Week of 5.18:

Th: Journal on rising social conflicts

Discussion points: Rising revolution in 1920s China, Christian missionaries in China, Wang Lung's pride

In-class reading

HW: 16,17,18

Fri: Project work time (20 minutes)

Novel group work (15 minutes)

Story synopsis chapters 18-26 (20 minutes)

HW: Project planning and preparations

Finish The Good Earth (Chapters 27-34) BY 5/28

5/25, 26, 27 Project work

5/28 and 29: The Good Earth graded Socratic Seminar and exam review

6/1: Project installation

6/2: Exam Review

 

Week of 5.11:

Monday:

In-class readiing (see Friday)

Tues:

Group One-Act for Writers/Readers Theater

Student presentations on themes and characters in chapters 1-7

HW: Read chapters 8,9

Wed:

Journal

Discuss elements of style, Chinese cultural history, and plot development

Final Project: Constructions of the self.doc

Th:

Scene writing work time

Project discussion (re: collaborative piece)

HW: Chapters 10,11

Fri: quiz and broad theme discussion

HW: 12-15; have a great trip.

 

Week of 5.4:

Monday:

thesis paragraph due and revise

Essay Work Time

 

Wednesday:

Work time

 

Th: Editing

Intro to The Good Earth

A look ahead at the remainder of the school year (fianl product, Good Earth unit, final)

 

Fri: Essay due

Discuss elements of The Good Earth (realism, Chinese cultural history, Chinese relations in the US pre-WWI)

In-class reading

HW: Read to page 71 by Tuesday.

 

Week of 4.27

Monday:One Day in class

essay due tomorrow (printed)

 

Tues:

Group research/presentaion/notetaking

HW:

Read to 229

 

Wed:

Sonnet work time

"One Day" discussion continued

HW: Finish book

 

Th:

Final discussion and Quote Journal #5

 

Fri: Writing assignment handed out and work time one day essay.doc

HW: Thesis Paragraph due Monday

 

 

Week of 4.20:

M: Quote Journal

Character Analysis cont'd (group presentation)

Discuss Shukhov's personality and survival in general

HW: to 65

 

T: Life is Beautiful

HW: read to bottom of 75

 

 

W: Life is Beautiful, cont'd

J: Analyze Guido's response to prison life, his ability to survive, his preservation of his self

HW: read to bottom of page 85

 

Th:

Quote journal and character analysis of Shukhov

HW: read to page 97

 

F:

Shakespeare day

Couplet composition

HW: Read to page 117

 

 

Week of 4.13

Monday:

Welcome Back

Introduction to Alexander Solzhenitsyn and "One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich"

Read part one of his Nobel address: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1970/solzhenitsyn-lecture.html

In-class writing

HW: Finish one-page typed response (double-spaced) to A.S.'s speech Part One.

Answer in your own words the question: What is Art?

Also, read "One Day" pages 3-15.

 

Tues:

Short Story work time (due Friday)

Discuss "One Day"

POV, Shukhov's character. "the game," surviving the gulag

Info on Russian Gulags

HW: Read 15-28

 

Wed:

Quiz

Quote Journal

Quate share/discussion

Cont'd discussion of Shukhov's game. Why does he play?

HW: 29-41

 

Th:

Quote Journal #2 and sharing

30 minutes short story work time.

HW: story due

 

 

Week of 3.30:

Mon: Journal #2: Analyze Othello's final speech of the tragedy and his final action

Discuss

How to research costume designs

Practise monologues in small groups

HW: Project work: othello final project v2.doc

 

Tues:

Project work time (costume drawing)

Monologue rehearsal time

 

Wed:

Some monologue performances

Project work

 

Th: Invisibility workshop

 

Fr: Project performances and projects due

Looking ahead to the spring

 

Wed:

Week of 3.23:

Monday:

Reading comprehension quiz

Readers theater IV, ii, iii

Othello project work

HW: project work (due next Friday); read V, i

 

Tuesday:

Readers Theater

Othello project

HW: finish play

 

Wed/Th: Film

HW: due with project: 1 page film reflection (looking specifically at the performance of the actor portraying the character that you will be analyzing)

HW: Project work....don't wait for the last minute! Memorize lines and write essays; we will use class time to work on costume design next week.

 

Mon:

Monologue rehearsal

Discuss the final scene of Othello.

J: Analysis of Othello's final speech

 

 

Week of 3.16

Mon:

Readers Theater (Act III)

HW: III, iv

 

Wednesday:

Small group character analysis and presentations to the class

This exercise is an important review for tomorrow's Quotation Quest

 

Th: 

Quotaion Quest

HW: IV, i

 

Friday:

Project introduced othello final project.doc

Readers theater

HW: Finish Act IV, short quiz on Monday

 

Week of 3.9:

Monday:

Perform writers/readers theater (original scripts should be typed and brought to class)

Discuss techniques for next time (what was effective? what wasn't?) Discuss the creative process of working in pairs.

HW: Read Othello Act I, scene i (cold reading....try to "characterize the characters")

 

Tuesday:

Cultural context research for Othello

Readers theater (as a class with assigned roles) of various excerpts of I, i

Consider and discuss: plot, tone, characterization, themes

HW: Othello Act I, scene ii

 

Wednesday:

Initial character analysis of Othello, Roderigo, Brabantio, Iago

What Shakespearean themes are emerging?  (think about Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet)

What cultural attitudes does Act 1 reveal; how does Othello fit within these attitudes (military, racial, social etc.)

Read Act I, scene iii

HW: Finish Act I, scene iii; work on "Ode to Spring"

 

Thursday:

Reader's theater: Act II, scene i

Journal response (3.1)

Costume project introduced

HW: Act II, scene ii, iii

 

Friday:

Readers Theater Act II

HW: Act III, scenes i, ii, iii

 

Monday;

Readers Theater Act III

 

 

 

ARCHIVED PLANS

Week of 3.3:

Tuesday:

AFTA project work day. Reminder: You only have to write two essays; we will not have any more work time after today; the project is due on Thursday.

Note: Please make sure that your essay answer achieves a layer of analysis or an angle of approach that is in some way different from what you wrote on tehexamination.

Wed/Th: Writers/Readers Theater partner work.

 

Week of 2.23

Monday:

Final Exam Review

AFTA project introduced:

AFTA final project.doc

10, Tri 2 Final Outline.doc 

student-written exam qs tri2.doc

 

Tuesday:

AFTA project work day

for a basic definition/explanation of "expository essay" see link:

http://essayinfo.com/essays/expository_essay.php

for some ideas on "writing about poetry, see link:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/615/01/

 

Wednesday:

Final exam review

 

Friday: Final exam. Update: I have decided to shorten the scope of the AFTA final portfolio. You are now responsible for 2 essays, not 3! These will be due on Wednesday.

 

Week of 2.17

Tuesday:

Discuss poetry (cont'd)

J: Respond to the excerpt on the bottom of 249

discuss "separate piece"

frederic's character development

religion discussion

role of "normal" human beings (i.e. non-soldiers)

HW: Finish Book 4

 

Wednesday:

QUIZ

Group work: analysis of individual chapters (34-37)

image search for "stresa"

Discuss; symbolism of the lake

in-class reading

HW: 289-305

 

Th:

Discuss the major setting shift. What is the effect on the novel's tone?

In-class reading

Exam question submissions (2 each)

HW: finish novel

submit 5 exam questions

 

Fri: 

Exam review

AFTA final project introduced

 

 

Week of 2.9

Monday:

FTA discuss

Consider the abstract terms of glory, hallowed, hero.....what does Frederic say about these?

What commentary is offered about war in the mountains?

What role does Catherine play in this section of the narrative?

Film: All Quiet On The Western Front

HW: 203-225

 

Tues:

Discuss FTA

Explain Frederic's decision process. Is their character development here?

Fim cont'd

HW: read to 226

 

Wed:

Discuss FTA

Fim cont'd

HW: finish book 4 and read poetry

 

Th:

Film discussion and notes

Poetry exposition

HW: read chapters 33,34,35

 

Week of 2.2

Monday:

Dickens Unit work returned

Discuss character development in Frederic Henry

Quiz

In-class essay work

HW: Read chapters 16,17,18

 

Tuesday:

J: Why does Frederic Henry reveal so little about his past? What effect does this have on the story.

Explain the "iceberg theory"

In-class reading

HW: Chapters 19-22

 

Wednesday:

SNOW DAY

 

Thursday:

Discussion

Poetry of Wilfred Owens

In-class reading

HW: Read Chapters 23 - 25

 

Friday:

In-class essay:  What is symbolic about Catherine and Frederic's last night in Milan. What is symbolic of Milan in general? How does Frederic's impending return to the front line change the "game?"

discuss the narrative technique switch in Book 3

In-class reading

HW: Read to chapter 29

Read the poetry of Wilfred Owen; prepare to write about one of the poems next week.

 

Week of 1.26

Mon:

Introduction to Hemingway (style, biography, themes)

Initial impressions of FTA (point of view, style, setting, tone, role of women, protagonist)

Discuss the double Frederic Henry

HW: Chapters 4,5 (bring a positive attitude and reasonable focus to class!)

 

Tues:

meeting Catherine Barkley

discuss early elements of the theme of disillusion

What preconceived notions of WWI do you bring to the table as a reader?

W: Select an essay to revise, revise, revise

HW: Chapters 6,7,8

 

Wed:

Extended journal

Student led discussion

in-class reading

HW: 9, 10 (trace the importance of the numeral 9 in chapter 9

 

Th:

Analyze "the game" between Catherine and Frederic.

What is the point of the game? Consider each perspective.

What is the role of religion in the novel?

HW: 11, 12

 

Friday:

Quiz

J: Consider ways in which Hemingway offers commentary n war in general, WWI, and the idea of the war hero.

Discussion

Read and discuss: TS Eliot "The Hollow Men"; ee cummings "Buffalo Bill's"

HW 13, 14, 15

 

Week of 1.20

Wed: Roundtable Project work

1. Peer editing of "Personal Statements"

2. Identify discussion topics for fishbowl

3. Continue to shape your own argument with attention to the views of your "peers"

HW: Edit Personal Statement (and bring a printed copy

 

Th:

FISHBOWL Discussions

HW: Read Chapters 1-3 in A  Farewell to Arms

 

Fri: NO CLASS

 

Week of 1.12

Monday:

Industrial Revolution project introduced (due 1.20/1.21

research time

Hard Times Test on Friday

HW: answer (in 3 sentences each) 5 of the guiding questions on the project sheet

 

Tuesday:

Hard Times review day

HW: test prep

 

Wednesday:

In-class: research for project and answer 5 more questions

HW: finish class-work and review this site:

http://mockingbird.creighton.edu/english/worldlit/teaching/srp435/dickens.htm

(bring questions to class)

 

Thursday:

Test review (based on student questions

Research/begin "personal statement"

HW: Study

 

Friday: test

HW: personal statement due Tuesday

Week of 1.5

Monday:

Romanticism webquest

HW: read chapters 1-2 in Book The Third

 

Tuesday:

John Stuart Mill Handout (from the New Yorker)

ttp://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2008/10/06/081006crat_atlarge_gopnik?printable=true

Discuss the relationship between the historical figure and the characters in Dickens' novel

Consider the artistic techniques of Dickens. What techniques help hiome write an "episodic" novel?

J: Who is your hero in Hard times?

HW: Chapters 4,5

 

Wednesday:

J: In what ways is this novel "sentimental?"

Discuss allegroical symbols in the novel

In-class reading

HW: Chapter 7

 

Thursday:

Victorian issues for women 

(webquest and read Florence Nightengale's "Cassandra" handout)

Explain/Evaluate the role of women in the novel

HW; Chapter 8 and 9

 

Friday:

Graded discussion

HW: work on 5 haiku portfolio

 

Week of 12.15

Monday:

Discuss character development with Louisa, Tom, Stephen Blackpool...how are their interactions with each other effecting their "path" within the novel?

Who is James Harthouse? How would you describe him? What role do you expect him to play in Coketown?

How does Stephen's crisis come about?

In-class reading

HW: Finish W personal essay, read chapter 7 (30 minutes)

 

Tuesday:

W: Choose and Respond to an important quote from chapter 7.

Discussion: What makes Harthouse an ideal politician? How does he manipulate Louisa? Tom? Is he evil?

Why is the chapter titled: "gunpowder?"

 

In-class and HW: Read Chapters 8 and 9 (HW-10 min)

 

Wednesday:

J: Discuss the meaning of the chapter title: "Explosion"

What is Sparsit's role within the story?

Is Bounderby in a crisis?

Group work, character analysis.

HW: Finish Book the second (20 minutes)

 

Thursday:

Introduction to the cultural identity project and Corapeake exhibit.

Final student-led discussion on Book the second.....focussing on individual characters.

NO HW

 

Friday: Field Trip

 

Week of 12.8

Monday:

J: Examine Dickens' commentary abou tthe plight of the working poor through the character of Stephen Blackpool.

Discuss

also: synecdoche (the hands), gradgrindian, the muddle....

HW: Read chapter 13

 

Tuesday:

student led analysis of chapter 13....1st: what happened? 2nd: what's the significance?

In-class reading

HW: finish "Book the First" (5-10 min)

 

Wednesday:

J:

Character analysis in groups (Bounderby, Gradgrind, Sissy, Louisa, Stephen)

Presentations

HW: Read chapter 1 (15 min)

 

Thursday:

J: extended journal

student led analysis....compare issues to modern day USA

HW: Read chapters 2 and 3 (20 min)

 

Friday:

J: Discuss the character development of Tom Jr.

What is a whelp?

Analysis of James Harthouse. What does he represent in the story?

In-clas reading

HW: Finish reading chapters 4 - 6 (20 min)

 

 

 

Week of 12.1:

Mon:

Introduction to the Industrial Revolution

Hard Times timeline

Read as class the opening chapter of Hard Times

Discuss the likely results of the education system presented.

Rd. Chapters 2 and 3 (15 minutes)

 

Tuesday:

Facts vs. Fancy

Continue to explore the long term effects of the system Dickens presents.

Is this satirical?

HW: Read Chapters 4 and 5 (15 minutes)

 

Wed:

J: imagine that you have been sipped away to go to Gradgrind's school and live with his family. Write a letter home about your experience.

CN:

Victorian England info.

A discussion on John Stuart Mill and Utilitarianism

Consider the novel as allegory.....what do the characters symbolize? Gradgrind, Sissy, Louisa, Bounderby?

HW: Read Chapter 6

 

Th:

Student led discussion

quote search

In-class read 7

HW: ch 8

 

Friday:

Quiz

Introduction to hero Stephen Blackpool. What is his crisis?

Are their other characters with conflicts (internal or external)

Consider the physical landscape of Coketown

HW: Chapters 9 and 10

 

 

 

Week of 11.17:

Monday: Exam Review

HW: monologue project (20 minutes)

 

Tuesday:

Monologue work time all class

HW: final monologue prep (20 minutes)

 

Wednesday:

Monologue performances

Hamlet discussion

HW: nada

 

Thursday:

Hamlet field trip

HW: exam review (20 minutes)

 

Friday

Final exam review

Discussion of Hamlet performance

HW:study for exam (1 - 1.5 hours)

 

Week of 11.10

Monday:

Essays due

No class

HW: Act 2, scene 2 and short stories due tomorrow

 

Tues.

Introduction to monologue project

Analyze hamlet's use of his antic disposition

Define and discuss metadrama....(introduction to "the players")

Did you notice the reference to the Trojan Horse?

Discuss similarities with The Odyssey

HW: Read Act 3 scene 1 (10 minutes) plus project work time (15 minutes)

 

Wed:

Analyze the "to be or not to be" monologue

Write your own monologue that begins with: To be or not to be, that is the question" (due next Tuesday)

Film excerpt

Analyze Mel Gibson's interpretation of Hamlet

HW: Read Act 3, scene 2 (25 minutes)

 

Thursday:

What is Hamlet's ploy?

What does this show about Hamlet?

Make a list of all the themes you can think of that appear in this drama

What is Hamlet's crisis?

HW: Project work: (20 minutes)

 

Friday:

Film cont'd

HW: Monologue work time (30 minutes). Also: handwrite or type the lines that you plan to perform.

Finish ACT 3 (15 minutes)

 

 

Week of 11.2

Monday

Intro to Hamlet

Line Catch game

Read Act 3 scene 4 and uncover the climax

HW: Read Act 1, scenes 1 and 2 (20 minutes)

www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/hamlet/

 

Tuesday:

Short story work time (45 minutes)

Examine Claudius opening speech in Act 1, scene 2 (paraphrase and analyze)

Describe Hamlet's emotions in his two lengthy soliloquies.

HW:

For Wednesday: Continue work on HMOD essay. Finish your thesis paragraph and come prepared to work on your body paragraphs tomorrow

For Thursday: Finish Act One

Answer these questions in a journal reflection:

What is an antic disposition? and why does Hamlet assume this disposition? What is his purpose and how does he go about it? What does this show about Hamlet? (30 minutes)

 

Wednesday:

HMOD esssay work period. Due Friday.

 

Thursday:

Discuss Act 1 (20 minutes)

HMOD work time (30 minutes)

HW:

For Friday:

HMOD essay due (2 hours total out of class)

For Monday:

Read Act 2, scene 1 (10 minutes)

Work on Short Story (due next Tuesday)

 

 

Week of 10.27

Mon:

J: Discuss Ben Benally's opinions/feelings about Abel and his struggles

Discussion:

Analyze Abel's "sickness"

compare HMOD to CTBC

discuss the "House Made of Dawn" healing song

HW: finish HMOD (15-20 minutes)

 

Tues:

FInal HMOD discussion

How is Abel's quest for identity resolved?

Analysis of franciso's final memories.

Why are memoy flash-backs such an integral part of Momaday's narrative?

HMOD essay questions revealed

W: Short Story introduced (due in two weeks)

 

Wed.

Short story work period

HW: Begin to pre-write HMOD essay (10 min)

 

Th:

HMOD essay work day (due next Friday)

HW: Spend 20 minutes each on Short Story and HMOD essay.

 

 

IN ADDITION TO THE SHORT STORY UNIT, FINISH HOUSE MADE OF DAWN BOOK 3. Due next Monday, 10.27

Monday:

Read out loud Liam O’Flaherty’s “The Sniper “

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you think the sniper feels about what he is doing? What in the story makes you think this?

2.  Does the sniper have any choice in killing the gunman or the old woman?

3. How does O’Flaherty create suspense?

4. One critic has suggested that O’Flaherty’s characters are “marked by wild mood swings and often by bizarre, contradictory behavior.” Do you think the protagonist in “The Sniper” exhibits these qualities? Explain.

-Define situational irony

-Exercise: plotting the plot. On the board create a line graph to show the action of the story (introduction, specific moments of rising action, climax, resolution)

-Introduce on the board (for “class notes”) Poe’s definition of a short story:

1. Be complete by itself.

2. Be able to be read in one sitting.

3, Have every word used for an important effect.

4. Have a good opening sentence that remains important throughout the story.

5. End at its climax.

6. Have no more characters than is necessary for the action.

-Analyze “The Sniper” in terms of the above definition.

 

Journal/HW: Write a story in 100 words or less that follows Poe’s criteria (5-10 minutes)

 

Tues:

WRITING COURSE: ("Song of Myself" poem is due). Write one scene of dialogue between two characters using ONLY speech (i.e. as in the script of a play). Therefoe, any action, setting, character description that is necesasary to convey needs to be conveyed through speech. The dialogue can be about ANYTHING. Focus on giving each character a distinct voice. This is due in one week (1-2 pages double-spaced).

In small groups (3-4), read 100 word stories.

Read quietly Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Masque of The Red Death “ and complete a journal

Analyze the setting of the story?

What is the effect? Describe how there is unity between the mood and the setting? What specific language does he use to create the mood? How different would the story be different if the castle was well lit and had windows?

 

Journal/HW: In 100 words or less, develop a setting that is appropriate the following story prompt.

A suspicious looking man lurks down a sidewalk; passer-bys are noticeably uncomfortable and disturbed by his presence.

 

Additional HW: Character building worksheet  (10 minutes)

 

Wed:

Read aloud Eudora Welty’s “A Visit of Charity”

Group analysis of the protagonist

Make a list of all details or sentences that help us to understand the character. Review as a class.

How might Addie describe her?

Discuss the importance of good character development

You may want to read the notes on Character on page 23

What is the difference between a flat and a round character?

 

Journal: Using your character building worksheet, create a short (300 words or less) story involving your character. You must use a third person narrative voice. You may not use any of the specific information from the character building worksheet (except for the name). Focus on showing instead of telling. You should be able to develop your character through action.

 

HW: Finish the scene (10-30 minutes)

 

Thurs:

Sit a different table with different people. One person begins by reading the scene from last night’s homework. As he/she reads, the others in the group make notes and assumptions about the character. When the story is over, the group members should go over their notes and discuss differences. Is this a round character? Why/why not? What details and actions helped develop the characterization? What details are lacking? Then the next person reads….

Read the notes on “Point of View” on page 63

Read quietly Dorothy Parker’s “A Telephone Call” and complete a journal:

Analyze the point of view in this story? How would the story be different with a different point of view?

Discuss point of view and characterization in “A Telephone Call.”

 

In-class writing/HW: Write a scene (100 words) involving a 6-year old girl, her grandfather, a sandbox, a Labrador retriever, and a camera.

1st: from the perspective of the grandfather

2nd: from the perspective of the six-year old girl

They should focus on establish a “voice” that fits the point of view. (12 minutes)

 

Friday:

 

In small groups (of their own choosing), each person should choose one of the perspectives and read your scene aloud.

 

Discuss the importance of the opening sentence; remember Poe’s definition of a short story.

Each person should take 5 minutes to write a great opening sentence to a story.

Group stories:

Pass your story one person to the right. Each person will add one sentence to the story and then pass it again one to the right (they should have 1- 2 minutes max for each rotation, and they should be able to self-monitor this timeline).

HW: Finish the story (1-2 pages handwritten) (20 minutes)

 

WEEKS HOMEWORK TOTAL: 1 HOUR, 30 MINUTES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10th English

WEEK OF 10.14

Tues:

W: Write a poem "Song of Myself," inspired by Momaday's "Delight Song of Tsoaii Taliee"

 

Class:

Discuss the concept of "ethnogenesis" and "manifest destiny"

Examine The sermon of the preist of the sun

Why does Momaday use so many voices?

Relate Abel's journey to Absolom, Stephen, John, Amir, others....

Why is the journey of self and cultural discovery so important?

Do we need both?

What happens when you lack one of these things?

HW: Read House from the page break on 101 - 120.

 

Wed:

PSAT, no class

 

Th: Discuss characterization through memory for Abel

Read excerpt of Rainy Mtn.

Discuss notion of discovering heritage as a journey

Analyze Abel's Journey

HW: Read to 138

 

Fri:

In-class journal and reading (to 158)

Congratulations Darius, for guessing Zoë Helfrich's birthday!

 

 

Week of 10.6

Monday:

Discuss and in-class reading (to p.49)

HW: Essay

 

Tuesday:

W: ABCs of poetry

Essay due

watch: Roots of American Music (chapter on Native American song/ritual)

discuss film (making connections to Abel/Pueblo of Jemez)

HW: read to page 60

 

Wed:

Examine ritual and the significance of the kiva in Pueblo life

Read 60-76

 

Th:

Discuss page 50-51 VERY closely

relate it to themes in the text

HW: Read to page 91.

 

 

Week of 9.29:

Tuesday:

Introduction to House Made of Dawn

Read Momoday poems and discuss

Mr. H. slideshow

HW: Read House pages 1-14 Journal: Discuss the setting development in the opening pages.

 

Wednesday:

Discuss various narrative techniques used by Momoday.

Tracking changing points of view.

Characterization of Abel (through memory)

Journal:

HW: Read to page 27

 

Thursday;

Introduction to Angela

Why is she in Jemez?

How does she romanticize Abel and the culture?

HW: Read to page 41

 

Friday:

PSAT exercise

in-class reading

HW: essay work!!

 

 

Week of 9.22

Mon:

Chart examples of desolation and comfort throughout the novel

Discuss Kumalo's fragile state upon his return

What do we learn about the tribal culture?

Continue to discuss the role of land in the story (literally and symbolically)

HW: W pieces due; Read 272-280

 

Tues:

Cry essays introduced:

It is time for you to compose your first formal literary analysis of the 10th grade year. As you continue deeper into our high school careers, you need to strive for increased sophistication and depth of analysis. Additionally, you need to know that the tolerance for misspelled words, poor punctuation, run-on sentences and other “proofreading” mistakes will be considerably less than in years past. You will have two weeks to organize, outline, craft, and revise this essay. My expectation is that the finished product will be insightful, clearly-written, and well-edited.

 

Regardless of the essay topic you choose, I want you each to establish the historical and cultural context for the novel. You should relate the themes, symbols, and issues in the book to those facing the country during the time of its publishing (if only in your introduction and conclusion).

 

These essays should be 3-5 pages in length. As is standard in literary analysis papers, you should write in the 3rd person and in present tense (except when mentioning the history of South Africa). You should have a clear thesis statement, and each body paragraph should have a clear topic sentence. Each body paragraph should cite multiple examples form the text as supporting evidence. Your conclusion should add to the insight of the essay rather than restating the thesis and summarizing the body paragraphs.

 

Please feel free to turn in a draft of this essay. It should be turned in by Thursday, October, 2.

 

Topics:

 

1. Kumalo and Jarvis each complete a journey during the course of the journey. Choose one character and explore the stages/significance of his journey (establish a beginning, middle, and end) both physically and psychologically/emotionally. 

 

2. Examine the characters of Absolom, Gertrude, and Absolom’s wife. How do their life stories reflect the reality facing the younger generation of South Africa? What seems to be the commentary offered by Paton through these characters? Is their any hope for these characters?

 

3. Analyze the role of comfort versus desolation in the novel (focusing on one or a few characters).  What is the relationship between these emotional/physical states? What is the cultural significance of these ideas?

 

4. Explore the physical and symbolic significance of land throughout the novel. How does the reality of the land parallel the reality of the people? How does Paton use the land to establish a tone (or tones) in his novel?

Pick one and start to assemble quotes.

Work on an introductory paragraph (due next Tuesday)

Student-led discussion

In-class reading

HW: Finish Cry

 

Wednesday:

Essay work time (assmebling quotes in groups)

Student led round table....everyone participates.

 

Thursday:

Essay work, watch excerpts of film

NO HW...ESSAY!!

 

Week of 9.15

Monday:

Student led discussion

Excerpts of "Amandla" (film)

HW: read Cry 161-180

 

Tues:

read "Gettysburg Address" and analyze (look for parallels with Cry)

discuss the relationship between Arthur and James Jarvis

HW: 181-199

 

Wed:

Analyze the theme of judgement in last night's reading and in the novel as a whole

Cry essay topics introduced

Student led discussion

HW: 200-224

 

Thursday:

Fish Bowl exercise

HW:225-250

In-class essay topic introduced

 

Friday:

In-class essay

HW: 253-272

 

 

Week of 9.8:

Monday:

Introduction to Cry, The Beloved Country

1. Bio. of Alan Paton

2. History of South Africa

 

In-class reading of Chapter 1

HW: Read Cry pages 35-50.

 

Tuesday:

Read and analyze Gibran's "On Children"

Discuss the metaphor of the "house" in Cry

Discuss the theme of "fear"

HW: Read to page 72

 

Wednesday:

Read to page 101

 

Thursday;

Read to page 124

 

Friday:

Finish Book 1

 

Week of 9.1

Tues:

Review and Discuss Kite Runner

Timeline of 20th century Afghanistan History

Break into groups: (for oral presentation)

1. Character analysis: Amir and his relationships with others

2. Motifs: Guilt and Redemption

3. Themes: Loss of Innocence

4. Symbolism: Kite, pomagranite tree, the scar

HW: a. Assemble 3-6 quotes relevant to group project. b. Complete "Day One Survey"

 

Wed:

Discuss the concept of cultural identity (20 minutes)

Is Amir's identity different from Hassan's? Baba's? Rahim Khan?

Is Kite Runner a tragedy or a tale of heroism?

Group work: Prepare for group presentations (35 minutes)

HW: Choose any one quote from the text and write 1 page explaining its significance or relating it to important themes in the novel.

 

Th:

J: Do you identify with Amir? How? Why or Why not?

Group presentations

 

Friday:

Summer Reading Test