Finals Week

Due Wednesday:

Vocabulary Quiz

Individual Analysis + Any Group Work

Typed List of Decisions + Analysis

Due Thursday:

Video

Peer Participation Score

Breakfast food (optional)

Wednesday, June 8

Congratulations on turning in your last paper! You all did a great job this semester.

So, while there is no homework tonight, I would like you to start forming a group for your final commentary. These groups are between 3 and 5 people. It would also be ideal if you can decide on a key passage from the play that will be focus of your analysis and trailer. This key passage should be between 20 and 40 lines and be replete with style elements and character, conflict, theme developments.

Wednesday, June 1

Tonight you are creating an outline that reflects thoughtful organization rather than in-depth analysis. Before you start your outline you should try reworking your thesis until you are confident that it reflects what you are going to convey in your essay and covers what the author is conveying, how he conveys this, and why he is conveying this (so what). Also to be done before you start your essay is an evaluation of the different ways of organizing a comparison essay and a decision about what will work best for your topic. When you finally start writing your outline it should be written in with a formal outline structure (I. A. 1. a. i...) and include 1. thesis statement 2. topic sentence 3. quotes 4. transition sentence 5. topic sentence 6. quotes 7. transitions, etc. For your conclusion, I want you to write what you want to accomplish in it instead of actually writing it out.

Friday, May 27

1. Finish Blood Wedding
2. Turn in journals to turnitin.com
3. Prepare for quiz on context and content of plays
4. Topic proposal (10 questions can be handwritten or typed but formal proposal itself must be typed)

Thursday, May 26

Blood Wedding Act 2
Journal #7 (last journal of unit)
Discussion Questions

Wednesday, May 25

Read Act One of Blood Wedding.

Write a one page analytical paragraph (or two paragraphs) on a connection between the first page of Wild Duck and the first page of Blood Wedding. Bring this to class tomorrow.

Bring discussion questions to class.

and something that does actually connect to class...a flamenco dance based on the play Blood Wedding

Tuesday, May 24

Finish Wild Duck.

Comment on three journal entires of your peers (does not have to be the most recent but it should be from the tragedy unit). Copy and past those comments on to your blog.

Bring Blood Wedding to class.

Bring discussion questions and observation to class. You will be in smaller groups for tomorrow's discussion so it is a good chance to get all of your points if you are prepared.

Tragedy Calendar

A few reminders

*You need to stay current with your journal entries, they are an important element in preparing for class discussions. If we continue at the current rate of incompletion, I will pick a random date to score your journals.

*Remember that you need to take ownership of the discussions. I am going to post on esis your score for the last two discussion so that you can see if your score and mine are compatible. If you scored lower than an 8, I will leave a comment in esis telling you why.

*Everyday you need bring both discussion questions and keen observations

Monday: Act 3 + journal 6

Tuesday: Act 5 + 3 comments on other blogs

Wednesday: Blood Wedding Act 1 + journal 7

Thursday: Blood Wedding Act 2 + journal 8

Friday: Blood Wedding Act 3 + topic proposal

Outline of the following week:

Tuesday: Test on context/reading/articles + topic proposal due

Thursday, June 2: Outline due

Monday, June 6: Rough Draft due

Wednesday, June 8: Final Draft due

Last Unit: King Lear + annotations + create movie trailer

Friday, May 20

Act 2 + Journal #5 + 2 discussion questions and 1 insight to share

Preview of next week:

Monday: Act 3 + journal 6

Tuesday: Act 4 + journal 7

Wednesday: Act 5 + journal 8

Thursday: Blood Wedding Act 1 + journal 9

Friday: Blood Wedding Act 2 + journal 10

Outline of the following week:

Monday: Quiz on context + Blood Wedding Act 3 + journal 11

Tuesday: Topic proposal due

Thursday: Outline due

Monday: Rough Draft due + start King Lear

Wednesday: Final Draft due

Oedipus (May 17)

Read 211-234

+

Journal #2

+

2 discussion questions

And some sample journals that answer the question about how long they need to be. These are each great examples of what a journal entry can be. Each of the following are over 349 words. Use the number 330 as a guide for your journals.

Readers are attracted to moments of intensity in a writer's work. By what means and with what effect have writers in your study offered heightened emotional moments designed to arrest the reader's attention?

An emotional scene in Oedipus occurs near the end of the play, when Oedipus has gouged out his eyes and his daughters are being led away:
CREON. Come along, let go of the children.
OEDIPUS. No-- don't take them away from me, not now! No no no!
(1673-1674)
Sophocles creates this moment of heightened emotions in several ways. First of all, the structure of the sentences helps create the special moment. These sentences are written in prose, as opposed to the poem format that other parts of the play were written in. This makes it possible to more more realistic words and conversations in the passage, and as a result, more emotional messages. Next, the repetition of the word "no" three times in the phrase "no no no!" highlights the strong emotions being felt by Oedipus at this point. The effect of this moment of high emotional intensity is that it truly shows how tragic the story is and how much the great Oedipus has fallen.
In Wild Duck, a scene of great emotional intensity is when Hjalmar discovers that Hedvig is dead of a gunshot wound. He cries: "And I drover her from me like an animal! And she crept terrified into the loft and died out of love for me. (Sobbing.) Never to make it right again! Never to let her know--! (Clenching his fists and crying to heaven.) Oh you up there--if you do exist. Why have you done this to me?" (5.215) Ibsen creates the high emotional intensity by using the stage directions in order to show Hjalmar's anguish. He clenches his fists and cries to heaven, where he demands of God why he has done this to him, "why have you done this to me?" Ibsen's use of Hjalmar's questioning of God shows how distraught he has becoming. With the use of God, and the question of why he has done this, a reference is made to the idea that a higher power designs the course of our lives. This coincides with the idea that destiny or fate plays a large role.

Stylistic techniques (imagery, figurative language, sensory detail)

Blood Wedding contains an abundance of sensory detail and imagery.
There is a lot of imagery regarding a vineyard, grapes, and a knife. These are also symbolic, but since this is about imagery, figurative language, and sensory detail, the symbols won't be mentioned. The knifes are talked of by the Mother as these evil things. Images of the knives are painted by the mother when she states that knives "cut into a man's body. Something as small as a pistol or a knife can destroy a man who is like a bull" (7) This quote illustrates the power of the knife through imagery. The Mother has an obvious distaste for knifes which she articulates multiple times.
The mother also speaks most of the figurative language in the tragedy, especially when she says things such as "Your grandfather left a son on every corner. That i like - men that are men, wheat that is wheat" (8). She also says things such as "O have to choke back and hide under my shawl" (60). She does not need to really do these things, but the figurative language add to the text in a way that the really emphasize what the Mother is feeling. She also refers to her husband's cousins and says they are "as hard as rocks when they dance" (64). Her use of figurative language always articulates how she is really feeling. Even though the Father is trying to engage her in a conversation, she cares not what he has to say and articulates this through her blunt figurative language. Even to the end of the book, she uses figurative language to refer to her son as an "armful of withered flowers. My Son is now a dim voice behind the mountains" (99). His voice won't really come from behind mountains, but Lorca writes this because it articulates best how the Mother is feeling.
In conclusion, Lorca uses imagery and figurative language to articulate how characters are feeling. The Mother especially uses it because she has seen a lot of hardship in her life and has a lot of sorrow to express. Instead of just bluntly expressing her sorrow flat out, Lorca writes hers in figurative language. This adds to the imagery of the tragedy and the symbols.

Dear Diary,
Today was quite a troubling day for me, my friend. I feel as though writing it all down is the only way to really sort it all out.

I had all of my priest friends over for a little chat. They informed me that Thebes is literally dying right now. (Thanks for the heads up, guys.). My city, the city I solved the sphinx's riddle for, the city I am now king of, is going downhill. And fast! These guys were literally freaking out. They begged me to save them and the city. When I say begged, I mean REALLY begged. There was praying involved. While I could get used to that, it got me pretty riled up. So I promised them a solution. I am their mighty kind after all. Plus if everyone is dead, who will I rule?

Thankfully, I sent my faithful brother-in-law Creon to Delphi (Apollo the Prophet's Oracle), in hopes that he would bring us back something we could do to rid the beautiful city of Thebes of this hardship it is bearing. He brought back the news that we had to find and punish the murderer of Thebes' previous king, Laius. This came as quite a shock. But of course I am willing to do whatever it takes to save my city. The only issue is that we had no idea how to find this murderer. I asked the chorus of citizens that came out to sing about the problems in the story thus far to come forward with any information they had about the murder. They had none. Ignorant common folk. Then we thought we'd bring good old Tiresias about to tell us who the murderer was. It is said, although he is blind, that he sees with the sight of Apollo. Logically, if he did not know, no one else would.

Tiresias got there and we told him what we wanted. He was not too happy. He made it very clear that he knew the information that we wanted but that he was not going to reveal it. Sweet guy, really. Quite the charmer. This angered me greatly; so of course, I threatened him. I also thought that him and Creon were working together in a plot to overthrow me. That really peeved me. In response, he completely flew off the handle! He started hurling accusations all over the place. At first I did not understand him. Then it became clear that he was calling ME the murderer! What did he think he was playing at?

His speech became even more and more confusing. He was sort of insulting me. I did not like that much. Then I lost track of where he was going with the conversation. He started talking about my father. I have no idea who that is, so how did he? That guy. I tell you. He started talking about a man who was married to his mother and killed his father. What kind of person would do that? I think he must be losing his mind. Either that or just trying to confusing me. Either way, I kicked him out. I mean, I am a king. Was I supposed to just sit around and take the disrespect he was dishing out? I don't think so.

It did get me wondering though...who was this horrible man he was talking about? First he was talking about me...then he went to this guy. Could he have been saying these things about me? He couldn't have. I don't even know my parents. I love my wife Jocasta, there is no way she could be my mother. I don't know what to make of this. If Tiresias was making this all up just to confuse me, I shall have to punish him. If he was talking about someone else, why did he bring it up? There is no way everything he said was true though. That would be crazy.

By the beard of Zeus! Look at the time! I really must be going! Until next time, my beloved confidant.

Oedipus

Oedipus (May 16)

1. Finish reading and preparing to teach from your section (Greece, Introductions, or Sophocles)

2. Read page 188-210 and continue organic tabbing (look for patterns)

3. Journal #1 posted on your blog. You should consistently alternate between the categories of creative, analytic, and comparative at a ratio of 1:2:3. On your blog, include the prompt you are responding to and tag which category each falls in to (there is place to do this underneath your blog post that says "labels for this post"). Below is a list of prompts (you also have a green hard copy with the same list).

Creative:

• Conversations between characters and/or authors
• Letters the characters might have written
• Diary entries from any of the characters
• An informal personal essay on the topic: to journey
• Reactions to specific situations by characters
• A poem written by one of the characters, or a found poem on a character or the environment

Discussion on literary topics:

• Point of View/Characters: From whose point of view is the story told? Does this change? How reliable is the narrative voice? How well does the reader get to know the characters? How credible are they? How are they presented? How does the writer persuade us to like/sympathize with some characters and dislike others?
• Setting: This includes cultural as well as geographical and historical setting. What effect does the setting have on story, character, theme?
• Narrative structure: How has the plot (not the story) been constructed? Are their parts? Is the plot circular? Subplots? How important/effective is the ending? Has everything been revealed by the end or are there unanswered questions? Does this matter? What period of time has been covered? Is time important?
• Stylistic techniques (imagery, figurative language, sensory detail)
• Themes and ideas
• Notes from a brainstorm session on “outrageous links” between any two of the plays

Comparison

• Readers are attracted to moments of intensity in a writer’s work. By what means and with what effect have writers in your study offered heightened emotional moments designed to arrest the reader’s attention?
• Personal convictions and shared beliefs, the private and the public life, sometimes seem at odds in the modern world. How did you find your chosen works touched on this conflict, and with what effect?
• “Visual action can be as important on the stage as speech.” How far do you agree with this claim? In you answer you should refer to two or three plays you have studied.
• “Not rounding off, but opening out.” Comment upon the way the writers deal with the ending in relation to the whole. In your answer you should refer to two or three of the works you have studied.
• To what extent would you agree that plot should be valued more highly than style in the work. In you answer you should refer to two or three works you have studied.
• To what extent have you found it possible, in your consideration of literary works, to separate the individual from his or her public role? In you answer you should refer to any two or three works you have studied.
• Compare how writers in your study have explored the themes of judgment and punishment, or disguise and deceit, or love and friendship, and with what effect.
• “What is drama but life with the dull bits cut out?” To what extent do you find this statement applicable in at least two plays you have studied?
• A dramatist often creates a gap between what the audience knows and what the characters know. With reference to at least two plays, discuss how and to what effect dramatists have used this technique.
• “Defiance becomes our duty in the face of injustice.” Referring to at least two works you have studied, explore the ways in which writers have attempted to persuade us to accept or challenge this view.
• A writer usually attempts to create a bond of trust between writer and reader. How and to what extent have at least two writers you have studied been able to elicit your trust?
• What are the questions that underlie at least two of the works that you have read and how have the authors sought to answer those questions?
• “Although doubt is not a pleasant condition, certainty is an absurd one.” In the light of this statement, explore the impressions of doubt and/or certainty conveyed in at least two works you have studied.

For Those Who Are Not Convinced

Another form of poetry for those not loving our class poets. Google defpoetry jams for some engaging spoken form poetry.

May 4 - May 13

Because IB testing is taking some of you from class, I will outline the plans for the week so you can pace yourselves accordingly. Please note that I reserve the right to alter plans, but I do plan on keeping as consistent as possible so those testing do not fall behind.

Wednesday:

IOPs - Emily, Kylee, Tania, Eddie, and John

After IOPs we will look at a sample commentary and, after reading a portion in a small group, score the commentary using the IB rubric. Discuss actual score.

Homework - You will receive someone else's commentary and type them a seven paragraph letter (one paragraph on strengths, one for each category on the rubric, and one on areas for improvement). You will need to print two copies. One will go to the author and one will remain with your poetry packet for points in the end.

Thursday:

IOPs - Taylor, Kyla, Sean

After IOPs you will work alone or with a partner to simultaneously annotate and create individualized steps for analysis with "Song of a Small Window".

Homework - Finish analysis/annotation and type and print two copies of the steps you created

Friday:

Focus on word choice with "The Mirror" by guessing the word used based on definitions. Finish analyzing the poem using someone else's steps.

Homework - you have two options - both are typed - you may create a fleshed out outline for "The Mirror" or you may jump right in and write the commentary for the poem

And a preview of next week:

Monday: 5 IOPs (Cara, Shannon, Matt, Elizabeth, Nikki) and "A Self-Portrait" + how to quote poetry (homework is to set the timer for 90 minutes and complete both the analysis and the commentary for "A Self-Portrait"

Tuesday: 3 IOPs (Kyla, Isabel, John) and "O Motherland, Dear Motherland" 15 minutes annotation + 15 minutes identifying purpose, concept organization, and not to overlooked techniques (homework is annotation plus paragraphs on title, speaker and tone, summary, purpose, and 3 on literary features - one on sound devices and form, one on imagery and diction, one on figurative language)

Wednesday: 6 IOPs (Megan, Davis, Ashley, Elizabeth, Anthony N., Anthony Q., John) and prep for commentary test (homework is to revisit two Shu Ting poems and make a list of 7 patterns and what assertions (what do those patterns reveal) you can make from those patterns for each poem)

Thursday: Shu Ting packet is due and commentary test (7:30 optional starting time)

Friday: check out plays and start tragedy unit (bring ID or copies of Oedipus, Wild Duck, Blood Wedding to class)

Shut Ting packet:

"Assembly Line" with analysis

2 typed outlines for "Assembly Line"

1 typed commentary for "Assembly Line"

1 rewritten and reworded rubric

1 letter from a peer on your commentary

1 letter from yourself to a peer on their commentary

"Song of a Small Window" annotated

Steps for analysis according to you

"The Mirror" with word choice analysis and sentences

Steps for analysis according to one of your peers

"The Mirror" with analysis

Commentary or outline for "The Mirror"

"A Self-Portrait" with limited time analysis

"A Self-Portrait" written commentary

"O Motherland" with full annotation and paragraphs on the back

Order to turn in - please have it stapled and ready to go when class starts on Thursday - remember you can show up as early as 7:30 to start your test - put name bold on top right - turn in to front desk

1. Assembly Line poem with full annotation (5 points)

Song of a Small Window with full annotation (back side of Assembly Line) (5)

2. The Mirror with annotations according to peer's steps (5)

A Self-Portrait with variable annotation (back side)

3. O Motherland, Dear Motherland with limited time annotation + notes on purpose, 3 concept organization, and techniques that should not be missed listed on front (5)

Seven paragraphs on the back. (5)

4. Outline number 1 (5)

5. Outline number 2 (5)

6. Commentary (5)

7. Reworded rubric (5)

8. Letter from a peer

9. Letter to a peer (5)

10. You analysis steps (5)

11. Word choice analysis (5)

12. A peer's analysis steps

13. Commentary or outline (5)

14. Commentary (10)

75 points

Monday, May 2 (revised from class)

Revised homework. Be sure to read.

Due on Tuesday are two fleshed out outlines for "Assembly Line" with different organizations. I would like these typed. You may work on them with others (i.e. google docs). Each should have a purpose statements, at least four complete topic sentences, and at least three pieces of support and analysis for each topic. Some suggestions for organization are by technique, by theme, by pattern, from top to bottom, or a combination.

Due on Wednesday is a typed commentary. We will peer edit these on that day. Below is a guide on a possible organization for a commentary paragraph. Don't wait until tomorrow night - start working on this tonight after your outlines.

Depending on the amount you take on in each paragraph you will probably have between 4 and 7 paragraphs.
1. "Patterns lead to exertions" - identify a pattern and then identify the effect of that pattern (1 to 2 sentence)
2. Context and/or summary - this is not necessarily summary, it simply orients the reader to 'the what' so that you can talk about 'the why'(can be included in the sentence with quote - no more than 1 sentence)
3. Quote (this may be one word or several words from different lines or an entire line or two)
4. 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)
5. 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
Pablo Neruda uses parallel structure in "XV" to convey a sense of security that exists in consistency and predictability. In a poem the deals with the inconsistency of relationships, this security and consistency offers the speaker a controlled point from which to describe the uncontrollable relationship around him. In the fourth stanza Neruda describes the silence of the woman he is addressing as "bright as a lamp, simple as a ring" (14). Parallel structure is created by repeating both the structure of the sentence as a simile and in an even more controlled and deliberately manipulated way, he repeats the parts of speech perfectly along with the phrase "as a" Similarly he directly addresses the woman with the repeated phrase, "I like for you to be still" at the start of three of the five stanzas. These repeated phrase that occur throughout the poem create a parallel structure that unites the whole of the text. By using parallel structure, both with repeated sentence structures as well as lines that repeat through the poem, Neruda shows absolute control over his language. Because the language is so controlled and contains such strict language patterns, it influences the content and makes our speaker appear to be in more control than he actually is. The speaker is a addressing a woman who has made decisions outside of his control. This, however, is overshadowed by the feeling of control created by the parallel structure. Our perception of the speaker is thus influenced and we perceive him as in desperate need of control, artificial though it may be, which provides the security for him that his relationship does not.

Issues with the above paragraph that would need to be addressed in revision:
1. Does not work from top of the poem to bottom
2. Does not deal with the content of the lines quoted

Friday, April 29

Annotate "Assembly Line" using the detailed step by step provided in class today.

Start thinking about a variety of ways in which you could organize a commentary on this poem.

Finish memorizing your poem. I will start with the end of the alphabet in calling you up to my desk to recite. If we do not finish, we will continue recitations on Tuesday.

SHU TING (1952 ) (click for link)

Shu Ting is the pen name of Gong Peiyu. Associated with the Misty school, she was the leading woman poet in China in the 1980s. A southeast Fujian native, she was sent to the countryside during the Cultural Revolution before she graduated from junior high school. Then she worked in a cement factory and later a textile mill and a lightbulb factory and began to write poetry. In 1979 she published her first poem and in 1983 was asked to be a professional writer by the Writers' Association, Fujian Branch, of which she now is the deputy chairperson. Her collections of poetry include Brigantines (1982) and Selected Lyrics of Shu Ting and Gu Cheng (1985). She won the National Poetry Award in 1981 and 1983, but she was also attacked in the early 1980s (during the Anti-Spiritual Pollution Campaign, along with many of the other Misty Poets). Her work is deeply romantic in nature, and must be understood as a reaction to the repression of romance in literature, film, song and theater during the decade long Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966 1976). Her tender, romantic poems sometimes don't play as well in English translation as they do in Chinese, since modern and postmodern sensibilities have outmoded such sentiment, but her poems have a crystalline, lyrical strength that often saves her from her own saccharine tendencies and that has made her the best known contemporary Chinese woman poet in the West. She has also published several books of prose.

Thursday, April 28

First of all, good work on your original poems. Here are some of my favorite lines so far that weren't shared in class...

Our sleep schedules, like owls

Our transcripts, filled with vowels

I'm waiting for myself

To get up and finally walk around

The vulture who circles its prey like a clock ticking time away

Just waiting for the soft whisper of the clock to turn another day

Second, those that have turned in their Neruda packets have a free night to work on memorization and their IOPs. Those who did not turn in their packets still have a chance to earn their points by writing a purpose statement and outline for each poem in the packet. The outline should include at least 4 complete topic sentences and at least 3 pieces of evidence and their effect for each topic. These can be typed or written. Each poem is worth 10 points. I will give you 5 for the work done previously and 5 for the outline (No outline = 5/10)

Tomorrow in class we will have several IOPs, so come prepared to listen. I will also give you some time to work on memorizing and reciting your poem. On Monday we will start reading Shu Ting's poetry.

Isabella, Maddie, and Elizabeth

I would like to move your IOPs to Friday the 29th (giving you one more day and us time to work in groups during the period). Leave a comment here telling me you saw this message and if that will work for your schedules.

Sample introductions taken from past IB exams

"The poem "Night Wind", written by Christopher Dewdney in 1984, is a melange of diverse elements. At heart, it is a celebration of nature, of the permanence and freedom of the night wind. At the same time, the poem relates the personal journey and transformation of a man, the author, as he takes flight upon the wind, "rising on wings of darkness." (Score: 55545)

"In this reflective poem, Christopher Dewdney exposes his own feelings when captivated by the wind's overwhelming power. Although written in free verse, the poem contains certain characteristics that contribute to its rhythm and sonority. "Night Wind" contains five unrhymed stanzas that are structurally different from one another, but that tend to be repetitive in some way. Dewdney writes in a certain nostalgic tone, as though he were longing for something. The night wind grasps him with such intensity that he is able to accompany it. He is no longer a mere human being. Instead, Christopher Dewdney follows the wind as it takes him in what seems to be a spiritual quest, endless, just as the wind." (Score: 44445)

XCVII (97) Tuesday, April 26

1. Annotate XCVII using the "Lucy Seven" steps (title, summary, problematic points, language, tensions, scansion, interpretation). At the bottom of this post I have included a biography of Neruda that was written by the Nobel Prize Organization. You can also read the article here. The information can be used to inform your reading (past and future) but be careful not to assume Neruda is always writing autobiographically.

2. After asserting an interpretation of the poem, write a introductory paragraph for a potential commentary. Start by showing a clear understanding of content (frequently the what and who) and move on to your interpretation of the text (so what). Decide to what extend you want to include the literary techniques used (how). You should write this paragraph on the back of the poem.

3. Create an outline for a commentary on either XCVII or To the Foot from its Child. You can do this on the back or typed on a separate sheet. Include topic sentences written in complete sentences. Your techniques, evidence, and effect/analysis do not need to be written in complete sentences but should be thorough.

4. Don't forget to keep working on your own poem.

Pablo Neruda (1904-1973), whose real name is Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, was born on 12 July, 1904, in the town of Parral in Chile. His father was a railway employee and his mother, who died shortly after his birth, a teacher. Some years later his father, who had then moved to the town of Temuco, remarried doña Trinidad Candia Malverde. The poet spent his childhood and youth in Temuco, where he also got to know Gabriela Mistral, head of the girls' secondary school, who took a liking to him. At the early age of thirteen he began to contribute some articles to the daily "La Mañana", among them,Entusiasmo y Perseverancia - his first publication - and his first poem. In 1920, he became a contributor to the literary journal "Selva Austral" under the pen name of Pablo Neruda, which he adopted in memory of the Czechoslovak poet Jan Neruda (1834-1891). Some of the poems Neruda wrote at that time are to be found in his first published book: Crepusculario (1923). The following year saw the publication of Veinte poemas de amor y una cancion desesperada, one of his best-known and most translated works. Alongside his literary activities, Neruda studied French and pedagogy at the University of Chile in Santiago.

Between 1927 and 1935, the government put him in charge of a number of honorary consulships, which took him to Burma, Ceylon, Java, Singapore, Buenos Aires, Barcelona, and Madrid. His poetic production during that difficult period included, among other works, the collection of esoteric surrealistic poems, Residencia en la tierra (1933), which marked his literary breakthrough.

The Spanish Civil War and the murder of García Lorca, whom Neruda knew, affected him strongly and made him join the Republican movement, first in Spain, and later in France, where he started working on his collection of poems España en el Corazón (1937). The same year he returned to his native country, to which he had been recalled, and his poetry during the following period was characterised by an orientation towards political and social matters.España en el Corazón had a great impact by virtue of its being printed in the middle of the front during the civil war.

In 1939, Neruda was appointed consul for the Spanish emigration, residing in Paris, and, shortly afterwards, Consul General in Mexico, where he rewrote his Canto General de Chile, transforming it into an epic poem about the whole South American continent, its nature, its people and its historical destiny. This work, entitled Canto General, was published in Mexico 1950, and also underground in Chile. It consists of approximately 250 poems brought together into fifteen literary cycles and constitutes the central part of Neruda's production. Shortly after its publication, Canto General was translated into some ten languages. Nearly all these poems were created in a difficult situation, when Neruda was living abroad.

In 1943, Neruda returned to Chile, and in 1945 he was elected senator of the Republic, also joining the Communist Party of Chile. Due to his protests against President González Videla's repressive policy against striking miners in 1947, he had to live underground in his own country for two years until he managed to leave in 1949. After living in different European countries he returned home in 1952. A great deal of what he published during that period bears the stamp of his political activities; one example is Las Uvas y el Viento (1954), which can be regarded as the diary of Neruda's exile. In Odas elementales (1954- 1959) his message is expanded into a more extensive description of the world, where the objects of the hymns - things, events and relations - are duly presented in alphabetic form.

Neruda's production is exceptionally extensive. For example, his Obras Completas, constantly republished, comprised 459 pages in 1951; in 1962 the number of pages was 1,925, and in 1968 it amounted to 3,237, in two volumes. Among his works of the last few years can be mentioned Cien sonetos de amor (1959), which includes poems dedicated to his wife Matilde Urrutia, Memorial de Isla Negra, a poetic work of an autobiographic character in five volumes, published on the occasion of his sixtieth birthday, Arte de pajáros (1966), La Barcarola (1967), the play Fulgor y muerte de Joaquín Murieta (1967), Las manos del día (1968), Fin del mundo(1969), Las piedras del cielo (1970), and La espada encendida.

IOP Schedule

Thursday, April 21: Ben, Hannah C

Friday, April 22: Tanner, Andrew

Monday, April 25: Tate, John, Kevin

Tuesday, April 26: Kellsie, Montana, Sean?

Thursday, April 28: Isabella, Maddie, Elizabeth

Friday, April 29: Hannah, Omar, Jordan

Tuesday, May 3: Nikki, Andy, Jarrad, Travis, Ivan

Wednesday, May 4: Emily, Kylee, Tania, Eddie

Thursday, May 5: Taylor, Kyla

Monday, May 9: Cara, Shannon, Matt

Tuesday, May 10: Isabel, Anthony N., Anthony Q

Wednesday, May 11: Megan, Davis, Ashley

If you do not see your name above you must come and speak with me to get a date during these weeks.

Topic Topic Topic

Leave a new comment under the IOP sign up post for your novel (found below this post) with the topic for your IOP. This will be your chance to "lay claim". The more detailed your topic the better. If there is already a comment with the topic you wanted, pick a new one.

IOP Sign Up for Their Eyes Were Watching God (9 max)

IOP Sign Up for The Stranger (9 max)

IOP Sign Up for a Dystopian Novel (9 max)

IOP sign up for Poetry - Pablo Neruda or Shu Ting (9 max)

The Stranger: March 15

1. Finish The Stranger

2. Journal #8: Personal response to The Stranger + what literary value do you ascribe to the novel (what makes a book a great work of literature and does this book achieve that)

3. Post the thesis statement you have revised and are confident with in a new post

4. Work on your outline! Due Wednesday

5. Study vocabulary! Due Wednesday

6 Copy The Stranger blog post on to turnitin.com

The Stranger: March 11

1. Look at the following thesis statements. They represent good starts but they still need a lot of work. Identify and record what one of the issues is and then rewrite the thesis statement as a comment on the post. You may choose to analyze and improve one of the already improved versions from others' comments. Remember what a good thesis statement is and does: what*how*so what, no ambiguity, accurate to novel, arguable, reveals some new understanding, etc.

2. On your own blog post your topic and 15 quotes that connect to your topic (these quotes can connect thematically or by technique). Once collected and analyzed, write a thesis statement.

3. Bring your thesis statement to class. (I may give you writing time during the week so it would also be wise to print out the quotes you collected and bring those.)

Camus expresses suffering through the ability to lose what is valued.

Camus uses the repetition of contrast between black and white to show conflict between what is socially acceptable and what is personally desired.

Camus uses similes and metaphors with a negative connotation to illustrate Meursault's desire to make everything seem concrete instead of dealing with emotions.

Through the motif of Marie's white clothing, Camus explores the idea of abstract concepts stem from physical experiences.

Camus uses actions to describe and characterize characters instead of using direct description to illustrate the importance of actions in comparison to the person someone plays themself up to be, in reference to the judgement of character and morals.

In Albert Camus' The Stranger, the use of sparse intellectual language demonstrates Mersault's clear intentions and emotions.

Camus uses the repetition of indulgences to escape from societies expectations.

The Stranger: March 10

Read chapters 3 and 4

Journal #6 Post 5 significant literary questions on The Stranger. The more authentic these are (i.e. questions you really have been pondering) the more insightful the answers will have to be. These questions should not be directed toward a right or wrong answer; rather, it should lead to personal interpretation of the text. You can revise a few of the questions you wrote for chapter six to include concepts from the entire book.

Comment on at least five of your peers' blogs with an answer to one or two of their questions. Make your answers genuine and relevant. These answers should sound like a thesis statement. Remember the goal is to help you write a strong and insightful paper, so treat this assignment as preparation to do so.

Go back and edit your last post by copying and pasting the comments you left on other blogs onto your post.

The Stranger: March 4

Read chapters 4 and 5

Journal #3: Personal Philosophy

You will demonstrate your understanding of the importance of one's world view by scrutinizing your thoughts on how the world works and indentifying guiding principles for your own philosophy.

establishes and introduces your philosophy

i. Give it a name

ii. It should connect to your principles

iii. Be creative

iv. Make it meaningful

Identify seven to ten guiding principles

i. These should be clear and thoughtful – no clichés

ii. These can be in bullet form and should be short and concise.

Explain from where your principle developed

iv. Clear explanation of why you find the principle important

The Stranger: March 3

Read Chapter 3

The title, L'Etranger, is often translated as The Stranger, The Foreigner, and The Outsider. E'tranger can also mean "foreign", "overseas", "unknown", "extraneous", "outsider", "stranger", "alien", "unconnected", and "irrelevant".

Journal #2: Part one: According to your work today in class, which translator would you argue has the most literary value and why? What elements of the text are you valuing by the decision you made?

Part two: According to the above meanings for the work "e'tranger", what title would you assign the English translation of the text and why. Go as far as to cite specific examples from the book that support your decision.

The Stranger: March 1

*Remember to push beyond your initial assumptions and impressions while reading The Stranger.

1. Read Chapter 2 (it is short so slow your reading down and notice the subtleties and alternate conclusions to your initial reactions)

2. Journal #1: If needed, redo last nights journal by explaining your plan for tabbing. Identify specific themes or motifs or whatever your are going to focus on. Push your tabbing so that it will yield insights rather than summary or obvious conclusions.

3. Rough draft of pastiche due tomorrow.

Pastiche Rough Draft

Some tips and hints for working on your pastiche:

*You want to follow Hurston in an authentic manner, but don't become too consumed with fitting in every technique or your story will lose a natural feel.

*Daydream a little before you start - before you evens start writing, try creating the setting in your head (what do you see, how does it change in different lights, what sounds are present) and imaging your characters (how they walk and the way they move their hands through their hair)

*Plan ahead - identify the climactic moment of your story before you start writing. Confirm that you will have a clear beginning and end.

*Use your language wisely so that you can accomplish all that you want in under 3 pages

*Include the rules of your dialect in the 3 pages

*Confirm that you are using MLA correctly by visiting a reliable website. Click here.

Their Eyes Were Watching God: February 18

1. Study literary terms (test on Tuesday)

2. Finish novel

3. Work on webbing how Hurston develops her theme (due Wednesday)

4. Start planning your pastiche

5. I did not mention this in class, but I would like you to comment on 3 blogs with feedback on their theme. What could they clarify? If you yourself want specific help from others, edit your theme + quote post to include some questions for visitors to answer.

I am changing some of the dates:

Wednesday 23: Web of Hurston's theme development

Thursday 24: Rough draft of your pastiche

Friday 25: Outline of statement of intent

Monday 28: 2nd rough draft of pastiche and 1st rough draft of statement of intent

Wednesday 2: Final paper due

Other dates:

Literary Terms quiz February 22

Journals submitted (copy and paste) to Turnitin.com February 23

• class ID: 3850297
• enrollment password: 1234

Their Eyes Were Watching God: February 17

Read chapters 16, 17, and 18

Journal: Identify a theme within Their Eyes Were Watching God (if you know it still has some weaknesses, make a list of questions or concerns you have about your theme below it - it doesn't have to be perfect yet). Be sure your theme is something that you can commit to writing your own vignette around. Make a list of quotes that inform that theme. Be sure to record the page number and take note of any techniques and or elements present within the quote.

Their Eyes Were Watching God: February 16

Read chapters 13-15

Journal #9: Write a pastiche of Hurston by duplicating a theme that she uses and three stylistic elements. Use these elements with your own characters, setting, and conflict. After you finish your pastiche clarify what theme and techniques you used and how they were used in a way that mirrors Hurston's own use of them.

Their Eyes Were Watching God: February 15

Read: chapters 11 and 12

Journal #8: Find quotations for three different stylistic attributes of Hurston's writing. Explain the context of the passage (where does it occur in the book, what is happening, who is involved). Identify and describe the literary technique used in the the passage, and explain how you think it affects the text and how you read it.

Their Eyes Were Watching God: February 14

Read 9 and 10

Journal #7: create a pastiche, matching Hurston' style and themes as closely as possible. After you complete your pastiche, write a statement explaining some of the decisions you made in order to match Hurston's writing and objectives.

The following post has two examples from past students.

Pastiche Examples

"Then Abby started to ponder on Courage. Courage, that unpredictable presence with the strong will that is often times hard to grasp. The uncertain one that lived deep within the unfamiliar parts of us, often unsure. Why does Courage sometimes shy away, especially when it is needed most? He sits insecurely deep within, unclear of where he belongs. Sits anxiously and patiently while slowly twirling his thumbs, questioning his validity. Was sitting there wondering and waiting and expecting. She was sure she'd find his footprints in the mud one of these days. She needed some encouragement and assistance also. Unfortunate Willie! It's quite diff'cult to help someone stand up for they self if they ain't got the determination for it. Offered Albert's company to mend this diminished confidence but Willie didn't feel it was necessary. Yuh can't always help those that have weakened strength, 'cause they need tuh find that inner fortitude on they own. He'd rise above this if he could just finish his chess game with the words "check mate." He would find the courage. At least that's what he thought. However, Albert suggested otherwise, so she was informed. But, if it had been contrarily, the following afternoon she was destined to figure it out, because he faced the bad-mannered bully in the colorless, spaced-out courtyard behind the school. Students that usually braved the bully's harsh words removed themselves from their usual straightforwardness. Just kneeled on the concrete, questioning. Fear, the overpowering elephant, had trampled over the student body."

"Eventually Nick started to understand Regret. Regret, that conceited one with the ever present eyes who lived always within reach. The unwelcome being who dwelt in the hearts of men without invitation, without permission. What requires Regret to be summoned, and what force can push him out? He slithers around his internal hiding spot that is invisible to the universe. Hides vigilant and camouflaged hour after hour with his fangs ready to pierce, awaiting the call to make himself known. To wrap himself around man and remind him what could have or would have or should have been done. He was bound to find blood from its bite staining her thoughts one day soon. He was sympathetic and scared for her too. Miserable Katherine! She shouldn't have to win this fight on her own. He had Ann bring in others to offer their wisdom, but Katherine declined. These others wuz fine to console themselves, but there was nothing they could do to go back in time. She'd be just fine when the red sea in front of her parted. She wouldn't let herself drown. That was the way she saw it. However, Ann had told him the opposite, so he knew the truth. And even if he didn't, soon enough he was liable to realize, for her home filled with life had been transformed into a holding place for stale memories of a bitter past. Weeds that never would have tried to grow in the gardens before now burst through the dirt defiantly. Simply pushed aside the flowers and begged for judgement. Remorse, that motionless snake, had poisoned another life."

Their Eyes Were Watching God: February 11

Read chapters 7 and 8 and tab: Rereading this book is not optional. You need a second reading to hit the level of analysis and understanding required for your upcoming paper.

Journal #5: Post your thesis statement. Be sure it addresses what stylistic choice Hurston made, what the effect of that choice is, and why she would create that effect.

3 Comment: Visit three blogs and give them some feedback that will help them refine and clarify their thesis statement. You can ask a question or point out a portion of the book that contradicts or clarifies what they are saying. You can offer a rewording that would clarify their point.

Journal #6: Read closely Janie's description of Death in chapter 8. Make a list of the stylistic choices Hurston makes in the passage that begins "Death, that strange bird with the huge square toes..." and ends with "Rumor, that wingless bird..." Along with listing the decisions Hurston makes in this passage, identify the effect of each of each of these decisions. You can do this in list form: technique/stylistic choice, effect, technique, effect, etc

Their Eyes Were Watching God: February 10

Read: chapters 5 and 6

Journal: Identify three patterns that appear in these chapters (but may extend through the entire book) and record the examples for each (include page numbers)

Their Eyes Were Watching God: February 9

Read Chapters 3 and 4 and continue tabbing.

Journal #3: Step 1-research a prominent figure from the Harlem Renaissance and write a short summary of who they are. Step 2-make a list of rules for a dialect of your creation (at least 3 for each category: pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary). Step 3-pick a setting and create a dialogue between your historical figure and your imaginative figure using at least seven exchanges and correctly punctuated speaker tags. Step 4-read a classmates blog and make a supportive and specific comment about what worked in their writing.

Start working on your literary terms mini-lesson.

Their Eyes Were Watching God: February 8

Today's task:

Read chapters 1 and 2 of Their Eyes Were Watching God. I neglected to talk about tabbing today but I suggest starting a system tonight. Some suggestions for tabbing:

• Pick a different color sticky note for each category on the pink sheet you got today: narrative structure, plot, character, setting, and language. You may also choose to include an additional color for anything else you notice but are unsure of a category for it.
• Pick a different color for the different motifs (repeated patterns). Make your motifs a bit broad so you don't become too restricted. Finding patterns is a good way to start thinking critically about a novel.
• Identify themes and assign colors. Tab anything that contributes to that particular theme using that color.

Journal #1 (Reflective): If you could tell your life story to one person, to whom would it be? Where would you begin (moment that changed your world view)?

Journal #2 (Analytic): Pick a passage from your reading (between one paragraph and half a page). Copy the passage onto your blog and make a list of the decisions that Hurston made in writing that passage. What techniques, what patterns, what questions, what tone, what word choice, etc.

Comment with Blog Address

Once you have set up your individual blog, leave a comment here on this post telling me your name and your blog address.

You also need to sign and return your disclosure document for tomorrow.