Sending you wishes for the season!

Christmas is a time of year when people come to act as they should have all year.  May you have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

KPU Class of 2012

I just couldn't let this semester come to a close without telling you how much I have enjoyed having the pleasure of teaching you all. You are some of the brightest students I have ever known, but more importantly, you are some of the nicest people I have found in a long time. I love each and every one of you. 

You are what you read...

There is an old adage that states, "You are what you eat." I believe that people are WHAT they read because once you read a poem, a story, a play, or a novel, it becomes a part of your thoughts and if you are lucky enough to find something that touches you emotionally, it becomes a part of your soul. We have read so much this semester. Which pieces will be a part of you forever? Why? How did these pieces affect you? (This is our last blog for this semester; the deadline to post is midnight Monday, December 12, 2011.)

Which letter now?

Hester has worn her A for years and it changed from adulterer to able to apostle.  If you could give Hester another letter, what would it be and what would it symbolizes?  Why?  If you could give Dimmesdale or Chillingworth letters, what would it be and what would they symbolize?  Why?  (The blog closes at midnight, Saturday, December 10, 2011.)

This novel will never die...

Look at what I have discovered.  A new novel entitle When She Woke by Hillary Jordan.  It a dystopian retelling of The Scarlet Letter.  I have included the link that will allow you to read the first chapter.  I am definitely asking Santa for this.  Maybe you should, too.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/57202596/Excerpt-From-When-She-Woke-by-Hillary-Jordan

Her mother's only treasure

Comment on the character of Pearl in The Scarlet Letter.  What functions does she play in novel?  What does she add to the novel?  How so?  What are your thoughts on her?  (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight Tuesday, December 6, 2011.)

"A throng of bearded men..."

We began Hawthrone's novel The Scarlet Letter today and got our first glimpse of Hester Pyrnne.  What have you noticed in Hawthorne's novel about Hester, people, and punishment?  What part of the beginning made you pause and think for a moment?  Why?  (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight, Dec. 1, 2011.)  PS:  I hope you noticed this picture is accurate to the book.

Giving Thanks

As we approach the end of the semester and Thanksgiving Day, I would like to tell you how much I have enjoyed having each of you in my class. I hope that something we read inspired or interested you. Therefore, of all the things we have read, which work are you most "thankful" for having read? Why? (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight Friday, November 25, 2011.)

RESEARCH!

Share with us what you are researching and why you selected this topic. Also, tell us something you have learned about this topic while doing this research.  (The deadline to post a comment to this question is midnight Friday, November 18, 2011.)

We have been rescued!

It has been an adventure working our way through this novel.  I really hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.  Here we are at the end...enjoying some drinks (of course non-alcoholic) in our Lord of the Flies coconuts. (thanks to Mrs. Jelinski).

In the end...

William Golding said in his lecture at the end of the novel, "...that the only that matters is what you (the reader) get from a novel..."There are many themes in LORD OF THE FLIES. Among them are good versus evil, the importance of unity, the importance of law and order, survival of the fittest, the evil of mankind, the belief in hope, the loss of innocence, and the process of maturity. Which theme in the novel did you find most interesting? What did you learn through LORD OF THE FLIES about this theme? Explain which scene(s) in the book helped you to fully see this theme and how. (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight Thursday, November 10, 2011.)

Oh, Piggy!

Few people can read Lord of the Flies without getting attached to or without relating in some way to Piggy. He represents so much about life and human nature.  Other than intelligence, what, in the allegorical sense of the novel, do you think Piggy represents?  Give an example from the novel to support your claim.  (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight Monday, November 7, 2011.)

What else is there to do?

Chapters 8 and 9 give us a view of mankind that many try to forget or ignore?  What is Golding saying through these chapters about man?  In what ways does he convey this message?  (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight, Saturday, November 5, 2011)

Rules to the left, rules to the right, rules, rules, rules...

In chapter 5 at the night assembly, Ralph makes the comment "that the rules are all we have got." How important are rules? Why do rules have so much power over us both positively and negatively?  Which rules are most important in life? Why? (The deadline to post a comment on this question is midnight Saturday, October 29, 2011.)

The Scar Has Touched Down...

We have just begun reading Lord of the Flies and already we have learned many things about the characters of the novel. Authors use various methods of characterization: direct and indirect to develop their characters. Select either Ralph, Piggy, or Jack and discuss three methods Golding has used to create this character. What do you find most appealing about Golding characterization of this island survivor? Why? (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight Wednesday, October 26, 2011)

LovE, dEatH, and TiMe...

Renaissance poetry presents looks at three important topics: love, death and time.  Which of the poems/meditations did you enjoy most?  Why?  (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight, Friday, October 21, 2011)

All things considered...

Now, that we have read the entire play, select one of the following propositions.  Write a response that supports or refutes this proposition.  YES, you must take one side and one side only.  This isn't Switzerland. No credit will be given if you do not stay on one side of the issue.  (The deadline to post a response is midnight, Friday, October 21, 2011)

1) Lady Macbeth's problem is that while she understands herself, she does not understand Macbeth.
2) Lady Macbeth is totally evil; she is, in fact, the fiend-like Queen described by Malcolm at the end of the play.
3) The witches so manipulate Macbeth that he has no control over his fate.
4) Shakespeare didn't write the silly Hecate bits, so out they come.  If you were producing a performance of Macbeth, explain why you would or would not include the Hecate scenes.
5) The story of a bad man who commits a crime is not a tragedy but a straightforward tale of evil. Macbeth, however, is about a good man who becomes evil and that is his tragedy.
6) Far from being the strong character he is often portrayed as being, Macbeth is essentially a weak man; he allows the witches and Lady Macbeth to manipulate him into an act which, if left alone, he would never contemplate, never mind commit.

It shall rain down...

In Act II, Macbeth gives his famous dagger soliloquy that begins,

"Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling as to sight? or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?"
In what ways has the use of the dagger brought a "fatal vision" and an "heat-oppressed brain" to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?  What has happened to both of them because they killed?  What is Shakespeare saying through these changes?  (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight, Saturday, October 15, 2011.)

Would a witch by any other name be as wicked?

Notice that the Weird Sisters are referred to as "witches" only in the stage directions. No one sitting in the audience seeing the play will hear the word witch even once. Rather, in the text Banquo and Macbeth call them "Weird Sisters." They, in fact, even refer to themselves by such a title. The word "weird" is derived from the Old English "wyrd," meaning fate or destiny. Thus far in the play, how have the predictions of the Weird Sisters influenced or controlled Macbeth's fate/destiny? Do you believe that their influence is the greatest influence upon him? If so, why? If not, what or who influences Macbeth most? (The deadline to comment on this blog post is midnight, Wednesday, October 12, 2011.)

On the way back from Canterbury

And, the tales continued today with stories from the Skipper, the Franklin, the Friar, the Doctor, the Miller, the Knight, Chaucer, the Yeoman, the Merchant, the Oxford Cleric, the Second Nun, and the Parson. It was a feat of general entertainment and morality. 

On the Way to Canterbury

Today, the Senior pilgrims told their tales on our way to Canterbury.  A great time was had by all--the Yeoman, the Summoner, the Physician, the Oxford Cleric, the Skipper, the Knight, the Manciple, the Franklin, Chaucer, the Reeve, the Merchant, the Prioress, the Monk, the Squire, and the Nun's Priest-- what a great group of people.  AP Scholars of the First Rate!

Looking for a Hero

It seems all societies, no matter how ancient, have sought heroes. Define a hero. Which hero--the Anglo-Saxon Beowulf or the Medieval Sir Gawain--did you find most heroic by your definition?  Why?  (The deadline to post a response to this blog question is midnight Friday, September 30, 2011.)

Be a Pilgrim...

Imagine that you could be a pilgrim on the trip to Canterbury.  What would be the premise of your tales?  What would be your moral?  Why? (The deadline to post a response to this blog question is midnight Friday, September 23, 2011)

Medieval Motley Crew!

Although we have not finished reading about all the pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales, of the ones we have read and discussed, which seems most interesting?  What do you like and dislike about this character?  Make a prediction, based upon his/her characterization, as to what the tale of this character will be?  Justify.  (The deadline to post a response to this blog question is midnight, Sunday, September 18, 2011.)

I Understand

As you are reading your circle/group novels, I will be looking for what YOU UNDERSTAND or FIND in the novel (not something you have gathered from others in your group, internet sources, or other teachers). Share with me something YOU have found/learned/seen in the book that you want to talk about. Make sure you identify which novel you are reading.(The deadline to post to this blog is midnight Monday, September 12, 2011.)

The Long Journey to Immortality...

The epic BEOWULF covers 50 years in life of the hero Beowulf. During these years, Beowulf encounters 3 major battles. Which battle--Grendel, mother monster, or dragon--did you enjoy most and why? (The deadline to post a response to this post is midnight Friday, September 9, 2011)

The English Tradition Begins...

We have covered a great deal about the Anglo-Saxons and the historical period in which they ruled and changed England and developed our language. They were an interesting society. What are two things you found to be interesting about the Anglo-Saxons? Explain why. I will begin with a comment. You must not repeat my idea, but respond to it and add your own new element. The next person must respond to your post and add a new element. (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight, Tuesday, September 6, 2011).

Wit and Wisdom on a Raft

Throughout the novel HUCK FINN, Twain gives us insight to his wit and his wisdom. Which episode or line/passage from the novel did you find especially humorous and why? Which line/passage of Twain's did you find didactic? How so? (The deadline to post a response to this post is midnight Friday, August 26, 2011)

Oh, the humanity!

When Huck leaves the raft and ventures into the "sivilized" world, he encounters a variety of people and situations. Select one of the following episodes and comment on what Huck learns from these "sivilized" people and what is Twain's purpose in this episode? CHOICES: The Grangerfords or The Wilks or The Duke and Dauphin or Colonel Sherburn and Boggs

CATCH: YOU MAY NOT POST ON THE SAME EPISODE AS THAT THE PERSON WHO POSTED BEFORE YOU DID. SAY SOMETHING NEW. (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight Wednesday, August 24, 2011)

Warning! Words Inside!

When we discussed A Lesson Before Dying, we touched upon the power behing one word "hog" in the novel. As we are reading Huck Finn, we have talked about the word "nig--r" and the fact that it is the reason behind the novel often being banned. Read the article in the link below and then give your thought on its contents and whether you agree or disagree with the article. (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011).
http://stackedblog.com/news/huckleberry-finn-d-w-griffith-and-the-role-of-racism-in-art

Surely you jest,sir...

Today, as we read "A Modest Proposal," we traveled the entire gambit of shock to laughter. Which element of this satire real "hit you where it hurts?" How? What part did you find most shocking? most truthful? (The deadline to post a response to this blog question is midnight Friday, August 19, 2011.)

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Here is the edition of HUCK FINN that I would like for you to purchase. It is $5.99 at Barnes and Nobles. There are 10 copies in the Gulfport store; also, you can purchase it online. The ISBN is 978-1-59308-112-6. Please have this book by Tuesday, August 16th.

Just a reminder...

Don't forget that your adaptation folder (book/movie folder)is due on Friday, August 5,2011. Also, on that day we will have a "Did You Really Read A Lesson Before Dying Test." Be ready.

Earn extra points on summer assignment

If you would like to earn up to eight extra points on your summer novel assignment, you may write a biography about the writer of the work you read. Find 3 to 5 sources and write a 500-800 word biography of the writer's life. Include internal documentation of your sources and a Work Cited page. (Your research paper notes should help you document.) Type the paper in font 12 or 14, double spaced but no extra space between paragraphs, with title. Use 1 inch top and bottom margins and 1.25 right and left margins. Place in the back pocket of the folder.

Making It Look Nice

I have had a question about margins on the folder writing pieces. Please use 1 inch top and bottom margins. Use 1.25 left and right margins. Remember to use font size 12 or 14 and double space everything. Do not put extra space between paragraphs. Please make sure that your cover is very detailed. Include pictures, quotes, items that relate to the book. Also make sure in your collage that the title and author are clear and distinctive. Remember never follow the word by (a preposition) with a colon (:).
Make it look nice.

Formatting Your Assignments

I have had a question about how to format each paragraph for the folder assignment.
You do not have to head each page with name, class, etc. since that will be on the back of the folder. However, each paragraph should be written like warm-ups were. Place a short but content specific title above each paragraph. Each paragraph must have a specific topic/thesis sentence, supporting sentences, and a conclusion sentence. The five-paragraph essay should have a short but specific title as well. The opening paragraph must include the title, author and original copyright date (you may have to research this online) of the book form and the title and director and release date of the movie form. The conclusion paragraph is opinion based (which one-movie or book is better and why). Make sure that you remain in 3rd person throughout this essay. If you wrote it, I know that is what you feel or believe; therefore, referring to yourself-- "I think, I believe, In my opinion, etc.--is redundant.
Also, I have had a question about what is C D W format.
The C stands for claim. It is your thesis/topic sentence. For example, "In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts the carefree and lavish lifestyle of the 'Roaring Twenties' and the failure of the American dream."
The D stands for data. These are the pieces of proof that you use to PROVE your claim. For example, "Fitzgerald conveys the carefree lifestyle of the period through many lavish parties and car accidents in the novel." You will want to have specific quotes from the novel to support your data. Place the page number behind the quote. For example, "People went there [ Gatsby parties]; they were not invited"(45). You should always have at least 2 pieces of data and they must be specific.
The W stands for warrant or why and how this is important in the larger world--what does it convey or reveal. For example, "Fitzgerald's depiction of careless wanderers armed with alcohol, automobiles, money,and power shows the sad destruction of the beautiful American dream. The Great Gatsby serves as a warning to believe, to work hard, and to stay focused. Through its tragic hero Jay Gatsby, the novel also shows the ability to succeed inspite of difficulities. He carried the dream and died for the dream, still believing in its magic." The warrant can be opinion without using personal references. The warrant can be the last sentences; however, you may follow the warrant with a basic concluding sentence if you like.

Mini Lesson

One of the questions in your independent novel assignment asks you to select a passage and write about the diction used by the author. What is diction, you might ask? Diction refers to the writer's choice of words. He may create a formal, informal, casual, descriptive, persuasive, argumentative, objective tone (attitude) based upon his word choice. For example,read these two sentences:
1. Wanting revenge, the gunslinger loaded his rifle.
2. Thirsty for revenge, the gunslinger loaded his rifle.
In sentence one, the use of the word "wanting" is descriptive, but in sentence two the use of the word "thirsty" clues us to the character's extreme desire for revenge.

Remember this passage by F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby in which Nick describes Gatsby's home: "The one on my right was a colossal affair by any standard — it was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden. It was Gatsby’s mansion." A response about this passage's use of diction might be something like this:
The use of certain words (in green) help the reader see that Gatsby's mansion echoes his new found wealth. The word "colossal" is stronger than words like "big, huge, large." The use of colossal indicates that the house is almost larger than life, almost too huge. "Colossal" often has a negative connotation as the words "factual imitation" do here. The use of this oxymoron (how can something be factual and an imitation at the same time) helps convey Fitzgerald's creation of a "fake" Gatsby. "Spanking and raw" also help to convey the "newness of the house." Because Gatsby represents the nouveau riche, his home must be described as colossal or over the top in size because he wants to "show off his wealth." Likewise, the old money homes across the bay from his have been in wealthy families for years and are covered in thick ivy, not "raw" or fresh ivy. Fitzgerald's use of precise diction helps not only to describe the setting but echo the details about Gatsby himself.

Summer Blog #10: Hook us...

Briefly introduce your independent novel and explain a theme you have noted in book that might intrigue others in your class to read the novel. (The deadline to post a response to this blog is midnight, July 11, 2011.)

Summer Blog # 9: Let Freedom Ring...

I hope you are having or had a wonderful Fourth of July, the day we celebrate freedom, independence, and personal rights. In A Lesson Before Dying, all three of these elements that we take for granted daily aren't part of the characters daily lives. Select one scene that illustrates the need for independence, freedom, or personal rights and explain how this scene reflects the plot, characters and theme of the novel. What is Gaines' purpose here? Did he succeed? How so? (The deadline to post a response to this blog question is midnight, July 6, 2011.)

Summer Blog #8: "A black man has three choices..."

Every work of literature has both a protagonist and an antagonist. In your opinion, who is the protagonist and who or what is the antagonist in A Lesson Before Dying? Give specific examples to prove your stand. (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight, July 2, 2011.)

Summer Blog #7: "Quality..."

We have talked about the power and influence that Miss Emma has in driving the plot of this novel. Tante Lou and Vivian also present themselves as strong women. Cite a passage about either Tante Lou or Vivian that you found especially important in understanding the power of women. Explain what this passage reveals. (The deadline to post a response to this post is midnight, June 30, 2011.)

Summer Blog # 6: "You can write down anything you need to ask me..."

A great portion of the end on the book is Jefferson's notebook/diary. Grant gave him the notebook so that he could write down his thoughts and feelings; it becomes, however, a chronicle of Jefferson's metamorphosis. Select a passage from the notebook and cite it and then explain how this passage helped you to recognize a change within Jefferson. Also, include how the notebook section made you feel. (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight, June 28, 2011.)

Summer Blog #5: "He need both of you..."

A great deal of the novel focuses upon Grant's internal conflict with religion and his external conflict with Reverend Mose Ambrose. Select a passage/scene(cite it) that reflects this struggle and explain its significance in the scope of the novel and explain how Gaines uses this conflict to develop Grant. Also, indicate which side wins in this passage and how so. (The deadline to post a response to this blog question is midnight, June 23, 2011.)

Summer Blog #4: "He's gonna walk..."

Upon leaving Pichot's house after discussing Jefferson's impending execution, Grant says to Reverend Ambrose, "I'm going for a walk, a long walk in the opposite direction" [p.159]. Where does this walk take him, actually and symbolically? ( The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight, June 22, 2011.)

Summer Question #3: There is no place like home...

Using only chapters 1-16, what details does Gaines provide to establish the identity and significance of the quarter and its history, the plantation, Bayonne, and the surrounding county? Select a passage that helps convey the setting and explain its effectiveness. (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight, June 20,2011.)

Summer Blog # 2: "Just do the best you can. But it won't matter."

In Chapters 5-8, Ernest Gaines reveals the main conflict of A Lesson Before Dying lies within Grant Wiggins himself. Likewise, Gaines illustrates the racism that plagues Grant. Which two parts/scenes/events from Chapters 5-8 best convey the internal conflict within Grant and the racism he faces? Explain how so. (The deadline to post a repsonse to this blog is midnight June 19, 2011.)

Summer Blog #1 : Just one word...

Below is a poem entitled Incident; it was written by Countee Cullen, one of America's best African American poets. Read the poem and then respond to the question below.
Incident by Countee Cullen

Once riding in old Baltimore,
Heart-filled, head-filled with glee,
I saw a Baltimorean
Keep looking straight at me.

Now I was eight and very small,
And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked out
His tongue, and called me, "Nigger."

I saw the whole of Baltimore
From May until December;
Of all the things that happened there
That's all that I remember.

In A Lesson Before Dying, the first 4 chapters focus on the power of just one word as this poem does. Using only the first 4 chapters of the novel to support your claims, explain the power of the one word in the novel and how it is used as a catalyst for this novel. Who do you think is most affected by the word? Why? (The deadline to post a response to this question is midnight June 18,2011. Remember use only your initials when posting a response. )

A little reminder...

If you are in contact with other members of this class, please remind them to email me their book choices ASAP. They need to send their choices to klpalombo@yahoo.com . Also, I will begin posting questions about A Lesson Before Dying on June 13, 2011. Finally, I strongly recommend that you purchase both A Lesson Before Dying and your open selection. If you get the book from the public library, it may not be available in August when school starts and you will need the books then.

Summer Reading Selections

Here is a listing of the books that have been selected. Your name is listed next to the selection.

Cold Mountain--Mallory Pullman
The Secret Life of Bees--Melinda Pullman
Frankenstein---Heather Haines
A Time to Kill---Samantha Alacalen
The Road---Branden Edenfield
The Kite Runner--Abbey Arcement
The Joy Luck Club--Abi Jacobson
Sense and Sensibility--Tiffany Tucker
The Virgin Suicides---Shelby Wittorf
Beloved---Celeste Harris
The Reader--Jessie Herron
We Were Soldiers Once, and Young--Mikey Tingstrom
Tuesday with Morrie--Trey Vernaci
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas--Katy Arceneaux
Ordinary People--Laura Wilson
All the Pretty Horses---James Grafe
The Red Badge of Courage--Dillon Ladner
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe--Sarah Dastugue
The Natural--Tyler Normand
Snow Falling on Cedars--Alexa Grinnell
One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest--John Reppel
The Lovely Bones--Robert Gonzales
Dracula--Aaron Bermond
Anywhere But Here---Lauren Bishop
Go Tell It on the Mountain--Cassidy Sahuque
In the Time of the Butterflies--Joseph Jelinski
A Painted House--Jordan Fallin
Breakfast at Tiffany's--Samantha Turner
The Chocolate War--Logan Shiyou