Monday, August 10, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Final Exam Review
Your final exam will have four sections. You will not be permitted to use notes during the exam. I will provide ample paper, but be sure to bring several working pens or pencils. Your exam begins at 8:00AM on Tuesday, May 26th in DCL 1310. You will have 90 minutes to complete the exam.
A. Identification passages (35 points – 5 IDs, 7 points each)
Prepare to identify the author, title, and speaker of the following passages, and to make two significant observations about each. An observation can comment on the importance of the passage in relation to the book as a whole, suggest how it connects to central themes and issues of the book, explain what it illustrates about a character or the a relationship between characters, or connect it to discussions we’ve had in class.
From The Importance of Being Earnest:
• P. 132 “I am glad to hear it … far too many idle men in London as it is.”
• P. 134-135 “The line is immaterial… a recognized position in good society.”
• P. 141 “Child, you know how anxious your guardian is … lays stress on your German when he is leaving for town.”
• P. 156 “You see, it is simply a very young girl’s record… quite ready for more.”
• P. 162 “Outside the family circle, papa, I am glad to say … It makes men so very attractive.”
• P. 187 “Unmarried! I do not deny… Mother, I forgive you.”
From Heart of Darkness:
• P. 193 “Good heavens! I was going to take charge of a two-penny-half-penny river steamboat… I ventured to hint that the Company was run for profit.”
• P. 196 “I avoided a vast artificial hole … the philanthropic desire of giving the criminals something to do.”
• P. 201 “He originated nothing… a door opening into a darkness he had in his keeping.”
• P. 201 (very bottom) - 202 “They wandered here and there… waiting patiently for the passing away of this fantastic invasion.”
• P. 205 “I would not have gone so far as to fight for Kurtz … that Kurtz who at the time I did not see – you understand.”
• P. 212 “The earth seemed unearthly … a meaning in it which you – so remote from the night of first ages – could comprehend.”
• P. 231 “He forgot that I hadn’t heard any of these splendid monologues on … Those rebellious heads looked very subdued to me on their sticks.”
• P. 237 “He was alone, and before him I did not know whether I stood on the ground … of phrases spoken in nightmares.”
• P. 246 “She knew. She was sure. I heard her weeping … But I couldn’t. I could not tell her. It would have been too dark – too dark altogether. . . .”
From Things Fall Apart:
• P. 13 “That was how Okonkwo first came to know that agbala was not only another name for a woman … One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness.”
• P. 52-53 “Okonkwo was inwardly pleased … ten and one wives and not enough soup for his foo-foo.”
• P. 61-62 “Nwoye had heard that twins were put in earthenware pots and thrown away in the forest … It descended on him again, this feeling, when his father walked in, that night after killing Ikemefuna.”
• P. 67 “The Earth cannot punish me for obeying her messenger … A child’s fingers are not scalded by a piece of hot yam which its mother puts into its palm.”
• P. 108 “As she stood gazing at the circular darkness … She would die with her.”
• P. 112 “Okonkwo was also feeling tired, and sleepy, for although nobody else knew it, he had not slept at all last night … by then he had become gravely worried.”
• P 124-125 “As soon as the day broke … They were merely cleansing the land which Okonkwo had polluted with the blood of a clansman.”
• P. 134 “Why is Okonkwo with us today? This is not his clan … And yet we say Nneka – ‘Mother is supreme.’ Why is that?”
• P. 185 “There was a saying in Umuofia that as a man danced so the drums were beaten for him … The over-zealous converts who had smarted under Mr. Brown’s restraining hand now flourished in full favor.”
• P. 208-209 “The story of this man who had killed a messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading … He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.”
B. Vocabulary (20 points) Be prepared to demonstrate your understanding of the following words, both by defining in context (10 pts) and by matching words with definitions (10 pts).
From The Importance of Being Earnest: provincial (128), metaphysical (129), gorgon
(135), utilitarian (141), skepticism (174), insuperable (175), mercenary (179), ostentatious (180), heretical (183), capacious (185)
From Heart of Darkness: ascetic (185), august (186), lurid (187), erroneous (192),
lugubrious (194), inscrutable (200), entrails (201), rapacity (202), prevaricator (203), pate (213), incontinent (215), recondite (216), prodigious, wraith (223), jocose (230), hovel (231), tenebrous (233), aspiration (237), inexorable (238), infernal (239), abject (243)
From Things Fall Apart: plaintive (6), incipient (13), brusqueness (26), valediction (32),
arduous (34), harbinger (56), elusive (59), esoteric (88), sinister (104), incipient (106), tremulous (121), callow (147), zeal (179), desecrate (186).
C. Essay (25 points) I will include two of the following three essay questions on your exam, and you will choose one to answer. Your essay should have an overall argument, and at least three major points contributing to that argument supported by specific examples and evidence from the texts you discuss (you may use rough approximations of quotations and/or examples which are specific though not direct quotation). You need not include a fully developed intro and conclusion, but be sure to state your overall argument at the beginning and possibly again at the end of your essay.
1. Compare The Importance of Being Earnest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. What do these two comedies have in common, and in what ways are they different? What generalizations about comedy can you make based on a comparison of these two plays, if any? If you feel the plays present two such different sets of issues and characteristics that no generalizations can be drawn, what might this tell us about the genre of comedy and its potential range?
2. Compare Frankenstein and Heart of Darkness in terms of their perspective on human nature and human culture. Which is more at fault in the tragedy/chaos depicted in each novel, human nature or the values and institutions of human culture? Can you draw any connections between the two books, particularly in relation to the primary obsessions of their central character (in the case of Frankenstein) or characters (in the case of Heart of Darkness)?
3. Compare Things Fall Apart and Oedipus Rex. To what extent are the cultures represented in each text alike and different? Consider especially the role of the hero, people’s relationships to the gods, the importance of community, the place of ritual, and the different roles of men and women in each culture. Does this comparison shed any new perspectives on either of these texts, or any of the other texts, stories, or poems we’ve read this year?
D. Dialogue (20 points) Be prepared to write a brief dialogue between specific characters from two different texts we’ve read this year. Two of the following pairs of characters will appear on the exam, and you’ll be asked to write a dialogue between one of the pairs: 1. Oedipus and Okonkwo, 2. Col. Pickering and Marlow, 2. Emma Woodhouse and Eliza Doolittle, or 3. any one of the four lovers from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and any one of the Four Lovers from The Importance of Being Earnest. Through this dialogue, demonstrate something significant you’ve learned about both of the texts, and shed light on potentially interesting connections (and/or meaningful distinctions) between them. Include in particular how each character might represent his or her culture to the other character, and indicate whether the characters sympathize with and like each other, or not. Make each of the characters consistent with what we see of them in their text of origin. Avoid cliché. Be creative. Length guideline: no more than a single page. I’m looking for quality of insight, not quantity of words.
A. Identification passages (35 points – 5 IDs, 7 points each)
Prepare to identify the author, title, and speaker of the following passages, and to make two significant observations about each. An observation can comment on the importance of the passage in relation to the book as a whole, suggest how it connects to central themes and issues of the book, explain what it illustrates about a character or the a relationship between characters, or connect it to discussions we’ve had in class.
From The Importance of Being Earnest:
• P. 132 “I am glad to hear it … far too many idle men in London as it is.”
• P. 134-135 “The line is immaterial… a recognized position in good society.”
• P. 141 “Child, you know how anxious your guardian is … lays stress on your German when he is leaving for town.”
• P. 156 “You see, it is simply a very young girl’s record… quite ready for more.”
• P. 162 “Outside the family circle, papa, I am glad to say … It makes men so very attractive.”
• P. 187 “Unmarried! I do not deny… Mother, I forgive you.”
From Heart of Darkness:
• P. 193 “Good heavens! I was going to take charge of a two-penny-half-penny river steamboat… I ventured to hint that the Company was run for profit.”
• P. 196 “I avoided a vast artificial hole … the philanthropic desire of giving the criminals something to do.”
• P. 201 “He originated nothing… a door opening into a darkness he had in his keeping.”
• P. 201 (very bottom) - 202 “They wandered here and there… waiting patiently for the passing away of this fantastic invasion.”
• P. 205 “I would not have gone so far as to fight for Kurtz … that Kurtz who at the time I did not see – you understand.”
• P. 212 “The earth seemed unearthly … a meaning in it which you – so remote from the night of first ages – could comprehend.”
• P. 231 “He forgot that I hadn’t heard any of these splendid monologues on … Those rebellious heads looked very subdued to me on their sticks.”
• P. 237 “He was alone, and before him I did not know whether I stood on the ground … of phrases spoken in nightmares.”
• P. 246 “She knew. She was sure. I heard her weeping … But I couldn’t. I could not tell her. It would have been too dark – too dark altogether. . . .”
From Things Fall Apart:
• P. 13 “That was how Okonkwo first came to know that agbala was not only another name for a woman … One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness.”
• P. 52-53 “Okonkwo was inwardly pleased … ten and one wives and not enough soup for his foo-foo.”
• P. 61-62 “Nwoye had heard that twins were put in earthenware pots and thrown away in the forest … It descended on him again, this feeling, when his father walked in, that night after killing Ikemefuna.”
• P. 67 “The Earth cannot punish me for obeying her messenger … A child’s fingers are not scalded by a piece of hot yam which its mother puts into its palm.”
• P. 108 “As she stood gazing at the circular darkness … She would die with her.”
• P. 112 “Okonkwo was also feeling tired, and sleepy, for although nobody else knew it, he had not slept at all last night … by then he had become gravely worried.”
• P 124-125 “As soon as the day broke … They were merely cleansing the land which Okonkwo had polluted with the blood of a clansman.”
• P. 134 “Why is Okonkwo with us today? This is not his clan … And yet we say Nneka – ‘Mother is supreme.’ Why is that?”
• P. 185 “There was a saying in Umuofia that as a man danced so the drums were beaten for him … The over-zealous converts who had smarted under Mr. Brown’s restraining hand now flourished in full favor.”
• P. 208-209 “The story of this man who had killed a messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading … He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.”
B. Vocabulary (20 points) Be prepared to demonstrate your understanding of the following words, both by defining in context (10 pts) and by matching words with definitions (10 pts).
From The Importance of Being Earnest: provincial (128), metaphysical (129), gorgon
(135), utilitarian (141), skepticism (174), insuperable (175), mercenary (179), ostentatious (180), heretical (183), capacious (185)
From Heart of Darkness: ascetic (185), august (186), lurid (187), erroneous (192),
lugubrious (194), inscrutable (200), entrails (201), rapacity (202), prevaricator (203), pate (213), incontinent (215), recondite (216), prodigious, wraith (223), jocose (230), hovel (231), tenebrous (233), aspiration (237), inexorable (238), infernal (239), abject (243)
From Things Fall Apart: plaintive (6), incipient (13), brusqueness (26), valediction (32),
arduous (34), harbinger (56), elusive (59), esoteric (88), sinister (104), incipient (106), tremulous (121), callow (147), zeal (179), desecrate (186).
C. Essay (25 points) I will include two of the following three essay questions on your exam, and you will choose one to answer. Your essay should have an overall argument, and at least three major points contributing to that argument supported by specific examples and evidence from the texts you discuss (you may use rough approximations of quotations and/or examples which are specific though not direct quotation). You need not include a fully developed intro and conclusion, but be sure to state your overall argument at the beginning and possibly again at the end of your essay.
1. Compare The Importance of Being Earnest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. What do these two comedies have in common, and in what ways are they different? What generalizations about comedy can you make based on a comparison of these two plays, if any? If you feel the plays present two such different sets of issues and characteristics that no generalizations can be drawn, what might this tell us about the genre of comedy and its potential range?
2. Compare Frankenstein and Heart of Darkness in terms of their perspective on human nature and human culture. Which is more at fault in the tragedy/chaos depicted in each novel, human nature or the values and institutions of human culture? Can you draw any connections between the two books, particularly in relation to the primary obsessions of their central character (in the case of Frankenstein) or characters (in the case of Heart of Darkness)?
3. Compare Things Fall Apart and Oedipus Rex. To what extent are the cultures represented in each text alike and different? Consider especially the role of the hero, people’s relationships to the gods, the importance of community, the place of ritual, and the different roles of men and women in each culture. Does this comparison shed any new perspectives on either of these texts, or any of the other texts, stories, or poems we’ve read this year?
D. Dialogue (20 points) Be prepared to write a brief dialogue between specific characters from two different texts we’ve read this year. Two of the following pairs of characters will appear on the exam, and you’ll be asked to write a dialogue between one of the pairs: 1. Oedipus and Okonkwo, 2. Col. Pickering and Marlow, 2. Emma Woodhouse and Eliza Doolittle, or 3. any one of the four lovers from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and any one of the Four Lovers from The Importance of Being Earnest. Through this dialogue, demonstrate something significant you’ve learned about both of the texts, and shed light on potentially interesting connections (and/or meaningful distinctions) between them. Include in particular how each character might represent his or her culture to the other character, and indicate whether the characters sympathize with and like each other, or not. Make each of the characters consistent with what we see of them in their text of origin. Avoid cliché. Be creative. Length guideline: no more than a single page. I’m looking for quality of insight, not quantity of words.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Final Course Syllabus!
Mon 4/27 Heart of Darkness pp. 238-end. Vocab: inexorable (238), infernal (239), abject, fidelity (243); Why do you think Marlow sees himself as having entered into an “unforeseen partnership” with Kurtz? In what sense has he “remained loyal to Kurtz to the last”? What does Marlow seem to think Kurtz means by his exclamation “The horror! The horror!”? What do you think Kurtz is referring to? What lie(s) does Marlow tell Kurtz’s “intended,” and why?
Tue 4/28 Introduce and view Apocalypse Now (1979; dir. Coppola) in class. Bring your notebook, and take good notes during the film.Working Thesis and Annotated Bibliography due (5 sources)
Wed 4/29 Apocalypse Now
Thur 4/30 Apocalypse Now / all Freshmen and Sophomores to KCPA 9:20-11:30
Fri 5/1 Book talks and independent reading.
Mon 5/4 Finish and discuss Apocalypse Now
Bring Heart of Darkness to class
Tue 5/5 Position paper rough draft due in class / peer editing
Wed 5/6 Read Chinua Achebe, “An Image of Africa: Conrad’s Heart of Darkness” (Story and Its Writer 779-84). Vocab: ponderous (779), felicity (780), vignette (781), epitomize (783). Prepare for short, in-class writing discussing Achebe’s essay, considering his arguments in light of your reading of Heart of Darkness. Does Achebe have some valid points? Is he misreading Conrad? Some of both? Explain your perspective, and be prepared to support your argument with examples and/or quotes from Conrad’s novel.
Thur 5/7 Introduction to Things Fall Apart and student teacher assignment / Time to read and prep lessons
Fri 5/8 Book talks and independent reading.
Mon 5/11 Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, chaps. 1-4. Vocabulary: harmattan (3), plaintive (6), incipient (13), oracle (16), brusqueness (26), valediction (32), arduous (34). Pay attention to the proverbs Achebe uses in his story. How are they used? Do they seem important? Pay attention to the narrator. What kind of narrator is he, and what seems to be his attitude toward the Ibo (does he seem like an insider or an outsider?) Toward Okonkwo and other characters?
Tue 5/12 Things Fall Apart, chaps. 5-7. Vocab: harbinger (56), elusive (59). What is the difference between men’s and women’s stories in this community? How are men’s and women’s roles different in Umuofia? Are these roles any different in other villages? Position paper final draft due
Wed 5/13 Things Fall Apart, chaps. 8-10. Vocab: specious (80), esoteric (88), raffia (89). What kind of names does Ekwefi give her children, and why? Why does everyone in the village assume that Ezinma is an ogbanje child, and why is this significant?
Thur 5/14 Read Things Fall Apart, chaps. 11-13. Vocab: sinister (104), incipient (106), tremulous (121). Why do you think the priestess Chielo takes Ezinma to the cave? After Ezeudu’s son is shot, the narrator tells us “violent deaths were frequent, but nothing like this had ever happened” (124). What do you think he means by this? How is this incident exceptional? What effect does it have on Okonkwo’s life?
Fri 5/15 Book talks and independent reading.
Mon 5/18 Things Fall Apart, chaps. 14-19. Vocab: evangelist (143), callow (147), miscreant (152), abomination (153), emanation (157). Think about the questions Uchendu asks Okonkwo after he and his family arrive in Mbanta. Why is Okonkwo unable to answer these questions, and what do you think this says about him? What answers does Uchendu offer? Does his explanation complicate the very patriarchal culture and the hierarchal gender roles we’ve seen so far in Things Fall Apart, or not? What effects do the Missionaries have on this village? Who among the Ibo is attracted to Christianity, and who is not, and why?
Tue 5/19 Things Fall Apart, chaps. 20-25. Vocab: dispensation (178), zeal (178),
desecrate (186). Why do you think Okonkwo constantly regrets that Ezinma is a girl? How has Umuofia changed since Okonkwo and his family have been gone? How are Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith different, and how do these differences affect the Ibo? After you finish the book, consider it in relation to Heart of Darkness – do you see any parallels? In what sense might this book be a response to a book like Heart of Darkness?
Wed 5/20 Wrap up discussion of Things Fall Apart.
Thu 5/21 Review for final exam
Fri 5/22 Book talks / last day of class celebration.
Tue 4/28 Introduce and view Apocalypse Now (1979; dir. Coppola) in class. Bring your notebook, and take good notes during the film.Working Thesis and Annotated Bibliography due (5 sources)
Wed 4/29 Apocalypse Now
Thur 4/30 Apocalypse Now / all Freshmen and Sophomores to KCPA 9:20-11:30
Fri 5/1 Book talks and independent reading.
Mon 5/4 Finish and discuss Apocalypse Now
Bring Heart of Darkness to class
Tue 5/5 Position paper rough draft due in class / peer editing
Wed 5/6 Read Chinua Achebe, “An Image of Africa: Conrad’s Heart of Darkness” (Story and Its Writer 779-84). Vocab: ponderous (779), felicity (780), vignette (781), epitomize (783). Prepare for short, in-class writing discussing Achebe’s essay, considering his arguments in light of your reading of Heart of Darkness. Does Achebe have some valid points? Is he misreading Conrad? Some of both? Explain your perspective, and be prepared to support your argument with examples and/or quotes from Conrad’s novel.
Thur 5/7 Introduction to Things Fall Apart and student teacher assignment / Time to read and prep lessons
Fri 5/8 Book talks and independent reading.
Mon 5/11 Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, chaps. 1-4. Vocabulary: harmattan (3), plaintive (6), incipient (13), oracle (16), brusqueness (26), valediction (32), arduous (34). Pay attention to the proverbs Achebe uses in his story. How are they used? Do they seem important? Pay attention to the narrator. What kind of narrator is he, and what seems to be his attitude toward the Ibo (does he seem like an insider or an outsider?) Toward Okonkwo and other characters?
Tue 5/12 Things Fall Apart, chaps. 5-7. Vocab: harbinger (56), elusive (59). What is the difference between men’s and women’s stories in this community? How are men’s and women’s roles different in Umuofia? Are these roles any different in other villages? Position paper final draft due
Wed 5/13 Things Fall Apart, chaps. 8-10. Vocab: specious (80), esoteric (88), raffia (89). What kind of names does Ekwefi give her children, and why? Why does everyone in the village assume that Ezinma is an ogbanje child, and why is this significant?
Thur 5/14 Read Things Fall Apart, chaps. 11-13. Vocab: sinister (104), incipient (106), tremulous (121). Why do you think the priestess Chielo takes Ezinma to the cave? After Ezeudu’s son is shot, the narrator tells us “violent deaths were frequent, but nothing like this had ever happened” (124). What do you think he means by this? How is this incident exceptional? What effect does it have on Okonkwo’s life?
Fri 5/15 Book talks and independent reading.
Mon 5/18 Things Fall Apart, chaps. 14-19. Vocab: evangelist (143), callow (147), miscreant (152), abomination (153), emanation (157). Think about the questions Uchendu asks Okonkwo after he and his family arrive in Mbanta. Why is Okonkwo unable to answer these questions, and what do you think this says about him? What answers does Uchendu offer? Does his explanation complicate the very patriarchal culture and the hierarchal gender roles we’ve seen so far in Things Fall Apart, or not? What effects do the Missionaries have on this village? Who among the Ibo is attracted to Christianity, and who is not, and why?
Tue 5/19 Things Fall Apart, chaps. 20-25. Vocab: dispensation (178), zeal (178),
desecrate (186). Why do you think Okonkwo constantly regrets that Ezinma is a girl? How has Umuofia changed since Okonkwo and his family have been gone? How are Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith different, and how do these differences affect the Ibo? After you finish the book, consider it in relation to Heart of Darkness – do you see any parallels? In what sense might this book be a response to a book like Heart of Darkness?
Wed 5/20 Wrap up discussion of Things Fall Apart.
Thu 5/21 Review for final exam
Fri 5/22 Book talks / last day of class celebration.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Class Projects Page for Position Essay
The wonderful folks in the Uni Library have put together a class projects page for you to use as you begin doing your research for the Position Essay. You can view the page here.
Frances and Natalie will be available the two days we are in the computer lab next week to help you navigate these resources. You will need to have five sources on your annotated bibliography; 2 of those sources may be the articles provided on the assignment sheet but you will need to find 3 additional sources.
Frances and Natalie will be available the two days we are in the computer lab next week to help you navigate these resources. You will need to have five sources on your annotated bibliography; 2 of those sources may be the articles provided on the assignment sheet but you will need to find 3 additional sources.
Position Essay
If you’ve been watching or listening to the news lately, you’re aware of how serious the “economic downturn,” “financial crisis,” or “recession” has become. Every hour of every day we hear about the rising joblessness rate, the increasing levels of foreclosure, and the trouble on Wall Street and in the banks. Everyone is worried, indications haven’t been getting any better since the crisis set in last fall, and very few people seem to think things will be improving significantly in the near future. But although no one seems to have a definite solution to the complex and deeply rooted problems plaguing our economy, many commentators have theories about how we got into this situation, which groups and institutions are most responsible, and what the government should do to help restore the health of the economy. In this essay, you will research the current economic crisis and take an informed position on one of the central issues relating to it.
You do not need to be an economic expert to complete this assignment, but it will help you develop your position to have a general understanding of the key players and issues involved in our current economic situation. To aid you in understanding these issues, we will be listening in class to a March 2008 episode of This American Life entitled “The Giant Pool of Money.” This episode on the “housing crisis” that has been widely blamed for starting this downturn, strives to answer the questions, “What does the housing crisis have to do with the turmoil on Wall Street?” and “Why did banks make half-million dollar loans to people without jobs or income?”
You will have two primary objectives for this assignment: To take a nuanced and clearly articulated position on a debatable issue, and to use research to build a case supporting your position. The position you take can support a particular theory or proposition, oppose that theory or proposition, or present a more nuanced combination of support and opposition. For example, a combination thesis on the topic of the bailout of AIG might look something like this: Given X and Y facts about AIG’s role in the economy, the Obama administration was smart to offer massive financial support to the insurance giant. But given Z fact about AIG’s history [or about corporate executive culture, or…], the government should have attached A or B provisions to the bailout money.
To get you thinking about possible directions to take in your position paper, here are some propositions you could take a pro, con, or mixed position on:
1) The US government should let the Detroit automakers fail. They should not provide any more money to them in the form of government assistance, but rather should let the automakers go into bankruptcy and restructuring. [You would want to add an additional clause or sentence summarizing the main reason why this course of action – or inaction – makes sense in economic terms.]
Here are a couple articles arguing this position:
Detroit Must Fail
$73 An Hour: Adding it Up
Here is an article by a member of the UAW arguing against this position and for “The Right Way to Bailout the Auto Industry.”
2) The AIG employees who received large bonuses after the company accepted government bailout money should return that money. Alternately, the congress should pass the pending legislation that taxes those bonuses at 90%. [Again, you’d briefly suggest why this is a good course of action.]
Here is an article that summarizes congressional and popular outcry about the AIG bonuses.
3) When congress and the Bush administration passed the TARP legislation to bail out failing banks, they did not require any CEOs to resign and included provisions for executive bonuses to be paid. Conversely, when Congress and the Obama administration announced their plans to bail out the auto industry, they required Rick Wagoner (CEO of GM) to resign and called for restructuring that will require union workers to accept lower wages. This inconsistency in the two bailouts suggests a double standard in the way the two industries are handled. The Obama administration should require the banks to restructure and make sacrifices the way the auto industry has been asked to do.
Here is an article comparing the two bailouts.
4) The current economic downturn is an indication of larger and more fundamental problem with the way American capitalism is structured. The answer to the problem is something other than what our government is currently doing. [And then you’d need to offer a specific suggestion for a different way to structure the economy, to prioritize financial and social goals, and/or to define economic health.]
Here is an article from The Nation arguing for a different kind of bank bailout.
Here is an article arguing that the bank bailout is really a smokescreen to consolidate finances in America.
5) Take a position on another aspect of the recent economic news. If you choose this option, you will need to share your idea with me for approval by Wednesday, April 22.
Your thesis for this paper will need to take a clear, nuanced, and debatable position on one of these issues. The questions offered for you to write about are given as guidelines and idea generators and should not be reproduced in your opening paragraph; rather, you should articulate an original wording of your position that reflects the argument you will be making in your essay.
Assignment timeline:
Computer lab research time: Tuesday, April 21 and Wednesday, April 22
Topic sign up: Wednesday, April 22
Working thesis and annotated bibliography (5 sources): Tuesday, April 28
Rough Draft for peer editing: Tuesday, May 5
Final Draft due: Monday, May 11
You do not need to be an economic expert to complete this assignment, but it will help you develop your position to have a general understanding of the key players and issues involved in our current economic situation. To aid you in understanding these issues, we will be listening in class to a March 2008 episode of This American Life entitled “The Giant Pool of Money.” This episode on the “housing crisis” that has been widely blamed for starting this downturn, strives to answer the questions, “What does the housing crisis have to do with the turmoil on Wall Street?” and “Why did banks make half-million dollar loans to people without jobs or income?”
You will have two primary objectives for this assignment: To take a nuanced and clearly articulated position on a debatable issue, and to use research to build a case supporting your position. The position you take can support a particular theory or proposition, oppose that theory or proposition, or present a more nuanced combination of support and opposition. For example, a combination thesis on the topic of the bailout of AIG might look something like this: Given X and Y facts about AIG’s role in the economy, the Obama administration was smart to offer massive financial support to the insurance giant. But given Z fact about AIG’s history [or about corporate executive culture, or…], the government should have attached A or B provisions to the bailout money.
To get you thinking about possible directions to take in your position paper, here are some propositions you could take a pro, con, or mixed position on:
1) The US government should let the Detroit automakers fail. They should not provide any more money to them in the form of government assistance, but rather should let the automakers go into bankruptcy and restructuring. [You would want to add an additional clause or sentence summarizing the main reason why this course of action – or inaction – makes sense in economic terms.]
Here are a couple articles arguing this position:
Detroit Must Fail
$73 An Hour: Adding it Up
Here is an article by a member of the UAW arguing against this position and for “The Right Way to Bailout the Auto Industry.”
2) The AIG employees who received large bonuses after the company accepted government bailout money should return that money. Alternately, the congress should pass the pending legislation that taxes those bonuses at 90%. [Again, you’d briefly suggest why this is a good course of action.]
Here is an article that summarizes congressional and popular outcry about the AIG bonuses.
3) When congress and the Bush administration passed the TARP legislation to bail out failing banks, they did not require any CEOs to resign and included provisions for executive bonuses to be paid. Conversely, when Congress and the Obama administration announced their plans to bail out the auto industry, they required Rick Wagoner (CEO of GM) to resign and called for restructuring that will require union workers to accept lower wages. This inconsistency in the two bailouts suggests a double standard in the way the two industries are handled. The Obama administration should require the banks to restructure and make sacrifices the way the auto industry has been asked to do.
Here is an article comparing the two bailouts.
4) The current economic downturn is an indication of larger and more fundamental problem with the way American capitalism is structured. The answer to the problem is something other than what our government is currently doing. [And then you’d need to offer a specific suggestion for a different way to structure the economy, to prioritize financial and social goals, and/or to define economic health.]
Here is an article from The Nation arguing for a different kind of bank bailout.
Here is an article arguing that the bank bailout is really a smokescreen to consolidate finances in America.
5) Take a position on another aspect of the recent economic news. If you choose this option, you will need to share your idea with me for approval by Wednesday, April 22.
Your thesis for this paper will need to take a clear, nuanced, and debatable position on one of these issues. The questions offered for you to write about are given as guidelines and idea generators and should not be reproduced in your opening paragraph; rather, you should articulate an original wording of your position that reflects the argument you will be making in your essay.
Assignment timeline:
Computer lab research time: Tuesday, April 21 and Wednesday, April 22
Topic sign up: Wednesday, April 22
Working thesis and annotated bibliography (5 sources): Tuesday, April 28
Rough Draft for peer editing: Tuesday, May 5
Final Draft due: Monday, May 11
Monday, April 13, 2009
Heart of Darkness Syllabus Pt. 1
Tue 4/14 Introduction to Heart of Darkness
Things to watch for and think about as you read Heart of Darkness:
• How does Marlow portray Africans, African culture, and Africa?
• How does he portray Europeans, European culture, and colonialism?
• What euphemisms does he use for colonialist enterprises?
• What do we learn about Kurtz as the book progresses? About Marlow? Does Marlow seem like a reliable narrator?
• What different meanings does the idea of the “heart of darkness” take on in the course of the novel?
• How are images of darkness, whiteness, and light used?
Time in class to read for Thursday
Wed 4/15 Listen to Podcast in class / assign position essay
Thur 4/16 Heart of Darkness, pp. 185-98 (“. . . one of Marlow’s inconclusive experiences”). Vocab: ascetic (185), diaphanous, august (186), lurid (187), lugubrious, drollery, catacomb (194).. How does the anonymous frame narrator describe Marlow in relation to other seamen? What images does he use to describe Marlow’s conception of meaning? What do these suggest about the story we’re about to read? Consider Marlow’s descriptions of Africa and African people in this opening section of his narrative: what seems to be his attitude? Is it simple? Complicated? Conflicted? What reasons does Marlow give for mentioning the company’s chief accountant? Why does he call him a “miracle”? (“I shook hands with this miracle, and I learned that he was the company’s chief accountant” [197]).
Fri 4/17 Book talks and independent reading.
Mon 4/20 Heart of Darkness pp. 198-208. Vocab: inscrutable (200), entrails (201), rapacity (202), prevaricator, supercilious (203). Why is Marlow forced to stay on at the mouth of the river, instead of going “up country”? What is his opinion of the Europeans running the operation in the place he’s stranded? How does he view the Eldorado Exploring Expedition?
Tue 4/21 Heart of Darkness pp. 208-22 (“He was silent for a long time.”) Vocab: pate (213), incontinent (215), pensive, precarious, recondite (216), shoal (218). Why is “the worst of it” Marlow’s “suspicion of [the Africans] not being inhuman” (212)? Why does Marlow think his listeners won’t be able to understand his story? Topic sign-up in class / Meet in Siebel 0218
Wed 4/22 Heart of Darkness pp. 222-27. Vocab: prodigious, wraith (223), peroration (224, if you can’t find “peroration,” check “perorate”). What does Marlow mean when he says “All England contributed to the making of Kurtz” (223)? (Consider his specific meaning and more general possible meanings). Why is it ironic that Kurtz has been assigned to write a report for the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs? What does Marlow find “ominous” about the report? Meet in Siebel 0218
Thur 4/23 Heart of Darkness pp. 227-38 (to page break). Vocab: fatalism (228), jocose (230), hovel (231), tenebrous (233), aspiration (237). Marlow tells us that “the manager said afterwards that Mr. Kurtz’s methods had ruined the district” (230). What are some of Kurtz’s highly unorthodox “methods”? What are some of the reasons Marlow considers to explain why Kurtz’s “unlawful soul” has gone “beyond the bounds of permitted aspirations” (237)?
Fri 4/24 No School—spring holiday
Things to watch for and think about as you read Heart of Darkness:
• How does Marlow portray Africans, African culture, and Africa?
• How does he portray Europeans, European culture, and colonialism?
• What euphemisms does he use for colonialist enterprises?
• What do we learn about Kurtz as the book progresses? About Marlow? Does Marlow seem like a reliable narrator?
• What different meanings does the idea of the “heart of darkness” take on in the course of the novel?
• How are images of darkness, whiteness, and light used?
Time in class to read for Thursday
Wed 4/15 Listen to Podcast in class / assign position essay
Thur 4/16 Heart of Darkness, pp. 185-98 (“. . . one of Marlow’s inconclusive experiences”). Vocab: ascetic (185), diaphanous, august (186), lurid (187), lugubrious, drollery, catacomb (194).. How does the anonymous frame narrator describe Marlow in relation to other seamen? What images does he use to describe Marlow’s conception of meaning? What do these suggest about the story we’re about to read? Consider Marlow’s descriptions of Africa and African people in this opening section of his narrative: what seems to be his attitude? Is it simple? Complicated? Conflicted? What reasons does Marlow give for mentioning the company’s chief accountant? Why does he call him a “miracle”? (“I shook hands with this miracle, and I learned that he was the company’s chief accountant” [197]).
Fri 4/17 Book talks and independent reading.
Mon 4/20 Heart of Darkness pp. 198-208. Vocab: inscrutable (200), entrails (201), rapacity (202), prevaricator, supercilious (203). Why is Marlow forced to stay on at the mouth of the river, instead of going “up country”? What is his opinion of the Europeans running the operation in the place he’s stranded? How does he view the Eldorado Exploring Expedition?
Tue 4/21 Heart of Darkness pp. 208-22 (“He was silent for a long time.”) Vocab: pate (213), incontinent (215), pensive, precarious, recondite (216), shoal (218). Why is “the worst of it” Marlow’s “suspicion of [the Africans] not being inhuman” (212)? Why does Marlow think his listeners won’t be able to understand his story? Topic sign-up in class / Meet in Siebel 0218
Wed 4/22 Heart of Darkness pp. 222-27. Vocab: prodigious, wraith (223), peroration (224, if you can’t find “peroration,” check “perorate”). What does Marlow mean when he says “All England contributed to the making of Kurtz” (223)? (Consider his specific meaning and more general possible meanings). Why is it ironic that Kurtz has been assigned to write a report for the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs? What does Marlow find “ominous” about the report? Meet in Siebel 0218
Thur 4/23 Heart of Darkness pp. 227-38 (to page break). Vocab: fatalism (228), jocose (230), hovel (231), tenebrous (233), aspiration (237). Marlow tells us that “the manager said afterwards that Mr. Kurtz’s methods had ruined the district” (230). What are some of Kurtz’s highly unorthodox “methods”? What are some of the reasons Marlow considers to explain why Kurtz’s “unlawful soul” has gone “beyond the bounds of permitted aspirations” (237)?
Fri 4/24 No School—spring holiday
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Modernism, Colonialism and Postcolonialism Part I / revised
Mon 4/6 “Araby,” by James Joyce (Story and Its Writer 404-8). Vocab: career (404), garrulous (406). Describe the narrator’s feelings for Mangan’s sister. How old does he seem to be, and how old might she be? Why does he fail to buy anything at the bazaar, and what significance does this have for him?
Tue 4/7 T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (Packet 53), “The Hollow Men” (Packet 55). Vocab: formulated, malinger, obtuse. How would you describe the speaker of “Prufrock”? In what sense could this be considered a “love song”? How would you describe the voice(s) of “The Hollow Men”?
Wed 4/8 Introduction to colonialism and postcolonialism. William Blake,“The Little Black Boy,” Countee Cullen, “Black Majesty,” Langston Hughes, “The English,” “Africa,” and “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” (Packet 57-58). How does Hughes depict British colonialists in “The English” and “Envoy to Africa”?
Thu 4/9 Read Louise Erdrick “Dear John Wayne” and Sherman Alexie “Scalp Dance by Spokane Indian” (X 89-90). What does John Wayne represent to the speaker of Erdrich’s poem? What is her attitude toward him and what he represents? Does this make sense to you? Who is the speaker of Alexie’s poem? She claims to be telling “the truth. All of it.” What “truth” does the painter Paul Kane seem to be trying to convey in the painting described in the epigraph? How does the speaker’s “truth” contradict or correct it?
Fri 4/10 Book talks and independent reading
Mon 4/13 “The Smallest Woman in the World,” by Clarice Lispector (Story and Its Writer 505-9). Vocab: pygmy, tepid, miasma (506), insuperable (508), sallow (509). Consider the range of reactions to “Little Flower.” What do they imply about these people? Why does the explorer feel “sick” in response to her? (There’s a specific reason, but what do you think is behind it?)
Tue 4/14 Rudyard Kipling, “If” and “The White Man’s Burden,” Henry Labouchere, “The Brown Man’s Burden” (X 61-63). Summarize the arguments of “The White Man’s Burden” and “The Brown Man’s Burden.” Independent reading.
Wed 4/15 Introduction to Heart of Darkness
Things to watch for and think about as you read Heart of Darkness:
• How does Marlow portray Africans, African culture, and Africa?
• How does he portray Europeans, European culture, and colonialism?
• What euphemisms does he use for colonialist enterprises?
• What do we learn about Kurtz as the book progresses? About Marlow? Does Marlow seem like a reliable narrator?
• What different meanings does the idea of the “heart of darkness” take on in the course of the novel?
• How are images of darkness, whiteness, and light used?
Thur 4/16 Heart of Darkness, pp. 185-89 (“. . . one of Marlow’s inconclusive experiences”). Vocab: ascetic (185), diaphanous, august (186), lurid (187). How does the anonymous frame narrator describe Marlow in relation to other seamen? What images does he use to describe Marlow’s conception of meaning? What do these suggest about the story we’re about to read? Position Essay Assigned
Fri 4/17 Book talks and Independent Reading
Tue 4/7 T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (Packet 53), “The Hollow Men” (Packet 55). Vocab: formulated, malinger, obtuse. How would you describe the speaker of “Prufrock”? In what sense could this be considered a “love song”? How would you describe the voice(s) of “The Hollow Men”?
Wed 4/8 Introduction to colonialism and postcolonialism. William Blake,“The Little Black Boy,” Countee Cullen, “Black Majesty,” Langston Hughes, “The English,” “Africa,” and “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” (Packet 57-58). How does Hughes depict British colonialists in “The English” and “Envoy to Africa”?
Thu 4/9 Read Louise Erdrick “Dear John Wayne” and Sherman Alexie “Scalp Dance by Spokane Indian” (X 89-90). What does John Wayne represent to the speaker of Erdrich’s poem? What is her attitude toward him and what he represents? Does this make sense to you? Who is the speaker of Alexie’s poem? She claims to be telling “the truth. All of it.” What “truth” does the painter Paul Kane seem to be trying to convey in the painting described in the epigraph? How does the speaker’s “truth” contradict or correct it?
Fri 4/10 Book talks and independent reading
Mon 4/13 “The Smallest Woman in the World,” by Clarice Lispector (Story and Its Writer 505-9). Vocab: pygmy, tepid, miasma (506), insuperable (508), sallow (509). Consider the range of reactions to “Little Flower.” What do they imply about these people? Why does the explorer feel “sick” in response to her? (There’s a specific reason, but what do you think is behind it?)
Tue 4/14 Rudyard Kipling, “If” and “The White Man’s Burden,” Henry Labouchere, “The Brown Man’s Burden” (X 61-63). Summarize the arguments of “The White Man’s Burden” and “The Brown Man’s Burden.” Independent reading.
Wed 4/15 Introduction to Heart of Darkness
Things to watch for and think about as you read Heart of Darkness:
• How does Marlow portray Africans, African culture, and Africa?
• How does he portray Europeans, European culture, and colonialism?
• What euphemisms does he use for colonialist enterprises?
• What do we learn about Kurtz as the book progresses? About Marlow? Does Marlow seem like a reliable narrator?
• What different meanings does the idea of the “heart of darkness” take on in the course of the novel?
• How are images of darkness, whiteness, and light used?
Thur 4/16 Heart of Darkness, pp. 185-89 (“. . . one of Marlow’s inconclusive experiences”). Vocab: ascetic (185), diaphanous, august (186), lurid (187). How does the anonymous frame narrator describe Marlow in relation to other seamen? What images does he use to describe Marlow’s conception of meaning? What do these suggest about the story we’re about to read? Position Essay Assigned
Fri 4/17 Book talks and Independent Reading
Friday, March 6, 2009
Importance of Being Earnest Syllabus
Mon 3/9 “The Garden Party,” by Katherine Mansfield (Story and Its Writer 510-21). Vocab: sordid (516), fray (517). In what ways does this story connect with Emma? In what ways is it different? Introduction to Modernism and brief look at manifestos. Compare / Contrast revisions due.
Tue 3/10 Preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray (Course Packet 82). Find at least one statement in this preface that you agree with, and one that you disagree with (or several that you partly agree and partly disagree with). If this preface is a manifesto of Decadence, what might be some qualities or ideas that define Decadence?
Wed 3/11 The Importance of Being Earnest, Act I. Vocab: expurgation (p. 127), provincial (p. 128), metaphysical (p. 129), gorgon (p. 135). Identify an epigram spoken by one of the characters in Act I, and think about why it’s humorous and/or ironic in the context of this play.
Thu 3/12 Reread Earnest, Act I – do you understand it differently after our discussion yesterday? If so, how? Prepare and present short scenes from Act I (in class).
Fri 3/13 Ms. Bluhm’s last day. English tea. View Act I of Earnest. Last day of 3rd quarter.
Mon 3/16 Earnest, Act II. Vocab: utilitarian (p. 141), vacillating (p. 142), manna (p. 150); What perceived qualities in ‘Ernest’ seem to fascinate Cicely? Why is she interested in him? Why does Algernon’s posing as ‘Ernest’ disrupt Jack’s plan for ‘Ernest’?
Tue 3/17 Earnest, Act III. Vocab: skepticism (p. 174), insuperable (p. 175), mercenary (p. 179), ostentatious (p. 180), heretical (p. 183), capacious (p. 185); Having read the whole play, would you say it’s merely witty and frivolous, or do you see one or more possible “morals”? Assign scenes from Earnest
Wed 3/18 View Acts II & III in film version of The Importance of Being Earnest
Thurs 3/19 Time in class to work on scenes from The Importance of Being Earnest.
Fri 3/20 Book talks and independent reading.
Spring Break—March 23-27
Mon 3/27-Wed 3/29 Prepare and present final scenes from The Importance of Being Earnest
Tue 3/10 Preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray (Course Packet 82). Find at least one statement in this preface that you agree with, and one that you disagree with (or several that you partly agree and partly disagree with). If this preface is a manifesto of Decadence, what might be some qualities or ideas that define Decadence?
Wed 3/11 The Importance of Being Earnest, Act I. Vocab: expurgation (p. 127), provincial (p. 128), metaphysical (p. 129), gorgon (p. 135). Identify an epigram spoken by one of the characters in Act I, and think about why it’s humorous and/or ironic in the context of this play.
Thu 3/12 Reread Earnest, Act I – do you understand it differently after our discussion yesterday? If so, how? Prepare and present short scenes from Act I (in class).
Fri 3/13 Ms. Bluhm’s last day. English tea. View Act I of Earnest. Last day of 3rd quarter.
Mon 3/16 Earnest, Act II. Vocab: utilitarian (p. 141), vacillating (p. 142), manna (p. 150); What perceived qualities in ‘Ernest’ seem to fascinate Cicely? Why is she interested in him? Why does Algernon’s posing as ‘Ernest’ disrupt Jack’s plan for ‘Ernest’?
Tue 3/17 Earnest, Act III. Vocab: skepticism (p. 174), insuperable (p. 175), mercenary (p. 179), ostentatious (p. 180), heretical (p. 183), capacious (p. 185); Having read the whole play, would you say it’s merely witty and frivolous, or do you see one or more possible “morals”? Assign scenes from Earnest
Wed 3/18 View Acts II & III in film version of The Importance of Being Earnest
Thurs 3/19 Time in class to work on scenes from The Importance of Being Earnest.
Fri 3/20 Book talks and independent reading.
Spring Break—March 23-27
Mon 3/27-Wed 3/29 Prepare and present final scenes from The Importance of Being Earnest
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Corrected Pygmalion Pages
Here are the Pygmalion quotations with the page numbers for Penguin Classics edition.
From Pygmalion:
• P. 29 (Act Two): “Oh, don’t say that, sir: there’s more ways than one of turning a girl’s head; and nobody can do it better than Mr. Higgins, though he may not always mean it. I do hope, sir, you won’t encourage him to do anything foolish.”
• P. 32: “Oh, pay her whatever is necessary … She’ll only drink if you give her money.”
• P. 45: “I’m one of the undeserving poor: that’s what I am … and I drink a lot more.”
• P. 48: “I tell you, it’s easy to clean up here … Wish they could see what it is for the like of me.”
• P. 54 (Act Three): “What are you doing here today? It is my at-home day: you promised not to come.”
• P. 60: “Why should she die of influenza? … he kept ladling gin down her throat ‘til she came to so sudden that she bit the bowl off the spoon.”
• P. 67: “The advantages of that poor woman who was here just now? … Is that what you mean?”
• P. 79 (Act Four): “I’m sorry. I’m only a common ignorant girl … what belongs to me and what doesn’t?”
• P. 95 (Act Five): “I am not blaming him. It is his way … you always treat me as a lady, and always will.”
• P. 99: “The great secret is not having bad manners or good manners … and one soul is as good as another.”
From Pygmalion:
• P. 29 (Act Two): “Oh, don’t say that, sir: there’s more ways than one of turning a girl’s head; and nobody can do it better than Mr. Higgins, though he may not always mean it. I do hope, sir, you won’t encourage him to do anything foolish.”
• P. 32: “Oh, pay her whatever is necessary … She’ll only drink if you give her money.”
• P. 45: “I’m one of the undeserving poor: that’s what I am … and I drink a lot more.”
• P. 48: “I tell you, it’s easy to clean up here … Wish they could see what it is for the like of me.”
• P. 54 (Act Three): “What are you doing here today? It is my at-home day: you promised not to come.”
• P. 60: “Why should she die of influenza? … he kept ladling gin down her throat ‘til she came to so sudden that she bit the bowl off the spoon.”
• P. 67: “The advantages of that poor woman who was here just now? … Is that what you mean?”
• P. 79 (Act Four): “I’m sorry. I’m only a common ignorant girl … what belongs to me and what doesn’t?”
• P. 95 (Act Five): “I am not blaming him. It is his way … you always treat me as a lady, and always will.”
• P. 99: “The great secret is not having bad manners or good manners … and one soul is as good as another.”
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Pygmalion Emma Exam Review
Exam identification passages:
From Pygmalion:
• P. 41 (Act Two): “Oh, don’t say that, sir: there’s more ways than one of turning a girl’s head; and nobody can do it better than Mr. Higgins, though he may not always mean it. I do hope, sir, you won’t encourage him to do anything foolish.”
• P. 43: “Oh, pay her whatever is necessary … She’ll only drink if you give her money.”
• P. 58: “I’m one of the undeserving poor: that’s what I am … and I drink a lot more.”
• P. 61: “I tell you, it’s easy to clean up here … Wish they could see what it is for the like of me.”
• P. 67 (Act Three): “What are you doing here today? It is my at-home day: you promised not to come.”
• P. 76: “Why should she die of influenza? … he kept ladling gin down her throat ‘til she came to so sudden that she bit the bowl off the spoon.”
• P. 84: “The advantages of that poor woman who was here just now? … Is that what you mean?”
• P. 104 (Act Four): “I’m sorry. I’m only a common ignorant girl … what belongs to me and what doesn’t?”
• P. 122 (Act Five): “I am not blaming him. It is his way … you always treat me as a lady, and always will.”
• P. 126: “The great secret is not having bad manners or good manners … and one soul is as good as another.”
From Emma:
• p. 1 (Vol. I, ch. I): “The real evils, indeed of Emma's ... as misfortunes with her.”
• p. 13-14 (Vol. I, ch. III): “She would notice her; she would improve ... her leisure, and powers.”
• p. 17 (Vol. I, ch. IV): “That may be – and I may have seen him … a young farmer … as in every other way he is below it.”
• p. 84-85 (Vol. I, ch. XV): "To restrain him as much as might be … Mr. Elton actually making violent love ... It really was so."
• p. 89 (Vol. I, ch. XVI): "The first error and the worst lay at her door... to do such things no more. "
• p. 100 (Vol. II, ch. I or ch. 19): "Thank you. You are so kind! … I was reading [Jane's letter] to Mrs. Cole, and, since she went away, I was reading it again ... the whole paper and crosses half."
• P. 144 (Vol. II, ch. VIII, or ch. 26): "He started ‘Thank you for rousing me,… whether she colours."
• p. 171 (Vol. II, ch. XIII or ch.31): "Emma continued to entertain no doubt... forming a thousand amusing schemes ... she refused him."
• p. 196 (Vol. II, ch. XVII or ch. 35): "I did not mean, I was not thinking ... I do not know where it lies … something that would do."
• p. 218 (Vol. III, ch. IV or ch. 39): "Such an adventure as this, --a fine young man ... as her mind had already made."
• p. 244 (Vol. III, ch. VII or ch. 43): "Happy couple! … rued it all the rest of his life! "
• p. 246 (Vol. III, ch. VII or ch. 43): "She was vexed beyond what could have been expressed ... of common kindness."
• p. 295 (Vol III, ch XV or ch. 51): " … Mr. Woodhouse taken from Hartfield! … her home, it should be his likewise. "
• p. 315 (Vol. III, ch.XVIII or ch. 54): "If not in our dispositions … so much superior to our own. "
• p. 317-318 (Vol. III, ch. XIX or ch. 55): "Harriet, necessarily drawn away … in the most gradual, natural manner. "
Vocabulary:
From Pygmalion:
gumption (11), brogue (26), bilious (27), prodigal (31), petulance (34), pathos (36), dogmatic (49), blackguard (53), remonstrate (54), incensed (64), brusque (70), straitened (70), pedantic (73), imprecation (75), extricate (75), voluble (87), cant (103), asunder (108), repudiate (116), incorrigible (123), reproach (123)
From Emma:
inducement (22), approbation (28), countenance (29), indisposed (71), incongruity (89), presumption (89), ingenuousness (92), mortification (93), insidious (102), diffidence (110), foppery (132), auspices (179), licentiousness (185), penury (185), impelled (219), reproof (230), arrear (231), abhor (247), dilatory (253), solicitude (264), tautology (268), captious (275), intimation (278), parley (285), wan (291), archly (315)
Terms:
• Didactic Literature
• Comedy of manners (or novel of manners)
• Free Indirect Discourse
• Bildungsroman
• Subtext
• Pastiche
Essay options for Pygmalion – Emma exam:
Two of the following essays will appear on your exam. You will choose to answer one. Be sure to prepare an answer that addresses each section of the question and uses specific examples from both texts.
1. George Bernard Shaw emphasizes in his preface to Pygmalion that his play is an example of “didactic art.” Could Jane Austen’s Emma be considered a didactic novel? How would you articulate the “lesson” each of these texts seeks to teach its reader? Evaluate both texts in terms of their success at convincingly conveying their respective lessons.
2. Emma is clever but continually mistaken, well intentioned but capable of callous behavior. Austen commented that Emma is a heroine "no one but myself will much like." By the end of the novel, do you find Emma a likable character? Why or why not?
3. Toward the end of Emma, Mr. Knightley observes that “everything serve[s] to prove more and more the beauty of truth and sincerity in all our dealings with each other” (Vol. II, ch. 15, p. 293 or ch. 51, p. 354). Does the novel as a whole support this statement or not, and why or why not?
From Pygmalion:
• P. 41 (Act Two): “Oh, don’t say that, sir: there’s more ways than one of turning a girl’s head; and nobody can do it better than Mr. Higgins, though he may not always mean it. I do hope, sir, you won’t encourage him to do anything foolish.”
• P. 43: “Oh, pay her whatever is necessary … She’ll only drink if you give her money.”
• P. 58: “I’m one of the undeserving poor: that’s what I am … and I drink a lot more.”
• P. 61: “I tell you, it’s easy to clean up here … Wish they could see what it is for the like of me.”
• P. 67 (Act Three): “What are you doing here today? It is my at-home day: you promised not to come.”
• P. 76: “Why should she die of influenza? … he kept ladling gin down her throat ‘til she came to so sudden that she bit the bowl off the spoon.”
• P. 84: “The advantages of that poor woman who was here just now? … Is that what you mean?”
• P. 104 (Act Four): “I’m sorry. I’m only a common ignorant girl … what belongs to me and what doesn’t?”
• P. 122 (Act Five): “I am not blaming him. It is his way … you always treat me as a lady, and always will.”
• P. 126: “The great secret is not having bad manners or good manners … and one soul is as good as another.”
From Emma:
• p. 1 (Vol. I, ch. I): “The real evils, indeed of Emma's ... as misfortunes with her.”
• p. 13-14 (Vol. I, ch. III): “She would notice her; she would improve ... her leisure, and powers.”
• p. 17 (Vol. I, ch. IV): “That may be – and I may have seen him … a young farmer … as in every other way he is below it.”
• p. 84-85 (Vol. I, ch. XV): "To restrain him as much as might be … Mr. Elton actually making violent love ... It really was so."
• p. 89 (Vol. I, ch. XVI): "The first error and the worst lay at her door... to do such things no more. "
• p. 100 (Vol. II, ch. I or ch. 19): "Thank you. You are so kind! … I was reading [Jane's letter] to Mrs. Cole, and, since she went away, I was reading it again ... the whole paper and crosses half."
• P. 144 (Vol. II, ch. VIII, or ch. 26): "He started ‘Thank you for rousing me,… whether she colours."
• p. 171 (Vol. II, ch. XIII or ch.31): "Emma continued to entertain no doubt... forming a thousand amusing schemes ... she refused him."
• p. 196 (Vol. II, ch. XVII or ch. 35): "I did not mean, I was not thinking ... I do not know where it lies … something that would do."
• p. 218 (Vol. III, ch. IV or ch. 39): "Such an adventure as this, --a fine young man ... as her mind had already made."
• p. 244 (Vol. III, ch. VII or ch. 43): "Happy couple! … rued it all the rest of his life! "
• p. 246 (Vol. III, ch. VII or ch. 43): "She was vexed beyond what could have been expressed ... of common kindness."
• p. 295 (Vol III, ch XV or ch. 51): " … Mr. Woodhouse taken from Hartfield! … her home, it should be his likewise. "
• p. 315 (Vol. III, ch.XVIII or ch. 54): "If not in our dispositions … so much superior to our own. "
• p. 317-318 (Vol. III, ch. XIX or ch. 55): "Harriet, necessarily drawn away … in the most gradual, natural manner. "
Vocabulary:
From Pygmalion:
gumption (11), brogue (26), bilious (27), prodigal (31), petulance (34), pathos (36), dogmatic (49), blackguard (53), remonstrate (54), incensed (64), brusque (70), straitened (70), pedantic (73), imprecation (75), extricate (75), voluble (87), cant (103), asunder (108), repudiate (116), incorrigible (123), reproach (123)
From Emma:
inducement (22), approbation (28), countenance (29), indisposed (71), incongruity (89), presumption (89), ingenuousness (92), mortification (93), insidious (102), diffidence (110), foppery (132), auspices (179), licentiousness (185), penury (185), impelled (219), reproof (230), arrear (231), abhor (247), dilatory (253), solicitude (264), tautology (268), captious (275), intimation (278), parley (285), wan (291), archly (315)
Terms:
• Didactic Literature
• Comedy of manners (or novel of manners)
• Free Indirect Discourse
• Bildungsroman
• Subtext
• Pastiche
Essay options for Pygmalion – Emma exam:
Two of the following essays will appear on your exam. You will choose to answer one. Be sure to prepare an answer that addresses each section of the question and uses specific examples from both texts.
1. George Bernard Shaw emphasizes in his preface to Pygmalion that his play is an example of “didactic art.” Could Jane Austen’s Emma be considered a didactic novel? How would you articulate the “lesson” each of these texts seeks to teach its reader? Evaluate both texts in terms of their success at convincingly conveying their respective lessons.
2. Emma is clever but continually mistaken, well intentioned but capable of callous behavior. Austen commented that Emma is a heroine "no one but myself will much like." By the end of the novel, do you find Emma a likable character? Why or why not?
3. Toward the end of Emma, Mr. Knightley observes that “everything serve[s] to prove more and more the beauty of truth and sincerity in all our dealings with each other” (Vol. II, ch. 15, p. 293 or ch. 51, p. 354). Does the novel as a whole support this statement or not, and why or why not?
Monday, February 23, 2009
Remaining Emma Syllabus
Mon 2/23 Finish Emma, Ch. 17-19 (16 pp.) [53 – 55]. Vocab: sagacity (308), accession (314), archly (315, check “arch”), impudent (315). Has Emma matured? Find at least three specific passages that show that she has or has not. In what sense is this novel a “comedy”? Is this a truly happy ending? Will any or all of thevarious newly married couples be happy?
Tues 2/24 Peer edit compare-contrast essay; draft due in class
Wed 2/25 Watch Clueless (1995, dir. Amy Heckerling)
Thurs 2/26 Watch Clueless
Fri 2/27 Book talks and independent reading / Compare-contrast essay due in class
Mon 3/2 No school—parent/teacher conferences
Tues 3/3 Discuss Clueless in relation to Emma. Is this film a good adaptation of Austen’s novel into a late-twentieth-century context? Why is 1990s Beverly Hills an interesting time and place to set this story? What significant connections do you see between Clueless and Emma? Does this film convey any of the significant conflicts, ideas, or themes of the novel? Introduction to modernism.
Wed 3/4 Exam review
Thurs 3/5 Quarterly exam: Pygmalion-Emma
Fri 3/6 Book talks and independent reading
Tues 2/24 Peer edit compare-contrast essay; draft due in class
Wed 2/25 Watch Clueless (1995, dir. Amy Heckerling)
Thurs 2/26 Watch Clueless
Fri 2/27 Book talks and independent reading / Compare-contrast essay due in class
Mon 3/2 No school—parent/teacher conferences
Tues 3/3 Discuss Clueless in relation to Emma. Is this film a good adaptation of Austen’s novel into a late-twentieth-century context? Why is 1990s Beverly Hills an interesting time and place to set this story? What significant connections do you see between Clueless and Emma? Does this film convey any of the significant conflicts, ideas, or themes of the novel? Introduction to modernism.
Wed 3/4 Exam review
Thurs 3/5 Quarterly exam: Pygmalion-Emma
Fri 3/6 Book talks and independent reading
Monday, February 2, 2009
Emma Syllabus Week 4
Mon 2/9 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 8-9 (10 pp.) [44 – 45]. Vocab: abhor (247), dilatory (253). Characterize Emma’s attitude and manner during her visit to Miss Bates. Do you see a change in her, and if so, how do you account for it? How do you interpret Jane’s illness and her responses to Emma’s repeated attempts at kindness?
Tues 2/10 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 10-11 (15 pp.) [46 – 47]. Vocab: intreat (263, check entreat), solicitude (264), tautology (268), corroborating (268). What news does Mrs. Weston give Emma about Frank? On what subjects does this news cause Emma to revise her thinking? What does the conversation Emma has with Harriet in chapter 11 indicate about the ways that Harriet has been altered by Emma’s tutelage? What feelings of Emma’s does this conversation expose?
Wed 2/11 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 12-13 (14 pp.) [48 – 49]. Vocab: captious (275), levity (276), intimation (278), clemency (280). Do you sympathize with Emma in her anxieties about Mr. Knightley? What is your response when they come to an understanding? Compare/contrast introduction and basic outline with evidence due – we’ll spend some time in class workshopping these outlines.
Thurs 2/12 Emma, Ch. 14-16 (18 pp.) [50 – 52]. Vocab: parley (285), caviller (287, check “caviler” or “cavil” if you can’t find “caviller”), bandied (290, check “bandy”), wan (291). Do you think Frank's letter explains and/or excuses his previous behavior? What is Emma's response to the letter? What is unconventional about the arrangement Mr. Knightley suggests in chapter 15 [52] to circumvent Emma’s having to leave her father in order to marry? How is Jane’s manner toward Emma in chapter 16 [52] different than the last time Emma attempted to visit her, and why? Emma pastiche due.
Fri 2/13 No class—preregistration activities
Tues 2/10 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 10-11 (15 pp.) [46 – 47]. Vocab: intreat (263, check entreat), solicitude (264), tautology (268), corroborating (268). What news does Mrs. Weston give Emma about Frank? On what subjects does this news cause Emma to revise her thinking? What does the conversation Emma has with Harriet in chapter 11 indicate about the ways that Harriet has been altered by Emma’s tutelage? What feelings of Emma’s does this conversation expose?
Wed 2/11 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 12-13 (14 pp.) [48 – 49]. Vocab: captious (275), levity (276), intimation (278), clemency (280). Do you sympathize with Emma in her anxieties about Mr. Knightley? What is your response when they come to an understanding? Compare/contrast introduction and basic outline with evidence due – we’ll spend some time in class workshopping these outlines.
Thurs 2/12 Emma, Ch. 14-16 (18 pp.) [50 – 52]. Vocab: parley (285), caviller (287, check “caviler” or “cavil” if you can’t find “caviller”), bandied (290, check “bandy”), wan (291). Do you think Frank's letter explains and/or excuses his previous behavior? What is Emma's response to the letter? What is unconventional about the arrangement Mr. Knightley suggests in chapter 15 [52] to circumvent Emma’s having to leave her father in order to marry? How is Jane’s manner toward Emma in chapter 16 [52] different than the last time Emma attempted to visit her, and why? Emma pastiche due.
Fri 2/13 No class—preregistration activities
Friday, January 30, 2009
Emma Syllabus for Third and Fourth Periods
Students in third and fourth period Sophomore English can find your Emma syllabus at the following link. (I've created an "appendix" to Paradise Loft, to avoid cluttering up this blog.)
Emma syllabus for third and fourth period
Emma syllabus for third and fourth period
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Compare / Contrast Essay
The main purpose of this essay is to develop your ability to compose an argument that meaningfully compares two literary texts. The similarities and differences you identify should illuminate important aspects of both texts – don’t assume that a simple comparison will be interesting in and of itself. Your task is to show why it is interesting to examine these works side-by-side. Remember the comparisons we made between Pygmalion and Frankenstein—those are the meaningful types of comparisons that you are looking to make on this assignment. You may choose from one of the following topics:
1. Write an essay comparing the novel Emma with the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare’s Lysander observes that “the course of true love never did run smooth,” and Emma quotes this sentiment two centuries later, implying that at Hartfield this is not necessarily the case (p. 49). How do these texts compare in their portrayal of romantic love? Consider focusing on one of the following aspects of love in the two texts:
• How do these texts compare in their portrayal of matchmaking, and what does this seem to say about the different “worlds” the two texts are set in? For example, does the rigidly class-based social world of Emma offer a different take on matchmaking than the magic-influenced world of A Midsummer Night’s Dream?
• How do the relationships between men and women compare in each text? Do women and men seem to have a more equal level of power and status in one text than the other? Does one text offer a more optimistic view of romantic love than the other?
2. Write an essay comparing Emma and Pygmalion. Both revolve around an upper-class character shaping and molding a character of a lower social class in order to raise that character’s class status. How is Higgins’s “project” with Eliza different from and similar to Emma’s “undertaking” with Harriet Smith? Consider addressing one or more of the following questions in your comparison:
• How do Higgins’s and Emma’s motives compare, and how does this affect the way we view their different projects as teachers/benefactors? How are their relationships with their student/ protégé similar and/or different?
• What are the outcomes of the two projects, and how do they compare in the help or harm they bring to the student/protégé? How does this affect our view of any or all of the characters involved?
• To what extent do Higgins and Emma learn from their mistakes involving their protégés? Do they repent, change for the better, and/or increase in self-awareness? How does this affect our view of these characters, comparatively?
3. Compare the early nineteenth-century science-fiction/horror novel Frankenstein with the late nineteenth-century science-fiction/horror novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Consider drawing on one of the following areas to focus your comparison:
• Victor Frankenstein and Henry Jekyll: how are they similar and how different, and what might this comparison lead you to say about science, technology, good and evil, ambition, sanity and insanity, secrets, honesty and dishonesty, human relationships, and/or work in these books?
• Frankenstein’s creature and Edward Hyde: what light do these “creations” shed on their creators? (the words apply better to Frankenstein’s creature… feel free to come up with another word to describe Hyde, or to describe both) What light do they shed on the communities they are part of (and in the creature’s case, become part of or pass through)? Are the relationships between the two creators and creations similar in any ways? If so, what do these similarities (and the inevitable differences) suggest about the role of creator, the responsibilities of scientific experimentation, or anything else? Is there a common human failing or flaw that these stories both bring to light? A common philosophical or ethical idea they both speak to?
• The frame narrative and its usefulness in telling a story; the characters of Walton and Utterson and their respective role in each story; the role of women (or lack thereof) in each book and/or the way each represents masculinity; each book as an early example of science fiction . . .
4. Compare Emma to its companion novel Jane Fairfax by Joan Aiken. Written in the twentieth century but set in early nineteenth-century Highbury, Jane Fairfax tells the story of Emma from the perspective of Jane Fairfax. Evaluate Aiken’s novel as a companion to Emma: does Aiken effectively imitate Austen’s style? Are the characters recognizable from from Emma? Does Jane Fairfax take this story in interesting and worthwhile directions, or is it merely redundant with Emma? Compare this story as told from the perspectives of these two very different characters. How does each novel reflect differently on the same (or related) characters and events? What might Aiken’s purpose be in offering us this companion piece to Austen’s novel?
5. Choose a comparison topic of your own, using one of the books we’ve read so far this year and another book you think would make an interesting comparison. If you’re interested in this option, email me with a specific topic by the end of the school day on Tuesday 2/3 for approval.
Specifications: Your paper should have an introductory paragraph that mentions the titles (underlined or italicized) and authors of all the texts you plan to discuss and a clearly stated thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph or two. No comparison is inherently worthwhile for its own sake: the thesis should say specifically what is interesting about this comparison and how it helps us better understand both texts. Cite specific evidence and numerous examples from both texts to support each point throughout the essay (as always, use MLA citation style). Be sure to develop smooth transitions between paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph that offers a definite sense of closure to your overall argument. The paper should be about three to four pages long, double-spaced.
• Sign up for a topic by: Wednesday 2/4
• Introductory paragraph and preliminary outline of your argument with evidence due for in-class workshop: Wednesday 2/11
• Complete rough draft (typed) due for in-class peer-edit: Tuesday 2/24
• Final draft due (typed, stapled, including all peer-edited drafts): Friday 2/27
1. Write an essay comparing the novel Emma with the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare’s Lysander observes that “the course of true love never did run smooth,” and Emma quotes this sentiment two centuries later, implying that at Hartfield this is not necessarily the case (p. 49). How do these texts compare in their portrayal of romantic love? Consider focusing on one of the following aspects of love in the two texts:
• How do these texts compare in their portrayal of matchmaking, and what does this seem to say about the different “worlds” the two texts are set in? For example, does the rigidly class-based social world of Emma offer a different take on matchmaking than the magic-influenced world of A Midsummer Night’s Dream?
• How do the relationships between men and women compare in each text? Do women and men seem to have a more equal level of power and status in one text than the other? Does one text offer a more optimistic view of romantic love than the other?
2. Write an essay comparing Emma and Pygmalion. Both revolve around an upper-class character shaping and molding a character of a lower social class in order to raise that character’s class status. How is Higgins’s “project” with Eliza different from and similar to Emma’s “undertaking” with Harriet Smith? Consider addressing one or more of the following questions in your comparison:
• How do Higgins’s and Emma’s motives compare, and how does this affect the way we view their different projects as teachers/benefactors? How are their relationships with their student/ protégé similar and/or different?
• What are the outcomes of the two projects, and how do they compare in the help or harm they bring to the student/protégé? How does this affect our view of any or all of the characters involved?
• To what extent do Higgins and Emma learn from their mistakes involving their protégés? Do they repent, change for the better, and/or increase in self-awareness? How does this affect our view of these characters, comparatively?
3. Compare the early nineteenth-century science-fiction/horror novel Frankenstein with the late nineteenth-century science-fiction/horror novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Consider drawing on one of the following areas to focus your comparison:
• Victor Frankenstein and Henry Jekyll: how are they similar and how different, and what might this comparison lead you to say about science, technology, good and evil, ambition, sanity and insanity, secrets, honesty and dishonesty, human relationships, and/or work in these books?
• Frankenstein’s creature and Edward Hyde: what light do these “creations” shed on their creators? (the words apply better to Frankenstein’s creature… feel free to come up with another word to describe Hyde, or to describe both) What light do they shed on the communities they are part of (and in the creature’s case, become part of or pass through)? Are the relationships between the two creators and creations similar in any ways? If so, what do these similarities (and the inevitable differences) suggest about the role of creator, the responsibilities of scientific experimentation, or anything else? Is there a common human failing or flaw that these stories both bring to light? A common philosophical or ethical idea they both speak to?
• The frame narrative and its usefulness in telling a story; the characters of Walton and Utterson and their respective role in each story; the role of women (or lack thereof) in each book and/or the way each represents masculinity; each book as an early example of science fiction . . .
4. Compare Emma to its companion novel Jane Fairfax by Joan Aiken. Written in the twentieth century but set in early nineteenth-century Highbury, Jane Fairfax tells the story of Emma from the perspective of Jane Fairfax. Evaluate Aiken’s novel as a companion to Emma: does Aiken effectively imitate Austen’s style? Are the characters recognizable from from Emma? Does Jane Fairfax take this story in interesting and worthwhile directions, or is it merely redundant with Emma? Compare this story as told from the perspectives of these two very different characters. How does each novel reflect differently on the same (or related) characters and events? What might Aiken’s purpose be in offering us this companion piece to Austen’s novel?
5. Choose a comparison topic of your own, using one of the books we’ve read so far this year and another book you think would make an interesting comparison. If you’re interested in this option, email me with a specific topic by the end of the school day on Tuesday 2/3 for approval.
Specifications: Your paper should have an introductory paragraph that mentions the titles (underlined or italicized) and authors of all the texts you plan to discuss and a clearly stated thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph or two. No comparison is inherently worthwhile for its own sake: the thesis should say specifically what is interesting about this comparison and how it helps us better understand both texts. Cite specific evidence and numerous examples from both texts to support each point throughout the essay (as always, use MLA citation style). Be sure to develop smooth transitions between paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph that offers a definite sense of closure to your overall argument. The paper should be about three to four pages long, double-spaced.
• Sign up for a topic by: Wednesday 2/4
• Introductory paragraph and preliminary outline of your argument with evidence due for in-class workshop: Wednesday 2/11
• Complete rough draft (typed) due for in-class peer-edit: Tuesday 2/24
• Final draft due (typed, stapled, including all peer-edited drafts): Friday 2/27
Emma Syllabus Week 3 Linder
Mon 2/2 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 12-14 (16 pp.) [30-32](Ch 9-11 optional – If you are not able to read 9-11, some developments: Emma feels uneasy after the Coles’s party because she has indiscreetly shared with Frank Churchill her suspicions of Jane's feelings for Mr. Dixon (she also dwells a bit on her own musical inferiority to Jane); Harriet is still thinking about Mr. Martin; Frank teases Jane Fairfax about the pianoforte and though Emma thinks Jane is secretly “cherishing reprehensible feelings” for the anonymous giver (who Emma assumes is Mr. Dixon), she is “half ashamed” because Frank has teased Jane about it in a most unseemly manner; Frank and Emma plan a ball, and all are excited at the prospect of it.) For Ch. 12-14 [31-32], vocab: allusion (171), perusal (172), reproof (174), auspices (179), pert (181). Why does Emma find Mrs. Elton an “insufferable woman”? Try to find a couple of examples of Mrs. Elton’s most egregious offenses in Emma’s eyes.
Tues 2/3 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 15-18 (21 pp.) [33-36] Vocab: conjugal (183), licentiousness (185), penury (185), appellation (188). Find two specific passages regarding Mrs. Elton that offer some insight into Emma's distaste for her. Do other people seem to find Mrs. Elton objectionable? Do you? Consider a possible subtext in the discussion of Frank Churchill's handwriting at the end of chapter 16 [34]. Does there seem to be more at stake than his script? Characterize Jane Fairfax's attitude toward being a governess. What analogy does she use to describe the business of placing governesses in chapter 17 [35], and what does her choice of words say about her feelings toward her future profession? What is ironic about the conversation Mr. Weston and Mrs. Elton have about Mrs. Churchill in chapter 18 [36]?
Wed 2/4 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 1-4 (18 pp.) [37 – 40]. Vocab: eminent (206), expeditious(209), reprobation (215), impelled (219). In what way does Mr. Elton insult Harriet in chapter 2 [38], and how does this reflect on him and Mrs. Elton? What do you think the narrator means when she calls Emma an "imaginist" (Ch. 3, p. 218)? Do you think Emma understands herself to be an imaginist? Look carefully at the paragraph and consider whether this seems to be the narrator's perspective strictly, or Emma's also. What does Harriet’s “confession” to Emma in Ch. 4 tell us about her? (note: our footnote says “court plaister” is adhesive tape. It’s more like a primitive form of band-aid). Emma pastiche assigned.
Thurs 2/5 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 5-7 (23 pp.) [41-43]. Vocab: disingenuousness (227), reproof (230), arrear (231), fagged (246). What "blunder" does Frank make in chapter 5 [41]? Find the slip he makes early in the chapter, which he refers to later during the alphabet game. Consider the tense but constrained conflicts in chapter 6 between Mrs. Elton and Mr. Knightley, and later between Emma and Jane. What seems to be underneath each of these terse discussions, and which of the participants appears more favorably in each? In what way does Emma insult Miss Bates in chapter 7? Why does Mr. Knightley find this not only rude, but cruel? How does his criticism affect Emma?
Fri 2/6 Book talks and independent reading.
Tues 2/3 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 15-18 (21 pp.) [33-36] Vocab: conjugal (183), licentiousness (185), penury (185), appellation (188). Find two specific passages regarding Mrs. Elton that offer some insight into Emma's distaste for her. Do other people seem to find Mrs. Elton objectionable? Do you? Consider a possible subtext in the discussion of Frank Churchill's handwriting at the end of chapter 16 [34]. Does there seem to be more at stake than his script? Characterize Jane Fairfax's attitude toward being a governess. What analogy does she use to describe the business of placing governesses in chapter 17 [35], and what does her choice of words say about her feelings toward her future profession? What is ironic about the conversation Mr. Weston and Mrs. Elton have about Mrs. Churchill in chapter 18 [36]?
Wed 2/4 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 1-4 (18 pp.) [37 – 40]. Vocab: eminent (206), expeditious(209), reprobation (215), impelled (219). In what way does Mr. Elton insult Harriet in chapter 2 [38], and how does this reflect on him and Mrs. Elton? What do you think the narrator means when she calls Emma an "imaginist" (Ch. 3, p. 218)? Do you think Emma understands herself to be an imaginist? Look carefully at the paragraph and consider whether this seems to be the narrator's perspective strictly, or Emma's also. What does Harriet’s “confession” to Emma in Ch. 4 tell us about her? (note: our footnote says “court plaister” is adhesive tape. It’s more like a primitive form of band-aid). Emma pastiche assigned.
Thurs 2/5 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 5-7 (23 pp.) [41-43]. Vocab: disingenuousness (227), reproof (230), arrear (231), fagged (246). What "blunder" does Frank make in chapter 5 [41]? Find the slip he makes early in the chapter, which he refers to later during the alphabet game. Consider the tense but constrained conflicts in chapter 6 between Mrs. Elton and Mr. Knightley, and later between Emma and Jane. What seems to be underneath each of these terse discussions, and which of the participants appears more favorably in each? In what way does Emma insult Miss Bates in chapter 7? Why does Mr. Knightley find this not only rude, but cruel? How does his criticism affect Emma?
Fri 2/6 Book talks and independent reading.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Letter of Introduction
Students,
Hello! My name is Ms. Bluhm and I will be working with you in Ms. Linder’s classes for the next several weeks. I am currently a student at the University of Illinois here in Champaign-Urbana and in my last semester of my undergraduate studies. I am pursuing a major in English and a minor in Secondary Education. To complete my student teaching required for certification (and also to get some great professional experience), I will be working at Uni High for the first half of the semester and then moving on to Jefferson Middle School in Champaign.
Though I’ve lived in Champaign-Urbana for the better part of the last four years while earning my degree, I did not grow up in the area. I am from a northwest suburb of Chicago and still return to the area frequently to visit my family. I have an older brother who also attended the University of Illinois and a younger sister who is currently in eighth grade.
I love to read and write. Between my completing my English coursework and pursuing these interests outside of school, much of my time is taken up with literary activities. Academically, I recently finished my senior thesis on Jeffrey Eugenides’s Middlesex and Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, arguing for an intertextual link that imagines non-normative sexuality as social monstrosity. Over winter break, my sister convinced me to read Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight (with which I’m sure many of you are familiar); I consequently bought and read the latter three books in the series. As you can see, the range of my literary interests is wide and non-discriminatory. I also love to discuss and analyze literature and look forward to hearing what you have to say, whether your contemplations are on in-class readings or outside texts that excite you. I even love grammar (yes, really). English is truly my calling and my love, and I hope that truth is evident in our interactions this semester.
My involvement here at Uni will be a learning experience for us both. It is my hope that I will be able to challenge you and ignite your literary curiosity. And, in turn, it is my expectation that you will challenge my thinking with regard to both literature and teaching. I believe that we will learn best from each other with open lines of communication. For that reason, I hope you will feel comfortable coming to me with any questions, concerns, comments, etc. about course material or classroom proceedings.
Again, I am genuinely excited for all that this semester has in store for us. I look forward to meeting you all on Monday; however, if you’d like to introduce yourself before then, feel free to shoot me an email!
Thanks in advance for a wonderful experience.
Sincerely,
Ms. Bluhm
Hello! My name is Ms. Bluhm and I will be working with you in Ms. Linder’s classes for the next several weeks. I am currently a student at the University of Illinois here in Champaign-Urbana and in my last semester of my undergraduate studies. I am pursuing a major in English and a minor in Secondary Education. To complete my student teaching required for certification (and also to get some great professional experience), I will be working at Uni High for the first half of the semester and then moving on to Jefferson Middle School in Champaign.
Though I’ve lived in Champaign-Urbana for the better part of the last four years while earning my degree, I did not grow up in the area. I am from a northwest suburb of Chicago and still return to the area frequently to visit my family. I have an older brother who also attended the University of Illinois and a younger sister who is currently in eighth grade.
I love to read and write. Between my completing my English coursework and pursuing these interests outside of school, much of my time is taken up with literary activities. Academically, I recently finished my senior thesis on Jeffrey Eugenides’s Middlesex and Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, arguing for an intertextual link that imagines non-normative sexuality as social monstrosity. Over winter break, my sister convinced me to read Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight (with which I’m sure many of you are familiar); I consequently bought and read the latter three books in the series. As you can see, the range of my literary interests is wide and non-discriminatory. I also love to discuss and analyze literature and look forward to hearing what you have to say, whether your contemplations are on in-class readings or outside texts that excite you. I even love grammar (yes, really). English is truly my calling and my love, and I hope that truth is evident in our interactions this semester.
My involvement here at Uni will be a learning experience for us both. It is my hope that I will be able to challenge you and ignite your literary curiosity. And, in turn, it is my expectation that you will challenge my thinking with regard to both literature and teaching. I believe that we will learn best from each other with open lines of communication. For that reason, I hope you will feel comfortable coming to me with any questions, concerns, comments, etc. about course material or classroom proceedings.
Again, I am genuinely excited for all that this semester has in store for us. I look forward to meeting you all on Monday; however, if you’d like to introduce yourself before then, feel free to shoot me an email!
Thanks in advance for a wonderful experience.
Sincerely,
Ms. Bluhm
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Emma Syllabus Week 2 Linder
Mon 1/26 Emma, Ch. 15-18 (to end of Vol. I; 17 pp.) Vocab: perverse (81), presumption
(89), incongruity (89), ingenuousness (92), mortification (93), expediency (96). Why are Emma and Mr. Elton both angry and insulted after their exchange in the carriage on the way home from Randalls? In what ways does Emma’s character develop as a result of the “overthrow of all her plans”?
Tues 1/27 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 1-3 (16 pp.) [19-21] Vocab: solace (98), insidious (102), fondling (noun, 104), recantation (108), diffidence (110). What is Emma’s attitude toward Miss Bates in these chapters? Does her behavior toward her reflect her attitude, or is it more (or less) respectful than her thoughts might suggest? What are some of the reasons Emma doesn’t particularly like Jane Fairfax?
Wed 1/28 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 4-6 (18 pp.) [22-24] Vocab: mortified (117), pique (118), reproach (119). How does Emma react to the news that Mr. Elton is going to be married? What judgments of his wife-to-be does she make, based on what she’s heard about her? Why do you think Emma anticipates Frank Churchill’s visit so much? What are her impressions of him?
Thurs. 1/29 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 7-8 (16 pp.) [25-26] Vocab: chaise (132), foppery (132), ostentation (137), languid (149). What do you make of Emma’s attitude toward the Coles’ inviting her and her father to their dinner party? How does this reflect on her, and what does it indicate to you about her? Does the narrator seem to accept her attitudes? To subtly mock them? To critique them? Why does Mr. Knightley call Emma “Nonsensical girl!”? Do you agree with his jibe? Does Emma’s certainty about the origin of the gift of a pianoforte to Jane Fairfax seem founded? What are some of the reasons that the idea of Mr. Knightley marrying Jane perturbs Emma so much? Compare and contrast essay assigned.
Fri 1/30 Book talks and independent reading.
(89), incongruity (89), ingenuousness (92), mortification (93), expediency (96). Why are Emma and Mr. Elton both angry and insulted after their exchange in the carriage on the way home from Randalls? In what ways does Emma’s character develop as a result of the “overthrow of all her plans”?
Tues 1/27 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 1-3 (16 pp.) [19-21] Vocab: solace (98), insidious (102), fondling (noun, 104), recantation (108), diffidence (110). What is Emma’s attitude toward Miss Bates in these chapters? Does her behavior toward her reflect her attitude, or is it more (or less) respectful than her thoughts might suggest? What are some of the reasons Emma doesn’t particularly like Jane Fairfax?
Wed 1/28 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 4-6 (18 pp.) [22-24] Vocab: mortified (117), pique (118), reproach (119). How does Emma react to the news that Mr. Elton is going to be married? What judgments of his wife-to-be does she make, based on what she’s heard about her? Why do you think Emma anticipates Frank Churchill’s visit so much? What are her impressions of him?
Thurs. 1/29 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 7-8 (16 pp.) [25-26] Vocab: chaise (132), foppery (132), ostentation (137), languid (149). What do you make of Emma’s attitude toward the Coles’ inviting her and her father to their dinner party? How does this reflect on her, and what does it indicate to you about her? Does the narrator seem to accept her attitudes? To subtly mock them? To critique them? Why does Mr. Knightley call Emma “Nonsensical girl!”? Do you agree with his jibe? Does Emma’s certainty about the origin of the gift of a pianoforte to Jane Fairfax seem founded? What are some of the reasons that the idea of Mr. Knightley marrying Jane perturbs Emma so much? Compare and contrast essay assigned.
Fri 1/30 Book talks and independent reading.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Emma Syllabus Week 1 Linder
I will hand out the complete Emma syllabus in class, but will post online one week at a time as the syllabus is so very long. We also have the pleasure of a student teacher joining us this semester. Ms. Bluhm will join our class on Monday, January 26 and will be teaching a large part of Emma. Look for an introductory letter from her on the blog in the next week or so.
Week one of Emma:
Thur 1/15 Emma, Vol. I, Ch. 1 (7 pp.) Vocab: alloy (1), endeavor (6), unaffected (7). What is your initial impression of Emma? What does her father think of her? What does Mr. Knightley think of her? What does she think of herself? Does the narrator's perception of her seem different than her own? Find quotes to illustrate each perspective.
Mon 1/19 No school--MLK holiday
Tue 1/20 Emma, Ch. 2-5 (18 pp.) Vocab: benevolent (11), vicar (11), gruel (14), unmodulated (20), inducement (22). Who is Frank Churchill? Trace the connection between him and Emma. Who is Harriet Smith, and why does Emma take a liking to her? Why does Mr. Knightley object to the friendship between Harriet and Emma?
Wed 1/21 Emma, Ch. 6-8 (18 pp.) Vocab: scruple (27), approbation (28), countenance (29), inimitable (30), diffuse (35). Why do Emma and Mr. Knightley disagree on the question of whether Harriet should accept Robert Martin's proposal of marriage?
Thur 1/22 Emma, Ch. 9-10 & 13-14 (26 pp. total; Ch 11-12 optional*). Vocab: cipher (44), indisposed (71), contrivance (75), solicitous (77). Do you think Emma is correct in thinking that Mr. Elton is falling for Harriet? Find specific passages that support your view.
Fri 1/23 Book talks and independent reading
* Summary of chapters 11 & 12: Emma's sister Isabella and her husband, John Knightley, bring their five children to Harfield to spend ten days during the Christmas holidays. George Knightley is invited to dinner, and Emma is anxious to make up with him after his scoulding over her interference in Harriet's life. After dinner, there is discussin of Frank Churchill's overdue and much speculated-upon visit to Highbury, and of Miss Bates's niece Jane Fairfax, who Isabella thinks would make very good company for Emma. Isabella and her father eat a bowl of gruel together, but are unable to compel any of the other to join them.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Pygmalion Syllabus Linder
Tues 1/6 George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, Preface and Act One. Vocab: gumption (14), brogue (26), bilious (27), mendacity (28), prodigal (31). What kind of world is described in this act? What are the values, pastimes, interests and concerns of this world? Do you see any of the play’s themes emerging? If so, what do they seem to be?
Wed 1/7 Pygmalion, Act Two. Vocab: petulance (34), pathos (36), elocution (42), dogmatic (49), blackguard (53), remonstrate (54), incensed (61). How would you describe Higgins’s attitude toward Eliza? Do you think Shaw approves of this attitude or not, and why? What seems to be Shaw’s attitude toward Higgins? (consider especially his description in the stage directions).
Thurs 1/8 Pygmalion, Act Three. Vocab: caricature (66), straitened, brusque (70), pedantic (73), extricate, imprecation (75), voluble (87). What seems to be Mrs. Higgins’s attitude toward her son? Why is this different than Pickering’s attitude toward him, and how? What reaction do each of the Eynsford-Hills have to Eliza? Why is her conversation with them so humorous?
Fri 1/9 Book talks and independent reading
Mon 1/12 Pygmalion, Act Four. Vocab: cant (103), asunder (108), resplendent (113), repudiate (116), reproach, incorrigible (123). Why does Eliza react as she does to Higgins in Act Four? How has she changed over the course of the play?
Tues 1/13 Pygmalion, Act Five. Vocab.: resplendent (113), repudiate (116), reproach, incorrigible (123). After reading the end of Act Five, consider this play as a comedy. In what sense is it comedic, and how does it differ from the classical definition of comedy we discussed first semester?
Wed 1/14 Read Pygmalion “Sequel” (pp. 134-48). Brainstorm ideas for a brief comparison between Pygmalion and Frankenstein (typed, one double-spaced page, due Tuesday 1/20). What do these stories have in common, if anything, and how are their similarities significant? Does Higgins do Eliza a disservice in “re-creating” her and/or in his treatment of her throughout the play? Do Higgins and Eliza have anything in common with Victor Frankenstein and his creation? In what significant ways are they different? In class: view and discuss scenes from My Fair Lady.
Thurs 1/15 Emma,Vol I, Ch. 1 (7 pp.) Vocab: alloy (1), endeavor (6), unaffected (7). What is your initial impression of Emma? What does her father think of her? What does Mr. Knightley think of her? What does she think of herself? Does the narrator’s perception of her seem different than her own? Find quotes to illustrate each perspective.
Fri 1/16 Book talks and independent reading
Wed 1/7 Pygmalion, Act Two. Vocab: petulance (34), pathos (36), elocution (42), dogmatic (49), blackguard (53), remonstrate (54), incensed (61). How would you describe Higgins’s attitude toward Eliza? Do you think Shaw approves of this attitude or not, and why? What seems to be Shaw’s attitude toward Higgins? (consider especially his description in the stage directions).
Thurs 1/8 Pygmalion, Act Three. Vocab: caricature (66), straitened, brusque (70), pedantic (73), extricate, imprecation (75), voluble (87). What seems to be Mrs. Higgins’s attitude toward her son? Why is this different than Pickering’s attitude toward him, and how? What reaction do each of the Eynsford-Hills have to Eliza? Why is her conversation with them so humorous?
Fri 1/9 Book talks and independent reading
Mon 1/12 Pygmalion, Act Four. Vocab: cant (103), asunder (108), resplendent (113), repudiate (116), reproach, incorrigible (123). Why does Eliza react as she does to Higgins in Act Four? How has she changed over the course of the play?
Tues 1/13 Pygmalion, Act Five. Vocab.: resplendent (113), repudiate (116), reproach, incorrigible (123). After reading the end of Act Five, consider this play as a comedy. In what sense is it comedic, and how does it differ from the classical definition of comedy we discussed first semester?
Wed 1/14 Read Pygmalion “Sequel” (pp. 134-48). Brainstorm ideas for a brief comparison between Pygmalion and Frankenstein (typed, one double-spaced page, due Tuesday 1/20). What do these stories have in common, if anything, and how are their similarities significant? Does Higgins do Eliza a disservice in “re-creating” her and/or in his treatment of her throughout the play? Do Higgins and Eliza have anything in common with Victor Frankenstein and his creation? In what significant ways are they different? In class: view and discuss scenes from My Fair Lady.
Thurs 1/15 Emma,Vol I, Ch. 1 (7 pp.) Vocab: alloy (1), endeavor (6), unaffected (7). What is your initial impression of Emma? What does her father think of her? What does Mr. Knightley think of her? What does she think of herself? Does the narrator’s perception of her seem different than her own? Find quotes to illustrate each perspective.
Fri 1/16 Book talks and independent reading
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