Our discussion of poetry has been limited, and many people are apprehensive about the final exam. Most final exams require that you study intensely prior to the test; this final will require a different form of “study,” more akin to divergent, critical thinking than memorizing poetic terms or struggling to analyze obscure metaphors or symbols.
Preparation for your final in English 1102 needs to be done in advance; the writing can either be done in class, the day of the final OR in advance and turned in the day of the final. It must be a hard copy, not emailed. Length required: 2-3 pages for each part.
50 pts. - Part I: What does poetry look like? In The Poetry Toolkit by Mark Polonsky, the author tells a story about watching a football game with his father. After watching Terry Bradshaw’s passing attack on the football field, Polonsky’s father remarked: “That was poetry” (2). Polonsky goes on to say that what his father was doing, though unintentionally, was creating a comparison between what we think of as poetry and the passing ability of Terry Bradshaw, with both exhibiting grace, unpredictability and a kind of beauty.
Find and print an illustration that YOU feel is a metaphoric representation of poetry. It can be a famous (or not) painting, a photograph, or a drawing—again, a drawing or photograph that is well known or one you or a friend may have created. (Do NOT hand in original artwork; make a Xerox copy.) Print, copy, tape or glue your illustration to a cover sheet with the source either below it or on the back of the sheet—you can simply give the URL, if you want to, rather than the full bibliographic citation.
On the next page, write no more than a 2-3 page essay (at least 2 full pages), in MLA format, explaining WHY the illustration defines poetry to YOU. It does not have to define poetry as Polonsky does or as anyone else does, but it does have to be a real and legitimate reflection of your own definition of poetry.
50 pts. - Part II. What’s in a song? Find a contemporary song that has meaningful lyrics to you; you need NOT explain why the lyrics are meaningful. Place the lyrics on its own cover sheet, again with the source or the URL. Take the questions we’ve used in class to analyze poetry, answer those questions in relation to the song, and write a 2-3 page (at least 2 full pages) analysis based on those lyrics. The key to this essay if finding meaningful lyrics, lyrics that express a theme and that lend themselves to scrutiny. You’re looking for a song that SAYS something, that has some DEPTH, that appeals to the prefrontal cortex (the thinking brain), as well as the limbic area of the brain (or the emotional brain).
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
English 1102 Final info.
For your final exam in 1102, I plan to give you 3 poems that you have not previously seen (at least not in this class). Using the questions for poetry analysis, I'll ask you to write your thoughts, ideas, etc., directly on the hand-out of the poem you choose and to write an analysis from your notes and the poem.
1. That means you won't have to study for the final, since you will not have a poem you've studied in class.
2. You will need to do real thinking that day
3. You'll be expressing your ideas in an analysis--which is what English 1102 really is all about.
AND, YES - - you can do this, even if you hate poetry with every fiber of your being. The more you read poetry and think about it between now and then, the better prepared you will be for the final.
1. That means you won't have to study for the final, since you will not have a poem you've studied in class.
2. You will need to do real thinking that day
3. You'll be expressing your ideas in an analysis--which is what English 1102 really is all about.
AND, YES - - you can do this, even if you hate poetry with every fiber of your being. The more you read poetry and think about it between now and then, the better prepared you will be for the final.
Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
NOTE: this poem can be divided into five sections; paraphrase each of the following sections:
lines 1-3; 4-5; 6-7; 8-13; 14-18
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
NOTE: this poem can be divided into five sections; paraphrase each of the following sections:
lines 1-3; 4-5; 6-7; 8-13; 14-18
Sunday, April 17, 2011
For Contemplation
-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
POEMS for Study
Not Waving But Drowning
By Stevie Smith
Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.
Poor chap, he always loved larking
And now he's dead
It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,
They said.
Oh, no no no, it was too cold always
(Still the dead one lay moaning)
I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning.
The Gift
by Li-Young Lee
To pull the metal splinter from my palm
my father recited a story in a low voice.
I watched his lovely face and not the blade.
Before the story ended, he'd removed
the iron sliver I thought I'd die from.
my father recited a story in a low voice.
I watched his lovely face and not the blade.
Before the story ended, he'd removed
the iron sliver I thought I'd die from.
I can't remember the tale,
but hear his voice still, a well
of dark water, a prayer.
And I recall his hands,
two measures of tenderness
he laid against my face,
the flames of discipline
he raised above my head.
but hear his voice still, a well
of dark water, a prayer.
And I recall his hands,
two measures of tenderness
he laid against my face,
the flames of discipline
he raised above my head.
Had you entered that afternoon
you would have thought you saw a man
planting something in a boy's palm,
a silver tear, a tiny flame.
Had you followed that boy
you would have arrived here,
where I bend over my wife's right hand.
you would have thought you saw a man
planting something in a boy's palm,
a silver tear, a tiny flame.
Had you followed that boy
you would have arrived here,
where I bend over my wife's right hand.
Look how I shave her thumbnail down
so carefully she feels no pain.
Watch as I lift the splinter out.
I was seven when my father
took my hand like this,
and I did not hold that shard
between my fingers and think,
Metal that will bury me,
christen it Little Assassin,
Ore Going Deep for My Heart.
And I did not lift up my wound and cry,
Death visited here!
I did what a child does
when he's given something to keep.
I kissed my father.
so carefully she feels no pain.
Watch as I lift the splinter out.
I was seven when my father
took my hand like this,
and I did not hold that shard
between my fingers and think,
Metal that will bury me,
christen it Little Assassin,
Ore Going Deep for My Heart.
And I did not lift up my wound and cry,
Death visited here!
I did what a child does
when he's given something to keep.
I kissed my father.
A man said to the universe by Stephen Crane
A man said to the universe:"Sir I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation."
Stone Dragon
By Sally Y. WeberIf fear rules you
it can stop you from living.
It lies in wait to ensnare you
To bind you fast in your tracks
Keeping you from your destiny,
whatever that may be.
It’s all in your imagination
the fear of failure.
How can you succeed
unless you go out and do!
That thing which
you are afraid of...
It is only false evidence
appearing real.
When fear entraps you
immobilizing you,
you’ve become a
great stone dragon,
with all your power
trapped inside.
Take that fright by the horns
and wrestle it down.
Grit your teeth
and show your gumption.
Break the mold!
Get out!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Apply the Questions on the Worksheet to the poem by Mary Oliver below:
The Journey
One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice --
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do --
determined to save
the only life you could save.
One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice --
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do --
determined to save
the only life you could save.
~ Mary Oliver ~
Poetry Analysis Worksheet
Poetry Analysis Worksheet
Working through these questions will help you better understand a poem or a song used as poetry. We are NOT going to study the history of poetry or specific types of poems, and the poets we read will be relatively contemporary.
1. What does the title mean?
Take a look at the title and reflect on what it means. (You will need this for the introductory paragraph.)
2. Put it in your own words
Read the poem two or three times; make sure you take the time to read the poem aloud. You will see something different each time you read the poem. Write a brief paraphrase of the poem. Highlight or list some of the words (nouns, verbs, phrases) that are important to understanding the poem.
3.Now think about the meaning of the poem, not just the obvious meaning of each word but what they mean beyond the literal. Do these words suggest something else?
Answer these questions and provide evidence—lines, words, phrases from the poem--for your answers:
• Who is the speaker of the poem?
• What is he/she talking about?
• Why do you think the author wrote the poem?
• When is the poem happening and where is the poem happening—what is the context?
• What is the poet’s attitude or tone in the poem?
• How does the poem shift from person to person or between different times or places
Most poems tell us about a poet’s understanding of an experience so the beginning will be different then the end. The change or shift may be in feelings, language (slang to formal), or connotation (positive to negative). Explain how these shifts convey the poem’s message.
4. Poetic devices—we are looking at only the most common:
Identify different poetic devices and how they convey the poem’s message.
• Simile – comparison using like or as
• Metaphor – a direct comparison
• Personification – giving human qualities to nonhuman things
• Tone – what emotion does the speaker use as he talks
• Point of view – who is the telling the poem
• Imagery – creating pictures with words
• Alliteration – repeating the same letter
5. Theme
Identify the theme (central idea) of the poem. How does the theme convey the poem’s message?
6. Look at the title again
Now look at the title again. Do you now have a different interpretation of the title?
7. Begin writing your analysis
Start with the introductory paragraph. It should contain the title, the author, and an explanation of the writer’s position as well as the significance of the title. Include a brief overall statement of the meaning of the poem. This will lead you into the body of the analysis. In the body of the analysis, discuss how the poem was written, which poetic devices were used, the tone, the poet’s attitude, and the shift of the poem from the beginning to the poet’s ultimate understanding of the experience in the end. Add your interpretation of the poem.
Copyright 2009 IRA/NCTE. All rights reserved.
ReadWriteThink materials may be reproduced for educational purposes.
Working through these questions will help you better understand a poem or a song used as poetry. We are NOT going to study the history of poetry or specific types of poems, and the poets we read will be relatively contemporary.
1. What does the title mean?
Take a look at the title and reflect on what it means. (You will need this for the introductory paragraph.)
2. Put it in your own words
Read the poem two or three times; make sure you take the time to read the poem aloud. You will see something different each time you read the poem. Write a brief paraphrase of the poem. Highlight or list some of the words (nouns, verbs, phrases) that are important to understanding the poem.
3.Now think about the meaning of the poem, not just the obvious meaning of each word but what they mean beyond the literal. Do these words suggest something else?
Answer these questions and provide evidence—lines, words, phrases from the poem--for your answers:
• Who is the speaker of the poem?
• What is he/she talking about?
• Why do you think the author wrote the poem?
• When is the poem happening and where is the poem happening—what is the context?
• What is the poet’s attitude or tone in the poem?
• How does the poem shift from person to person or between different times or places
Most poems tell us about a poet’s understanding of an experience so the beginning will be different then the end. The change or shift may be in feelings, language (slang to formal), or connotation (positive to negative). Explain how these shifts convey the poem’s message.
4. Poetic devices—we are looking at only the most common:
Identify different poetic devices and how they convey the poem’s message.
• Simile – comparison using like or as
• Metaphor – a direct comparison
• Personification – giving human qualities to nonhuman things
• Tone – what emotion does the speaker use as he talks
• Point of view – who is the telling the poem
• Imagery – creating pictures with words
• Alliteration – repeating the same letter
5. Theme
Identify the theme (central idea) of the poem. How does the theme convey the poem’s message?
6. Look at the title again
Now look at the title again. Do you now have a different interpretation of the title?
7. Begin writing your analysis
Start with the introductory paragraph. It should contain the title, the author, and an explanation of the writer’s position as well as the significance of the title. Include a brief overall statement of the meaning of the poem. This will lead you into the body of the analysis. In the body of the analysis, discuss how the poem was written, which poetic devices were used, the tone, the poet’s attitude, and the shift of the poem from the beginning to the poet’s ultimate understanding of the experience in the end. Add your interpretation of the poem.
Copyright 2009 IRA/NCTE. All rights reserved.
ReadWriteThink materials may be reproduced for educational purposes.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
THE THINGS THEY CARRIED - Essay Topics
The Things They Carried - length: approximately 800 words. (About 3 pages, 12 pt. font, MLA format)
1. The Importance of Storytelling to the Men of Alpha Company.
Storytelling is vital to all of the characters in Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried. What stories are told by Mitch Sanders, Rat Kiley, Jimmy Cross, Tim O’Brien (the soldier/character)? What benefit comes to each man from telling stories? In what way are these men “saved” by their stories? Who is the one man who is unable to tell stories? What happens to him? What does this suggest about the power of storytelling?
2. Guilt as a Motivating Factor in the Lives of the Men of Alpha Company.
How does guilt enter the lives of Jimmy Cross, Tim O’Brien, Norman Bowker, Rat Kiley, Dave Jensen, Curt Lemon? Why is shame or guilt so difficult? In what way does guilt compel each man to make emotional, rather than logical decisions? How does storytelling help relieve some of the guilt?
3. The Things They Carried as a Metaphor of Life. Discuss the concept of war as a metaphor for life; that is, in what way is all life a war? How are they comparable? How do the female characters remind the reader that this is a novel about facing the struggles and obstacles of life? What happens to innocence? Which episodes from the novel best illustrate human nature and stress which are a part of all human life and not just war?
4. “Truth” in The Things They CarriedThe Greek philosopher and playwright Aeschylus said, “In war, truth is the first casualty.” Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried is very much concerned with the truth of war. How does O’Brien distinguish between the “happening-truth” and the “story-truth”? Which is more important? Why? How does storytelling—the use of fiction—allow for a greater sense of truth than factual reporting might? What are the pervading truths of this novel? (Support with textual evidence.)
5. Paradox in The Things They Carried
How can a "war novel" NOT be about war? How can fiction be more "real" and more "truthful" than actual fact? At the end of "To Tell a True War Story" th enarrator suggests that people don't listen to the deeper meaning or the importance of stories and that often the story teller must spin a new yarn to convey the truth. Identify and explain the most profound paradoxes: O'Brien's situation at the conclusion of "On the Rainy River," the relationship between Lee Strunk and Dave Jensen; Azar's innocent cruelty, and the paradox of beauty and war, of life and death, to the narrator in "How to Tell a True War Story." What is O'Brien's point in using these paradoxes? In what way is trutgh itself, at least in O'Brien's work, an ironic paradox?
Monday, March 21, 2011
HELP!! I've Been Put in a Group and I Can't Get Out!!
Most intelligent people disliked working in groups and for good reason. No one is sure who is going to work, whether everyone will show up to do the presentation, or how some sorry slacker will bring ruin to hard-earned work. To help prevent this from occurring, use the following plan and know that if you do what you're supposed to do and do it well, I will recognize it and NOT penalize you for work someone was supposed to do, but didn't.
Everyone should have a theme from The Things They Carried to trace throughout the book, and groups should be formed around these themes. Here is your protocol:
Monday: Divide the stories/chapters in the book according to the number of people in the group. Each person should be responsible for "X" number of stories. Between today and Wednesday, each person should take those stories and look for thematic elements in those stories. Take notes, be prepared to contribute to the whole on Wednesday. If a story does not contain thematic elements, don't use it in presentation. Not every story contains elements of every theme.
Wednesday: Return with your notes and relevant information; spend the first 30 min. or so of class discussing what each person found. Then, as a group, determine what the book is saying about YOUR THEME overall. Prepare an opening for your group's presentation on Monday, an order, and be prepared to discuss your themes next week.
You will be graded on your contribution to the group and your presentation WITHIN the group.
Everyone should have a theme from The Things They Carried to trace throughout the book, and groups should be formed around these themes. Here is your protocol:
Monday: Divide the stories/chapters in the book according to the number of people in the group. Each person should be responsible for "X" number of stories. Between today and Wednesday, each person should take those stories and look for thematic elements in those stories. Take notes, be prepared to contribute to the whole on Wednesday. If a story does not contain thematic elements, don't use it in presentation. Not every story contains elements of every theme.
Wednesday: Return with your notes and relevant information; spend the first 30 min. or so of class discussing what each person found. Then, as a group, determine what the book is saying about YOUR THEME overall. Prepare an opening for your group's presentation on Monday, an order, and be prepared to discuss your themes next week.
You will be graded on your contribution to the group and your presentation WITHIN the group.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The Things They Carried
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src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/3247007/Untitled"
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Sunday, February 27, 2011
Essay Topics for DOUBT - Final Draft DUE Wed., March 2, 2011 2
Essay Topics for DOUBT - Final Draft DUE Wed., March 2, 2011 2
Choose one of the following essay topics to develop into a thoughtful three-four page essay in MLA format. Several resources are now on the sidebar. DO use correct MLA citations and provide a Works Cited page for any references in your essay. Be certain to support your essay with specific examples from the play; be sure to cite quotations.
1. Symbolism: When symbolism is carefully drawn and used deliberately and with discretion in literature, the author proposes to the audience (or reader) concepts that underlie or reinforce the theme or develop and reveal character. Identify the major symbols in John Patrick Shanley's Doubt; discuss the context of each symbol as it is presented and explain its significance and contribution to the play as a whole.
2. Changes: The "Preface" ends with the following quote: "The beginning of change is the moment of Doubt. It is the crucial moment when I renew my humanity or become a lie. Doubt requires more courage than conviction does." The play ends with Sister Aloysius in a crisis of conscience, in a crisis of doubt, not only doubt concerning the reason beyond Father Flynn's promotion, but for her own beliefs. Explain Sister Aloysius's initial worldview (when the play opens) and how the events and the other characters force her to confront and re-examine her own iron clad convictions.
3. Mind Games: Think like a playwright. John Patrick Shanley develops the characters of Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn with the reaction of the audience in mind. Which character is drawn more likeable? What makes this character more sympathetic? More importantly, why is this character made to be sympathetic by Shanley? In contrast, how is the other character seen? Again--how and why? In the events that unfold in the play, how does the way the reader feels about a character influence his or her objectivity and create doubt?
Explain
Choose one of the following essay topics to develop into a thoughtful three-four page essay in MLA format. Several resources are now on the sidebar. DO use correct MLA citations and provide a Works Cited page for any references in your essay. Be certain to support your essay with specific examples from the play; be sure to cite quotations.
1. Symbolism: When symbolism is carefully drawn and used deliberately and with discretion in literature, the author proposes to the audience (or reader) concepts that underlie or reinforce the theme or develop and reveal character. Identify the major symbols in John Patrick Shanley's Doubt; discuss the context of each symbol as it is presented and explain its significance and contribution to the play as a whole.
2. Changes: The "Preface" ends with the following quote: "The beginning of change is the moment of Doubt. It is the crucial moment when I renew my humanity or become a lie. Doubt requires more courage than conviction does." The play ends with Sister Aloysius in a crisis of conscience, in a crisis of doubt, not only doubt concerning the reason beyond Father Flynn's promotion, but for her own beliefs. Explain Sister Aloysius's initial worldview (when the play opens) and how the events and the other characters force her to confront and re-examine her own iron clad convictions.
3. Mind Games: Think like a playwright. John Patrick Shanley develops the characters of Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn with the reaction of the audience in mind. Which character is drawn more likeable? What makes this character more sympathetic? More importantly, why is this character made to be sympathetic by Shanley? In contrast, how is the other character seen? Again--how and why? In the events that unfold in the play, how does the way the reader feels about a character influence his or her objectivity and create doubt?
Explain
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
REVISED Questions
“Doubt: a Parable”
Discussion Questions and Study Guide
1. M.H. Abrams, in his Glossary of LiteraryTerms, defines a parable as “a very short narrative about human beings presented so as to stress the tacit analogy or parallel with a general thesis or lesson that the narrator is trying to bring home to his or her audience.” Shanley subtitles his play “a parable.” What is the difference between myth and parable? What is the general idea that Shanley is trying to convey?
2. What is the parable that Shanley is telling via the story in the drama? (Refer to the “Preface,” for a strong hint.)
3. Shanley dedicates the play to “the many orders of Catholic nuns who have devoted their lives to serving others.” Why would he dedicate the play to them? What does his dedication imply? Given the character of Sister Aloysius, does this dedication seem ironic?
4. In the “Preface,” Shanley criticizes the fact that “we are living in a culture of extreme advocacy, of confrontation, of judgment, and of verdict.” In what sense might the play itself be considered an attempt to remedy this cultural trend. Provide examples to support your stance.
5. Shanley seems to suggest that reality is a fiction. In his preface, for example, he states that faith is “a shared dream we agreed to call Reality.” How does he develop this idea in the play?
6. The play’s preface ends with the statement that “The beginning of change is the moment of Doubt. It is the crucial moment when I renew my humanity or become a lie. Doubt requires more courage than conviction does.” Why would Shanley celebrate uncertainty? What does uncertainty give us that certainty cannot?
7. Father Flynn argues that skepticism can provide a sense of community that is every bit as nourishing as faith. Indeed, he ends his first sermon by saying, “Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty.” Do you agree or disagree? Support your answer with examples from the play and/or personal experience.
8. Sister Aloysius tells Sister James, “the best teachers do not perform; they cause their students to perform.” How does Sister Aloysius expect Sister James to perform her duties and responsibilities?
9. Sister Aloysius tells Sister James, “the best teachers do not perform; they cause the students to perform.” Do you agree? What are teachers currently expected to do in order to hold students’ attention? What is expected of students?
10. Why does Sister Aloysius favor fountain pens that must be dipped in ink rather than ballpoint pens? How are these two modes of writing symbolic? Why is penmanship important? What does it suggest (at least to Sister Aloysius?
11. Shanley unambiguously defends skepticism in his “Preface.” However, as one of his epigraphs, taken from Ecclesiastes, suggests, “in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” Sister James echoes this sentiment when she admits, near the end of the play, that she “can’t sleep at night anymore. Everything seems uncertain to me.” Ignorance is bliss. Is gaining experience, with its attendant anxieties, worth sacrificing your innocence?
12. What specific evidence does Sister Aloysius have to support her conviction that Father Flynn behaved inappropriately with Donald? How does Sister Aloyisius go about gathering her proof? What is her view on truth? Father Flynn reminds Sister Aloyisius that “even if you feel certainty, it is an emotion and not a fact.” What is your view on truth? Do you believe in absolute truth or relative truth?
13. Sister Aloysius points out that the gardener “pruned this bush, which was the right thing to do, but he neglected to protect it from the frost.” How does this statement apply to sister Aloyisius’ own attempts to protect her students? Why is the action of pruning symbolic?
14. What is Sister Aloysius’ background as it is revealed in the play? Is she unnecessarily or legitimately prejudiced against the boys in the school? Against Father Flynn?
15. How does segregation along gender lines affect Father Flynn? Sister Aloyisius succinctly states that “the men run everything” and “we might as well be separated by the Atlantic Ocean.” How is her power thwarted?
16. One of the principles of our legal system is that one is innocent until proven guilty. Does Sister Aloysius abide by this? Should she? What is more dangerous in this situation: presuming innocence or presuming guilt?
17. How is the following line symbolic? Sister Aloysius humorously declares: “What with our being in black and white, and so prone to falling, we’re more like dominoes that anything else.”
18. What does Sister Aloysius’ concern for Sister Veronica reveal about her own character? Why does she lie to Father Flynn about Sister Veronica? Could it represent more than just Sister Aloysius’ fear that Sister Veronica could be sent away?
19. Does the end justify the means for Sister Aloysius—or does she believe it should? Explain.
20. Shanley refers to the danger of “extreme advocacy” in the “Preface.” What aspects of “extreme advocacy” are represented by Father Flynn, Sister Aloysius, and Sister James?
21. Mrs. Muller is the only character who comes from the “outside” of the school to have a conference with Sister Aloysius. How does Mrs. Muller represent a more complex character than either Sister Aloysius or Father Flynn?
22. The three principal characters are Sisters Aloysius and James and Father Flynn. At the conclusion of the play, what is the state of mind of Sister James? Why?
23. Sister Aloysius is equally torn by doubt as Sister James in the plays conclusion, but not for the same reason. What is source of Sister Aloysius’ doubt and why does it so torture her?
24. What is suggested to Sister Aloysius with Father Flynn’s long nails, his penchant for sugar, his ballpoint pen, and his suggestion of secular music for the Christmas pageant?
Discussion Questions and Study Guide
1. M.H. Abrams, in his Glossary of LiteraryTerms, defines a parable as “a very short narrative about human beings presented so as to stress the tacit analogy or parallel with a general thesis or lesson that the narrator is trying to bring home to his or her audience.” Shanley subtitles his play “a parable.” What is the difference between myth and parable? What is the general idea that Shanley is trying to convey?
2. What is the parable that Shanley is telling via the story in the drama? (Refer to the “Preface,” for a strong hint.)
3. Shanley dedicates the play to “the many orders of Catholic nuns who have devoted their lives to serving others.” Why would he dedicate the play to them? What does his dedication imply? Given the character of Sister Aloysius, does this dedication seem ironic?
4. In the “Preface,” Shanley criticizes the fact that “we are living in a culture of extreme advocacy, of confrontation, of judgment, and of verdict.” In what sense might the play itself be considered an attempt to remedy this cultural trend. Provide examples to support your stance.
5. Shanley seems to suggest that reality is a fiction. In his preface, for example, he states that faith is “a shared dream we agreed to call Reality.” How does he develop this idea in the play?
6. The play’s preface ends with the statement that “The beginning of change is the moment of Doubt. It is the crucial moment when I renew my humanity or become a lie. Doubt requires more courage than conviction does.” Why would Shanley celebrate uncertainty? What does uncertainty give us that certainty cannot?
7. Father Flynn argues that skepticism can provide a sense of community that is every bit as nourishing as faith. Indeed, he ends his first sermon by saying, “Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty.” Do you agree or disagree? Support your answer with examples from the play and/or personal experience.
8. Sister Aloysius tells Sister James, “the best teachers do not perform; they cause their students to perform.” How does Sister Aloysius expect Sister James to perform her duties and responsibilities?
9. Sister Aloysius tells Sister James, “the best teachers do not perform; they cause the students to perform.” Do you agree? What are teachers currently expected to do in order to hold students’ attention? What is expected of students?
10. Why does Sister Aloysius favor fountain pens that must be dipped in ink rather than ballpoint pens? How are these two modes of writing symbolic? Why is penmanship important? What does it suggest (at least to Sister Aloysius?
11. Shanley unambiguously defends skepticism in his “Preface.” However, as one of his epigraphs, taken from Ecclesiastes, suggests, “in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” Sister James echoes this sentiment when she admits, near the end of the play, that she “can’t sleep at night anymore. Everything seems uncertain to me.” Ignorance is bliss. Is gaining experience, with its attendant anxieties, worth sacrificing your innocence?
12. What specific evidence does Sister Aloysius have to support her conviction that Father Flynn behaved inappropriately with Donald? How does Sister Aloyisius go about gathering her proof? What is her view on truth? Father Flynn reminds Sister Aloyisius that “even if you feel certainty, it is an emotion and not a fact.” What is your view on truth? Do you believe in absolute truth or relative truth?
13. Sister Aloysius points out that the gardener “pruned this bush, which was the right thing to do, but he neglected to protect it from the frost.” How does this statement apply to sister Aloyisius’ own attempts to protect her students? Why is the action of pruning symbolic?
14. What is Sister Aloysius’ background as it is revealed in the play? Is she unnecessarily or legitimately prejudiced against the boys in the school? Against Father Flynn?
15. How does segregation along gender lines affect Father Flynn? Sister Aloyisius succinctly states that “the men run everything” and “we might as well be separated by the Atlantic Ocean.” How is her power thwarted?
16. One of the principles of our legal system is that one is innocent until proven guilty. Does Sister Aloysius abide by this? Should she? What is more dangerous in this situation: presuming innocence or presuming guilt?
17. How is the following line symbolic? Sister Aloysius humorously declares: “What with our being in black and white, and so prone to falling, we’re more like dominoes that anything else.”
18. What does Sister Aloysius’ concern for Sister Veronica reveal about her own character? Why does she lie to Father Flynn about Sister Veronica? Could it represent more than just Sister Aloysius’ fear that Sister Veronica could be sent away?
19. Does the end justify the means for Sister Aloysius—or does she believe it should? Explain.
20. Shanley refers to the danger of “extreme advocacy” in the “Preface.” What aspects of “extreme advocacy” are represented by Father Flynn, Sister Aloysius, and Sister James?
21. Mrs. Muller is the only character who comes from the “outside” of the school to have a conference with Sister Aloysius. How does Mrs. Muller represent a more complex character than either Sister Aloysius or Father Flynn?
22. The three principal characters are Sisters Aloysius and James and Father Flynn. At the conclusion of the play, what is the state of mind of Sister James? Why?
23. Sister Aloysius is equally torn by doubt as Sister James in the plays conclusion, but not for the same reason. What is source of Sister Aloysius’ doubt and why does it so torture her?
24. What is suggested to Sister Aloysius with Father Flynn’s long nails, his penchant for sugar, his ballpoint pen, and his suggestion of secular music for the Christmas pageant?
Monday, February 7, 2011
Parable of the Blind Men and the Elephant
A number of disciples went to the Buddha and said, "Sir, there are living here in Savatthi many wandering hermits and scholars who indulge in constant dispute, some saying that the world is infinite and eternal and others that it is finite and not eternal, some saying that the soul dies with the body and others that it lives on forever, and so forth. What, Sir, would you say concerning them?"
The Buddha answered, "Once upon a time there was a certain raja who called to his servant and said, 'Come, good fellow, go and gather together in one place all the men of Savatthi who were born blind... and show them an elephant.' 'Very good, sire,' replied the servant, and he did as he was told. He said to the blind men assembled there, 'Here is an elephant,' and to one man he presented the head of the elephant, to another its ears, to another a tusk, to another the trunk, the foot, back, tail, and tuft of the tail, saying to each one that that was the elephant.
"When the blind men had felt the elephant, the raja went to each of them and said to each, 'Well, blind man, have you seen the elephant? Tell me, what sort of thing is an elephant?'
"Thereupon the men who were presented with the head answered, 'Sire, an elephant is like a pot.' And the men who had observed the ear replied, 'An elephant is like a winnowing basket.' Those who had been presented with a tusk said it was a ploughshare. Those who knew only the trunk said it was a plough; others said the body was a grainery; the foot, a pillar; the back, a mortar; the tail, a pestle, the tuft of the tail, a brush.
"Then they began to quarrel, shouting, 'Yes it is!' 'No, it is not!' 'An elephant is not that!' 'Yes, it's like that!' and so on, till they came to blows over the matter.
"Brethren, the raja was delighted with the scene.
"Just so are these preachers and scholars holding various views blind and unseeing.... In their ignorance they are by nature quarrelsome, wrangling, and disputatious, each maintaining reality is thus and thus."
Then the Exalted One rendered this meaning by uttering this verse of uplift,
The Buddha answered, "Once upon a time there was a certain raja who called to his servant and said, 'Come, good fellow, go and gather together in one place all the men of Savatthi who were born blind... and show them an elephant.' 'Very good, sire,' replied the servant, and he did as he was told. He said to the blind men assembled there, 'Here is an elephant,' and to one man he presented the head of the elephant, to another its ears, to another a tusk, to another the trunk, the foot, back, tail, and tuft of the tail, saying to each one that that was the elephant.
"When the blind men had felt the elephant, the raja went to each of them and said to each, 'Well, blind man, have you seen the elephant? Tell me, what sort of thing is an elephant?'
"Thereupon the men who were presented with the head answered, 'Sire, an elephant is like a pot.' And the men who had observed the ear replied, 'An elephant is like a winnowing basket.' Those who had been presented with a tusk said it was a ploughshare. Those who knew only the trunk said it was a plough; others said the body was a grainery; the foot, a pillar; the back, a mortar; the tail, a pestle, the tuft of the tail, a brush.
"Then they began to quarrel, shouting, 'Yes it is!' 'No, it is not!' 'An elephant is not that!' 'Yes, it's like that!' and so on, till they came to blows over the matter.
"Brethren, the raja was delighted with the scene.
"Just so are these preachers and scholars holding various views blind and unseeing.... In their ignorance they are by nature quarrelsome, wrangling, and disputatious, each maintaining reality is thus and thus."
Then the Exalted One rendered this meaning by uttering this verse of uplift,
- O how they cling and wrangle, some who claim
- For preacher and monk the honored name!
- For, quarreling, each to his view they cling.
- Such folk see only one side of a thing.
- Jainism and Buddhism. Udana 68-69:
- Parable of the Blind Men and the Elephant
More on DOUBT
The subtitle of "Doubt" is "A Parable." Parables are very simple stories in which
a character must face a choice and accept the consequences of that decision. In other words, a parable is a brief, realistic story that illustrates a moral or ethical choice. In some parables, the main character, or protagonist, makes the right choice, and in others, he or she takes the wrong path. Parables are metaphors; they make their point indirectly.
1. Father Flynn argues that skepticism can provide a sense of community that is every bit as nourishing as faith. Indeed, he ends his first sermon by saying, “Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty.” Do you agree or disagree? Support your answer with examples from the play and/or personal experience.
2. "Doubt" begins with a parable. In the course of a sermon (also called a homily), Father Flynn tells the story of a man who is lost at sea and clinging to the hope that he has set the correct course for home. What happens to the man? Father Flynn doesn’t say, and thus, the play begins on a note of doubt. In what way does the play END on a note of doubt as well?
3. In the “Preface,” Shanley criticizes the fact that “we are living in a culture of extreme advocacy, of confrontation, of judgment, and of verdict.” In what sense might the play itself be considered an attempt to remedy this cultural trend. Provide examples to support your stance.
4. The play’s preface ends with the statement that “The beginning of change is the moment of Doubt. It is the crucial moment when I renew my humanity or become a lie. Doubt requires more courage than conviction does.” Why would Shanley celebrate uncertainty? What does uncertainty give us that certainty cannot?
5. Why does Sister Aloysius favor fountain pens that must be dipped in ink rather than ballpoint pens? How are these two modes of writing symbolic? Why is penmanship important? What does it suggest?
6. What specific evidence does Sister Aloysius have to support her conviction that Father Flynn behaved inappropriately with Donald? How does Sister Aloyisius go about gathering her proof? What is her view on truth? Father Flynn reminds Sister Aloyisius that “even if you feel certainty, it is an emotion and not a fact.” What is your view on truth? Do you believe in absolute truth or relative truth?
7. Sister Aloyisius points out that the gardener “pruned this bush, which was the right thing to do, but he neglected to protect it from the frost.” How does this statement apply to sister Aloyisius’ own attempts to protect her students? Why is the action of pruning symbolic?
8. One of the principles of our legal system is that one is innocent until proven guilty. Does Sister Aloyisius abide by this? Should she? What is more dangerous in this situation: presuming innocence or presuming guilt?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Essay #1 Rubric
Essential Criteria for Essay #1 | Total Point Value | Points Achieved |
Thesis Statement Appears in the first paragraph, stated explicitly and clearly indicates topic or main idea of essay; the single most important sentence in the essay; every paragraph and detail should, in some way, support this statement. | 10 pts. | |
Content & Knowledge Adequate information from the reading selection(s) MUST be given as evidence to support the thesis statement; paragraphs MUST be developed with examples and details that are presented, analyzed and related to the thesis. It is NOT sufficient to present a summary of a story; one MUST interpret, analyze and explain. | 25 pts. | |
Organization, Unity, Fluency & Coherence · Thought must be given to the best manner of presentation (organization) of the analysis; one way of presenting evidence is in the chronological order that it is presented in the story; another way is to build evidence from your weakest point to your strongest, leaving a strong impression on the reader in the conclusion. · Unity results when a strong thesis leads to paragraphs that directly relate and support the main idea. There are no wasted or superfluous words, no meaningless information. · Fluency comes from the logic established between sentences and paragraphs through transitions and logic. · Coherence comes from writing that is free of sentence flaws and mechanical errors. In order for thoughts and ideas to be understood, all sentences must make sense and be free of distractions that inhibit clear understanding. A paper will fail if there is an excess of fragments, run-ons, comma splices, or agreement | 40 pts. | |
Conventions of Academic Papers on Literature:
| 25 pts. |
Good Question!
I always appreciate students who ask the questions that everyone wants to know (but may be afraid to ask). Here is a question I received via email:
Here was my reply--for those who are equally curious:
I was just wondering, to what extent are you going to be grading our essays? Because I myself am not a very good writer and it takes me longer than two days to develop a well rounded essay.
Here was my reply--for those who are equally curious:
Today, I will be answering questions, giving everyone a chance to review & revise his/her paper. I plan to give everyone a rubric today for self-checking the essay. However, we will be having in-class essays soon. These will not allow time outside of class or in-class to perfect the essay. The final will also be an in-class essay (required by MSC English Dept.; I can't change the policy). I'm not sure what you will do in those situations.
I would suggest that when I post discussion questions on my blog that you answer those, in writing, and begin to further develop your skills as a critical thinker/writer. We are only in class two and a half hours a week. If you wait until it's time to write an essay, your skills may be rusty and the task of writing considerably harder. If you work on discussion questions at least four or five times a week, you won't feel the intense pressure that you may feel now. You might also come to my office for a conference so that I can see what your brainstorming looks like, the plan you hope to take with your paper and perhaps offer guidelines or suggestions for the composition.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Beginning in February
The first day of class in February, we'll introduce Doubt by John Patrick Shanley. It may be important to know in advance that this play does NOT have a satisfactory conclusion; there is closure but NOT certainty, and that that is intentional on the part of the playwright.
Initial discussion will focus on setting -- the importance of time & place in this play
Character - two major characters; two minor characters -- all of whom are important to this play
Conflict - note that this play is intended to make the reader or the audience question his/her own beliefs and ideas
Additional terms: metaphor; allegory; symbol; parable -- note that all three of these are related, specifically to the sermons the priest gives--what is the point?
It might help to view a clip from the film on You Tube - Doubt First Sermon
MORE TO COME
Initial discussion will focus on setting -- the importance of time & place in this play
Character - two major characters; two minor characters -- all of whom are important to this play
Conflict - note that this play is intended to make the reader or the audience question his/her own beliefs and ideas
Additional terms: metaphor; allegory; symbol; parable -- note that all three of these are related, specifically to the sermons the priest gives--what is the point?
It might help to view a clip from the film on You Tube - Doubt First Sermon
MORE TO COME
Essay #1
Choose ONE of the following topics and develop into an analysis of approximately 600-700 words (3-4 double-spaced pages) in CORRECT MLA format, written in third person. Do not use "I" or "me" in developing your essay. Be specific. Analyze fully. Support all generalizations.
1. Using direct and indirect characterization and analysis of each act, trace the development of Rev. John Hale in Arthur Miller's The Crucible to ultimately contrast the reverend at the end of the drama with the man who enters in Act One. Through examining his words, actions, and character throughout the drama, explain how Hale is permanently changed.
2. John Proctor represents the lone individual who rises against the authority of the governing body and the society of Salem. Analyze each act to reveal the nature of Salem's society, the importance of conformity to its ruling body, and explain the threat that a man like Proctor poses. (Hint: think of Acts I & II as presenting the theocracy & its authority and of Acts III & IV as presenting the court, with its authority.)
3. We evolve as human beings, yet some aspects of human nature never change. Identify at least three major elements of Salem society and its people that remain a part of our society today. What parallels can still be drawn between Salem of 1692 and America of the 21st century? Be specific in the examples that are chosen and explain thoroughly the similarities.
1. Using direct and indirect characterization and analysis of each act, trace the development of Rev. John Hale in Arthur Miller's The Crucible to ultimately contrast the reverend at the end of the drama with the man who enters in Act One. Through examining his words, actions, and character throughout the drama, explain how Hale is permanently changed.
2. John Proctor represents the lone individual who rises against the authority of the governing body and the society of Salem. Analyze each act to reveal the nature of Salem's society, the importance of conformity to its ruling body, and explain the threat that a man like Proctor poses. (Hint: think of Acts I & II as presenting the theocracy & its authority and of Acts III & IV as presenting the court, with its authority.)
3. We evolve as human beings, yet some aspects of human nature never change. Identify at least three major elements of Salem society and its people that remain a part of our society today. What parallels can still be drawn between Salem of 1692 and America of the 21st century? Be specific in the examples that are chosen and explain thoroughly the similarities.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Great Example of Comprehension & Logic
Question: What is a figurative "witch hunt"? In what way was the "red scare of the 1950s very much like a "witch hunt"?
A "witch hunt" is a search for witches with no real proof, but a figurative "witch hunt" isn't a search for witches but can be compared to a witch hunt, making false claims to accuse people but what they're accused of doesn't exist or really isn't happening.
The "Red Scare" is very much like a "witch hunt" because they were accusing people of communism but had no real proof.
A "witch hunt" is a search for witches with no real proof, but a figurative "witch hunt" isn't a search for witches but can be compared to a witch hunt, making false claims to accuse people but what they're accused of doesn't exist or really isn't happening.
The "Red Scare" is very much like a "witch hunt" because they were accusing people of communism but had no real proof.
Notes on Literary Analysis Con't . . .
Theme – Theme refers to the point (often plural) that the author has imbedded in his work. In English 1101, the student is told to make the thesis statement explicit, place it in the first paragraph, and use the remainder of the paper to support that main idea. Works of FICTION and POETRY are quite different. The art of literature stems, in part, from the author’s ability to use the entire story, novel, poem or play (even the best movies) to REVEAL the main idea IMPLICITLY (in most cases). Those works which are called “classics” deal with themes that are UNIVERSAL. A UNIVERSAL THEME is one which reveals human nature or some aspect of life that is experienced by people in any era and in any location; the author may have chosen Salem, Massachusetts, 1692, or Vietnam, 1964, or London, 1605, as the setting of his/her work, but what is revealed about people remains true for any time period. Human beings and the situations in which they get themselves involved hasn’t changed a great deal.
As with the case for character, theme can be traced through the novel or play. UNIVERSAL THEMES in the Crucible (not all of the themes, by the way) include:
· Guilt by Association or Accusation
· The Nature of Authority
· Peer Pressure
· The Individual vs. Society
Scapegoating
Irony – There are 3 types of IRONY, all of which are important. Irony can make an individual chuckle or wince, depending on how it is used. It is irony that gives a “twist” to a story’s end and irony that enriches plot:
Verbal Irony – often like sarcasm; the speaker usually means the opposite of what he says
Dramatic Irony – not surprising, this irony most often appears in drama, but is not exclusive to drama; dramatic irony occurs when the audience is aware of a situation on stage which the characters are presumably UNAWARE. Suspense is created as the audience watches to see how the act or scene will unfold. Examples:
· The overriding irony of the innocent vs. guilty in Salem
· The irony that surfaces when Hale asks the Proctors to repeat their commandments
· The irony that holds the greatest dramatic suspense when Elizabeth Proctor is brought into the courtroom to testify
Situational Irony – very much akin to PARADOX; often this accompanies dramatic irony, but also appears in FICTION. Situational irony is created when the OPPOSITE of what one expects, happens. Example: Abigail’s one desire is John Proctor; she leads the girls in crying “witch” on their neighbors, and ironically, Mary Warren, the shyest of all the girls, cries “witch” on Proctor, which condemns the man Abigail loves.
Symbolism – concrete to abstract; metaphors
- name symbolism - e.g., title, The Crucible; Mercy Lewis
- color - red; white; black (or darkness)
- numbers - not so much in Miller's drama, but significant numbers in general: 3; 40, 7
- time -- morning vs. evening; spring vs. winter, etc.
Allusion - DO NOT CONFUSE WITH ILLUSION!! - an allusion is a reference to something or someone else, usually in the past; it is often either historical, Biblical or literary.
Example: Act II, John Proctor speaks to Rev. Hale, "Pontius Pilate! God will not allow you to wash your hands of this!"
Example: Act II, John Proctor speaks to Rev. Hale, "Pontius Pilate! God will not allow you to wash your hands of this!"
And minor elements of literature as well:
Significance of title - look for connections, plays on words, in MOST major literary works, the author gives great attention to the title - ask yourself what the title suggests, what does it remind you of; why would the author CHOOSE this title?
Character Foils- "foil" reflects - a character foil is a person who is placed in a play, story or novel who, in some way, is compared to a major character, but UNLIKE the foil that reflects, character foils are often opposites - or at least significantly different; the reader sees this difference between characters because the two are often placed side by side. Examples: Rev. Parris & Rev. Hale; Deputy Gov. Danforth & John Proctor; Abigail Williams & Mary Warren
LOOK for character foils in all the works we read (except poetry--any occasionally, there, too)
LOOK for character foils in all the works we read (except poetry--any occasionally, there, too)
Suspense - the characteristic that makes the reader want to know what will happen next
Climax - the turning point; the moment of greatest dramatic intensity; after this point, in either play or (most) novels or stories, a decision is made or an act committed that changes everything from that point to the final scene
Denouement - how things wind up -- in some novels, it's simply closure -- loose ends are tied up and a neat ending ensues--but not always; in dramas and thoughtful novels, the reader may be left hanging or wondering . . . "the end" may not be so neat and tidy--more like real life
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Notes on Literary Analysis . . . A Beginning
Literary Analysis is based on “reading between the lines,” with specific textual examples or references to support the analysis. Literary Analysis goes much deeper into a literary work than knowing the plot. Analysis takes time, requires that one re-visit the text. Written analysis in 1102 most often revolves around a theme that can be traced throughout a novel or drama, a character who plays a significant role, irony or symbolism that occurs and underscores theme or an aspect of human nature, or even the setting that conveys atmosphere.
While there are stylistic differences between drama and fiction, there are important literary elements they share. Understanding how to go about analyzing those elements in one work is a skill that will carry over to future selections.
Setting – time & place but much more. Salem, Massachusetts, 1692 is a simplistic answer, just as it would be if a book was set in the Vietnam War in the mid 1960s. The atmosphere and the specific location the author chooses to use can indicate a point. For example, where does each act of The Crucible take place? What do those openings have in common? The playwright is making a point about the Puritan community of Salem and its people. What could it be?
Character Analysis is inference derived from direct and indirect characterization. In The Crucible, Miller uses direct characterization for each major character before he/she speaks. For example, the audience is told that Abigail Williams is: a strikingly beautiful seventeen-year-old girl with “an endless capacity for dissembling.” He is counting on the audience to know what seventeen year-olds could be like, what it was like to be that age in a setting like Salem, and he expects the audience to understand what “dissembling” means and that Abigail apparently does it all the time. That’s a great deal to “read between the lines.” In addition to direct characterization, though, Miller, through his drama that unfolds, uses indirect characterization to provide EVIDENCE of this statement. Indirect characterization relies on the words spoken by a character, his/her actions or thoughts (if we are privy to those), and what other characters say to and about that person.
Character | Direct Characterization & page | Indirect Characterization/Support & page | Inference |
Abigail |
With all the information that can be gathered about a character from a re-examination to the text, it becomes much easier to compose a well-developed essay, with detailed support.
Inference – a conclusion based on what one perceives and what one already knows
Comments After the First Quiz
In case you're curious, this quiz was fairly average, as far as my quizzes go. Some are a bit easier; some are harder. Here are basic guidelines that may help on future assignments:
Finally, a quiz is NEVER the ending study of a drama or novel in this class. It is barely the beginning. The more vital step is analysis.
- English 1102 requires that you READ - THINK - WRITE. Read the book; don't rely on the movie for a quiz or an essay. Ever.
- Students must not only read the book, but also comprehend the book--use logic and critical thinking. You are expected to add 2+2.
- Do not waste time writing b.s. for discussion answers when you don't know what you're talking about. If you know that you're in the ballpark, think and develop your idea. If you have no idea, leave it blank, it's more dignified.
Finally, a quiz is NEVER the ending study of a drama or novel in this class. It is barely the beginning. The more vital step is analysis.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
The Crucible Images
The Salem Meeting House where the trials took place
The Trial of George Jacobs, a 19th century view of the trials
Monday, January 17, 2011
Reminder & Hints
Reminder:
Don't forget the quiz over The Crucible is scheduled for our next class, on Wednesday, Jan. 19th.
There are:
10 Character Matching, worth 2.7 pts. each
19 Multiple Choice on Plot, worth 3 pts. each
3 Short Discussion, worth 5 pts. each
Hints:
Don't completely rely on the film version; you need to read the play carefully and pay close attention to the description of the characters given by playwright Arthur Miller.
Pay close attention to lengthy narration Miller gives in Act One.
Be sure you know the sequence of events -- known as PLOT -- otherwise simply stated as "what happens" in the drama.
Don't forget the quiz over The Crucible is scheduled for our next class, on Wednesday, Jan. 19th.
There are:
10 Character Matching, worth 2.7 pts. each
19 Multiple Choice on Plot, worth 3 pts. each
3 Short Discussion, worth 5 pts. each
Hints:
Don't completely rely on the film version; you need to read the play carefully and pay close attention to the description of the characters given by playwright Arthur Miller.
Pay close attention to lengthy narration Miller gives in Act One.
Be sure you know the sequence of events -- known as PLOT -- otherwise simply stated as "what happens" in the drama.
Vocabulary for quiz over Crucible
Scapegoat – one who receives all blame
Dissembling – acting; pretending
Subservient – obedient; submissive
Villainous – infamous, wicked
Inert -motionless; lifeless
Expulsion – removal; discharge
Affidavit – sworn statement
Indictment – accusation
Theocracy – state ruled by the church
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Ergot Possible Cause of Salem Witchcraft from How Stuff Works.Com
Were the American colonists drugged during the Salem
The social structure, too, was under strain. Three new generations had been born into the village since the original colonists had arrived, each seemingly further from the staid, pious adherence to Biblical code that had driven the Puritans from Europe and into the American wilderness. Their original plans for a new Eden
In February 1692 the devil, who lurked within every shadow of Salem
Nine months later, 37 people would be dead as a result of the witchcraft trials. They were killed at the hands of their fellow villagers -- people they had grown up with, worked with and known intimately. People who had turned on them.
Colonists in the New World had been tried elsewhere for witchcraft, it wasn't necessarily rare. But never had any group so fully committed itself to what seemed like madness.
This is not to say that the Salem
Ergot: Nature's LSD
In February 1692, Elizabeth [Betty] Parris, the daughter of the village's new minister, fell mysteriously ill. The 10-year-old girl began to exhibit strange behavior -- barking at her father, throwing herself about her room, and screaming of her skin being pinched and stung. After local physician William Griggs was confounded by the girl's symptoms and the failure of the treatments he tried on her, he pronounced that evil was at work on the girl. She was "possessed," and soon other girls in the village followed her into her illness.
Since Puritans believed the devil worked in league with witches, the already suspicious Salem Elizabeth
No historian has concluded that it was indeed witchcraft that caused the girls' illness, and there are varying explanations for the supposed possessions. Perhaps most interesting is historian Linda Caporael's claim that it was ergot poisoning that originally created the hysteria.
Ergot is the result of a mold -- toxic and often fatal to humans -- which grows on grain. For centuries, farmers knew of the mold -- which they called cockspur -- but assumed it was harmless. Some people believed that the cockspur, which looks like black whole grains, was simply grain cooked by the sun. This was not the case, however.
Ergot Poisoning Outbreaks
Outbreaks of ergot poisoning have occurred elsewhere in history, the earliest on record being in Germany in A.D. 857. The idea that ergot was causing the ghastly illness called St. Anthony's Fire was suspected as early as 1670 after an investigation by a French physician named Thuillier [source: University of Georgia]. But it wasn't until 1853 that Louis Rene Tulanse proved indubitably that these cockspurs were causing the agonizing death of so many people and animals.
Simply eating bread containing flour made from grain containing ergot can kill a person. Ergot poisoning can manifest in two ways: Gangrenous ergotism involves a burning of the skin, blisters and dry rot of the extremities -- which eventually fall off. The condition usually results in the death of the sufferer.
Convulsive ergotism attacks the central nervous system, causing mania, psychosis, hallucinations, paralysis and prickling sensations. It was these symptoms that reminded Caporael of those exhibited by Elizabeth Parris -- especially the mania.
Accounts written during 1692 describe behavior of the afflicted girls that bears an uncanny resemblance to a hallucinogenic state, and the fungus contains isoergine -- the main ingredient in the drug LSD. Is it possible that Elizabeth Parris and her fellow afflicted had eaten rye and fallen ill with convulsive ergotism?
Ergot Poisoning Theory: Fact or Fiction?
Caporael isn't pulling her theory out of thin air. The historian researched the growing season of rye -- the grain on which ergot seems to grow most easily. She found that there had been a wet summer in Salem ,
The historian also researched where the households of the girls who suffered the fits the villagers concluded was bewitchment got their grain. The first two afflicted, Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams, were cousins and lived beneath the same roof, so they both would have eaten the same grain. Moreover, two-thirds of the salary of their provider, the Reverend Parris, was paid in goods -- like grain -- rather than currency [source: Caporael]. The Parris household could have gotten the grain they ate from any number of sources.
The ergot-poisoning theory certainly seems to explain the afflictions the girls underwent, but the idea has come under attack since it was first introduced in 1976. Some historians feel that it's entirely possible that Elizabeth Parris, the first girl to fall ill, did suffer from some form of ergot poisoning. The rest of the girls, however, are believed to have taken an opportunity to stave off the boredom of colonial life with a ruse. If this is true, it's hard to imagine their reactions when the adults took the reins and began to hang their neighbors.
Other historians don't believe that ergot had anything to do with the Salem University of Georgia
Hoffer, who has written extensively on the Salem
Regardless of the cause -- whether it was ergot poisoning, a teen prank, a vendetta against past wrongs, a grab for land or mass hysteria -- the Salem
Had it not been for the slave Tituba's baffling confession upon questioning, the physicians' diagnosis of bewitchment, the powder keg that was Salem at the time, had any of these elements been missing, perhaps the trials would have never taken place. But these elements converged and created an environment of suspicion and reckless abandon. Then again, history is a convergence of events and conditions that seem separate until they come together to form a whole.
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