Week 28

GOING WITH THE FLOW

It has been said that you can never put your foot in the same river twice. Rivers are alive, flowing, and in constant motion. The river that was there a moment ago is long gone. The same is true for poetry, music, art, and even movies. We never really hear the same song twice or see the same piece of art twice. What we bring to a second or third or hundredth exposure to a song or a painting is always different than the time before. We bring memories, feelings, and sensations. And the effect is cumulative. Even when I run, I never really run the same route exactly the same. It is impossible for me to recreate the exact circumstances for each run. I can’t have the same weather or the same people around me. I bring to each run a new sensation and experience. My point here is that each of us brings our own experiences to poetry. However, it is essential to try to become the poet when you read his/her poem. Walk in the shoes of the writer. Determine who is speaking, what the poem is about, and how the poet created the meaning (literary devices). Trust the poet, then all will be well.

Stay focused this week in our quest to better understand poetry. It really is beautiful and powerful. Perhaps, then your preconceived myth of poetry could be altered in a more positive way.


On The Great Gatsby:

When reading The Great Gatsby this week think about the values and goals that Fitzgerald describes in the chapters. Do they conflict with your own? Remember, each chapter is rich in imagery, symbols, foreshadowing, juxtaposition, irony, paradox, sentence patterns, and speech styles. And within this mastery of literary techniques is Fitzgerald’s criticism of a materialistic society focused on this American Dream. For this, The Great Gatsby is a social epithet, and a work that has endured to tell us something about the human condition, which is universal.

Here are your assignments/Agenda for Week 28:

Week 28 MS Word

Week 28 pdf

If you have questions about these assignments, please leave a comment or email me directly. Remember, I will check the blog until 9:59 pm. You know I need my Seinfeld fix.

Week 27

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, is often acclaimed the best picture of the years tagged the “Jazz Age.” It offers a vividly realistic portrayal of the artistic, political, and economic climate of the 1920s. It discloses the psychological outburst of release from enforced sacrifice and deprivation of WWI.

In the nine chapters Fitzgerald captures the myth of the “American Dream” with its hope, search—the knight looking for the grail – and illusion, as corruption, intolerance, prejudice, and self-interest lead to tragedy.

Each chapter is rich in imagery, symbols, foreshadowing, juxtaposition, irony, paradox, sentence patterns, and speech styles. And within this mastery of literary techniques is Fitzgerald’s criticism of a materialistic society focused on this American Dream. For this, The Great Gatsby is a social epithet, and a work that has endured to tell us something about the human condition, which is universal.

Just about every other sentence in the novel is a textual moment. A significant theme is American Idealism corrupted by materialism. When reading the book look for ways Fitzgerald describes social class divisions in the 1920s and how the setting emphasizes the differences between the classes.

When annotating consider imagery, diction, syntax-- language. This is how Fitzgerald gets his point across. Look up vocabulary words that are unfamiliar. Always choose a meaningful quote, then be able to explain its significance within the context of the piece.

Smile abundantly this week! I am proud of all of you!

DUE DATES:

Tues, March 11: Read Chapter 1, The Great Gatsby
Thurs, March 13: Read Chapter 2, The Great Gatsby
Spring Break Assignment: Finish reading and annotating The Great Gatsby; work in journal and finish poems from the poetry unit. I will check all work when you get back from the break.

Here are your assignments/Agenda for Week 27:

Week 27 MS Word

Week 27 pdf

If you have questions about these assignments, please leave a comment or email me directly. Remember, I will check the blog until 9:59 pm. You know I need my Seinfeld fix.