Thursday, 04/17/08

I. FREEWRITE:

• a) Give a definition/explanation of the word "LION" to someone who does not know the meaning of this word (e.g. to a non-native speaker of English)


• b) Give a definition/explanation of the word "LIONESS" to someone who does not know the meaning of this word.


• c) Compare your definitions: do you see similarities? What are the core differences?

II. Ursula LeGuin's "She Unnames Them"

• Who is the speaker? Why is she "unnaming" the animals? What is the message the author is sending the reader?


• Compare your own reaction to the following reader response on this blog.


• Read a portion of an interview, in which LeGuin discusses her story. Did the author manage to get her message accross, i.e. was your and the other blogger's reaction to/interpretation of this story similar to the author's?

III. Eliot's "The Journey of the Magi"

• See questions to the poem in Carolina Reader;


• Compare your reaction to this discussion of "Journey of the Magi"

III. Tony Harrison's "Cold Coming."

• Take a look at the photgraph by Kenneth Jarecke, "Gulf War/Dead Iraqi Soldier "(1991), which inspired Harrison's poem: What kind of war does Harisson depict? How is it different from war poetry we have read so far?



• What is the role of a poet in war? How is it different from that of a journalis and a soldier?

Retelling Greek Mythology - Sirens

• Consider the way the images above retell the Greek myth involving the Sirens and Ulysses. Then compare Tennyson's and Atwood's retelling of the characters involved in the myth.


• Follow this link to read an essay about Atwood's "The siren Song". Do you agree with the author's interpretation?


• Follow this link to read a response to Tennyson's "Ulysses" by Natalie Paquette. What do you think about this poet's version of the siren song... What about her image of a siren? Does it match the persona of the siren created by Atwood?

Retelling Greek Mythology - Leda & the Swan

Retelling Greek Mythology - Leda & the Swan
Compare the way the images below retell the Greek myth of Leda and the Swan.

• What kind of personality traits do these retelling ascribe to Leda and the Swan?
• How do the artists render the authenticity of the situation? What kind of cultural influence do you see?
• How do these retellings portray gender?
• How does that compare to Yeats' retelling of the myth?

For Thursday, 03/20/08

I. FREEWRITE:
a) Write your associations with the words "WAR", "GUNNER", "ATTACK".
Can you think of the the color palette and range of sounds associated with it? Can you step out of the current context or are all the images you can see in your mind influenced by Iraque War footage?

b) What are your strongest associations with the term "WORLD WAR II"?

II. RESEARCH:

a)Research the term "Ball Turret": Use it as key words for a Google search. Does the information you found help you understand the poem by Randall Jarrell better?

Take a look at this after you have finished your own search....

b) Research Randall Jarrell's background. Does anything you have read help you detect the author's message?

Ball Turret - related background

"The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" read by Zander Kaufman



Take a look from inside a Ball Turret....


This is how it looks inside...

For Thursday, 03/06/08

I. WARM-UP: Go back to the poster you made for Tuesday (you are welcome to dowload a photo of your poster from my blog and upload it to yours).

• Identify the message of your poster as an imperative claim ("Do/Don't do this because....")
• Reflect on what made you choose this particular current issue.
• Then justify your choice of imagery, colors and words in this poster.
• Consider the limitations of your media. What would you change about this poster if you were not constrained by the size, available materials and/or your drawing skills?
  

II. PEER REVIEW:

a) The author of the essay identifies 3 specific questions or areas of concern for the reviewer to consider with special attention (post to your blog);

b) The reviewer reads the author's on the blog and proceeds to read the paper carefully (using the same shorthand notation as in your first Peer Review of Paper#1);

c) The reviewer looks through their notes and first posts constructive feedback based on the following questions:

• What did you like most about this paper? Be specific.
• Does the essay fulfill the assignment? If not, why not?
• Are all the parts of an effective argument present in this essay (introduction, claim, supporting reasons and evidence, consideration several viewpoints)? If not, what is missing?
• What is the writer’s claim? Is it supported by evidence from the text?
• Does the writer use appropriate language for his/her audience? Give an example.
• Which sections of the essay should the writer focus on for his/her revision? Explain why and offer suggestions.

d) The reviewer posts comments that address the author’s questions/concerns and returns the draft to the author.

In-class Peer Review Groups:

Meghan -Chip

Kaitlin - Brad

Justin E - Christina

Stephanie- Kevin

Mauricio - Justin Q

Anne-Katherine- Casey

Britney- Melanie

Monica- Derric Anne

Justin Th -Lindsay

Devin-Patrick

Posters you made for 03/04/08