Third Hour Essays

British Literature

February 5th, 2009

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I hope the overview in class was clear, but in case it wasn’t, here’s a primer:

[This post was WinsomeWiki’d on 4 Jul. 2009.]

We will be grateful for these (snow) days

World Literature

February 1st, 2009

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Or not.  Stupid snow.  Hopefully it gave you guys a chance to spend some time with Okonkwo and crew.  If not, go outside today and finish up the novel.  We’ll be discussing the end in class tomorrow, and I don’t want to ruin the ending for you.  Here’s the plan:

The Plan

Until now, we’ve focused on the effects of Okonkwo’s father’s legacy on the man, and Okonkwo’s choices in interacting with those around him.  The final section places him in an environment that he cannot control, and forces him to realize that he does not have complete power over those around him.  This is a sobering realization for our strong protagonist, and he makes some difficult choices (or are his (re)actions purely a result of his environment?  We’ll see).

On Tuesday and Wednesday (if we finish our discussion of Okonkwo’s life on Monday) I will present a brief overview of Existentialist ideas.  If you want to get a head start, I suggest The Stanford Encyclopedia of Psychology‘s page on “Existentialism” or *sigh* the Wikipedia‘s entry.  We may also read Jean-Paul Sartre’s “Existentialism is a Humanism” to gain a better understanding of our author’s ideas (you can find a copy here).

By Thursday we will discuss Part One of The Stranger.  Thirty pages per night may be more than you’re used to reading, but Sartre’s prose is not too dense.  Do plan to set aside some time to read the book in chunks, though.

On Friday we will discuss your tentative (hypo)thesis statements in class.  I will also ask you to write a brief paragraph contrasting the philosophies of Things Fall Apart and The Stranger. (Hint: it goes beyond TFA=fate and TS=choice.)  More on this later.

Brave New World Papers

World Literature

December 16th, 2008

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I’ve received lots of email about due dates for the paper, etc.  Assuming we have school on Wednesday, the due date stands.  If you have questions, I am happy to answer them.  Remember, this is not a “final draft” due date, but only a “work in progress” check.  For those who have asked for extensions, you must bring to class a copy of your progress so far; I can’t help you out if I can’t see where you’re going.

Conservatives/Liberals, Arguments, Articles

AP Language

November 19th, 2008

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Here’s a link to my blog post on the video we watched today.  In it, you’ll find a link to the morality scale site (oops, there’s another one), as well as a link to TED.com (dang).

Here’s the stereotype/bias test that MB brought up in class the other day (and posted a comment on earlier.

Lastly, here is what we didn’t cover in class today:

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Some of you have already written an argument for our weekly analyses.  This time, instead of responding an argument that has already been published, you will be creating your own.  By my count, each of you has analyzed and discussed at least 18 articles; now it’s time to get your own voice to paper! 

  1.   Use the general topic of your books as a starting point (and source, if appropriate; this is where the journal comes in handy) for your outline
  2.   Discuss the issue with your friends or parents
  3.   Address any counter-arguments
  4.   Revise your outline
  5.   Flesh out the outline in the form of an article 

As always, there is no length requirement for this assignment; write as much as is necessary to fully argue your point.  You will be turning in your outline along with the finished article.  We’ll briefly discuss this in class tomorrow, and devote Friday to brainstorming ideas and discovering sources.

Challenge

The above is the complete assignment.  However, if you are feeling comfortable with creating a written argument and would like an alternative challenge (for no additional points; this is simply a greater test of your skills), follow the directions above to step 4, then continue below.

  1.   With your outline in mind, consider the most efficient means of communicating your argument to your intended audience (see below for possible ideas)
  2.   Revise your outline, eliminate unnecessary content with the aim of presenting the most important information in the least amount of space
  3.   Come up with a strong hook (a brief, cogent slogan; an appropriate image; a solid pitch)
  4.   Follow your hook with enough information to get your audience to do something (find more information, donate time, etc.)

We have not spent much time on visual arguments yet, so you will need to do some research (look around the internets, check out advertisements and public service announcements, come see me) to get a feel of the rhetoric of visual persuasion before you begin.  Please see me if you would like to attempt this assignment; in addition to your visual, you will be required to turn in your outline and an analysis of your work.

Victorian Essay Links

British Literature

November 17th, 2008

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Previous post on "How To: Head Your Paper"

MLA Formatting and Style Guide at the OWL at Purdue

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Remember, you will be writing over how aspects of Victorian culture may have impacted or brought about the novel you are reading.  Look into the life of the writer, the major historical events that came before the book was published, and any other information you can find about the historical background of the book.

Post a comment below or send me an email if you have a question.