Lieutenant Ekdal. I ought to have cautioned him; for I had a misgiving as to what was in the wind.
Werle:Yes, that was the time to have spoken.
Gregers: I did not dare to, I was so cowed and spiritless. I was mortally afraid of you -- not only then, but long afterwards.
Werle: You have got over that fear now, it appears.
Gregers: Yes, fortunately. The wrong done to old Ekdal, both by me and by -- others, can never be undone; but Hialmar I can rescue from all the falsehood and deception that are bringing him to ruin.
Werle: Do you think that will be doing him a kindness?
Gregers: I have not the least doubt of it. Werle: You think our worthy photographer is the sort of man to appreciate such friendly offices?
Gregers: Yes, I do.
Werle: H'm -- we shall see.
Gregers: Besides, if I am to go on living, I must try to find some cure for my sick conscience.
Werle: It will never be sound. Your conscience has been sickly from childhood. That is a legacy from your mother, Gregers -- the only one she left you.

Ibsen Journal 4

Read Act 4 tonight.

Journal 1:  Consider how Ibsen discusses language by addressing how and when characters provide or leave out information.  Try to connect the language to a character's actions. 
 
2) 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?


Also, I'll be out of the building tomorrow to prepare for my mother-in-law's memorial.  In class tomorrow you'll be given a passage to examine.  You need to examine the language closely to develop a performance for the class.  Pay attention to Ibsen's style and the mise-en-scene to inform your decisions about how to read the lines, positioning and staging.  Consider the mood of the scene and the tone of the characters.  What should you emphasize, how and why?

Ibsen Act 3 journal 3

Reading: Act 3

Journal: 1) Brainstorm 5 cultural or contextual aspects you would like more information on to help you understand the text.
2)  Keep exploring the characterization: honesty, dishonesty, romantic notions, realistic concerns...  Also, during our discussion today, a couple of you mentioned that characters were uncomfortable.  Consider how Ibsen portrays when a character is uncomfortable -what does the character do?  How does the other character respond?
3) Consider how do the themes we discussed today develop in scene three?  Do any new themes emerge?  (themes discussed: honesty, family, shame, guilt...)

The Wild Duck Journal 2

Antigone journals are due tomorrow.

HW: for Wednesday  Read Act II

Journal 2
1. Examine how Act I ends and how Act II begins.  To help examine the changes between the acts, consider the elements of the mise-en-scene: setting, characters and lighting.
2.  Consider how Ibsen discusses honesty?  What aspects of plot, characterization, motifs help develop the discussion?
3.  Consider how Ibsen portrays the family and home?  How does the environment influence and motivate the characters?

4.  "Realism and Naturalism are terms used to describe fiction that aims at minute fidelity to actual existence.  Realism connotes an attempt to give the illusion of the ordinary life, in which unexceptional people undergo everyday experiences"(Norton Anthology of English Literature Volume 2)  Examine how Ibsen portrays the common man and the common experience.
5.  Choose one motif we've discussed in class and acknowledge one additional motif to discuss.

Antigone Research and Ibsen

Due dates: 
Tues: Research on your own, write up a RD for the one or both annotated bibliographies
Wed: Computer lab during class: Finish research, annotated bibliography, create handout and 3-5 minute presentation
Thurs: In class writing for Antigone topics, Bring Ibsen to start reading/discussing
Friday:  Interactive oral presentations: Discuss Act 1


Helpful sites for research:
BBC history pages
http://www.besthistorysites.net/index.php/ww2
For literary journals, use JSTOR or EBSCO via MC Library or PCC

Ibsen Homework:
Read Act I of The Wild Duck - We'll start this in class and finish for homework:  take notes and tab all of the following questions:

Prepare for small group discussions by journaling about the following topics.
1.  The staging of the play.  What did you notice about how Ibsen stages the play - consider the set, costumes, props, and characters movements.  Who is on stage with whom?  Who avoids whom?


2.  Examine the motif of illness or disease and silence

3.  How does Ibsen create levels of formality, social class or gender roles?  What types of consequences do rules of decorum create?

4. Consider how and why characters create illusion and put on appearances.

5.  Examine the relationship between fathers and sons.  What themes develop because of them?

6.  In what ways does Ibsen's style and purpose differ from Anouilh?  How are they similar?

Anouilh's Antigone Journals

Journal overview (unless otherwise stated):  You need to discuss the topic, provide quotations, and analyze the quotations.  The form you complete this in doesn't matter.  For those of you working on analysis, you might want to place the quotations at the top of the page, color code and directly analyze without worrying about forming sentences.  Then write a paragraph discussing the ideas.  For those of you working on organization, you might want to attempt to write a strong paragraph with a clear topic sentence and argument points.  Or, the discussion of the topic might develop more questions than it provides answers, but it should show that you are independently thinking about specific lines.

 Journal 1:  A list of concepts, lines (skittles? Flibbertigibbet?) and ideas that identify the context or cultural issues that would help you understand the text.  As mentioned in class, at this point your job is simply to make the list.   

Reading:  End of scene one with Antigone’s exit. 

Journal 2:  Choose one of the five quotations you liked and discuss why it struck you as interesting.  How does Antigone’s interaction with Ismene and the nurse shape your opinion of her?  How does Antigone view her role as a woman as compared to Ismene?  How do the women view Hameon and Creon?

Reading:  Through Chorus’ definition of tragedy (29) and Edith Hamilton’s tragedy article

Journal 3: Read and mark the tragedy article.  Then complete the reading from Antigone and identify the qualities that Anouilh claims make a tragedy.  In the journal summarize how each author defines tragedy, identifying the similarities and differences.  The play’s title suggests that it is a tragedy, examine how Anouilh embraces and/or reject the definitions.

Reading: To Pause on 39

Reminder:  We’re going to start by discussing Anouilh’s portrayal of Creon, especially after Poly was buried and in your reading.

Journal 4:  Choose three key lines.  Analyze and discuss the significance of the lines.  Where you take the lines is up to you: characterization, plot, theme, conflict, tension, motif, stylistic device, staging… you can connect the quotation to the scene or the play as a whole. 

Reading:  To Antigone’s departure (44)

Journal 5:  Part I) There are a variety of contrasting issues in the play that create tension:  Make a list of the issues you are aware of and choose 2 to discuss thoroughly (how is each side portrayed, how do the sides interact, what is the tension or discussion that Anouilh puts forth?  Part II) What are Creon and Antigone arguing about?  What conclusion does Antigone come to at the end of the play and why?

Reading:  Finish the play

Journal 6:  Consider the purpose of the guards, nurse and the dog? In some ways, a play is about movement.  In what way are the characters devoid of movement in the play?  Why?  Also consider how he uses silence and time.

Stranger Journals

Due    Reading             Journal
10/4    CH 1-2               1  List Meursault's routines and decide how you feel about him; track a
                                          motif/image and discuss how Camus uses it.
10/7    Ch 3-6               2.  - Minor characters:  Consider how Meursault describes and interacts with  
                                          the minor characters.  What do characters expect of Meursault and how do
                                          they respond to him?  Try to create groups out of the minor characters. 
                                          How does Camus portray different groups?
                                          - Consider how Camus structures the chapters and novel?  How do the
                                          chapters start and end?  How does the body of the chapter support or reject
                                          the opening and or ending? How does Part 1 start and end?
                                        
10/8  Ch 3-6                3.  - Imagery and motifs.  What type of imagery do you notice?  What does
                                           Meursault notice about his environment? What type of lines repeat why?
                                         - Setting: How does Camus use the setting in the novel?

10/9 CH 1-2 P2           4. Examine the scene with the examining magistrate.  What does the
                                        magistrate expect of Meursault?  How does Camus portray the magistrate? 
                                        How does the magistrate connect to other Motifs in the text?
                                        - What is the purpose of the communication scene in the jail cell? 

10/10 CH3-4               5. How does Merusault Change from Part 1 to Part 2?  What concerns 
                                        Meursault now? How does he spend his time?  What does he notice? How
                                        does he view his situation?  How does he view others?  How does he think
                                        others view him?

10/14  Reflection what you know/think       Interactive Oral- Algeria  and Existentialism Handouts

10/15  CH 5                 6.   How does Camus discuss the aspects of Algerian history and
                                           existentialism in the text?
                                          What conclusion does Meursault come to at the end of the text?
10/16 In class writing
10/18  outline due
10/21 RD due  Check out dystopian text
10/23 FD due           

Eyes Journal list

Great job with the Vocab test today.  Plan for our last discussion tomorrow.  Topics for discussion: time and other motifs in Eyes and thematic interpretations.  Remember where we started: Harlem Renaissance as an artistic period portray the complex lives of African Americans.

Here are the journal subjects due Thursday:
1. Minor Characters
2. Setting
3. Prep for Commentary: Intro to Joe
4. Commentary outline
5. Pastiche: Personification of abstract noun
6. Motif of Time
7. Commentary for Ms Turner Passage
8.  Outline of Ms. Turner
9.  Identify and discuss a motif and a theme from the last couple of chapters

To receive full credit, you should demonstrate an attempt at the following: supporting an idea with quotations, analyzing the quotations, identifying literary techniques, and independent thought concerning the topic.

Eyes Journal 6 and 7

Tuesday:  Read chapters 10-13; Discuss the Motif of time in the chapter.  Pull quotations with different techniques to discuss time.  What does Hurston seem to suggest about time?  What affects how characters view time? When does time move quickly or slowly?

Wednesday:  Read chapters 14 and 15; Prep Ms. Turner passage for a commentary
1.  Read and re-read the passage
2.  Summarize the passage
3.  Mark and annotate patterns.  Consider: Speaker, Tone, Mood, Figurative Language, Allusions, Structure, Diction, Sensory Language etc. 
4.  Identify breaks or techniques to organize a paper

Passage begins with:  "Janie tried that, but short of telling[...]" (144) and ends with "[...] findin' fault wid everything He made" (145).

Eyes Journal 6

Today we discussed outlining for a commentary.  There are two options: Following the breaks or paragraphs in the passage from top to bottom or Organizing the paragraphs by techniques

As many of you noticed, commentary writing requires you to work backwards from how you would typically write an essay.   Gather the techniques, analyze them and then build your topic sentences.

For tonight's journal, I'm asking that you create a rough outline of for two paragraphs.  To do so, you will need to pull all of the quotations, create the analysis and organize the quotations in an order that supports an argument.  Then clarify what you think the subject (technique or pattern) of the paragraph would be.




 
Here are a couple of helpful reminders and a model for a full outline
1. "Patterns lead to assertions" - identify a pattern and then identify the effect of that pattern (1 to 2 sentence)
2. Point (an aspect of the topic sentence) typically a specific aspect of the subject
3.  Intro to quotation (context for quotation)
4. Quote (this may be one word or several words from different lines or an entire line or two)5. Identify the pattern - if you said there was a simile, reveal exactly what two things are being compared (this can be included in the sentence with your quote or at the start of your analysis but probably won't be more than 1 sentence)
6. Analysis (probably 2 to 5 sentences)
 
Please note that for many patterns you may be quoting multiple examples. This means your paragraph might look like this:
1.2.3.4.3.4.5.
or
1.2.3.4.2.3.4.5
or
1.2.3.4.5.2.3.4.5.5. (you would need an additional 5 for this one to tie your two pieces together)
or
1.2.3.4.5.3.4.5.5
or
1.2.3.4.5.3.4.5.3.4.5.3.4.5.3.4.5.5
or
you get the idea 

example:
II.  Janie's attraction to Joe
        A. Janie rationalizing leaving with Joe
                 i. "[...] he spoke for far horizons. He spoke for change and chance"(16-17)
                ii.  Listing Joe's qualities in separate sentences creates a pause between ideas, suggesting that she struggles to clarify his strong points
                iii.  Alliteration of the "ch" sound increases the rhythm as if she is convincing herself of the benefits of change and change.

                  iv.  Progressing from the figurative horizon to simple change and ending with chance suggests that the more she considers Joe the more risky the decision appears.
         B.   Janie's depiction of Joe

Eyes Journal 4

Read chapter 7

As you read search for and tab oppositions that Hurston explores in the chapter.  For example
women: men
still: active
silent: outspoken
illusions: reality
ambitious: content

Journal:  Discuss three oppositions in your journal.  One opposition must be from chapter 7, but the other two can be from previous chapters.  Remember that you don't have to have all of the answers, but you need to show that you're trying to discuss what you see and understand about both sides of the the opposition.  You'll also want to discuss how the tension the oppositions create.

Eyes Journal 2

No reading tonight, but you do have a commentary journal.  Also, make certain you complete your literary term project. 

The Journal:  Read and read the passage.  Summarize the passage identifying the speaker and the subject of the passage.   Identify techniques and patterns: Figurative Language, Mood, Tone, Diction, Syntax, Structure, Allusion and Sensory Language. Try to develop ideas concerning the effects of the techniques you find.  You do not have to write in paragraphs or in complete sentences, but you should have notes concerning the information you found.  We'll use this passage for our discussion tomorrow and to begin our discussion about commentary essays.

     "You behind a plow!  You ain't got no mo' business wid uh plow than uh hog is got wid uh holiday!  You ain't got no business cuttin' up no seed p'taters neither.  A pretty doll-baby lak you is made to sit on de front porch and rock and fan yo'self and eat p'taters dat other folks plant just special for you"
     Janie laughed and drew two quarts of syrup from the barrel and Joe Starks pumped the water bucket full of cool water.  They sat under the tree and talked.  He was going on down to the new part of Florida, but no harm to stop and chat.  He later decided he needed a rest anyway.  It would do him good to rest a week or two.
     Every day after that the managed to meet in the scrub oaks across the road and talk about when he would be a big ruler of things with her reaping the benefits.  Janie pulled back a long time because he did not represent sun-up and pollen and blooming trees, but he spoke for far horizon.  He spoke of change and chance.  Still she hung back.  The memory of Nanny was still powerful and strong.
      "Janie, if you think Ah aims to tole you off and make a dog outa you, youse wrong.  Ah wants to make a wife outa you."
     "You mean dat, Joe?" 
     "De day you puts yo' hand in mine, Ah wouldn't let de sun go down on us single.  Ah'm uh man wid principles.  You ain't never knowed what it was to be treated lak a lady and Ah wants to be de one tuh show yuh.  Call me Jody lak you do sometime."
     "Jody,"  she smiled up at him, "but s'posin' -"
     "Leave de s'psoin and everything else to me [...]"  (29)


Example (in progress)

"Folkses, de sun is goin' down.  De Sun-maker brings it up in de mornin', and de Sun-maker sends it tuh bed at night. Us poor weak humans can't do nothin' tuh hurry it up nor to slow it down.  All we can do, if we want any light after de settin' or befo' de risin' , is tuh make some light ourselves.  So dat's how come lamps was made.  Dis evenin' we'se all assembled heah tuh light uh lamp.  Dis occasion is something for us all tuh remember tuh our dyin' day.  De first street lamp in uh colored town.  Lift yo' eyes and gaze on it.  And when Ah touch de match tuh dat lamp-wick let de light penetrate inside of yuh, and let it shine, let it shine, let it shine[...]" (45)

Euphemism: for God

Analysis: Connecting God and nature - I wonder if this is a pattern?

Allusion:  "This Little Light of Mine" is a gospel children's song written by Harry Dixon Loes
Analysis:?
 Symbol: Street lamp symbolizes the economic progress of the town
Time:  This could also be about the beginnings and endings

Tone:  Sermonizing

Is there a connection between the "sun-maker" and the man-made lamp -possibly a connection to a theme?

Welcome and Eyes Journal 1

Welcome to IB Junior English Fall 2013

The blog is a place for you to review the nightly reading and journals entries.  You might also find hints and be asked to respond directly to a journal.

We'll officially start the reading on Friday, but if you would like to get a head start, here you go.

Due Monday 9/9:
Reading: Eyes Chapters 1-4

Journal 1

As you read, you will look for lines or phrases that develop the minor characters and lines or phrases that describe Janie's relationship with power (think, people, situations, things, ideas etc).  From your interesting lines, try to find language or patterns that you didn't notice the first time you read.

Discuss one minor character and two of Janie's relationships with power, supporting your ideas with quotations and analysis.  After writing your three points of discussion, offer a couple of questions that develop from your reading and/or writing.

Minor character example:

Hurston describes the porch sitters as insolent when Pearl Stone "opened her mouth and laughed real hard" and Mrs. Sumpkins "snorted violently" as Janie walks by (2-3).  These characters also appear uncouth as Pearl laughs because "she didn't know what else to do" and as Sumpkins "snorted" and "sucked her teeth"(2-3).  Through her depiction, Hurston implies that people who never move past their "porch" will remain ignorant and appear ridiculous, especially as they fall over each other without cause.  In contrast, Janie appears strong as her hair is a "great rope" suggesting flexibility and strength.  As the hair"unravels in the wind," Hurston compares it to a "a plume" (2).  Thus, the hair becomes a symbol for Janie's honor and respect.  Her return to Eatonville with her hair as the item of respect suggests that the events since her exodus created her self-acceptance.

The plume simile is interesting to me.  Usually the plume is associated with militaristic conquests -  I wonder if there are more words surrounding the military?  Also, what about the bodily noises?  Sucking teeth and snorting - rather grotesque.  Why does Hurston create the porch sitters as a foil to Janie as natural vs unnatural?  Does this connect to the stereotypes of the 1920's?  Did the white audience see black characters like Janie or the porch sitters regularly?  Did other black authors portray their characters like this?

Note:  Yours can appear more clearly organized than mine and a lot less like an essay.  Consider listing the quotations of interest, asking questions, and then analyzing the quotations. 

Lorca Journal 4

Reading for Monday:  Act Three 

Journal 4: 

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. Today we discussed ways in which Lorca creates dream like elements.  To continue this discussion, identify mythical elements in the play and examine how Lorca uses them.  Make an assertion about Lorca's use of either modern or mythical elements.

Reading for Tuesday: Read and mark the 3 articles for the cultural interactive orals in class on Tuesday.

Wednesday:  In class writing on Lorca

Lorca Journal 3

Reading:  Act II

Journal 3
1.   The introduction states, “For Lorca, tragedy entails certain formal elements (the chorus, for example), but above all it involves creating an illusion of fate or destiny, of ‘necessariness’: the suggestion that men and women are at the mercy of elemental forces which shape their lives in ways they barely comprehend”.  How does Lorca create illusions of fate in Act II?  How do the characters struggle with the illusions?  What are the consequences of the illusions?

 2.   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 do the songs connect with the events in Act II?  What topics does Lorca expose and discuss?

Lorca Journal 2

Reading:  Finish reading Act One

Journal 2: 
1.  As the scenes change, continue to examine what causes misery and how the characters portray it. 
2.  Consider the songs.  What do the songs discuss?  Where do they occur?  Are they the same?  How do they connect to the scene(s)? 
3.  Compare the scenes for Act One.  What happens in each scene?  What types of images appear?  What problems or concerns are exposed?  How do the scenes affect each other?

Lorca Journal 1

Reading: Act One Scene One

Before reading, consider how the characters embody archetypes - 1st period we did this in class. 

Journal 1:   Discuss whether a character meets or rejects their archetype, discuss the impact of the setting and stage directions, and discuss how characters display or embrace misery.


Consider reviewing your notes for the in class writing tomorrow.

Ibsen Journal 5

Congratulations your finished with the second play for the world literature unit. 

Journal 5: Write a rough draft of your cultural reflection tonight.

Please submit each of the Ibsen journals to turnitin.com and bring the copies to class tomorrow.

TUESDAY:
We'll have our final discussion on Ibsen in class tomorrow and complete the on demand writing.

Ibsen Journal 4

Today we chose, performed and discussed scenes in class. 
HW for Wednesday night read Act 4.  There is no formal journal for tomorrow, but you might want to jot down some ideas about characters leaving the scene.

Thursday

Finish acting and discussing scenes from Act 3 tomorrow. 

After we finish the scenes, we'll examine what causes characters to leave the scene and what happens while characters are out of the "room".  Afterward, we'll work on a commentary passage.

HW: Finish the play
Journal 4: Who is to blame?  Consider who is to blame and who takes responsibility.   Also discuss Ibsen's view of idealism.
 
Friday 
In class you'll work in groups to complete cultural readings.  You'll want to prep (take notes, ask questions of the text, look up information your don't understand, consider connections...) your article (yes, each group only has one article).  We'll have 5 small group discussions on Monday to complete the interactive orals.

HW: Work on your IOP this weekend.  Also prepare for a final discussion Monday on The Wild Duck.

Ibsen Journal 3

Today in class we "reread" most of act 2 and examined motifs and complications in the play and how Ibsen develops comparisons via the structure of the play.

Tomorrow we'll examine a couple of scenes in detail by acting them out.

To prepare: Read Act 3  and consider the following a motif of your choosing, silence, idealism, responsibility, and usefulness.

The Wild Duck Journal 2

Papers due tomorrow.  Don't for get to submit them to turnitin.com.  Also, journals for Antigone are due tomorrow. 

HW:  Read Act II

Journal 2
1.  Continue examining illness and disease
2.  Who works and who pretends to work?  What are the motivations and reasons for each?
3.  Which characters portray decorum or how does decorum interrupt clear communication?
4.  Which characters appear honest?  What are the effects of being honest?
5.  "Realism and Naturalism are terms used to describe fiction that aims at minute fidelity to actual existence.  Realism connotes an attempt to give the illusion of the ordinary life, in which unexceptional people undergo everyday experiences"(Norton Anthology of English Literature Volume 2)  Examine how Ibsen portrays the common man and the common experience.

Due dates and Ibsen journal 1

Due dates:  

Quick reminder of the pieces due on Tuesday the 7th
Tragedy paper with rough draft(s) and outline(s)
Three Anouilh journals

Ibsen Homework:
Read Act I of The Wild Duck

Prepare for small group discussions by journaling about the following topics.
1.  The staging of the play.  What did you notice about how Ibsen stages the play - consider the set, costumes, props, and characters movements.  Who is on stage with whom?  Who avoids whom?

2.  How does Ibsen's stage directions differ from Anouilh's?  How does Ibsen use the stage directions?

3.  Examine the motif of illness or disease and silence

4.  How does Ibsen create levels of formality, social class or gender roles?  What types of consequences do rules of decorum create?

5. Consider how and why characters create illusion and put on appearances.

6.  Examine the relationship between fathers and sons.

Antigone Journal 2

Reading:  Finish the play

Journal 2:
Part I,  Choose a minor character or a group of minor characters and examine how the author uses the character(s) in the play.

Part II,  What does Anouilh suggest about isolation and what does Anouilh suggest about duty in the play? 

Antigone Journal 1

Great job discussing the stage directions and identifying the contrasting ideas in class today. 
Remember that you need to turn the journal entry in to turnitin.com before class tomorrow and bring a copy to class for discussion. 

As a reminder of the journal requirements:

You need to discuss the topic, provide quotations, and analyze the quotations.  The form you complete this in doesn't matter.  For those of you working on analysis, you might want to throw the quotations at the top of the page and directly analyze them without worrying about forming sentences and then write a paragraph discussing the ideas.  For those of you working on organization, you might want to attempt to write a strong paragraph with a clear topic sentence.  Also, the discussion of the topic might develop more questions than it provides answers, but it should show that you are thinking independently about the text. 

Tonight's reading:  through page 44

Journal:  Part 1 discuss a contrasting idea Anouilh provides in the text
Part II:  Examine one of the metaphors from the reading or a  motif you find interesting

Also, as I've mentioned, the first essay this quarter concerns tragedy.  You might want to take some notes about what you how this section of the reading supports or rejections aspects of tragedy.

Rewrites and other topics

I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend before we have to batten the hatches for the last two weeks of the quarter.

To keep you motivated, I'm proud to offer a huge congratulations to all of you on much stronger commentaries.  And a second congratulations to the two brave students (one from first and one from third) who submitted their Stranger essays to turnitin.com already.

Please remember to submit your reflection and essay to turnitin.com and to bring your outline(s), draft(s) and final copy to class on Monday.

Also, don't forget that you need to come to class with a couple of options for your mini-commentary passage - no two students can have the same passage. 

Monday: I'll clear passages during class; as a group you'll discuss the passages that might be most useful for your project.  In your groups, you'll also discuss the ideals your community attempts to preserve and what causes the society to decay. 

The End Is Near

Congratulations we're nearing the end of first quarter.


Due dates:

Friday March 22nd        Stranger journals due
Monday April 1st          Stranger Essay due:  outline(s), rough draft(s), final draft (reflection + essay)
Wednesday April 3rd    Dystopian Journal 1: mini-commentary
Friday April 5th            Dystopian Journal 2: structure 
Friday April 5th            Vocabulary make-up:  Write the technique, find a quotation from a text this quarter, analyze the technique in the quotation
Thursday April 11th     Dystopian projects due

Stranger Journal 11

I hope you all had a fantastic Friday.  Monday is our last day to discuss aspects of The Stranger in preparation for your in-class writing assignment on Tuesday.

Journal:  Identify 5 questions about specific events or literary devices in the text that you still have questions or concerns about.  Also, consider some or all of the following: why Meursault shoots the stranger; what conclusion doe he come to at the end of the text; and why should we pity Meursault?

Stranger Journal 10

3/5

Tuesday in class we'll discuss the existentialism and absurdism. 

Journal due Wednesday 3/6

Existentialism/Absurdism reflection.

Remember to start with how you understood the text before the interactive oral ,then clearly identify what you learned, and finally explain how the information changed your understanding of the text.

Stranger Journal 9

Finish reading the novel by class on Tuesday.

Journal:

Examine the following concepts.  Remember to pull a variety of quotations to show the variables involved in the subjects below.  You may pull ideas from the entire text.

1.  Playing games

2.  Happiness

3.  Portrayal of death



 

Stranger Journal 8

Excellent discussions in both classes on Friday - well done!

Reading Part II chapter 3 and 4

Journal:

Consider why Camus creates a part I and a part II.  How does Camus make a correlation between the scenes in Part I and the scenes in part II?  Do we see any of the same characters in part II?  Are there any new characters - why or why not?  What happens to motifs such as heat, sun, water, sky, windows...?

Also, continue to tab your group topic.  Examine whether your topic changes or remains constant.  Your group will meet again on Wednesday.

Stranger Journal 6 and 7

Journal 6 and 7 due tomorrow March 1st

Journal 6: Reflection.  Identify something you learned about the effects of the French occupation of Algeria.  Discuss how the information shifts your perception of the text and Camus' audience. 


Journal 7:
Reading: Chapters 1 and 2 in part II
1.  Continue to track your pattern - you don't have to write about the pattern, but you will want to have tabbed places you notice the pattern.

 2.  For tomorrow's discussion, we'll discuss two aspects - Camus' use of light and dark and how Meursault changes once he is imprisoned.  Pull quotations and develop your ideas in writing.

Stranger Journal 5

No reading tonight - make certain you catch up on your sleep.

Journal entry 4.  Reflection continued
Take a moment and examine your thought about the characters and events in the text.

How would Camus initial audience take the text?  Would a mainland French audience approach the characters and events differently from Algerian colonist?

Write 1/2 to a full page.  

Also, 3rd period please submit your commentaries to turnitin.com

Stranger Journal 4

Read Chapters 5 and 6

Tomorrow you will be placed in small groups to discuss one of the following:

Religion
Work
Change (not the jingly kind)
Apology
Ambiguity
Violence
Morality
Authority
Settling

As you read the next chapters, develop your understanding of how the author discusses these ideas.  Make certain that you pull quotations to develop your understanding - you'll need them for tomorrow. You don't have to cover all of the topics thoroughly, but I would at least jot down a couple of thoughts for all of them.  Then choose half to explore more thoroughly.

Stranger Journal 2 and 3

Stranger Journal 2

Write a personal reflection.  Using personal pronouns, write about a page discussing what you think about Meursault and how he acts.

Read chapter 3 and 4

Journal 3
Choose a pattern (image, statement, color, concept...) that interest you.  Track the idea throughout these chapters.  Choose three quotations and analyze them - how does Camus seem to use the pattern?

Part 2 of journal 3

Analyze the minor characters.  Identify how Camus characterizes the minor characters and to what effect.  Consider how the minor characters connect to Meursault.  Your analysis of the minor characters will be our starting point for the discussion tomorrow.

End of Eyes and Start of The Stranger

Congratulations!  You've just about finished up your first IB essay.

Please remember to bring the following to class on Monday:
Eyes Journals to turn in
Commentary outline(s) with editing
Commentary RD(s) with editing
Commentary FD

You'll receive the turnitin.com code Monday to finalize your assignment.

Now, on to The Stranger.

Reading Chapters 1 and 2

Journal Entry:
1.  Make a list of patterns you find in the text.  You don't need to quote the patterns, but you might want to tab some of the more interesting ones. 

Continue the list of patterns we started in class:
Short sentences
Repeating line: "That doesn't mean anything"
Motif of Time
Symbol of the Sun
References to the trial
Ambiguous pronouns
Routines

2.  Make a second list of your reactions to Meursault and what causes you to react that way

3.  Note the places where Meursault avoids what he should be doing.  Does he choose to avoid things or do things distract him? 

Eyes Journal 10

Finish reading the novel.

Journal 10:  As you read mark lines or passages that suggest an aspect of a theme.  Choose 4 of the passages and use what you know of the text to write four theme statements. 

Advice:  Themes statements typically fall into two categories.  Advice on how to live life or and observation about life. 

Ex:  the last sentence in last night's passage describes Janie not speaking.  As I've noticed Hurston refers to silence and speaking throughout the text, I should be able to make a theme statement from it.  To help I usually ask how, why or when questions to develop the theme statement.

Reminder:  you also need to start working on your commentary passage. 
HW: Read your passage and summarize it.  Afterwords, read one more time and mark stylistic elements that stand out immediately.  You don't need to analyze or identify the context tonight.

Eyes Journal 9

Read chapters 16-17

Prep the following passage for a commentary.

     "You outa meet mah brother.  He's real smart.  Got dead straight hair.  Dey made him uh delegate tuh de Sunday School Convention and he read uh paper on Booker T. Washington and tore him tuh pieces!"
     "Booker T.?  He wuz a great man, wasn't he?"
     "'Sposed tuh be.  All he ever done was cut de monkey for white folks.  So dey pomped him up.  But you know whut de ole folks say 'de higher de monkey climbs de mo' he show his behind' so dat's de way it wuz wid Booker T.  Mah brother hit 'im every time dey give 'im chance tuh speak."
     "Ah was raised on de notion dat he wuz uh great big man,"  was all that Janie knew to say.
     "He didn't do nothin' but hold us back - talkin' 'bout work when de race ain't never done nothin' else.  He wuz uh enemy tuh us, dat's whut.  He wuz uh whit folk's nigger."
     According to all Janie had been taught this was sacrilege so she sat without speaking at all. 

Eyes Journal 8

Read chapters 14 and 15

Journal 8:  Choose two to three minor characters found in one or both chapters.  Discuss the character and how the character functions in the novel.

COMMENTARY PART II

Using the passage you prepped this weekend, write the body paragraphs for simple outline for a commentary.

Please include the following aspects:
I.  Topic sentence:   "Patterns lead to exertions"  identify a pattern and then identify the effect of that pattern.  Typically, this will either embrace a broad topic like structure for the entire poem or the exertion for a stanza with a variety of techniques to follow(1 to 2 sentence)

      A.  Identify the pattern - if you said there was a simile, reveal exactly what two things 
           are being compared (this can be included in the sentence with your quote or at the 
           start of your analysis but probably won't be more than 1 sentence)


                    i.  Quotation (this may be one word or several words from different lines or an
                         entire line or two)

                   ii.   Analysis (probably 2 to 5 sentences)


Please note that for many patterns you may be quoting multiple examples. 
This means your outline might look like this:
   
Topic sentence, pattern, quotation, pattern, quotation, analysis
 
or


Topic sentence, pattern, quotation,analysis, quotation, analysis, analysis
(you would need an additional analysis for this one to tie your two pieces together)
or
 
Topic sentence, pattern, quotation,analysis pattern, quotation, analysis, analysis
or

you get the idea.

Put the effort in to make this a strong outline.  We'll discuss the outlines and edit them tomorrow in class so you'll have a model.

Eyes Journal 7

Reading Chapters 10-13

Journal 7: Prep the following passage for writing a commentary. 

      1.  Read the passage once or twice

      2.  Place the passage in context

      3.  Summarize the passage

      4.  Carefully examine the passage for patterns to analyze - no blank spaces

           Use the commentary considerations handout to make certain you cover all stylistic aspects   

           and discuss the entire passage

      5. Analyze the techniques

   

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 uh 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.

Eyes Journal 6

 Read Chapters 8 and 9

 Journal 6:

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 entire 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.  To get started, consider the the sentence structure of the first sentence -will you keep the conjunction?  Change the character and choose an abstract noun to personify.  You will also need to give your character a dialect later in the paragraph. 

 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.

Eyes Journal 5

Reading: Chapters 6 and 7 

Journal:  5 Mules and Buzzards and Philosophy - oh, my!

Mules: Examine how and to what purpose Hurston uses the mule in this chapter.  How do the porch sitters describe the mule? Does the significance of the mule change after Joe frees it?  Can we connect the detailed depiction of the mule to Nanny's statement that "De nigger woman is de mule uh de world as fur as Ah can see"(14)?    

Buzzards:  How does the description of the buzzards and their actions connect with the rest of the chapter?  What is the effect of naming one of the buzzards?  What pattern and effect does Hurston create with their dialogue?

Philosophy:  Hurston often leaves the reader with little gems of wisdom.  Choose two or three questions which suggest how to live, offer advice or a statement about the world.  Analyze the quotations.  Discuss how each quotation fits applies to the speaker and how the quotation connects to the events in the chapter.

If you wish to get ahead, you can read chapters 8 and 9.

Eyes Journal 4

No reading tonight.

In the last journal you examined how Hurston characterizes Janie, Logan and Joe in a single passage.  Now I would like you to pull and analyze quotations that support or conflict with your assertions from the chapters we've read. In order to offer a well rounded argument, you need to consider how other characters view Janie and her responses?  Also consider how the reader's image of Janie is shaped by the characterization of other characters such as Nanny.

Be prepared for a discussion on how Hurston develops her characterization and what she seems to suggest by it.