We discussed two poems today: “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, and Sylvia Plath’s “Daddy.” I was glad to hear that a number of you were familiar with Dunbar’s poem (from Jan’s class?), as the historical background helps clear up his references to the artillery and gear of a WWI soldier. The poem’s link above has explanatory notes if you are still unsure about a few things.

While the site I pulled the text from seems to be down at the moment, I did come across a video of Plath reading her poem:

Do you think of the poem differently after hearing the author read it?

I was greatly impressed by your interpretations today. This is a very complex piece, and it’s great to see that you are able to tackle it so early in the year.

We will continue our discussion tomorrow with hope that you will gain a better understanding of this misunderstood creature we call poetry.

That Has Such People In’t! ((Shakespeare. The Tempest. V.i.)) ((Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: HarperCollins, 1998. 139. Print.))

We read Harlan Ellison’s “’Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman” in class today to begin our discussion of conformity and rebellion. Here are some things to consider as we move forward:

• What is this freedom thing, and why is it so important to us?
• What is conformity? Rebellion?
• What do each do for us?
• In what kinds of situations are either of them appropriate?

I passed out copies of Brave New World in class. You should read through chapter two for tomorrow. Also, fill out the form here so I can keep track of all of them. (Don’t worry about it if you emailed me earlier.)

Today we briefly discussed the three basic appeals of any argument: appeal to the audience’s emotions, the speaker’s credibility, and the author’s message itself. Tonight, find commercials or advertisements on the Internet (YouTube is a goldmine, but you may be able to find static ads elsewhere—just turn off your ad blocking plugins) and post a link in the comments below. You should include a brief explanation of how the ad works in light of the appeals we discussed in class. For example:

While O.J. Simpson’s plea for viewers to “snap that seatbelt” may have been persuasive at the height of his career as football’s golden child, the events surrounding his trial have since sullied any credibility he might have as a role model.

We will discuss your advertisements and explanations in class tomorrow. As always, email with questions.

Glad you made it to the site okay. Today was a bit of a whirlwind, but we have a lot to do.

Homework:

• Please go to the page above entitled “Tell Me About Yourself” and fill out the form. This will save me much time when I need to get in contact with you or your parents (I email them good things as well as bad, so don’t worry about negative messages).
• Sign up for an RSS feed or email messages under the “Feeds” page above.
• Sign into WinsomeWiki with a username that clearly identifies you.

To find the latest information on your class on this site, go to “Categories” above, then “Courses.”

Some of you asked about materials for my classes, which I seem to have overlooked in the syllabus. Here’s what you’ll always need:

• The book we are reading as a class (or a personal book if we’re not in a novel at the moment).
• Something to write on, preferably a small bound notebook of some sort, for taking notes as you read.
• Post-its, highlighters, your favorite pen, something to write in your book with.
• Loose paper or a notebook with removable pages, and a pen.
• Any work in progress—this is important; even if the paper or essay is not due that day, I may ask to see how it is coming along. It also helps me answer any questions you may have about the assignment.

As always, send me an email if you or your parents have any questions.

(at least in high school.)

We’ve all done it before—sometimes an elusive word is on the tip of the tongue, but we can’t seem to come up with it. So, we type in a similar word, right-click, and hope the synonym list jogs our memory. The right correct appropriate word pops up, the writer’s-block crisis is averted, and we’re on our way. Good times. Sometimes, though, the synonym doesn’t quite fit, or is the wrong word altogether.

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