Eyes Journal 3 and 4 due Monday

FYI -Both Journal 3 and 4 will be turned in for feedback on Monday.

Today, Friday, we moved from color coding to annotating the passage - discussing how Hurston's stylistic decision effect how we interpret the passage. 

Journal 3:  Your job this weekend is to write an outline for a commentary.  The outline should be formal and must include the following: thesis, topic sentence, paragraph points, quotation(s) to support the point, analysis, and concluding sentence.


On, Friday we also discussed prolific African American Stereotypes of the 20's -30's, discussed a "Jody" and how cultural information can alter or add to our understanding of a text. 

Read Chapter 5: 
Journal 4: After reading chapter 4, write a 200-300 word cultural reflection discussing how learning about the Harlem Renaissance and the African American Stereotypes influenced your understanding of the text. 
Start with what you thought about a specific aspect, write about what you learned, then discuss how the information altered your understanding and how the culture of the time period would have interpreted that aspect.

Example (Annotation 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 and God's power to create and end life

Analysis: creates a clear link between God and nature- Connection to life cycle? The euphemism creates a distance between character and God, but it isn't formal or fatherly.  Seems to connect to time and suggests a fated element - something out of control of the character.

Allusion:  "This Little Light of Mine" is a gospel children's song written by Harry Dixon Loes
Analysis:  The repetition of "let it shine" establishes Jody's simple hope that the progress and the prosperity of the town will continue.  However the allusion to the gospel song directly connects Jody's actions to God's power.  The correlation shows Jody's attempts to control the "fated" (not the right word, I'll need to change this- but going in the right direction) aspects of his life.
 Symbol: Street lamp symbolizes the economic progress of the town,  Lamp also suggest no longer relying on God, but a personal step forward.
Time:  This could also be about the beginnings and endings.  The passage moves quickly.

Tone:  Sermonizing
Personification: Penetrating light... Is Jody trying to change the internal belief of the town?
Diction: Note the pronoun use - quite a few you and we's.  This is a communal speech.  He's not focusing on himself... 

  

Eyes Journal 2

Read Chapter 4

Journal 2:
Part A: Keep marking your pattern - choose two quotations, one for each pattern, and analyze how Hurston uses your pattern.

Part B: Color code the passage that introduces Jody.  Mark the passage for stylistic techniques.

1st:  summarize the passage
2nd: look for stylistic devices
Consider:
Figurative Language:  Motif, imagery, symbol, simile, metaphor, personification...
Allusions
Sound devices
Syntax: sentence structure
Diction: find the pattern of words that influences how we interpret the passage
Mood
Tone
Structure
Repetition

Welcome Spring IB 11 Class

Wednesday night's reading:   Read chapters 1-3

Good job with the discussion today in class.  The objective for the journal is to get your brain used to finding stylistic devices and grappling with them.

Journal 1:
Part A:  Choose 2 different stylistic patterns that are found on the first page of the text and tab for those.  Choose a favorite quote for each stylistic pattern and analyze each quotation.

Part B:  Characterization and stereotypes
As you read, you look for lines or phrases that develop the minor characters.  From your interesting lines, try to find language or patterns that you didn't notice the first time you read.  Discuss one or two minor characters and how the characters relate to stereotypes, supporting your ideas with quotations and analysis.  

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 3

Read Act 3
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. In Act 3 Lorca creates dream like elements.  To do this he uses mythical elements.  Consider how the staging, characterization and lines create mythical elements and examine their effect Lorca.


3.  What elements of tragedy does the play embrace and reject?

Lorca Journal 1 and 2

Write your reflection and be prepared to turn in you Ibsen journals tomorrow.

Reading: Act 1 Tab patterns that you notice

Journal:  There are quite a few opposing images/patterns in the play.  You might find it useful to brainstorm a few.   However, I would like you to write about misery.  How does the author portray misery for the different characters and what is the effect?

Tonight's reading: Act 2
Journal 2

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?

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