Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Chapter 27
Ok--we're finished!!! Answer the questions on page 265. (1) What does the story signify? What is Mansfield saying in the story? What do you see as its meaning? AND (2) What does it signify? What elements does Mansfield employ to cause the story to signify whatever it signifies? What elements, in other words, cause it to mean the things you take it to mean?
Chapter 26
On the last page of this chapter, Foster states that "irony doesn't work for everyone." What does he mean by that? Why doesn't it? What does he mean by multivocal and univocal?
Chapter 24
Re-read the last paragraph carefully and then respond. Do you agree? What has been lost in modern writing--if you do agree? If you don't--why not?
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Chapter 23
This one is short--what was the short story we read in which a woman's heart disease was "heart disease"? What happened to her and why????
Chapter 22
Write about a novel or short story you've read (or a movie if you have to) in which you learn something early on that seems minor but becomes very important later.
Chapter 21
Again, choose a sentence or two from this chapter that you found interesting and comment on it. (Include the sentence and page number.) Why did it stand out? Do you agree with what he said? Why or why not?
Interlude One Story
"There is only one story." What does he mean by this? Do you agree? Why or why not?
Chapter 20
Choose a sentence or two from this chapter that you agreed with/disagreed with, write the sentence and page number, and then respond to it. Why did you choose it? What do you agree/disagree with and why?
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Chapter 19
Discuss a short story, poem, or novel in which the geography (the location) was significant to the meaning.
One example for me would be The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. The novel is about a missionary and his family who travel to Africa on a mission trip. The area where they spend several years is somewhat uncivilized and very basic--similar to the relationships between the family members. It is also interesting to note that though they go there to change the lives of those they "teach," it is the family themselves who change the most. Sending them to spend a year somewhere else would not have had the same effect. The geography of Africa was very important to the overall theme.
One example for me would be The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. The novel is about a missionary and his family who travel to Africa on a mission trip. The area where they spend several years is somewhat uncivilized and very basic--similar to the relationships between the family members. It is also interesting to note that though they go there to change the lives of those they "teach," it is the family themselves who change the most. Sending them to spend a year somewhere else would not have had the same effect. The geography of Africa was very important to the overall theme.
Chapter 18
Ok, this one is a free write. We haven't really read enough yet, so there hasn't been a story where someone gets wet or drowns.
Just comment on the chapter. What did you think? Do you think reading this book and hearing about things like the symbolic meanings of drowning and submersion will change the way you read?
Just comment on the chapter. What did you think? Do you think reading this book and hearing about things like the symbolic meanings of drowning and submersion will change the way you read?
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Chapter 17
If you cannot respond to this chapter in a mature way--skip it.
In all honesty, I would say that very few of the books you will read for high school classes will contain much sex. There are a couple of scenes in1984, but they are more like those scenes mentioned in the previous chapter.
However, I think Foster makes some legitimate points. I would agree that the act itself in quality literature always has a deeper meaning. There is a reason beyond the physical act why the scene is included. Have any of you read Lady Chatterley's Lover? I haven't, but I think I might now. I checked, but it's not on the AP list...(There are actually several books mentioned in this book so far that I would like to read!)
OK--so what should you write about? Well, what did you think about this chapter? Do you agree with him? Have you read any novels with sexual scenes--which have a deeper meaning?
In all honesty, I would say that very few of the books you will read for high school classes will contain much sex. There are a couple of scenes in1984, but they are more like those scenes mentioned in the previous chapter.
However, I think Foster makes some legitimate points. I would agree that the act itself in quality literature always has a deeper meaning. There is a reason beyond the physical act why the scene is included. Have any of you read Lady Chatterley's Lover? I haven't, but I think I might now. I checked, but it's not on the AP list...(There are actually several books mentioned in this book so far that I would like to read!)
OK--so what should you write about? Well, what did you think about this chapter? Do you agree with him? Have you read any novels with sexual scenes--which have a deeper meaning?
Chapter 16
OK, so get ready, we will be reading "The Rocking Horse Winner"!
I think times have changed quite a bit from the early nineteen hundreds. there are no more twin beds and no more trains and tunnels. If an author or a movie director want to create a sex scene today, they pretty much just do it.What do you think about that? Are those kinds of scenes best left to the imagination (curtains blowing, waves crashing...) Were TV and movies better off when the characters had twin beds? Didn't that force the viewer/reader to use his/her imagination? Didn't we have to put more thought into what we were watching/reading? Are we better off now--when there is no way you could read most novels at the breakfast table with the whole family? What do you think?
I think times have changed quite a bit from the early nineteen hundreds. there are no more twin beds and no more trains and tunnels. If an author or a movie director want to create a sex scene today, they pretty much just do it.What do you think about that? Are those kinds of scenes best left to the imagination (curtains blowing, waves crashing...) Were TV and movies better off when the characters had twin beds? Didn't that force the viewer/reader to use his/her imagination? Didn't we have to put more thought into what we were watching/reading? Are we better off now--when there is no way you could read most novels at the breakfast table with the whole family? What do you think?
Chapter 15
OK, so why are we humans so fascinated with flight? Have you ever wished you could fly? Why? What would it mean if we could?
Can you name any books/stories you've read where a character flies? (Literally or figuratively?) I've read a couple of novels by James Patterson in which a doctor has figured out how to create children who will be born part-human and part-bird. While the children love the ability to fly, their situation is much like the one mentioned in the book--the ability to fly is what traps them. The whole world wants to study them, see them, put them on display. The ability prevents their freedom instead of giving it to them.
Can you name any books/stories you've read where a character flies? (Literally or figuratively?) I've read a couple of novels by James Patterson in which a doctor has figured out how to create children who will be born part-human and part-bird. While the children love the ability to fly, their situation is much like the one mentioned in the book--the ability to fly is what traps them. The whole world wants to study them, see them, put them on display. The ability prevents their freedom instead of giving it to them.
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