Monday, December 21, 2009

Have a Great Break!

As promised, there is no mandatory work over the break. Take a moment to make sure you're caught up with your blogs.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Specific Themes

What is a specific theme you find in the play? (Remember, a specific theme is a comment about a general theme, i.e. general theme = money; specific themes = money changes the dynamics in family relationships.)

The End

How did you find the end of the play? Was it a fit ending? Why or why not?

Shakespeare's Language

Share a line or two of Shakespeare’s that you find particularly interesting, neat, complex, funny, or profound. (Please actually type the line(s) in your post.)

Monday, December 7, 2009

Important Reminder!

Your response cannot be the exact some as someone else. There has been quite a bit of that lately. You will not receive full credit for a post that is repetitive.

Diction and Character’s Values

Understanding diction is essential to being a solid reader of literature. Diction teaches us many things. One of these is “character values.” A person’s choice of words directly or indirectly tells us what he or she considers important.

Find an example of diction (a word, phrase, or set of words) that reveals a character’s values. Explain your choice.

Language

Share a line or two of Shakespeare's that you find particularly powerful, profound, funny, or just interesting.

Performance

Performance affects the written text. The way characters chose to say certain lines, how they chose to act, and their body language affects what words mean. For example, saying “I love you” can mean two different things, whether said sarcastically or passionately.

Answer one or both: a) Find a line or two in the play that you think can have two meanings, depending on how the character chooses to act out the lines. b) Find an example from the film that made you rethink about the meaning of a line or two because of how it was acted out on the screen.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Thematic Development

As we continue reading the play, it is important to discover and analyze themes that appear throughout. Use this blog to explore a theme you have discovered so far.

Punctuation

As we discussed in class, punctuation is not simply a set of rules without purpose --- and its purposes go beyond annoying us. Good use of punctuation makes you a stronger writer, since you can express yourself with clarity, power, and creativity.

Give an example or two of how punctuation can change a sentence: a made-up one, a text message, or one you find. [Here’s another example: “Let’s eat, Grandpa!” or “Let’s eat Grandpa!”]

Shakespeare

Use this post to share a line or two from Othello that you find particularly profound, cool, funny, or interesting. Explain.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Characterizing

As we begin the play, it is important to characterize the main characters. (“Characterize” definition: to describe the main characteristics of a person; although this may include important physical traits, it also includes important interior traits or personalities.) Take a moment to characterize one or more of the following: Othello, Iago, or Desdemona.

Shakespeare’s Language

Although it may feel as if certain characters in the play like to ramble, there are many lines in Othello that are poignant, powerful, or profound. Explore a line or a few lines that you find particularly powerful, funny, or profound. Explain yourself.

Dramatic Irony

Dramatic Irony is the effect of having the audience (or reader) know something people on stage (or in the story) do not know. Explore either a) the effect dramatic irony has on story-telling, or b) an example of this in a movie, play, or story.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Relationships and Trust

In strong relationships, trust is an important element. You need to be able to trust your friend, significant other, husband, or wife. What happens when you have doubts about someone’s faithfulness (let’s think of a significant other) but can’t prove it? Do you give the benefit of the doubt? Or are you automatically suspicious? I want to hear your individual opinions on the matter.

Shakespeare

Use this post to blog about an experience you had reading or learning about Shakespeare. Was it positive or negative? What are your general feelings about Shakespeare? [Note: If it negative, your answer still needs to be academic and engaging.]

The Purpose of Writing

In your own words, define the purpose of writing. [Think of writing as intended, at least in some part, to be read by an audience.] Defend your definition. Also, feel free to respond to other students’ definitions.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Cultural Taboo

A “cultural taboo” is something a specific culture views as wicked, disgusting, or simply wrong. Pick a “cultural taboo” to explore. Why do you think it is a “taboo?” Do not pick the same taboo as someone else, unless you’re going to disagree with your fellow student.

Oedipus' Fate

Could Oedipus have avoided his “fate?” Explain your answer. If you are going to agree with someone, you need to add something and not simply repeat his or her words.

Why?

Using an example from class (thanks, Sam), consider this: A bus with 20 people crashes. Only 1 person survives. Why? Feel free to disagree with one another. If you are going to agree with someone, you need to add something and not simply repeat his or her words.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Independent Work Due Mon, Nov 9

In place of blogging this week, please work on your independent, quarterly work. It is due November 9, the Monday after the 4-day weekend.

Monday, October 26, 2009

"In Medias Res"

This Greek term means “starting in the middle.” A lot of Greek plays and epic poems start right in the middle of a story. The beginning of the story is explained as the story progresses. Movies and books are still written in this fashion. a) Explore an example of this, and/or b) explore what effect this has on story-telling.

Connotations

Explore two synonyms that have extremely similar denotations but different connotations. When is it better to use one than the other, and vice versa?

Heroes

If I called someone a “hero” in a story or movie, what sort of qualities would you expect him/her to have? What are examples of “heroes” in modern movies/books?

Monday, October 19, 2009

Short, Short Stories

Use this space to post your two short, short stories.

Dynamic Characters

Just as in stories, characters in real life change, grow, and learn new things. Explain and explore a moment in your life in which you were dynamic. What did you learn about yourself or the world that caused you to change?

Fate

In the modern world, we tend not to think about fate or the gods having a hand in our destinies. It is a very American idea to think we have full control over our lives and futures. However, even though we may not believe that there are gods on Mount Olympus controlling us, there are many things about our lives that are outside of our control. Explore one of these things. What about your life, present condition, or future is outside of your control?

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Responsibility and Knowledge

When we discussed plagiarism, we discussed the fact that we can be responsible for knowledge we don’t have. For example, we are responsible for knowing the speed limit; and we’re responsible for understanding what plagiarism is – these responsibilities are now realities, independent of whether or not we know the speed limit or the rules of plagiarism.

What are some other things we are responsible to know, independent of whether we know them or not?

Character Change

A dynamic character is one who changes through the course of a story. Often, climaxes (or other important moments) are centered on characters’ transformation. This transformation often happens when the protagonist learns something about a) the world or b) him or herself.

Choose a story (movie, novel, story, poem, play, etc) and demonstrate this fact. Show us how a protagonist changes and what he or she learns about the world or him or herself that affects this change.

Point-of-View

The point-of-view of a story hugely impacts the way it is told and its affect on the audience. For example, a story about a murder would be presented very differently if the murderer or a family member of the victim told it – and it would be different if a child or an adult was the narrator.

Choose a story (movie, novel, story, poem, play, etc.) and demonstrate this fact. Show us how the narrator/point-of-view/perspective changes or affects the story.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Writing versus Speaking

Explore either or both of the following: a) What is more important: writing well or speaking well? b) Why are some people better at one versus the other?

The Future Speaks to the Present

“By the Waters of Babylon” is a story set in the future. As with many stories with a similar setting, the author is commenting on or warning the present. Find and explore an example of this.

Historical Significance of the Written Word

Find and explore a significant moment in history that was affected, directly or indirectly, by the written word.

Blake and Poe

Read the short poem below titled “Poison Tree” by William Blake. Connect it to Poe and revenge – specifically, the consequences of holding pain, anger, or shame inside.

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe;
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
And I water'd it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with my smiles
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright;
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole
When the night had veil'd the pole:
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretch'd beneath the tree

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Revenge

Explore either a) the effects of revenge on an individual, in a real or hypothetical situation, or b) the effectiveness of revenge, i.e. Does it actually make you “feel better?”

Repression

Explore either a) things people feel the need to repress or b) the effects of repression. Feel free to check out this link for thoughts or ideas: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/374718/what_is_psychological_repression.html?cat=72

Annabel Lee

Respond to this Poe poem in any way you feel appropriate:

“Annabel Lee”

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love-
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulcher
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me-
Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we-
Of many far wiser than we-
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,
In the sepulcher there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

Authors and Their Works

Edgar Allan Poe had an extremely interesting (and twisted) personal life. He was an alcoholic, never held a steady job, and married his 13-year old cousin, Virginia Clemm.

This brings up two questions. Feel free to respond to either: 1) How much should we care about an author’s personal life? Should we consider a person’s life when we read and analyze his or her writings? 2) Often writers are crazy, depressed, and have faced serious trauma. Do people need to have awful things happen to them to produce powerful literature?

Monday, September 21, 2009

Horror

“Most Dangerous Game” is considered a suspense story. Humans have always loved suspense; there are also many individuals that enjoy the horror genre. In the last twenty years or so, production of horror movies has increased 300-400%.

Why do you think people are attracted to horror films/stories? Why do people intentionally get themselves scared? Why do you think they are on the rise?

Plagiarism

In all honesty, who gets hurt when I plagiarize?

Explore either side of the plagiarism argument: a) It is a serious issue. b) It is not a serious issue.

Psychological Conflict

There are different levels and types of conflict. Psychological conflict – conflict that occurs within a person’s mind – can be the most realistic and intellectually stimulating. Who has not felt pulled in two different ways when making a decision? Sometimes the conflict is between what we know we should do vs. what we want to do; sometimes it’s between helping someone and helping ourselves. Often it is between giving in to difficulties and obstacles vs. persevering and conquering our weaknesses.

Describe and explore a psychological conflict from a movie, book, or personal life.