Living and Dying for AP Language

Photo for Poem

"I caught a tremendous fish and held him..."

from "The Fish" by Elizabeth Bishop

Art Attack response

During class on Thursday, we visited the Art Attack display in the AHS lobby. As part of our training for the AP test, we wanted to sharpen our observation skills, so we responded to one particular piece. Here's an example:

Photo by Hailey Moore, Grade 12
The color photo focuses clearly on a woman laying comfortably on grass but viewed from upside down. This perspective emphasizes the arresting features of the human face: eyebrows, nose, lips, and an interesting tag necklace. In particular, the brown eyes looking at the camera have dimension or mystery or opaqueness. The person looking out of the photo captures the observer into a relationship akin to "I know you are there. You look at me via camera as I look at you out of my world."

Check out the Wordle Tool

Here are some links--

See "Try This!" in the gadgets box to the left.

Ms. Leclaire's blog on the Wordle Tool

Emotionally Intelligent Signage via Daniel Pink

What book did you choose and for what reason(s)? What do you hope to gain from reading it?

Choices
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
Brittany, Chelley, Tessa, Grayson, Mr. Clemente

Facing the Congo: A Modern-Day Journey into the Heart of Darkness by Jeffrey Tayler
Hannah, Ben, Shannon

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Rachel, Bailey, Eileen, Maria, Haley

Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone by Martin Dugard
Kylie, Alex, Adam

In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz: Living on the Brink of Disaster in Mobutu's Congo by Michela Wrong

King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa by Adam Hochschild
Connor, Damian

Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
Emma

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Jordan, Josh

The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuscinski

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Kathryn, Laura, Natalie, Pat, Paige, Whitney

Travel Stories

Since The Canterbury Tales are primarily travelers entertaining each other with stories along their journey, what story(ies) could you share with the class on this blog that would amusing or informative? Here's an example below.

In Vienna, Austria, August 14, 1977, my brothers Luke, age 9, and John, age 17, were imitating a little B.P. (British Petroleum) man stand-up advertising sign by turning their hat bills up like the figure and posing next to it. This figure was at the entrance to a number of parking garages and was making a gesture with its thumb (like a hitchhiker's) to turn in at that point. As our family would pass these signs, the two brothers would put on a playful little act with the figure, giving the family jollies.

There was a well-dressed, dignified man following us who was most amused when he saw young Luke and the other brothers' acting. He followed us a little farther and he caught our attention when we turned the corner. When we looked over at him, he put his finger in his mouth and blew so his cheeks puffed out and his hat started to rise. He did this trick by putting his umbrella behind his back to raise his hat. He got as much amusement out of surprising us as we got from his antics.

So, my American family had a positive, impromptu interaction with an otherwise unapproachable Austrian gentleman, who, for his part, made a lasting cross-cultural exchange of goodwill.

Beowulf discussion question 11

Each individual provide written answer to question.

Kylie, Josh, Paige, Rachel--Given the bipartite construction of the poem, how is the Beowulf in the second half of the poem different from the Beowulf in the first half of the poem? Find a specific passage to illustrate. How are the two Beowulfs similar? Find a specific passage to illustrate. OR How do the opening and closing images of the poem add to the unity of the poem?

Beowulf discussion question 10

Each individual provide written answer to question.

Ben, Brittany--Could Wiglaf be considered a foil to Beowulf? Explain by referring to a specific passage.

Beowulf discussion question 9

Each individual provide written answer to question.

Tessa, Adam--Why does Unferth criticize Beowulf at their first meeting? What explains his change of heart towards Beowulf?

Beowulf discussion question 8

Each individual provide written answer to question.

Kathryn, Bailey, Natalie--If you had to list four important qualities for an epic hero to possess, what would they be, based on your reading of Beowulf? Find a passage to illustrate each characteristic.

Beowulf discussion question 7

Each individual provide written answer to question.

Emma, Patrick--What best describes your opinion of Beowulf: realistic hero, superman (mortal and godlike), or god? Explain your reaction and give evidence to back up your conclusion.

Beowulf discussion question 6

Each individual provide written answer to question.

Eileen, Haley--An elegy is a poem mourning or lamenting the dead that tells of things past and describes a person's death and burial. How does the ending of Beowulf fit this definition? Find passages to illustrate.

Beowulf discussion question 5

Each individual provide written answer to question.

Alex, Shannon--Do you agree or disagree with the implied opinion in Beowulf that the best times and heroes are behind us? Give reasons for your reaction.

Beowulf discussion question 4

Each individual provide written answer to question.

Whitney, Hannah--Does Beowulf have a universal theme or message? If so, what? Support with a specific reference to the poem.

Beowulf discussion question 3

Each individual provide written answer to question.

Damian, Laura--Analyze the values of the individual or culture expressed in the vicinity of lines: 635, 1385, 2180, 2730.

Beowulf discussion question 2

Each individual provide written answer to question.

Connor, Jordan--Does the poem end with an optimistic or pessimistic view of life? Explain your rationale.

Beowulf discussion question 1

Each individual provide written answer to question.

Maria, Grayson, Chelley--Summarize the role of women in the poem by examining Welthow, Higd, and Thrith.

This Year's Group Satire Assignment

Please post your group product as a comment. Identify each group member by first name and last initial. Note 30 September 2007 post for inspiration.


Directions:
1. Identify a target for your criticism.
2. Brainstorm specific details that explain your criticism.
3. Create ironies, absurdities, hyperboles, etc., to reveal your criticism.
4. Create a limerick or song to share your satire with the class.

Example:

WHEEZY THE SNOWMAN
(Tune of “Frosty The Snowman”)

Wheezy the snowman
Dealt in Christmas-wrapped cocaine,
But his frequent test of his very best
Left him scrambled in the brain.

Wheezy the snowman
Was a stumbling, mumbling nerd.
Though he’d paused to joke as he dosed with coke,
All his words were badly slurred.

There must have been some poison in
The latest batch he tried,
For once he’d sniffed a king size whiff,
He fell right down and died.

Wheezy the snowman
Lies in funeral home repose,
And the addicts say as they pass that way,
“Wheezy came and Wheezy goes.”

Link to article on Kipling

For additional background on our poet of the week, check this out.

Answers to questions on Kipling's "The White Man's Burden"

Responses to the questions can be found in the comments below this post.

1. Based on the poem, how would you define the phrase, “white man’s burden”?

2. How would you classify the tone of the poem? What technique does Kipling use to create this tone? Does the tone change?

3. Each stanza of the poem identifies a specific aspect of “the white man’s burden.” Highlight a word or phrase from each stanza that defines each aspect of that “burden.”

4. Who is the speaker of the poem? Does the speaker agree or disagree with “the white man’s burden”?

5. Identify and explain at least one Biblical allusion in the poem.