Amanda Palmer: TED Talk on “The Art of Asking” (2013)

• What is good art? How does one make it?
• Why is it important to ask for help? When should one ask for help?
• Why is failure important?
• Why is it important to have a community? A support system? A group of friends? Why does this remain important throughout someone’s life?
• What is art worth? How do people determine the worth of art?
• What is the essence of Palmer’s advice?

Neil Gaimain: Commencement Speech at the University of the Arts (2012)

• Why do we have speakers at graduations?
• What is the difference between school and scholarship, between school and education?
• What do successful people have in common? Define success.
• Why is failure important?
• What is good art? How does one make it?
• What is the essence of Gaiman’s advice?

Vocabulary

English 2

• Meter: rhythm in language that is recognized through beat patterns
• Metrical Verse: a structure of lines, rhythmic energy, and repetitive sound; meant to be read aloud
• Memoir: the mostly true story of what the author has learned through life
• Mentor: teaches and protects the hero; Gives the hero magical gifts to help complete the quest; Often tied to nature or religion; could be a failed hero who is trying to help the next generation
• Monologue: a lengthy speech by a single character
• Motif: a conspicuous element that recurs throughout a story
• Myth: stories told in pre-literate cultures to explain the universe, mankind’s existence, and how to live in community; a culture's sacred stories
• Negative Capability: a concept developed by John Keats to describe the way some writer’s explore things through their absence
• Objective: the author presents the information or story with a detached tone

English 4

• Belie: to show to be false; contradict
• Bellicose: inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent
• Boisterous: rough and noisy; noisily jolly or rowdy; clamorous; unrestrained
• Bona fide: made or carried out in good faith
• Bourgeois: affluent, middle-class folk who are conventional, conservative, or materialistic
• Brusque: abrupt in manner; blunt; rough.
• Camouflage: a device or stratagem used for concealment
• Carte blanche: unconditional authority; full discretionary power.
• Caustic: capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue; severely critical or sarcastic

WR 121 Research Proposal Notes

You must have a conversation with me explaining how your topic of choice connects to either The Scarlet Letter or The Awakening. This leaves a huge pool of topics to pull from, like the following examples:

• Should we still be protesting for equal treatment based on skin color/gender/sexual orientation?
• What should modern education look like?
• How much control should the government have over the individual?
• How should people with mental illness be treated? What options for care should be available to them?
• What makes someone a good parent?
• How should current research on brain development affect parenting/education?
• How should local forests be managed? Who should make the decisions about public spaces?
• What duty does society have to the working poor?

The first step in the research paper is developing a question, writing a proposal, and writing an introductory/thesis paragraph.

Proposal Format

• Topic (Research Question):
• Thesis Statement:
• Reasoning in Support of Argument:
• #1
• #2
• #3
• #4
• #5
• Counterarguments:
• Counterargument #1:
• Refute:
• Counterargument #2:
• Refute:
• Counterargument #3:
• Refute
• Source Material:
1. Article title, author, publish date:
2. Article title, author, publish date:
3. Article title, author, publish date:
• Thesis Paragraph/Introduction:

Honors 4: The Scarlet Letter vs. The Awakening

The Scarlet Letter Notes

• A Romantic critique of American hypocrisy: the first settlers were quick to judge anyone who was a threat to their sense of community, faith, and power
• sin: any selfish act that impinges upon the personhood or property of another
• penitence: true contraction for the act of sinning and the accompanying actions that keep the sinner from repeating the infraction
• penance: a series of behaviors or tasks designed to repay the person sinned against
• Feminism: the belief that equality is not based on gender
• Fairy Tale: written by the literate for the literate
• restoration: the “hero” loses his or her place which is returned after he/she passes through the forest and passes a series of trials
• the rise: the “hero” starts with nothing and gains everything after he/she passes through the forest and passes a series of trials
• the forest: a place where the rules are totally different and unknown; everyone enters, not everyone leaves and not everyone leaves sane
• coded language is used to give the story multiple levels of meaning
• The Characters
• Hester Prynne: the hero who is forced to take full responsibility for her sins and suffers a mental breakdown before rising to meet every trial and face her shadow
• Arthur Dimmesdale: the stand-in for every person corrupted by the safety of their life at the expense of others; he is the damsel in distress who fails to understand what meeting his shadow is about (only when he finally faces himself is he freed)
• Roger Chillingworth: he entered the forest, faced his shadow, and returned to society slightly cracked; his issues were exacerbated by greed and revenge; however, even he has a moment of redemption
• Pearl Prynne: Hester’s illegitimate daughter; a shadow for each of the adults, she is seen by her society as flawed simply because of the circumstances of her birth
• Other Points of Interest—
• Anne Hutchinson: a female religious leader who was banished by the “good people” of Boston
• The Rose Bush: a piece of nature/the forest that has creeped into the town
• Native Americans: represent the unknown which the Puritans assume means evil, the witches hope means freedom, and th reader is to come to understand that they represent our otherselves/shadows
• The Clergy: must maintain order because order is power and power keeps them/the community safe…
• The Graveyard: home of the bodies, not the souls; the place between civilization and the forest (chaos); the place between life and death
• Chapters 1-4 (Hester as Maiden transforms into Hester as Mother)
• How does the scaffold represent sin?
• What does the forest represent?
• What brings about Hester’s mental breakdown?
• Why does Hester keep Dimmesdale’s and Chillingworth’s secrets?
• Chapters 5-9
• How is Hester outside of society? 
• What does the forest/cottage/seashore represent? 
• How has age transformed Pearl? 
• Chapters 10-11 (Hester as the Sheltered Wife transformed into Hester as the Intellectual)
• What purpose do the graveyard conversations between Chillingworth and Dimmesdale serve in the narrative?
• What purpose do the graveyard conversations between Chillingworth and Dimmesdale serve for the reader?
• How do Dimmesdale and Chillingworth function as shadows?
• Chapter 12
• How are the events on the scaffold a representation of hypocrisy?
• How has Dimmesdale been transformed by guild? Is it penitence or penance?
• How has Chillingworth been transformed by revent? Why does Hawthorne choose to make the transformation physical?
• Chapters 13-19
• How has the meeting of the scarlet letter transformed? Why?
• What does the forest represent in these chapters?
• How does the forest’s meaning change over these chapters? Why?
• How do Pearl and Dimmesdale function as shadows? As shapeshifters?
• How do Pearl and Hester function as shadows? As shapeshifters?
• How do Hester and Dimmesdale function as shadows? As shapeshifters?
• Who does the forest really transform? How?
• Chapters 20-23
• How does the scaffold serve as a tool of redemption?
• Is Dimmesdale truly redeemed?
• Chapter 24 (Hester as Wise Woman)
• How has Hester and Pearl’s escape from Boston transformed Chillingworth?
• How has Hester and Pearl’s escape from Boston transformed Pearl?
• How has Hester and Pearl’s escape from Boston transformed Hester?
• Choose three overall questions (answer with the analytical paragraph)
• How is The Scarlet Letter a Romantic era critique of the Colonial era?
• How does The Scarlet Letter qualify as a feminist fairy tale?
• How do the forest and graveyard represent specific characters in The Scarlet Letter? Which characters?
• Which character’s transformation matters the most to modern readers? Howso?

The Awakening Discussion Questions

• In what ways is Leonce a good husband?
• In what ways does Leonce see Edna as property? How is this typical of the time period?
• How is Edna not a typical wife or mother for her time period?
• What are some examples of culture shock Edna (from the conservative Bible Belt) suffers from in Creole New Orleans?
• What does the sea represent?
• How is Edna waking up?
• What is the one thing Edna is truly afraid of losing?
• Does Edna recognize choice versus consequence? Does she apply those lessons or ignore them?
• Is Edna ever truly independent? Explain.
• How are Hester Prynne and Edna Pontellier similar? Why do they face the world so differently?
• How is Alcee Arobon a predator? Why?
• What does Dr. Mandelet recognize that neither of the Pontellier’s do?
• How is Enda’s “goodbye dinner” a turning point? Think beyond the move, that’s obvious.
• If Edna is married to Leonce and in love with Robert, why does she enter a sexual affair with Alcee?
• What about Madame Rantignolle’s birth changes Edna’s life? Why?
• The Awakening: Analytical Questions
• Is Edna Pontellier capable of love? Explain fully.
• How are Leonce Pontellier, Robert Lebrun, and Alcee Arobon shadows? What do they each reflect?
• How are Edna Pontellier, Madame Reisz, and Adele Ratignolle shadows? What do they each reflect?
• How does Enda’s personal journey reflect the idea of “coming of age”? Explain fully.

English 4: Media and Information Manipulation

Documentaries to watch, discuss, and write about—we watch a variety of unrated documentaries in order to examine issues people today face, how to (and how not to) problem-solve, and the difference between communicating through film and through writing

Your January essay will be connected to the following topics:

• What is the purpose of the news?
• What is bias? How and when is it easily identifiable?
• What information is omitted that could change opinions? [Give an example of information omitted from many news sources that could change public opinion. Why do you think this happens?]
• Give an example of a news program or anchor who exhibits bias regarding a particular story. Why do you think this happens?
• What programs that touch on current news topics are clearly biased? How do you know?
• Where do you get your information? Is it from reliable sources? How do you know?
• How does a scene’s setting (music, images, dialogue, lighting, etc.) affect the information presented’s impact?
• Who is the ideal audience for a piece? How do you know? How does it impact the film?
• How does your frame of reference (personal knowledge) affect your understanding of a topic presented in the news media or in a documentary film?

2057: The Body. The City. The World (2007)

• What technology do you really hope to see in the future? Why?
• What is “Big Brother”? Does it exist? Why do you think that?
• What is “Little Brother”? Does it exist? Why do you think that?
• What are the chances we will end up in a world with some form of suspended animation? Why do you think that?
• What technology from each part is already on its way to existing? Why do you think that?
• What elements of this documentary do you like? Explain.
• What elements of this documentary do you hate? Explain?
• How likely is it that advertising will really be tracked according to our interests? Where does it already happen?
• What are the dangers of government scrutiny of individual citizens? Why do you think that?
• What are the dangers of private company scrutiny of individual citizens? Why do you think that?
• What are the dangers to people who oppose the government? Private companies?
• Notes:
• Big Brother is a term coined in Aldous Huxley’s 1984 and refers to government surveillance of individual citizens to ensure people do what they are supposed to
• Little Brother is a term coined by Cory Doctorow in his 2008 book of the same name and refers to the surveillance of the individual by other individuals

Poster Girl (2010)—the story of an Iraqi War Vet who came home and had to deal with severe PTSD

• Is there anything you have been planning to do your whole life? How does your image of this thing match Robyn's image of what life in the military would be like? Explain.
• Have you ever been broken/shattered/shocked by an event? How did your response compare to Robyn's?
• Is there anything from Poster Girl (lesson, idea, etc.) that you can connect to your own life? Explain.
• Who is Poster Girl meant for? How do you know?
• What information is Poster Girl trying to convey? How do you know?
• How does the Sara Nesson (filmmaker) want the audience to feel about the topic? How do you know?
• Why this topic? Explain.
• Why this approach? Explain.
• How do you see Robyn’s story being manipulated?
• How do you see information about the US Military or Veterans’ Services being manipulated? 
• What can be done to help people currently in the military? 
• What can be done to help people who have recently returned from active combat?

The Stories We Tell (2013)—Sarah Polly tries to understand her parents, their marriage, and why we tell ourselves different versions of the same story

• What are the things (3-5) that are the basis for a strong marriage? Briefly explain.
• What is your passion? What would make you give it up? Briefly explain.
• What kinds of people are best at keeping secrets—those who seem open or those who have obvious walls? Briefly explain.
• Why do we sometimes keep secrets from the people we love? Briefly explain.
• Why is Sarah Polly (the filmmaker) an obvious part of this documentary?
• Should we see other people’s stories? What needs does this fill for the audiences? Briefly explain.
• Have you ever gone through the same moment as someone else and had a totally different memory from that other person? Briefly explain.
• Have you ever read or watched a story that reminded you of your own life? Briefly explain.
• Why does Sarah Polly try to get everyone’s version of her mother and her parents’ marriage? Briefly explain. 
• Notes:
• Margaret Atwood is a Canadian author of science fiction that focuses on equality, equity, and abuses of power
• Diane lived large (and kept many secrets) while her husband, Michael, lived quietly and for the people he cared about

English 2: December

Period 1 read Catcher in the Rye and wrote two analytical paragraphs based on two of the four prompts below:

• When Holden says, “I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around – nobody big, I mean – except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff – I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all” (Salinger 173), what does he mean? What does he really want? Support and explain.
• Why does Holden see kids so differently from adults? According to the things Holden says and does, at what age to kids start to turn into “phonies” or adults? Support and explain.
• Why does Holden struggle so much with the world, the rules of society, understanding other people? Support and explain.
• Is Holden going to “get better” and be able to function in society? Support and explain.

Period 7 read Winterkill and wrote two analytical paragraphs based on two of the four prompts below:

• By the end of the book, is Danny a responsible adult? How do you know? What events changed him? How?
• What moments/people go furthest in helping Jack and Danny reconcile? Support and explain.
• What does the whole subplot about SUNCO represent? Are these things people should still be concerned about? Support and explain.
• What is the purpose of Danny sharing Red Shirt's stories of the Nez Perce with Jack? 

Another Analytical Paragraph Approach: response to an article, short story, chapter/book, play, poem, television show/episode, film, lecture, etc. (should be 7-14 sentences)

• Reading & Thinking
• Understand The Information—fiction, research (academic/internet/primary), opinion
• Determine the value of the information and sources
• Writing
• Answer the question or Make a statement
• Support the main point with specific information (statistics, quotes, examples, paraphrases)
• Explain the support
• Why does it matter? 
• What does it show? 
• What is its value?
• Make a connection (literature/popular culture/classes/opposing points of view)
• Explain the connection or counter-argument 
• Why does it matter? 
• What does it show? 
• What is its value?
• Wrap it up

H4/WR121: The Scarlet Letter Notes

A chapter a day keeps my evil away...

• As a Romantic critique of American hypocrisy: the first settlers were quick to judge anyone who was a threat to their sense of community, faith, and power
• Sin: any selfish act that impinges upon the personhood or property of another
• Penitence: true contrition for the act of sinning and the accompanying actions that keep the sinner from repeating the infraction
• Penance: a series of behaviors or tasks designed to repay the person sinned against
• As feminism: the belief that equality is not based on gender 
• As a fairy tale: written by the literate, for the literate
• Restoration: the "hero" loses his or her place which is returned after he/she passes through the forest and passes a series of trials
• The Rise: the "hero" starts with nothing and gains everything after he/she passes through the forest and passes a series of trials
• The Forest is a place everyone enters where the rules are completely different; not everyone leaves and not everyone leaves sane
• Coded language is used to give the story multiple levels of meaning 

• Hester Prynne: the hero of the piece who is forced to take full responsibility for her "sins" and suffers a mental breakdown before rising to meet every trial and facing her shadow
• Arthur Dimmesdale: the stand-in for every person corrupted by the safety of their life at the expense of others; he is the damsel in distress who fails to understand what meeting his shadow is about (only when he finally faces himself is he freed)
• Roger Chillingworth: he entered the forest, faced his shadow, and returned to society slightly cracked; his issues were exacerbated by greed and revenge; however, even he had a moment of redemption
• Pearl Prynne: Hester's illegitimate daughter; a shadow for each of the adults, she is seen by her society as flawed simply because of the circumstances of her birth 

• Ann Hutchinson: a female religious leader who was banished by the "good people" of Boston
• The Rose Bush: a piece of nature/the forest that has creeped into the town
• Native Americans: represent the unknown which the Puritans assume means evil, the witches hope mean freedom, and the reader is to come to understand that they represent our otherselves
• The Women: are more vicious about Hester's sin because she won't reveal her lover which means he could be anyone's husband or hoped for husband
• The Clergy: must maintain order because order is power and power keeps them safe...
• The Graveyard: home of the bodies, not the souls; the place between civilization and the forest (chaos); the place between life and death

Questions for chapters 1-4

• Who is in the crowd? How do they behave? Support and explain. 
• How is the letter "A" viewed? Support and explain.
• What did everyone think happened to Hester's husband? Support and explain.
• Why did Hester become hysterical on the scaffold? Support and explain.
• How much blame did Chillingworth take away from Hester? Support and explain.
• What secret is Hester hiding? Support and explain.
• Why does Hester keep each man's secret? Support and explain.

E4/WR115: All The Beowulf Stuff

Clips from The Clash of the Gods: Beowulf

• How trustworthy is this as a “documentary”? Support and explain.
• Why might this not be considered a traditional documentary? Support and explain.
• What historical truths did you learn about Beowulf? Support and explain.
• What expectations do you nw have in regards to reading it? Support and explain.
• What are the key qualities needed in a hero of the Middle Ages? Use the “Frame of Reference” packet, support, and explain.
• What can you tell about the story based on these clips? Support and explain.
• What purpose do monsters serve? Define the term monster, support, and explain.
• How is Beowulf a myth? A fairy tale? A legend? Support and explain.

Beowulf versus Grendel

• 86-114: How does the creation story fit with other creation stories you have heard? What purpose does it serve? Support and explain.
• What was the religious result of the “12 years of terror” inflicted by Grendel? Support and explain.
• What “omens” would the Geats have used to cause them to encourage Beowulf to help Hrothgar and the Danes? Support and explain.
• 587-594: What has Unferth done that would cause Beowulf to never respect him? Support and explain.
• Why would a “good king” like Hrothgar have someone like Unferth at his side? Support and explain.
• 677-682: Why does Beowulf choose to go “mano a mano”? Support and explain.
• What was the best section of imagery in the first part of the book? Support and explain.
• 797-804: How do Grendel’s enchantments and spells get circumvented? Did Beowulf already know about them before he made his decision? Support and explain.
• What other pieces of literature or stories have a hero circumventing prophecies or protections that make a monster “unkillable”? Support and explain.
• What purpose do the stories of other kings and heroes serve in this section? Support and explain.

Beowulf versus Grendel’s Mother

• Provide a brief synopsis (chain of events)
• Provide a brief summary (What was this section about? What was its message?)
• Who or what was important in this section? Support and explain.
• What changed? Support and explain.
• How well constructed is the story? Support and explain.
• What other pieces of literature does this section remind you of? Support and explain.
• What other classes reflect the key ideas at play in this section? Support and explain.

Beowulf versus The Dragon

• What evidence is there that Tolkien (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings) borrowed ideas from Beowulf? Support and explain.
• Why does the text drift from the dragon to Beowulf helping the Swedes? Support and explain.
• Why did Beowulf help the Swedes? Support and explain.
• 2625-2628/2694-2687: What do these lines tell us about Wiglaf? Why is this important information? Support and explain.
• 2681-2682/2686-2687: How does this information change your understanding of Beowulf’s choices during his battle with Grendel? Support and explain.
• How can the events in the third part of Beowulf be connected to the legends of King Arthur? Support and explain.

All Classes: Analytical Paragraph

Analytical Paragraph: response to an article, short story, chapter/book, play, poem, television show/episode, film, lecture, etc. (should be 7-14 sentences)

• Summary (what was it about? what  was the message?)
• Support from the text (paraphrase or quote w/acknowledgement)
• Explain the first piece of support
• Another piece of support from the text (paraphrase, quote w/acknowledgement) or Make a connection to another article, poem, chapter, short story, television show, film, class, etc.
• Explain the second piece of support or Explain the connection
• Finish with “so what? now what?”

H4/WR121: Le Morte d'Arthur

Discussion Questions for tomorrow

• In what ways does Malory showcase the corruption of the wealthy? How does this connect with modern entertainment?
• Why does modern entertainment seem to be pulled between the "reality of human weakness" and the "fantasy of the hero who overcomes obvious monsters"?
• What direction should movies/book/tv shows go? Fantasy? Reality? Action? Why? What should they reveal about our society/our hopes/our fears?

Essay Topics (must also connect to a piece of literature written or produced in the last 500 years)

• "Seed the wind and reap the whirlwind" is an ancient proverb—how does Arthur's story illustrate this message?
• "May you get your heart's desire" is an ancient curse—how do Arthur, Lancelot, Guinivere, Morgan, and/or Mordred illustrate this message?
• Who did Malory see as monsters? How is that shown in his version of King Arthur's Legend?

E2: Catching up on vocabulary lists

Use each term correctly in a sentence. Come up with an example for each term and explain why/how the example works for that term. 

List 2

• Ballad: song or metrical poem, usually transmitted orally, that tells a story
• Biography: the facts of someone else’s life
• Blank Verse: iambic pentameter poem without a rhyme scheme
• Bowdlerize: to remove indelicate or indecent passages from a text or film
• Breath: the center of being alive; its rhythm indicates mood
• Caesura: a structural and logical pause within a line (punctuated!)
• Canon of Literature: a list of works, compiled by experts that represent an author, time period, or society
• Carpe Diem: seize the day; romantic era philosophy encouraging people to make the most out of the lives they had
• Character Sketch: short, witty prose about a distinctive type of person, or a distinctive person.
• Characterization: creating and establishing specific individuals (characters) in a story, poem, or film

List 3

• Chivalric Romance: narrative style developed in France to showcase the ideal qualities of knights
• Chorus: a group of people in ancient Greek plays who chanted together
• Cliché: overused phrase
• Comedy: meant to amuse; all problems work out perfectly in the end
• Comic Relief: characters, speeches or scenes, in a tragic or dramatic work, meant to provide humor
• Connotation: secondary or associated meanings for a word
• Courtly Love: an elaborate code governing affairs of the heart used among medieval aristocrats
• Consonance: repetition of internal sounds, repetition of end sounds
• Conceit: an unusual or fanciful comparison
• Couplet: rhyme which occurs in two consecutive lines

List 4

• Criticism: term for works concerned with defining, analyzing, classifying, and evaluating words of literature.
• Denotation: dictionary definition of a word; primary definition
• Diction: word choice
• Epic: novella length (150 pgs) poem with dignified theme, organic unity, orderly progress, heroic figures
• Ethos: overall disposition or character of an individual; in rhetoric it is validity of an argument
• Euphemism: an inoffensive expression used in place of a blunt or embarrassing one
• Figurative language: all forms of words that create images (analogy, allusion, alliteration, etc)
• Flashback: narratives or scenes which represent events that happened before the time the story started
• Foot: one complete unit of metrical pattern
• Foreshadow: a hint at an upcoming twist in the plot
• Free Verse: uses common sense and natural expression; must feel like a poem; plays with expectations of readers and poets; poetry with varying line length that does not need to rhyme

E4/WR115: Catching up the vocabulary lists

List 2: Use each term correctly in a sentence. Come up with an example for each term and explain why/how the example works for that term.

• Denotation: dictionary definition of a word; primary definition
• Ethos: overall disposition or character of an individual; in rhetoric it is validity of an argument
• Figurative language: all forms of words that create images (analogy, allusion, alliteration, etc)
• Free Verse: uses common sense and natural expression; must feel like a poem; plays with expectations of readers and poets; poetry with varying line length that does not need to rhyme
• Gatekeeper: person who guards a gateway or task; sometimes they are part of the villain’s company or sometimes they can become allies or members of the hero’s group
• Hero: puts the well-being of his people above his own safety and from beginning to end, he learns important skills and changes as a person
• Humanism: set of beliefs that focus on activities of mankind – mathematics, naturalism, philosophy, and theology
• Hyperbole: an extreme overstatement

List 3: Use each term correctly in a sentence. Come up with an example for each term and explain why/how the example works for that term.

• Irony: the meaning implied differs dramatically from the meaning expressed
• Metrical Verse: a structure of lines, rhythmic energy, and repetitive sound; meant to be read aloud
• Memoir: the mostly true story of what the author has learned through life
• Mentor: teaches and protects the hero; gives the hero magical gifts to help complete the quest; often tied to nature or religion; could be a failed hero who is trying to help the next generation
• Myth: stories told in pre-literate cultures to explain the universe, mankind’s existence, and how to live in community; a culture's sacred stories
• Objective: the author presents the information or story with a detached tone
• Pathos: passions, sufferings, or feelings of an individual; in rhetoric it is the emotional manipulation used in an argument
• Plot: events and actions in a story and the order they are set to achieve a particular emotional or artistic effect
• Point of View: the way a story gets told; the way an author presents characters ,dialogue, action, setting, and events

List 4: Use each term correctly in a sentence. Come up with an example for each term and explain why/how the example works for that term.

• Prose: writing of various purposes whose lines follow the margins
• Poetry: verse whose purpose is to elicit specific emotion, explore a universal truth, or celebrate something (however small); lines of verse do not follow the margins of a page, especially the right margin
• Rhetoric: a type of discussion whose chief aim is to persuade the audience to think or act in a particular way
• Satire: making a topic or lifestyle look ridiculous through presentation and hyperbole
• Shadow: represents the hidden qualities (inner demons) of the hero; represents the suppressed elements of the other characters – things that seem like weaknesses 
• Shapeshifter: can change form, but usually appears to change from good to evil, mean to kind, friend to lover, etc.
• Style: how a speaker or writer uses words to convey a  point or message
• Subjective: the author incorporates personal experiences or ideas into the information or story
• Symbol: a word or phrase that signifies something or has a range of reference

WR121: Discussion Questions for LMd'A

Le Morte d'Arthur—for tomorrow's class answer the following questions

• What are the actual qualities a good knight should exhibit?
• Who is the most reprehensible character in Arthur's court? Explain.
• Which television show from the last ten years best exemplifies Le Morte d'Arthur? Explain. [don't go for the obvious and wrong answer of Merlin]
• Which "hero" from books/television/movies in the last ten years exemplifies the qualities of a "good" knight? Explain.

There was also a vocab quiz today–objective/subjective, humanism, rhetoric, ethos/logos/pathos, fallacy, and bias

WR115: The Kalevala

• Rune 25: Ilmarinen and his Bride arrive in the Kalevala (home of the heroes) to a huge welcoming party. The purpose of this section is to remind everyone of Ilmarinen’s seven-year saga to land a wife.

• Runes 26-27: Lemminkainen finds out that Ilmarinen has already gotten married and take noff, so Lemminkainen decides to go to Pohyola (the north lands) to stir up trouble amongst the people still partying; his mother warns him not to and consequences are had. This section is letting the reader know what kind of special dip wad Lemminkainen is and how being stupid doesn’t mean being weak or powerless. 
• What are Lemminkainen’s other names? Why does he have so many? Support and explain.
• Is Lemminkainen going to Kalevala or Pohyola? Why is he going? How do you know?
• What are the warnings (there are six-ish) that lemminkainen’s mother gives him? Why does he ignore her? Support and explain.
• Is Lemminkainen expecting to have a party or a battle? Support and explain.
• How does Lemminkainen get past the eagle? The ravine? The bear and the wolf? Support and explain.
• What’s the deal with the demon-serpents? How does Lemminkainen get past them? Support and explain.
• What is the singular purpose of Lemminkainen’s speech when he arrives in Pohyola? Support and explain.
• Why does Lemminkainen get upset? What does The Hostess of Sariola (first town of Pohyola) do? Support and explain.
• Why does Lemminkainen curse everyone at the part? Support and explain.
• Who does Lemminkainen fight with? How do you know? Support and explain.
• How does Lemminkainen win? Support and explain.
• What’s next for Lemminkainen? Support and explain.
• What does Sariola’s Hostess do after her husband’s death? Support and explain.

• Rune 28-30: Lemminkainen faces enemies from Pohyola and at home ; his mother sends him to the Isle of Refuge, but he must flee after pissing of the local men—at home things are worse: home is gone, mom is hiding out, and he can’t even get revenge thanks to Louhi freezing the seas (and boats). This message seems pretty clear: seed the wind, reap the whirlwind.
• After not listening to his mother and starting a war, why does Lemminkainen now take her advice?
• Where does he go? How does it work out for him?
• Why does Lemminkainen leave the Isle of Refeuge? 
• What does he find when he returns home? Who is actually to blame?
• Who stops Lemminkainen’s revenge trip? Why and how?
• Why does this section end on a happy note? Is it deserved?

• Rune 39-43 of The Kalevala and answer the following questions, and come up with five of their own questions (with answers) or write a summary (what was it about? what was the message?) for each Rune.
• What is each section about? What is the message of each section?
• How do Lemminkainen, Vainamoinen, and Ilmarinen come together? Whose idea is it for them to steal the Sampo? Why steal the Sampo?
• What does the Sampo do for the people who own it? What will its loss do to the Northlands?
• What magical properties would a dead fish (Pike) give Vianamoinen’s instrument? What does it do? Is its loss to the ocean a real loss? Explain.
• What are Louhi’s four most interesting “obstacles” to the brothers’ escape with the Sampo?

• What message does this epic ultimately send when Finland wins and Louhi’s people lose everything? Explain.

Workshop: Guided Research Paper

“Speech on the Vietnam War” by MLK (pg. 151)

• Provide a summary (what was the speech about? what was the speech’s message?
• Provide a synopsis (a list of key points and their major support)
• Why did MLK feel the need to give this speech? Support and explain.
• What are his biggest concerns and worries? Support and explain.
• Does it make more sense to use evidence (ethos) and logic (logos) or an emotional appeal (pathos) to get listeners/readers to support your side? Explain.

Various clips on protests—write a summary (what was the clip about? what was its message?) for each clip

• The Daily Show: Race/Off
• What is the obvious bias? Support and explain.
• What is the hidden bias? Support and explain.
• Last Week With John Oliver
• What is the obvious bias? Support and explain.
• What is the hidden bias? Support and explain.
• CNN: Mo Ivory
• What is the obvious bias? Support and explain.
• What is the hidden bias? Support and explain.
• Watch Now: America After Ferguson
• What is the obvious bias? Support and explain.
• What is the hidden bias? Support and explain.

First Outline:

1. Define Protest
• When and why is it necessary?
• focus on Ferguson (or another current protest site)--why are these protests happening? Are people being manipulated? Are we ever going to get the whole story?
2. Facts of Ferguson (or other protest)
• What event triggered the protest?
• What information is available, but not widely known?
3. Bias in Reporting
• Comedy
• Debate
• Satire
• Town Hall
4. Results: Ferguson (or other protest)
• What really gets accomplished?
• What's still going on?
• Why do protests lose their news coverage?
5. Conclusion
• So what?
• Now what?

What are the gaps in your outline? What information do you need?

OSLIS.org and other research; keep track of your sources and keep a running lists. Tie your notes to your sources.

Citations:

• Beers, G. Kylene, Martha Clare. Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, and Lydia Stack. "Speech on the Vietnam War 1976." Collections. Orlando, FL: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015. N. pag. Print.
• "CNN Mo Ivory on the Militarization of Police in Ferguson MO 8/14/14." YouTube. Mo Ivory, 14 Aug. 2014. Web. 13 Oct. 2014.
• "The Daily Show - Race/Off." YouTube. Comedy Central, 28 Aug. 2014. Web. 08 Oct. 2014.
• "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Ferguson, MO and Police Militarization (HBO)." YouTube. Last Week Tonight, 17 Aug. 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
• Martin Luther King, "Why I Am Opposed to the War in Vietnam" YouTube. Non-Corporate, 11 Jan. 2007. Web. 6 Oct. 2014.
• "Watch Now: America After Ferguson | Full Episode | PBS Video." PBS Video. PBS, 25 Sept. 2014. Web. 13 Oct. 2014.

WR121: Le Morte d'Arthur

The Tale of King Arthur: Merlin 

• Write a two-sentence summary (what happened? what was the message) 
• What knightly virtue is supposed to be shown in this section? How is it subverted? Support and explain. 
• How does this section connect to the Judeo-Christian story of Moses or Jesus? Support and explain.
• Is Merlin a figure of good or evil? Who would he represent in this? Support and explain. 
• Which figure is supposed to represent Henry the VI? Support and explain. 
• How much influence did The War of the Roses have? Support and explain.

The Tale of King Arthur: Balin 

• Summary (what was it about? what was the message?)

The Tale of King Arthur: Torre and Pellinore 

• Summary (what was it about? what’s the message?)

The Tale of King Arthur: The War with Five Kings 

• Summary (what was it about? what’s the message?)

The Tale of King Arthur: Gawain, Uwayne, and Marhaus

• Summary (what was it about? what’s the message?)

The Tale of King Arthur: Overview

• Write a paragraph connecting one of the characters or key events from “The Tale of King Arthur” to another piece of literature.
• What is Malory saying about people, government and society? Support and explain.

“The Tale of King Arthur and Emperor Lucius”

• Write a summary statement (what was it about? what was the message?)
• What is Malory saying about people, government and society? Support and explain.
• Write a paragraph connecting one of the characters or key events from this section to another class, another piece of literature, or a current event.

“The Tale of Sir Lancelot du Lake”

• Write a summary statement (what was it about? what was the message?)
• What is Malory saying about people, government and society? Support and explain.
• Write a paragraph connecting one of the characters or key events from this section to another class, another piece of literature, or a current event.

“The Tale of Sir Gareth”

• Write a summary statement (what was it about? what was the message?)
• What is Malory saying about people, government and society? Support and explain.
• Write a paragraph connecting one of the characters or key events from this section to another class, another piece of literature, or a current event.

E2: Briar Rose (Home and Traveling)

Chapters 1-3

• Does the relationship between the there sisters (Shana, Sylvia, and Rebecca_ seem significantly different between their childhood (1, 3) and their adulthood (2)? Support and explain.
• How are Shana and Sylvia like the “pretty, young fairies” in Granny O’Grimm? Support and explain.
• Why does Rebecca stay after her sisters leave (2)? Support and explain.
• What does the “bad fairy’s uniform” represent in Gemma’s story (3)? Support and explain.

Chapters 4-6

• Each of the sisters handle Gemma’s funeral differently—which sister’s form of grief can you most relate to (dark humor, anger, business)? Support and explain.
• Does Dawna Prinz seem like a real Polish name or a made-up name? Support and explain.
• How does Becca telling her nieces and nephews “Gemma’s story” connect the family? Are there any stories in your family that are passed down like that? Explain.
• Why is Gemma’s box important? What does it show us about who Gemma was as a person? Support and explain.
• Write a brief character sketch (two-sentence summary) for Shana, Sylvia, and Gemma.
• Why does Becca’s friend get so upset over Gemma’s version of Sleeping Beauty (5)? Support and explain.
• Briefly discuss a story where you know a different version from other people.
• Why would someone turn their life (or events from their life) into a fairy tale or slightly untrue story (6)? Support and explain.
• What does Becca hope to accomplish by rearranging and organizing the contents of Gemma’s box? Support and explain.

Chapters 7-9

• What kind of a mist could Gemma be describing? Think about WWI and WWII specifically.
• pg 46—based on how the word is used, what does inviolate mean? Support and explain.
• “Her mother had kept her promise; the four piles were as Becca had left them, inviolate.”
• Why does Becca go into work? Is she running to something or from something? Support and explain.
• What is Becca’s first real lead? Where do you think it will take her? Support and explain.
• In Gemma’s story, what do the barbed hedges represent? Support and explain.

Chapters 10-12

• What was Fort Oswego? Do you think there were really places like this? Support and explain.
• Why do you think Gemma had so many names and so many secrets? Support and explain.
• Do you think it saddened Gemma when the three girls started to grow too old for a story they had heard so many times? Support and explain.
• Why is Stan so interested in helping Becca? Support and explain.
• How do Sam and Linn help? Why do you think they help? Support and explain.
• How were the refugees treated? How is this similar to/different from how the Japanese-Americans were treated on the West Coast? Support and explain.
• On page 83, Harvey talks about how strange memories are—how does this explain something about Gemma and her story? Support and explain.
• Use your resources to look up the term “coffin ship”. Briefly explain what they were and how they connect to Fort Oswego and its refugees.

Chapters 13-15

• In Gemma’s story, why do peasants just know things? Why do they lack courage? Support and explain.
• What is important about Gemma’s lack of a number? What does it tell us about her wartime experience? Support and explain.
• What is Kulmhof? Support and explain.
• Who are “the kidnappers”? Support and explain.

Chapters 16-18

• What do you think family meant to Gemma? Support and explain.
• What does Stan mean when he quotes The Tempest, “What’s past is prologue”, to Becca? Support and explain.
• What is Stan saying to Becca when he makes his “that depends on whether you are Rumplestiltskin or the Queen”? Support and explain.
• Why is Becca’s family so worried about her trip? Support and explain.
• According to Gemma, why is each person’s story important? Support and explain.
• What does her passport mean to Becca? What did not having one mean to Gemma? How are those feelings connected?

E2: The Metamorphosis

The Metamorphosis

Part I

• Why is Gregor so unhappy with his life? Support and explain.
• What are the signals and signs of Gregor’s transformation? Support and explain.
• What has he been turned into? Why doe you think he has been transformed? Support and explain.
• Why does Gregor keep doing a job he clearly hates? Do his reasons make sense? Support and explain.
• How does Gregor finally get out of bed? Why does he bother? Support and explain.
• What does it say about Gregor’s importance, and how he is seen, that the Chief Clerk comes to check on him? Support and explain.
• Why is Gregor’s sister crying? What does Gregor think she’s worried about? What does it explain about the whole situation?
• What do you think the Chief Clerk and the parents hear when Gregor speaks? Support and explain.
• Why does everyone freak out when they finally see Gregor? Support and explain.
• Summary: Gregor wakes up as a bug rather than a man and he has to figure out how to communicated and try to do his job, but his transformation freaks out his parents, his sister, and one of his bosses. The message is two-fold: sometimes we become the person we think we are and some circumstances are far beyond our control.

Part II

• What good changes does Gregor find come with his transformation? Support and explain.
• What bad changes have come with Gregor’s transformation? Support and explain.
• How does the transformation change Gregor’s feelings, beliefs, and actions? Support and explain.
• How does Gregor’s sister try to help him? Is this difficult for her? Support and explain.
• Why does Gregor lose the thanks and affection of his family when he becomes the main worker and money-earner? Why does he so readily share his money with his whole family? Support and explain.
• Why did his father keep some of the money aside and let Gregor pay for everything? Support and explain.
• How does losing his furniture affect Gregor? Why would furniture he can’t use be a big deal? Support and explain.
• Based on his reaction to Grete’s “Gregor got out,” what did their father want to do with Gregor? Support and explain.
• Why did Gregor’s father attack him? Support and explain.

Part III

• Why does the new cleaning lady seem interested in Gregor? Support and explain.
• Why do Gregor’s parents open up their home to strangers? Support and explain.
• Why does Gregor’s family stop taking care of him? What do they blame him for? Support and explain.
• Do Gregor’s parents deserve the treatment they get from the men who pay to stay in their home? Support and explain.
• Why does Grete turn on Gregor? Support and explain.
• Does anyone in the story deserve to be punished? Support and explain.

WR121: Beowulf

Beowulf vs. Grendel

• Summary: main idea and theme
• Synopsis: what's happened so far?
• 86-114: How does the creation story fit with other creation stories you have heard? Support and explain.
• What was the religious result of the "12 years of terror" inflicted by Grendel? Support and explain.
• What "omens" would the Geats have used to cause them to encourage Beowulf to help Hrothgar and the Danes? Support and explain.
• 587-594: What has Unferth done that would cause Beowulf to never respect him? Support and explain.
• Why would a "good king" like Hrothgar have someone like Unferth at his side? Support and explain.
• What happened? Why does it matter?
• 677-682: Why does Beowulf choose to go "mano a mano"? Support and explain.
• What was the best section of descriptive writing (imagery) in the first part of the book? Support and explain.
• 797-804: How do Grendel's enchantments and spells get circumvented? Did Beowulf already know about them before he made his decision? Support and explain.
• What other pieces of literature or stories have a hero circumventing the prophecies or protections that make a monster unkillable? Support and explain. 
• What purpose do the stories of others kings and heroes serve? Support and explain.

Beowulf versus Grendel’s Mother

• Provide a brief synopsis (chain of events)
• Provide a brief summary (What was this section about? What was its message?)
• Who or what was important in this section? Support and explain.
• What changed? Support and explain.
• How well constructed is the story? Support and explain.
• What other pieces of literature does this section remind you of? Support and explain.
• What other classes reflect the key ideas at play in this section? Support and explain.

Beowulf versus The Dragon

• What evidence is there that Tolkien (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings) borrowed ideas from Beowulf? Support and explain.
• Why does the text drift from the dragon to Beowulf helping the Swedes? Support and explain.
• Why did Beowulf help the Swedes? Support and explain.
• 2625-2628/2694-2687: What do these lines tell us about Wiglaf? Why is this important information? Support and explain.
• 2681-2682/2686-2687: How does this information change your understanding of Beowulf’s choices during his battle with Grendel? Support and explain.
• How can the events in the third part of Beowulf be connected to the legends of King Arthur? Support and explain.

English 2: Fairy Tales 1

The Handless Maiden: the Grimm version of the story; other versions only seem available in print
The Sun, Moon, and Talia: the oldest version of a sleeping beauty I could find
Sleeping Beauty: Perrault and the French
Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty: an Oscar-winning version of Sleeping Beauty that can be found on youtube

• Give a brief summary (main idea and theme) for each story.
• What is the real curse these young women are suffering from? Support and explain.
• What is taken away from each of these girls? Do they get "it" back? How? Support and explain.
• What do the girls represent? What lessons do they teach? Support and explain.
• How do these stories use the ideas of forests and shadows? Support and explain.

Little Red Cap: Grimm's version
Lycaon: the Greek king who tried to trick Zeus, lost his sons, and was turned into a wolf as told by Ovid
The Beast of Gevaudan: the French were-wolf

• Give a brief summary (main idea and theme) for each story.
• How is Little Red Riding Hood connected to the idea of wolves (think about the coded language)? Support and explain.
• Why are we obsessed with monsters? Support and explain.
• How do these stories use the ideas of forests and shadows? Support and explain.

Basic Bibliography Stuff

Workshop: Writing Prompts

• Write a brief paragraph that describes your inherited self (think about family traditions, countries of origin, family beliefs, etc)
• How has your upbringing shaped your view of the world, other people, religion, money, relationships, etc?
• Write about an interaction you have had with someone from another culture/country/region/belief system/sexual orientation and how that made you look at yourself or the world differently 

WR121: Clash of the Gods: Beowulf

Answer the questions thoroughly and to the best of your ability in complete paragraphs.

• How trustworthy is this “documentary”? Back it up and explain.
• Why might this not be considered a traditional documentary? Back it up and explain.
• What historical truths did you learn about Beowulf? Back it up and explain.
• What expectations do you have now in regards to reading it? Back it up and explain.
• What are the key qualities needed in a hero of the Middle Ages? Back it up and explain.
• What can you tell about the story based on this film? Back it up and explain.
• What purpose do monsters serve? Define the term monster, back it up, and explain.
• How is Beowulf a myth? How is it a fairy tale? Back it up and explain.

• Compare the introduction from the Signet Classics Beowulf to the information presented in Clash of the Gods: Beowulf. 
• What do you now know? Back up and explain.
• What are you expecting? Back up and explain.

WR115: Pre-Kalevala Questions & Discussion

Paragraph 1: What are the most important qualities for a hero of the ancient Jews? Back it up and explain.

Paragraph 2: What are the most important qualities for an ancient greek hero? Back it up and explain.

Paragraph 3: What are the most important qualities for a hero of The Middle Ages? Back it up and explain.

Paragraph 4: What purpose do monsters serve? Define what monsters are, then back it up, and explain.

Everything is in the notes or packets.

For the seniors who requested it...c

This is a breakdown of the important figures in The Iliad and The Odyssey

Helen

• Leda, Queen of Sparta, was seduced by Zeus on the same night she and her husband, King Tyndareus enjoy being married. Four children were conceived (myths differ on who were Zeus' and who were Tyndareus')
• Helen was forced to marry Menelaus—he got Sparta (which was supposed to be ruled by the sisters) and she got continually used by the gods.
• Clytamestra was forced to marry Agamemnon, move to Mycenaea, and watch her eldest be sacrificed for wind. After successfully avenging Iphigenia, she was in turned killed by her two remaining children.

Paris 

• While Queen Hecuba (of Troy) was pregnant with twins, everyone with a little bit of psychic powers freaked out that her son would run through the streets with a firebrand and burn the city to the ground.
• Priam sent the infant Paris to Mount Ida, so he wouldn't live it Troy and thus destroy it.
• Paris became the plaything of the gods and, as a reward, he was given Helen of Sparta who he stole while on a goodwill mission with his older brother, Hector, after discovering he was a Prince of Troy. 
• Paris resented being left out of the family, had a huge complex about being good enough (he wasn't), and resented his twin sister.

Cassandra

• While Queen Hecuba (of Troy) was pregnant with twins, everyone with a little bit of psychic powers freaked out that her son would run through the streets with a firebrand and burn the city to the ground.
• Priam sent the infant Paris to Mount Ida, so he wouldn't live it Troy and thus destroy it. However, he kept Cassandra.
• Cassandra became a virgin priestess of Apollo which meant that she had a share in her family's wealth, and a great education at the temple. 
• She took her virgin-priestess status seriously and threatened a local priest who tried to rape her. Then Apollo tried to seduce her, she resisted him too. As punishment, she would always see the exact repercussions of every choice—if she ever tried to share that information, she would be mocked and disbelieved 
• There are two stories about her end: a) as a sex-slave to Agamemnon she got pregnant and was killed by Clytamestra; b) she escaped the slaughter of Agamemnon by claiming to be the only parent of the child and was freed, with gifts, by Clytamestra.

Agamemnon

• The King of Mycenaea was a hard, cruel man. He wanted Helen for himself, but gave her to his brother, Menelaus, as a way of tying all the major Greek kings and heroes to him. He knew if he waited long enough he'd have the chance to destroy Troy.
• After Paris snagged Helen, Agamemnon called in all his favors and put together a huge army intent on crushing Troy. Unfortunately, the winds did not seem to favor the army. Agamemnon called his oldest daughter, a priestess, to his ship to perform a ritual. Instead of having her perform the ritual, he had her seized and killed as a sacrifice for the wind. It worked...
• The entire Greek army spent ten years battling back and forth with Troy. It is only after they capture two priestesses (Chryseis and Briseis) that things began to move forward.... 
• Achilles
• The greatest hero of the Greeks was a total momma's boy with too much natural power and not enough purpose or personality. After Chryseis was ransomed by her father, Briseis was taken from Achilles by Agamemnon.
• In retaliation, Agamemnon refused to go into battle. Rather than watch things fall further apart, Patroclus (Achilles' bestie) put on the heroic armor and led the men into battle.
• Patroclus died and the Trojans felt so bad that they stopped the war to throw him a huge funeral...
• Eventually, a pissed of priest/priestess/Apollo fired a diseased arrow into his heel, causing his death.

Hector 

• The future King of Troy was a warrior, a scholar, and good brother, a good husband, and a good friend. He was beloved and trusted by those inside and outside the city of Troy
• In battle, Hector went after Achilles and fought him hard. Only after killing Achilles, did Hector discover Patroclus in the armor. It was due to him that the war stopped long enough for a days long feast and series of games in Patroclus' honor.was over, Achilles went after Hector. Upon killing Hector, Achilles desecrated the body, then tied it to the back of his chariot so he could drag it around the city every day.
• Eventually King Priam, Queen Hecuba, and their children (including in-laws) arrived in sackcloth and ashes begging for Hector's body back. Only at Agamemnon's insistence did Achilles agree to exchange the body for its weight in gold. Once he got a good look at Cassandra, he offered to take her live body for Hector's dead one. 
• Cassandra refused, gave up her own jewelry as part of the ransom, and caught everyone's eye.

Odysseus

• Tried to avoid leaving his wife and infant son on Ithaca by playing crazy.
• Spent a lot of that first decade trying to find a solution by sneaking into Troy to talk to Priam and the family.
• Finally, he suggested building a wooden horse, hiding the best Greek warriors in it, moving the ships out to sea. Problem #1: Horses are sacred to Poseidon (the god of the sea)
• While it worked, Troy was destroyed, the Greeks got to go home, Odysseus got spanked by Poseidon repeatedly. 
• Landed his fleet of ships on a series of islands to rape and pillage.
• The Lotus Eaters
• The Cyclopses: blinding Polyphemus
• Aiolos and the bag of winds
• The fleet destroyed: Laistrygones
• Circe—Teiresias and the Underworld—Circe
• Sirens, Scylla, Charybdis
• The Island of Helios
• Calypso—Athena interferes, Hermes does his job, and Odysseus pouts

Telemachus

• Spends ten years being raised by a mother who is running a household, running a productive farm, running a country, and keeping everything successful.
• Spends ten years watching his mother try to avoid a bunch of gold-digging suitors while still keeping everything running at a profit.
• Athena interferes—
• On Pylos he learns nothing helpful
• In Sparta he meets Helen and learns nothing helpful

Penelope

• In a time when women were just bargaining chips in the games men played, she kept her husbands businesses and country going while raising a son.
• In a time when she should have been able to have her husband home, she kept a bunch of up-jumped, gold-digging suitors at by through a series of clever excuses. 
• Her final attempt is to weave a shroud (death cloth) for her father-in-law. Her maids betray her by sleeping with the suitors, then by telling the suitors Penelope's secrets.
• When a new stranger arrives, supposedly with news of Odysseus, Penelope recognizes something. She sets up a final test for the suitors knowing they'll fail and wondering if the new stranger is her good-for-nothing-pissing-off-the-gods-so-others-have-to-pay-serial-cheater-who-has-the-stones-to-question-her-integrity husband...

In the end—

• Odysseus and Telemachus meet thanks to Athena and a swineherd. They hatch a plan and return to the palace.
• They don't tell Penelope anything.
• They kill all the suitors (thanks to a situation Penelope set up).
• They kill all the servants who betrayed Penelope (but still don't tell her what's up).
• Then, Odysseus tries to test Penelope's loyalty. She sees right through it and tests him in return. But it's ancient Greece so she gets know love for keeping everything profitable or raising a decent son...after all, she's the damsel in distress, right?

WR115: Iliad/Odyssey Questions

Choose two topics to write two 7-10 sentence paragraph about—

• What are the qualities for a good greek hero? Pick a character who fits those qualities and explain the connection.
• What are the qualities for a good greek hero? Pick a modern individual who fits those qualities and explain the connection.
• In what ways are Odysseus and Achilles (two of the greatest Greek heroes) different? Explain.
• How are the few women highlighted in The Iliad (Helen, Cassandra) and The Odyssey (Penelope) heroes in their own right? Explain.

WW: Tips and Tricks

• Opening Paragraph:What do you spend most of your time doing? What does it say about you?

• Writing Tips Article
• Paragraph 1: Which three tips were the most helpful? Explain. 
• Paragraph 2: Which three tips were the least helpful? Explain.
• Paragraph 3: What one tip would you give to help others with their writing? Explain.

English 2: Creation Stories

We will be reading from Fantastic Worlds for the next week or so. There are a variety of creation stories in the world and we cannot hit them all. It is important to remember that all of these stories were (or are) the basis for people's religious or non-religious belief systems. We read these stories to as literature, respecting the faiths that created them, but focusing on language, symbolism, and what was important to each group via their stories.

• Terms that came up:
• firmament: basically, the sky or the atmosphere
• day: a measurement of time; there is no indication this reflects our modern definition of a day as 24 hours
• meat: food, not the flesh of an animal
• Opening Paragraph—What does the book seem like it will be like based on the cover? The table of contents? What stories do you think you’ll be reading?
• Paragraph 1: What do the following stories have in common: northern tribal creation story, southern tribal creation story, the flood/Noah’s ark, the Tower of Babel, the Blackfoot Genesis—use only the stories you are familiar with or discuss why you haven’t ever heard of these stories.
• Paragraph 2: Based on the first creation story (pgs. 41-43), what was the most important day of creation? What was created on that day? Back it up and explain.
• Paragraph 3: Why did Adam and Eve really get kicked out of Eden? What was this supposed to teach people? Back it up and explain.
• Paragraph 4: Summary of "The Blackfoot Genesis (pgs. 47-50)
• Paragraph 5: How does Old Man from "The Blackfoot Genesis" compare to God from "Genesis"? What are their flaws? What makes them interesting? Why do both sets of people feel as though they were punished? What brought on those punishments? Back it up and explain.

WR121: In Class Essay Prompts ATPH

Please remember, the essay must be written in class. If I don't see you write it, I can't be absolutely sure it's your work. These prompts stem from past AP tests. Please make sure to connect both prompts to All The Pretty Horses.

Option 1: “You can leave home all you want, but home will hover leave you.” [Sonsyrea Tate] Sonsrea Tate’s statement suggests that “home” may be conceived of as a dwelling, a place, or a state of mind. It may have positive or negative associations, but in either case, it may have a considerable influence on an individual. Choose a novel or play (preferably All The Pretty Horses) in which a central character leaves home yet finds that home remains significant. Write a well-developed essay in which you analyze the importance of “home” to this character and the reasons for its continuing influence. Explain how the character’s idea of home illuminates the larger meaning of the work.

Option 2: Works of the literature often depict acts of betrayal. Friends and, even, family may betray a protagonist; main characters may likewise be guilty of treachery or may betray their own values. How do those characters and situations show the importance of loyalty and being true to oneself? Select a novel or play (preferably All The Pretty Horses) that includes such acts of betrayal. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the nature of betrayal and show how it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

WR121: ATPH More Discussion Questions

Answer each question, support each answer (preferably from the book), and explain the support.

What is “family of choice”? How does it play into All The Pretty Horses? Back it up and explain.

• How does “family of choice” play into other pieces of literature? Into modern life? Back it up and explain.
• Why does John Grady go to Mexico? Why does Rawilins go to Mexico? How do those reasons represent their differences and beliefs? Back it up and explain.
• What is more important in old-school cowboy culture—loyalty or the law? Back it up and explain.
• Why is it so important for John Grady to reclaim some piece of himself from before prison (gear, the horse, the Captain)? Back it up and explain.
• What’s the difference between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law? How does it play out in All The Pretty Horses? Back it up and explain.
• Why is it so important in life and in All The Pretty Horses to be loyal to “the people you ride with” (friends/partners)? Back it up and explain.
• Why do you think John Grady leaves his home a second time? Back it up and explain.
• Why does McCarthy bookend the narrative with burials (grandfather/beloved housekeeper)? What tone does this set? What ideas does it encourage? Back it up and explain.

WW: Writing Exercises

Try to get as much as you can out of each prompt. If there's one you just can't use, skip it.

• Day 1 Paragraphs
• 10 potential titles for your autobiography/memoir
• Create a character with the personality of someone you adore and the physicality of someone you can't stand
• Write about the most beautiful place you've ever been
• Convince someone to hire you (sell yourself)
• Write about the most important moment in your life so far
• Choose any book in the room and use the first sentence as the beginning of your own one-page story
• Day 2 Paragraphs
• What phrase do other people use that confuses you? Explain.
• What do you want today? Explain.
• Who is your favorite person? Why?
• Pick an event or topic that makes you angry and write about why.
• What event or topic that makes other people angry is totally unimportant? Why?
• Write about your least favorite person without using a name or any identifying terms.
• Day 3 Paragraphs
• Pick an event or topic that makes you angry and write about why.
• What event or topic that makes other people angry is totally unimportant? Why?
• Write about your least favorite person without using a name or any identifying terms
• What song is the perfect theme for your life? Explain.

WR121: ATPH Discussion Questions

Answer the questions using examples from All The Pretty Horses and your lives, explain the examples, and make a connection.

• Scenario 1: Your friend kills someone—do you call the cops, convince them to turn themselves in, or help them hide the body?
• What are group norms? 
• What are the norms of your social group? How do you know?
• Scenario 2: Your friend breaks up with their on again/off again, attractive partner—do you offer them a safe place, start dating the partner, or roll your eyes and pass them off?
• What is the core of true friendship? 
• Do any two people need to have the same definition for their friendship to work?
• How are patronage and friendship similar? Different?

WR115: Vocabulary #1

Remember to give an example and explain why it's a good example in the sentence for each term.

• Allusion: a historical or cultural reference to something outside the piece of literature 
• Analogy: a comparison of two things
• Anti-hero: Never overcomes inner demons and is, instead, destroyed by them; can be an outlaw or villain to society, but is sympathetic to the audience; cynical or wounded
• Archetypes: (in Jungian psychology) a collectively inherited unconscious idea, pattern of thought, image, etc., universally present in individual psyches.
• Breath: the center of being alive; its rhythm indicates mood
• Canon of Literature: a list of works, compiled by experts that represent an author, time period, or society
• Characterization: creating and establishing specific individuals (characters) in a story, poem, or film
• Comedy: meant to amuse; all problems work out perfectly in the end
• Connotation: secondary or associated meanings for a word
• Criticism: term for works concerned with defining, analyzing, classifying, and evaluating words of literature.

E2: Vocabulary #1

Remember to give an example and explain why it's a good example in the sentence for each term.

• Allegory: symbolic narrative (appears to tell one story while telling another one at the same time)
• Alliteration: two or more words in a grouping with the same opening sound
• Allusion: a historical or cultural reference to something outside the piece of literature 
• Ambiguity: uncertainty of intended meaning
• Analogy: a comparison of two things
• Antagonist: the opponent of the protagonist
• Anti-hero: Never overcomes inner demons and is, instead, destroyed by them; can be an outlaw or villain to society, but is sympathetic to the audience; cynical or wounded
• Archetypes: (in Jungian psychology) a collectively inherited unconscious idea, pattern of thought, image, etc., universally present in individual psyches.
• Atmosphere: mood, ambience, or emotional tone of a text
• Autobiography: the facts of the author’s life

E2: Axolotl

"Axolotl" by Julio Cortazar (1952)

• What makes something alive? Explain.
• What makes something "human"? Explain.
• After reading the story, write a paragraph answering one of the following questions: 
• Is the narrator crazy-cakes? Explain.
• If the narrator and the axolotl actually exchanged conciousnesses, how does the axolotl fuction as a human? Explain.
• How does this story relate the concept of zen (think of the quote "I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar")? Explain.

E4: The Story of India (nr)

The Story of India (2007)—Explores the history of India from the major religions, to its influence on other cultures, to its colonization and independence.

Discussion Questions

• What are the two religions "born" in India? What do you know about them?
• What three products dominated trade with India? How do you know?
• Who is credited with helping the people of India gain their independence? How do you know?
• What do the greatest thinkers of India have in common? Explain.
• What did the film maker expect the viewers to already know?
• What was Ghandi's ultimate goal? Why didn't it work out (think Pakistan)?
• How did India's history with the Greeks, the Romans, and the Huns affect their reaction to British rule (rebellions)?

E2: Jabberwocky/Mimsy Were The Borogoves/The Last Mimsy

"Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll (1871)
Remember, three sentence minimum for answers.

1. What is "Jabberwocky" really about?
2. What is a vorpal blade?
3. Try to describe the following creatures: jubjub birds, bandersnatches, jabberwocks. Where did your descriptions come from?
4. What does beamish describe?
5. What do Wonderland and Underland represent?  

"Mimsy Were The Borogoves" by Lewis Padgett (1943)

• What issues were families facing in 1940's America? How do you know?
• What are three differences between Victorian England and 1940's America (besides one is England and one is America)? Explain.
• What are three differences between 1940's America and 21st century America? Explain.
• After reading the story:
• Where is the box of toys from? How do you know?
• What is the purpose of the toys? How do you know?
• Why couldn't Alice, Lewis Carroll, or the parents figure out how to really use the toys? How do you know?
• What is the story really about? How do you know?

Clips from The Last Mimzy (2007)

• How does this movie mirror "Mimsy Were the Borogoves"? Explain.
• How do the filmmakers make the story cheesier (exaggerate the dangers and differences)? Explain.
• How do the filmmakers make the story more "dangerous"? Explain.
• If "Jabberwocky" is a warning about what's behind a pretty package and "Mimsy Were the Borogoves" is about the dangers of conformity, what is the warning in "The Last Mimzy"?

E4: Hillsborough

30 for 30: Hillsborough (2013)—In the news on April 15, 1989, one of the lead stories was about a riot in a soccer stadium that killed nearly 100 people; originally, the deaths were blamed on rowdy fans. The truth is a little different.

Discussion Questions:

• Why did it take 25 years between the events in Hillsborough and a documentary about it? Best Guess (amend your answer after the movie)
• Why do these deaths matter? Explain.
• Were the deaths in Hillsborough preventable? How?
• Who was ultimately responsible for how wrong things went? Explain.
• What was the purpose of this film? How do you know?
• Should the film maker have used more graphic imagery? Explain.
• Can you think of any other situations where families have had to fight so hard or wait so long for justice/compensation? Explain.
• What impact on sport stadiums and crowd control worldwide are evident based on the events of Hillsborough? Explain.

E4: Hawaiian Documentary

30 for 30: Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau (2013)—follows the life of lifeguard, surfer, and adventurer Eddie Aikua who disappeared at sea in 1978

Discussion Questions:

• What does it take to be a hero? Explain.
• How do you inspire others? Good or Bad.
• Who inspires you? How?
• What qualities made others listen to Eddie Aikau?
• Why did people latch on to the tagline "Eddie Would Go"? How does it represent part of Eddie Aikau's legacy?
• What made Eddie Aikau insist on becoming the first North Shore lifeguard? What did it say about him as a person?
• Why did the film maker choose to "re-enact" certain events? What impact did that have on the way you reacted to the film?
• What was the purpose of this film? How do you know?

E2: Flowers for Algernon

Daniel Keyes: Flowers for Algernon (1959)

• Pre-reading
• What is it like to have a learning disability? (Guess if you don't know)
• Why is it wrong to make fun of someone who does not understand he or she is being made fun of?
• Is it better to know how to figure things out/know how to find information or to have good grades? Explain.
• Progress Reports 1-4
• How does Charlie's work ethic and willingness to learn help him become part of the experiment? What makes Charlie different from other people who are severely handicapped in some way?
• Progress Reports 5-10 (through April 20)
• Are the people at the factory really Charlie's friends? How do you know?
• Do you think hypnopedia (sleep learning) really works? Explain fully.
• What does Miss Kinnian figure out from reading Charlie's Progress Reports? Why do you think she doesn't explain it to Charlie?
• Progress Reports 11 and 12 (through April 30) 
• What events make Charlie start to distrust the people around him?
• Did Burt (the guy who gives the Rorshach Test) give Charlie the same instructions each time? Explain your reasoning.
• Why do the people at the factory really want Charlie gone? How do you know?
• Progress Reports 12 and 13 (through June 30)
• How has the operation made Charlie's life just as lonely/lonelier? Why are other people scared of him (factory workers/the doctors/Miss Kinnian)?
• Why is Charlie so upset with himself after the incident with the dishwasher? What does Charlie remember/learn about himself through this?
• In what ways is Charlie connected to Algernon? What's the foreshadowing?
• After finishing the novella, answer the following questions:
• How does the knowledge he will lose his intelligence affect Charlie? How does the actual loss affect Charlie
• Why does Charlie leave?

E2: The Star (1897) and The Star (1955)

As always, answer each question with a paragraph (answer, example, explanation, connection).

"The Star" by H.G. Wells (1897)

• If you knew the earth was to be hit by an "extintion-level asteroid" within the next six months, how would you live your life? Explain.
• After reading: How important is humanity in the universe? Explain.

"The Star" by Arthur C. Clarke (1955) 

• Can a belief in the accuracy of science and a belief in a god exist together? Explain.
• What message of H.G. Wells did Arthur C. Clarke disagree with? Explain.

E2: Reason (1941)

"Reason" by Isaac Asimov (1941)
Clips:

• Three Laws
• Trask
• Origin of Cylons (Caprica) and Coming Home (BSG)
• H+ #13 and H+ #1

Pre-reading Discussion [write a paragraph on one or all of the following]:

• What are common fears about technology? How do Asimov's "Three Laws" try to address those fears?
• Why do people need something to believe in?
• Why are technology and religion seemingly at odds?
• Why do people fear religion? Technology? How does religion start?

Post-reading Paragraphs:

• Why does Asimov use Islam as the template for QT-1's robotic religion? Explain.
• Do QT-1's views on humanity make sense in the context of its world? Explain.
• What fears about technology does "Reason" address? Explain.

E4: Blackfish

Blackfish (2013)—The story of Tilikum, a Killer Whale, kept in captivity who was responsible for at least three deaths

Discussion Questions:

• What are the benefits of keeping various types of animals in captivity?
• What are the down sides of keeping various animals in captivity?
• What is our responsibility to the animals we share the world with?
• How could captive animals be treated more humanely and still provide profit for the businesses that own them?
• What further training do "animal trainers" need to better work with their charges?
• Why shouldn't "wild" animals be treated the same way as "domestic" animals?
• Try to connect the ideas from the documentary (especially breeding in captivity) to the Siberian experiment in domesticating foxes (that National Geographic article we discussed at the beginning of the semester).

E4: How To Die In Oregon

NOTE: This is by far the most controversial of our documentaries. Students who are dealing with grief or potential grief are excused from these assignments. The purpose of watching and discussing each documentary is to make students think about how information is used, shared, and manipulated. Beyond these documentaries, how is the information you are taking in being managed (by addition or omission)?

Pre-Watching Questions

• Should terminally ill people have the ability to choose to end their lives early? Explain.
• What is the difference between Euthanasia and Death with Dignity? Explain.
• Why won't other states enact this law? Explain. 

Discussion Questions

• How has your understanding of terminal illnesses, their management and care, changed after watching How to Die in Oregon?
• How has your understanding of the Death With Dignity law changed after watching How to Die in Oregon?
• What impact did the opening scene have? How did it set the tone for the film? Explain.
• How does Cody Curtis' journey affect the viewers? Why do you think she was she the primary subject of the film?
• What elements are similar to the other documentaries?

E2: The Sandman Paragraphs (all)

"The Sandman" by E.T.A. Hoffman (1817)

• What are the monsters under your bed? What are you afraid of?
• After reading pgs 214-224: What kind of mythical creature is the Sandman? Why does everyone fear him?
• After reading pgs 224-233: How is Klara clearly smarter than Nathaniel? How is she more prepared for the world (even though she's an "uneducated" woman)?
• After reading pgs. 233-240: Why does Nathaniel fall for Olympia? What is wrong with her?
• When finished: What was "The Sandman" really about? Explain with examples.

E4: Google Me Discussion Questions

As always, you are welcome to write a paragraph analyzing the film instead of following the questions.

Pre:

• What kind of lives do you think people with your name have?
• How likely is it that you would be related to others with your name?
• What is Man's purpose?

Post:

• How is Google Me a passion project (what is a passion project)?
• What is Jim Killeen seeking to understand? Does he succeed?
• Were you surprised by which Jim Killeens were related?
• How did this differ from the other documentaries?
• What elements are similar to the other documentaries?

E2: Leaf by Niggle

Pre-reading Paragraph: Why do you get up in the morning? (If your folks/guardians weren't pushing you out of bed)

Read "Leaf by Niggle"

Post-reading Paragraphs:

• Who is Niggle? What is his journey? Why is he going on it?
• What is the story really about? How do you know?

E2: The Sandman

Notes: The Romantic Era
After the Industrial Revolution, questioning the existence of God, and generations of logical thinking people were ready for a little magic—They focused on what was possible in the universe; two movements within this period

• Light—nothing was inherently evil, original naturalists 
• Dark—evil was in everything, but can be influenced by outside elements

Common Romantic Tropes:

• Naive Hero: always a young man who has been sheltered and has an overactive imagination; he always has a best friend and his love interests are the best friend's sister/cousin and the mad scientist's daughter
• The Rational Love Interest: the girl who's left at home and is clearly smarter than anyone else even if she hides it
• The Best Friend: the voice of reason and rationality; tries to talk the NH down from whatever wackiness he has latched onto
• The Mad Scientist: a possibly harmless old man; a possibly dangerous old man; possibly the demon/devil; always has a "daughter"
• The Daughter: rarely speaks, hidden from the world, the perfect distraction/temptation for NH; rarely human (the only person who can't figure it out is NH)

Pre-reading Paragraph: What are the monsters under your bed? What do you fear?

Read "The Sandman"

Nathaniel to Lothar/Klara to Nathaniel Paragraph: What is the Sandman? Why is Nathaniel obsessed with him?

Post-reading Paragraphs: 

• Where does evil come from? 
• What is the story really about? How do you know?

E4: Food Inc Discussion Questions

Please remember, these questions are designed as starting points for discussions. Pick a few that go together and write a paragraph or two about content, bias, and general elements of film.

• What are the differences between farmers and ranchers? 
• What are the differences between family farms and corporate farms?
• Who is Food Inc meant for? How do you know?
• What information is Food Inc trying to convey? How do you know?
• How does the Robert Kenner (filmmaker) want the audience to feel about the topic? How do you know?
• What is the farming system? How has it developed? (Please make it obvious where your answers different from the film)
• What information was left out that should have been included?
• What was the most surprising piece of information? Why?