Monday

 Test today! Good luck!

Friday

 Today we are going to review for the test.

Thursday

 

Today we are going to look at Rita Dove and then review Huckleberry Finn. Please turn to page 1300.

You will need to answer questions 1-3 on page 1305.

Things to Study for Test

 "Hills Like White Elephants"

Know the symbolism of the setting, a major theme, the point of view, what's going on with the dialogue.

"Searching for Zora"

Summation. Why did Walker go looking for Zora? Answer the question: "Walker's optimism" writes critic Donna H. Winchell, "is ultimately born of her belief that something divine exists in every human and nonhuman participant in the universe. The inhabitants of her fictional world search...for that divine spark that makes them uniquely who they are." How might this quote apply to this essay?

Langston Hughes

Be able to list and explain a major theme in his poetry. Also look back at textbook questions on his poetry.

Allen Ginsberg

"Howl" "America" "Hum Bom" - explain what the poems are about and how they fit post-modernism

Gregory Corso

"Marriage" "The American Way"  - explain what the poems are about and how they fit post-modernism

Malcolm X and Malcolm Luther King

Go over study questions in textbook

"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas"

Explain a major theme of the narrative with examples.

Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address"

I might give you the text of this address on the test and ask you to SOAPSTone it and explain what Lincoln believes the Civil War has been about and what the next steps are. 

"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

Theme. Discussion what is going on in the text.

Rita Dove

Discussion of poems. Look at text questions.

Billy Collins

Discussion of poems.  Look at text questions.

The Great Gatsby

Anything on the test you took. 

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Anything on the test you took.

"Sonny's Blues"

Discuss the major conflict of the story and how this conflict connects a theme.

1) Write a paragraph overview of the story. What is it really about? What really happens?

2) There are a number of themes in the story including: suffering, darkness, feeling trapped and wanting to escape. How can you tie all of these into one dominate theme that is suggested in the title "Sonny Blues"? (Note there is no single answer for this questions).

 

Wednesday

 

Then we will look at Rita Dove.

Today we are going to look at Rita Dove and Billy Collins. Please turn to page 1300.

You will need to answer questions 1-3 on page 1305.

 Today we are going to look at Gregory Corso

HW: Choose one poem, summarize it and connect it to a major theme, and then discuss how it is post-modern.

Gregory Corso

 http://www.litkicks.com/Texts/Marriage.html

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46374/the-american-way

 

Billy Collins and Rita Dove

 

 Today we will discuss the ending of "Looking for Zora" and give you some time to work on yesterday's assignment.

Then we will look at Rita Dove and Billy Collins.

Today we are going to look at Rita Dove and Billy Collins. Please turn to page 1300.

You will need to answer questions 1-3 on page 1305 and 1-4 on page 1310.

 

Monday

 Today we are going to read, "Looking for Zora" by Alice Walker.  This week we will also look at Toni Morrison, Gregory Corso, Rita Dove and Billy Collins.

When you are finished I'd like you to answer the following:

1) What is your general response to this? How does one writer impact a person so much that they go looking for that person?

2) Does this change your view of Zora? Why or why not?

3) "Walker's optimism" writes critic Donna H. Winchell, "is ultimately born of her belief that something divine exists in every human and nonhuman participant in the universe. The inhabitants of her fictional world search...for that divine spark that makes them uniquely who they are." How might this quote apply to this essay? Cite evidence from the text to support your insight. 

 

Things to Study for Test

 "Hills Like White Elephants"

Know the symbolism of the setting, a major theme, the point of view, what's going on with the dialogue.

"Searching for Zora"

Summation. Why did Walker go looking for Zora? Answer the question: "Walker's optimism" writes critic Donna H. Winchell, "is ultimately born of her belief that something divine exists in every human and nonhuman participant in the universe. The inhabitants of her fictional world search...for that divine spark that makes them uniquely who they are." How might this quote apply to this essay?

Langston Hughes

Be able to list and explain a major theme in his poetry. Also look back at textbook questions on his poetry.

Allen Ginsberg

"Howl" "America" "Hum Bom" - explain what the poems are about and how they fit post-modernism

Gregory Corso

"Marriage" "The American Way"  - explain what the poems are about and how they fit post-modernism

Malcolm X and Malcolm Luther King

Go over study questions in textbook

"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas"

Explain a major theme of the narrative with examples.

Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address"

I might give you the text of this address on the test and ask you to SOAPSTone it and explain what Lincoln believes the Civil War has been about and what the next steps are. 

"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

Theme. Discussion what is going on in the text.

Rita Dove

Discussion of poems. Look at text questions.

Billy Collins

Discussion of poems.  Look at text questions.

The Great Gatsby

Anything on the test you took. 

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Anything on the test you took.

"Sonny's Blues"

Discuss the major conflict of the story and how this conflict connects a theme.

1) Write a paragraph overview of the story. What is it really about? What really happens?

2) There are a number of themes in the story including: suffering, darkness, feeling trapped and wanting to escape. How can you tie all of these into one dominate theme that is suggested in the title "Sonny Blues"? (Note there is no single answer for this questions).

Toni Morrison 

Look at study questions in Textbook. 

Friday

 

 We are going to continue with "Sonny's Blues". 

1) Write a paragraph overview of the story. What is it really about? What really happens?

2) There are a number of themes in the story including: suffering, darkness, feeling trapped and wanting to escape. How can you tie all of these into one dominate theme that is suggested in the title "Sonny Blues"? (Note there is no single answer for this questions).

 

Thursday

 We are going to continue with "Sonny's Blues". 

1) Write a paragraph overview of the story. What is it really about? What really happens?

2) There are a number of themes in the story including: suffering, darkness, feeling trapped and wanting to escape. How can you tie all of these into one dominate theme that is suggested in the title "Sonny Blues"? (Note there is no single answer for this questions).

 

May 3rd

 Today, I'll give you a few minutes to finish up questions on Malcolm X and Martin Luther King and then we will begin looking at "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin.

https://sfponline.org/Uploads/372/sonnysblues.pdf

 

Tuesday

   Today we are going to discuss Malcolm X and Martin Luther King (pages 1202, 1218-1228). Do questions 1-3, 4, 8, 9 on page 1228.

 

Monday - May

 

 Today we are going to look at three poems by Allen Ginsberg. Your assignment is to choose one of them and write a blog post (at least one paragraph) that discusses 1) The meaning of the poem connecting the contents with a major theme and 2) How the poem is postmodern.

POSTMODERNISM:  Its main characteristics include anti-authoritarianism, or refusal to recognize the authority of any single style or definition of what art should be; and the collapsing of the distinction between high culture and mass or popular culture, and between art and everyday life. Fragmentation, dark humor and author self-referencing are characteristics of postmodernism as is the idea that there is no single truth.

America

Hum Bomb 

Howl 

Friday

  We are going to look at writers of Post-Modernism (or Contemporary Literature( - those writers who wrote after WWII. We will look at beat poetry (Ginsberg, Corso, Diane di Prima, Amiri Baraka, Jack Kerouac), and writers of the 60s (James Baldwin, others) and some more recent writers (Toni Morrison).

POSTMODERNISM:  Its main characteristics include anti-authoritarianism, or refusal to recognize the authority of any single style or definition of what art should be; and the collapsing of the distinction between high culture and mass or popular culture, and between art and everyday life. Fragmentation, dark humor and author self-referencing are characteristics of postmodernism as is the idea that there is no single truth.

 

 

Wednesday

 Today we are going to review for tomorrow's test. I changed the poetry section just a little:

C) Be able to discuss the following: "Helen" by H.D., "Harlem" by Langston Hughes, "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay and "My City" by James Weldon Johnson and  "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams.

Review

 

 THINGS TO KNOW FOR THE TEST:

A ) Make sure you can discuss the symbolism in "Hills Like White Elephants"  - reread the text if you need to.

B) Make sure you can discuss what in going on in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" - who the main character is and the main theme of the poem.

C) Be able to discuss the following: "Poetry" by Marianne Moore, "Helen" by H.D., "Harlem" by Langston Hughes, "Station in the Metro" by Erza Pound, "Anyone Live in a Pretty How Town" by e.e. cumming, "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams. 

D) Harlem Renaissance Writers

The Great Gatsby

Things to KNOW

1)

2)   Outline the main plot

3)   List five the rumors

4)   MOTIFS – explain the following and how it works in the overall meaning of the text: TIME, Car Crashes,

5)   SYMBOLS- explain the following and how they work in the overall meaning of the novel: Eyes of Eckleburg, Green Light, Settings, Daisy’s voice

6)   Characters: Nick, Jordan, Tom, Daisy, Gatsby, Klipspringer, Wilson, Owl Eyes, Myrtle, Mr. and Mrs. Sloan, Mr. Gatz, Dan Cody, Mr. and Mrs. McKee

7)   Quotes

8)   List all the dreams/illusions of the characters in Gatsby

9)   Allusions – KNOW AT LEAST FIVE ALLUSIONS and be able to discuss their importance

10)                  Classes – discuss the different classes and there representatives in Gatsby

11)                  THEMES: The Death of the American Dream; The Roaring Twenties; Time – The Meaning of Time; Social Classes and Social Structure in America

12)                   Meaning of characters names.

1)    List three symbols from the novel and briefly in a few sentences discuss what they mean in relation to one of the major themes.

2)    Who is the dynamic character and how does he change?

3)    List for settings in the novel (be exact) and discuss the purpose of each setting.

4)    Exactly when does the novel begin and when does it end?

5)    List the importance of the following characters.  Why are they important to the novel?

DAISY:

GEORGE WILSON:

TOM:

MYRTLE:

OWL EYES:

JORDAN:

6)    Outline the main plot (give at least 3 events in the rising action)

7)    What are some ways (at least five) that Jay Gatz reinvented himself as Jay Gatsby?

8)    List and discuss one major theme from the novel and give examples of scenes that reinforce the idea.

9)    Who is the protagonist of the novel?  And make an argument using examples to back this idea up.

FOR THE FOLLOWING QUOTATIONS NAME THE SPEAKER:

10) “Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions and next they’ll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white”

_____________________

11) If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay.  You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of the dock.”

            ______________________

12) “It’s really his wife that’s keeping them apart.  She’s a catholic and they don’t believe in divorce.”

______________________

13) “Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.”

______________________

14) “What’ll we plan?  What do people plan?”

______________________

15) “I’ve been drunk for about a week now, and I thought it might sober me up to sit in a library.”

_______________________

16) “You said a bad driver was only safe until she met another bad driver?  Well, I met another bad driver didn’t I?”

______________________

 

Possible Short Answer Questions 

• Many plays and novels use contrasting places (for example, two countries, two cities or towns, two houses, or the land and the sea) to represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work.

  Choose a novel or a play that contrasts two such places. Explaining how the places differ, what each place represents, and how their contrast contributes to the meaning of the work.

• In a novel or play, a confidant (male) or a confidante (female) is a character, often a friend or relative of the hero or heroine, whose role is to be present when the hero or heroine needs a sympathetic listener to confide in. Frequently the result is, as Henry James remarked, that the confidant or confidante can be as much “the reader’s friend as the protagonist’s.” However, the author sometimes uses this character for other purposes as well.

  Choose a confidant or confidante discuss the various ways this character functions in the work.

• Novels and plays often include scenes of weddings, funerals, parties, and other social occasions. Such scenes may reveal the values of the characters and the society in which they live. Select a novel or play that includes such a scene and discuss the contribution the scene makes to the meaning of the work as a whole. 

   

 

Monday

 Today we will talk briefly about Zora Neale Hurston and move on to page 878. We will read Langston Hughes (do questions 1-3, 7 on 885) and James Weldon Johnson and Claude McKay (do questions 1-3, 5 and 8 on page 891).

 

 THINGS TO KNOW FOR THE TEST:

A ) Make sure you can discuss the symbolism in "Hills Like White Elephants"  - reread the text if you need to.

B) Make sure you can discuss what in going on in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" - who the main character is and the main theme of the poem.

C) Be able to discuss the following: "Poetry" by Marianne Moore, "Helen" by H.D., "Harlem" by Langston Hughes, "Station in the Metro" by Erza Pound, "Anyone Live in a Pretty How Town" by e.e. cumming, "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams. 

D) Harlem Renaissance Writers

The Great Gatsby

Things to KNOW

1)

2)   Outline the main plot

3)   List five the rumors

4)   MOTIFS – explain the following and how it works in the overall meaning of the text: TIME, Car Crashes,

5)   SYMBOLS- explain the following and how they work in the overall meaning of the novel: Eyes of Eckleburg, Green Light, Settings, Daisy’s voice

6)   Characters: Nick, Jordan, Tom, Daisy, Gatsby, Klipspringer, Wilson, Owl Eyes, Myrtle, Mr. and Mrs. Sloan, Mr. Gatz, Dan Cody, Mr. and Mrs. McKee

7)   Quotes

8)   List all the dreams/illusions of the characters in Gatsby

9)   Allusions – KNOW AT LEAST FIVE ALLUSIONS and be able to discuss their importance

10)                  Classes – discuss the different classes and there representatives in Gatsby

11)                  THEMES: The Death of the American Dream; The Roaring Twenties; Time – The Meaning of Time; Social Classes and Social Structure in America

12)                   Meaning of characters names.

1)    List three symbols from the novel and briefly in a few sentences discuss what they mean in relation to one of the major themes.

2)    Who is the dynamic character and how does he change?

3)    List for settings in the novel (be exact) and discuss the purpose of each setting.

4)    Exactly when does the novel begin and when does it end?

5)    List the importance of the following characters.  Why are they important to the novel?

DAISY:

GEORGE WILSON:

TOM:

MYRTLE:

OWL EYES:

JORDAN:

6)    Outline the main plot (give at least 3 events in the rising action)

7)    What are some ways (at least five) that Jay Gatz reinvented himself as Jay Gatsby?

8)    List and discuss one major theme from the novel and give examples of scenes that reinforce the idea.

9)    Who is the protagonist of the novel?  And make an argument using examples to back this idea up.

FOR THE FOLLOWING QUOTATIONS NAME THE SPEAKER:

10) “Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions and next they’ll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white”

_____________________

11) If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay.  You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of the dock.”

            ______________________

12) “It’s really his wife that’s keeping them apart.  She’s a catholic and they don’t believe in divorce.”

______________________

13) “Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.”

______________________

14) “What’ll we plan?  What do people plan?”

______________________

15) “I’ve been drunk for about a week now, and I thought it might sober me up to sit in a library.”

_______________________

16) “You said a bad driver was only safe until she met another bad driver?  Well, I met another bad driver didn’t I?”

______________________

 

Possible Short Answer Questions 

• Many plays and novels use contrasting places (for example, two countries, two cities or towns, two houses, or the land and the sea) to represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work.

  Choose a novel or a play that contrasts two such places. Explaining how the places differ, what each place represents, and how their contrast contributes to the meaning of the work.

• In a novel or play, a confidant (male) or a confidante (female) is a character, often a friend or relative of the hero or heroine, whose role is to be present when the hero or heroine needs a sympathetic listener to confide in. Frequently the result is, as Henry James remarked, that the confidant or confidante can be as much “the reader’s friend as the protagonist’s.” However, the author sometimes uses this character for other purposes as well.

  Choose a confidant or confidante discuss the various ways this character functions in the work.

• Novels and plays often include scenes of weddings, funerals, parties, and other social occasions. Such scenes may reveal the values of the characters and the society in which they live. Select a novel or play that includes such a scene and discuss the contribution the scene makes to the meaning of the work as a whole. 

   

 

Friday

 Today we are going to take a vocabulary test and begin looking at the Harlem Renaissance. We will start with Zora Neale Hurston.

Read "How It Feels to be Colored Me" on page 898 and do questions 1-3 and 6.

Thursday

 Today we will review chapter 9 and The Great Gatsby as a whole. Tomorrow we will move onto the Harlem Renaissance. 

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the unit students will be able to

1) Define character development, irony, metaphor, personification, subplot, atmosphere and allusion and symbol
2) List all the characters that appear in the novel and describe their physical appearance, motivations, social class.
3) List various allusions and foreshadows and discuss what they mean in relation to plot.
4) List the various types of conflict that occur throughout the novel and discuss who the conflicts are between.
5) Keep a journal that outlines each chapter by listing setting (if applicable), characters, conflicts, and summaries.
6) List three themes and in a paragraph or more discuss how these themes work in the novel.
7) In an essay of a page or more discuss how Fitzgerald uses particular images or characters as symbols and discuss how these symbols reflect larger themes or ideas in the novel.
8) Outline the character development (inward change) of various characters (to be mentioned later).
9) List and outline four subplots in either novel.
10) List and outline the central plot.
11) In a paragraph or more discuss how social class or social problems fit in the novel and relate them to conflict and theme.
12) Pick out two or three examples of similes and/or metaphors and in a paragraph discuss how they are used.
13) Given a quotation identify the speaker.

THE GREAT GATSBY FINAL (Questions 1-25 are worth 3 pts each)

 

1)    List three symbols from the novel and briefly in a few sentences discuss what they mean in relation to one of the major themes.

 

 

 

 

 

2)    Who is the dynamic character and how does he change?

 

 

 

 

 

3)    List for settings in the novel (be exact) and discuss the purpose of each setting.

 

 

 

 

4)    Exactly when does the novel begin and when does it end?

 

 

 

 

 

5)    List the importance of the following characters.  Why are they important to the novel?

 

DAISY:

 

 

 

 

GEORGE WILSON:

 

 

 

 

TOM:

 

 

 

MYRTLE:

 

 

 

OWL EYES:

 

 

 

JORDAN:

 

 

6)    Outline the main plot (give at least 3 events in the rising action)

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)    What are some ways (at least five) that Jay Gatz reinvented himself as Jay Gatsby?

 

 

 

 

 

8)    List and discuss one major theme from the novel and give examples of scenes that reinforce the idea.

 

 

 

 

9)    Who is the protagonist of the novel?  And make an argument using examples to back this idea up.

 

  

 

FOR THE FOLLOWING QUOTATIONS NAME THE SPEAKER:

 

10) “Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions and next they’ll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white”

 

_____________________

 

11) If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay.  You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of the dock.”

 

 

            ______________________

 

12) “It’s really his wife that’s keeping them apart.  She’s a catholic and they don’t believe in divorce.”

 

 

______________________

 

 

13) “Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.”

 

 

______________________

 

 

14) “What’ll we plan?  What do people plan?”

 

 

______________________

 

 

15) “I’ve been drunk for about a week now, and I thought it might sober me up to sit in a library.”

 

 

_______________________

16) “You said a bad driver was only safe until she met another bad driver?  Well, I met another bad driver didn’t I?”

 

______________________

 

 

 

 

Wednesday

 Today we will look at the last chapter of The Great Gatsby. 

I will also give you some time to record your notes from chapter 8.

 

Tuesday

 Today we need to recap chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby and move on to book 8. I also need to give you some time to record your notes from book 7.

Monday

 We are going to look at chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby today and review vocabulary.