river oaks [english]

Your next-to-last assignments revolve around Fairy Tales (called Marchen in German). You'll read about four total, including the well-known Cinderella (or Aschenputtel ). The version I want you to read is from the Brothers Grimm , Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. It differs a good bit from the Disney version, as you'll see, so don't assume you know the whole story. The text, published by the Grimms in 1857, is HERE . Please print it out and bring it to class. Believe it or not, many people devote their scholarshipto fairy tale studies . They believe that because these stories have impacted so many people, it is useful to study the tales themselves with a critical eye. Many books have been written on the subject, and there are many many college courses devoted to the subject. On that note, if you'd like to do something really crazy, then read this article about the various versions of Cinderella. The article is from The SurLaLune Fairy Tales Pages , a comprehensive i...

The next book you are reading is Hiroshima , by John Hersey. It was originally published in The New Yorker in August of 1946. Written just one year after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki , arguably the most influential event of the 20th century, the book follows the lives of six survivors. It starts the morning of the "noiseless flash," and it ends with the author's return to Japan 40 years later. I've ordered copies for everyone. Your first reading assignment is over the weekend. Please bring $7.00 on Monday!

It's time now that I remind you of the "big picture" -- that is, the process as a whole and how each small assignment contributes to the final product. This what you've done so far, if you're on track: PHASE ONE (1) First, we read and discussed the book together. No shortcuts. (2) Second, you picked a topic from a long list of choices. Own it . Commit to it. (3) Third, you skimmmed the book for details related to your topic. (4) You took notes and cited page numbers, organizing into sub-topics. (5) You created a formal outline of your paper, including citations. (6) Finally, you are writing a draft of Paper #1. Next, this weekend, you will write the final draft to complete Phase One . Please keep the following in mind: * A strong THESIS is necessary for a strong paper. * Introduce the entire paper, not just the first body paragraph. * Connect your sub-topics to the thesis. * Keep each paragraph focused on ONE idea. Again, keep your thesis in mind. * Use spec...

Your assignment for Wednesday is to write a short short story of around 250 words based on a popular fairy tale. Modernize your version to include contemporary characters and setting, but use familiar motifs (recurrent elements) to connect to the genre. Your story should include at least the following: (1) A central character who's named for his/her attributes (2) A moral/ethical choice (3) A lesson Remember also that most fairy tales involve some type of journey. The beginning and ending should be clear, as well. Please type and format according to MLA.

As noted on your assignment sheet, the first paper due is two-three pages long and based on the novel only . The topic you chose over the weekend is yours now, and only in rare occasions will you be allowed to change it. Commit to it, and the process should be relatively painless. Before we actually researching your topic, you will write your first draft using your primary source -- the novel. Please follow these steps: (1) Using your notes and study guide, locate information related to your topic. (2) Organize what you find into sub-topics. (3) Create an outline that includes citation of specific evidence. (4) Write rough draft for FRIDAY (5) Revise for MONDAY After the first draft is turned in, we will begin to look for secondary sources .

Your assignment is to write a two-three page essay, using ONE of the six prompts from your Macbeth exam: * Which character would be most difficult to portray? * Do the witches direct Macbeth’s fate or simply predict it? * What do you believe is the major turning point for Macbeth? * What do you believe is the major turning point for Lady Macbeth? * How does the natural world respond to Macbeth’s unnatural acts? * What is your opinion of Roman Polanski’s version of Macbeth? Your answer to the question will be the basis for your thesis. Your paper will develop around an argument in support of that answer. Remember that the grade is based not on your opinion but your argument. Support your argument with your own ideas and examples from the play. DO NOT use the internet. The essay should be typed, double-spaced and formatted according to MLA. Note that the form for citing lines of a play is slightly different . Place a slash [/] between lines of text, and include the Act, Scene and l...

Every group needs to write a four-paragraph letter (to me) that includes the following information: One -- Group Members & Scene Two -- Staging ("theme," setting, location, costumes, props, etc) Three -- Task Allocation (who's doing what) Four -- Contact Information & Anticipated Conflicts Use full block format for the letter. Check it for spelling & grammar. This will be graded (possible 30 points), and everyone in the group will receive the same grade.

The time has finally come for the Macbeth video project. 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 words below are common, and commonly misspelled. I'll choose 10-15 words at random from 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. conscience 25. conscious 26. mischievous 27. principal 28. principle 29. receive 30. occurrence

Your "DEAR" essays are critical, meaning they should focus on some central point of significance in the novel. That central point (or THESIS) should be stated in the introduction to your paper and should be supported throughout the essay with details and specific examples (or EVIDENCE). Those details must be cited according to MLA . This paper should utilize your primary source ONLY. In other words, DO NOT use any summaries or articles you find on the Internet. If you do use outside sources, it will be obvious to me; I will be forced to give a ZERO to any plagiarized papers. For Seniors, that might make the difference between graduating and not graduating. Don't take that chance. Simply do your own work and take the grade it deserves. The paper should do the following: (1) State a clear thesis -- i.e. what is your argument? (2) Mention your main points in the Intro (3) Support each main point with a body paragraph (4) Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentenc...

DEAR book essays are due the day you return from break. Please follow the format discussed in class: Format according to MLA (for an example, go to Purdue’s Online Writing Lab ). Use 12-point Times New Roman font. First, Summarize the book in an introductory paragraph. Imagine that you are writing a summary for the back of the book. Next, include a description of three important characters (one paragraph each), including physical and psychological details, as well as any other information that you feel “defines” the characters. Be specific and use examples from the book. Then, include a discussion of two major themes in the novel (at least one paragraph each), noting specific examples to illustrate your points. Please relate the thematic content to meaning or the writer’s purpose for writing the novel. Finally, please “review” the novel in a concluding paragraph. Tell the reader what you thought of the book, whether or not you would recommend it, and WHY . This should be a full par...

Your assignment is to write a SONNET. Again, ALL sonnets have two things in common: (1) 14 lines (Use Shakespeare's form -- ABABCDCDEFEFGG) (2) Iambic Pentameter 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 topic is LOVE ...of someone or something, living or not.

Your assignment for this weekend is to summarize the article from your textbook entitled "Critical Comments on Huck Finn." Your goal is to reduce the article to 250 words, keeping the key elements of the argument intact, while avoiding plagiarism. This skill is essential to the success of research writing. Although using direct quotes will be required, most references to articles in a paper are summaries. A SUMMARY requires you to reduce the article (or idea) to its essential element(s) and to re-word (or paraphrase ) those main points without changing the article's original intent or meaning. The first step is to READ THE SOURCE. This cannot be stressed enough. You cannot accurately or effectively summarize a source if you do not understand the source, so look up any words you don't know and make notes as you read. This is called ANNOTATION. A good friend of mine has come up with some very helpful advice on annotating sources and writing summaries. Note ...

Your assignment for this weekend is to write a 250-word reponse to a poem. Please do the following: (1) Go to POETRY 180 . (2) Choose a poem and print it out . (3) Write your response ~ 250 words, typed, MLA format . (4) Staple the reponse and poem together. Use the following questions as a guide for your response : (1) What is the name of your poem? Who is the author? (2) Is there a clear persona (speaker/narrator)? (3) What do you like about the poem? (4) What is the setting or situation? (5) What is the conflict or event? (6) Is there any figurative language used (similes, metaphors)? (7) Does the author use any specific sensory imagery? (8) Does the poem have a message? Answer only those questions that are relevant. DUE MONDAY

Your assignment for Friday is to choose one poem from Poetry 180 and to read it to the class. I've assigned a range of 10 poems for each of you, so that you will not pick the same poem as another student. Please print out your poem (or type) and follow the site's advice on How to Read a Poem. You will be asked first WHY you chose that particular poem and WHAT it means to you, so have an answer ready!

Your assignment is to write a poem of at least 10 lines describing an emotion or feeling. There are no requirements for rhyme and meter (although the poem can utilize both). However, you are required to use the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste and touch) and specific, concrete nouns . Options include, but are not limited to: Love, Hate, Freedom, Pride, Hurt, Sadness, Comfort, Fear, Peace, Joy, Pain... Avoid writing according to a formula (i.e. "Love smells like...Love looks like"). Boring. Use fragmented thoughts, complete sentences, compound-words, phrases, whatever...just make sure you are deliberate, thoughful, purposeful with your choice of words. Your poem must be typed and formatted according to MLA. Also, please include a title for your poem that is more than simply the word. We'll read some of the poems in class, and I'll encourage some of you to submit your work to MUSINGS . This is only the first of several creative writing assignments...

Most tend to agree that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a product of its time, and that the racism in the book simply reflects attitudes of the period. In fact, it can be argued that the use of the N-word adds to the realism (or authenticity?) of the book. However, as I've stated, many schools have banned this book for its racist content, saying that it could serve to reinforce stereotypes and encourage use of the "N" word. We all know that racism (and racist images) exist in our society still. The goal of your assignment for this long weekend is to confront some of those images and attitudes head-on. The Authentic History Center's Teaching Diversity website offers insight into the problem of the 19th century (and beyond) through images, mostly advertising, from our culture. Prepare to be offended. According to the site, "these items reflect the history and societal values of the time period in which they were produced." However, it is hard to lo...

Throughout the reading of Huck Finn , you will be required to keep a vocabulary log . This means that every time you come to a word you do not understand, you need to write it down and look it up. You are required to include twenty words, including the original sentence, the part of speech, the definition (including what you think it means), and an original sentence using the term in a way that makes the meaning clear. Because there are twenty entries, they are worth 100 points total . Your vocabulary assignment is due on the day we take the Huck Finn Exam. As usual, this assignment should be typed; however, it does not have to be double-spaced. See handout for format and examples.

Your assignment is to write a comparison/contrast paper, using The Odyssey (the poem) and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (the film). The first step in the process was to read the poem and to watch the movie, taking notes on both. Second, as illustrated in class, you should make a comparison chart , listing matching details from your two sources. Then, find three pairs (sub-topics) that are related in some way. Finally, you are required to turn in a typed outline (due Wednesday). Your essay should follow the five-paragraph outline discussed in class: I. Introduction (includes your thesis , which states your central focus) II. Body Paragraph #1 (your first subtopic, or connecting pair) III. Body Paragraph #2 IV. Body Paragraph #3 V. Conclusion (includes a review of the film as a modern version of The Odyssey ) Your outline should be detailed, including specific examples from both the poem and the movie. When referring to the poem, include the page and line numbers. Remember that the ...

Hello Freshmen... Your assignment for the weekend is to write a 250-word (one page) response paper on O Brother, Where Art Thou . Please type and format according to MLA. You may choose from the two topics below: (1) Respond to the lyrics of one song from the film. Using your lyric sheet (or the internet ), connect the lyrics of one song to the movie's characters/setting/events. In other words, explain how the lyrics are relevant to the film. (2) Choose one of the historically relevant elements of the movie and look up an article on Wikipedia . Print out the article; then, summarize it and connect it to the movie's characters/setting/events. Be careful not to plagiarize the article, which should be stapled to your reponse. Ideas discussed in class include The Great Depression, con artist, chain gang, Populism (George Wallace, Huey P. Long, W. Lee O'Daniel), Ku Klux Klan (William Joseph Simmons), and George "Babyface" Nelson.

First, to help you get started with this whole process, you might want to check out the following links related to Mark Twain the novel: The Huck Finn Homepage from University of Virginia Ken Burns' Mark Twain on PBS Wikipedia: Mark Twain Wikipedia: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Now that we have begun reading the novel, it's time to print out a copy of the Study Guide . As we read, you will answer questions from the guide and keep them in your binder. I'll check periodically to see that you are current, and you'll receive points at the end of the process. Daily quizzes on the reading will come directly from the study guide, so it makes sense on several levels to do the work. In addition to keeping up with the reading, each of you are required to keep a vocabulary log, looking up unfamiliar words as you come to them and defining them in the context of the book. Look for that handout soon, as well. Finally, as we begin the book, remember that your eventual goal is ...