Archives for December 2014

HW10 due 12/23: Slaughterhouse Five

December 22, 2014 By

1. Slaughterhouse Five–Read and annotate Chapter 2.

HW10 due 12/22: Slaughterhouse Five and 1984 Theses

December 19, 2014 By

1. Slaughterhouse Five–Read and annotate Chapter One! Get ready for a wild literary ride!
2. 1984 Thesis–You have had opportunities to gather your thoughts around various Points of Analysis combinations. This weekend, working with the points of analysis that you already written about or new ones (now that you are finished with the novel), you are to come up with TWO compelling thesis statements. Below you will see two examples, one with an in-text so what and one with an out-of-text so what. Don’t worry so much about whether your so what is in or out of text (we will talk more about that in the new week).

 

  • In-Text: In 1984, George Orwell’s juxtaposition of the Prole Woman with Julia creates the internal, ethical conflict necessary for Winston’s final betrayal and his subsequent love of Big Brother.
  • Out-of-Text: In 1984, the Party’s reliance on mental, emotional, and intellectual manipulation within the outer party as opposed to the Proles leads to the self-deception necessary for the inherently dehumanized nature of historical hierarchical societies.

Both thesis statements SHOULD BE TYPED.  HOWEVER, I am most interested in the PROCESS leading up to each thesis. So, I expect you to bring in the process for each. That process should reflect great effort and thought. Again, bring in the HANDWRITTEN process as well. Remember, we want to have a rocking thesis by Wednesday so we have nothing to fret over during the upcoming break.

 

HW12 due 12/18: Steppenwolf Presentations

December 17, 2014 By

1. Steppenwolf Presentations–You should be ready to lead a discussion of your assigned room tomorrow! I am collecting outlines of your presentations on the day you present. The first three rooms present tomorrow and the last two on Friday. Some reminders:

Steppenwolf: The Magic Theater

  • Through analysis of Hesse’s Magic Theater you should be able to draw psychological/thematic conclusions related to Harry’s journey toward individuation. You should make Jungian connections!!!
  • Additionally, you are to help one another prepare for presentations/lectures later in the week and ultimately for the term final essay in January.

By the end of this period you should have finalized a formal/organized lecture on your assigned room. This should include:

  • Objective: What should we know by the end of the lecture?
  • Detailed outline of how you will illustrate/illuminate your objective. (This absolutely must include textual evidence. Additionally, you should make explicit connections to other stages of his journey.)

Guidance (Keep the following in mind):

* Pablo welcomes Harry to the Magic Theater! (175) Consider the significance of his role.

  • “It is the world of your own soul that you seek.” (175)
  • Behind each door exactly what you seek awaits you. (176)
  • You will introduce yourself to it (the theater) by means of a trifling suicide. (177)

The Rooms:

  1. Jolly Hunting: Great Hunt in Automobiles (180-190)
  2. Guidance in the Building up of the Personality (191-194)
  3. Marvelous Taming of the Steppenwolf (194-196)
  4. All Girls are Yours (197-203)
  5. How One Kills for Love (203-208)

Finally, in preparation for your presentation, consider:

  • The Objective
  • The specific experiences of your assigned room
  • What do those experiences suggest about Harry’s state of mind (emotionally, mentally, etc.)?
  • Where is Jung in all of this?

HW10 due 12/18: Thesis Prep

December 17, 2014 By

1. Today, we brainstormed a list of possible points of analysis for 1984. Working with that list (and any other points of analysis you may think of tonight), imagine ways in which multiple (2 or 3) points of analysis from the list may be connected.

For instance, one may connect flashbacks, dreams, and Winston’s characterization. How? There must be a rationale for bringing these three points of analysis together. In this case, one may see that through dreams and flashbacks one gets a sense of Winston’s former humanity and desire for a “rehumanization.” Yet, when juxtaposed with his developing and ultimately regressed characterization, one then sees the significance of dreams and memories in defining his personal values and consequent humanization.

The above is a sample rationale for that grouping. You must create three combinations tonight, each with a rationale articulating why you group the points of analysis. This should be done in your binder.

2. Make sure you turn in The Bell Jar tomorrow (be sure to remove post its).

3. Finally, you should be ready to discuss Vonnegut and the bombing of Dresden.

HW12 due 12/18: Steppenwolf

December 16, 2014 By

1. Steppenwolf–Finish the novel.
2. Steppenwolf Presentations–Ensure that you and your group are ready to discuss/analyze your assigned room in the Magic Theater. Expect your presentation to last 15 -20 minutes. The opening 10 minutes are yours to discuss the room’s significance. The second half of the presentation will be a question/answer session. Ultimately and most importantly, your group should demonstrate thematic/psychological/Jungian control of the room.

Next Page »