1996 MC

Today was a lovely two hour block and we completed the first half of the year. Just think you are half way done with AP English!
The first half was devoted to the AP test. From the scores I've corrected so far I think most people are doing quite well for January. After the test we had some entertaining satires. Nice work to Sean, Asha, and Virginia for really nailing satire--it should be biting and funny.
We ended the class with very briefly talking about the synthesis essay and then some down time.
Upcoming: Finish the first half of Gatsby along with the sheet.
Awakening papers due Friday

Writing Workshop

Today we worked on the supposed outlines for The Awakening paper. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get to everyone--I even started before the bell. However, I have to say that I'm pretty disappointed in the amount of effort I saw today. Writing is a process and it is very difficult for me to help you improve if you are unwilling to put in the time and effort up front.
Upcoming: Awakening Paper! 2/5

Aladdin Completion

Today we finished up Aladdin and then discussed it with the various theories. I'll attach my notes on it to help you out. We also had some time to review sentence types again.
Upcoming: Awakening workshop on Monday


Gender
Al assumes Jasmine is helpless (jumping over roofs)
Jasmine uses sexuality to distract Jafar
Jasmine needs a husband to take care of her
Frees the doves from the cage


Historical
Prostitutes
Laws—cut off hand for stealing
American accents
Jafar—British accent


Psychoanalytic
Al feels inadequate
Jasmine is “trapped”

Marxist
Jasmine doesn’t even know what money is
Jasmine must marry a prince
Sultan is an idiot
Aladdin’s personality changes when he becomes a prince

Narratology
Al the hero—orphan, something special “diamond in the rough”
Colors—good light/bad dark
Trickster—Abu
Mentor—Geni
Villain—Jafar

Did anyone notice I got a random comment from a stranger? Awesome!

Aladdin Day Two

Another easy day. We continued watching Aladdin and passed back the poetry projects. Remember the key with analyzing poetry is to connect the everything back with meaning. Why did the poet choose to use certain techniques? How does it add to the purpose?
Upcoming: Awakening work day Monday
Synthesis due Friday

Aladdin

What a nice easy day for all of you! Today we started picking apart Disney. We are watching Aladdin and analyzing it using the various literary theories. Hopefully, with a new perspective on the movie some new things are popping out to you.
I also passed out a sheet that gives some tips for writing titles, intros. and conclusions.
Remember that you should be working on your Awakening paper and the synthesis essay is due this Friday.

Vocab and lit. theory fun

Today you got new vocab presented by a lovely vocab video from last years students. The vocab test will be February 5th (the same day The Awakening paper is due).
After the video I did a brief introduction to lit. theory. I had to go fast so please make sure you read over the sheet more carefully. Your next major assignment will be working with those theories so make sure you understand them.
You also got your assignment for the week which is a synthesis essay due this Friday.
Upcoming: Awakening workshop 1/25

Happy Birthday Steve

Today was pretty non-eventful as most of the hour was dedicated to taking the vocab test. Hopefully everyone did well. Remember if you are still confused by sentence types let me know. We will also do another practice sheet next week.
Upcoming: Synthesis essay next Friday and extra credit if you choose.

Awakening Discussion

Today was The Awakening discussion with groups selected by me. This time I split the classes up into the talkers and the shy ones. Let me know what you thought of doing it this way. It definitely seemed to go better for one group but it was opposite in each class so I don't know what that means.
One thing that wasn't touched on very much is the actual reason why Edna killed herself. The other issue that was agreed on by most people was that Edna was selfish. I assume this mostly had to do with her children so I then wonder is it better to have a bad mother or no mother???
Upcoming: Vocab test and poetry tomorrow
Way upcoming: Awakening Paper 2/5

Awakening Extravaganza

Today was me just blurting out info. about The Awakening. There is so much in this book that it's hard to contain myself to just one class period (I'm nerdy I know). I also handed out the assignment sheet for the final paper. Remember if you get stuck on an idea come in and talk to me. Tomorrow will be the class discussion of the book.
Upcoming: Friday poetry and vocab test

Awakening Notes
Leonce 40; Edna 28; Robert 26

Edna:
First intro. of Edna is as “his wife” who he looks at like “a valuable piece of personal property which has suffered some damage” (24)
Edna’s crying—sparked by Leonce p. 27 can’t figure out why she is upset—acknowledges Leonce as kind and devoted
Edna first stands up to Leonce after swimming
Pursues Robert “she leaned over and kissed him” p. 130

Leonce:
Leonce feeling “uncomfortable…eternal rights of women…” p.88
Stops receiving people p. 73 worried about what people will think
Leonce’s reaction to Edna moving out “what people would say” “thinking of his financial integrity” p. 116
Leonce’s parenting—provides bonbons, wakes them at night

Mother-woman—“idolized children, worshiped husbands, effaced themselves as individuals” p.29 beauty, kindness (Adele)

Artist—“courageous soul that dares and defies” p. 86 ugly, rude, alone (Reisz—“extremely disagreeable and unpleasant” p.106)

Children
Birth every two years
Birth control, catholics
“Never sacrifice self for children” give up life but not self p. 69
Adele birth scene p. 133—scandolous for the time; impact on Edna

Minorities—almost invisible
Quadroons—cares for children, servants, black girl p. 43
Mariequita—Spanish, exotic, sexual “saucy, making eyes at Robert and mouths at Beauelet”
Mexicans p.64 “treacherous, unscrupulous and revengeful”
Darkies

Birds— parrot in a cage (exotic, uncommon) speaking a “language which nobody understood” (22), mother-woman p.29, song p. 47 pigeon house p. 108

Takes place in New Orleans fairly “open” society—
“freedom of expression”
very different from Edna’s Mississippi plantation and Kentucky upbringing
Runs away from her father’s prayers p. 38
No affection from sisters, lost her mother young
“coerced his wife into her grave” p. 94

Sea—seductive, awakens Edna, learning to swim “wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before” p. 49

Narrator opinion shift—end of chapter six “how few of us ever emerge” p. 35

Music—moves Edna p.47, brings tears and pictures (birds, solitude)

Insanity—“Mr. Pontellier to wonder if his wife were not growing a little unbalanced mentally” p. 79

Alcee views her as a “sleek animal waking up in the sun” animal = sexual

Dinner scene p. 109 (Remember what I said about eating scenes)

Sentence Types

Three days in a row--I can't believe it!
Today we went over the practice sheet on sentence types and it looked like most people were getting it. If you are still confused stop in and talk to me. It usually only takes about 10 mins. to catch on.
The second half of class we spent talking about the synthesis essay and working on an outline in groups.
Tomorrow we (and I mean me) will talk about The Awakening. Please make sure you finish the reading as I will spoil the ending and a lot of other things tomorrow.
Upcoming: Discussion on Thursday
Poetry and Vocab on Friday

Synthesis

Today we went over the first timed poetry write. The main concern was making sure that you understand what the meaning of the poem is and then showing how the devices develop that theme.
After the poetry we looked at our next type of essay--The Synthesis one. We ran out of time so tomorrow we will continue working on the sample as a class.
Remember to do the sentence types for tomorrow as I'll go over the answers in class.
Upcoming: Finish The Awakening for Wednesday
Poetry analysis and vocab test Friday

New Year's Resolution

Okay, Justin I would just like it to be known that I'm writing this on a Saturday thus showing my determination to keep this updated.
On Friday we did a brief review of the new vocab words and surprised a lot of people. I also gave you a sheet to practice the sentence types. We'll probably go over the answers on Tuesday but if you need more practice there are more samples with answers on the website. http://www.comosr.spps.org/Sentence_Types.html
After that we read a fabulous piece of satire by Judy Syfers "I Want a Wife." You then discussed how the argument was developed in groups with some guided questions.
Finally I gave you an extra credit option: write your own I Want a ... and read it to the class. Remember to mimic her style and make it a satire.
Upcoming: Awakening questions for Monday and finish novel by Wednesday
Friday Vocab test and poetry analysis due