Last Chance for Summer Extra Credit

This summer each of you read your own selection. Here is your chance to tell me something about the book you read and share your novel with others in the class. Select a passage from the novel of at least 20 lines. Type it on a sheet of paper. Print a clean copy of passage to give me on the first day of class. Then on a second copy of that passage, go through the passage underlining and highlighting key words or phrases that you believe helped to develop the tone of this passage. Write a 200-400 word explanation of how the author developed tone in this passage. Make sure you specifically identify the overall tone of the passage and explain how these words, figures of speech, phrases, etc., help develop that tone. Please double space. (Due on the first day of school) Blog spot extra credit right now: Select a short passage, perhaps 3-6 lines from your independent novel reading that you would like to share with us. Write the passage and tell how/why it appealed to you. Make sure you give the title and author. (This blog extra credit expires at midnight on August 4th.)

A LESSON VIA SYMBOLISM

In A Lesson Before Dying, Ernest Gaines subtly uses symbolism. Select one symbol you discovered in the novel. Explain what you think Gaines alludes to through this symbol and tell how his use of this symbol adds to the novel's overall theme/ message. (This post closes at midnight on July 27th.)

Supplies for this year

Below is a list of the supplies you will need this year:

binder
8 dividers (Anglo-Saxon Period, Medieval Period, English Renaissance, Novels, Plays, Poetry, Composition, Journals/Warm-ups)
lots of 3x5 index cards (no colors or sticky top cards; white with lines only)
blue and black ink pens
highlighters
lots of post its (stickies) for books
2 three-prong folders (pockets optional)
jump drive/flash drive

ADVICE ON FALLING

Last semester, we read the poem "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes. I have placed it below this post, in case you have forgotten it. My question to you is this: How does this poem relate to the novel A Lesson Before Dying? Who is the voice of the mother in the novel? Who is the son? Is there more than one mother or son? Explain. (This post closes at midnight on July 20th.)

Well, son, I'll tell you:

Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

It's had tacks in it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor

--Bare.

But all the timeI'se been a-climbin' on,

And reachin' landin's,

And turnin' corners,

And sometimes goin' in the dark

Where there ain't been no light.

So boy, don't you turn back.

Don't you set down on the steps

'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.

Don't you fall now --

For I'se still goin', honey,

I'se still climbin',

And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

LET FREEDOM RING

There are many themes in the novel HUCK FINN, but one of the most clearly seen is FREEDOM. Since this is July 4th weekend, I thought you might want to write about freedom and how that theme is shown in HUCK FINN. Select two passages from the novel and discuss how Twain develops the theme of freedom in these passages. Have a Happy 4th of July. (This post closes on July 9th at midnight).