Wow, Summer's Finished.

First, allow me to address the comments regarding the less than weekly updates.  The Scottish poet Robert Burns famously pointed out that "the best-laid schemes of o' mice an' men gang aft agley".  That means that the updates were thwarted by a mistake I made with the automatic update setting and ,more happily, my wedding.  That means you benefit by receiving points for less work. 

I want to  take this time to encourage some of you to revisit your comments and see if they truly answer the questions posed.  See if they are actual discussions with weight or if the are merely filler that you posted just to have it done.  I  read with a critical eye and I want substance from you.

Make certain you have read the stories and that you have your papers ready for me.  Some of you have already shared them with me, and I'm appreciative of the effort.

Here's the question of the week.


Choose one of the stories you read and write a personal reaction of no less than 300 words in the comments section. Address the characters, the writing style, the plot and the emotional reaction you had to the piece.  Be very specific in the details you use and EXPLAIN your thoughts. 

For example, don't merely state something is ironic.  Explain the irony and the effect on the character and the story. 

Almost There

I haven't forgotten.  I've been away for a bit, and I decided to wait until I returned to post a new question or two.  I've received a paper over a film from one of your number.  Good job.  Early papers are always welcome.  I hope everyone has enjoyed the summer thus far.  I'll see many of you on August 14th for "Meet the Teacher".


You have a copy of the short stories "A&P" and "A Worn Path".  I would like for you to either defend or refute the following assertion.  Both of these stories are examples of the heroic journey.  Please, no one sentence answers.  Also give five examples from the text to support your answer. 

A hero's journey usually involves overcoming obstacles to reach a goal or even to achieve self-actualization.  Think Frodo Baggins, Luke Skywalker, Katniss Everdeen, or even, Harold and Kumar. 

Back in Black (Font)

I'm back.  I took the week of the Fourth off, and i hope you did as well.
I've read your comments, and I will be responding to them as the summer dwindles. I urge you to encourage those who have signed up for the course and haven't posted to this little thing to do so.

This week is extremely easy.

What have you seen this summer?  Did it have any deeper meanings or was it just something with explosions that kept you in the air conditioning for two hours?  Film is literature, and it possesses some of the same ability to move people..Your reply should be concise and succinct.  Include the title, director, and top billed stars,  Give a one-sentence summary and your thoughts.  Please mark spoilers so that others can have a fair chance.

See.

Easy.

This is a clip from a very important film. Boyhood

 

A fine choice for a Midsummer Eve.

A few thoughts on great literature

AHEM.

May want to tell others.  This is a grade.  No fooling.

Choices, choices, choices...

For this installment I would love for you to read the short story from your packet entitled "The Story of an Hour".  It's quick and, if you lost it, it's all over the internet.  Read it and, without looking up sources to see what others think, give your impression of the protagonist in no less than 150 well chosen, gem-like words.  

 

 Here's a trailer or two relating to the subject at hand

Oops, one is actually the full film.

Stereotypes in Pop Culture

When we discuss pop culture, we are discussing art that was created to be consumed by the masses.  This means e are discussing music, film, television, comics, novels and other texts.  It is a powerful tool, but it  can also be used to demean and belittle people.  Sometimes this happens unintentionally.  For instance in the 1984 film Sixteen Candles, women, save for the protagonist, are almost all portrayed as self-involved, substance abusers.  Many of the female characters are almost psychotically materialistic.  This is an attitude that was echoed in many of the famous films and series of the 1980s seemed to popularize this image of women.  Most significantly a number of male comedians based large pieces of their acts on misogynistic depictions of women.  Eddie Murphy rather famously presented a rage filled screed against women in his hugely popular concert film RAW. 

What hurtful stereotypes have been perpetuated by pop culture in  your opinion?  Give an example for each gender and explain it using a piece of pop culture.  How does this image adversely affect people in real life?

Opening Volley

  Since a portion of your assignment is the investigation of film, this first call and response post will be relatively easy.  I want each of you to tell me what your favorite film is and why exactly you think it's a worthwhile piece of art.  I also want you to apply the Bechdel Test to it.  Explain why it does or does not pass the test. 

Word.

"The Cask of Amontillado"

Though the stories and authors are divided by many years and two very different sensibilities.  The truth is that the protagonists of both "A Cask of Amontillado" and "A & P" are similar in many ways.  How many?  Well, let me count the ways, young waverer. 

Both Sammy and Montresor have inflated senses of their value to the world at large.  Fortunato is a class apart from Montresor and only the promise of a rare vintage lures him into his vault.  "Queenie" is oblivious to the attentions of Sammy.  Sammy for his part is delusional as he quits his job and ruins vanilla ice cream forever. (He may improve it.  Your mileage may vary.)  Montresor also fails because Fortunato is never aware of why he is being killed.  The fact is that Fortunato takes up space, rent-free, in Montresor's head and lives there for at least half a century.

These two figures are archetypical poseurs.  They are late to the party of whatever their aim is.  Sammy could be chivalrous, but his view of women as objects and "types" marks him as a misogynistic loser.  Montresor is a pale imitation of nobility.  In fact, he puts one in mind of the protagonist of Rowan Atkinson's Blackadder. That character always sought respect and plotted the deaths of his betters all for naught.  he was a rightful laughingstock, just like Montresor. 

Attack with impunity, indeed.

PEACE!

"A & P"

This is an interesting story by Updike in that it takes a very mundane, banal event and transforms it into a sort of heroic quest.  Sammy is a bozo.  That's a technical term, I know; however, I feel it is an earned title.

He objectifies women throughout the story.  He doesn't even save that for the women he is attracted to in the course of the story.  If a reader focuses on the language used to describe and to name women, it is clear that, while Sammy is the protagonist, he is not a "good guy".

His "heroic" act is motivated by a mixture of lust and petulance.  He is no more chivalrous than the young knight in "The Wife of Bath's Tale".  He just happens to wear an apron and bow tie instead of mail and a helmet.

A few of my favorite films

My Name is Nobody

Everybody's Fine

The Grapes of Wrath

Apocalypse Now

American Graffitti

Shanghai Triad

Do the Right Thing

American Teacher

Repo Man

Expository Essay

September 27th is the due date for the minor expository essay. 

Remember I want you to explain the difference, if any, between character and morality. Please recall our class discussion on this topic.  I also want you to think outside of the box and bring examples to develop the thesis from sources that are near and dear to your heart.  

Remember we are following the formal writing guidelines for this writing.

Also,  remember to review your TABOO sheet for this.  If you include any of those items, I'm not reading your paper.  It will be returned to you with the quickness. 

Leave a comment signifying that you saw this.  

This is the last post of the summer.  You should have finished the novel and should either be finishing your school assignments or working on them.  For this last one, I want your final summation of Okonkwo.  Is he admirable? Is he unsympathetic?  It's your call.  You just need to be sure and back up anything you say with concrete details, direct quotes and the corresponding page numbers.  Haave fun and I will see you on the 19th.

Violence in Things Fall Apart

For this entry, I want you to find five instances of an act of violence in the novel.  Please include a direct quotation regarding the violence as well as the page number from the book where it can be found.  Briefly discuss the consequences of these acts directly after your description.  Also, you may want to give your classmates that have not posted anything a heads up.  The assignments listed in the handout are required and not simply a suggestion.

Discussion #3

These were supposed to post automatically.  That's why you have had an almost three week lag. I trusted the system I set up and I shouldn't have. Mea Culpa. 

In the novel, a major theme is that culture is always changing and people must adapt with it or be left behind. Find evidence of this in the text and discuss how characters are affected by either adapting or remaining static. Please include page numbers to support your evidence from the text. 

Integrity.

A person without integrity is a traitor to all the good that has come before and will come after. 

Cyril Cusack reading William Butler Yeats

Things Fall Apart #2

Good job, you scholars who have commented thus far.  I thought that several of you gave me some vary thoughtful answers.  I'll be responding to each in turn.  It make take me a bit to get to everyone, but I will.  Let me encourage you to look beyond just the facts.  Facts in this forum are to support your thoughts.  When school starts, the writing and testing will provide the evidence of your close reading.  Here you are free to discuss and debate elements of the novel such as theme.  To do it well and intelligently, reading is a must.  Basically, don't get so hung up on names. Seek the humanity that Achebe has embedded in the novel.

To this end I have several things I want you to discuss.

First, read the poem "The Second Coming" and discuss what you think this poem by a British poet has to do with an African novel.

What are Okonkwo's virtues and vices?

What do you think of a society that has a ritualistic form of suicide? What other societies can you think of that have one?

What  is the difference between spirituality and religion? Can you have one without the other?

It goes without saying that I want concrete details to support arguments, but I said it anyway.

If your comments haven't shown up, I receive emails with them and I will figure out the bug.
RELEASE THE HOUNDS!!

China Achebe: Bullet Point Biography

*. Nigerian 

* most of literary work meant for an African audience. That's why he doesn't always take the time to explain certain customs that would be well known to his audience. 

* published a well regarded piece decrying author Joseph Conrad as a racist. 

* was paralyzed in a car accident in the early 90's

* His full first name means "May God fight on my side".

* 

Fathers and Sons

TFA deals with issues in the relationships of fathers and sons. This clip from Death of a Salesman, a play we will study, offers a view at difficult father/ son relationships. 

Several versions of the play are on YouTube if you are curious. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1lazBK1Pec&feature=youtube_gdata_player