Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Telephone conversation ( p 1157)



Telephone Conversation by Wole Soyinka
The price seemed reasonable, location
Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived
Off premises. Nothing remained
But self-confession. "Madam," I warned,å
"I hate a wasted journey—I am African."
Silence. Silenced transmission of
Pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came,
Lipstick coated, long gold rolled
Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was foully.
"HOW DARK?" . . . I had not misheard . . . "ARE YOU LIGHT
OR VERY DARK?" Button B, Button A.* Stench
Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak.
Red booth. Red pillar box. Red double-tiered
Omnibus squelching tar. It was real! Shamed
By ill-mannered silence, surrender
Pushed dumbfounded to beg simplification.
Considerate she was, varying the emphasis--
"ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT?" Revelation came.
"You mean--like plain or milk chocolate?"
Her assent was clinical, crushing in its light
Impersonality. Rapidly, wave-length adjusted,
I chose. "West African sepia"--and as afterthought,
"Down in my passport." Silence for spectroscopic
Flight of fancy, till truthfulness clanged her accent
Hard on the mouthpiece. "WHAT'S THAT?" conceding
"DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS." "Like brunette."
"THAT'S DARK, ISN'T IT?" "Not altogether.
Facially, I am brunette, but, madam, you should see
The rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet
Are a peroxide blond. Friction, caused--
Foolishly, madam--by sitting down, has turned
My bottom raven black--One moment, madam!"--sensing
Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap
About my ears--"Madam," I pleaded, "wouldn't you rather
See for yourself?"


TFA read chapters 9-10

Before leaving today- First 5 lines from sonnet required.

Reminders:
Thursday, 11-3 Sonnet memorization due
Friday, 11-4 Lit analysis on demand in computer lab.
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart final
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart packet is due. Complete sentences required.
Tuesday, 11-8 Outside reading due
Wednesday, 11-9, Outside Reading last chance
Wednesday, 11-9 Lit term test

Tuesday

Valediction forbidding Mourning. (341). We discussed this in class. We have no writing due:

A VALEDICTION FORBIDDING MOURNING.
by John Donne

AS virtuous men pass mildly away, 
    And whisper to their souls to go, 
Whilst some of their sad friends do say,
    "Now his breath goes," and some say, "No."                     
So let us melt, and make no noise,                                       5
    No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move ;
'Twere profanation of our joys 
    To tell the laity our love. 
Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears ;
    Men reckon what it did, and meant ;                              10
But trepidation of the spheres, 
    Though greater far, is innocent. 
Dull sublunary lovers' love 
    —Whose soul is sense—cannot admit 
Of absence, 'cause it doth remove                                     15
    The thing which elemented it. 
But we by a love so much refined,
    That ourselves know not what it is, 
Inter-assurèd of the mind, 
    Care less, eyes, lips and hands to miss.                           20
Our two souls therefore, which are one, 
    Though I must go, endure not yet 
A breach, but an expansion, 
    Like gold to aery thinness beat. 
If they be two, they are two so                                          25
    As stiff twin compasses are two ; 
Thy soul, the fix'd foot, makes no show 
    To move, but doth, if th' other do. 
And though it in the centre sit, 
    Yet, when the other far doth roam,                                30
It leans, and hearkens after it, 
    And grows erect, as that comes home. 
Such wilt thou be to me, who must,
    Like th' other foot, obliquely run ;
Thy firmness makes my circle just,                                    35
    And makes me end where I begun. 

Memorized sonnet reminder

TFA read chapters 7-8. Seven was read in class. Eight will be read as homework. Keep up on the packet.

Before leaving today- First four lines from sonnet required.

Reminders:
Thursday, 11-3 Sonnet memorization due
Friday, 11-4 Lit analysis on demand in computer lab.
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart final
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart packet is due. Complete sentences required.
Tuesday, 11-8 Outside reading due
Wednesday, 11-9, Outside Reading last chance
Wednesday, 11-9 Lit term test

Monday, October 24, 2011

Marked, discussed, and handed in "Crossing the Bar".

TFA Read chapters 5 and 6 aloud in class. Worked on "The Second Coming," a poem in our packet. We discussed diction, imagery, summarization.

Friday, October 21,2011

“Crossing the Bar” (989) First paragraph summary, second theme, third connections or other ideas. Make it to the bottom of the page.Use at least two quotes from the text. These quotes can be as short as one word.

Memorized sonnet reminder

TFA read chapters 4-6.

Before leaving today- First three lines from sonnet required.

Reminders:
Thursday, 11-3 Sonnet memorization due
Friday, 11-4 Lit analysis on demand in computer lab.
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart final
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart packet is due. Complete sentences required.
Tuesday, 11-8 Outside reading due
Wednesday, 11-9, Outside Reading last chance
Wednesday, 11-9 Lit term test

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Gramma’s Lab proofreading exercise

Memorized sonnet reminder

TFA read chapter 2 aloud and chapter 3 silently.

Before leaving today- 2 lines from sonnet required to be memorized.

Reminders:
Thursday, 11-3 Sonnet memorization due
Friday, 11-4 Lit analysis on demand in computer lab.
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart final
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart packet is due. Complete sentences required.
Tuesday, 11-8 Outside reading due
Wednesday, 11-9, Outside Reading last chance
Wednesday, 11-9 Lit term test

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Gramma’s Lab proofreading exercise

Burning of Rome ( 694) in-class quiz

Memorized sonnet reminder

TFA read 2 aloud. We practiced answering some of the packet questions.


Reminders:
Thursday, 11-3 Sonnet memorization due
Friday, 11-4 Lit analysis on demand in computer lab.
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart final
Wednesday, 11-9, Outside Reading due
Wednesday, 11-9 Lit term test

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Lit term: oxymoron, parable

Gramma’s Lab


Memorized sonnet reminder

TFA packet: page 3 background; We discussed the issues brought forth by this background information.

Look at page 4 glossary for first seven chapters. Page 24 is where answers start. Do not write on earlier pages .

Read chapter one of the book tonight.

Knight’s Tale (:43). We finished it.

Reminders:
Thursday, 11-3 Sonnet memorization due
Friday, 11-4 Lit analysis on demand in computer lab.
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart final
Wednesday, 11-9, Outside Reading due
Wednesday, 11-9 Lit term test

Monday, October 17, 2011

Pick up the book Things Fall Apart, from the IMC.
Hand out packet for the book. We discussed the first two pages of the packet.

We watched more of Knight's Tale.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Lit term: motif, onomatopoeia. Wow, Jordan won the onomatopoeia contest.


Groups presented these poems.

Passionate Shepherd (297) Emma
Nymph’s reply (298)
To the Virgins (301) Sean
To his coy Mistress (303) Scotty
How do I love thee (915) Matthew

.

Knight’s Tale start at (:43) through

Reminders:
Thursday, 11-3 Sonnet memorization due
Friday, 11-4 Lit analysis on demand in computer lab.
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart final
Wednesday, 11-9, Outside Reading due
Wednesday, 11-9 Lit term test

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Lit term: monologue/ soliloquy

Comma splice 434. We looked at run-on sentence, fused sentences, comma splice. We also did some practice on this.


Passionate Shepherd (297) Emma
Nymph’s reply (298)
To the Virgins (301) Sean
To his coy Mistress (303) Scotty
How do I love thee (915) Matthew

We will present and discuss Friday.

Knight’s Tale (:33).

Reminders:
Thursday, 11-3 Sonnet memorization due
Friday, 11-4 Lit analysis on demand in computer lab.
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart final
Wednesday, 11-9, Outside Reading due
Wednesday, 11-9 Lit term test

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Canterbury Tales test

Check books for outside reading.



Sonnet memorization assignment. Teacher gave out a list of possible sonnets. Other sonnets might work but they need to be real sonnets and need to be okayed by the teacher.

Knight's Tale: We watched a portion of this film.

"At Peace" assignment from Monday was turned in after discussion.

Reminders:
Wednesday 10-12 Canterbury Tales final
Thursday, 11-3 Sonnet memorization due
Friday, 11-4 Lit analysis on demand in computer lab.
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart final
Wednesday, 11-9, Outside Reading due
Wednesday, 11-9 Lit term test

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Lit term: legend, metaphor

.

Mark, discuss, hand in “At Peace” Paragraph one- summary Paragraph two- theme Then fill the page. It was collected.


Review for test, which is tomorrow. It will have 50 questions worth a total of 100 points.



Reminders:
Wednesday 10-12 Canterbury Tales final
Thursday, 11-3 Sonnet memorization due
Friday, 11-4 Lit analysis on demand in computer lab.
Monday, 11-7, Things Fall Apart final
Wednesday, 11-9, Outside Reading due
Wednesday, 11-9 Lit term test

Monday, October 10, 2011

Lit term: irony, kenning

The poem "At Peace" is not discussed today. It will be discussed Tuesday and handed in then.

426-429 language book. We worked on parallel structure. We did grade the assignment.

Show outside reading books. Read for 15 minutes.

Mark, discuss, hand in “At Peace” Paragraph one- summary Paragraph two- theme Then fill the page

Canterbury Tales finish Wife of Bath tale

Review for test tomorrow. Postpone test one day so the Canterbury test is on Wednesday.

Check books for outside reading.





Reminders:
Monday 10-10 Last day for “Athlete Dying Young’ E.C,
Tuesday 10-11 CT final
Tuesday 10-11 Character chart is due at the beginning of class

Friday, October 7, 2011

Lit term hyperbole, iambic pentameter

Proofreading practice

Show outside reading books. Read for 15 minutes.

“At Peace” Paragraph one- summary Paragraph two- theme Then fill the page



At Peace- Amado Nervo

Very near my setting sun, I bless you, Life
because you gave me neither unfilled hope
nor unfair work, nor undeserved pain

Because I see at the end of my rough way
that I was the architect of my own destiny
and if I extracted the sweetness or the bitterness of things
it was because I put the sweetness or the bitterness in them
when I planted rose bushes I always harvested roses

. . . Certainly, winter is going to follow my youth
But you didn’t tell me that May was eternal

I found without a doubt long my nights of pain
But you didn’t promise me only good nights
And in exchange I had some peaceful ones

I loved, I was loved, the sun caressed my face
Life, you owe me nothing, Life, we are at peace!



Artifex vitae artifex sui Amado Nervo

Muy cerca de mi ocaso, yo te bendigo, Vida,
porque nunca me diste ni esperanza fallida,
ni trabajos injustos, ni pena inmerecida;

Porque veo al final de mi rudo camino
que yo fui el arquitecto de mi propio destino;
que si extraje la mieles o la hiel de las cosas,
fue porque en ellas puse hiel o mieles sabrosas:
cuando planté rosales coseché siempre rosas.




. . . Cierto, a mis lozanías va a seguir el invierno:
¡mas tú no me dijiste que mayo fuese eterno!

Hallé sin duda largas las noches de mis penas;
mas no me prometiste tan sólo noches buenas;
y en cambio tuve algunas santamente serenas...

Amé, fui amado, el sol acarició mi faz.
¡Vida, nada me debes! ¡Vida, estamos en paz!


Canterbury Tales 177 -189


Discuss, hand in for those who wanted to do this:
To an Athlete Dying Young (927) ¶ 1: summary; ¶ 2 theme; for rest of page you can write about form, connections, poet skills, The written part of this assignment is only for those who need to make up a P180 assignment, but all need to be involved in the discussion. Turn it in by Monday.



Reminders:
Monday 10-10 Last day for “Athlete Dying Young’ E.C,
Tuesday 10-11 CT final
Tuesday 10-11 Character chart is due at the beginning of class.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Lit term hubris

Show outside reading books


Canterbury Tales 166 physical traits=character
.. End 176 We listened to the Pardoner's Tale.


Possible bonus points:
Discuss, hand in for those who wanted to do this:
To an Athlete Dying Young (927) ¶ 1: summary; ¶ 2 theme; for rest of page you can write about form, connections, poet skills, The written part of this assignment is only for those who need to make up a P180 assignment, but all need to be involved in the discussion. Turn it in by Monday

Possible bonus points also:
Get cardboard from Mr. Dessert. Choose someone from Canterbury Tales. Draw a picture of that person, add three adjectives relevant to the character, Rate the character on a scale of 1-5 with the Knight being a 5, write a quote from the text about the person that capsulizes his/ her character.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Lit term foreshadowing, free verse

Show outside reading books

Twa Corbies (263) In class quiz.

Canterbury Tales 159. Start after the Manciple. End



Discuss, hand in for those who wanted to do this:
To an Athlete Dying Young (927) ¶ 1: summary; ¶ 2 theme; for rest of page you can write about form, connections, poet skills, The written part of this assignment is only for those who need to make up a P180 assignment, but all need to be involved in the discussion. Turn it in by Friday.

Tuesday, October 4, 2012

Lit term flasback foil

Show outside reading books

Canterbury Tales 154-159. Stop after the Manciple.



Discuss, hand in for those who wanted to do this:
To an Athlete Dying Young (927) ¶ 1: summary; ¶ 2 theme; for rest of page you can write about form, connections, poet skills, The written part of this assignment is only for those who need to make up a P180 assignment, but all need to be involved in the discussion. Turn it in by Friday.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Lit term fantasy, figure of speech

Show outside reading books



To an Athlete Dying Young (927) ¶ 1: summary; ¶ 2 theme; for rest of page you can write about form, connections, poet skills, The written part of this assignment is only for those who need to make up a P180 assignment, but all need to be involved in the discussion.


To an Athlete Dying Young A.E. Housman
THE TIME you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.

To-day, the road all runners come, 5
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.

Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay 10
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.

Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers 15
After earth has stopped the ears:

Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man. 20

So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.

And round that early-laurelled head 25
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl's.




Canterbury Tales, we continued through the skipper, filling out the chart of characters. Some extra credit was announced today. I have some large cardboard pieces that one might earn up to 10 bonus points for doing the following:
Draw a picture of the character. Score them from one to five on a likeability scale.
Quote a specific line that tells us a lot about that person's character. Write three adjectives that point out what type of character they have. Neatness and skill will play some part in the scoring of this extra credit.