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Journal #1: Take a Stand-Their Eyes Were Watching GodSelect one or two of the following statements that you have the strongest reactions to, and relate your response to both your personal experience and Their Eyes Were Watching God.I believe in that one big love, your soul mate. There is one person out there for me.Monogamy is an impossible venture—we’re social animals that are not capable of lifetime commitment.One you are married, you are in it for life.A person can change. Even if you don’t like them now, they could be a “fixer upper.”I have definite deal breakers. One toe over the line and this relationship is over.I believe in love at first sight.Love is eternal. Once you are in love, it will last forever.I am attracted to a person’s personality first, looks second.People always go for the jerks. Nice folks finish last.People say that they are searching for a significant other with personality and strength, or a good sense of humor, but above all it is the package it comes in.I would do anything for love. Even surgery for snoring.Journal #2:Many of us grew up hearing fairy tales and stories, whether they were passed down in our families or Disney in origin. What were your favorite legends or fairy tales when you were little? What messages did you pick up from these stories as a child? What do you notice as you look back on them now? If you can, comment on common tropes (a common or often used theme or device) that might be present in these stories.Journal #3:Your recent reading focused in on the construction of strong (or at least distinctive characters). Use your notable writing skills to create a character sketch of the person of your choosing (they may be from your local experience or from afar). Consider the advice given in the chapter regarding stock v. unique characters, round v. flat. What you create may not be a work of art, but perhaps it will make you sympathize with those that work with the writing craft in general.Journal #4:In our last story we can see what happens when a writer takes that common question of what is your favorite literary character to a strange conclusion. For this journal you have two options:Write about what literary world you would venture into if you had the chance. Any character that you would chase into another world? Even if it changed forever the work you so admire?Write a scene (as Allen did) in which you imagine the collision of a chosen character into a different literary world. If you would like to imagine the conversation between to notable characters, this would also be a moment for that. Journal # 5:Although these concepts may be a bit muddy for some of us, we will be discussing both Aristotle and Miller’s views of tragedy and tragic figures this year. To see where our current understanding of these ideas is, we will be exploring our thinking about tragedy in the world as we know it. First, define your terms. What do you deem tragedy to mean? After you have crafted your definition (which may refer to established definitions) consider the following people and events as possible protagonists according to the definition of Classical Tragedy (explained by Aristotle). Rank them from the most tragic to least tragic in terms of the definition that best fits this definition. Briefly justify your answers (they can be grouped, if there is a similar justification that unifies them).Victims of 9/11Martin Luther King, Jr.Richard NixonO.J. SimpsonJimi HendrixPrincess DianaHeath LedgerChristopher ReevesHarry PotterElvisPresident Clinton (don’t forget Monica Lewinsky, Paula Jones, etc.)Robin WilliamsKurt CobainMatthew Shepard (murdered in a brutal assault in Wyoming)Victims of KatrinaVictims of the Titanic disasterTupacMichael JacksonJournal # 6/ Poem #1:“Exquisite Corpse” is a game invented by the surrealists that can be played by a group. Originally from the art world, one?strategy?the?surrealists used to elicit imagery from the unconscious is called the “Exquisite Corpse.” In this collaborative art form, a piece of paper was folded in four, and four different artists contributed to the representation of a figure without seeing the other artists' contributions. The first drew the head, folded the paper over and passed it on to the next, who drew the torso; the third drew the legs, and the fourth, the feet. The artists then unfolded the paper to study and interpret the combined figure.For our purposes today, everyone will begin with a piece of paper Each person writes a line, then passes the poem to the next person with the previous lines hidden (the page can be folded over to cover each new line). Try this with people writing anything they want, and try it again with everyone doing something similar—beginning with the same word, or including a natural object, or anything else you think of that will allow for a sense of both predictability and chance.Journal #7:At one time or another, we have all been called upon to apologize for something that we don’t really feel sorry about. Write a poem inspired by “This Is Just To Say” that apologizes for one of your crimes (large or small). The form of your poem is up to you-be as formulaic or free verse as you would like in this piece. (Poem #3)Journal #8:Poet-Laureate inspired poem for La Familia. (Poem #4)Journal #9: Poem #5:With your chosen picture in hand, write a poem inspired by what you see. You may write in free verse or a more structured format. It can be written from the perspective of the person or thing in your picture, or of someone observing the unfolding scene. Do not neglect the imagery. Think about the visual impact of your picture. Do not spend time second guessing yourself. You can always edit and redraft your poem at a later time. Journal #10In the Shakespeare Introduction packet there is much conversation of the worldview of people during the Elizabethan era. What were some of the largest concerns mentioned that would have influenced Shakespeare and his writing? In thinking from a modern perspective, what similarities and differences do you see as a young person living in 2015?Journal #11:“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”Leo Tolstoy,?Anna Karenina, Chapter 1, first lineRussian mystic & novelist (1828 - 1910) Whether we intend it or not much of who we are and what we become is owed, shaped, and determined by our parents. ? Considering what we know from our experiences and the play thus far, let us consider the following questions. What is owed to our progenitors? ?What is the effect of parental expectation?In thinking specifically about the unfolding scene from the weekend reading, what do we note about Polonius’ advice to Laertes? To Ophelia? What do these different messages say about gender roles in the time of Hamlet?Journal #12:Have you ever been the object of unrequited love? Or found yourself unable to let go? What feelings were you left with in either situation?Considering Hamlet’s perspective, should familial love and loyalty be his focus, rather than the more romantic variety? What take do you have on the relationship existing between Ophelia and Hamlet currently?Extended writing opportunity: write a “Lonely Hearts” ad for one of the characters of Hamlet. Ophelia or Hamlet might be the most logical choice, as they are young and recently single, but don’t forget about poor Gertrude (her second marriage seems a bit of a mess) and her potential quest for love.Second SemesterJournal #1: For this journal, you will be writing about your relationship with the English language (although for many of you, you also have ties to other languages). Consider the challenges of the English language. How does language occasionally fail us?Journal #2:In discussing “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” there is a key idea of “measuring out your life in coffee spoons.” How do you mark and measure time in your life? Journal #3: “The Second Coming” by W.B. YeatsTurning and turning in the widening gyreThe falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhereThe ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worstAre full of passionate intensity. Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand. The Second Coming! Hardly are those words outWhen a vast image out of Spritus MundiTroubles my sight: somewhere in the sands of the desertA shape with lion body and the head of a man, A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun, Is moving its slow thighs, while all about itReel shadows of the indignant desert birds. The darkness drops again; but now I knowThat twenty centuries of stony sleepwere vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?(1920)gyre: a set of spirals. Yeats claimed that this image captured contrary motions inherent within the process of history, and he divided each gyre into different regions that represented particular kinds of historical periods Spiritus Mundi: Spirit of the world, a belief that each human mind is tied into a single, vast intelligence.This rather unusual poem by Yeats should be somewhat familiar to you. To begin, let’s think about what we make of this poem. What is your initial response to this poem? What questions do you have? What poetic devices do you see in this poem? How are they used? *Remember to include tone.What possible importance does could this poem have to our study of Things Fall Apart?Journal #4:In your reading of Things Fall Apart you have no doubt noted how important proverbs are to the Igbo people. Remember that a proverb is defined as a short popular saying, usually of unknown and ancient origin, that expresses effectively some commonplace truth or useful thought.Write down a few proverbs that you are familiar with, either of your own origination or from your family. What kinds of messages do they convey? What wisdom is inherent in these sayings? How have proverbs been presented so far in our story?Journal #5:Let’s review a key concept to our year:Tragic Hero/inEhubris (over-leaning glut of pride)hamartia (flaw or error)knot (caught in tragic knot: damned if you do, or don’t)extremist (not moderate)gets what they want at a horrible costsuffers (greatly)represents us ( in some way)allows catharsis (releasing fear and pity)great fall—anagnorsis (realizations through hindsight)Tragic heroes from your experience may include…AntigoneCreonWilly LomanHamletGatsbyOthers?Considering the characters you have encountered in your academic career, who do you deem worthy of the title of tragic hero? Explain your thinking. Journal #6:When you are called upon to describe what makes up a civilization, what few things come to mind? What burden of civilization do you feel that you “need” in order to survive in the world that you live in? What do you believe would happen if you had to live without it? Journal #7:After looking back through an excerpt from Heart of Darkness, it may be quite obvious that Conrad has a unique writing style and perspective of the world. And it is said that, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Keeping this in mind, write your own Conradesque description of the place of your choice. You may want to refer back to the text to help you create the most accurate writing style.Journal #8:"Absurd!" he cried. "This is the worst of trying to tell. . . . Here you all are, each moored with two good addresses, like a hulk with two anchors, a butcher round one corner, a policeman round another, excellent appetites, and temperature normal--you hear--normal from year's end to year's end. And you say, Absurd! Absurd be--exploded! Absurd!” (124)“You can't understand. How could you?-- with solid pavement under your feet, surrounded by kind neighbours ready to cheer you or to fall on you, stepping delicately between the butcher and the policeman, in the holy terror of scandal and gallows and lunatic asylums--how can you imagine what particular region of the first ages a man's untrammelled feet may take him into by the way of solitude--utter solitude without a policeman-- by the way of silence--utter silence, where no warning voice of a kind neighbour can be heard whispering of public opinion? These little things make all the great difference.” (126)After considering these two passages from Heart of Darkness (one of which you will encounter in your reading tonight) consider the following questions: What is the role of solitude in human life? Do we need it to survive, to thrive?When have you felt entirely cut off from the world? What are the marks of moving away from civilization? Journal #9:What do you believe the role of guilt in our lives to be? Do you see it as something to be avoided or cherished for its motivational powers? Explain one story that illustrates the power of guilt from your life or the fictional universes you have meandered through. “Rime”What is the significance of the albatross to the Mariner? What happens to the Mariner by the end of the poem?Journal #10:Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Ozymandias ? ? I met a traveler from an antique land, ? ? Who said, "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone ? ? Stand in the desart…Near them, on the sand, ? ? Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, ? ? And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, ? ? Tell that its sculptor well those passions read, ? ? Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, ? ? The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed: ? ? And on the pedestal these words appear: ? ? My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. ? ? Look on my Works ye Mighty, and despair!? ? Nothing beside remains. Round the decay ? ? Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare, ? ? The lone and level sands stretch far away.”(1818)After carefully reading through this poem, consider the following questions:What impressions of Ozymandias are given in the poem? How does the poet present them?What connections can be drawn between this piece and Heart of Darkness?Journal #11: This is a story of composite journal sketches. As a means of exploring your initial impressions, select one quote that stood out from the reading last night and explore the significance of this moment. What do you note about Kingsolver’s style in this moment?Journal #12:For this journal, your task will be to listen carefully to the song “Civilization” performed by The Andrews Sisters with Danny Kaye. As we listen, feel free to readalong with the lyrics. You will then take a few minutes to formulate your responses to the following questions.What impressions of the Congo are offered up in the song? What impressions do we receive of the “civilized” world?Considering the Price family, how do they currently view their new home?What questions or concerns would the average American, circa 1960 have about the Congo? Why?Journal #13:We all know the addictive and occasionally powerful ability of commercials to stick with us (even when we would rather shake them forever). Consider some of your “favorite” ads, experienced during the course of your life (print or television). What were they pitching to you and how were you targeted by them? What do these ads say about the world that we live in (viewing them as a sign of the times)? ................
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