2020 American Literature

 Study Questions 1. Compare and contrast the lies Huck gives to Mrs. Judith Lotus to the lies he tells the watchman? (chap 11 and 13). Think about purpose and results. Remember lies and inventing (or reinventing) personas is a motif. What theme do you think these lies reinforce? 2. Make a list of names Huck uses or invent. 3. Contrast the gang on the Walter Scott to Tom’s Gang (you might even look at some of the rules of Tom’s Gang). What is the significance of these two gangs? What idea is Twain trying to reinforce? 4. Look up Walter Scott on the internet. Why would Twain name the sinking boat Walter Scott? What is he making fun of? (Hint: Research the name and read about who Walter Scott was). 5. Look up the dimensions of the Mississippi. Write them down. Look up the Mississippi in Illinois and Missouri. What does the internet say about the river in these two states? Find a picture of the Mississippi. Why do you think Twain used the Mississippi as a s...

 

 Today we will discuss the final and then continue with Huck Finn. 1 – Be able to discuss with examples how Emerson (Nature and Self-Reliance)   and Thoreau (Walden and Civil Disobedience fit the ideas of Transcendentalism.   You will need to be able to pick out   a theme for each essay and use specific examples. 2 – Discuss the meaning of the “A Psalm of Life”, “The Tide Falls”, “The Chambered Nautilus” and “Old Ironsides”.   Be able to analysis rhyme scheme, stanza structure, and metaphor in each poem.   Also apply the question: What gives life purpose to the poems. 3 – List the elements of American Gothic literature and give examples of these elements in The Scarlet Letter . 4 – Be able to discuss the following questions as connected to the literature of the Romantic Period: “Is the price of progress ever too high?” “Is it patriotic to protest one’s government?” “Does everyone have a dark side?” “Where do people look for the ...

 Today we are going to continue to read and discuss The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Review for Test on Romanticism 1 – Be able to discuss with examples how Emerson (Nature and Self-Reliance)   and Thoreau (Walden and Civil Disobedience fit the ideas of Transcendentalism.   You will need to be able to pick out   a theme for each essay and use specific examples. 2 – Discuss the meaning of the “A Psalm of Life”, “The Tide Falls”, “The Chambered Nautilus” and “Old Ironsides”.   Be able to analysis rhyme scheme, stanza structure, and metaphor in each poem.   Also apply the question: What gives life purpose to the poems. 3 – List the elements of American Gothic literature and give examples of these elements in The Scarlet Letter . 4 – Be able to discuss the following questions as connected to the literature of the Romantic Period: “Is the price of progress ever too high?” “Is it patriotic to protest one’s government?” “Does everyo...

Today we will begin The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn  HUCKLEBERRY FINN QUESTIONS    Discussion Questions NOTICE - IV 1) Describe the Widow Douglas.  How does Huck respond to the Moses story?  What does this tell the reader about Huck's character?  (Moses will be a motif in this book) 2) Discuss superstition as a motif.  Provide examples. 3) Discuss Huck's view of death and the afterlife.  Death is mentioned frequently in chapter 1.  Why? 4) Comment on the trick Tom and Huck play on Jim. 5) "Jim was most ruined for a servant..."  Discuss the significance of this quote. 6) Considering the themes listing in the objectives, comment on Tom's decision to leave 5 cents for the candles.  Do you think Huck would have done the same thing?   Why or why not? 7) Compare and Contrast Tom and Huck. 8) Why does Tom think it important that the gang be considered "highwaymen" rather than burglars? 9) Discuss Huck's conf...

Today we will discuss Huckleberry Finn   Huck Finn Geography HUCKLEBERRY FINN Introduction:             Huckleberry Finn, published in 1885, is considered not only a great book, but according to Ernest Hemingway (and many critics), it is the foundation of American literature.   It is the first novel to address uniquely American problems such as slavery and the hypocrisy of American Society (particularly of the Southern Gentile Tradition).   It is the first novel to have as its narrator a true American: an uneducated homeless boy of the lower class who has been raised for most of his life by no one and who owns nothing but his own ingenuity.   In fact it is the naivety of the narrator that allows Mark Twain to condemn society.   Huck Finn, while a liar, a thief, a minor conman (or con-boy), a rapscallion, a dirty waif, and a prankster, is ironically the most honest and good person in the ...

 Today, we are going to read the Fireside poets: 12/9 - Fireside Poets - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Oliver Wendell Holmes (page 342) Questions: page 347 1-3, 7-8 Questions: page 353 1-3, 5 https://www.muhlsdk12.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=4199&dataid=5189&FileName=A%20Psalm%20of%20Life.pdf  

Today we will finish reading "The Fall of the House of Usher"  Assignment: Briefly write a blog entry where you summarize the Romantic Gothic elements in the story.  Look at page 312 if you need to review Romantic Gothic ideas.   Online text: https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/the_fall_of_the_house_of_usher.pdf   Online audio book: http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/yetcres/multimedia/McDougalLiterature/g11/cd09/The%20Fall%20House%20of%20Usher.mp3

 Monday Read Poe 410 - 431.  Briefly write a blog entry where you summarize the Romantic Gothic elements in the story.  Look at page 312 if you need to review Romantic Gothic ideas.   THIS QUESTION WILL BE ON THE TEST. 12/7 - 12/8 - Poe - "Fall of the House of Usher" (page 410) 12/9 - Fireside Poets - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Oliver Wendell Holmes (page 342) 12/10 and 12/11 - Introduction to Huckleberry Finn and chapters 1-5   12/15 - Review 12/16 or 12/17 FINAL    

 Today, I'm going to send you to breakout rooms to discuss one of the three questions below and return with an answer. Then, I will give you time to either record answers to the following questions or work on make up work. 1) Summarize Fuller's essay (what is the structure and main ideas - give some specific examples) and connect it to the ideas of the Transcendentalist movement. 2)   With examples discuss how Emerson (Nature and Self-Reliance) fits the ideas of Transcendentalism and give a theme for each essay and use specific examples. 3) With examples discuss how Thoreau (Walden and Civil Disobedience fit the ideas of Transcendentalism.   Pick out   a theme for each essay and use specific examples. 4) Compare Emerson and Thoreau Reading schedule: 12/7 - 12/8 - Poe - "Fall of the House of Usher" (page 410) 12/9 - Fireside Poets - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Oliver Wendell Holmes (page 342) 12/10 and 12/11 - Introduction to Huckleberry Finn and chapters...

 Today we are going to read Margaret Fuller's "Woman in the Nineteenth Century" (page 402). You will need to do questions 1,2, 4, 5, and 6 on page 408. Here is a link to the text if you do not have your textbooks:    https://litfit.webs.com/u2_woman_19century_se.pdf For the final, you will need to summarize what Fuller's essay is about and connect it to the ideas of the Transcendentalist movement.   Tomorrow we will look at what you need to know for the transcendentalists for the final, and I'll give you some time to finish make up work.  

 see - Shmoop: https://www.shmoop.com/american-romanticism/ Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Self-Reliance" Learning Goal: RI2, Analyze a complex set of ideas and explain how they develop over the course of the text Today's Objective: Identify Emerson's theme in "Self-Reliance" and discuss how he expands upon the idea.  What we will do today: Read the background information of Emerson, read the essay "Self-Reliance" and "Nature" discuss a theme in each and ways he develops it. On page 375 answer questions 1, 4, 5 and 6.   https://waldrep.weebly.com/uploads/1/6/8/8/16887134/11_emerson_self-reliance_and_nature.pdf   Review for Test on Romanticism 1 – Be able to discuss with examples how Emerson (Nature and Self-Reliance)   and Thoreau (Walden and Civil Disobedience fit the ideas of Transcendentalism.   You will need to be able to pick out   a theme for each essay and use specific examples.

 Today we will read selections from Walden (page 380). You will need to do question 1-4, and 6 on page 388. If you left your book at school here is a link: https://my.hrw.com/la_2010/na_lit/student/ebook_gr11/osp/data/u2_walden_civil_se.pdf Reading Schedule:   12/1 - Thoreau - From Walden ( page 380) 12/2 - Emerson - "Self-Reliance" and "Nature" (page 369)  12/3 - Margaret Fuller - "Woman in the Nineteenth Century" (page 402) 12/7 - 12/8 - Poe - "Fall of the House of Usher" (page 410) 12/9 - Fireside Poets - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Oliver Wendell Holmes (page 342) 12/10 and 12/11 - Introduction to Huckleberry Finn and chapters 1-5   12/15 - Review 12/16 or 12/17 FINAL