Monday, April 30, 2012
Frankenstein
written in the early 1800s
written by a teenage girl - Mary Shelley
We already have THREE things in our heads
All the Frankenstein stuff we know from POPULAR CULTURE
green - awful haircut
life imbued by lightning into the body - bolts on the neck
Frankenstein is the doctor, not the monster
the monster is superhuman - super powers, literally
very famous “look” of Frankenstein’s monster comes from the 1931 Universal Studios horror masterpiece (directed by James Whale) starring Boris Karloff - one of the first horror movies ever made - and it was a serious picture
the monster is a sympathetic character - he is a tragic, haunted, lonely, angry outsider
the producer of this movie was Carl Laemmle, the heavily-accented Jewish founder of Universal Studios (another outsider)
Written by a teenager - outsiders again? YES
the teenage mind is a little bit different from an adult mind - it’s not done yet
the teenager might be a little more dramatic or tragic or haunted or emotional in general - this can come out in the book - and the character(s) can reflect the writer’s concerns in life
the writer is also a female - another outsider - male culture isn’t (at this time) accepting of women as equals - a female trying to write and be an artist and be taken seriously would have a hard time
female view of relationships? - man is a monster?
young woman who will probably have a baby would have some issues that would come up in the book - the idea of literally creating life and being a mother and dealing with all the issues that come from that, is a very strange idea - CRAZY
Early 1800s - What about that time period?
Napoleonic Wars - time of chaos in Europe - turmoil in politics
the year of no summer - there was a volcano that put up enough ask to block the sun and kill the summer for a year - crop failure, etc.
what kind of technology was there? Pre-Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution is the early to late 1800s where factories became machine-driven
inventions allowed for mass-production and speedier construction of almost everything
switching from handmade world to a mass-produced world
This novel comes loaded with ideas and possibilities to consider that we bring into it.
The Age of Reason
What beliefs used to rule the Western world?
Religion - Christianity - Catholicism
Politics was still largely focused on single leaders - a King, a Queen, A Warlord, etc until the 1700s or so.
Thinkers in the 1700s started coming up with some new ideas - these ideas ran parallel with science starting up
It seemed to these thinkers that some new ideas would rule the world - these ideas were based on REASON now, not religion.
Elite thinkers were convinced that Man could know everything and science was the answer to everything. There was nothing that could not be figured out.
One of the most dangerous ideas was this application of Reason TO religion
Science is exploding and philosophy and ideas of radical new thought, are exploding
Weird new discoveries are throwing everything into question - including Life and Death
Galvani - electricity experiments with severed frogs’ legs - people thought that electricity could ANIMATE dead tissue
What is Life? What makes us ANIMATE? Nobody knows and Galvani’s experiments weren’t crazy.
In this time period - 1700s - 1800s it seemed like Man was getting closer to understanding the biggest, most powerful forces of the Universe
First Franksignment -
Choose an Age of Enlightenment thinker, do a profile on him/(her if you can find her), lay out some of his/her theories and put it on a blog or in a brief presentation
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Macbeth Essay - Due in Two Weeks - Week of April 30 - May 4
What is due?
The full package of Macbeth items. We will have all next week to work on it.
What should I write my essay about?
General Areas that Have Worked in the Past
Macbeth is not responsible for his actions because he is not of sound mind.
Macbeth is not responsible for his actions because he is being manipulated by powerful forces.
Macbeth is fully responsible for his actions. He is of sound mind and makes his own choices.
Macbeth is a classical tragic hero.
Lady Macbeth is the true evil in the play. (not easy to prove)
Lady Macbeth is an example of female power gone wrong.
The play reveals the theme of female power and its dangers. (by the old fashioned way of thinking)
The supernatural is the driving force in the play for all characters.
What is due?
The full package of Macbeth items. We will have all next week to work on it.
What should I write my essay about?
General Areas that Have Worked in the Past
Macbeth is not responsible for his actions because he is not of sound mind.
Macbeth is not responsible for his actions because he is being manipulated by powerful forces.
Macbeth is fully responsible for his actions. He is of sound mind and makes his own choices.
Macbeth is a classical tragic hero.
Lady Macbeth is the true evil in the play. (not easy to prove)
Lady Macbeth is an example of female power gone wrong.
The play reveals the theme of female power and its dangers. (by the old fashioned way of thinking)
The supernatural is the driving force in the play for all characters.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Essay Skeleton - Rough Outline
Intro - thesis statement - general welcome - wider observation or statement about the topic area, reference to the work and the author, and often, a brief overview of the main Areas of Discussion
eg - thesis is that Macbeth exhibits all the common traits of a classical tragic hero.
Intro opening: (this is the most stereotypical and cliched opening)
“Webster’s dictionary defines...”
“Great tragic heroes have been on display in literature since...
“If it was about the witches/supernatural - you would come up with some general observation about witchcraft in that era, or the superstitions of that era
Order in the Intro:
General Observation/Welcome/Background Info
Refer to the work and the author
State your thesis and briefly how you will prove it. (brief AoD reference)
(some teachers demand the thesis statement goes at the end)
Body (in a five-paragraph essay, there are 3 AoD, your paper may have 2 or 4 or whatever)
What exactly are these Areas of Discussion?
They are ways to prove your thesis as true.
Subjects/topics/structures that (can) follow a certain pattern
Randall Lobb is a poor teacher because of many factors. (also not great)
The AoD are the factors that prove the above.
AoD 1 - Clearly has an attention problem - ADD
Now, we need to collect evidence that supports this AoD and feeds back to the thesis
Find references from primary or secondary sources.
Primary source - the literature about which you are talking
Secondary source - books or web sites about the literature about which you are talking - this step often gets forgotten - people find it a P.I.T.A.
eg - Macbeth is crazy! You write this essay and Lobb writes this comment - Ref? - you probably just made a statement about a mental problem that you pulled out of your hat - you need to back up ALL big statements with proof - secondary source!
insanity - look up different disorders and find symptoms - does Mac have any of those?
witchcraft and the supernatural - look up old documents about witchcraft and religion and the church and the response - read about the ways witches “worked”
role of women at that time period - don’t just tell me that women weren’t treated equally, find references from other works that give examples and PROVE it
what is a tragic hero? - don’t just go by Lobb’s notes, find a source - follow the steps that make a tragic hero, according to the secondary source, then APPLY that pattern to the play
Structure of a Body Paragraph
Statement that gets into the subject (topic sentence, intro, transition, etc)
Make our initial point or assertion - what is the “thing” that you have as your AoD?
Show your reference that backs up your assertion - why do you think that “thing”?
Elaborate on how that reference shows the assertion to be true. Why is that quotation there? What does it say? What does it mean? How is it relevant?
Synthesis - show how this stuff that you just said proves your original thesis.
(Bring it back - link back - prove your thesis - show how it fits into the essay as a whole)
This sequence above is the difference between 68% and 88%
AoD 2 -
AoD 3 -
Conclusion-
Intro - thesis statement - general welcome - wider observation or statement about the topic area, reference to the work and the author, and often, a brief overview of the main Areas of Discussion
eg - thesis is that Macbeth exhibits all the common traits of a classical tragic hero.
Intro opening: (this is the most stereotypical and cliched opening)
“Webster’s dictionary defines...”
“Great tragic heroes have been on display in literature since...
“If it was about the witches/supernatural - you would come up with some general observation about witchcraft in that era, or the superstitions of that era
Order in the Intro:
General Observation/Welcome/Background Info
Refer to the work and the author
State your thesis and briefly how you will prove it. (brief AoD reference)
(some teachers demand the thesis statement goes at the end)
Body (in a five-paragraph essay, there are 3 AoD, your paper may have 2 or 4 or whatever)
What exactly are these Areas of Discussion?
They are ways to prove your thesis as true.
Subjects/topics/structures that (can) follow a certain pattern
Randall Lobb is a poor teacher because of many factors. (also not great)
The AoD are the factors that prove the above.
AoD 1 - Clearly has an attention problem - ADD
Now, we need to collect evidence that supports this AoD and feeds back to the thesis
Find references from primary or secondary sources.
Primary source - the literature about which you are talking
Secondary source - books or web sites about the literature about which you are talking - this step often gets forgotten - people find it a P.I.T.A.
eg - Macbeth is crazy! You write this essay and Lobb writes this comment - Ref? - you probably just made a statement about a mental problem that you pulled out of your hat - you need to back up ALL big statements with proof - secondary source!
insanity - look up different disorders and find symptoms - does Mac have any of those?
witchcraft and the supernatural - look up old documents about witchcraft and religion and the church and the response - read about the ways witches “worked”
role of women at that time period - don’t just tell me that women weren’t treated equally, find references from other works that give examples and PROVE it
what is a tragic hero? - don’t just go by Lobb’s notes, find a source - follow the steps that make a tragic hero, according to the secondary source, then APPLY that pattern to the play
Structure of a Body Paragraph
Statement that gets into the subject (topic sentence, intro, transition, etc)
Make our initial point or assertion - what is the “thing” that you have as your AoD?
Show your reference that backs up your assertion - why do you think that “thing”?
Elaborate on how that reference shows the assertion to be true. Why is that quotation there? What does it say? What does it mean? How is it relevant?
Synthesis - show how this stuff that you just said proves your original thesis.
(Bring it back - link back - prove your thesis - show how it fits into the essay as a whole)
This sequence above is the difference between 68% and 88%
AoD 2 -
AoD 3 -
Conclusion-
Monday, April 16, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
What kind of essay will we be writing?
Argumentative essay
this is an essay where the writer is trying to make a point about a subject, where that point could be argued - ie there is also some opposing point
“We are writing about Globalization.”
“Students are just writing about globalization without saying anything about globalization that isn’t just a definition.”
“What should they have done to get good marks?”
Put some opinion in there
Coming into the paper with a point, a view a SIDE in an argument.
Coming in with a VALUE statement or a value STRUCTURE - A is good and all else is bad. Or B is bad and A is good. Or C is better than A or B, which are okay, but have weaknesses.
What about the subject? This is the thesis. This is the argument.
Subject - Globalization
The “what” might be that globalization is making the social classes more equitable.
The problem with Macbeth essays is often this ”Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth.”
The student will then find three examples of this and describe them and at the end of each body paragraph will state that “this is how we can see that Lady Macbeth is manipulating her husband.”
But what about that manipulation?
If we went on to say that Lady’s manipulation was the key element in pushing him to his downfall, then we have value statement and a sense of argument. This is not necessarily true or obvious. It must be PROVEN.
Even after LISTING the times and ways she manipulates him, we still have to SHOW how that pushes him into the direction, into his downfall, sets him on his path or concretizes that path
We need to INTERPRET the events and EXPLAIN the effects and suggest POSSIBILITIES in order to make this work.
This might take some research and some extra knowledge.
CONNECTIONS of new ideas might give interesting strength to the argument.
What is the purpose of essay writing?
Marks
Learn the structure of writing
Argue your point of view
Analyze the reading
To force a kind of deeper thinking about the literature.
To learn to write with purpose for audience
To learn to write according to a structure that is imposed
To find and follow connections and associations through research and study
To become a more thoughtful and analytical person
Some people don’t know what they know, why they know it, how they know it, or what good it is to know it at all.
Many people do not self-reflect about much in their lives.
Essay writing can force some reflection. This is important for self-actualization.
What is the purpose of doing it in this class?
Tradition - there is a history of essay writing
Essays have a huge component of grammar, style, structure, etc that fits English
Essays are often about literature, which is English
English is often about feelings, bigger picture, deeper issues, finding the hidden meanings.
How can we achieve the right “end” to this?
PROCESS IS CRUCIAL - you need to learn the right pattern, follow it, know it and internalize it - Make it your own - make it automatic
You should be able to write an essay from start to finish in a classroom, for an exam, with no wasted time, no confusion and no lost moments.
What is the right end, anyway?
Achievement in the inner goal (self-actualized) and the outer goal (write a skillful paper)
Example Essay Preparation - Lobb-style Essay Skeleton
Topic - World War II - Hitler’s Leadership - The Nazi Defeat
Thesis - During WWII, the Nazi defeat was more a function of Hitler’s poor leadership than it was a function of his military’s mistakes and ineffectuality.
I now need THREE Areas of Discussion that will act as body paragraphs to prove my statement above is true.
What do I have to prove true? - Hitler was a bad leader and in what ways, that they military was doing their jobs correctly, that the Allies weren’t simply steamrolling the Nazis. etc
Area of Discussion 1
start by recording some general notes:
The Military was very effective - establish this first, then show how Hitler screw it up, then I have a good case for blaming him.
effectiveness of combined arms assaults and blitzkrieg tactics
effectiveness of weaponry and equipment
well dug in defensive positions, etc.
Area of Discussion 2 - Hitler’s influence.
- Splits his his forces to fight a two-front war - Russia (Operation Barbosa) and the Western Front (which even included North Africa...)
I know how to SHOW how this decision leads to weakening the powerful elements of his army.
Area of Discussion 3 - Racist War - a war of murder
the way he conducted his war guaranteed that other countries would be horrified and sickened and would never stop fighting and would never give up or stop from wanting to PUNISH Germany
He strengthened his enemies by his decisions of genocide
it also weakens his soldiers - it makes them morally corrupt, which is complex and difficult
Argumentative essay
this is an essay where the writer is trying to make a point about a subject, where that point could be argued - ie there is also some opposing point
“We are writing about Globalization.”
“Students are just writing about globalization without saying anything about globalization that isn’t just a definition.”
“What should they have done to get good marks?”
Put some opinion in there
Coming into the paper with a point, a view a SIDE in an argument.
Coming in with a VALUE statement or a value STRUCTURE - A is good and all else is bad. Or B is bad and A is good. Or C is better than A or B, which are okay, but have weaknesses.
What about the subject? This is the thesis. This is the argument.
Subject - Globalization
The “what” might be that globalization is making the social classes more equitable.
The problem with Macbeth essays is often this ”Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth.”
The student will then find three examples of this and describe them and at the end of each body paragraph will state that “this is how we can see that Lady Macbeth is manipulating her husband.”
But what about that manipulation?
If we went on to say that Lady’s manipulation was the key element in pushing him to his downfall, then we have value statement and a sense of argument. This is not necessarily true or obvious. It must be PROVEN.
Even after LISTING the times and ways she manipulates him, we still have to SHOW how that pushes him into the direction, into his downfall, sets him on his path or concretizes that path
We need to INTERPRET the events and EXPLAIN the effects and suggest POSSIBILITIES in order to make this work.
This might take some research and some extra knowledge.
CONNECTIONS of new ideas might give interesting strength to the argument.
What is the purpose of essay writing?
Marks
Learn the structure of writing
Argue your point of view
Analyze the reading
To force a kind of deeper thinking about the literature.
To learn to write with purpose for audience
To learn to write according to a structure that is imposed
To find and follow connections and associations through research and study
To become a more thoughtful and analytical person
Some people don’t know what they know, why they know it, how they know it, or what good it is to know it at all.
Many people do not self-reflect about much in their lives.
Essay writing can force some reflection. This is important for self-actualization.
What is the purpose of doing it in this class?
Tradition - there is a history of essay writing
Essays have a huge component of grammar, style, structure, etc that fits English
Essays are often about literature, which is English
English is often about feelings, bigger picture, deeper issues, finding the hidden meanings.
How can we achieve the right “end” to this?
PROCESS IS CRUCIAL - you need to learn the right pattern, follow it, know it and internalize it - Make it your own - make it automatic
You should be able to write an essay from start to finish in a classroom, for an exam, with no wasted time, no confusion and no lost moments.
What is the right end, anyway?
Achievement in the inner goal (self-actualized) and the outer goal (write a skillful paper)
Example Essay Preparation - Lobb-style Essay Skeleton
Topic - World War II - Hitler’s Leadership - The Nazi Defeat
Thesis - During WWII, the Nazi defeat was more a function of Hitler’s poor leadership than it was a function of his military’s mistakes and ineffectuality.
I now need THREE Areas of Discussion that will act as body paragraphs to prove my statement above is true.
What do I have to prove true? - Hitler was a bad leader and in what ways, that they military was doing their jobs correctly, that the Allies weren’t simply steamrolling the Nazis. etc
Area of Discussion 1
start by recording some general notes:
The Military was very effective - establish this first, then show how Hitler screw it up, then I have a good case for blaming him.
effectiveness of combined arms assaults and blitzkrieg tactics
effectiveness of weaponry and equipment
well dug in defensive positions, etc.
Area of Discussion 2 - Hitler’s influence.
- Splits his his forces to fight a two-front war - Russia (Operation Barbosa) and the Western Front (which even included North Africa...)
I know how to SHOW how this decision leads to weakening the powerful elements of his army.
Area of Discussion 3 - Racist War - a war of murder
the way he conducted his war guaranteed that other countries would be horrified and sickened and would never stop fighting and would never give up or stop from wanting to PUNISH Germany
He strengthened his enemies by his decisions of genocide
it also weakens his soldiers - it makes them morally corrupt, which is complex and difficult
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Work for April 3-5
ENG3U - Week of April 3-5
This week, you will be wrestling with Macbeth all on your very own.
But you can do it because you are all awesome.
Here is what to work on this week:
Finishing Act 1:
Translate and analyse Macbeth’s soliloquy from Act 1, Sc.7. “If it were done...” (this put us up to 3 of our 4 so far)
Evaluate the conflict between Lady Mac and Mac in this scene. Explain what’s happening here, specifically be able to know HOW she is manipulating her husband and be able to DISCUSS what this shows about her character.
Starting Act 2:
Read Act 2 Sc.1
Hey, here’s another soliloquy by Macbeth! “Is this a dagger...” Analyse and evaluate the meaning, as per.
Be sure that you understand what is going on between Banquo and Macbeth in this scene. It sets some things up down the road.
Read Act 2, Sc.2
This scene has in it the murder of King Duncan. In a way, because it actually happens off stage.
Why do you think the murder of the king is not depicted?
Consider carefully how Lady and Mac behave in this scene. Discuss their strange behaviour, note examples to illustrate your ideas and consider the reasons for these odd behaviours.
Once again, we have friction between the couple. Why? What does it tell us?
Read Act 2, Sc.3
This scene has a key moment of comic relief, brought to us through the character of the Porter, a drunk with a hangover and some dirty jokes, but then takes us to the discovery of the dead king and the introduction of Macduff, another thane.
Why would Shakespeare put a scene of comic relief in after the previous act?
Consider Macbeth’s behaviour in this scene. What does he do? How do you think his behaviour will affect his plans moving forward?
Once again, Lady Macbeth takes over. Describe what she does and what it tells us about their relationship.
Consider also how Malcolm and Donalbain respond to the death of their father. Why do they react this way?
Read Act 2, Sc.4
This scene is there to show us how the world has been affected by the murder of the rightful king.
Make a list of the ways in which Nature has responded to Macbeth’s crime.
Consider Macduff’s reaction to the death of the king... What does he do and what do you think will come of this?
That should be enough to keep you going until my joyous return from the UN.
Salut!
Mr. The L
This week, you will be wrestling with Macbeth all on your very own.
But you can do it because you are all awesome.
Here is what to work on this week:
Finishing Act 1:
Translate and analyse Macbeth’s soliloquy from Act 1, Sc.7. “If it were done...” (this put us up to 3 of our 4 so far)
Evaluate the conflict between Lady Mac and Mac in this scene. Explain what’s happening here, specifically be able to know HOW she is manipulating her husband and be able to DISCUSS what this shows about her character.
Starting Act 2:
Read Act 2 Sc.1
Hey, here’s another soliloquy by Macbeth! “Is this a dagger...” Analyse and evaluate the meaning, as per.
Be sure that you understand what is going on between Banquo and Macbeth in this scene. It sets some things up down the road.
Read Act 2, Sc.2
This scene has in it the murder of King Duncan. In a way, because it actually happens off stage.
Why do you think the murder of the king is not depicted?
Consider carefully how Lady and Mac behave in this scene. Discuss their strange behaviour, note examples to illustrate your ideas and consider the reasons for these odd behaviours.
Once again, we have friction between the couple. Why? What does it tell us?
Read Act 2, Sc.3
This scene has a key moment of comic relief, brought to us through the character of the Porter, a drunk with a hangover and some dirty jokes, but then takes us to the discovery of the dead king and the introduction of Macduff, another thane.
Why would Shakespeare put a scene of comic relief in after the previous act?
Consider Macbeth’s behaviour in this scene. What does he do? How do you think his behaviour will affect his plans moving forward?
Once again, Lady Macbeth takes over. Describe what she does and what it tells us about their relationship.
Consider also how Malcolm and Donalbain respond to the death of their father. Why do they react this way?
Read Act 2, Sc.4
This scene is there to show us how the world has been affected by the murder of the rightful king.
Make a list of the ways in which Nature has responded to Macbeth’s crime.
Consider Macduff’s reaction to the death of the king... What does he do and what do you think will come of this?
That should be enough to keep you going until my joyous return from the UN.
Salut!
Mr. The L
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