river oaks [english]

Your assignment is to write a comparison/contrast essay on these two American poets. You will be writing a "point-by-point" comparison & contrast , which means that your essay will be developed around three central points, which I will have supplied. Although your papers will be written individually, using evidence you find in the textbook, ALL students will use this same outline. Your essay should consist of five paragraphs, including the following: INTRODUCTION ~ MUST include a thesis that states the main point (i.e. their overall connection or difference) BODY ONE ~ Personality ~ Focusing on two or three main points, discuss each of the poets' biographies, especially as they relate to their writing. BODY TWO ~ Approach to Writing ~ Discuss influences, ideas, audience, vision, etc. BODY THREE ~ Writing Style ~ Using specific examples from their poems, discuss each writer's style (free verse vs. rhyme and meter). CONCLUSION ~ Should make any remaining st...

Today we talked about the Heroic Cycle (called the Monomyth by Joseph Campbell ). Basically, it is the pattern for most, if not all, stories that include a hero . I thought I'd give you a bit info on that subject before we get started on The Odyssey . You will all write about a film, eventually, using the five-stage model I discussed in class: (1) Call to Adventure (2) Crossing the Threshold (3) Trials and Tribulations (4) Reward and/or Enlightenment (5) The Return & Sharing the Wealth Some versions only give you three main stages -- Separation, Initiation, and Return -- and some include many more, like this one: Notice that, although the image is reversed, it includes the same elements (and provides examples).

Your Walt Whitman assignment is to compose three free verse poems of at least ten lines each. Below is an explination for each: (1) Describe a scene of your choosing, using Whitman as your model. You must use sensory imagery (sight, sound, smell, touch and taste) and parallel structure (repitition of verb forms, conjunctions, phrasing, etc.) to create your poem. (2) Describe a scene (or song) using auditory images only. In other words, use images that capture the sound of a place (or song). The goal here is to transport the reader through images that he/she can connect to. (3) Write from someone else's point of view. As Atticus Finch advises, "walk in another person's shoes" and you'll come to a new understanding of that person. This is, in essence, what Whitman is doing in "Song of Myself." Remember that this is free verse ; avoid conventional meter and rhyming patterns. Experiment with the sound of the language, as well. Whitman created cad...

The date is approaching for this year's National Shakespeare Competition , and all those interested will first be asked to compete here, before a panel of teachers. Each participant is required to recite one sonnet and one of the suggested monologues from one of Shakespeare's plays. The student who performs his/her piece the best will then represent River Oaks in the city-wide competition. The winner of that competition will then be awarded an all-expense-paid trip to New York City for the National Competition at Lincoln Center. First Prize for the winner of the National Competition is a summer acting course at the British American Drama Academy in Great Britain. Please let me know if you are interested.

From your book: "The two greatest American poets of the nineteenth century were so different from one another, both as artists and as personalities, that only a nation as varied in character as the United Stated could possibly contain them" (324). That is, in essence, what makes our country so great -- diversity of personality and thought, and the freedom necessary for both. As we move into this section of poetry, I want you to remain open to this diversity of ideas. Try to look past the pre-formed opinions you have of these two poets and their work. Celebrate their place in our country's literary history.

Your GROUP LETTER, using block format, is due Wednesday . Please include answers to the following questions: Intro ~ Who's in your group, and what scene are you doing? How are you staging the scene? What time period and style are you using for your setting? Body One ~ What is your shooting schedule? Where and when are you taping, and why? Body Two ~ Who is playing which parts? Who is operating the camera? Who is editing the footage, and how? Body Three ~ What do you plan to use as a set? What costumes are you wearing? What props do you plan to use? Conclusion ~ How can I contact your group if I have questions or announcements? In addition, please include any other information you believe is important and related to the shooting of your video.

Now that we have discussed Chaucer's "Prologue" and several techniques for characterization, it's time to apply that knowledge in a verse of your own. Each of you are required to write a poem of at least 20 lines of Iambic Pentameter in rhymed couplets. Iambic Pentameter = 5 iambic feet = 10 syllables with alternating stresses. Example: "Where ci vil blood makes ci vil hands un clean " (notice that when you read it, there are five stresses in the line) Your subject must be a character of your imagination, but can be based loosely on a specific person or personality type. Do NOT give your character a specific name. Refer to him/her by a general term (as in Chaucer). For your characterization, employ any of the methods used by Chaucer, including description of physical attributes/mannerisms, physiognomy, sensory imagery (touch, taste, smell, sight, sound), attitudes/actions, speech, etc. The best way to get started is to brainstorm details about your ...

Now that we have selected groups and scenes, it is time to begin your translations. Each group will turn in a modern translation of their scene, preserving the original meaning while avoiding slang (and inappropriate language). Use the book as your guide for formatting the translation; for example, capitalize the speaker's name, and indent speaking parts when they cover more than one line on the page. Group TRANSLATIONS are due TUESDAY , 1/10. Meanwhile, you should begin planning your video -- assigning parts and staging the scene (costumes, sets and props). Remember that all costumes, sets and props should all be connected to some central time period or style. Each group will be asked to provide an outline of the scene, including all information relating to the video: who's playing which parts; where the filming/taping will take place; what props and costumes are being used and when; etcetera... Group SCHEDULES are due WEDNESDAY , 1/11. In addition, each group is required...

For general information on Chaucer , go to the Geoffrey Chaucer Website from Harvard University. For those interested, here's Tom Hanks (not that Tom Hanks) reading the first eighteen lines of the Prologue in Middle English . There are also readings from the rest of the Prologue and some of the collected tales, as well.

As we begin to discuss Melville's Moby-Dick , I asked you to look up Ishmael and try to apply the origin of the name to the character in the story. Here's what Wikipedia has to say on the matter: Ishmael is the name the narrator takes for himself, it is unclear whether or not this is his actual name. "Call me Ishmael" is one of the best-known opening sentences in English language literature. A newcomer to whaling, Ishmael serves as our eyes and ears aboard the Pequod. He is, at the end, the only witness alive to tell the tale. Ishmael was the name of the first son of Abraham in the Old Testament. The Biblical Ishmael was born to a slave woman because Abraham believed his wife, Sarah, to be infertile; when God granted her a son, Isaac, Ishmael and his mother were turned out of Abraham's household. The name has come to symbolize orphans and social outcasts. From the beginning, Ishmael tells us that he turns to the sea out of a sense of alienation from human socie...

Groups of three (and sometimes four) will choose a scene from Romeo & Juliet and produce a short video using Shakespeare's original language. In addition, each student will provide a scripted translation of the scene (in modern English). As an option to the video project, groups are welcome to rehearse and perform for the class. As discussed in class, groups will compete for scenes. The winner of the spelling bee will get first choice. The test will be oral, with each student writing down the correct spelling. Individual scores will be averaged for a group score, which will then be ranked. The winner gets the first choice of scenes. THE LIST: 1. absence 2. guarantee 3. height 4. grammar 5. believe 6. development 7. leisure 8. recommend 9. rhythm 10. restaurant 11. independent 12. maintenance 13. neighbor 14. cemetery 15. embarrass 16. existence 17. privilege 18. ignorance 19. definite 20. separate 21. humorous 22. mosquito 23. biscuit 24. sandwich 25. principal

Have a nice break...have fun and be safe. Read a book that's not required. See you in January (if not before).

Your research papers are due on Friday 12/9. Below is a summary of assignments and requirements for your final draft: 1. Abstract (due 12/7)-- a 200-word summary of the report, including ALL relevant information; should be clear and concise ; see examples here 2. Letter of Transmittal (due 12/8)-- a letter that accompanies the report, which states the contents and purpose of the report; should include contact information and signature; full block format 3. Cover Page -- should include the title of your report, author, date, course, and teacher; can use any readable font; remember that this is the first thing the reader will see! 4. Table of Contents -- Refer to section headings only 5. Final Report (due 12/9) should be presented in a report cover or binding; the order is as follows: title page, abstract, table of contents, introduction with title at the top (all CAPS), body of report, works cited, back page (blank)

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving... Congratulations to the guys for the great win last week -- looking forward to the game on Thursday! This will be a short week, but we have much to do (of course): First, although I didn't give any homework over the break, you should be finishing up DEAR books and any other outside reading assignments. Your papers will be due soon on those. Seniors , I'll give you your research papers on Monday to REVISE. We'll discuss the final format and answer general questions concerning your papers. I'm happy to say that many (most?) of your papers are close to finished, and I believe you've produced some good writing overall. However, as noted, I have made corrections/suggestions on ALL of your papers (three each, for those who have completed the assignments), and I fully expect you to follow my suggestions for revision. Those of you who are behind need to catch up. All grades are due in about three weeks, which means you have ...

UPDATE: Rough draft is due Thursday 11/17, Final draft on 11/18 Your assignment is to write a two-three page essay on an aspect of medieval life (topics below). Your report must include information from no more than two sources, cited according to MLA. Note that all information from your sources – whether quoted directly, paraphrased or summarized – must be cited. MLA requires that the author include the author’s last name (or first word of the title in quotes) and a page number (none for web pages) at the end of the sentence, in parentheses. Your essay must be typed. With the final draft, you must also include a copy of each source you used. Print out web pages and make copies of books or magazines. Staple everything together, with the essay on top. Below is a list of possible topics: Social Order Knighthood Feudalism Chivalry & Courtly Love Slavery / Serfdom Religion in the Middle Ages Pilgrimage Heresy The Crusades Holy Grail Judaism Paganism Science & Medicine Humora...

For those interested, I've provided links to the E.A. Poe Society and the Edgar Allan Poe Museum . Both of these sites have numerous links to material on Poe, including biographical information (he was not a drug addict, as many have claimed) and literary criticism. We'll read " The Red Masque of Death " and " Fall of the House of Usher " and discuss a couple of his poems, as well.

Seniors, you'll need to know about the following for your exam: Early History of England Celtic ( Briton ) culture/influence Roman invasion/influence (for 400 years) Anglo-Saxon Period Anglo-Saxon invasion (5th century) Culture and Language Anglo-Saxon Poetry (scops,kennings, alliteration, caesura, etc) ~ Beowulf ~ The Seafarer Middle Ages Norman Conquest (1066) Culture (feudalism, plague, Magna Carta, crusades, etc) Romantic Literature (chivalry & courtly love) ~Frederigo's Falcon Arthurian Literature (sources and authorship) ~Sir Gawain & the Green Knight ~Death of Arthur Finally, you'll have to write about the Heroic Cycle (called the "monomyth" by Joseph Campbell).

Juniors , bring money for your book ASAP! We'll begin reading Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter later this week, and everyone needs the same edition . I'm placing a bulk order soon, so I need to collect $6.00 from everyone. Thanks.

UPDATE: Your rough draft is due Thursday; final draft is due Friday. Everyone should have now picked his/her character. If you have a serious problem with your choice, then please let me know via email and we'll discuss alternatives. The assignment for your essay on To Kill A Mockingbird is below: Overview Each of you will write a two-three page paper tracing a character’s development (Honors students will write at least three pages). Character selection will be random, and you will each then begin the process of accumulating evidence from the novel. The paper will be formatted according to MLA and will follow English Department guidelines – typed, double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman. Organization Your paper should be developed around a central thesis – one that makes an overall statement about the character’s development and how changes in that character affect the overall narrative. Your introduction must include your subject and topic (the novel and character) and shou...

What better way to spend Halloween than reading a story that begins with a beheading? For the next week or so, we'll be discussing Arthurian Literature, beginning with a look at " Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ," the anonymous tale of a test of courtly love, involving a supernatural green knight and a bet. For more information on the poem, read this introduction . I've also included a prose translation that you can compare with the verse translation we have in our book.