Poems from Echoes
What today?
Intro to those poems - see patterns in the poems
Check out a way to read poems and to initiate an analysis
Do some questions that start us thinking in the right way
Poetry - Pablo Neruda
Narrator - first person - could be the poet himself
the POV could be from that of some particular character
subject matter + 1st person might = the poet
reflexive - refers back to the thing that is being done - these can be interesting or they can be too “inside baseball” - this may shut out a segment of the audience
Change over the poem? - not knowing -> knowing, sober -> tripping, lost -> found, young -> old, ignorant -> wise, small -> infinite
finding that change over the poem could be key to the theme - any shift or change in a poem could be key to study
can we find and prove this process of change by steps?
What imagery comes after “suddenly I saw”? - space, stars, planets, night, the universe - the infinite, the big open question
find these things by noting common terms, related words and ideas and keeping track
clump together similar ideas and concepts - what is the link?
3.b) What does this imagery tells us about the character and his change? - poetry or something to do with writing it, showed the character the universe - “suddenly I saw” - once he started to write, then he saw and then he became one with the universe
Define:
paradox - something that is true that cannot be true at the same time
“pure nonsense/pure wisdom”
What a paradox does is give us some deeper layers of information. ie from the mouths of babes comes great wisdom.
Homework: - DO this question but do not write a poem - just take the notes
1958 and Reach Out and Touch - assigned Q’s
OR In Goya’s Greatest Scenes we Seem to See
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2012
ENG3U
Learning Goals!
Finish your presentation on The Boat.
If done, then read the poems Poetry, 1958 and Reach Out and Touch in Echoes. p2, 6, 10 respectively)
THEN - check questions starting on p. 14
Poetry - 1, 2, 3, 6
1958 - 2, 3, 5 (no essay, just explain the references to the 50s - you will need to Google)
Reach - 1, 3, 6
This should take about ONE full period.
I will be around the school at a meeting. We will take this up tomorrow.
Thanks.
Mr. The L
Learning Goals!
Finish your presentation on The Boat.
If done, then read the poems Poetry, 1958 and Reach Out and Touch in Echoes. p2, 6, 10 respectively)
THEN - check questions starting on p. 14
Poetry - 1, 2, 3, 6
1958 - 2, 3, 5 (no essay, just explain the references to the 50s - you will need to Google)
Reach - 1, 3, 6
This should take about ONE full period.
I will be around the school at a meeting. We will take this up tomorrow.
Thanks.
Mr. The L
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, Feb 27, 2012
Poetry
Learning Goals:
We need to find a way of thinking about poetry that allows appreciation - many don’t like it already, which makes it harder to deal with in school
We need some patterns and templates for analysis that allow you to get the right process in place and achieve mastery of forthcoming assignments
We need to see context and be able to implement research and so on into our poetry work
We need to be able to categorize kinds of poems and techniques
We need to be able to think about language specifically.
English Language:
The most complex language in the world.
GH-O-TI - enough, women, friction
to, too, two - MA
Old English -
450 - 1100 - common usage
the island was attacked constantly! the invaders would bring their own languages, their own stuff and their own sperm (which they would use to impregnate women) and they would stick around!
areas of England would be very much oriented to the invaders’ culture and language
England became a little patchwork of languages
there are many words that we still use from this mix of languages, this OLD ENGLISH - here is a fun one
SHIT - originally scitan - scite - shite - shit
coincidence - almost all our swear words are old english in nature
man - woman - house - town - the simple, common words that make up regular life are rooted in OE - Germanic, Scandinavian, Saxon, etc.
those crazy Latin speakers started having an influence
religion came in with a BOOM of Latin and spread like crazy - medicine, teaching, learning, Bible, culture. - anything that ends in -ology, for example
Celtic words were also involved in early English - Welsh, Irish, Cornish, Scottish people - some were also kept
Beowulf - marks the end of Old English and the beginning of Middle English
one of the most important things every written - had a huge impact, was awesome and showed the beauty of the language (this new, young, action-packed language)
Middle English - 1100-1450
an more advanced language, very rich in mixtures from other places again, and a more likely to have rules and written bits than OE.
affected a great deal by those darn French - the NORMANS
in 1066 the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror comes in and takes over and installs his royal court and aristocracy begins to flourish in that “knights and ladies” way that was so utterly French.
English became a gutter language, and French was the language of the court
this bifurcation created a high and low tongue in England
English became very dual in nature - there were often two ways to say things - one high, one low
kine - cow - boeuf - beef
swine - pig - porc - pork
chicken - poule - poultry
hearty welcome - cordial reception
underwear - panties - lingerie
French is polite and English is vulgar in this new system, but they definitely co-exist
these are called redundancies
Another great writer emerges and produces one of the most important texts that revealed Middle English once again changing into a legitimate and mature language
This writer was Geoffrey Chaucer - and his work was called The Canterbury Tales
Chaucer is a crucial figure in developing the legitimacy of the vernacular, Middle English, at a time when the dominant literary languages in England were French and Latin.
At this time, all scholarly language and writing and learning came in French and Latin. Chaucer was a scholar and a teacher and a religious figure who wrote in English.
Shocking!
http://www.canterburytales.org/
This was a work of vibrant, excellent description and rich detail and showed that English was a most vigorous and poetic language.
From this point on, English continues to change.
The more colonization that occurs, the more languages get implanted into English, which, like a cancer, absorbs what it touches and takes it in.
This changeability is a strength and a weakness. It makes English more complex and difficult and harder to learn and understand.
There are so many conflicting rules and structures that make it difficult to master.
The beauty of poetry in English is that is can utilize all this weirdness for its benefit.
Write me a paragraph on your blog.
In this paragraph tell me why you have or have not enjoyed poetry in your school career.
Learning Goals:
We need to find a way of thinking about poetry that allows appreciation - many don’t like it already, which makes it harder to deal with in school
We need some patterns and templates for analysis that allow you to get the right process in place and achieve mastery of forthcoming assignments
We need to see context and be able to implement research and so on into our poetry work
We need to be able to categorize kinds of poems and techniques
We need to be able to think about language specifically.
English Language:
The most complex language in the world.
GH-O-TI - enough, women, friction
to, too, two - MA
Old English -
450 - 1100 - common usage
the island was attacked constantly! the invaders would bring their own languages, their own stuff and their own sperm (which they would use to impregnate women) and they would stick around!
areas of England would be very much oriented to the invaders’ culture and language
England became a little patchwork of languages
there are many words that we still use from this mix of languages, this OLD ENGLISH - here is a fun one
SHIT - originally scitan - scite - shite - shit
coincidence - almost all our swear words are old english in nature
man - woman - house - town - the simple, common words that make up regular life are rooted in OE - Germanic, Scandinavian, Saxon, etc.
those crazy Latin speakers started having an influence
religion came in with a BOOM of Latin and spread like crazy - medicine, teaching, learning, Bible, culture. - anything that ends in -ology, for example
Celtic words were also involved in early English - Welsh, Irish, Cornish, Scottish people - some were also kept
Beowulf - marks the end of Old English and the beginning of Middle English
one of the most important things every written - had a huge impact, was awesome and showed the beauty of the language (this new, young, action-packed language)
Middle English - 1100-1450
an more advanced language, very rich in mixtures from other places again, and a more likely to have rules and written bits than OE.
affected a great deal by those darn French - the NORMANS
in 1066 the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror comes in and takes over and installs his royal court and aristocracy begins to flourish in that “knights and ladies” way that was so utterly French.
English became a gutter language, and French was the language of the court
this bifurcation created a high and low tongue in England
English became very dual in nature - there were often two ways to say things - one high, one low
kine - cow - boeuf - beef
swine - pig - porc - pork
chicken - poule - poultry
hearty welcome - cordial reception
underwear - panties - lingerie
French is polite and English is vulgar in this new system, but they definitely co-exist
these are called redundancies
Another great writer emerges and produces one of the most important texts that revealed Middle English once again changing into a legitimate and mature language
This writer was Geoffrey Chaucer - and his work was called The Canterbury Tales
Chaucer is a crucial figure in developing the legitimacy of the vernacular, Middle English, at a time when the dominant literary languages in England were French and Latin.
At this time, all scholarly language and writing and learning came in French and Latin. Chaucer was a scholar and a teacher and a religious figure who wrote in English.
Shocking!
http://www.canterburytales.org/
This was a work of vibrant, excellent description and rich detail and showed that English was a most vigorous and poetic language.
From this point on, English continues to change.
The more colonization that occurs, the more languages get implanted into English, which, like a cancer, absorbs what it touches and takes it in.
This changeability is a strength and a weakness. It makes English more complex and difficult and harder to learn and understand.
There are so many conflicting rules and structures that make it difficult to master.
The beauty of poetry in English is that is can utilize all this weirdness for its benefit.
Write me a paragraph on your blog.
In this paragraph tell me why you have or have not enjoyed poetry in your school career.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Thursday, Feb 23, 2012
Plato’s Cave Allegory
Who was Plato?
Greek philosopher - taught by Socrates and himself taught Aristotle - and these 3 are the cornerstone of modern science and thinking
The Perfect World of Forms
he felt that what we see and experience isn’t actually what “is” as much as it’s what we think we see and experience
he was explaining life as an interpretation of a perfect “something” that exists somewhere else and we only see the shadows or impressions of the things that are real - that other place is the perfect world of forms and we are in the shadow world
The Cave Allegory is an explanation of this concept in a little story that helps show his intent. An allegory is a story about one thing or a simple thing that represents something else that is more complex. A lesson in a story.
From the elaborate lesson and drawing, create your own note on the Cave Allegory.
Then watch this video and apply your deeper thinking to why it is terrible:
“Everyone’s watching to see what you will do.”
Who was Plato?
Greek philosopher - taught by Socrates and himself taught Aristotle - and these 3 are the cornerstone of modern science and thinking
The Perfect World of Forms
he felt that what we see and experience isn’t actually what “is” as much as it’s what we think we see and experience
he was explaining life as an interpretation of a perfect “something” that exists somewhere else and we only see the shadows or impressions of the things that are real - that other place is the perfect world of forms and we are in the shadow world
The Cave Allegory is an explanation of this concept in a little story that helps show his intent. An allegory is a story about one thing or a simple thing that represents something else that is more complex. A lesson in a story.
From the elaborate lesson and drawing, create your own note on the Cave Allegory.
Then watch this video and apply your deeper thinking to why it is terrible:
“Everyone’s watching to see what you will do.”
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Wednesday, Feb 22, 2012
Athanasian wench- a woman who will oblige a man in any way he should imagine
A bag o' nails-someone giving a dirty, shifty look- he looks in all directions, like nails pointing everywhere in a bag
Blanket hornpipe- sexual intercourse
choaking pye or the cold pye- rolling cotton up in a tube, covering it in paper, lighting it on fire, putting it under a sleeper's nose
Theme- theme is not something that can be said to be true without proof
the theme of a story is kind of a negotiation - we can figure out what a theme could be, we discuss or prove what a theme could be. If a theme is startlingly obvious, it's probable a MORAL and this much less enjoyable and much more a LESSON
We want to see them as much more of a richer and complex message in the work
Possibility 1
Theme comes from the author- ON PURPOSE
some stories have a kind of communication of a point or a purpose or an idea that an author wants to actively communicate-
in a way, these stories are like essays- the author makes his/her point over and over again- the story is proof for the thesis- and the theme is likely something meaningful and a larger observation about life, people, society, etc
most people think about this as theme- however- Mr Lobb's Revelation
Possibility 2
Theme comes from the author – SUBSONSCIOUSLY -a short will reflect and reveal a writer's psychology and personality and core issues and values and so on -whether he/she thinks about it actively or not, he/she is recording his/her thoughts and inner life is coming out in those words
-patterns emerge that reveal the core beliefs and concerns and fears and hopes, etc of a writer and by reading the work, we can begin to make sense of these things
-so in some ways, the theme could be a shadow cast by the writer - the glimpse into the writer's mind- this is not earth shattering, surprising news -digging into the writer's life and circumstances can help here -rich and powerful and relies upon a certain amount of interpretation- some will say the reader puts some of this in here and that may be true – but it is no less real
Possibility 3
-theme comes from the circumstances and conditions of the writing of the work – yes, it comes from the writer, but it has MUCH to do with the situation under which the work was written - context informs and influences the ideas and meaning in the work -fits with Possibility 1 & 2 -books written during WWII would clearly reflect WWII and its impact
-there are concerns, issues and concepts that reveal the time period of the writing- there is a German word that captures this ZEIT(time) GEIST (ghost) -”the spirit of the times”
Possibility 4
-theme is created by the reader getting the message that fits or interlocks with his/her beliefs,ideas,prejudices,biases,etc.
-people only see/hear what they can understand and what fits their systems -this is a kind of egocentrism- solipsism
-when you get a message from a piece of lit, you are actually getting that message from a combination of the literature and your own interpretation – that's why I used the word negotiation -50-50 split (or whatever ratio) - FILTERS-you cannot help but be affected by your filters
-eg age,gender, race,religion, intellect ,experience, job, parent status -once again , proving ideas is crucial- “I think this because X,Y, Z” is needed
Possibility 5 – combination of all these
What is theme? - maybe theme is an idea that can take away from a reading -the subject of the story is not the theme, theme is an idea within that subject or ideas -theme is often an observation or conclusion about humanity or something affects humanity What are the ideas? How do they come out in the story? What are some observations about human nature?
What ties the story ideas together?
How are these core ideas shown or proven?
What do I take away from the story? Can you isolate proof to show that what you think is true?
Dialectics – thesis+antithesis= synthesis- POV
A bag o' nails-someone giving a dirty, shifty look- he looks in all directions, like nails pointing everywhere in a bag
Blanket hornpipe- sexual intercourse
choaking pye or the cold pye- rolling cotton up in a tube, covering it in paper, lighting it on fire, putting it under a sleeper's nose
Theme- theme is not something that can be said to be true without proof
the theme of a story is kind of a negotiation - we can figure out what a theme could be, we discuss or prove what a theme could be. If a theme is startlingly obvious, it's probable a MORAL and this much less enjoyable and much more a LESSON
We want to see them as much more of a richer and complex message in the work
Possibility 1
Theme comes from the author- ON PURPOSE
some stories have a kind of communication of a point or a purpose or an idea that an author wants to actively communicate-
in a way, these stories are like essays- the author makes his/her point over and over again- the story is proof for the thesis- and the theme is likely something meaningful and a larger observation about life, people, society, etc
most people think about this as theme- however- Mr Lobb's Revelation
Possibility 2
Theme comes from the author – SUBSONSCIOUSLY -a short will reflect and reveal a writer's psychology and personality and core issues and values and so on -whether he/she thinks about it actively or not, he/she is recording his/her thoughts and inner life is coming out in those words
-patterns emerge that reveal the core beliefs and concerns and fears and hopes, etc of a writer and by reading the work, we can begin to make sense of these things
-so in some ways, the theme could be a shadow cast by the writer - the glimpse into the writer's mind- this is not earth shattering, surprising news -digging into the writer's life and circumstances can help here -rich and powerful and relies upon a certain amount of interpretation- some will say the reader puts some of this in here and that may be true – but it is no less real
Possibility 3
-theme comes from the circumstances and conditions of the writing of the work – yes, it comes from the writer, but it has MUCH to do with the situation under which the work was written - context informs and influences the ideas and meaning in the work -fits with Possibility 1 & 2 -books written during WWII would clearly reflect WWII and its impact
-there are concerns, issues and concepts that reveal the time period of the writing- there is a German word that captures this ZEIT(time) GEIST (ghost) -”the spirit of the times”
Possibility 4
-theme is created by the reader getting the message that fits or interlocks with his/her beliefs,ideas,prejudices,biases,etc.
-people only see/hear what they can understand and what fits their systems -this is a kind of egocentrism- solipsism
-when you get a message from a piece of lit, you are actually getting that message from a combination of the literature and your own interpretation – that's why I used the word negotiation -50-50 split (or whatever ratio) - FILTERS-you cannot help but be affected by your filters
-eg age,gender, race,religion, intellect ,experience, job, parent status -once again , proving ideas is crucial- “I think this because X,Y, Z” is needed
Possibility 5 – combination of all these
What is theme? - maybe theme is an idea that can take away from a reading -the subject of the story is not the theme, theme is an idea within that subject or ideas -theme is often an observation or conclusion about humanity or something affects humanity What are the ideas? How do they come out in the story? What are some observations about human nature?
What ties the story ideas together?
How are these core ideas shown or proven?
What do I take away from the story? Can you isolate proof to show that what you think is true?
Dialectics – thesis+antithesis= synthesis- POV
Monday, Feb 21, 2012
For The Boat, they will be doing their major summative for this unit and we will be doing a presentation. This means they will need to:
1. Form a group of no more than FOUR people.
2. Do a full character sketch of the father OR the mother.
3. Choose THREE examples of imagery that evokes a clear mental picture.
4. Create a multimedia piece using photos, videos and music that explores or continues with the mood of the setting created by the writer in this story.
5. Discuss the character arc undergone by the narrator. What does he learn through the course of the story?
6. Find THREE examples of symbolism in the story and discuss what they could mean. ONE of these must be the boat itself.
This presentation need not be done in front of the class, but it needs to be submitted to me as a Prezi, Keynote or PowerPoint. Keynote is on the iPads and the iMacs. We would like to see this come in on Monday of next week.
1. Form a group of no more than FOUR people.
2. Do a full character sketch of the father OR the mother.
3. Choose THREE examples of imagery that evokes a clear mental picture.
4. Create a multimedia piece using photos, videos and music that explores or continues with the mood of the setting created by the writer in this story.
5. Discuss the character arc undergone by the narrator. What does he learn through the course of the story?
6. Find THREE examples of symbolism in the story and discuss what they could mean. ONE of these must be the boat itself.
This presentation need not be done in front of the class, but it needs to be submitted to me as a Prezi, Keynote or PowerPoint. Keynote is on the iPads and the iMacs. We would like to see this come in on Monday of next week.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Friday, Feb 17, 2012
Plot
the easiest part of a story in some ways - it’s the part that you tell someone when you’re trying to tell them about the story
when talking about or analysing plot, you can’t just recount the events
we need more to think about, more to discuss, more to analyse
Plot is made up of events
Those events occur in a timeline - usually chronological - there are variations in the timeline that can be used by an author - eg read a book with flashbacks or extended fantasy sequences that aren’t part of the timeline - or weirder - Pulp Fiction
The pattern of a plotline in chronology follows ANOTHER kind of logic.
Causal logic - cause and effect - action -> reaction
One event in some way leads to the next, which in some way, leads to the next, which... and finally leads to a logical result, which is the ending.
A + B = C - this is a clear progression that leads to the ONLY possible conclusion that would work (note: there are lots of possible endings, but the story must have the BEST ending)
This is ONE WAY to talk about plot - evaluate the progression of events - does this progression work? does it make sense? does it interest me?
Plot is able to be broken up into THREE pieces - or three ACTS - this comes from a brilliant Greek philosopher and poet named Aristotle (in the book Poetics) Act 1 - setup, Act 2 - complications, Act 3 - resolution
We can also discuss plot in terms of these elements - again, evaluate, describe, figure out where the breaks are between the acts, etc
Maybe - how does the setup work? What is set up? What gets complicated? What happens to our expectations?
Set up has many possibilities
Complication can intensify the problems and situations, so there are possibilities there, but the resolution reduces them to one conclusion - this can be disappointing.
Plot = Character’s Need + Obstacles to fulfilling that Need
eg - Harry Potter’s OUTER NEED is to get revenge on Voldy - there is also an INNER NEED - this is Harry’s need to be accepted/loved/in a family/to be made whole
This idea of plot is that the entire series is a chain of obstacles that stop him from fulfilling both needs until the last possible moment.
Levels of Conflict -
Person vs Person - simple, obvious and clear to plot out
Person vs Environment - survival - person trying to manage situations in Nature that are against all odds - evaluation of the person - testing ground
Person vs Self - most complex, most interesting in some ways, deeper plotline in terms of the psychology - addictions, mental illness, etc
Dialectics - this is a philosophical doctrine (system of belief that is based upon writings and a set of conditions that is recorded) that has some interesting connotations
- a dialectic is ancient Greek - describing two people with differing POV in a discussion
- the way we like to think about it is the Hegelian Dialectic -
Thesis - Antithesis - Synthesis
Simplified:
A THING plus its OPPOSITE = a new state or THING
Thesis + Antithesis = Synthesis
You could look for things in stories that opposed the hero and FORCED change and created new situations and ideas - you could discuss this in terms of a dialectic (note: you would need to do some research)
Plot analysis can be deep and interesting and we will not simply retell the story.
Symbolism in plot? Yep. Often, plot lines will reflect human growth, change, maturation and so on. EVERY SINGLE ONE on some level.
Voldemort REPRESENTS Harry’s father (psychologically)
Harry has several - Dursley, Dumbledore, Sirius, Hagrid, etc...
Read Twins - answer Qs 3 and 4 from the text.
the easiest part of a story in some ways - it’s the part that you tell someone when you’re trying to tell them about the story
when talking about or analysing plot, you can’t just recount the events
we need more to think about, more to discuss, more to analyse
Plot is made up of events
Those events occur in a timeline - usually chronological - there are variations in the timeline that can be used by an author - eg read a book with flashbacks or extended fantasy sequences that aren’t part of the timeline - or weirder - Pulp Fiction
The pattern of a plotline in chronology follows ANOTHER kind of logic.
Causal logic - cause and effect - action -> reaction
One event in some way leads to the next, which in some way, leads to the next, which... and finally leads to a logical result, which is the ending.
A + B = C - this is a clear progression that leads to the ONLY possible conclusion that would work (note: there are lots of possible endings, but the story must have the BEST ending)
This is ONE WAY to talk about plot - evaluate the progression of events - does this progression work? does it make sense? does it interest me?
Plot is able to be broken up into THREE pieces - or three ACTS - this comes from a brilliant Greek philosopher and poet named Aristotle (in the book Poetics) Act 1 - setup, Act 2 - complications, Act 3 - resolution
We can also discuss plot in terms of these elements - again, evaluate, describe, figure out where the breaks are between the acts, etc
Maybe - how does the setup work? What is set up? What gets complicated? What happens to our expectations?
Set up has many possibilities
Complication can intensify the problems and situations, so there are possibilities there, but the resolution reduces them to one conclusion - this can be disappointing.
Plot = Character’s Need + Obstacles to fulfilling that Need
eg - Harry Potter’s OUTER NEED is to get revenge on Voldy - there is also an INNER NEED - this is Harry’s need to be accepted/loved/in a family/to be made whole
This idea of plot is that the entire series is a chain of obstacles that stop him from fulfilling both needs until the last possible moment.
Levels of Conflict -
Person vs Person - simple, obvious and clear to plot out
Person vs Environment - survival - person trying to manage situations in Nature that are against all odds - evaluation of the person - testing ground
Person vs Self - most complex, most interesting in some ways, deeper plotline in terms of the psychology - addictions, mental illness, etc
Dialectics - this is a philosophical doctrine (system of belief that is based upon writings and a set of conditions that is recorded) that has some interesting connotations
- a dialectic is ancient Greek - describing two people with differing POV in a discussion
- the way we like to think about it is the Hegelian Dialectic -
Thesis - Antithesis - Synthesis
Simplified:
A THING plus its OPPOSITE = a new state or THING
Thesis + Antithesis = Synthesis
You could look for things in stories that opposed the hero and FORCED change and created new situations and ideas - you could discuss this in terms of a dialectic (note: you would need to do some research)
Plot analysis can be deep and interesting and we will not simply retell the story.
Symbolism in plot? Yep. Often, plot lines will reflect human growth, change, maturation and so on. EVERY SINGLE ONE on some level.
Voldemort REPRESENTS Harry’s father (psychologically)
Harry has several - Dursley, Dumbledore, Sirius, Hagrid, etc...
Read Twins - answer Qs 3 and 4 from the text.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012
The Lottery Ticket
you made up THREE questions - why? I want you to be able to think about the MACROCOSM of the work we’re doing as well as the microcosm
be above the work in your thinking - top down - remember- you will make your own exam questions
general comprehension - who did X, where was Y, facts, figures, data - simple recall from the text - Level 3
Why - motivation - analysing characters in terms of their human nature - eg Why did Ivan change so abruptly in his thinking over the course of those few minutes? Combining your reading with your thinking about your own life. Level 4 (high 3+)
How? explaining process or finding patterns - How did Ivan change? step by steps - use the references to the material in the book. Prepare for essay
Moral association or judgments - we can answer questions where we assess the characters’ actions and make conclusions - What did Ivan learn about himself, if anything? What did we learn from Ivan’s thinking? - these are often about theme.
What about the writer’s intentions?
How did the writer do X or Y? (style, writing structure) eg How does Chekhov make us feel Ivan’s broken dreams more clearly?
Wing’s Chips
Setting -
Quebec - probably in the lower townships - where there are a number of English towns and people - St. Lawrence Valley - there is a mix of cultures in the story
This mix of cultures is crucial to the story line and the characters - one of the key story problems was a direct result of the setting
Setting helps drive plot - Father doesn’t fit with the French people
Setting affect the lead character? - she doesn’t fit either - she stands out in the community - kids usually want to fit in, so she won’t react like the Dad -
Setting affects the Chinese family - how? they also don’t seem to fit in
Is there a mood or atmosphere to this story? a long time ago with much more formal clothing, with a stiff, repressed, more religious environment, with a small town, judgmental, conservative, puritanical vibe -
This setting is a great setting for looking at characters who don’t fit, because the time period and that place give extra layers of judgment and so on
This setting should be very familiar to you - because you live in a very similar place.
Being an artist = being Chinese (in the town in this story)
Being black = being gay (in a place, at a time)
This equation (that X can = Y depending upon the circumstances) is a great little message.
Character of the Father
(this pattern has already been learned)
physical description
-
actions and reactions
-
interactions with other characters
-
motivations and thinking (P.O.V.)
-
how he changes
Symbolizes?
you made up THREE questions - why? I want you to be able to think about the MACROCOSM of the work we’re doing as well as the microcosm
be above the work in your thinking - top down - remember- you will make your own exam questions
general comprehension - who did X, where was Y, facts, figures, data - simple recall from the text - Level 3
Why - motivation - analysing characters in terms of their human nature - eg Why did Ivan change so abruptly in his thinking over the course of those few minutes? Combining your reading with your thinking about your own life. Level 4 (high 3+)
How? explaining process or finding patterns - How did Ivan change? step by steps - use the references to the material in the book. Prepare for essay
Moral association or judgments - we can answer questions where we assess the characters’ actions and make conclusions - What did Ivan learn about himself, if anything? What did we learn from Ivan’s thinking? - these are often about theme.
What about the writer’s intentions?
How did the writer do X or Y? (style, writing structure) eg How does Chekhov make us feel Ivan’s broken dreams more clearly?
Wing’s Chips
Setting -
Quebec - probably in the lower townships - where there are a number of English towns and people - St. Lawrence Valley - there is a mix of cultures in the story
This mix of cultures is crucial to the story line and the characters - one of the key story problems was a direct result of the setting
Setting helps drive plot - Father doesn’t fit with the French people
Setting affect the lead character? - she doesn’t fit either - she stands out in the community - kids usually want to fit in, so she won’t react like the Dad -
Setting affects the Chinese family - how? they also don’t seem to fit in
Is there a mood or atmosphere to this story? a long time ago with much more formal clothing, with a stiff, repressed, more religious environment, with a small town, judgmental, conservative, puritanical vibe -
This setting is a great setting for looking at characters who don’t fit, because the time period and that place give extra layers of judgment and so on
This setting should be very familiar to you - because you live in a very similar place.
Being an artist = being Chinese (in the town in this story)
Being black = being gay (in a place, at a time)
This equation (that X can = Y depending upon the circumstances) is a great little message.
Character of the Father
(this pattern has already been learned)
physical description
-
actions and reactions
-
interactions with other characters
-
motivations and thinking (P.O.V.)
-
how he changes
Symbolizes?
Monday, February 13, 2012
Friday, Feb 10, 2012
Setting -
this is where you get your “rules” for the story
the laws of the world of the story must be clear, logical and obvious
established early or played for the surprise
Harry Potter - the rules of this story world allow for all kinds of magic - this can be negative for the ease of solving plot problems - nice for wish fulfillment, but not so good for realism and a true sense of character and human life
eg Superman - a great hero, but dumb in terms of story - because ANYTHING is possible - this spoils good plot situations
therefore, settings that impose rules and RESTRICTIONS actually increase the potential for good stories and character growth
why did this story take place here? there is probably some reason - it could be that the writer is writing from his/her experience -
maybe that setting is meaningful; by what the rules allow or disallow
milieu - there is theory of writing that suggests that some writers write from the setting first, or spend time developing setting in a very specific and detailed way
British detective novels have much more of this detailed setting writing
learn some of the milieu and you know more about the story and characters
eg - L.A. detective fiction - the setting is a character in a way - has more value
Atmosphere - this is the emotional content and value of a setting - certain places bring out, or evoke, certain emotions in people without us having to think about it
This can be used to manipulate the reader - the writer can take advantage of descriptive words and phrases to effect something in the reader - to make a feeling - helps the story
This enhances the power of a story because it stimulates our own memories and engages us in the story - when you hit my feelings, my senses, my memories, you put me right where YOU want me to be
How do we comment on this?
Effectiveness of this “transporting the reader” - did the writer make you feel the place?
The skill of creating a place in your head - you SEE it, you HEAR it, you KNOW it
Does it ADD something to the story? layers, meaning, value? some settings are LOADED with meaning - eg The Boy with The Striped Payamas - the Holocaust - Auschwitz - WWII and it’s a real, living, powerful history
Symbolically - the setting could be largely FIGURATIVE instead of LITERAL - this is LEVEL 4 country
Literal - the actual, denotative meaning - “You are a pig.”, you might say to a pig and that is literally true
Figurative - You say to Lobb at the Greasebucket Buffet - “You, sir, are a pig!” and that is figuratively true because Lobb is covered in chicken grease and bits of skin and feathers and is wearing greasy overalls with no shirt. The meaning here is not actual, but SYMBOLIC - the connotation is all in the connection between Mr. Lobb and the pig - ie the similarities of their habits, supposedly. Note: Pigs are not that gross. I am, however.
Some settings are designed by writers to have a deep symbolic value - ie Mean Girls when Cady first goes to the high school - she compares it to the jungle - she observes the wildlife and the tribal behaviours and the animal behaviours, etc.
this is where you get your “rules” for the story
the laws of the world of the story must be clear, logical and obvious
established early or played for the surprise
Harry Potter - the rules of this story world allow for all kinds of magic - this can be negative for the ease of solving plot problems - nice for wish fulfillment, but not so good for realism and a true sense of character and human life
eg Superman - a great hero, but dumb in terms of story - because ANYTHING is possible - this spoils good plot situations
therefore, settings that impose rules and RESTRICTIONS actually increase the potential for good stories and character growth
why did this story take place here? there is probably some reason - it could be that the writer is writing from his/her experience -
maybe that setting is meaningful; by what the rules allow or disallow
milieu - there is theory of writing that suggests that some writers write from the setting first, or spend time developing setting in a very specific and detailed way
British detective novels have much more of this detailed setting writing
learn some of the milieu and you know more about the story and characters
eg - L.A. detective fiction - the setting is a character in a way - has more value
Atmosphere - this is the emotional content and value of a setting - certain places bring out, or evoke, certain emotions in people without us having to think about it
This can be used to manipulate the reader - the writer can take advantage of descriptive words and phrases to effect something in the reader - to make a feeling - helps the story
This enhances the power of a story because it stimulates our own memories and engages us in the story - when you hit my feelings, my senses, my memories, you put me right where YOU want me to be
How do we comment on this?
Effectiveness of this “transporting the reader” - did the writer make you feel the place?
The skill of creating a place in your head - you SEE it, you HEAR it, you KNOW it
Does it ADD something to the story? layers, meaning, value? some settings are LOADED with meaning - eg The Boy with The Striped Payamas - the Holocaust - Auschwitz - WWII and it’s a real, living, powerful history
Symbolically - the setting could be largely FIGURATIVE instead of LITERAL - this is LEVEL 4 country
Literal - the actual, denotative meaning - “You are a pig.”, you might say to a pig and that is literally true
Figurative - You say to Lobb at the Greasebucket Buffet - “You, sir, are a pig!” and that is figuratively true because Lobb is covered in chicken grease and bits of skin and feathers and is wearing greasy overalls with no shirt. The meaning here is not actual, but SYMBOLIC - the connotation is all in the connection between Mr. Lobb and the pig - ie the similarities of their habits, supposedly. Note: Pigs are not that gross. I am, however.
Some settings are designed by writers to have a deep symbolic value - ie Mean Girls when Cady first goes to the high school - she compares it to the jungle - she observes the wildlife and the tribal behaviours and the animal behaviours, etc.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Thursday, Feb 9, 2012
Last Chunks on Character
Character Arc - Transformational Arc - starts at State A (broken) and goes to State Z (fixed or enlightened in some way)
Dynamic - characters who change -
why are characters that change more interesting or appealing?
the effect of change is upon us every day - we totally get it when characters change
most change in stories is POSITIVE - learning and growing and winning
however, even a negative change might be something that we like -
maybe this is a surprise and that is appealing
That’s not me!
manageable change is comforting - movie troubles and chaos is a relief from normal troubles and chaos - book problems are nice problems -
VICARIOUS - you experience something through someone else’s experience
Static - characters that do not change
are often characters that are delusional or mistaken or stupid or comical
there is usually some purpose to this - not realistic, not as interesting or as deep, but there may be some effect that is brought about
static characters often teach us things - show us the result of not changing - they are often in bad situations or have terrible results in stories -
static characters are often STEREOTYPES, especially in short stories -
a label that certain groups of people may have applied to them and this label may be based upon some true element - Canadian live in igloos - this is based on our winters, which are not anything like the idea of our winters
easy shortcuts to make an impression or further some idea -
Protagonists are usually DYNAMIC and antagonists are usually STATIC
But, secondary characters are also often static
What is their role in a story?
What does the WISE MASTER do in a story? Yoda, Obi Wan, Morpheus, Gandalf, Dumbledore, etc
to teach, guide, direct, help and motivate the lead character through different actions - including once he/she dies, which is very common
GIRLFRIEND - to nag the lead character who is trying to be awesome and do something immature that he thinks is fun with his friends who are going to Las Vegas to have a
to stumble into a situation where the bad guy gets her and can call the lead guy and say I have your girlfriend
to say I miss you and can you take this risk to come here and take more risks doing this activity that you know better than to do
EX-BOYFRIEND -
MOM -
TEACHER -
GRANDMA -
NOSY NEIGHBOUR -
KID IN THE SMOKING AREA -
1. One of the jobs of these characters is PLOT CONTRIVANCE - some piece of machinery or creation to move the plot forward
to bring out something in the main character(s) - acting as a FOIL - to allow the main to show some element of character - eg the little creature that every Disney bad guy has (Iago, eels, etc) - this is KEY in many stories
to set the scene - this is also crucial, but maybe less so - ie school - what secondary characters who set the scene will be here? - nerds, stoners, jocks, etc
add texture and perhaps intensity - which can be the same thing - bad things have to happen to somebody... texture - dramas needs dramatic moments, and they can’t all be to the lead - sci fi needs sci fi stuff - robots, three-breasted women with antlers, etc
give comic relief - to relieve the audience of tension that can be created by too much dark business - eg The Porter in Macbeth
Character Analysis -
Could have:
Character sketch (those things to look for in lead)
Character description (obvious)
Secondary characters analysis - their roles and effectiveness
Compare and contrast Pro and Ant (agonist)
Interrelationships - character web - how does everybody relate to each other?
Character casting and profile - choose actors to play that role and cut out photos, etc
Character bio in POV - you add your interpretations (diary)
1. DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION - the writer makes direct statements about a character's personality and tells what the character is like.
The writer will write ABOUT the character, usually in a way that is omniscient, but we may also get another character’s POV – this could be simply that character’s bias, however – or, it may be a valid, and real perspective
“this character is like that”
INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION - the writer reveals information about a character and his personality through that character's thoughts, words, and actions, along with how other characters respond to that character, including what they think and say about him.
Setting -
A Writing Exercise:
You shall write a creative paragraph about a place you have been that creates an evocative memory.
Descriptive Language- Adjectives that paint a picture - utilizing all of the senses where possible - imagery
Not worry about sentence structure so much - loose descriptive lines
Think about really setting a scene - tone = mood = emotion = more powerful writing
You can improve this assignment with photos or music or a short bit of video, which is admittedly cheating - however, it works.
Character Arc - Transformational Arc - starts at State A (broken) and goes to State Z (fixed or enlightened in some way)
Dynamic - characters who change -
why are characters that change more interesting or appealing?
the effect of change is upon us every day - we totally get it when characters change
most change in stories is POSITIVE - learning and growing and winning
however, even a negative change might be something that we like -
maybe this is a surprise and that is appealing
That’s not me!
manageable change is comforting - movie troubles and chaos is a relief from normal troubles and chaos - book problems are nice problems -
VICARIOUS - you experience something through someone else’s experience
Static - characters that do not change
are often characters that are delusional or mistaken or stupid or comical
there is usually some purpose to this - not realistic, not as interesting or as deep, but there may be some effect that is brought about
static characters often teach us things - show us the result of not changing - they are often in bad situations or have terrible results in stories -
static characters are often STEREOTYPES, especially in short stories -
a label that certain groups of people may have applied to them and this label may be based upon some true element - Canadian live in igloos - this is based on our winters, which are not anything like the idea of our winters
easy shortcuts to make an impression or further some idea -
Protagonists are usually DYNAMIC and antagonists are usually STATIC
But, secondary characters are also often static
What is their role in a story?
What does the WISE MASTER do in a story? Yoda, Obi Wan, Morpheus, Gandalf, Dumbledore, etc
to teach, guide, direct, help and motivate the lead character through different actions - including once he/she dies, which is very common
GIRLFRIEND - to nag the lead character who is trying to be awesome and do something immature that he thinks is fun with his friends who are going to Las Vegas to have a
to stumble into a situation where the bad guy gets her and can call the lead guy and say I have your girlfriend
to say I miss you and can you take this risk to come here and take more risks doing this activity that you know better than to do
EX-BOYFRIEND -
MOM -
TEACHER -
GRANDMA -
NOSY NEIGHBOUR -
KID IN THE SMOKING AREA -
1. One of the jobs of these characters is PLOT CONTRIVANCE - some piece of machinery or creation to move the plot forward
to bring out something in the main character(s) - acting as a FOIL - to allow the main to show some element of character - eg the little creature that every Disney bad guy has (Iago, eels, etc) - this is KEY in many stories
to set the scene - this is also crucial, but maybe less so - ie school - what secondary characters who set the scene will be here? - nerds, stoners, jocks, etc
add texture and perhaps intensity - which can be the same thing - bad things have to happen to somebody... texture - dramas needs dramatic moments, and they can’t all be to the lead - sci fi needs sci fi stuff - robots, three-breasted women with antlers, etc
give comic relief - to relieve the audience of tension that can be created by too much dark business - eg The Porter in Macbeth
Character Analysis -
Could have:
Character sketch (those things to look for in lead)
Character description (obvious)
Secondary characters analysis - their roles and effectiveness
Compare and contrast Pro and Ant (agonist)
Interrelationships - character web - how does everybody relate to each other?
Character casting and profile - choose actors to play that role and cut out photos, etc
Character bio in POV - you add your interpretations (diary)
1. DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION - the writer makes direct statements about a character's personality and tells what the character is like.
The writer will write ABOUT the character, usually in a way that is omniscient, but we may also get another character’s POV – this could be simply that character’s bias, however – or, it may be a valid, and real perspective
“this character is like that”
INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION - the writer reveals information about a character and his personality through that character's thoughts, words, and actions, along with how other characters respond to that character, including what they think and say about him.
Setting -
A Writing Exercise:
You shall write a creative paragraph about a place you have been that creates an evocative memory.
Descriptive Language- Adjectives that paint a picture - utilizing all of the senses where possible - imagery
Not worry about sentence structure so much - loose descriptive lines
Think about really setting a scene - tone = mood = emotion = more powerful writing
You can improve this assignment with photos or music or a short bit of video, which is admittedly cheating - however, it works.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Wednesday, Feb 8, 2012
The Leap - Louise Erdrich
How does the writer in this story describe her mother? Make a list of what you think are the key ways this character is created in our minds: phrases, words, actions, etc
Five Good Ways (power words - terms, phrases and words that have greater than average effect or meaning - these are perhaps opinions and informed by one’s own bias - prejudice or a preconception)
your power words need to be proven as power words - you need to validate your opinion
we want to be able to find what we think and then back it up and MAKE it the answer
knowing that process of proving what we think is true is the point of English class, in a way
Trapeze reference - this conjures up a number of ideas, descriptions, and it tells us that the woman is unique - then I said, WAIT! there is another loaded, supercharged, powerful word in there that has a ton of meaning to every single person ever BORN -
Mother - this is a psychologically rich area of literature and meaning - this brings a whole new area of thinking
can we combine these elements to think of some new ideas? some new meanings? some deeper connections?
We can take those elements of description and put them into a profile or a character sketch where we can analyse the character and come up with some ideas about what she means, what she tells us about the writer, about people, about some issue or idea (in this case, I bet it’s motherhood)
Physical descriptions - how she looked
Actions and reactions - what she did
Interactions - how she behaved with others
Point of views - what she thought, or what others thought about her (thinking)
What he/she could represent or symbolize? Meaning
This little pattern can be used as the outline for a rich character sketch - for those who wonder what to write and why.
The theme of the story is carried out and explored in the character - by looking at the character and thinking about meaning, we come up with the whole purpose of the story - the theme - which is - the powerful drive of a mother to save a child - the sacrifice of motherhood - BUT also - the way a child sees a parent and how that changes over time
Proof? - start with the old lady - blind, can’t function the same way, the memory of youth and power - the daughter sees the old lady who is still graceful and powerful to her, but she sees the woman fading, and she remembers the sacrifice and the strength of that
maybe an element of not judging someone by their appearance?
Look for examples of CONTRAST in the story. Find three good ones.
(things and their opposites put close together)
First-person POV adds to the story. What does it add to The Leap?
How does the writer in this story describe her mother? Make a list of what you think are the key ways this character is created in our minds: phrases, words, actions, etc
Five Good Ways (power words - terms, phrases and words that have greater than average effect or meaning - these are perhaps opinions and informed by one’s own bias - prejudice or a preconception)
your power words need to be proven as power words - you need to validate your opinion
we want to be able to find what we think and then back it up and MAKE it the answer
knowing that process of proving what we think is true is the point of English class, in a way
Trapeze reference - this conjures up a number of ideas, descriptions, and it tells us that the woman is unique - then I said, WAIT! there is another loaded, supercharged, powerful word in there that has a ton of meaning to every single person ever BORN -
Mother - this is a psychologically rich area of literature and meaning - this brings a whole new area of thinking
can we combine these elements to think of some new ideas? some new meanings? some deeper connections?
We can take those elements of description and put them into a profile or a character sketch where we can analyse the character and come up with some ideas about what she means, what she tells us about the writer, about people, about some issue or idea (in this case, I bet it’s motherhood)
Physical descriptions - how she looked
Actions and reactions - what she did
Interactions - how she behaved with others
Point of views - what she thought, or what others thought about her (thinking)
What he/she could represent or symbolize? Meaning
This little pattern can be used as the outline for a rich character sketch - for those who wonder what to write and why.
The theme of the story is carried out and explored in the character - by looking at the character and thinking about meaning, we come up with the whole purpose of the story - the theme - which is - the powerful drive of a mother to save a child - the sacrifice of motherhood - BUT also - the way a child sees a parent and how that changes over time
Proof? - start with the old lady - blind, can’t function the same way, the memory of youth and power - the daughter sees the old lady who is still graceful and powerful to her, but she sees the woman fading, and she remembers the sacrifice and the strength of that
maybe an element of not judging someone by their appearance?
Look for examples of CONTRAST in the story. Find three good ones.
(things and their opposites put close together)
First-person POV adds to the story. What does it add to The Leap?
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Short Stories - The Leap
There will be some questions on it. We’re looking at building a way of analyzing character and knowing how characters are used in stories.
Develop a pattern for character sketches and assignments that look into characters.
We’re looking towards writing essays later where we consider character change and motivations.
Thoughts about character(s) in literature:
Protagonist - the character who’s defining the movement of the story
his/her struggle is the point
his/her change is the reason for the story to progress
EVERY story is about a protagonist being forced to change - this is the struggle - Harry Potter’s life in the books is nothing but struggle - this is the reason that there are books about this character - the struggle is the story
the pro = the positive - the character we support
that character is the one in which we “ride” for the story
the protagonist of any story must have certain qualities for us to be able to “ride” successfully
the more conflict the protagonist has, the better the story, the richer the character - more problems = more excitement
heroic - brave, caring, perseverance, have a talent of ability, demonstrate the gift in a way that makes them special, face impossible odds, etc
they need to have an opposition of some sort, that is clear and obvious and seems more powerful
relatable - we need to be able to care about that character - we have a strong empathy for them - they are in trouble, they are endangered, they are like us and we understand their troubles
protagonists have to change in some way, or be faced with the opportunity to change - CHANGE is crucial to protagonists
Character Arc
Antagonist - in some cases, the opposing energy that the hero must face is literally another person -
this person is called the ANTAGONIST - his/her desires put him/her in competition or opposition
the antagonist could want the same thing, or want the opposite thing
the antagonist may be, according to his/her own logic, doing the right thing
the stronger and more understandable this logic is, the more powerful the “bad guy’s” belief is, the better the resulting story
complexity comes from us being able to understand the bad guy’s feelings, motives, ideas
Bad Guy Qualities
complexity and relatability - we can see his/her POV and it makes sense and it is ALMOST a good idea - this makes the best villains
the power to actually win - and it must be clear - the hero needs to be the little guy in this
there must be some kind of similarity between the hero and the villain - it is very common that they share powers, backgrounds, etc
give the audience something that they themselves might have to face or know about or deal with as a temptation - threats that are obvious to us
must be dealing in universal ideas and themes - love, hate, war, greed, envy, jealousy, etc - because they are actually representing sides of ourselves - villains are warning to us not to do something that we could well do
Identify pro and ant -
Analyse motives - why does he/she do what he/she does?
Mark the change - how did or didn’t the character change?
What universal human themes come up in this character?
Consider the characters as real people and try to get in their heads - why? how? what for?
By looking at simple pieces of how a character is presented, we can come up with that information we need to do the character sketch
There will be some questions on it. We’re looking at building a way of analyzing character and knowing how characters are used in stories.
Develop a pattern for character sketches and assignments that look into characters.
We’re looking towards writing essays later where we consider character change and motivations.
Thoughts about character(s) in literature:
Protagonist - the character who’s defining the movement of the story
his/her struggle is the point
his/her change is the reason for the story to progress
EVERY story is about a protagonist being forced to change - this is the struggle - Harry Potter’s life in the books is nothing but struggle - this is the reason that there are books about this character - the struggle is the story
the pro = the positive - the character we support
that character is the one in which we “ride” for the story
the protagonist of any story must have certain qualities for us to be able to “ride” successfully
the more conflict the protagonist has, the better the story, the richer the character - more problems = more excitement
heroic - brave, caring, perseverance, have a talent of ability, demonstrate the gift in a way that makes them special, face impossible odds, etc
they need to have an opposition of some sort, that is clear and obvious and seems more powerful
relatable - we need to be able to care about that character - we have a strong empathy for them - they are in trouble, they are endangered, they are like us and we understand their troubles
protagonists have to change in some way, or be faced with the opportunity to change - CHANGE is crucial to protagonists
Character Arc
Antagonist - in some cases, the opposing energy that the hero must face is literally another person -
this person is called the ANTAGONIST - his/her desires put him/her in competition or opposition
the antagonist could want the same thing, or want the opposite thing
the antagonist may be, according to his/her own logic, doing the right thing
the stronger and more understandable this logic is, the more powerful the “bad guy’s” belief is, the better the resulting story
complexity comes from us being able to understand the bad guy’s feelings, motives, ideas
Bad Guy Qualities
complexity and relatability - we can see his/her POV and it makes sense and it is ALMOST a good idea - this makes the best villains
the power to actually win - and it must be clear - the hero needs to be the little guy in this
there must be some kind of similarity between the hero and the villain - it is very common that they share powers, backgrounds, etc
give the audience something that they themselves might have to face or know about or deal with as a temptation - threats that are obvious to us
must be dealing in universal ideas and themes - love, hate, war, greed, envy, jealousy, etc - because they are actually representing sides of ourselves - villains are warning to us not to do something that we could well do
Identify pro and ant -
Analyse motives - why does he/she do what he/she does?
Mark the change - how did or didn’t the character change?
What universal human themes come up in this character?
Consider the characters as real people and try to get in their heads - why? how? what for?
By looking at simple pieces of how a character is presented, we can come up with that information we need to do the character sketch
Monday, Feb 7, 2012
Today’s Topics -
using iPads - yes, you will need them
You should be using a program called Evernote
a notetaking software solution with audio, video, web clips, notes, etc - on any platform
making a blog (with www.blogger.com)
everyone needs a Gmail address - why? so you don’t have hotkitty45@hotmail.com - use your name, not the thing you thought was cool when you were 8
I am thelabcoatguy@gmail.com - use this
There is an app on the iPad called BLOGSY which allows you to blog your Blogger account from there - which is great.
what do we put on it?
FIRST BLOG POST
tell me who you are by referring to yourself as a student, as a person and as a composite of things you like
Student - strengths and weaknesses - be honest, it can help - what mark will you get? What did you get in previous years? what did or did you not like in English classes other years?
Person - how you spend your time outside of school, what do you planning on down the road? what do you work at, etc - simple facts about you -
Composite - you can combine the things you absorb (media) into a way of describing yourself - products, bands, shows, books, etc (can be done as a representation wall)
What is Level 4?
contains lots of detail and reflection - you actually think about yourself (ouch)
honest analysis of strs and weaks
multimedia - SHOW when possible, don’t tell
depth - going beyond the obvious (this could be your own idea here, I may not have a clear picture of what it means)
what textbook?
Echoes - we do short stories
The Leap (character)
The Lottery Ticket (character)
Wing’s Chips (setting, context, plot)
Rich for One Day (theme+)
Twins (plot+)
The Boat is our large assignment (presentation)
combining all the elements into a seminar where you analyse the above (p,s,c,t) and present some findings, some thoughts, some multimedia, etc
you will need to show me your ability to read into things and pull out meaning in the ways we’ve discussed
using iPads - yes, you will need them
You should be using a program called Evernote
a notetaking software solution with audio, video, web clips, notes, etc - on any platform
making a blog (with www.blogger.com)
everyone needs a Gmail address - why? so you don’t have hotkitty45@hotmail.com - use your name, not the thing you thought was cool when you were 8
I am thelabcoatguy@gmail.com - use this
There is an app on the iPad called BLOGSY which allows you to blog your Blogger account from there - which is great.
what do we put on it?
FIRST BLOG POST
tell me who you are by referring to yourself as a student, as a person and as a composite of things you like
Student - strengths and weaknesses - be honest, it can help - what mark will you get? What did you get in previous years? what did or did you not like in English classes other years?
Person - how you spend your time outside of school, what do you planning on down the road? what do you work at, etc - simple facts about you -
Composite - you can combine the things you absorb (media) into a way of describing yourself - products, bands, shows, books, etc (can be done as a representation wall)
What is Level 4?
contains lots of detail and reflection - you actually think about yourself (ouch)
honest analysis of strs and weaks
multimedia - SHOW when possible, don’t tell
depth - going beyond the obvious (this could be your own idea here, I may not have a clear picture of what it means)
what textbook?
Echoes - we do short stories
The Leap (character)
The Lottery Ticket (character)
Wing’s Chips (setting, context, plot)
Rich for One Day (theme+)
Twins (plot+)
The Boat is our large assignment (presentation)
combining all the elements into a seminar where you analyse the above (p,s,c,t) and present some findings, some thoughts, some multimedia, etc
you will need to show me your ability to read into things and pull out meaning in the ways we’ve discussed
Friday, February 3, 2012
Friday, Feb 3, 2012
Finding Associations
cross - treasure - X marks the spot
Jesus Christ - crucifixion - torture - ignorance -
mistakes - errors
Our cultural background means that the religious elements are the strongest for the cross and the most loaded - seeing a cross in literature or in art MEANS something
Find CHAINS of associations - THIS is how essays, reports, presentations and good answers are written
Following these chains of associations should come to some kind of understanding about the use of the word and the power of it
wheel - cycle - life - circle of life - infinity
- movement - commerce - transport - business - daily routine
light - Heaven - God - Death - purity - presence
sight -
ideas - knowledge - understanding -
We need to find a way (a method or a mind set) to be able to dig into subject areas and come up with possibilities for meaning that can be discussed.
What does X mean? What COULD X mean? What does X make me think of? What COULD X make me think of?
This is where Level 4 lives.
You need to bring your own thinking and knowledge into the material that you read.
A key part of this process is in looking for those POWER WORDS.
Power words are words that link to culturally significant ideas and meanings and feelings and so on.
Sorry is a power word - why? to some, sorry means I was wrong. To admit wrongdoing is to feel less and to be threatened and to be less confident.
Love - people overuse it (which means that other people think it’s to be carefully used) - it’s the “something else” of the word that makes it powerful
The words are only symbols of things that are much, much more powerful. And those things are what we want to talk about.
The N word is so negatively loaded because of its history - its intent - its effect on a population - its meaning sociologically
However, it’s constantly used in hip hop. Why?
eg - “bitch” - Jay Z - not using it anymore because he had a daughter, but what about when he was born? He had a mom. He had a wife. Didn’t they matter?
Perspective - what does this mean?
an individual’s viewpoint
opinion - thought - idea - belief - an understanding about the way everything is in relation to myself - and vice versa
what does Perspective do? What does it come from? What does it mean? How does it come into use in life? Is it valuable or is it negative?
can you speak, write, sing, behave or otherwise engage in the world WITHOUT reflecting your perspective?
we don’t really SEE reality, we create it in our minds
we don’t really write/speak TRUTH, we reveal our thoughts and perspectives
everything is the tip of an iceberg, where there is a whole bunch of ice under the surface
If we can begin to process everything in this way, where we look at the possibilities and the layers of meaning around everything, we can be much more successful.
Context - the situation around something -
the where, the when, the what’s happening
context could be Goderich, 2012, school, A4a, English class, Friday, 2:00
context is significant - it has a huge effect on anything that could be studied, examined, etc.
in literature, studying CONTEXT gives us a great deal of information that we can use
There is a whole world of added material that can be applied to situations, to literature, to a poem, to a song, to anything, and this added material MIGHT be the crucial element to understanding.
A few strategies to help in analysing things with context, perspective and associations in mind.
research - google it up - who wrote? where? when? situation? life story? etc.
similarities - what is this like? what is it different from? what might be linking these things?
allusions and references - you might see names, places, dates and so on that give you added info
think about yourself - what would YOU do? What is your opinion?
what could be underneath? what are the motivations of the characters/the writers/these people/these leaders, whatever
Watching Sigur Ros’ Glosoli video and looking for symbolic layers and meanings.
cross - treasure - X marks the spot
Jesus Christ - crucifixion - torture - ignorance -
mistakes - errors
Our cultural background means that the religious elements are the strongest for the cross and the most loaded - seeing a cross in literature or in art MEANS something
Find CHAINS of associations - THIS is how essays, reports, presentations and good answers are written
Following these chains of associations should come to some kind of understanding about the use of the word and the power of it
wheel - cycle - life - circle of life - infinity
- movement - commerce - transport - business - daily routine
light - Heaven - God - Death - purity - presence
sight -
ideas - knowledge - understanding -
We need to find a way (a method or a mind set) to be able to dig into subject areas and come up with possibilities for meaning that can be discussed.
What does X mean? What COULD X mean? What does X make me think of? What COULD X make me think of?
This is where Level 4 lives.
You need to bring your own thinking and knowledge into the material that you read.
A key part of this process is in looking for those POWER WORDS.
Power words are words that link to culturally significant ideas and meanings and feelings and so on.
Sorry is a power word - why? to some, sorry means I was wrong. To admit wrongdoing is to feel less and to be threatened and to be less confident.
Love - people overuse it (which means that other people think it’s to be carefully used) - it’s the “something else” of the word that makes it powerful
The words are only symbols of things that are much, much more powerful. And those things are what we want to talk about.
The N word is so negatively loaded because of its history - its intent - its effect on a population - its meaning sociologically
However, it’s constantly used in hip hop. Why?
eg - “bitch” - Jay Z - not using it anymore because he had a daughter, but what about when he was born? He had a mom. He had a wife. Didn’t they matter?
Perspective - what does this mean?
an individual’s viewpoint
opinion - thought - idea - belief - an understanding about the way everything is in relation to myself - and vice versa
what does Perspective do? What does it come from? What does it mean? How does it come into use in life? Is it valuable or is it negative?
can you speak, write, sing, behave or otherwise engage in the world WITHOUT reflecting your perspective?
we don’t really SEE reality, we create it in our minds
we don’t really write/speak TRUTH, we reveal our thoughts and perspectives
everything is the tip of an iceberg, where there is a whole bunch of ice under the surface
If we can begin to process everything in this way, where we look at the possibilities and the layers of meaning around everything, we can be much more successful.
Context - the situation around something -
the where, the when, the what’s happening
context could be Goderich, 2012, school, A4a, English class, Friday, 2:00
context is significant - it has a huge effect on anything that could be studied, examined, etc.
in literature, studying CONTEXT gives us a great deal of information that we can use
There is a whole world of added material that can be applied to situations, to literature, to a poem, to a song, to anything, and this added material MIGHT be the crucial element to understanding.
A few strategies to help in analysing things with context, perspective and associations in mind.
research - google it up - who wrote? where? when? situation? life story? etc.
similarities - what is this like? what is it different from? what might be linking these things?
allusions and references - you might see names, places, dates and so on that give you added info
think about yourself - what would YOU do? What is your opinion?
what could be underneath? what are the motivations of the characters/the writers/these people/these leaders, whatever
Watching Sigur Ros’ Glosoli video and looking for symbolic layers and meanings.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Feb 2, 2012
ENG3U Course Information Sheet
Course Information Sheet
English: ENG 3U
This course emphasizes the development of literacy, communication, and critical and creative thinking skills necessary for success in academic and daily life. Students will analyse challenging literary texts from various periods, countries, and cultures, as well as a range of informational and graphic texts, and create oral, written, and media texts in a variety of forms. An important focus will be on using language with precision and clarity and incorporating stylistic devices appropriately and effectively.
ENG 3U focuses on these overall expectations from the Ministry of
Education’s curriculum:
Oral Communication
· listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;
· use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes;
· reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.
Reading and Literature Studies
· read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, informational, and graphic texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;
· recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;
· use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;
· reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading.
Writing
· generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;
· draft and revise their writing, using a variety of literary, informational, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;
· use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;
· reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.
Media Studies
· demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;
· identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with them are used to create meaning;
· create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques;
· reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creating media texts.
Your final mark will be calculated based on the Ministry of Education’s Achievement Chart for the course as follows: Knowledge/Understanding: 25%; Thinking/Inquiry: 25%; Communication: 25%; Application: 25%
70% of the final mark will be based on work completed throughout the course, including tests, oral presentations and a variety of written assignments and projects. 30% will be based on the final evaluation
All course expectations can be found at the Ontario Ministry of Education Website
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary
Some crucial info for success.
I only accept Level 3 or above. If you hand in less, you redo.
I accept late work. Lobb has no deadlines - this is a Jedi mind trick.
I am a very easily bored and distracted person. You need to try and focus yourself because I am not good at helping that.
The work is based on patterns. Patterns are the key to success everywhere.
You need a good group. 21st Century Student Skills - collaboration, inquiry groups, searching/drill down techniques, multimedia, self-motivation, application of concepts, etc.
We don’t memorize - no tests, no multiple choice, no fill in the blank, no content tests, no old-fashioned memory stuff
We need to focus on a new kind of thinking.
Digging in, finding symbolic and deeper meanings, comparing, working from the small to the large - microcosm -> macrocosm.
Looking in a book can tell us about the world we live in.
Reading a poem can teach us about people we may meet.
Analysing a story can help us get dates with hot men and ladies.
Analytical thinking, planning, looking past the obvious and make conclusions that might help you is what separates rich people from poor people (unless those people live everywhere but Europe, North America and Asia).
Simple Rules -
Don’t text people - please (don’t make me get a phone box or a drawer)
You can use your phone for notes, messages to self, research, whatever, but don’t text.
Don’t use “gay” as a descriptive replacement for “dumb”, “unappealing”, “no fun”
We need to be open to issues that challenge our thinking. ie cloning - don’t be offended - “If I am this easily offended by these ideas, then how strong are my original beliefs?”
“Never agree to die for your beliefs because you might change your mind.”
Manipulation is crucial. Play The Game - make the man think you are in it to win it and then you will.
Don’t try to win by complaining. It will only make me delight in the cruelty.
it turns out that people add their own “whatever” to almost everything that they read, hear, see, smell, etc.
we have these filters in our heads that prevent us from actually experiencing things
how much of what we are doing are we not actually participating in?
How much stuff is going on that we don’t even see?
Denotation
Connotation
A connotation is a commonly understood subjective cultural or emotional association that some word or phrase carries, in addition to the word's or phrase's explicit or literal meaning, which is its denotation.
black cat - literal (denotation) - there is a cat with dark fur
black cat - associations (connotations) - unlucky, pets, witches, magic, Hallowe’en, evil,
There are appended (attached), to many of the “things” we commonly discuss or know about, a whole bunch of associations, concepts, images, ideas, etc that we can think about that give LAYERS of meaning
We need to be able to find these associations and think about them and write about them and come up with them on our own.
cross
wheel
light
wings
Course Information Sheet
English: ENG 3U
This course emphasizes the development of literacy, communication, and critical and creative thinking skills necessary for success in academic and daily life. Students will analyse challenging literary texts from various periods, countries, and cultures, as well as a range of informational and graphic texts, and create oral, written, and media texts in a variety of forms. An important focus will be on using language with precision and clarity and incorporating stylistic devices appropriately and effectively.
ENG 3U focuses on these overall expectations from the Ministry of
Education’s curriculum:
Oral Communication
· listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes;
· use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes;
· reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.
Reading and Literature Studies
· read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, informational, and graphic texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;
· recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;
· use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently;
· reflect on and identify their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading.
Writing
· generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;
· draft and revise their writing, using a variety of literary, informational, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;
· use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;
· reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing process.
Media Studies
· demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;
· identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with them are used to create meaning;
· create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques;
· reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creating media texts.
Your final mark will be calculated based on the Ministry of Education’s Achievement Chart for the course as follows: Knowledge/Understanding: 25%; Thinking/Inquiry: 25%; Communication: 25%; Application: 25%
70% of the final mark will be based on work completed throughout the course, including tests, oral presentations and a variety of written assignments and projects. 30% will be based on the final evaluation
All course expectations can be found at the Ontario Ministry of Education Website
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary
Some crucial info for success.
I only accept Level 3 or above. If you hand in less, you redo.
I accept late work. Lobb has no deadlines - this is a Jedi mind trick.
I am a very easily bored and distracted person. You need to try and focus yourself because I am not good at helping that.
The work is based on patterns. Patterns are the key to success everywhere.
You need a good group. 21st Century Student Skills - collaboration, inquiry groups, searching/drill down techniques, multimedia, self-motivation, application of concepts, etc.
We don’t memorize - no tests, no multiple choice, no fill in the blank, no content tests, no old-fashioned memory stuff
We need to focus on a new kind of thinking.
Digging in, finding symbolic and deeper meanings, comparing, working from the small to the large - microcosm -> macrocosm.
Looking in a book can tell us about the world we live in.
Reading a poem can teach us about people we may meet.
Analysing a story can help us get dates with hot men and ladies.
Analytical thinking, planning, looking past the obvious and make conclusions that might help you is what separates rich people from poor people (unless those people live everywhere but Europe, North America and Asia).
Simple Rules -
Don’t text people - please (don’t make me get a phone box or a drawer)
You can use your phone for notes, messages to self, research, whatever, but don’t text.
Don’t use “gay” as a descriptive replacement for “dumb”, “unappealing”, “no fun”
We need to be open to issues that challenge our thinking. ie cloning - don’t be offended - “If I am this easily offended by these ideas, then how strong are my original beliefs?”
“Never agree to die for your beliefs because you might change your mind.”
Manipulation is crucial. Play The Game - make the man think you are in it to win it and then you will.
Don’t try to win by complaining. It will only make me delight in the cruelty.
it turns out that people add their own “whatever” to almost everything that they read, hear, see, smell, etc.
we have these filters in our heads that prevent us from actually experiencing things
how much of what we are doing are we not actually participating in?
How much stuff is going on that we don’t even see?
Denotation
Connotation
A connotation is a commonly understood subjective cultural or emotional association that some word or phrase carries, in addition to the word's or phrase's explicit or literal meaning, which is its denotation.
black cat - literal (denotation) - there is a cat with dark fur
black cat - associations (connotations) - unlucky, pets, witches, magic, Hallowe’en, evil,
There are appended (attached), to many of the “things” we commonly discuss or know about, a whole bunch of associations, concepts, images, ideas, etc that we can think about that give LAYERS of meaning
We need to be able to find these associations and think about them and write about them and come up with them on our own.
cross
wheel
light
wings
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