Final Reminders

For tomorrow's final, you will have a poetry prompt and a full (5 passage) multiple choice exam. You will receive the whole exam, and you may complete the exam in any order during the given time frame.

http://www.newsbiscuit.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/353-christmas-bunny.jpg

Milk & Apples

During today's class, we split into partnerships and analyzed a section of The Metamorphosis. From milk to apples, picture frames to windows, Kafka continues to use symbolism to portray Gregor's transformation into a metaphorical insect. Not to foreshadow tomorrow's discussion of Part III, but is Gregor's plot the actual metamorphosis of the text?

In addition to finishing up Kafka, we will review for the final by looking at your poetry prompt and test.

AP Lit Final

On Tuesday, we will use the class to discuss your writing prompt from last week and any last minute items to review for the final.

What is on the final? You have 2 sections to complete -- a poetry prompt featuring 2 poems and a full multiple choice test. We have spent a great deal of time concentrating on poetry - hence The Metamorphosis becoming a welcoming change of pace the last few days - so you probably have a grasp on breaking down a poem for its literary elements, motifs, and themes. In addition, you should review your literary terms to guarantee success on the prompt and on the multiple choice passages.

This will be a quick summation of today's events: we finished part I of The Metamorphosis and then we looked at a graphic novel version of it.

For Monday, read part II and be ready to talk symbolism. We will also spend the next couple days going over your prompt/test and prepping for the final.

Kafkaesque

We only managed 9 pages today in The Metamorphosis, but I think Kafka would be proud of our microscopic interpretation of his words, characterization, and setting. Looking at two translations for the first page gave us a sense of how a few words can change the understanding of Gregor Samsa.

The only homework on your docket is the psycho motif essay, which is due by Friday at 3:45 p.m.

Poetry Prompt Day

Today's class time was one for item of import: a timed poetry prompt. If you were absent, you will need to schedule a time to make up the exam.

Tomorrow is the Metamorphosis! If you have the inclination, I highly recommend checking out a biography of Kafka. While we will read a synopsis about him, there are many details of his life that can be connected to Gregor Samsa and his metamorphosis. By the way, the Google Images search for "Metamorphosis Kafka" brings up some fascinating art work.

https://summereh102.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/metamorphosis-franz-kafka.jpg

Poetry Test

On today's docket was the poetry test covering poetry, stanza, rhyme scheme, and meter types. If you were absent, you will need to book an appointment to make up the test.

During Tuesday's class, you will take a timed writing poetry prompt, which will cover 2 poems. This will help gauge your analysis and writing and provide a preview for the final.

Almost Time for Macbeth Movie

Check out this link regarding the Fassbender version of Macbeth, which will be at Plaza Frontenac later this month. Great venue to see a movie and then shoe shop at Saks.
http://www.landmarktheatres.com/st-louis/plaza-frontenac-cinema/film-info/macbeth

Poetry Review Day

For our review, we read Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" and Raleigh's "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd." Following analysis, we covered rhyme schemes, meters, stanzas, and poetry types -- all elements that will be on your poetry test on Monday. I highly recommend you read poems -- online, through Google searches -- to practice identifying types and meter.

One of my rock gods, Scott Weiland, passed away last night, and I have returned to my sixteen-year-old self playing Purple over and over again, which I plan to do when I get home. So, let's end with some lyrics:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/74/b0/f9/74b0f92e26ee8c162e75e617e308b141.jpg

"Does anybody know how the story really goes/Or do we all just hum along?"

"All I got is time/Got no meaning, just a rhyme."

The last one seem to fit with our Carpe Diem poems this week.

Psycho Motif Peer Edit Day

For half of the class, we spent quality time looking over the Macbeth essay. Make sure you are including psychoanalytic terms into your writing and the motif, writing in present tense and third person, constructing sound paragraphs with clear topic sentences and concluding sentences, incorporating evidence from the play, and ending with a memorable statement.

For the remainder of the class, we completed two multiple choice passages for a grade. If you were absent, you will need to make up those upon return.

Plan for the rest of the semester (gasp):
December 4 = Read 2 Carpe Diem Poems and analyze literary devices, themes, rhyme scheme, stanzas, and meters. We will also review all poetry elements.
December 7 = Poetry Test in which you will identify different forms of poetry, stanzas, and meter. I recommend going back to our opening packet to review.
December 8 = Timed Poetry Prompt. This will be for an AP grade and also provide you a sense of what you will need to study for the final.
December 9 - on = Metamorphosis. We will be analyzing a prose text for themes, characterization, and patterns.
December 16 Final = 1 Poetry Prompt (which will have 2 poems) and 1 Full MC Test.

Religion, Time, & Personification

Religion, time, and personification or Marvell and Herrick rhapsodizing on how to seize the day. As mentioned in class today, your final will include a poetry prompt in which you analyze two poems. In order to prep for that exam, groups analyzed a specific literary device and how it is used differently in Coy Mistress & To the Virgins.

Tomorrow we will meet in the Career Center for peer editing, more Carpe Diem poetry, multiple choice questions, and more!

The Worms Return

After reading the highlights of the blog/twitter Macbeth creative project, your homework this evening is to check out all the blogs/twitter account and send me an e-mail with the name of the person with the best blog.

Meanwhile in class, we read "To His Coy Mistress," a favorite from AP Lang. Instead of reading it as an argument (I will be doing that this week with the Langers), we looked at rhyme scheme and meter. Marvell does not mix it up too much -- very consistent for such an ardent speaker -- so we will look at other Carpe Diem poems tomorrow.

We also completed a Multiple Choice passage -- Keats' "Bright" Star.

Don't forget that the first draft of the psycho motif essay is needed for Wednesday's class. We will travel to the Career Center to have a peer edit with all of your classmates. Make sure you have a hard copy ready to go!

Blogging

What turned out as a creative 1 day wrap-up assignment for Macbeth has turned into a creative maelstrom of blogging prowess. Due to David's exemplary witchcraft blog, several students have created blogs through blogger to add to their chosen characters. Actually, we are realizing that this would be an awesome unit assignment for next year's Shakespeare text. This is not a requirement -- you can also complete a presentation through Google or Prezi.

Here is the link to David's blog. http://www.canimakeyouasandwitch.blogspot.com/ Feel free to go there and comment, as your character, of course.

And, here are a few more blogs. Please be school appropriate with your blogs and comments! And, if you are using text or an idea from another source, make sure you cite your original sources! Thank you in advance.

http://www.whydoesnoonebelieveme.blogspot.com/
http://witchesgetstitches3.blogspot.com/
http://www.duncandonutsswagmaster.blogspot.com/
http://gossipbanquo.blogspot.com/
http://ladyliberativemacbeth.blogspot.com/
http://waybetterthanmacbeth.blogspot.com/
http://macduffslife.blogspot.com/
http://betterthanalltheotherwitches.blogspot.com/

For your psychoanalysis motif essay, the first draft is due December 2 and the final draft will be due December 11.

Malcolm, Motifs, Blogs

For our shortened work week, we will be wrapping up Macbeth items in order to prep for your essay assignment (which will officially arrive on Tuesday). Today's agenda featured a second Macbeth box prompt focusing on Malcolm. I will be returning both Macbeth box prompts to you, and next week at some point you will have a timed writing prompt on one of these prompts (writer's choice). Next item of business is working with your motif partner to review and discuss examples and questions from a handout. Do not lose this handout because you will need it for tomorrow's class. Last up, we picked our characters for our blogging experience. The majority of tomorrow's class will focus on writing up your character blogs (minimum of 3), which we will share after break.

By the way, the film will be out next month -- I have no idea if it will open wide here but fingers crossed.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/slhAKZ0GcmM/maxresdefault.jpg

On a personal note, my fecund fish tank holds only one fish now. I stopped naming the fish when they started multiplying at a rapid rate but have decided to name the last fish. Her name is Mohican. I hope you get the allusion.

King Malcolm

We finished the play! What does that mean? Next week, you will be working with your motif log, the list of examples from the play that you have been keeping these last weeks, to complete assessments regarding the play. If you are behind in your motif examples, take the time this weekend to add to your log.

School Yourself, Egg

To make it spicy today, we started off with drama multiple choice passages. All students taking the multiple choice today had at least 50% of the questions correct, which is the first goal of AP Lit multiple choice tests.

For the rest of the hour, we read the remainder of Act IV, which did not feature much of the main man Macbeth. However, his decisions and behavior did envelop the remaining scenes and the characters struggling with his tyrannical reign. From the the murder of helpless women and "babes" at the Macduff abode to Malcolm and Macduff's "manly" determination to war, Macbeth's fingerprint is all over these characters' demises and vengeful actions.

Fingers crossed that we will finish the play on Friday. Make sure you are keeping up with your motifs -- you will be using these next week when the paper assignment drops.

http://cdn.toonvectors.com/images/10/36168/toonvectors-36168-940.jpg

Hecate

Brevity is the art of AP Lit Blog today. Hecate box prompt, which will be an option for a timed writing prompt in the future. Quick recap of 3.6. New prophecies of 4.1 leave Macbeth more confident than before. After all, how can someone not be born of a woman or how can a forest move?

We will continue with Act IV tomorrow...

3.2

For today's Macbeth discussion, students created 5 discussion questions for 3.2 and then used these to lead class in the analysis of specific details and overall elements of the play. If you were absent, you will need to give me these 5 questions to make up discussion points.

The Bromance Is Over

Ah, Banquo, you should reconsider your friendship criteria. As we saw with 3.1, Macbeth has sent the two murderers to take care of Banquo and his son to guarantee that his bloodline will cease. As audience members, our sympathy towards Macbeth has plummeted; we now see him as a ruthless, power-grubbing backstabber, sort of like his spouse.

For homework, finish reading Act III. We will spend time analyzing the depletion of Macbeth's character and the aftershocks from Banquo's impending death.

Class MC/2.3

Class MC was an experience --- one in which we all remembered the difficulty of constructing multiple choice questions and options.

For 2.3, we completed a class close read of Macduff and the Porter's tete-a-tete regarding, uh, sleep, Lennox's big speech regarding natural abominations, Macbeth's shock and surprise at his house guest's murder and subsequent killing of the blood-speckled guards, Lady Macbeth's sudden fainting spell, and the two heirs' escape to England and Ireland for safety.

At the end of the hour, you worked in groups to analyze 2.4, which we will discuss on Friday. We will be moving into Act 3.

Daily Picture...

http://cdnph.upi.com/sv/ph/og/i/1691433439833/2015/6/14334455907944/v2.1/Michael-Fassbender-Marion-Cotillard-star-in-Macbeth-trailer.jpg

Mrs. & Mr.

First, we completed the Macbeth vocabulary quiz -- a combination of unit 5 words with reference to the plot and analysis of Macbeth.

Second, we broke into 2 groups to analyze the differences between Mrs. Macbeth (she was the first to speak in the scene) and Mr. Macbeth (he was the last to speak in the scene). While the bickering couple react differently to killing a beloved king -- and house guest for that matter -- they both show signs of guilt (father reminders, blood, amen, sleep) in differing matters. The parallel between their reaction to blood on the hands (literal and figurative) sets up their behavior in later scenes.

Tomorrow, we will have multiple choice, the rest of Act II, and a few other items relating to AP Lit.

I almost forgot my daily Fassbender picture...Wait until next semester when we get to Wuthering Heights and my daily Heathcliff/Ralph Fiennes photographs.

http://www.michaelfassbender.org/michael-fassbender-jane-eyre-2011.jpg

Bromances & Daggers, Or Macbeth 2.1

After our last vocabulary word of Unit 5, we reviewed for your vocab/Macbeth quiz tomorrow. I highly suggest you review the words and what you know of Macbeth so far.

Meanwhile, we began our look into Act II and how character prophecies have festered into nightmares and homicidal actions. First up, the bromance of Macbeth and Banquo, which highlights the past Macbeth and his connections to his moral center. While both men are loyal to one another, they also have a tendency to dream of witches and disturb their moral sleep. Yes, I just tied that into one of our motifs. Once Banquo has left his buddy, Macbeth needs to chat and the only available ear belongs to himself! Using that symbolic dagger, Macbeth whips up his courage to kill poor Duncan -- even if he cannot predict Duncan's eventual path to heaven or hell. When Macbeth has decided his fate, he begins to rhyme again, a feature missing from the soliloquy's questioning commencement.

As for tomorrow's reading, we will look towards Lady Macbeth and her role in this plot.

Daily Michael Fassbender photo -- I thought his bromance with James McAvoy & Hugh Jackman would fit in with today's reading.


https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hhlpJIDxkdk/maxresdefault.jpg

The Macbeths

Today's words are flippant (no gestures please) and incongruous (which actually could work with flippant in a sentence).

Meanwhile, you had a verbal analysis today on 1.6 & 1.7. Impressive participants used direct evidence from the text, focused on poetical elements (alliteration, iambic pentameter), incorporated motifs and conflicts, and inserted psychoanalytical terms (go Chilton with her superego, id, and feminine gender symbolism).

At the end of class, you worked with a partner to create multiple choice questions for Macbeth. If you did not finish all ten, each partner should complete the activity on his or her own.

For Monday, read all of Act II and be prepared for more multiple choice and more analysis. Keep focusing on those minute details in the text!

In case you would like to enter your bunny in the Real Trix Rabbit competition: http://realtrixrabbit.com/. I hope you will not try to compete against my Monty.

While this Daily Michael Fassbender picture is not from Macbeth, I like to imagine this moment from 1.7 when Macbeth considers the murderous plan against the beloved house guest Duncan.

http://41.media.tumblr.com/52ad54fccb1189749d5f0f71e7f75bbf/tumblr_nqbq3oXb4u1uqaxkgo2_400.jpg

Lady Macbeth in Charge

Our word of the day: plethora! And, we had a plethora of witches, kings (present and future), motifs, and paradoxes!

In the meanwhile, we spent some quality time with the three Weird Sisters, who have a few prophecies for Macbeth, the susceptible one, and Banquo, the hesitant one. As discussed in class, we find Macbeth's diction quite reminiscent of the witches' paradoxical commentary.

Next, we were off to King Duncan, our the "chill" king as described by AP Lit today. As noted, Duncan seems on the just side of kings, and it is a real shame that he named his son (duh) as heir and not Macbeth. Hence, Macbeth is starting to go to the "dark" side away from the "light" of Duncan and loyalty to the crown. In my opinion, the only fault of Duncan is that he invites himself to people's houses without any forewarning. Does that deserve Lady Macbeth's reaction in 1.5?

Speaking of our Lady, we have found that she is the one wearing the pants in the family, especially as she calls on the dark forces to "unsex" her and rid her of her motherly milk. After all, her husband is associated with the "milk of human kindness" so he can play the dutiful daughter/mother/caregiver figure for her.

For tomorrow's class, you should read 1.6 and 1.7. You will have an individual analysis regarding this section, and Lady Macbeth has some work to do to become queen.

Here is Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth. Any one else see Princess Leia as hair inspiration?

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FIySngte8LOYyg_mLxrNw6JV6Cv75fcW1tgf1Mlwu66Cv3GeS7UICoDlZkRP1KZQLEkKhLNimsAWagATLqASCRnrbpAjp1xJECN0oNuVAS85ZWw0VARqefPy0STgUkDsNvKpYChh5gI/s1600/macbeth-cotillard.jpg

Daily excuse for Michael Fassbender picture-- if Macbeth were in modern clothing. Perhaps he is just in "borrowed robes"?

http://moviehole.net/img/michael-fassbender1.jpg

Daddy & Duncan

Word of the Day: Foist (not the ever-reviled word "moist").

In order to start our psychoanalysis, we read "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath. As I hoped, you brought up the ideas of projection through her father and husband doppelganger relationships, fears of intimacy causing anxiety, and objet petit a in the form of her father. In addition, we had a smattering of analogies connecting the father to power (boot, Nazi, devil) and the speaker, the daughter, the submissive foot.

Next up, 1.2 of Macbeth and the introduction of our first king (yes, there will be more), Duncan. While he is the title of the play, Macbeth has yet to make an appearance -- although, we sure have heard a lot about his patriotic violence in fighting the traitors and Norwegian. The witches want to talk with Macbeth; King Duncan wants to talk to Macbeth. Hmmm...

And, now I have an excuse to post a picture of Michael Fassbender every day! Since we do not see Macbeth take down Macdonwald, let's just use this imagery to have an idea of Macbeth's commitment to protecting the Scottish crown and Duncan's power...for now.

http://d1oi7t5trwfj5d.cloudfront.net/2c/de/63e29dec4e798f13fd4a73ea9372/macbeth5.jpg

Tomorrow, the witches will be back -- cue the cackles -- and they chat with Macbeth! Will he be repulsed by their supernatural ways or be enthralled by their prophecies?

Happy Post Halloween! Here is Monty hanging out with Ihmotep, my Keats-loving better half.

Fair is foul and foul is fair

From the start of Macbeth, we can see that the Scottish realm is centered around the elements of supernatural witchcraft, wrathful weather, and bloody battles. Remember, the "fair is foul and foul is fair" line as it will be important to note the characters that reflect the witches' diction.

Meanwhile, we finished up the psychoanalysis power point and discussed background of Macbeth (barbarian Scotland, English and Scottish succession, and just/tyrannical kings).

On Monday, we will do more psychoanalysis (featuring Sylvia Plath's "Daddy" -- you may want to check out the biography of Plath in order to have a better understanding of her speaker), multiple choice shenanigans, and the next scenes of the Scottish play.

Happy Halloween, my children of the night. I'll be playing my usual role of Laurie Strode.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFOdQKFzVcI2fUwwYTNE8ta3s0feRWXSqxk-wZAhKIvHpW2HiR4tEI5gg4BYvPLyPkaD6pb7K6dhAPK99UUDuvd2yBp9-9GHcHk9VOhTbSYa8p2fWuVGGyNKNzhnu-xMdfDICeHQD-Cg3/s320/halloween+jamie.jpg

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

"Ichabod, what a name,
Kind of odd, but nice just the same"

My first introduction to Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" was the cartoon with Ichabod Crane reading, eating a pie, and walking all at the same time. To make this even better -- and more memorable -- are the songs performed by the great Bing Crosby. The lyrics above are from "Ichabod" and I often find myself singing this song for no reason at all.

The point of this reverie is TCM is airing The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad tonight at 7:45. If you like a little light Halloween fun, this cartoon version of the classic tale is for you.

 http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/622839/The-Adventures-of-Ichabod-and-Mr-Toad/

Combo Tues./Wed.

For Tuesday's class, we finished our analysis of Sonnet 116 by looking at the specific words that are stressed and how Shakespeare uses meter to emphasize his thematic points. Then, we completed another practice multiple choice passage.

For Wednesday's class, we finished our practice multiple choice passages (the upcoming ones will be for points and content) and completed a box prompt on Sonnet 138. For the remainder of the class, we learned about psychoanalytical theory and the terminology that we can incorporate into our discussions and writings in the near future.

As an unofficial homework assignment, check out dream symbolism and how this impacts the psyche.

Here is one in alphabetical order: http://www.dreammoods.com/dreamdictionary/
Here is a list: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/30-common-dream-symbols.html

For Friday, bring your witch hats, brooms, black cats, and cauldrons -- it is time to begin Macbeth, or the Scottish play. We will finish psychoanalysis, talk about the background of the play, read the first scene (it's really short, but it does involve the "Weird Sisters," which I nominate Justin, David, and Ben to play), and discuss your text-long motif assignment.

116

A bit of a hodgepodge today -
1. Vocab Quiz 4. I am saving the Unit 5 words for the next quiz as it deals with Macbeth.
2. Multiple Choice Prose Passage. High score of 11/13. Remember, you want to score over 50% on the multiple choice to keep you on the path of a 3 or above.
3. A quick recap of Sonnet 130.
4. Sonnet 116 -- made famous, in my mind at least, as Marianne's love poem to Willoughby in Sense & Sensibility. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WOFLpmDbIs

For homework, identify the iambic pentameter of your assigned line and lines 11-14. You should pay close attention to what words are stressed and how this connects to the overall theme of the poem.

And, I found this article regarding a St. Louis body snatching -- something we will find topical next semester with Frankenstein: http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/books-and-literature/book-blog/when-body-snatching-came-to-s-st-louis/article_22da7cff-e391-5adf-9e63-4755069e04d2.html

Galloping

I should have videotaped our galloping in the hallway today! During class, we reviewed vocabulary, which means there is a quiz in your near future. Then, we identified the iambic pentameter of Sonnet 118 and watched a video of how to better find the meter in a Shakespeare poem. Using the galloping method (the rhythm of hooves, the rhythm of heartbeats), we learned how to read and break down the phrasing and, luckily, avoided any serious injury.

During next week's class, we will have more multiple choice, two more sonnets, and pyschoanalytical criticism to lead towards the Scottish play.

Make sure you identify the iambic pentameter for Sonnet 130!

The Starting of Shakespeare

First up, we continued with our Unit 5 vocabulary and a review of the poetic meters, line, stanzas, and types. Next up, the three main sonnet structures of Petrarch, Shakespeare, and Spenser. Of course, Petrarch tends to follow the abba abba cde cde (with some variance), Shakespeare prefers the abab cdcd efef gg, and Spenser likes to shake it up with abab bcbc cdcd ee.

With the end of poetry terminology and examples, we moved forward into everyone's favorite AP activity: multiple choice passages. Looking at two samples, we identified types of stems and practiced close reading skills to better answer the questions. Whiles these two passages were for practice, we will soon move into score grades.

And in the last moments, we began to read Shakespeare with "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day," which was generously read to us by Thomas Hiddleston. For tomorrow's class, we will break down the iambic pentameter of the poem and gallop our way into understanding meter.

Congratulations to Justin for his Mr. FZN crown!

The Ode & Dramatic Monolgue

After today's class, we are almost finished with poetry styles. First up, the ode and the particular example of Shelley's "The West Wind." In five sonnets, Shelley utilizes the wind and its relationship to three of the four elements (fire saved for the last stanza and the ultimate rebirth of humanity and self) and eventually ties the "tameless, and swift, and proud" to himself to make nature and the speaker kindred spirits. Ending with a rhetorical question, Shelley leaves the wind and its resilience to the audience and their comprehension to the "trumpet of prophecy."

Tomorrow -- vocab, sonnets, villanelles, multiple choice, and Shakespeare.

Romantic Poets - The Gifts That Keep on Giving

On my Twitter feed, I follow the Romanticism blog, which shares quotes and poems from the great Keats, Byron, Wordsworth, Blake, and all the others.

This morning, I have a few quotes for you:

Lord Byron: "All men are intrinsical rascals and I am only sorry that not being a dog I can't bite them." Knowing Byron, he was most likely talking about himself here.

Keatsy: "Does Shelley go on telling strange Stories of the Death of Kings? Tell him there are strange Stories of the death of Poets." Sound familiar? You should recognize the Shelley poem regarding the "king of kings" and the ironic end to his immortality. And wait, would this inspire Shelley to write an elegy upon the death of a young Romantic poet, a young "Adonais"?

The Jane Austen Room

The majority of you know how I name one room in a house after a famous author. For instance, my mom's family room is called the Henry James Room with its resplendent dark red and patterned wallpaper. And, my living room has been christened the Jane Austen Room with it dark green paint and Shakespearean heroine paintings (Miranda, Ophelia). Yesterday, I spent copious hours studying poetry with the next generation of literary analysts: Monty.

Enjoy your poetry reading tonight in a place that brings you equanimity! I think Monty will like "Ode to the West Wind."

Lyrics & Elegies

Today's class was brought to you by cheesecake, uh, Robert Burns and Percy Bysshe Shelley.

For lyrical poetry, "A Red, Red Rose" was the subject for reviewing rhyme scheme, meter (if you are struggling with identifying meter from the first word, try going backwards), and stanza. As noted, this puppy is iambic trimeter, with emphasis on the rose, the lass, the dear, and, of course, the luve. There were other words stressed, of course, but those stick out more for the theme and the overall poem analysis.

Since one lyric is not enough, we also read "Dover Beach" by Matthew Arnold for the same lyrical properties. Starting from a mini sonnet, Arnold creates a euphonious visual image in contrast with the cacophonous auditory image. This juxtaposition furthers the metaphor of the husband-wife relationship and the necessary comprehension of the sublime and the abhorrent existing in every communicable alliance. I think that sums up your thoughts during class today.

Although Percy Bysshe Shelley has a questionable past (euphemism), he does earn points with me for comparing my Keatsy to "Adonias," of four syllables, to mourn the loss of a poet with such eidetic, lugubrious diction. Of note in this elegy, a poem of morning, there are the mythological allusions to Adonis (which, yes, is a surprising choice if you consider my Keatsy and his wee stature), the caesura (new term alert -- new term alert), the alliteration, the apostrophe, the assonance, and the enjambment. As we already know, Keatsy was a brilliant writer and his loss is something to mourn, especially since no one can tarnish his talent or the memory of his strong works.

Hachacha sent me this over the summer from her trip to Italy.

For tomorrow's class, we will return to vocabulary to mix up our hardcore poetry packet. Then, we will look at another example of an elegy - this one to Lincoln. On your end of the homework spectrum, you will read "The Ode" section and complete the related questions.

More poetry to come...followed by multiple choice...followed by Shakespeare sonnets...followed by Macbeth...followed by The Metamorphosis. There is a lot more in between all those ellipses, so I hope you are ready to AP Lit these texts!

The Ballad of Barbara Randall Door

During first quarter, we spent a great deal of time discussing themes, literary devices, characterization, and interpretation. Now, it is time to up the ante. For poetry, we have delved into the types of feet, lines, rhymes, and stanzas to better identify structure. To put these elements into practice, we looked at Ballads -- the quatrains, the rhyme schemes, and the repetition of song-like narratives. Our first ballad, "Bonnie Barbara Allan," features a differing rhyme scheme and patterns to indicate the differences between life (her) and death (him), repetition of several words (very, mother, round), and dialogue to complete characterization. To continue with balladry, "Lord Randall" and "Get Up and Bar the Door" feature the rhyming, the dialogue, and some conflicted mother-son and husband-wife relationships. Overall, I think we learned that the silent game if an effective competition until it is midnight and mischief-makers waltz into our abode.

Feet

Today's class introduced us to the types of metrical feet used in poetry: iamb, trochee, spondee, anapest, and dactyl. Over the course of our introductory handout, you analyzed words for syllables and stressed/unstressed combinations.

For tomorrow's class, we will share your creative sentences mixing up the feet. Then, we will have a packet of poetry styles to learn and utilize during our upcoming multiple choice passages.

Box Prompting

As we end our experience with Petrarch and Donne by completing box prompts, do not feel blue that you will be leaving poetry behind. Tomorrow, we will move into structure and types of poetry to further your comprehension of poetry, prepare for multiple choice passages (coming very soon), and compose even better prompt response analysis.

Donne's Sonnets

After those songs of varying length and structure, Donne began to formulate his sonnets. While these sonnets may have forced rhymes, the structure and rhyme scheme are quite consistent, just as his rhapsodizing ideology regarding death, the soul, and faith retains precedence in his works. 

Homework tonight is to complete the Donne box prompt. Treat this assignment as the middle ground between an outline and an essay. You will compose a thorough thesis answering the prompt, sections for the literary element and its usage, columns for evidence with citations (you have poem titles and line numbers available), boxes for full analysis, and concluding statement. Use your literary terms and diction precisely and engage with the Songs & The Sonnets to procure your ultimate Donne analysis.

Tomorrow we will be Donne.

Sidney Prompt

After vocabulary today, we spent the remainder of the hour covering the Rangefinders for the Sidney Prompt. Heading to a 9 essay, writers utilized more in-depth poetry terms (apostrophe, epithet, antagonist), placed evidence throughout a paragraph and not "chunked" evidence in one quick sentence, and composed thorough analysis that connected to the relationship portion of the prompt.

On Monday, Donne is back for more --- he will share his Sonnets (structure will be play a part) and we will see how his personas differ from the Songs.

We will have 2 box prompts next week dealing with Petrarch & Donne and then more on poetry, multiple choice, and, eventually, Shakespeare.

Compasses, Relics, and Shadows, Oh my!

After commencing with vocabulary today, we finished Donne's songs by identifying conceits, motifs, and other literary elements in "Valediction," "The Relic," and "A Lecture." As with his previous poems, we see a diverse persona emerging from each text (although the majority of them, thus far, have dealt with lovers in some shape or form).

Then...Donne...Donne...Donne...we had a Literary Device Quest in two parts. First part was all brain; second part was brain and toolbox. At this point in the course, you should have a grasp on these terms. As we move further into poetry structure, make sure your are utilizing the appropriate structural and literary terms.

And, of course, it is time for Rangefinders regarding the practice prompt. For homework, you will need to assign a number 1-9 to evaluate the essay's  merit. Even the last essay must have some merit to give it a score.

On Friday, we will go over the Rangefinders, your prompts, and start Donne's Sonnets.

Donne's Personas

I am going to ignore any connection between Donne and Marvell's Carpe Diem poems for this post. Today's class returned to Donne and four of his songs, the poetry of love, relationships, satire, and odd conceits. Our poems today, "The Flea," "The Good Morrow," "Woman's Constancy," and "The Anniversary," feature varying personas to reflect the character of Donne's particular speaker.  For tomorrow's installment, we will begin our next 10 vocabulary words, complete a Lit Device Quest (some toolbox usage will be utilized), finish Donne's "Songs," and most likely deal with his Sonnets and some rangefinders. Make sure you close read your assigned Donne poem and "The Paradox."

P.S. The New Historicist Essay. The New Historicist Essay. The New Historicist Essay.

Peer Review Day

Our class centered around peer review of the New Historicist essay. Tomorrow, we will review how to complete a Works Cited page for literary texts, commence our next unit of vocabulary, and return to our Donne. Remember, the final draft of the essay is due by 3:30 p.m. on Friday in hard copy form. 

P.S. These literary personality quizzes online are fascinating. I just finished the "Which Bronte Sister Are You" quiz and it looks like I am Charlotte Bronte. I think I am going to take another one to see if that result is consistent. 

And, if you want to check your Byronic hero knowledge -- a quiz for you: http://www.sporcle.com/games/sabrinap/byronic_heroes

Personas & Conceits

http://styleofwight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/John-Donne-resized-240x240.jpg

The transition from Petrarch's eyes and angels to Donne's fleas and compasses has begun. As noted in class today, we will be analyzing poetry for the speaker's persona, the character the author adopts to create the tone and theme of the poem. In our comparison of "Glorious Fame" and "The Indifferent," your class picked personas such as "preacher" and "boss" to describe the Petrarchan speaker's directions to the immoral women of society and "scorned lover" to clarify the Donne's speakers comprehension of relationships. As we interpret Donne's songs next week, we will spend some quality time discussing all of Donne's personas and his conceits, the extended metaphors occupying many of his poetic works. 

On Monday, we will have peer evaluation day for the New Historicist essay. You will need to have a hard copy for this activity. Final drafts are due by Friday, October 9, at 3:30 p.m. in hard copy form.

Love is a Battlefield

Does this mean Petrarch came up with the battlefield analogy and not Pat Benatar?
https://play.google.com/music/preview/Te4icddnqktv4utghlf454avtiy?lyrics=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-lyrics

http://www.todayinliterature.com/assets/portraits/

http://4e7221.medialib.glogster.com/media

Make sure you bring your Petrarch/Donne packets for Friday's class. I can't wait to hear all of your Donne puns -- his name is the gift that keeps giving every year.

Vocabulary in Action - Atelier

To give you a sense of an atelier, and possibly remind you of the meaning of the word for the upcoming quiz, here is a link about my friend Kristen, the designer of iheartfink: http://www.hectv.org/watch/state-of-the-arts/october-2015/20240/fink-fashion-ink/.

And to anticipate a future question, no matter how much you like her atelier, we will not be able to take a field trip there.

A Petrarchan Catharsis

After realizing that you all need to study for the vocab quiz tomorrow, we started our next unit involving poetry. First up, the legendary Francisco Petrarcha and his muse Laura. Over class, we started to note religious motifs, repetitive symbols, elevating diction, and mythological allusions within two of his poems. But, we were not finished with just analyzing literary elements today! With poetry, recognizing structure is necessary for every poetical analysis.

The Italian sonnet rhyme scheme features the great band ABBA ABBA and then has a combination of CDE CDE or some related form. Check out more examples of the sestet rhyme scheme here:  http://www.sonnets.org/basicforms.htm. Also of note is the volta and its dividing turn between the octave and sestet.

For class tomorrow, close read the third poem for discussion. After our quiz, we will be spending the hour with Petrarch and his other poems.

A domani!

Keats Article

While we may not be reading my Keatsy until next semester, I thought many of you would appreciate this article dealing with his mental health while he was writing his letters to Fanny and other family members.

https://wordsworth.org.uk/blog/2015/09/28/moods-of-my-own-mind-keats-melancholy-and-mental-health/

P.S. AP Lang will be about Keats later this week! If it's October, it must be Keats!

http://www.keats-shelley-house.org/system/images/0000/0466/Yours-ever.jpg?1323279055

Poetry Prompting

Say goodbye to the epic and its heroes, storytellers, and monsters. Say hello to poetry. Today's class was a poetry prompt, which is acting as a pre-assessment. Rangefinders will follow soon. This week we will start poetry and travel back to the time when unrequited love causes a man to write 365 poems to his muse, the best name in the world, Laura.

Our Last Anglo Saxon Text

1. We finished our 20 words from the hybrid Unit 3/4 vocab unit. Review will be Tuesday and the quiz will be Wednesday.

2. We read our last Anglo Saxon test, "The Wife's Lament." I am sad we are leaving the Anglo Saxons behind. They were such a fun-loving, war-hungering, storytelling group. In class, we worked on two interpretations: the clan exile versus the husband exile. In groups, we determined a theme for the poem and identified literary devices. Then, in a 10 minute solo burst of writing, we produced a paragraph that connected one literary device to the theme of the text.

3. The New Historicist Essay has arrived, and it is ready for your analysis. 

4. The Jane Eyre New Historicist Essay example -- minus evidence -- provides a sample on how texts can exhibit the ideologies of old and still exhibit a more round picture of the ideology.

5. You have a chart to help you with prewriting this weekend. Fill out as much information you can -- this will act as an outline for your essay.

6. Time to move from college discussion to AP prompt writing. Timed poetry prompt on Monday to assess your skills at this time. 

And, here are all my favorite Jane Eyres...

Joan Fontaine

http://www.doctormacro.com/Images/Fontaine,%20Joan/Annex/Annex%20-%20Fontaine,%20Joan%20(Jane%20Eyre)_02.jpg

Charlotte Gainsbourg

https://criticalconfabulations.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/jane_eyre_11385_medium.jpg

Ruth Wilson

http://www.bbc.co.uk/staticarchive/f18358bbd09fde16959d83668189cb897fe8f724.jpg

Mia Wasikowska

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/bbcfilms/image/976x549/film/832x468/jane_eyre_mia_wasikowska_8.jpg

I guess this means I will have to create a blog about my favorite Mr. Rochesters! I think Toby Stephens is the best one thus far!

Farewell, Dear Grendel

I still have the echo of a squawking Grendel losing his battle with Beowulf, the man of strong shoulders. From Gardner's perspective, we have witnessed the inner turmoil of the monster and, while a representative of Anglo Saxon ideology of pure evil and darkness, Grendel has become a round character full of insanity, spite, and longing for human connection.

Guess what? There is no reading homework for Friday! When we resume our Anglo Saxon class, we will read a poem, the last text before assigned the New Historicist essay. Time to write, my little monsters.

Fun Fact: New Orleans Awakening

I was researching New Orleans, and I found this traditional celebration here https://holiday.neworleansonline.com/traditions/reveillon-dinners/ No, we can't take a class field trip, but we can incorporate this fest into our end of semester preparations.

The Real Shaper

Grendel is the shaper of his story! While this was the last idea of class today, I feel that it is the most significant. Everything we read -- the dragon's mentor role, Unferth's misadventures, Wealtheow's queenly duties -- is told via Grendel's perspective. Grendel feels a connection to the aforementioned characters - a philosophical monster, an outsider hero, a child forced into a situation not of her own decision. Hence, we have more sympathy to characters reflective of Grendel and his qualities.

For tomorrow's Monster Party, read chapters 8-10. We will do dramatic readings of 11 & 12 during class time. After we finish Grendel, we have one more text to read and then it is time for the New Historicist essay assignment.

Poetry is coming...

The Thinker

http://www.musee-rodin.fr/sites/musee/files/styles/zoom/public/resourceSpace/3564_fee51463caa859c.jpg?itok=NE478aZL



While Rodin may have sculpted this with Dante in mind, our discussion regarding Grendel as an observing outsider searching for understanding and companionship reminded me of the sculpture above. Gardner paints Grendel as a little boy learning from his violent human neighbors and the historically inaccurate storytellers. Are we surprised that Grendel turns to violence and hyperbolic uses of language to create his own legend? We discussed nature versus nurture today, and Gardner made us consider how much evil is innate and how much is modeled to the susceptible young.

For tomorrow, we will resume vocab experts with the last five words of unit 3 and the first 5 words of unit 4. The quiz will now cover 20 words. Then, we will see what Grendel has been doing in chapters 5-7.

And, don't forget that our Monster Bash is Wednesday to celebrate Grendel and all those Anglo Saxon monsters -- even though I think we can agree that many monsters are not born of Cain but born of man.

Those Pesky Goddesses

Unlike the excerpts from Beowulf and Gilgamesh, the Gods play a significant role in the plot development and character outcomes in the Iliad. Athena has her lovely hands all over this one! Whether you are Team Achilles (Laura the student) or Team Hector (Laura the teacher), we can't deny that Homer elevates the beautiful physical specimen that is Achilles, the hound, over the honorable protector that is Hector, the fawn.

http://unnaturalworld.wikia.com/wiki/File:Brad-pitt-troy.jpg

http://cdn.moviestillsdb.com/sm/c11013bf487a3a15568edc0e4bd52c2c/troy.jpg

Now, it is time for Grendel to reenter the picture. John Gardner gives us the Grendel point of view with a lot of choice language. Since many of you felt empathy over Grendel's lonesome state, you will welcome even more insider knowledge over our supposed monster. Read chapters 1-4 for Monday's class.

As noted on the board, several Anglo Saxon ideologies have popped up in multiple texts. Hmm...sounds like a New Historicist essay will be arriving shortly!

Party Like It's 999!

I am not sure if Grendel's Mother's termination, Grendel's posthumous beheading, common people's illness, death, and fear of apocalypse, and Humbaba's demise constitutes a party-like atmosphere. However, we are willing to celebrate anything in literary history. On a related sidebar, we need to think of a theme for our "monster" celebration next week while we are reading Grendel's own side of that pesky Beowulf interloper.

Discussion-wise, kudos to everyone for upping their interpretation to AP-level quality. I heard literary devices, characterization, and ideologies in every single observation. In addition, you supported your ideas with line references and direct quotes and explained the significance of your evidence. As we moved into Gilgamesh and our group analysis, I witnessed multiple participants use evidence from various points of the text to support one idea. Keep with this game plan when you take notes, participate, and write. At AP-level, you need all those components to show mature, thorough interpretation.

For Friday's shortened class, you will need to read The Iliad selection from the textbook and learn the fate of honorable Hector and beautiful Achilles -- or at least that is how the introductory material describes these two mythical figures. More post-its await!

One last item of note - 

While we are not reading Hamlet in this class, many of you have read the play, seen the film, or overheard the gist from hearing Mr. Bertram's class act it out next door. 

On October 15, Benedict Cumberbatch's version from the National Theatre in London will be broadcast here in many local theaters. Proceed to this link if you would like to learn more about this production: http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ntlout10-hamlet . I saw Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller play Victor Frankenstein and the Creature last year, and the National Theatre Live productions are vivid, memorable, unique takes on classical literature. 

http://louismayeux.typepad.com/.a/6a00e551bd0760883301bb085b66b1970d-pi

Goodbye Grendel

During today's class, our discussion centered around utilizing literary devices, characterization, and Anglo Saxon ideologies. As I forced you to use your terms and include evidence today, I expect you to incorporate these components into our future discussions and written assignments.

For tonight's readings, you have Sections 12 & 13 remaining in Grendel's portion of Beowulf (pgs. 36-38), "Life in 999" regarding the end of a millennium without Prince to rock us through (pgs. 40-41), and Gilgamesh, featuring an epic hero with a sidekick and a great deal of epic similes (pgs. 56-63). Let's see if you like the "monster" of this epic poem more than the hero.

I am Beowulf. Hear me brag.

After reviewing the Anglo Saxon ideologies on the board, we began our intensive analysis of Beowulf and how our conception of the epic hero and monster figures are portrayed in literature. Thus far, Beowulf is losing in the class popularity contest. His diction, examples, and overall tone scream narcissism. Overall, we have noted how the text is merging the once juxtaposed motifs and characterizations. The darkness & light and the hero & the monster are overlapping and, in some cases, switching places.

For this evening, you will get to know Unferth and be a part of the Beowulf-Grendel first meeting. No, they don't "meet cute" in Herot. Read through section 11.

The Answer

The magic number is 343. Yes, larger than last year's count. Yes, not the final number by far. An example of what I acquired this summer in Miami...

http://images.neimanmarcus.com/ca/1/product_assets/X/2/F/N/X/NMX2FNX_mk.jpg

The Anglo Saxons

As we incorporate the New Historicist lens into our critical interpretations, our reading selections will connect to epic poems and the Anglo Saxon ideologies prevalent in such literary examples. Those Anglo Saxon ideologies -- mingling with the Celtic, Irish, and Roman influences -- will center our interpretation of Beowulf. If you need a refresher of these ideologies prior to Monday's class, review the Anglo Saxon background section in the textbook starting on page 6.

And with those Anglo Saxon ideologies regarding kings, warriors, monsters, women, and religion, we begin our short relationship with the epic Beowulf. Today, AP Lit members met the ever monstrous Grendel and were quite empathetic to his role as an outsider in a community of happy-go-lucky warriors. Does this mean Grendel does not reflect the common Anglo Saxon ideology of monsters?

When you enter our Anglo Saxon classroom on Monday, read sections 1-3 of Beowulf and be prepared to lead discussion of characterization, literary devices, themes, and, of course, Anglo Saxon ideologies in the text.

Tea & Meetings

Overall observations on free response essays:

1. Make sure to bring in specific details from the text. While you may not be directly quoting the text, there are memorable motifs, symbols, and character behaviors that can be incorporated into your essay.

2. Your diction can add touches of voice and reflect your understanding of the text. In one essay by ML, she used the infinitive "to drown" to describe Edna's struggle with gender roles in her society. Her word choice was quite apropos for the given text.

3. Little components of writing do add up. Make sure you are analyzing literature in present tense, avoiding "to be" verbs, removing contractions, and maintaining third person.

Tomorrow we turn to the Anglo-Saxons, a time far removed from QE II.

AP Lit Royalty

I think this picture explains it all! I will update class content (we actually did something during the hour related to essay writing) on the next blog post! Thanks Justin for your improvised speech dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II and her historical reign!

The Non-Timed Writing Prompt

Unlike AP Lang, which had to suffer through their first timed writing prompt, AP Lit begins with a step-by-step review of essay writing for the free response prompt. Don't get used to this timing! The desk rows will one day be for your class. Cue ominous music.

Overall, introductions that worked created an ambiance of the text's culture. Whether it was creating a map analogy, utilizing diction, or referencing a certain Rebel Without a Cause, the introduction should ingratiate the audience and prepare for the thesis and your response to the prompt.

Body-wise, do not forget to intertwine little details from the text into your writing. Since you do not have direct quotes to rely upon, you will need to include significant details for your analysis and to show that you have read the text and not just read the summary online. As mentioned in class, you can bring in evidence such as the HOD painting or The Awakening dragging skirts to further indicate your connection between textual detail and analysis of the culture.

In conclusion, no, that is an amateur way to end an essay. When you do reach the concluding portion, focus on creating a final, memorable thought about the prompt and the text. This is not a time for regurgitation of all previous information.

Make sure you have the remainder of your body and concluding paragraphs for tomorrow's class. We will have meetings over the entirety of your essay's content, and we will grab highlighters for editing key components of literary writing.

See you for the QEII morning tea party tomorrow!

Freely Responding

How incredible to think of the "gaudy" lady and Mrs. Sommers crying for each other's lifestyle? As indicated during S's presentation today, your AP Lit analysis - and eventual writing - should strive for originality of interpretation.

During today's class, we started our first free response essay. How is free response different from other essays? A free response requires you to select a text (novel, play) of literary merit and use its literary elements, characterization, and themes to answer the given prompt. There are no quotations in this essay (unless you remember a significant quote). Your analysis and selection of related details show your understanding of the text and act as evidence.

Here is the prompt: Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot.

We will complete this free response essay on a step-by-step basis. Thus far, we have followed these steps:

1. Break down the prompt - circle/underline key words and phrases that focus your essay writing.

2. Brainstorm a list of texts that you could use for the prompt and select the one that you will use.

3. Write a thesis statement and brief plan/outline for the body paragraphs.

4. Write 2 possible hooks for this essay -- analogy, allusion, phrasing, etc. No personal anecdotes -- literature is all about the text.

When you walk into class on Tuesday, have these 2 hooks ready to go. We will work more on the actual writing Tuesday/possibly Wednesday.

And lastly, September 9 marks Queen Elizabeth II overtaking Queen Victoria as the longest reigning monarch in England's history. I think we should have a little British party to celebrate. Thoughts? I can bring the scones!

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2012/1205/int_iconicqueen_0511.jpg

The Chopin Effect

Impressions from Chopin presentations today:

1. AC gave us the best example of merging literary analysis with the technical requirements of literary terms, textual evidence, and textual citations. In addition, she knew all of the characters and their foibles, provided connections to the other Chopin stories, and exhibited measured, specific, mature diction.
2. Whether verbal or written, AP Lit work products should go something like this: identification of literary device and its effect in the text, specific example (s) with citations, explanation of the example in coordination with the device, and analysis of the effect.
3. Finding patterns over the course of a text indicates the most maturity. How many times did we see characters' hands and eyes specified, or a bird in a cage, or an open window, or the sea? How many stories featured white color symbolism?
4. Overall, I am glad that we started off our new readings delving into Chopin -- we had motifs, character types, gender roles, themes, and other elements we need to understand and analyze prose works.

On Friday, we have one more presentation to go, and we will be starting our first writing prompt -- step-by-step (how very New Kids of me).

The Awakened

Oh, Edna. Whether you agree or disagree with Chopin's authorial decision to allow her protagonist to take her final swim instead of fighting her way through the either-or fallacy of gender roles in nineteenth century Louisiana, the culminating moments (Robert's little "note," Edna's disrobing, the sun and sea personification) cemented the literary loop of motifs and characterization apparent from the first time we saw this childlike character return sunburned from the beach.

During tomorrow's class, you will share your assigned Chopin short story and fulfill all of these literary analysis elements: overall theme, protagonist characterization, significant minor character characterization, milieu, three additional literary devices, patterns of literary elements across Chopin's multiple works, and connections to other literary characters.

Then...(cue Jaws music)...it is time for the first writing prompt...

The Almost Final Awakening

AP Lit will soon find out the answers to many Awakening questions: When Robert returns from Mexico, will Edna still be in love with his hairstyle? Were single men the largest population in Louisiana? Will the parrot learn new French phrases? Will Chopin describe more characters by their hands? Will Edna ever swim again? 

Finish the text tonight and we will wrap up all those analytical classifications (theme, characterization, gender roles, and motifs). I assume we will spend a great deal of time on the ending -- I promise not to give anything away -- at the moment. 

While listening to your thoughts about The Awakening, I see such dynamic analysis. I wish I could say that I understood all those motifs and characterizations at age 19, when I first read the text in college. 

The Twenty-Eighth of August

It looks like Kate Chopin and our reading schedule are synchronous! Alas, we were not able to awake at midnight and traverse the Gulf beaches looking for Edna's spirit. I didn't have time to have that field trip approved.

For Monday's class, we will return to vocabulary experts and resume our Awakening analysis. Will Edna go for another swim? Will she swim alone? Why does one particular lady like to wear black and skulk about the beach? All these questions and more to be continued with our motif-loving author, Kate Chopin. Read Chapters 17-27 and prep for more theme, character, motif, and literary analysis.

Don't forget to make a dent in your own Chopin presentation assignment. While you are reading "short" stories, if you procrastinate until the last minute to do your reading, you will most likely find Chopin's writing quite long.

*A little tip for literary discussions - incorporate your literary terms as you verbalize your impressions of the text. If you are referencing a particular color, perhaps mention symbolism. If you are recognizing a comparison of two characters, perhaps mention juxtaposition. Those little details add to your analysis and, of course, your written analysis, and, of course, to your AP Lit grade.

To the Sea

http://www.oceanconservancy.org/assets/feature-images/standard/restoring-the-gulf-of-mexico.png

Would you agree that the above image is apropos for The Awakening's burgeoning motifs? Today's discussion focused on the first five chapters and its characterizations of Monsieur and Madame Pontellier, the perfect handed Adele, and that pesky Robert fellow (I am purposely avoiding any related color symbolism). Make sure you read Chapters 6-16 to see if Edna spends more time at the sea and out of her "cage." 

Lord Byron's lines from "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" could be Edna's theme song: "...there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more."

Your individual Chopin presentations will occur Tuesday/Wednesday, depending on the completion of The Awakening. One of the most important components of the presentation is the connections you make between multiple texts. I highly recommend reading as much of Chopin's short stories as possible. 

Lastly, don't forget to sign up for college credit, if you are so inclined for AP Lit. The deadline is September 4, and UMSL is the sponsoring school for the course. 

Still Close Reading

http://www.katechopin.org/bust/

Rather exciting to receive a new book in class -- especially one full of a stories from a St. Louis writer. To the right is the Central West End bust dedicated to Kate Chopin, who once lived on McPherson Avenue. Chopin wrote of her nineteenth century world, one in which gender roles dictated reputations, lifestyles, and behaviors. Via The Awakening and her short stories, you will have a sense of that nineteenth century environment and how she influenced generations of writers and literary theory.

To start our analysis, you are assigned the first 5 chapters of The Awakening. 

To recap today's class, don't ever forget to CLOSE READ. I know I sound like the cliched "broken record," but finding literary devices and thematic elements prior to multiple choice work helps you in the long run! 

Lastly, I hope this class encourages you to read more diverse genres and become familiar with great authors. My second favorite novel is Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, and it is the first novel that made me cry while reading its climactic conclusion. Every December I read the tale of the outlier Inman and the belle Ada. Most importantly, the character of Ada, whose name means noble, inspired me to give my rabbit this beautiful name. Today would have been her 8th birthday, and I would like to celebrate her memory and the novel that has changed my life in so many ways. Happy reading. 

And the blog begins...

 First, Hachacha convinces me to start a Scholar Quiz Twitter page, and now I am blogging about AP Literature. This first blog is more of a test to see what will happen, so there will not be any groundbreaking news, announcements, or study information. (We'll save that for the next one -- if this works!) Instead, I thought a little reminder of the AP spirit was an order: the "goofy" poses of last year's AP testers. 

 AP Literature is a whole different beast (sorry, Grendel) than AP Lang. We have moved from non-fiction's purpose to literary characterization and themes. And with that in mind, we will sample the greatest works of literature: Petrarch and his poetry to Laura, Donne and his metaphysical conceits, Macbeth's wondrous witches, Gregor Samsa's infamous metamorphosis, Chaucer's storytelling pilgrims, Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter Mary Shelley's greatest works, A Brave New World, and, of course, my beloved Keatsy and Heathcliff. 

"To be an artist includes much; one must possess many gifts - absolute gifts - which have not been acquired by one's own effort. And, moreover, to succeed, the artist much possess the courageous soul."

The above sentiment is from Kate Chopin, our first new author after summer reading. I thought it was appropriate as my AP Lit students exhibit courage to speak, analyze, and strive for success every day.