HW 10/28

Hello. For tonight, I would like you to do the vocabulary and read today's handout. Nothing else for this evening, as some of you may be here with parents/guardians.

HW 10/27

Good Evening. For tonight's homework, I would like you to read "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor. After you've read it, I would like you to type a good paragraph in which you discuss the significance of the following quote:

"He saw the man's face twisted close to her own as if he were going to cry and she murmured, "Why you're one of my babies. You're one of my own children!"

What do you make of the grandmother's words? How can this be explained? Please use evidence from the text to explain what has happened to the grandmother. Please write a good PTS and explain how O'Connor uses specific literary techniques, or devices to make a larger point. Have fun.

Remember, vocabulary is due Friday. independent reading due soon, College essays due soon (to Henkel).

HW 10/25

Hello. For this evening, I would like you to make sure you've read the three stories assigned over the weekend. In addition, please begin working on this week's vocabulary. The assignment is as follows:

Do vocabulary on index cards
Give a definition, sentence, part of speech, synonym, and pronunciation for each word
Due Friday

The words are:

Pestilence, Deplorable, Impudence, Edifying, Languidly, Sententious, Fecundity, Prosperity, Ascetic, Prodigious

Weekend HW

Hello. For this weekend, I would like you all to read "A Very Old Man" and answer the assigned questions. Please use textual evidence to support your ideas. Also, please take some time to look over the helpful links I posted. The common errors and quote integration links should be especially helpful. In the interest of time, please read "Miss Brill" and "Roman Fever." I would like to get through the short story unit soon. Please continue to work on college essays and your IR assignments.

HW 10/20

Hello. Sorry for the late post. I had PM school tonight and could not get internet access from the school. In any case, please continue to work on your independent reading assignments and the required journals. I am waiting for copies of the multiple choice stems and will give them to you when they are ready. You will need these in order to complete the final part of the IR assignment.

For tonight's reading I would like you to read "A Very Old Man." It is in the books for those who have them attached here for those who don't. We will finish up the YGB tomorrow with some whole group writing and literary discussion.

Have a great night.

HW 10/18

Hello. For tonight, I am not going to assign any additional reading. I know that you have a great deal of work to do on your journals, college essays, make-up work, etc. I am going to extend the journal entries due date, one day. They are now due on Wednesday. I hope that you are all keeping up with your readings. Incidentally, this is why I ask you to make a schedule. It is not for me as much as it is for you. We will finish our discussion on YGB tomorrow. Have a great night. I hope it isn't an all-nighter.

HW 10/15 - 10/17

Greetings from "Solitude."

For this weekend, I would like you to read YGB again as well as a reading on Carl Jung's ideas about archetypes (link to Jungian Archetypes provided here). After the readings, please respond to the following:

In a well-written (or typed) paragraph or two, please discuss how Hawthorne's story can be analyzed using Jung's ideas about the unconscious mind and archetypes. I think you will enjoy the reading on Jung. This is the first opportunity to study psychology as it relates to literature and the human condition. Pay close attention to the "shadow" archetype, as this may be the easiest to relate.

We will discuss on Monday.

Continue to work on the independent reading project, college essays, etc. I know it is a lot of work, but such is the life of a college bound senior.

For those who asked, I will try to provide feedback for you on your college essays.

Have a good weekend.

HW 10/14

Hello. For tonight, you have plenty to do. Study for your lit terms vocabulary test tomorrow and complete your first draft of the college essay.

Today's handouts included a handout on rhetorical devices organized by schemes. Although you've been given many of these terms before, I am always looking for ways to feed you the information differently. I like this handout because of the way it categorizes similar devices and offers good examples of the devices at work. I also gave you a few additional handouts featuring tips on writing college essays. I will continue to do this until the college app. process is complete. The handout on Symbolism should be read tonight, and you should make sure to read "Young Goodman Brown"

We should get through the short story unit soon. You will be responsible for all the material we've studied thus far. Our unit test will take place at the end of the marking period with the culminating assignment being your own short story.

I will be offering a one time homework amnesty to allow students to turn in late work. I offer it once a semester. I will let you know when that will be.

I think I've said enough. Have a good night.

HW 10/13

Hello. I hope you all had a great day off. For this evening, I would like you to do the following:

1.) Read 'Young Goodman Brown."
2.) Consider how the tale acts as an allegory. What forces are at work in Hawthorne's story that allow us to see this as an allegory? Also read chapter 7 of Exodus for review.
3.) Read the POV section in the text (or Handout).

Looking forward:
4.) Continue to study the terms. I will give you a test on the terms on Friday.
5.) You should have the majority of the college essay done at this point. Make sure to finish that up by Friday.

Have a good night!

Weekend HW

Hello. I hope all of you are well. I was afraid that an alien ship came down and abducted the majority of my senior AP Literature class, as my class was nearly half empty. Or should I say half full?

In any case, I was unable to scan the pages of the text for this weekend's reading - although it wasn't from lack of trying. The pov reading will have to wait until Tuesday. However, There is still plenty to do on your part. You have to work on your independent reading assignments, work on your college essays (first draft due Friday), work on learning the AP lit terms for a test next week, and reading Hemmingway's story for a second time. I did want to mention that the independent reading assignment is due November 8th, not the 26th as I said Friday.

So, keep busy with the work you have to do and write the college essays.

Have a great weekend.

HW 10/7

Hello. I am working on getting all your work graded and handed back. It takes a lot of time to read your writing and to make meaningful comments. It is important to see that you are making the connections and responding to the literature in a way that is acceptable at the AP - that is to say college - level. Please do not worry about your grade. I will make the changes quickly.

For tonight's homework, please read "Hills Like White Elephants." I will assign point of view reading for tomorrow for those who do not have the book. Those with the book can read it tonight if you would like. It might help with the story.

In addition to tonight's reading, I would like you to use today's reading and do the following:

In a well-constructed paragraph, discuss how Mailer establishes point of view through his use of language - specifically, imagery and metaphor. We need to get beyond the vocabulary of pov and begin to discover how pov influences our understandings, and strengthens the author's message.

HW 10/6

Good evening. For tonight, I would like you to address the critics and do the following:

Justify the critics when they say that Welty, like Faulkner, treats black characters like simple subjects of endurance and portrays black characters as long-suffering, thus depriving them of their complexities. If you absolutely cannot justify it, write a response in which you argue the opposite; explain how she empowers them. This should be a sophisticated response using textual evidence. Be prepared to share your response tomorrow with the class. Have a good night.

HW 10/5

For this evening, I would like everyone to read the story again and complete the questions posted on last night's blog. I am providing another link for the story. If you cannot access it via the link, kindly search it on your own. Thanks. If you are interested in assisting me this year, please let me know asap. Thanks again. Have a great night.

HW 10/4

Hello. I would like to remind you that it is important to continue to work on your college essays. If we accept the notion that these are an important part of the college application process, then it is critical to write the best essays we can. For most of us, this is not an easy task. The first draft of your essay is due on Friday the 15th. I will need to meet with you to go over your essays and discuss any issues that may be present. I will pass out a sign up sheet for conferences starting tomorrow. If you are having trouble with any part of it, please feel free to see me.

I know that we have fallen a bit behind, but this is not a major concern. I have built in some extra days at the end of the unit. So, we can make adjustments as we go.

For tonight, please make sure that you have read the stories, "Gooseberries," and "A Worn Path."

Answer the following questions for Welty:

(Structure) (a) It's been said that this story's plot or structure could be seen as spatially organized: the main character moves from point A past points B, C, D, and E, to get to point F--a geographical journey that also corresponds to the overcoming of several obstacles along the literal path. How does this structure or organization itself help to convey ideas about or what Welty wants our attitude to be toward the main character? (b) How does the story's setting--the particular time of year--add to the difficulty of the journey? (c) How does the main character's clothing add to the difficulty of the journey? (d) How do b and c contribute to themes and ideas that emerge from (a) in this question?

Weekend HW 10/1 - 10/3

Hello. I am out of town this weekend and was not able to post before I left. This is the only access to the internet I will have all weekend. So, please read "Gooseberries" one more time. Please use this weekend to begin your independent reading assignment. Do not do the character paper. Continue to work on your college essays. Have a great weekend.