Here are some ideas about how to develop topic sentences for body paragraphs in your essay.
So here is the thesis statement we proposed in class on Thusrday: Love is an emotion that is often in conflict with society's demands.
We discussed one method of proceeding on Thursday: You analyze the concepts in the thesis statement without immediately linking it to the book. We'll call this Method 1. Another way is to mention the book but not by giving an example. We'll call this Method 2. Here are examples of each method. Each sentence can become the topic sentence of a paragraph in your essay (although bear in mind, the topic sentence can more than one sentence):
Thus you might start one paragraph:
Method 1:
* Love is a private emotion that is a deep expression of our most basic individuality. [Follow this by examples.]
OR you could write:
Method2:
* The novel draws a picture of love that emphasizes its private nature and the way it expresses individuality.
A second body paragraph might begin:
Method 1:
* Society makes its own demands of the individual, and is interested in maintaining stability and the status quo. [Followed by example}
OR it might read:
Method 2:
In the novel society is portrayed as a force destructive to indvidual liberty or freedom.
Again, note the difference between Method 1 and Method 2. Method 1 doesn't specifically reference the novel, and only gets into what the novel has to say in the examples that follow. Method 2 references the novel but doesn't jump right into the examples from the novel, which it only gives after first making the point the examples will help prove. Make sense? I hope so.
Next add here a third body paragraph that develops a counterclaim, meaning how might someone argue against the views you've developed so far.
* Some people would disagree with Hawthorne's analysis. They would suggest that society's rules are actually meant to protect the indvidual and society from relations that may harm others. The individual is not always right, and his or her feelings may be false or based on falsehood.
Conclusion: The body paragraphs should flow into the conclusion naturally. A good phrase to help put this into context is: "As you can see ..."
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Essay Assignment
You will write a 2-3 page literary response essay on theme. This essay should be double-spaced in 12-point type with one-inch margins. It should follow the format we've discussed in class. (Introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Take special care in your body paragraphs to have a clear topic sentence, and examples from the text. Also make sure, your body paragraphs develop your arguments and that one of the paragraphs develops a counter-claim.
As we’ve discussed, The Scarlet Letter is a novel whose themes are often presented in the form of dichotomies. Choose one of the following paired concepts (dichotomies) and write your essay on the theme you develop:
1. society and the individual
2. individual freedom and societal law
3. guilt and innocence
4. holiness and sin
Remember, developing a theme from these topics requires you to really think about what the book says about the topic. This can't be a simple thought that could apply to any book on the subject; it needs to really reflect what Hawthorne is saying in The Scarlet Letter. For example, it won't be sufficient to say that society has rules that limit the individual. Or that the law and individual freedom are often in conflict. Instead, you need to get at how society and the individual are in conflict, according to Hawthorne; what kind of conflicts arise between freedom and law and how does this affect people’s lives, again, according to Hawthorne.
This paper is due on Monday, January 3. It must be uploaded to turnitin.com by that date and must be sent as an attachment to me in your engrade account. Attach the file as a Word document or, if you don't use Word, attach it as an .rtf file.
As we’ve discussed, The Scarlet Letter is a novel whose themes are often presented in the form of dichotomies. Choose one of the following paired concepts (dichotomies) and write your essay on the theme you develop:
1. society and the individual
2. individual freedom and societal law
3. guilt and innocence
4. holiness and sin
Remember, developing a theme from these topics requires you to really think about what the book says about the topic. This can't be a simple thought that could apply to any book on the subject; it needs to really reflect what Hawthorne is saying in The Scarlet Letter. For example, it won't be sufficient to say that society has rules that limit the individual. Or that the law and individual freedom are often in conflict. Instead, you need to get at how society and the individual are in conflict, according to Hawthorne; what kind of conflicts arise between freedom and law and how does this affect people’s lives, again, according to Hawthorne.
This paper is due on Monday, January 3. It must be uploaded to turnitin.com by that date and must be sent as an attachment to me in your engrade account. Attach the file as a Word document or, if you don't use Word, attach it as an .rtf file.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The Scarlet Letter and Trolls
For Friday, take a look at this article and see if you can identify some ways that the ideas discussed within it interplay with themes in The Scarlet Letter.
Questions on Chapter 4 and 5
Chapter 4: The Interview
1. After standing on the scaffold, Hester returns to prison. What is her mental state like and why?
2. Hester’s jailers decide to bring a physician to her. Who is this physician?
3. When the physician gives Hester medicine, what does she think might be in it?
4. When Hester and her husband talk, what picture emerges of their marital relationship?
5. When her husband says, “Thou wilt not reveal his name. Not the less is he mine?” what does he mean?
6. What secret does Hester agree to keep for her husband and why does her husband wish her to keep it?
7. When Hester says to her husband, “Hath thou enticed me into a bond that will prove the ruin of my soul?” her husband answers: “Not thy soul … No, not thine.” What does he mean?
Chapter 5: Hester at Her Needle
1. Several reasons are given for Hester’s decision not to leave the community once she’s released from prison. Read the passage carefully where this is discussed.
2. The paragraph beginning, “It might be, too,-- doubtless it was so …” discusses what may the real reason for Hester’s staying in the community. What is this reason?
3. How does Hester make a living after her release?
4. The paragraph beginning “In this manner, Hester Prynne came to have a part …” describes her relationship with society. What is this relationship?
5. The paragraph beginning, “Her imagination was somewhat affected …” gives a sense of how she is beginning to regard the Scarlet Letter. What is this sense?
1. After standing on the scaffold, Hester returns to prison. What is her mental state like and why?
2. Hester’s jailers decide to bring a physician to her. Who is this physician?
3. When the physician gives Hester medicine, what does she think might be in it?
4. When Hester and her husband talk, what picture emerges of their marital relationship?
5. When her husband says, “Thou wilt not reveal his name. Not the less is he mine?” what does he mean?
6. What secret does Hester agree to keep for her husband and why does her husband wish her to keep it?
7. When Hester says to her husband, “Hath thou enticed me into a bond that will prove the ruin of my soul?” her husband answers: “Not thy soul … No, not thine.” What does he mean?
Chapter 5: Hester at Her Needle
1. Several reasons are given for Hester’s decision not to leave the community once she’s released from prison. Read the passage carefully where this is discussed.
2. The paragraph beginning, “It might be, too,-- doubtless it was so …” discusses what may the real reason for Hester’s staying in the community. What is this reason?
3. How does Hester make a living after her release?
4. The paragraph beginning “In this manner, Hester Prynne came to have a part …” describes her relationship with society. What is this relationship?
5. The paragraph beginning, “Her imagination was somewhat affected …” gives a sense of how she is beginning to regard the Scarlet Letter. What is this sense?
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Some Thoughts on The Scarlet Letter
Here's some points to focus on in Chapter 2. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Important Test Info
1) I will be giving credit to those who selected B on question 2 of the Mirth Final (of course, those who answered F will continue to have their credit). Show me your test on Monday to obtain this credit.
2) Here is the exam. Write a brief paragraph explaining the reasoning for the correct answer for all questions you missed; and for those who lost point for your thesis statement, rewrite the thesis statement only in a convincing manner for extra credit on the test. (You'll note that question 2 has been rewritten to be more clear.)
Answer the following multiple choice questions:
1. At the beginning of Book 2, what character does the Duchess really like? A) Bertha Dorset B) Gus Trenor C) Mrs. Fisher D) Lily
2. What agreement does Jack Stepney make with Selden in response to Lily’s being kicked off the yacht? A) He offers to explain Lily’s side of the story B) He offers Lily a place to stay for the night C) He agrees to speak with Carrie Fisher about the incident D) He insists that Lily leave Monte Carlo early the following day E) A and B only F) B and D only.
3. This character says, “…I don’t mean to ask you to marry me if I can keep out of it…” Who is he? A) Seldon B) Rosedale C) Atherly D) George Dorset
4. How did Rosedale find out about the letters Lily possesses? A) He heard about them from Trenor B) Cary Fisher’s husband told him C) He owns the Benedick D) The fact of the letters was widely known among Mrs. Dorset’s circle.
5. Lily’s second escape from scandal in New York, after Monte Carlo, took her to __________ and was arranged by __________ who introduced her to ________________. A) Alaska/ Grace Stepney/the Gormers B) Montobello/Gerty/Mrs. Haffen C) Alaska/Mrs. Fisher/the Gormers D) Van Osburgh estate/Mrs. Fisher/Mrs. Hatch
6. When Lily becomes connected with the social world of Mrs. Hatch, we are told she “had an odd sense of being behind the social tapestry, on the side where the threads were knotted and the loose ends hung.” This is an example of A) a metaphor that suggests Lily is on the wrong side of society B) characterization that gives an idea of who Mrs. Hatch is C) a metaphor that suggests that society is a machine that crushes those who oppose it D) imagery that depicts the complexities of life in society.
7. “Look at these spangles, Miss Bart—every one of ‘em sewed on crooked.” This quote refers to A) Lily’s ball gown for her reentry into “society” B) Lily’s new job overseeing workers in a clothing factory C) Lily’s plan to present a “new style” at an upcoming fashion show D) Lily’s poor skills in sewing at her new job
8. When the pharmacist tells Lily, “It’s a queer acting drug. A drop or two more, and off you go …” this is an example of: A) metaphor B) personification C) foreshadowing D) alliteration
9. When Lily says goodbye to Seldon, she tells him: “There is someone I must say good-bye to. Oh, not you—we are sure to see each other again—but the Lily Bart you knew. I have kept her with me all this time, but now we are going to part, and I have brought her back to you; I am going to leave her here. When I go out presently, she will not go with me. I shall like to think that she has stayed with you; and she shall be no trouble, she’ll take up no room.” This means that Lily A) is renouncing the self she has been, the flighty society girl and intends to live a better life B) is telling Seldon that he will always be tormented by her memory C) is telling Seldon that the Lily Bart capable of loving him and meriting his love can exist no longer D) Lily is apologizing for all the trouble she’s caused Seldon.
10. Who says, “If you’d only let me, I’d set you up over them all—I’d put you where you could wipe your feet on ‘em.”? A) Gus Trenor B) Ned Silverton C) Rosedale D) Mr. Dorset
Short Answer Questions: Answer each of the following questions in a few sentences.
11. What does Lily finally do with Mrs. Dorset’s letters and why?
12. How does Selden try to help Lily when they are in Monte Carlo?
13. When Lily and Mr. Dorset meet, what does he ask of her and what power does Lily realize she has?
14. How does Lily’s attitude about Rosedale change as the novel progresses and why?
15. What suspicion does Selden have as he goes through Lily’s things after her death, and what does he find that bears upon his suspicion?
Write ONLY the first paragraph of a literary response essay on ONE of the following topics. This paragraph should contain general thoughts on the topic, a bridge sentence linking the novel to the topic, a thesis statement, and one brief example. IDENTIFY THE TOPIC YOU’VE CHOSEN AS THE TITLE OF YOUR RESPONSE.
Competition for status
OR
Appearances
OR
Money versus morality
2) Here is the exam. Write a brief paragraph explaining the reasoning for the correct answer for all questions you missed; and for those who lost point for your thesis statement, rewrite the thesis statement only in a convincing manner for extra credit on the test. (You'll note that question 2 has been rewritten to be more clear.)
Answer the following multiple choice questions:
1. At the beginning of Book 2, what character does the Duchess really like? A) Bertha Dorset B) Gus Trenor C) Mrs. Fisher D) Lily
2. What agreement does Jack Stepney make with Selden in response to Lily’s being kicked off the yacht? A) He offers to explain Lily’s side of the story B) He offers Lily a place to stay for the night C) He agrees to speak with Carrie Fisher about the incident D) He insists that Lily leave Monte Carlo early the following day E) A and B only F) B and D only.
3. This character says, “…I don’t mean to ask you to marry me if I can keep out of it…” Who is he? A) Seldon B) Rosedale C) Atherly D) George Dorset
4. How did Rosedale find out about the letters Lily possesses? A) He heard about them from Trenor B) Cary Fisher’s husband told him C) He owns the Benedick D) The fact of the letters was widely known among Mrs. Dorset’s circle.
5. Lily’s second escape from scandal in New York, after Monte Carlo, took her to __________ and was arranged by __________ who introduced her to ________________. A) Alaska/ Grace Stepney/the Gormers B) Montobello/Gerty/Mrs. Haffen C) Alaska/Mrs. Fisher/the Gormers D) Van Osburgh estate/Mrs. Fisher/Mrs. Hatch
6. When Lily becomes connected with the social world of Mrs. Hatch, we are told she “had an odd sense of being behind the social tapestry, on the side where the threads were knotted and the loose ends hung.” This is an example of A) a metaphor that suggests Lily is on the wrong side of society B) characterization that gives an idea of who Mrs. Hatch is C) a metaphor that suggests that society is a machine that crushes those who oppose it D) imagery that depicts the complexities of life in society.
7. “Look at these spangles, Miss Bart—every one of ‘em sewed on crooked.” This quote refers to A) Lily’s ball gown for her reentry into “society” B) Lily’s new job overseeing workers in a clothing factory C) Lily’s plan to present a “new style” at an upcoming fashion show D) Lily’s poor skills in sewing at her new job
8. When the pharmacist tells Lily, “It’s a queer acting drug. A drop or two more, and off you go …” this is an example of: A) metaphor B) personification C) foreshadowing D) alliteration
9. When Lily says goodbye to Seldon, she tells him: “There is someone I must say good-bye to. Oh, not you—we are sure to see each other again—but the Lily Bart you knew. I have kept her with me all this time, but now we are going to part, and I have brought her back to you; I am going to leave her here. When I go out presently, she will not go with me. I shall like to think that she has stayed with you; and she shall be no trouble, she’ll take up no room.” This means that Lily A) is renouncing the self she has been, the flighty society girl and intends to live a better life B) is telling Seldon that he will always be tormented by her memory C) is telling Seldon that the Lily Bart capable of loving him and meriting his love can exist no longer D) Lily is apologizing for all the trouble she’s caused Seldon.
10. Who says, “If you’d only let me, I’d set you up over them all—I’d put you where you could wipe your feet on ‘em.”? A) Gus Trenor B) Ned Silverton C) Rosedale D) Mr. Dorset
Short Answer Questions: Answer each of the following questions in a few sentences.
11. What does Lily finally do with Mrs. Dorset’s letters and why?
12. How does Selden try to help Lily when they are in Monte Carlo?
13. When Lily and Mr. Dorset meet, what does he ask of her and what power does Lily realize she has?
14. How does Lily’s attitude about Rosedale change as the novel progresses and why?
15. What suspicion does Selden have as he goes through Lily’s things after her death, and what does he find that bears upon his suspicion?
Write ONLY the first paragraph of a literary response essay on ONE of the following topics. This paragraph should contain general thoughts on the topic, a bridge sentence linking the novel to the topic, a thesis statement, and one brief example. IDENTIFY THE TOPIC YOU’VE CHOSEN AS THE TITLE OF YOUR RESPONSE.
Competition for status
OR
Appearances
OR
Money versus morality
Friday, November 19, 2010
Final Vocab List for Tuesday's Test
scruples, idiosyncrasies, contingency, inculcate
odious, interminable, magnitude, volatility
incongruously, reminiscence, extraneous, contemptuous
lustre, acquiescence, jocularity, boisterous
obscurity, poignant, celibate, refurbish
admonishing, circuitous, depleted, consoled
complacency, ambiguity, mystically, repugnance
fastidiousness, perplexity, provocation, conjecture
coquetry, perpetual, discomfiture, disillusionment, conducive, pessimism, promenade
vindication, seclusion, denouement, denunciation, grotesqueness
disparities, contortions, solicitations, obstinately
subdued, irrepressible, lamentable, whimsical, nebulous
aspirations, rambling, milieu, tumult, credulity, inclination
deluded, idiosyncrasies, foreboding, antagonistic, prosperity
imperviousness, indelicacy
abnormal, drudgeries, intermittent, perverse, mused
coexists, ostensible, credulous, impartiality, implication
dejection, altruism, aloof, innocuous, prosaic
proverbially, panoramic, inexorable, unalloyed, insinuations, incredulity, impenetrable, inclined, legitimate
inexorable, predominant, conspicuous, incredulity, immorality
improbable, succumbed, improvisation, sumptuous, exquisite
culminating, nip, ingenuity, forsook, conciliate, consciousness, expatriate
subdued, revulsions, utilitarian, interminably, prude, aphorisms, compassionate, smitten
pretext, precipitated, priggish, perilous, tentative, indignation
odious, interminable, magnitude, volatility
incongruously, reminiscence, extraneous, contemptuous
lustre, acquiescence, jocularity, boisterous
obscurity, poignant, celibate, refurbish
admonishing, circuitous, depleted, consoled
complacency, ambiguity, mystically, repugnance
fastidiousness, perplexity, provocation, conjecture
coquetry, perpetual, discomfiture, disillusionment, conducive, pessimism, promenade
vindication, seclusion, denouement, denunciation, grotesqueness
disparities, contortions, solicitations, obstinately
subdued, irrepressible, lamentable, whimsical, nebulous
aspirations, rambling, milieu, tumult, credulity, inclination
deluded, idiosyncrasies, foreboding, antagonistic, prosperity
imperviousness, indelicacy
abnormal, drudgeries, intermittent, perverse, mused
coexists, ostensible, credulous, impartiality, implication
dejection, altruism, aloof, innocuous, prosaic
proverbially, panoramic, inexorable, unalloyed, insinuations, incredulity, impenetrable, inclined, legitimate
inexorable, predominant, conspicuous, incredulity, immorality
improbable, succumbed, improvisation, sumptuous, exquisite
culminating, nip, ingenuity, forsook, conciliate, consciousness, expatriate
subdued, revulsions, utilitarian, interminably, prude, aphorisms, compassionate, smitten
pretext, precipitated, priggish, perilous, tentative, indignation
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
More vocabulary words
Chapter V: aspirations, rambling, milieu, tumult, credulity, inclination
Chapter VI: deluded, idiosyncrasies, foreboding, antagonistic, prosperity
Chapter VII: imperviousness, indelicacy
Chapter VIII: abnormal, drudgeries, intermittent, perverse, mused
Chapter VI: deluded, idiosyncrasies, foreboding, antagonistic, prosperity
Chapter VII: imperviousness, indelicacy
Chapter VIII: abnormal, drudgeries, intermittent, perverse, mused
Monday, November 8, 2010
Vocabulary for Wednesday
Define the following words and write at least one sentence using each word by Wednesday.
Chapter II: vindication, seclusion, denouement, denunciation, grotesqueness
Chapter III: disparities, contortions, solicitations, obstinately
Chapter IV: subdued, irrepressible, lamentable, whimsical, nebulous
Chapter II: vindication, seclusion, denouement, denunciation, grotesqueness
Chapter III: disparities, contortions, solicitations, obstinately
Chapter IV: subdued, irrepressible, lamentable, whimsical, nebulous
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Creativity, fulfillment and flow
Watch the following video and write a one-page summary of what you learned (DUE THURSDAY):
Monday, November 1, 2010
Song
Listen to this song by Josh Ritter, which tells a story about a contemporary situation or problem. What techniques does Ritter use to tell his story? Come to class Wednesday ready to discuss the storytelling techniques Ritter employs.
Vocabulary homework!
Here is the work. Define these words and write at least one sentence using each word by Wednesday:
Chapter 1: coquetry, perpetual, discomfiture, disillusionment, conducive, pertinence,pessimism, promenade
Chapter X: dejection, altruism, aloof, innocuous, prosaic
Chapter XI: proverbially, panoramic, inexorable, unalloyed, insinuations, incredulity, impenetrable, inclined, legitimate, immorality
Chapter 1: coquetry, perpetual, discomfiture, disillusionment, conducive, pertinence,pessimism, promenade
Chapter X: dejection, altruism, aloof, innocuous, prosaic
Chapter XI: proverbially, panoramic, inexorable, unalloyed, insinuations, incredulity, impenetrable, inclined, legitimate, immorality
Friday, October 22, 2010
Writing the literary response essay
So how do you transform your burning desire to say something about an important theme in Wharton's The House of Mirth into a finely wrought essay?
You will need the following ingredients:
1) Organization. Essays need to be tightly focused and make an argument in an incisive way. That means you'll need a THESIS STATEMENT in your first paragraph. The thesis statement is a succinct telling of the main argument you intend to make in the essay. (More on the opening paragraph later.)
2) You'll need the body paragraphs that follow to be tightly focused on the sub-points of your arguments. You can't afford to wander around from point to point. That means you'll need a topic sentence at or near the beginning of each paragraph that tells your reader the point the paragraph is going to prove. This sentence is then followed by specific evidence from the text that backs up your assertion.
3) You'll need to write with passion. Grinding out something that has no commitment or urgency on your part will lead to BOREDOM. This is the cardinal sin, the punishment for which is much worse than anything that has ever happened on the Sant'Angelo Bridge, if you catch my drift.
4) You'll need to use language that is sparkling and original that is full of energy and precision at one and the same time.
More on all of this later...
You will need the following ingredients:
1) Organization. Essays need to be tightly focused and make an argument in an incisive way. That means you'll need a THESIS STATEMENT in your first paragraph. The thesis statement is a succinct telling of the main argument you intend to make in the essay. (More on the opening paragraph later.)
2) You'll need the body paragraphs that follow to be tightly focused on the sub-points of your arguments. You can't afford to wander around from point to point. That means you'll need a topic sentence at or near the beginning of each paragraph that tells your reader the point the paragraph is going to prove. This sentence is then followed by specific evidence from the text that backs up your assertion.
3) You'll need to write with passion. Grinding out something that has no commitment or urgency on your part will lead to BOREDOM. This is the cardinal sin, the punishment for which is much worse than anything that has ever happened on the Sant'Angelo Bridge, if you catch my drift.
4) You'll need to use language that is sparkling and original that is full of energy and precision at one and the same time.
More on all of this later...
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
What are you alluding to?
It's a small moment in The House of Mirth. On page 178, Lily asks to speak with her aunt and notices a bronze box on her aunt's table that has a small portrait (a miniature) of Beatrice Cenci. Read here to find out who she is. And here for the location where she was executed.
Now why is this allusion important? What does the story of Beatrice Cenci tell us about the story in the The House of Mirth.
Now why is this allusion important? What does the story of Beatrice Cenci tell us about the story in the The House of Mirth.
How Much Does Lily Owe Trenor?
To find out go to the inflation calculator. I'd suggest putting in the year 1895, and see what you find out.
Monday, October 18, 2010
New vocabulary words!
It's what you've been waiting for, it's what you live for (admit it!), it's your new vocabulary list!
Mirth Vocabulary Part 2:
Chapter X: elegance, dejection, indulge, geniality, allusion, convivial, expletives,
Chapter XI: inexorable, predominant, conspicuous, incredulity, immorality
Chapter XII: improbable, succumbed, improvisation, sumptuous, exquisite
Chapter XIII: culminating, nip, ingenuity, forsook, conciliate, consciousness, expatriate
Chapter XIV: subdued, revulsions, utilitarian, interminably, prude, aphorisms, compassionate, smitten
Chapter XV: pretext, precipitated, priggish, perilous, tentative, indignation
Book II
Chapter 1: coquetry, perpetual, discomfiture, disillusionment, conducive, pertinence,\pessimism, promenade
Chapter II: vindication, seclusion, denouement, denunciation, grotesqueness
Chapter III: disparities, contortions, solicitations, obstinately
Chapter IV: subdued, irrepressible, lamentable, whimsical, nebulous
Chapter V: aspirations, rambling, milieu, tumult, credulity, inclination
Chapter VI: deluded, idiosyncrasies, foreboding, antagonistic, prosperity
Chapter VII: imperviousness, indelicacy
Chapter VIII: abnormal, drudgeries, intermittent, perverse, mused
Chapter IX: coexists, ostensible, credulous, impartiality, implication
Chapter X: subordinate, candor (candour), insatiable, promiscuous, phenomenon
Mirth Vocabulary Part 2:
Chapter X: elegance, dejection, indulge, geniality, allusion, convivial, expletives,
Chapter XI: inexorable, predominant, conspicuous, incredulity, immorality
Chapter XII: improbable, succumbed, improvisation, sumptuous, exquisite
Chapter XIII: culminating, nip, ingenuity, forsook, conciliate, consciousness, expatriate
Chapter XIV: subdued, revulsions, utilitarian, interminably, prude, aphorisms, compassionate, smitten
Chapter XV: pretext, precipitated, priggish, perilous, tentative, indignation
Book II
Chapter 1: coquetry, perpetual, discomfiture, disillusionment, conducive, pertinence,\pessimism, promenade
Chapter II: vindication, seclusion, denouement, denunciation, grotesqueness
Chapter III: disparities, contortions, solicitations, obstinately
Chapter IV: subdued, irrepressible, lamentable, whimsical, nebulous
Chapter V: aspirations, rambling, milieu, tumult, credulity, inclination
Chapter VI: deluded, idiosyncrasies, foreboding, antagonistic, prosperity
Chapter VII: imperviousness, indelicacy
Chapter VIII: abnormal, drudgeries, intermittent, perverse, mused
Chapter IX: coexists, ostensible, credulous, impartiality, implication
Chapter X: subordinate, candor (candour), insatiable, promiscuous, phenomenon
Monday, October 4, 2010
Some thoughts on tomorrow's test
Here's a few suggestions for areas in the novel you might want to focus on:
1) During Lily and Selden's walk, Selden discusses his idea of what would constitute the good life. What is this idea and how does Lily respond to it? Also did you notice how the walk in the country seems almost to function as a symbol of paradise before the fall (as in the Garden of Eden story)? Taken this way, the world of money and social standing is close to hell, or at least to the world after Adam and Eve were forced from paradise. This makes Selden's last line of the chapter, "Let us go down" all the more ominous -- in returning to the house, they are almost literally returning to the hell of money and social standing.
2) Mrs. Trenor is annoyed with Lily for having spent time with Selden, thereby neglecting Gryce. How did Bertha Dorset "poison" Gryce against Lily and why did she do so?
3) When Lily agrees to have Gus Trenor invest money for her, be aware that he is really not investing her money and making a return on the stock market; he's just giving her money. This is to have power over, boost his ego, and just possibly (though we can't be sure yet this is his plan) to have an affair with Lily in return for the money. I.e., be aware that in accepting the money Lily is putting herself in a terribly compromising position.
4) When Lily runs into Trenor and Rosedale, be aware of what Rosedale says and what he implies about Lily.
5)Be aware of what marriage plans Percy Gryce settles on and how this affects Lily.
6) Be aware of the satire about Mrs. Peniston at the beginning of Chapter 9. Have you ever known anybody who lives in that kind of highly scheduled, organized way? How does Mrs. Peniston's overly ordered existence contrast with Lily's?
7) Be aware of the meaning of the letters that Mrs. Hafner brings to Lily. Who are they from? They involve an affair between Mrs. Dorset and whom? How will the male in the affair be judged? What does Lily stand to gain, and why does she accept the letters?
See you tomorrow.
1) During Lily and Selden's walk, Selden discusses his idea of what would constitute the good life. What is this idea and how does Lily respond to it? Also did you notice how the walk in the country seems almost to function as a symbol of paradise before the fall (as in the Garden of Eden story)? Taken this way, the world of money and social standing is close to hell, or at least to the world after Adam and Eve were forced from paradise. This makes Selden's last line of the chapter, "Let us go down" all the more ominous -- in returning to the house, they are almost literally returning to the hell of money and social standing.
2) Mrs. Trenor is annoyed with Lily for having spent time with Selden, thereby neglecting Gryce. How did Bertha Dorset "poison" Gryce against Lily and why did she do so?
3) When Lily agrees to have Gus Trenor invest money for her, be aware that he is really not investing her money and making a return on the stock market; he's just giving her money. This is to have power over, boost his ego, and just possibly (though we can't be sure yet this is his plan) to have an affair with Lily in return for the money. I.e., be aware that in accepting the money Lily is putting herself in a terribly compromising position.
4) When Lily runs into Trenor and Rosedale, be aware of what Rosedale says and what he implies about Lily.
5)Be aware of what marriage plans Percy Gryce settles on and how this affects Lily.
6) Be aware of the satire about Mrs. Peniston at the beginning of Chapter 9. Have you ever known anybody who lives in that kind of highly scheduled, organized way? How does Mrs. Peniston's overly ordered existence contrast with Lily's?
7) Be aware of the meaning of the letters that Mrs. Hafner brings to Lily. Who are they from? They involve an affair between Mrs. Dorset and whom? How will the male in the affair be judged? What does Lily stand to gain, and why does she accept the letters?
See you tomorrow.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
House of Mirth Vocabulary, Chapters 1-8
The House of Mirth Vocabulary Sheet
Part 1:
Chapter 1
desultory, contrive, cotillion, plaintively, fastidiousness, perplexity, provocation, interrogatively, conjecture
Chapter 2
scruples, obdurate, dissembling, idiosyncrasies, despoil, candid, contingency, germinating, inculcate, sinuous
Chapter 3
decanters, meagreness, abject, odious, interminable, remittances, resentment, deplored, magnitude, immemorial, dinginess, volatility, indulgence
Chapter 4
servitude, harmonious, incongruously, reminiscence, extraneous, tacitly, inarticulate, recapitulation, volubility, encroaching, contemptuous
Chapter 5
lustre, subversive, deplorable, malleable, alluring, acquiescence, temperate, jocularity, crestfallen, disconcerted, piqued, boisterous
Chapter 6
exhilaration, aloofness, obscurity, fastidious, dismal, poignant, celibate, refurbish, eclectic, belitte, hideous
Chapter 7
admonishing, retaliate, circuitous, depleted, crudity, desecration, consoled
Chapter 8
complacency, ambiguity, mystically, complacency, aspirations, philanthropy, blundering, repugnance, allusion, superfluous
Part 1:
Chapter 1
desultory, contrive, cotillion, plaintively, fastidiousness, perplexity, provocation, interrogatively, conjecture
Chapter 2
scruples, obdurate, dissembling, idiosyncrasies, despoil, candid, contingency, germinating, inculcate, sinuous
Chapter 3
decanters, meagreness, abject, odious, interminable, remittances, resentment, deplored, magnitude, immemorial, dinginess, volatility, indulgence
Chapter 4
servitude, harmonious, incongruously, reminiscence, extraneous, tacitly, inarticulate, recapitulation, volubility, encroaching, contemptuous
Chapter 5
lustre, subversive, deplorable, malleable, alluring, acquiescence, temperate, jocularity, crestfallen, disconcerted, piqued, boisterous
Chapter 6
exhilaration, aloofness, obscurity, fastidious, dismal, poignant, celibate, refurbish, eclectic, belitte, hideous
Chapter 7
admonishing, retaliate, circuitous, depleted, crudity, desecration, consoled
Chapter 8
complacency, ambiguity, mystically, complacency, aspirations, philanthropy, blundering, repugnance, allusion, superfluous
Monday, September 20, 2010
Satire examples from The Onion
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Registering for Engrade
To register for Engrade, go to www.engrade.com. Click the student button and go to register. You'll be prompted to enter your special code. Your code is: mrvilbig-yourMidwoodId#-your top secret special four digit code #.
(The top secret special four digit code # is the one I gave you in class.)
Please note that mrvilbig is spelled with no periods and no capitals.
Good luck!
(The top secret special four digit code # is the one I gave you in class.)
Please note that mrvilbig is spelled with no periods and no capitals.
Good luck!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Grades
Grades will be based on the following:
Tests/ at home writing and projects (including creative writing projects): 40 percent
Classwork, quizzes, and homework: 60 percent
Total: 100 percent
How we'll work:
For creative writing, we will use a workshop approach, in which you'll share your work with other writers in the class and get their feedback. (More on this later.)
For each book or literary work we read, you’ll be expected to read about 15 to 25 pages a night. In addition you will sometimes have homework in which you'll be asked to write brief responses or answer questions about your reading or topics for class discussion. In addition, you can expect that for each book or literary work, you'll write one at-home essay and have one to two tests.
IMPORTANT: Grades are cumulative. That means the grades you make now count as much as the grades later in the semester. So it's important to work hard from the very beginning and not dig yourself into a hole in the first weeks of our class.
Tests/ at home writing and projects (including creative writing projects): 40 percent
Classwork, quizzes, and homework: 60 percent
Total: 100 percent
How we'll work:
For creative writing, we will use a workshop approach, in which you'll share your work with other writers in the class and get their feedback. (More on this later.)
For each book or literary work we read, you’ll be expected to read about 15 to 25 pages a night. In addition you will sometimes have homework in which you'll be asked to write brief responses or answer questions about your reading or topics for class discussion. In addition, you can expect that for each book or literary work, you'll write one at-home essay and have one to two tests.
IMPORTANT: Grades are cumulative. That means the grades you make now count as much as the grades later in the semester. So it's important to work hard from the very beginning and not dig yourself into a hole in the first weeks of our class.
Welcome to Creative Writing
We will be focusing in this class on becoming skilled writers in a variety of genres from fiction to creative non-fiction to poetry to the literary essay. This class will involve a great deal of writing in which you will be asked to become a self-aware writer and creator, knowledgeable about the traditions of literature and conscious of your own process and the choices you make a writer. Because good writers are also good readers, you’ll read a wide variety of fiction of high literary polish and skill, and you will read as a writer – that is, you will read with the goal of understanding the techniques and methods used by the writer you are studying to create his or her vision.
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