2020 American Literature

 Today we will discuss chapter 6 in great detail and then finish the overview of Modernism is on page 864. Homework: Post your notes on chapter 6 on your blog. Tomorrow we will be looking at Robert Frost and/or Carl Sandburg.  

 Today we are going to review vocabulary, read the overview of Modernism in your textbook and discuss any lingering questions about chapter 5. The overview of Modernism is on page 864.

 Today, we are going to look at chapter 5. Rumor #4 - "He's bootlegger" Rumor #5 - "One time he killed a man who had found out that he was nephew to Von Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil." Nick has a timetable effective July 5th 1922.  It is an old timetable now, but on it he had written all the names of people that came to Gatsby's parties.  Within the list are tales of drunks (and fights), names of history (Stonewall Jackson Abrams, Mrs. Ulysses Swett), and people from the movies.  Mrs. Ulysses S. Swett's automoblie runs over Ripley Snells hand (another automobile accident). There is also Klipspringer.  Known as "the boarder" because he is at Gatsby's house so often. One morning in late July, Gatsby comes to ask Nick to lunch.  There's a big description of Gatsby's car: "a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes...terraced with a l...

 Today, we are going to read "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" on page 969. Answer questions 1-3, 6 and 7. We are also going to look at The Waste Land (section 1) by T.S. Eliot.  If we have time we will also begin to cover the overview of the time period on page 865).  HOMEWORK: Read chapter 4. The Waste Land  Part I: The Burial of the Dead You should think about breaking this section up into four speakers. Eliot was working with dramatic monologues. You should also think about his allusions in this section: 1) The title to THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER (as for burial services) 2) Allusions to Ezekiel, Ecclesiastes, Isiah 3) Allusions to WWI 4) Allusions to Dante's Inferno 5) Allusions to Tristan and Isolte 6) Walt Whitman 7) Chaucer 8) Drowning 9) Greek Mythology 10) Tarot Cards - and fate 11) Other religions Also think about winter, spring and seasons. Go here: https://wasteland.windingway.org/  Here is Jenny's overview of the section: http://jennyaplit.bl...

  Gatsby's Party Nick Carraway is invited to his party, but he claims to be one of the few.  People at Gatsby's party's at "according to the rules of behavior associated with amusement parks."  A chauffeur in a "uniform of robin's egg blue" (is this important?) brings Nick the invitation. Gilda Gray - Follies (allusion -Ziegfield Follies).  Lots of mentions of automobiles in this chapter. Nick quickly runs into Jordan Baker at the party.  Jordan is with a younger man who is still in college (there is a reason for this - he is "a persistent undergraduate given to violent innuendo").  Nick and Jordan sit with a few girls who share some gossip: 1) One rip her dress at a former party and Gatsby sent her a new one worth $265 - because "He doesn't want any trouble with anybody" 2) Rumor #2 - Gatsby had "killed a man once."  Gatsby's name = BY GATs 3) "He was a German spy during the war"...

 Today we are going to discuss chapter 3 in extensive detail and give you time to take notes and record. Homework to write sentences will all the vocabulary words: 1)     Wan 2)     Prodigality 3)     Feigned 4)     Languidly 5)     Colossal 6)     Complacency 7)     Levity 8)     Extemporizing 9)     Supercilious 10) Infinitesimal 11) Fractiousness 12) Incredulously 13) Contemptuously 14) Incurably 15) Cardinal 16) Pasquinade 

  On Friday you will write and film a discussion video on chapter 2 or, if you want to film at home, read chapter 3. We will discuss chapter 3 on Monday. You can do this on Flipgrid, or some other video source.  https://flipgrid.com/f2979692 

  Today we are going to discuss chapter 2 in depth. Hopefully everyone is ready because I will be expecting and calling on each of you to contribute to the discussion. Next, I will give you some time to record your notes on your blog. Please be detailed. On Friday you will write and film a discussion video on it, or, if you want to film at home, read chapter 3. You can do this on Flipgrid, or some other video source.  https://flipgrid.com/f2979692    Chapter 2 Settings: Valley of Ashes and New York City Valley of Ashes is both an allusion (to T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land – a poem that refers back to World War I, and turns London into a city of the dead, spiritually dead) and a symbol.   The Valley of Ashes is were “dreams” die and the spiritually dead live.   In the Valley of Ashes another symbol resides: The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg.   A symbol to eyes of God (though God is dead).   In the Valley of Ashes live George and ...

 Today we are going to discuss chapter 1 in depth. Hopefully everyone is ready because I will be expecting and calling on each of you to contribute to the discussion. Next, I will give you some time to record your notes on your blog. Please be detailed. Homework: Read chapter 2. We will discuss this in great detail tomorrow and on Friday you will film a discussion video on it.

 Today we are going to turn in your essays and begin The Great Gatsby. Note instead of answering study questions, I'm going to have your take notes on each chapter and post them. There are only 9 chapters.  NOTE, YOU WILL ALL BE BRAINWASHED TO LIKE THIS NOVEL.   Example -- below: Nick Carraway – (narrator), claims to be non-judgmental and this has made him “privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men.” Is from the West and moved to the East.   His family is in the hardware business.   He claims that he is descended from the “Dukes of Buccleuch” (look this up). He is descended or claims to be descended from aristocracy.   His family is probably upper-middle class.   He works for a living.   Was in World War I (The Great War).   Graduate from YALE (New Haven).   He works selling bonds. Nick seems to be a reliable narrator but he does have moments. “ Midas, Morgan, and Maecenas” (page 4) – allusion (look up). E...

Learning Goal: Demonstrate knowledge of early-twentieth century foundational works of American Literature by relating a text to the historical time period and discussing the distinct features of Modernism found in the text.   Essential Questions: What is Modern?  Can ideals survive Catastrophe?  How can people honor their Heritage?  What drives Human Behavior? Texts: "The Love Song Of J. Afred Prufrock", poetry by Langston Hughes, "How it feels to be Colored Me", "Chicago", "The Death of the Hired Man", "A Worn Path", The Great Gatsby.   Monday: Read the overview of "The Harlem Renaissance and Modernism" and outline the effects of WWI, the Jazz Age, and the Great Depression on writers of the time.   The Themes: 1.This novel is filled with multiple themes but the predominate one focuses on the death of the American Dream. This can be explained by how Gatsby came to get his fortune. Through his dealings wit...

 Today - we will continue to work on essays.

Unit Learning Goal: Students will demonstrate knowledge of nineteenth century foundation works of American Literature by analyzing satire in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and relating one of its main themes to another text and issue of the time.      https://owl.excelsior.edu/rhetorical-styles/compare-and-contrast-essay/compare-and-contrast-essay-techniques/   Comparison Essay – Huckleberry Finn   4 3 2 1 Thesis and introduction   W2a Student takes a clear position in relating a theme in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to another text and issue of the time period.   Hook and thesis link.   There is an order of development present.   Student takes a position in relating theme to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to another text and issue of the time period. Student attempts to write a thesis state...

Today we are going to look at Walt Whitman (page 530).  But first let's see if we can connect Huckleberry Finn to either Lincoln or Frederick Douglas? Tomorrow we will begin essays. Unit Learning Goal: Students will demonstrate knowledge of nineteenth century foundation works of American Literature by analyzing satire in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and relating one of its main themes to another text and issue of the time.     TEXTS: “Historical and Context of the transition from Romanticism to Realism”; selected poetry by Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson; excerpts from The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas ; “The Gettysburg Address”, “The Emancipation Proclamation”, “Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address”; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Homework: questions 1-4, 6 on page 541.    

  Today we are going to read Emily Dickinson (page 546).  You will be required to choose one of the poems we read in class and write a paragraph (5-7 sentences with a topic sentence) about what you believe the poem means (please reference the poem in your writing). You will also do questions 1-4 on page 556.  

 REVIEW  Learning OBJECTIVES: By the end of the novel students will be able to 1)     Define realism, satire, dialect, antihero, unreliable narrator, irony (situational, dramatic, and verbal), episodic plot, romanticism, dramatic foils, hyperbole, motif, picaresque novel, parable, sarcasm, simile, metaphor, oxymoron, allegory, euphemism, bildungroman 2)     Pick out examples of symbols, irony and dialect 3)     Example the meaning of at least one major symbol 4)     Discuss how Huck is both an unreliable narrator and an antihero 5)     Discuss how Huckleberry Finn, the novel, fits both a bildungsroman and picaresque novel 6)     Give examples of and discuss the following motifs in the book: superstition, parodies of previous literature (romantic novels and Shakespeare), the adopting of personas (or reinventing self), childhood games, religion, lies and cons, death, and pe...