We are what we read and enjoy...

Of all the poems, short stories, plays, and novels that you have read during your high school years, what work will you never forget?  What did you learn or take from your reading of this work?  (Deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight, Friday, Dec. 13, 2013).

What a Woman...

In the last act of Macbeth, we come to see another side to Lady Macbeth.  What has changed her?  Did you expect this change?  Do you think it is what she deserved?  Why?  (The deadline to post a response is midnight, Dec. 11, 2013.)

Things are unwinding...



Several events happened in Act Four.  Select one of these events and explain its importance in the play. Do not just explain what the scene is about; include what the play reveals about Macbeth and Scotland.  You may chose from  the scene with Lady McDuff and her son, the scene in which Macduff tries to persuade Malcolm to come to Scotland and claim the throne, or the scene in which the doctor talks about Edward the Confessor. 

(The deadline to post a response is midnight, Tuesday, Dec.10, 2013.)

 

Don't shake your gory locks at me...

Today, in Act III, Macbeth was visited by Banquo's ghost.  Does he deserve to be haunted with fear and paranoia or is he an innocent victim of the witches and his wife's manipulation?  Explain.  (The deadline to post a response is midnight, Sunday, December 8, 2013.)

Is this a dagger I see before me...

In Act Two of Macbeth, the murder of Duncan occurs.  So much is revealed about the true characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in this act as they react to the murder of Duncan.  What do we learn of Macbeth through his words and actions in this situation?  of Lady Macbeth?  Which of these two characters are you finding most interesting? Why?  (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight, Friday, Dec. 6, 2013.)

Come you spirits...unsex me here...

Near the end of Act One of Macbeth, Macbeth declares that he will proceed no further in the business of killing Duncan.  Analyze Lady Macbeth's response to this declaration.  What tactics does she use to persuade him?  What is that finally persuades him?  What do you think of Lady Macbeth as a person and as persuasive person? (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013.)

And the curtain rises....

Today, we discussed many things about Shakespeare, the Globe, and the Renaissance.  Comment on something you found interesting in the lecture.  Explain why you found this intriguing.  (The deadline to post a response to the blog question is midnight, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013.)

Happy Thanksgiving

I just wanted to take a moment and tell you that I count you among my many Thanksgiving blessings.  I hope you have a wonderful, restful Thanksgiving with those you love the most.  Please share a book or play that you feel has blessed/enriched your life and tell us why. (The deadline to post a response is Friday, November 29, 2013.)

The neverending story of the Mariner

In "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,"  the Mariner is compelled to tell his tale to those he feels need to hear it.   Do you think his story is one from which others can learn a valuable lesson? Or do you feel it lacks serious importance?  Explain why.  (The deadline to post a response is midnight, Nov. 20, 2013.)

Characterization

While reading Lord of the Flies, we have discovered and discussed archetypes in literature.  Tell which archetype your character fits and give two SPECIFIC reasons/examples he fits this type. ( The deadline to post a response is midnight, November 13, 2013.)

In the end...

In his end discussion on Lord of the Flies, Golding says that it does matter what your teacher, the professor, or the writer says is in a book. All that matters is what you get from it.  Therefore, what is the major theme/lesson that you have gotten from this novel?  What event made you come to this conclusion most?  (The deadline to post a response is midnight, Nov. 8, 2013.)

Oh, Piggy!

Few people can read Lord of the Flies without getting attached or feeling kinship in some way to Piggy.  What does Piggy represent other than intelligence in the novel?  Why do you think so many readers select him as their favorite character or connect with him?  With that being said, why do you think Golding spends only two paragraphs filled with pig imagery to convey his death?  (The deadline to post a response to this blog question is midnight, Nov. 6th.)

What else is there to do?

"What else is there to do?" These are the final words of Simon in Lord of the Flies.  When he tries to tell the boys what he has discovered on the mountain top, they are frantically chanting and believe him to the be the beast crawling out of the jungle. Why do you think Golding has all the boys, even the littluns, Piggy, Ralph, and Samneric, take part in this murderous event?  What is he saying about society?  (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight, Nov. 5, 2013.)

"If only they could get us a sign..."

At the end of Chapter 5, Ralph wishes for a sign from the adult world.  His wish is granted with the arrival of the dead paratrooper.  How does the arrival of this "beasties" affect the boys?  Give at least two specific examples from Chapter 6.  (The deadline to post a response is midnight, Oct. 29, 2013.)

Hut building "ain't" so easy....

This week we had our first two challenges:  hut building and knowledge of chapters 1-4.  You people are amazing.  I am so proud of how you have acted.  I love you, guys!

Rules to the left, rules to the right...

In chapter 5, when Jack and Ralph argue, Ralph says, "The rules are all we've got!" How important are rules in society? What rules are needed in this microcosm if the boys are to survive? Why? (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013.)

Who is among us?

We have met all the principle characters/boys on the island.  Which character are you tracking and what are your overall feelings about him?  Give a line/quote from the book that has helped you create this image of him?  (The deadline to post is midnight, Wednesday, October 23, 2013.)

This belongs to us...

As Ralph looks down from the top of the bastion of the island, he exclaims, "This belongs to us!" Much like an explorer discovering a new land, Ralph has found himself in charge of a new world--an island of boys. What advice would you give Ralph to keep in mind as he is chief? What is the main thing he must do? Why? (The deadline to post a response is midnight, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013.)

At which end of the spectrum do we fall?

In his essay

"The Damned Human Race," Mark Twain's comments force us to ask ourselves "at which end of the animal spectrum do we fall."  Twain's essay utilizes many examples that prove his points.  Whether you concur with Twain or not, which of his pieces of data provides the most convincing argument in your eyes?  What events from history or society today do you connect to this argument?  Explain.  (The deadline to post a response to this post is midnight, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013.)

I hope you didn't forget

This is a reminder that you have to email your paper to klpalombo@yahoo.com so that your word count can be verified.  If you don't, you will get no grade, so getter done!

RESEARCH PAPER DUE

Your research paper is due Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013.  You must turn the final paper (title page, outline, essay with citations, and works cited page) in a manila envelope with your first drafts and all note and source cards.  Fifteen points will be deducted per day late, including exam days, holidays, and weekends.  GET IT DONE!

Let the storytelling begin...

We have read both "The Pardoner's Tale" and "The Wife of Bath's Tale." Which of the stories do you feel was the best?  Give two reasons why you like this one best.  (The deadline to post a response to this blog question is midnight, October 2, 2013.)

On the way to Canterbury

Select a pilgrim on the trip and briefly tell what you find interesting or intriguing about him or her? Why?  You may not comment on the same character as the two posters prior to your post. (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight, Friday, Sept. 27, 2013.)

The role of a hero

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the writer focuses much of the narrative on honor. In what ways is Gawain honorable? What do you feel was Gawain's most redeeming trait? Why? (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight, Tuesday, September 24, 2013.)

Day of Destiny

As we read an excerpt from Le Morte d'Arthur, we discussed the theme of the consequences of impulsive thinking.  In this excerpt about King Arthur and his knights, the theme of loyalty is also an aspect. In what ways is loyalty, or the lack of loyalty, demonstrated in the story of Arthur? (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight Saturday, September 21, 2013.

Career Choices!

We are doing our career searches in the library this week. Share with us one thing about the career you are researching that you didn't know or have found interesting.  (The deadline to post a response is midnight, Friday, September 13, 2013.)

The Literature of Common Folks

We have read several medieval ballads: "Lord Randall,"  "Edward, Edward," "Get Up and Bar the Door," "Sir Patrick Spens," and "Two Corbies."  Would most people find the ballads interesting?  Why? Which of the ballads did you enjoy most?  Why?  (Deadline to post a response to this blog question is midnight, Friday, September 6,2013.)

Defining a Hero

As we read Beowulf, we encountered the three battles, one with Grendel, one with Grendel's mother, and one with dragon.  Which of these events best defined Beowulf has a hero?  Give two specific reasons why.  (The deadline to post a response is midnight, Saturday, August 24, 2013.)

In the beginning...

We have covered a great deal about the Anglo-Saxons and the historical period in which they ruled and changed England and developed our language. They were an interesting society. What are two things you found to be interesting about the Anglo-Saxons? Explain why. (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight, Monday, August 19, 2013).

Class of 2014!

Welcome to your last high school English course! I am very happy to have each of you in my class. We have only 92 days together this semester, but in these days, I hope that you will enjoy the literature and writing experiences as well as improve some language skills before you head to college, the world of work, or the military. Comment below on what you are looking forward to learning this semester or something you would like for us to talk about or write about. (Deadline to post for extra credit is midnight, August 13, 2013.  Remember to put your initials and block after your comment.)

Good-bye, Class of 2013

I had hoped to be back at school before you leave, but since many of you will be exempt from exams, I want to say good-bye here. It is hard to believe that our time together is coming to an end. I hope that along the way that you have learned some things about writing and literature and analysis that you will be able to use in college, but more importantly, I hope that you have learned a little about life and that anything worth having is worth working to obtain. I had planned to give each of you a copy of this before you left my class, but I will have to settle for our blog. As you read "Desiderata", allow yourself to truly understand its meaning. It is my last lesson to you. Congratulations as you graduate. Now go and make this world a better place. I am counting on you!

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be and whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy.

(Found in Old Saint Paul’s Church, Baltimore; Dated 1692)

I WILL SURVIVE

Congratulations to the survivors:  Kaylin, Nick, Brandon, Casey, Austin, Neshobie, and Lindsey.  They don't have to take the unit test on Tuesday.  Way to go!

In the end..

Now that you have finished Lord of the Flies, give your honest opinion of the novel.  Explain why you feel the way you do.  Also, whether you found the novel amazing, ordinary, or boring, give a quote/passage that you found thought-provoking and tell why.  (The deadline to post a response is midnight, May 1, 2013.)

The Fall Through the Air

Chapter 11, entitled "Castle Rock, " brings us to a very tragic moment in the novel: Piggy's death.  Why do you think Golding has Piggy murdered at Castle Rock?  What is he saying about the archetype that Piggy represents in the novel? What is he saying about Roger?  (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight, Tuesday, April 30, 2013.  No credit will be given to plagiarized responses.)

The Shell and the Glasses

At the end of Chapter 10, Jack and his savages raid the other boys. What does Piggy believe Jack wants? What does this symbolize or reflect about Piggy's views? What, however, does Jack want? How does this reflect his views? What is Golding saying through this raid about the microcosm of the island? (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight, Saturday, April 27, 2013. No credit will be given to plagiarized responses.)

Trivia

You have probably seen this at the beginning of many movies. Be the first to answer this question and get an extra 100. What is the connection between this company and Lord of the Flies?

The beauty of Golding's writing...

Today, you read Chapter 9, in which Simon is murdered. At the end of the chapter, Golding writes four beautifully descriptive paragraphs. I have included them below. Comment on the Golding's use of diction(word choice) to create mood in these paragraphs. What mood does he create and how does he do it? (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight, April 25, 2013. No credit will be given to plagiarized comments.)

"Towards midnight the rain ceased and the clouds drifted away, so that the sky was scattered once more with the incredible lamps of stars. Then the breeze died too and there was no noise save the drip and tickle of water that ran out of clefts and spilled down, leaf by leaf, to the brown earth of the island. The air was cool, moist, and clear; and presently even the sound of the water was still. The beast lay huddled on the pale beach and the stains spread, inch by inch.

The edge of the lagoon became a streak of phosphorescence which advanced minutely, as the great wave of the tide flowed. The clear water mirrored the clear sky and the angular bright constellations. The line of phosphorescence bulged about the sand grains and little pebbles; it held them each in a dimple of tension, then suddenly accepted them with an inaudible syllable and moved on.

Along the shoreward edge of the shallows the advancing clearness was full of strange, moonbeam-bodied creatures with fiery eyes. Here and there a larger pebble clung to its own air and was covered with a coat of pearls. The tide swelled in over the rain-pitted sand and smoothed everything with a layer of silver. Now it touched the first of the stains that seeped from the broken body and the creatures made a moving patch of light as they gathered at the edge. The water rose further and dressed Simon's coarse hair with brightness. The line of his cheek silvered and the turn of his shoulder became sculptured marble. The strange, attendant creatures, with their fiery eyes and trailing vapours busied themselves round his head. The body lifted a fraction of an inch from the sand and a bubble of air escaped from the mouth with a wet plop. Then it turned gently in the water.

Somewhere over the darkened curve of the world the sun and moon were pulling; and the film of water on the earth planet was held, bulging slightly on one side while the solid core turned. The great wave of the tide moved further along the island and the water lifted. Softly, surrounded by a fringe of inquisitive bright creatures, itself a silver shape beneath the steadfast constellations, Simon's dead body moved out towards the open sea.” 

In the voices of reason...

Thus far in the novel, there are been several statements/words/ quotes that can be categorized as the voices of reason. One I would like you to discuss is when Piggy says to Ralph about Jack "...he can't hurt you; but if you stand out of the way he'd hurt the next thing. And that's me." What theory is being expressed here symbolically through Ralph, Jack and Piggy and their roles on the island? What is Golding inferring about society? Give a specific example from history to support your comment. (The deadline to post a response is midnight, April 24, 2013.No credit will be given to plagiarized responses.)

Simon inside the head of the beast....

I wish my doctor would have allowed me to come back to teach today so that we could go over Chapter 8. I think it is the most amazingly symbolic chapter in the novel. I hope that speaking with Miss Lovelace helped you to see some of the symbolism within the chapter. Comment on your reaction to Simon's encounters with the Lord of the Flies. Do you think that Simon is hallucinating because of the heat? Remember that Simon is only a young boy, about ten or eleven. Does such a young person usually have the kind of understanding and insight that Simon seems to possess? Do you think the Lord of the Flies's assessment of the other boys's feelings about Simon is accurate? Is there any evidence to support this? Cite it. Do you think the Lord of the Flies's warning that the others will "do" Simon if he tries to interfere is realistic? (The deadline to comment on this blog is midnight, Monday, April 22, 2013.

A sign from the outside world...

At the end of Chapter 5, Ralph wishes for a sign from the outside world and it comes at the beginning of Chapter 6-- dead paratrooper. If you are the first person to answer this blog, explain the irony of this situation. If you are the second person to answer focus on these questions: Confused in the dark, Samneric believe it to be the "beastie" they have all been fearing. What does this reveal about the archetype that Samneric represent? Finally, if you are the third person to blog, here is your topic: Only Simon remains convinced that the beast is mankind. Is Simon right? In what ways are we humans the beasts of society? Continue to respond in this order. (The deadline to post a response is midnight, Sunday, April 21, 2013.)

Rules, Rules, Rules

In chapter 5, when Jack and Ralph argue, Ralph says, "The rules are all we've got!" How important are rules in society? What rules are needed in this microcosm if the boys are to survive? Why? (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight, Thursday, April 18, 2013.)

We need names...

We have met all the principle characters/boys on the island.  Which character are you tracking and what are your overfeelings about him?  Give a line/quote from the book that has helped you create this image of him?  (The deadline to post is Sunday, April 14, 2013.)

Then man was given to the world...

With its benign climate, fresh water and abundant fruit, the island setting of Lord of the Flies could be seen as a modern Garden of Eden until... a little boy comes forward in Chapter 2 and asks the assembly questions. What element does he introduce to the island? How does he describe it? How does the descriptive phrase, "the small boy twisted further into himself" hint at a theme? Which theme? How does this theme connect to societies of today and of all times? Give specific examples. (This post closes at midnight on Friday, April 12, 2013.)

Our land...

As Ralph looks down from the top of the bastion of the island, he exclaims, "This belongs to us!" Much like an explorer discovering a new land, Ralph has found himself in charge of a new world--an island of boys. What advice would you give Ralph to keep in mind as he is chief? What is the main thing he must do? Why? (The deadline to post a response is midnight, Wednesday, April  10, 2012.)