Introducing the Beginnings of Modern Literature

I am posting the assignments for the week of January 7-14th for those of you who CHOOSE to work ahead.


The assignment for January 7-14th.  Profile and Extra Credit due by January 14th.

No blog post this week.

Below you will find a list of major modernist writers. Please research the author assigned to you below. Write an author's profile and email your profile to your classmates.

Extra Credit:  In addition to the Author's Profile- Write a brief (5-10 sentences) summary of one of their major works; focus on the themes, major characters and plot  of the literary piece you choose.  You may use Shmoop or Sparknotes to complete this section.   (Worth 100 points)


Please be prepared to present the highlights of your author profile to the class on January 14th. Please email your author profile to your classmates for their information.

Major Modernist Writers

• Bishop, Elizabeth (1911-1979) -(Hannah Grant),
• Conrad, Joseph (1857-1924) (Sam Waters)
• Doolittle, Hilda (1886-1961) (Hannah Lane)
• Eliot, Thomas Stearns (1888-1965) (Colby Johnson)
• Faulkner, William (1897-1962) (Lauren Butler)
• Fitzgerald, F. Scott (1896-1940) (Jared Klimek),

Hemingway, Ernest (1899-1961) (Ryan Seay)
• Hughes, Langston (1902-1967) (Stephen Steineger)
• James, Henry (1843-1916) (Grace Karls)
• Lawrence, D. H. (1885-1930) (Karlyn Leander)
• Lowell, Amy (1874-1925) (Jacob Seay)
• Pound, Ezra (1885-1972) (Haley Greer)
• Shaw, George Bernard (1856-1950) (Jonah Karls)
• Stevens, Wallace (1879-1955) (Nick Smith)
• Williams, Tennessee (1882-1941) (Reesy Rea)
• Woolf, Virginia (1882-1941) (Megan McKinley)
• Yeats, William Butler (1865-1939) (Hunter Grant)

Study Guide for Literature FINAL:

Our final will be February 4th in class.  Final essay due by the next Friday 7th.  

Things to know:
Distinguish between each of the literary periods we have discussed in class this year.  Please focus on characteristics of each period. Be able to compare and contrast two or more literary periods.  Please review notes on specific authors and their works (only works we discussed in class). Review the blogs from this year focusing on any handouts or information I provided.

Comprehension questions on literary works we read/discussed from after Thanksgiving until the end of January including each of the short stories and House of Mirth. Review your notes.

Test will be similar to mid-term.  Multiple choice, short answer and essay. 

Matching on major works-literary period and their authors.  Focus on time period after Thanksgiving to the end of January.

Extra Credit on the exam will be a personal reflection essay.  The extra credit will be worth 10 points.

House of Mirth

Merry Christmas!  

Over Christmas break I would like you to begin reading House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. Book to be completed by January 27th in time for our final exam and in order to complete the FINAL ESSAY (see below). The reading schedule you choose is up to you.

Blog Post for this week: We read 5 short stories in the last unit.  Please choose one short story and write 2 discussion questions and post them below.  Your second blog post should answer a classmates questions.  You may not answer questions that have already been answered.  Blog Posts due by January 7th (or before).  I highly recommend you bite the bullet and just finish these questions before Christmas.

Extra Credit: Due January 7th- Write an Historical Approach Paper for the Gilded Age

Template:

Event or Era: Gilded Age
Place:
Time:
Event summary: Write an interesting one paragraph summary of the period or event.
Key players: choose 3-4 key people involved in the event and list 4-5 vividly descriptive words for each person.  Words may not be used to describe more than one character.
Discussion questions: Think carefully about the event and write three analytical discussion questions.
Turning Point: Choose an event that seems to mark a significant turning point or climax in the period or event and write a one paragraph description.
Turning Point Explanation: Why do you believe this was a significant turning point? What happened afterward? Write a fully developed paragraph explaining your choice.  Support your argument with quotes from the text or other sources.


So you know what to look for as you read House of Mirth; here is the final essay topic. 

FINAL ESSAY TOPIC:

As you read House of Mirth you can begin to formulate your essay thesis statement.  This essay is worth 200 points.   Our Final Essay will be due before February 7th.    Length of essay: minimum 10 paragraphs.  Remember to write in MLA Format. Remember to use quotes from the literary work.  In this essay you may bring in other literary works; in fact- it is required.  Please cite them accordingly.  Essays will not be accepted late unless your parent intervenes on your behalf.  In which case you will receive a 20 point deduction.  Please see grading rubric below for more information on grading.

Essay Question: 

How would you interpret the naturalistic depiction of the rich, the poor, the significance of social classes, and/or the meaning of work in The House of Mirth? 

Some Starting-Points to help you formulate a thesis statement for Essay Question: These starting points are meant to help you develop your thesis statement for a very broad essay question.  You do not have to use any of these starting points to develop your thesis statement.  They are only suggestions.  

A number of nineteenth century writers (including Helen Campbell -- see Women and Work) suggest that the problems of the working poor seem invisible to the affluent. When and why does this happen, what are the consequences, and does the revelation of this phenomenon of "invisibility" seem to make any argument? Do you believe that The House of Mirth shares these views? If so, write an essay in which you use specific scenes and passages from the novel to describe and analyze the "invisibility" of economic and social problems in the world of the affluent, and the way in which this problem is depicted I the novel reiterates, refutes, or extends the American conversation on "the invisible poor."

OR

Although poverty may sometimes have seemed invisible, the wealth of the more fortunate was always on public display in turn-of-the-century America, a phenomenon that prompted a number of interpretations. Writing in 1881, Julia Ward Howe criticized the shallowness of a life built on gilded spectacle as a "society of representation. It bears about the same relation to genuine society that scene-painting bears to a carefully finished picture." In his landmark 1899 work, The Theory of the Leisure Class, Thorstein Veblen explained the world of the affluent in this way:

Abstention from labour is not only a honorific or meritorious act, but it presently comes to be a requisite of decency. The insistence on property as the basis of reputability is very naïve and very imperious during the early stages of the accumulation of wealth. Abstention from labour is the convenient evidence of wealth and is therefore the conventional mark of social standing; and this insistence on meritoriousness of wealth leads to a more strenuous insistence on leisure. Nota notae est nota rei ipsiius. According to well established laws of human nature, prescription presently seizes upon this conventional evidence wealth and fixes it in men's habits of thought as something that is in itself substantially meritorious and ennobling; while productive labour by a like process becomes in a double sense intrinsically unworthy. Prescription ends by making labour not only disreputable in the eyes of the community, but morally impossible to the nobel, freeborn man, and incompatible with a worthy life.

 Do you see Wharton depicting a "society of representation" or a "leisure class" in The House of Mirth? If so, offer an analysis of the way that society is described in the novel and discuss the way in which Wharton's treatment of this concept reinforces, refutes, or extends the interpretations of Howe, Veblen, or others. According to your interpretation, what comment does The House of Mirth make on the relationship between the real world and the world of "representation," and/or the relationship between manners and morals?

OR

How would you explain the "humiliation" that Lily Bart experiences as a former member of the upper class when seeking work? Do the explanations provided by such organization as The Needle Woman's Friend and The Ladies' Depository earlier in the century explain any of Lily Bart's reactions to the need to work? How does The House of Mirth contribute to the American discussion of the significance of class differences particularly as they relate to women?

Grading Rubric for Essay:

MLA Style-40 Points (Points deducted for lack of MLA formatting including correct punctuation and citations)

Clear thesis statement defended with literary examples from House of Mirth-60 points

Use of outside sources to support thesis statement-40 points.

Did the essay answer the question?- 60 points.

Late Essays- Minus 20 points

Short Story Unit Continued

Finish Short Story assignments.

Here is a good link for you to print off for your literature notebooks.  A good reference to study for the end of the year final.

http://www.northbergen.k12.nj.us/cms/lib05/NJ01000984/Centricity/Domain/590/American_Realism_Notes10.pdf

I have  good news for you regarding assignments. Please remind me to tell you the news in class today.

Short Story Unit Continued

  See previous post for assignments.

Short Story Week

Short Story Week!

I am posting this assignment as scheduled. However there is nothing due on December 3rd.  I thought some of you might want to get ahead in reading assignments.  

Please read the following short stories and complete the assignments outlined in this blog: Pay attention to DUE DATES!   There will be no blog post this week.  THERE ARE 3 PARTS TO THIS ASSIGNMENT.  Read the entire post to make sure you understand what is due and when.  Extra Credit is available this week.

Mary E Wilkins Freeman The Revolt of Mother (15 pages) http://www.tarleton.edu/Faculty/sword/The%20Revolt%20of%20Mother.pdf

Henry James The Real Thing (30 pages) http://www2.hn.psu.edu/faculty/jmanis/hjames/real-thing.pdf

Sara Orne Jewett The Country of the Pointed Firs (60 pages) http://s3.amazonaws.com/manybooks_pdf_new/jewettsaetext95pfirs11?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAITZP2AAM27ZGISNQ&Expires=1385956742&Signature=cB%2FgWWi3JY2olyWfvgcq%2ByDQPTk%3D

Bret Harte The Outcasts of Poker Flat (10 pages) http://swc2.hccs.edu/kindle/Harte_Bret_The_Outcasts_of_Poker_Flat.pdf

Jack London   To Build a Fire (14 pages) http://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/to-build-a-fire.pdf

PART ONE:  Read the above short stories (All available online) over the next two weeks. However:

PART TWO: Expect a comprehension quiz on The Country of Pointed Firs on December 10th. Expect comprehension questions on the rest of the stories on December 17th.

PART THREE: Using the template below-Complete two Literary Analysis' on TWO of the five stories listed above. (DUE December 17th)

--------------------
Literary Analysis Template: (Worth 100 points each analysis) 

Novella or Short Story Title:

Author:

Theme of the Story: What is the main idea that the author wants to convey? The theme is the big idea illustrated by the story's plot and characters.  (One or two paragraphs)

Characterization: WHO is the story about and what are they like? How does the author show you this? (Quotes and citations please.) Can be a list in table format if you'd like.

Plot: What happens in the story? (One or two paragraphs) Remember to use Freytag's plot structure when analyzing.

Setting: When and Where does the story take place? (Quotes and Citations please) (One Paragraph)

Style: HOW does the author create a mood and tell the story? (Quotes and Citations please) (One Paragraph)

Realism:  Provide examples from this story that show characteristics of Realism. (Quotes and Citations please) (One or Two paragraphs)  Is the story an example of Regionalism or Naturalism? Explain.


-------------------------------

EXTRA CREDIT: Write an Author's profile on two of the author's from this week.   Worth 50 points per profile. Due December 17th

American Realism

Last week in class I introduced American Realism.  Here is a handy chart for your reference: http://webs.anokaramsey.edu/stankey/eng2230/docs2230/romantic/romretbl.htm I would print this chart out and put it in your notebooks. It seems a very appropriate resource for the end of the year final.

Your assignment this week is 3 Parts- Author Profile on Mark Twain- Questions on the Reading and the Blog questions.  There is an extra credit assignment available this week.

For your reading this week I've selected a short story by Mark Twain called The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.  Please read the short story: http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/projects/price/frog.htm and complete an Author's profile for Mark Twain.  If you have not read Huckleberry Finn I would highly recommend you put this book on your "must read" list.

Please answer the following questions to be turned in NOVEMBER 26th or before via email.  Since we are NOT meeting the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week I need you to email me this assignment. Assignments (Author Profile-Blog and questions)  not received by 12:00pm on November 26th will not be accepted.  

1. Twain captures the flavor of oral yarn by creating a humorous narrator who slowly spins out his tale. What is humorous about Wheeler's character? Cite several examples of his getting side-tracked in his narration.
2. Twain chooses a narrator who tells this story in frontier dialect -using peculiar sentence patterns-mispronunciations and grammatical deviations.  What tone is conveyed by this use of dialect?  (Tone is defined as the author's attitude toward his or her subject and audience.  Tone- which may be stated or directly implied- conveys the emotional meaning of a work. It may be revealed by the author's word choice-the details included or the arrangement of ideas and descriptions).
3. In his narrative-Wheeler describes the frog as "whirling in the air like a doughnut" and flopping down on the floor as solid as a gob of mud." How are these similes appropriate to the yarn-spinner?

4. How does “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” reflect the characteristics of American Realism?

Blog Question DUE BY 11/26:  Mark Twain was a man with many opinions and a very witty writer.  Our blog post this week will give you an opportunity to read several of his quotes.  Please find a Mark Twain quote to share with the class. Provide your own take on his quote or tell us why you chose that quote. You can use this website for research if you'd like: http://www.twainquotes.com/A.html. Feel free to use other websites for your research on Mark Twain.

EXTRA CREDIT DUE 12/3: Read the following story by Sarah Orne Jewett http://www.public.coe.edu/~theller/soj/awh/heron.htm . There will be no partial credit given for incomplete assignments.  (Worth 100 Points)

Part One
Write an Author's Profile on Sarah Orne Jewett and answer three of the following questions:

Part Two
1. Discuss the relationship between humans and nature in "A White Heron."

2. In refusing to betray the White Heron's secret to the ornithologist, what, in the context of the story, is little Sylvia apparently rejecting? What force does the hunting scientist represent?

3. Considering her character, does the little girl's name, Sylvia, have any significance? (Look up the word sylvan for a clue.)

4. Why must Sylvia climb to the top of the old pine tree in order to find the White Heron?  What does the pine tree, the oldest and tallest tree in the forest, come to represent to her?  What does she gain from her vision at the top?

5. How does Jewett view the two different worlds, nature and society, in this story?  Is Sylvia's choice of the heron over the young man necessarily the better one in the view of the tale? Support your argument with passages from the story.

Before we leave the Romantics

We are ending our unit on the Romantics and Transcendentalism.  Our next literary period is known as American Realism.  Before we leave the Romantics I would like for you to write an author profile on Herman Melville.  Please turn this profile in on November 19th. 

In addition-  Read Melville's  What Redburn Saw in Launcelott's-Hey (Just so you know in my head when I read the title I hold the "hey" out for a long time.  Like- Heeeeeeeeeey!)

http://www.angelfire.com/ma2/danimal/p&w&q/write5.html and write a short 3 paragraph essay as described in the following paragraph:

The Redburn we meet at the beginning of this narrative is different from the Redburn described in the end.  Write a three paragraph essay describing the change of character for your classmates.  In the first paragraph describe the qualities-actions and attitudes that the young sailor initially displays.  In the second paragraph describe the same characteristics as displayed at the end of the narrative.  Finally- write a paragraph in which you make a generalization about the influence that his encounter with evil has had on Redburn.  These three paragraphs are due on November 19th in class.

Blog Question this week: None.  

Walden

Finish the Walden assignment from last week that I so graciously allowed you to delay because of your history exam. The sections you did not complete last week are listed below:

2. Write an author's biography on Ralph Waldo Emerson http://www.biography.com/people/ralph-waldo-emerson-9287153 and Henry David Thoreau (Exactly like the one you did on Harriet Beecher Stowe). http://www.biography.com/people/henry-david-thoreau-9506784?page=1  You may use these websites as a jumping off point for your biography.  Please be thorough in your author profiles. Due 11/12 in class.

3. Read the following selections from Walden:

These selections due by November 12.

Economy

Where I Lived and What I Lived for

Solitude

Spring

Conclusion

Expect a comprehension quiz on these selections.

4. THE BLOG QUESTION IS DUE BY NOVEMBER 11 @ midnight.  The blog question for this week isn't really a question.  Please identify one example of Thoreau's use of aphorism, paradox, or proverbs in the selections you read this week. Obviously you must know what each of these terms mean-so look it up.   In addition to quoting the phrase-please explain his meaning and if there are any cultural relevance for today. Listen to the following documentary for examples: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpS5yxy8O0w

Remember you are responsible for 2 blog posts.  One in response to my question and the second in response to at least one classmate.

Extra Credit for this week: Read a legend with Davey Crocket- Paul Bunyan- John Henry and Johnny Appleseed.  You can use this link to find legends or use another source- http://sherertalltales.wikispaces.com/John+Henry+-+Page+1

When you are finished reading the four legends-one legend for each of the four characters listed above-answer the following question via email.  Every country has its narratives of exaggerated feats by superheroes.  What qualities distinguish the American superhero in these four selections?  How do the compare and/or contrast with Washington Irving's characters at the beginning of this literary period? As always- MLA format.  Answer the question with specific examples.

FINALLY-
I will leave you with this quote “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson  

Or in modern day lingo-

"Be the person your dog thinks you are." Unknown.  

Walden and Civil Disobedience

EXTRA CREDIT:  Write an Author's biography on Emily Dickinson and analyze one of her poems (using the template from the previous assignments).

This is a heavy reading week.  Start early!  EDITED! I JUST REALIZED YOUR HISTORY TEST IS NEXT WEEK- CHECK DUE DATES!  Hope this helps you study for your History Test!

1. Please read the first 30 paragraphs of the following website: http://thoreau.eserver.org/wendy.html and read Civil Disobedience http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/WALDEN/Essays/civil.html. Write three discussion questions for your classmates regarding the material in Civil Disobedience.  Due 11/5 in class. (NOTE: The links are not working. Please copy and paste the URL address into your browser.)

2. Write an author's biography on Ralph Waldo Emerson http://www.biography.com/people/ralph-waldo-emerson-9287153 and Henry David Thoreau (Exactly like the one you did on Harriet Beecher Stowe). http://www.biography.com/people/henry-david-thoreau-9506784?page=1  You may use these websites as a jumping off point for your biography.  Please be thorough in your author profiles. Due 11/12 in class- CHANED DUE DATE.


3. Read the following selections from Walden:

These selections due by November 12----CHANGED DUE DATE.
Economy
Where I Lived and What I Lived for
Solitude
Spring
Conclusion

Expect a comprehension quiz on these selections and/or Civil Disobedience

4. THE BLOG QUESTION IS DUE BY NOVEMBER 12-CHANGED DUE DATE.  THERE IS NO BLOG POST DUE ON 5TH.  Blog question for this week isn't really a question.  Please identify one example of Thoreau's use of aphorism, paradox, and proverbs in the selections you read this week. Obviously you must know what each of these terms mean-so look it up.   In addition to quoting the phrase-please explain his meaning and if there are any cultural relevance for today. Listen to the following documentary for examples: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpS5yxy8O0w

Remember you are responsible for 2 blog posts.  One in response to my question and the second in response to at least one classmate.

Week 11- Reading Assignments

The mid-term is almost over and I am sure each of you will do your very best. I will have your test scores back by next class.  (Remember my comma key is broken so I'm using dashes).

This weeks reading assignments include:

Read and print out Walt Whitman's Poem "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd". Please bring a copy of this poem to class with you next week.  http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174748 (Printing hint: If you make two columns in a word document and then cut and paste the poem you can use less paper.)

Please read the following short biography on Francis Watkins Harper: http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/uu_addenda/Frances-Harper.php and write an author's biography on her. Just like Harriet Beecher Stowe's author's bio I had you do last week. This is due next class session- October 29. (Note: It may be necessary to look up more information in order to complete the author profile.)

Please read the following poetry selections by Frances Harper:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/185927
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bury_Me_in_a_Free_Land

and this piece on her most famous work-  Iola Leory

http://www.answers.com/topic/iola-leroy-1

For these selections you should take notes on the topic and any other information regarding the selection that you find interesting. These poems and biographies could show up on the Final Exam in January.

Your blog question for this week:  We've read several slave narratives and autobiographies-as well as- Uncle Tom's Cabin. What have you learned about the black experience in America during the 1700's and 1800's that you may not have known before or did not fully understand ?  How has the literature you read reinforced-expanded or changed your views on slavery? Give specific examples.  (Some of you have big goose eggs on blog entries.  Not good!)

A Look Ahead:
In class on the 29th we will finish up UTC and then move on to Thoreau.   We will be reading: Resistance to Civil Government and selections from Walden for our main course work.  Our next essay will be due on 12/10 instead of before Thanksgiving.  The topic will be determined shortly.

Literary Terms for Mid-term Exam

Please KNOW the following terms for the mid-term.
Allusion
Analogy
Anastrophe
Blank Verse
Couplet
Heroic Couplet
Epigram
Simile
Metaphor
Extended Metaphor
Personification
Synecdoche
Metonymy
Free Verse
Imagery
Irony
Inference
End Rhyme
Internal Rhyme
Assonance
Iambic Pentameter


How the test breaks out point wise: 
Multiple Choice and Short Answer
Literary Terms-
Literary Analysis
Poetry Analysis-
Short Essay-40 points

Addendum: Because this was so far back I'd like to give you a heads up on one question. Be familiar with Cotton Mather's works.  The title and general subject.

Midterm exam

Poetry assignment #2:  Please send your partner TWO of your poems and your analysis via email.  Your partner is responsible for checking your information with information found on the internet.  Basically your partner will double check your work.  The partner should comment on the content of your analysis and return their comments to you.  The partners for this assignment are as follows:

• Hunter- Jacob
• Hannah Lane-Lauren
• Karlyn-Reesey 
• Megan- Grace
• Sara-Haley
• Ryan Seay- Jared
• Stephen-Colby
• Jonah-Sam
• Nick-Hannah Grant

Please have your critique to your partners back to them by class next week.


Next week is our midterm exam.  I know you all are so excited about this!  Please use the blog post to have a "study" group with your classmates.  Clarify your information etc.

Here's what you need to study:

Scarlett Letter- comprehension questions and an analysis question.  In general, if you read the book and listened in class you will be able to answer these questions.  No trickery on my part.  Straightforward questions.

Uncle Tom's Cabin- comprehension questions and a literary analysis exercise. Just like the one we did in class.

Literary Terms- matching

Know the 5 point Plot Structure by Freytag.

Review all your notes from class

Characteristics of a slave narrative and a captivity narrative.  Be ready to give examples of each type of literature.

Poetry questions- Be ready to analyze a poem in class without notes.  :)

Questions about the 3 literary periods we have studied so far.

A short essay question on a subject we've discussed in class.  This will be a Mars Hill type question.

Comprehension questions about Ben Franklin Autobiography, Rip Van Winkle and Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Questions about MLA formatting and using quotations in a literary analysis paper.

The test is worth 100 points.  There will be no extra credit offered on this exam.

There will be no additional blog question this week so you can study for the exam.

NO LITERATURE CLASS TOMORROW!

Check your email.

Mrs. Butler

Poetry Template Assignments

Please read the following biography on Walt Whitman: http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/126.  

Some of you may be having difficulty getting started with your poetry analysis.  Let me give you a place to start.  This is just a 1, 2, 3 guideline and not a required process.  

Poetry Analysis Steps

1. Read the poem several times. 

2. Define any unknown words including possible allusions. 

3. Identify:

a. Sound Devices: the rhyme scheme, alliteration, consonance, assonance 

b. Figurative Language: metaphors, simile, hyperbole, personification 

c. Other Poetic Devices: symbolism, irony, allusion

4. Identify the tone of the poem. What diction supports your answer? 

5. Identify the point of view. Who is the speaker(s) of the poem? Who is the audience? 

6. What is taking place in the poem? (action or ideas) 

7. What is the central purpose of the poem? (theme)

In our post this week please feel free to ask your classmates their opinion about lines in the poetry you have chosen to analyze.  If a line, sound device, or poetic device is confusing you, please, use this week as an opportunity to glean wisdom from your classmates.   Basically, instead of ME asking YOU a question feel free to ask your classmates a question about your poetry assignment.  I will read all of your questions to make sure they get answered.  You are still responsible for two blog posts this week.  The first, to ask a question and the second, to answer a question posed by your classmates.  

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Dear class,

I'm half-way done with Uncle Tom's Cabin and can hardly put the book down.  I hope you are making progress.  Please make sure you have at least read through Chapter 12 by October 8th.  This week's blog question is similar to the American Hymns of the 18th and 19th century.  This time, I would like you to focus on Negro Spirituals of the 18th and 20th century.  Depending on how far you have read in Uncle Tom's you will notice there are quite a few spirituals and hymns described.

Please find a Negro Spiritual, copy the words (giving credit to source), list any history or facts about the spiritual and if you can copy a mp3 file of the spiritual on to your blog post.  Finally, I'd like to hear your opinions on why Negro Spirituals are a form of American Literature.

Thank you for the chocolate treats. I'm hoping that if I put "I really would like a new car" you all will come through for me too...... yes?

There is no extra credit this week.  Read, Read, Read Uncle Tom's Cabin! Work on Poetry Assignments!

Slave Narratives

This week I would like you to read these three quotes from the autobiography.

“If you teach that nigger (speaking of myself ) how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master” (p. 49).

“I now understood what had been to me a most perplexing difficulty—to wit, the white man’s power to enslave the black man. It was a grand achievement, and I prized it highly. From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom” (p. 49). (Education)

“In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the bitter opposition of my master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of both” (p. 50). (Education) *

Blog question of the week: Why was education, for the slaves of the 1800's, the key to freedom? In what ways do these quotes apply today to our society, other societies? In what areas can you apply these quotes? 

Reading Uncle Tom's cabin, you are.   (What literary device is that? For extra credit)    

Week 6: I hope you turned in your essay

Dear Class,

Uncle Tom's Cabin put a human face to the debate on slavery during the mid 1800's.  For this week please read the following PDF file- concentrate on pages 4-17.  

http://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/worxcms_files/teachers_guide_no.pdf

This week's  and next week's assignment is to read The Autobiography of Fredrick Douglass including the Letter by Wendell Phillips.  You will have two weeks to read this autobiography.   

http://www.ibiblio.org/ebooks/Douglass/Narrative/Douglass_Narrative.pdf

EXTRA CREDIT: The Man Without A Country by Hale and answer the following question: Which is more important for making attached American citizens: the love of American principles or love of our native land? Email me your answer for credit.  

http://www.bartleby.com/ebook/adobe/3106.pdf

ONGOING: You should be reading Uncle Tom's Cabin and working on your 4 poetry analysis' for the rest of September and part of October.  Please turn in the 4 poetry analysis' on October 17th in class.  My suggestion is that you are at least at the half-way point or beyond for Uncle Tom's Cabin by the first class in October. 



So what is the blog posting for this week?  Surprise!!!! There is not a blog question for this week.  Take a break- you have some reading to do.  Be prepared to answer a blog question NEXT week on Fredrick Douglass' autobiography.  

Week 5: Hymns

This week's blog post will focus on the Hymns of the late 1700's and the 1800's.  As a young girl growing up in a Baptist church I learned just as much theology from the hymns we sang as I did the sermons or Sunday school lessons I heard.  The place of Hymns and Spirituals as a literary category in American history is undeniable.  Hymns are simply faith filled poetry put to music.   


The blog question  this week ask you to research some early hymns.  (We will focus on Negro Spirituals another week).  I'd like for you to tell us about their author and any circumstances involved in the writing of the hymn.   Share with us the most profound lines and what they mean to you.  PAY attention to the date of the hymn and that the hymn writer is considered to be an American hymn writer.  Anything after 1899 will not be counted as a correct response.  You may end up choosing a hymn you have never heard before and that's okay.  You do not have to have a personal connection to the hymn.  If you do choose a new hymn try and find the lyrics put to music.  Here is a website for your reference. 

http://www.theoldtimegospel.org/dev/hymn7.html

Joseph Gillmore and William Bradbury wrote "He Leadeth Me" in 1864.  Gillmore scribbled the lines down after preaching a sermon on Psalms 23.  His wife sent his scribblings to a publisher and Bradbury put the words to music.  Gillmore was surprised when he opened a hymnal to find his words in the hymn.  A profound quote for me is: 

"And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me"

These lines reference the verse in Psalms 23 that says: 
⁴ "Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me"

I love this hymn because not only does it teach a fundamental beautiful truth that not even death can separate us from Him; but, it was also my Papo Clark's favorite hymn. He would sing this hymn in his big green truck on our way to the lake to fish.  I was amazed that a man I thought to be strong, brave and capable in all things would need anyone to lead him anywhere.   The fact my Papo sang this song with conviction showed me that there was something wonderful about being led by Jesus.  

Just encouragement....

LOVING your comments on the Raven.  Thoughtful and so insightful.  For those of you reading all three works by Poe this week I thought you might appreciate this clip to lighten the mood....

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=001C01NU

This little girl is the opposite of Edgar Allan Poe in life outlook.  Yes?

Week 4: On to the Romantics

This semester just keeps ticking away doesn't it? I hope you've enjoyed reading the selections I've chosen for this class.  Remember, September 17th is the big "turn in your essay" day.  You may turn the essay in earlier if you'd like.  Out next novel is "Uncle Tom's Cabin" for those of you finished with Scarlett Letter.  Remember, to keep a list of the literature you read.  We've read Franklin, Irving, Hawthorne, Poe and many Historical Narratives.

1. This week we will be reading Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem, "The Raven" and short story, "Tell Tale Heart".  Please read the selections first:

http://www.ibiblio.org/ebooks/Poe/Raven.pdf
http://www.ibiblio.org/ebooks/Poe/Tell-Tale_Heart.pdf


2. Edgar Allan Poe- a short biography

http://poestories.com/biography.php


3. Blog question for the week: What literary techniques do you find in the Raven.  Give examples from the poetry in your answer.  What shared themes or literary techniques do you find in both pieces of literature from this week?

4. The Raven Analysis- Read AFTER you read "The Raven" by Poe and AFTER you answer the blog question for this week.

http://www.poedecoder.com/essays/raven/

Extra Credit Assignment this week: Read the short story, "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Poe. 

Week 3 Colonialism and Nationalism

Next week we will take a brief look at a few of the Founding Fathers and their literary contributions.  We will leave the heavy analysis to Mrs. Seay and Mrs. Karls.  In the meantime, peruse this powerpoint slide on Rip Van Winkle.  Same drill- cut and paste the link into google search and then click on the link to download the powerpoint.  Pay close attention to the analysis on symbolism.

www.etweb.fju.edu.tw/elite/advanced_reading/01/rip_van_winkle.ppt‎

The second part of your assignment this week is to find a quote by one of the Founding Fathers that you feel is relevant for today's America.  Your blog assignment this week is to share the quote with the class, explain what the quote means and then expound on why you picked that particular quote.   I read a blog this week where the author said, "The Founding Father's ideas are no longer relevant for today's America".  I'd like to have a whole blog of your thoughts and quotes that discredit this idea.  

Remember, the Scarlet Letter essay is due September 17th.  I am not dictating your reading schedule so give yourself plenty of time to finish reading the book and write the essay of your choice.  

Mrs. Butler

Week 2-Reading assignment and Blog Question # 2

Dear class,

This week your assignment is to begin reading the "Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter Essay is due September 17th, 2013.  Please feel free to SKIP the Custom House chapter.  You may read it after you finish the Scarlet Letter.

Before you begin reading the Scarlet Letter please read his short story, "Young Goodman Brown" and a brief online biography of Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Here is a link for a biography and information on Young Goodman Brown: www2.waterforduhs.k12.wi.us/staffweb/.../Nathaniel%20Hawthorne.ppt‎

IMPORTANT: Please copy the link and paste in google search.  The first entry on google search should be this link.  Click on Nathaniel Hawthorne to access the powerpoint.  The powerpoint will be downloaded for you to access.  (PLEASE NOTE: The powerpoint slide is not mine. There is no quiz)


Here is the link for "Young Goodman Brown" text: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~rebeccal/lit/238f11/pdfs/YoungGoodmanBrown.pdf

If you have time this week I would also recommend reading, "The Minister's Veil": http://pinkmonkey.com/dl/library1/gac017.pdf

Blog question for this week:

"Young Goodman Brown" is frequently described as an allegory, but does it contain elements of satire as well? If so, who or what is being satirized, and why?

American Literature Summer Reading

First, I would like to say that this class is going to be most excellent.  Your friends will be astonished at your reading list from this year.  The purpose of this blog is to allow you a place to post your answers and feedback on the novels/poetry/short stories/sermons/movies we discuss in this class.  You will receive a participation grade for this activity.  I require you to post at least two responses on this blog. One response should be directed towards my carefully worded question and the other response should be a directed towards a fellow classmates post.

This summer (as in now) you need to be reading the short stories entitled, "Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle" by Irving.  You also need to read Part One (at the very minimum) of Ben Franklin's Autobiography.

As you read the works by these two authors I would like you to think about the following question:

How does a Nation define itself?

Please post your response to this question and a response to a classmate by August 18th, 2013.


NOTE: ADDED AFTER STEPHEN'S RESPONSE:  Please keep your response to the blog question short and concise-no more than 12 sentences.  I do not want you to write a mini-essay.