Friday, September 24, 2010
World of Shakespeare:
Today in class:
We almost finished Othello. Due to a select few, we had a three question quiz at the end of class. Please see me if you were out and set up a time to make this up.
Have a nice weekend.
We almost finished Othello. Due to a select few, we had a three question quiz at the end of class. Please see me if you were out and set up a time to make this up.
Have a nice weekend.
Brit Lit:
Today Part 2:
We tried our own take on Gothic Lit. I played 20 sounds and you needed to use the sounds to influence your story.
You also needed to include 10 of the gothic vocab that we went over in classs.
Next time that you watch a Scooby Doo episode, ask yourself: Does this follow a traditional Gothic formula?
We tried our own take on Gothic Lit. I played 20 sounds and you needed to use the sounds to influence your story.
You also needed to include 10 of the gothic vocab that we went over in classs.
Next time that you watch a Scooby Doo episode, ask yourself: Does this follow a traditional Gothic formula?
Brit Lit:
Today in class:
Gothic elements include the following:
1. Setting in a castle. The action takes place in and around an old castle, sometimes seemingly abandoned, sometimes occupied. The castle often contains secret passages, trap doors, secret rooms, dark or hidden staircases, and possibly ruined sections. The castle may be near or connected to caves, which lend their own haunting flavor with their branchings, claustrophobia, and mystery. (Translated into modern filmmaking, the setting might be in an old house or mansion--or even a new house--where unusual camera angles, sustained close ups during movement, and darkness or shadows create the same sense of claustrophobia and entrapment.)
2. An atmosphere of mystery and suspense. The work is pervaded by a threatening feeling, a fear enhanced by the unknown. Often the plot itself is built around a mystery, such as unknown parentage, a disappearance, or some other inexplicable event. Elements 3, 4, and 5 below contribute to this atmosphere. (Again, in modern filmmaking, the inexplicable events are often murders.)
3. An ancient prophecy is connected with the castle or its inhabitants (either former or present). The prophecy is usually obscure, partial, or confusing. "What could it mean?" In more watered down modern examples, this may amount to merely a legend: "It's said that the ghost of old man Krebs still wanders these halls."
4. Omens, portents, visions. A character may have a disturbing dream vision, or some phenomenon may be seen as a portent of coming events. For example, if the statue of the lord of the manor falls over, it may portend his death. In modern fiction, a character might see something (a shadowy figure stabbing another shadowy figure) and think that it was a dream. This might be thought of as an "imitation vision."
5. Supernatural or otherwise inexplicable events. Dramatic, amazing events occur, such as ghosts or giants walking, or inanimate objects (such as a suit of armor or painting) coming to life. In some works, the events are ultimately given a natural explanation, while in others the events are truly supernatural.
6. High, even overwrought emotion. The narration may be highly sentimental, and the characters are often overcome by anger, sorrow, surprise, and especially, terror. Characters suffer from raw nerves and a feeling of impending doom. Crying and emotional speeches are frequent. Breathlessness and panic are common. In the filmed gothic, screaming is common.
7. Women in distress. As an appeal to the pathos and sympathy of the reader, the female characters often face events that leave them fainting, terrified, screaming, and/or sobbing. A lonely, pensive, and oppressed heroine is often the central figure of the novel, so her sufferings are even more pronounced and the focus of attention. The women suffer all the more because they are often abandoned, left alone (either on purpose or by accident), and have no protector at times.
8. Women threatened by a powerful, impulsive, tyrannical male. One or more male characters has the power, as king, lord of the manor, father, or guardian, to demand that one or more of the female characters do something intolerable. The woman may be commanded to marry someone she does not love (it may even be the powerful male himself), or commit a crime.
9. The metonymy of gloom and horror. Metonymy is a subtype of metaphor, in which something (like rain) is used to stand for something else (like sorrow). For example, the film industry likes to use metonymy as a quick shorthand, so we often notice that it is raining in funeral scenes. Note that the following metonymies for "doom and gloom" all suggest some element of mystery, danger, or the supernatural.
wind, especially howling
rain, especially blowing
doors grating on rusty hinges
sighs, moans, howls, eerie sounds
footsteps approaching
clanking chains
lights in abandoned rooms
gusts of wind blowing out lights
characters trapped in a room
doors suddenly slamming shut
ruins of buildings
baying of distant dogs (or wolves?)
thunder and lightning
crazed laughter
10. The vocabulary of the gothic. The constant use of the appropriate vocabulary set creates the atmosphere of the gothic. Here as an example are some of the words (in several categories) that help make up the vocabulary of the gothic in The Castle of Otranto:
Mystery
diabolical, enchantment, ghost, goblins, haunted, infernal, magic, magician, miracle, necromancer, omens, ominous, portent, preternatural, prodigy, prophecy, secret, sorcerer, spectre, spirits, strangeness, talisman, vision
Fear, Terror, or Sorrow
afflicted, affliction, agony, anguish, apprehensions, apprehensive, commiseration, concern, despair, dismal, dismay, dread, dreaded, dreading, fearing, frantic, fright, frightened, grief, hopeless, horrid, horror, lamentable, melancholy, miserable, mournfully, panic, sadly, scared, shrieks, sorrow, sympathy, tears, terrible, terrified, terror, unhappy, wretched
Surprise
alarm, amazement, astonished, astonishment, shocking, staring, surprise, surprised, thunderstruck, wonder
Haste
anxious, breathless, flight, frantic, hastened, hastily, impatience, impatient, impatiently, impetuosity, precipitately, running, sudden, suddenly
Anger
anger, angrily, choler, enraged, furious, fury, incense, incensed, provoked, rage, raving, resentment, temper, wrath, wrathful, wrathfully
Largeness
enormous, gigantic, giant, large, tremendous, vast
Elements of Romance
In addition to the standard gothic machinery above, many gothic novels contain elements of romance as well. Elements of romance include these:
1. Powerful love. Heart stirring, often sudden, emotions create a life or death commitment. Many times this love is the first the character has felt with this overwhelming power.
2. Uncertainty of reciprocation. What is the beloved thinking? Is the lover's love returned or not?
3. Unreturned love. Someone loves in vain (at least temporarily). Later, the love may be returned.
4. Tension between true love and father's control, disapproval, or choice. Most often, the father of the woman disapproves of the man she loves.
5. Lovers parted. Some obstacle arises and separates the lovers, geographically or in some other way. One of the lovers is banished, arrested, forced to flee, locked in a dungeon, or sometimes, disappears without explanation. Or, an explanation may be given (by the person opposing the lovers' being together) that later turns out to be false.
6. Illicit love or lust threatens the virtuous one. The young woman becomes a target of some evil man's desires and schemes.
7. Rival lovers or multiple suitors. One of the lovers (or even both) can have more than one person vying for affection.
Gothic elements include the following:
1. Setting in a castle. The action takes place in and around an old castle, sometimes seemingly abandoned, sometimes occupied. The castle often contains secret passages, trap doors, secret rooms, dark or hidden staircases, and possibly ruined sections. The castle may be near or connected to caves, which lend their own haunting flavor with their branchings, claustrophobia, and mystery. (Translated into modern filmmaking, the setting might be in an old house or mansion--or even a new house--where unusual camera angles, sustained close ups during movement, and darkness or shadows create the same sense of claustrophobia and entrapment.)
2. An atmosphere of mystery and suspense. The work is pervaded by a threatening feeling, a fear enhanced by the unknown. Often the plot itself is built around a mystery, such as unknown parentage, a disappearance, or some other inexplicable event. Elements 3, 4, and 5 below contribute to this atmosphere. (Again, in modern filmmaking, the inexplicable events are often murders.)
3. An ancient prophecy is connected with the castle or its inhabitants (either former or present). The prophecy is usually obscure, partial, or confusing. "What could it mean?" In more watered down modern examples, this may amount to merely a legend: "It's said that the ghost of old man Krebs still wanders these halls."
4. Omens, portents, visions. A character may have a disturbing dream vision, or some phenomenon may be seen as a portent of coming events. For example, if the statue of the lord of the manor falls over, it may portend his death. In modern fiction, a character might see something (a shadowy figure stabbing another shadowy figure) and think that it was a dream. This might be thought of as an "imitation vision."
5. Supernatural or otherwise inexplicable events. Dramatic, amazing events occur, such as ghosts or giants walking, or inanimate objects (such as a suit of armor or painting) coming to life. In some works, the events are ultimately given a natural explanation, while in others the events are truly supernatural.
6. High, even overwrought emotion. The narration may be highly sentimental, and the characters are often overcome by anger, sorrow, surprise, and especially, terror. Characters suffer from raw nerves and a feeling of impending doom. Crying and emotional speeches are frequent. Breathlessness and panic are common. In the filmed gothic, screaming is common.
7. Women in distress. As an appeal to the pathos and sympathy of the reader, the female characters often face events that leave them fainting, terrified, screaming, and/or sobbing. A lonely, pensive, and oppressed heroine is often the central figure of the novel, so her sufferings are even more pronounced and the focus of attention. The women suffer all the more because they are often abandoned, left alone (either on purpose or by accident), and have no protector at times.
8. Women threatened by a powerful, impulsive, tyrannical male. One or more male characters has the power, as king, lord of the manor, father, or guardian, to demand that one or more of the female characters do something intolerable. The woman may be commanded to marry someone she does not love (it may even be the powerful male himself), or commit a crime.
9. The metonymy of gloom and horror. Metonymy is a subtype of metaphor, in which something (like rain) is used to stand for something else (like sorrow). For example, the film industry likes to use metonymy as a quick shorthand, so we often notice that it is raining in funeral scenes. Note that the following metonymies for "doom and gloom" all suggest some element of mystery, danger, or the supernatural.
wind, especially howling
rain, especially blowing
doors grating on rusty hinges
sighs, moans, howls, eerie sounds
footsteps approaching
clanking chains
lights in abandoned rooms
gusts of wind blowing out lights
characters trapped in a room
doors suddenly slamming shut
ruins of buildings
baying of distant dogs (or wolves?)
thunder and lightning
crazed laughter
10. The vocabulary of the gothic. The constant use of the appropriate vocabulary set creates the atmosphere of the gothic. Here as an example are some of the words (in several categories) that help make up the vocabulary of the gothic in The Castle of Otranto:
Mystery
diabolical, enchantment, ghost, goblins, haunted, infernal, magic, magician, miracle, necromancer, omens, ominous, portent, preternatural, prodigy, prophecy, secret, sorcerer, spectre, spirits, strangeness, talisman, vision
Fear, Terror, or Sorrow
afflicted, affliction, agony, anguish, apprehensions, apprehensive, commiseration, concern, despair, dismal, dismay, dread, dreaded, dreading, fearing, frantic, fright, frightened, grief, hopeless, horrid, horror, lamentable, melancholy, miserable, mournfully, panic, sadly, scared, shrieks, sorrow, sympathy, tears, terrible, terrified, terror, unhappy, wretched
Surprise
alarm, amazement, astonished, astonishment, shocking, staring, surprise, surprised, thunderstruck, wonder
Haste
anxious, breathless, flight, frantic, hastened, hastily, impatience, impatient, impatiently, impetuosity, precipitately, running, sudden, suddenly
Anger
anger, angrily, choler, enraged, furious, fury, incense, incensed, provoked, rage, raving, resentment, temper, wrath, wrathful, wrathfully
Largeness
enormous, gigantic, giant, large, tremendous, vast
Elements of Romance
In addition to the standard gothic machinery above, many gothic novels contain elements of romance as well. Elements of romance include these:
1. Powerful love. Heart stirring, often sudden, emotions create a life or death commitment. Many times this love is the first the character has felt with this overwhelming power.
2. Uncertainty of reciprocation. What is the beloved thinking? Is the lover's love returned or not?
3. Unreturned love. Someone loves in vain (at least temporarily). Later, the love may be returned.
4. Tension between true love and father's control, disapproval, or choice. Most often, the father of the woman disapproves of the man she loves.
5. Lovers parted. Some obstacle arises and separates the lovers, geographically or in some other way. One of the lovers is banished, arrested, forced to flee, locked in a dungeon, or sometimes, disappears without explanation. Or, an explanation may be given (by the person opposing the lovers' being together) that later turns out to be false.
6. Illicit love or lust threatens the virtuous one. The young woman becomes a target of some evil man's desires and schemes.
7. Rival lovers or multiple suitors. One of the lovers (or even both) can have more than one person vying for affection.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Back To School Night
A warm welcome to any parent or guardian that is visiting this blog for the first time!
This is a wonderful resource for you to see what your student is doing in my class. I try to also showcase some of the more interesting assignments- so check back often. As always, please feel free to contact me should you have any questions or concerns.
This is a wonderful resource for you to see what your student is doing in my class. I try to also showcase some of the more interesting assignments- so check back often. As always, please feel free to contact me should you have any questions or concerns.
Today in class:
We looked at slang insults: modern, and Shakespearean.
We further discussed jealousy. We did small skits showing different forms.
We went over your cast list for Othello. Best choice: Denzel Washington as Othello.
Some of you shared with us how you shared you Shakespeare line. Best one: McDonald's Drive-thru.
We looked at slang insults: modern, and Shakespearean.
We further discussed jealousy. We did small skits showing different forms.
We went over your cast list for Othello. Best choice: Denzel Washington as Othello.
Some of you shared with us how you shared you Shakespeare line. Best one: McDonald's Drive-thru.
Soph Lit:
Today in class:
We finished our group review questions.
We played our first review game: Who Wants to Win A Pizza Party.
We talked about the end of the book.
HW: Review the book- test Friday.
We finished our group review questions.
We played our first review game: Who Wants to Win A Pizza Party.
We talked about the end of the book.
HW: Review the book- test Friday.
Brit Lit:
Today in class:
We had our first Brit Lit theatre. Picture to follow.
We read pgs. 124-131 in your Anthology.
We had a real quick 3 question comprehension check quiz.
We had our first Brit Lit theatre. Picture to follow.
We read pgs. 124-131 in your Anthology.
We had a real quick 3 question comprehension check quiz.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Soph Lit:
Today in class:
Journal #10: Why?
We answered the letters to Holden. I apologize for the save problems. I believe I have it resolved for our next assignment.
We started to write review questions in small groups for the review game.
HW: Please finish the book.
Journal #10: Why?
We answered the letters to Holden. I apologize for the save problems. I believe I have it resolved for our next assignment.
We started to write review questions in small groups for the review game.
HW: Please finish the book.
Brit Lit:
Today in class:
We discussed, chivalry and romance. I introduced Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
We finished Knight's Tale.
We discussed, chivalry and romance. I introduced Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
We finished Knight's Tale.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
World of Shakespeare:
Today in class:
We started with a quick warm-up. I asked you to pick 3-5 questions that you would ask the Bard. We then had Tim play the part of Will and attempt to answer them.
We finished Act 2, sc 1. We explored the different ways a kiss could be presented. We readied ourselves foe the exciting opening force on Act 2.
We defined reverse word and a reverse sentence construction and I asked you to find examples of both.
We started with a quick warm-up. I asked you to pick 3-5 questions that you would ask the Bard. We then had Tim play the part of Will and attempt to answer them.
We finished Act 2, sc 1. We explored the different ways a kiss could be presented. We readied ourselves foe the exciting opening force on Act 2.
We defined reverse word and a reverse sentence construction and I asked you to find examples of both.
Soph Lit:
Today in class:
We wrote journal #7
We watched Catching Salinger. We debated art, and the cost of fame.
HW: Should you meet the person that you idolize? Please write 1pg free-write on
If you could have dinner with any person fro a 2 hour open discussion- who would you pick, and what would you talk about?
Read 16, 17, 18 in Catcher. Finish book fro Friday
We wrote journal #7
We watched Catching Salinger. We debated art, and the cost of fame.
HW: Should you meet the person that you idolize? Please write 1pg free-write on
If you could have dinner with any person fro a 2 hour open discussion- who would you pick, and what would you talk about?
Read 16, 17, 18 in Catcher. Finish book fro Friday
Brit Lit:
Today in class:
We started with a quick role play by rows on a group pilgrimage. You helped to prove the point as to why a good story could pass the time.
We watched a clip from A Knight's Tale
HW: Please finish Canterbury Tales. Expect a quiz.
We started with a quick role play by rows on a group pilgrimage. You helped to prove the point as to why a good story could pass the time.
We watched a clip from A Knight's Tale
HW: Please finish Canterbury Tales. Expect a quiz.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)