Today we are finishing Pocahontas and then you will use your notes to write an informal 1 paragraph analysis of the movie.

Remember, before the break I need you to submit your analysis of Transients in Arcadia. I will show you how to do that at the start of the period today. If you’re away, text me and I will send you your log in instructions for Sesame. Remember, to send me a file, you click on “Snap” and create a snap (which allows you to upload the file.

Today we’re going to do a Postcolonial analysis of the Disney film Pocahontas, using the following handout: Postcolonial Analysis of Disney

Hi everyone,

I have you reader’s journals marked so I will give those back and speak in general terms about what I’d like to see from you next time.

1. If you’re not prepared, you don’t participate. It’s not fair to your group members. And you certainly don’t use your literature circle meeting as an opportunity to finish your work. If I see you doing that, you will receive a zero for the meeting.
2. Please ensure you’re clearly delineating between your summary of plot events and your THINKING about the novel. Questions, and analysis should go on the right. If you’re just jotting down something that happened in the book, it goes on the left.
3. Dig deeper. Avoid the obvious. Don’t just identify something as a symbol or make not of interesting word choice. Try to draw conclusions about the author’s choice.

Next I want to talk about some words and phrases I’d like you to avoid putting in your writing. This is something I made last year, so it’s not a reflection on anything I’ve read from any of you so far:

Now I’d like to return to Postcolonial literary criticism. I know there were some internet issues yesterday due to the black out so I’m not sure how much Mr. Flumerfelt was able to cover.

Any time left over will be for your analysis of Transients in Arcadia. This must be submitted digitally before the March Break. I will show you how to do that today.

Today Mr. Flumerfelt is coming in to do a guest talk on postcolonialism!

If you are away, please look at the following video and powerpoint:

Post Colonialism

Today you will be working on your analysis of Transients in Arcadia (see yesterday’s post).

Before tomorrow’s class, please have the handout you got yesterday on Postcolonial literary criticism read. Postcolonial Theory

Today we’ll begin with some silent reading time. Then we’ll discuss your blog posts and any issues you had with them.

Next we’ll move on to taking up the questions for Transients in Arcadia.

Then you’re going to spend some time working on this:

Analyzing a Short Story Using Literary Theory

Write an analysis of no more than 500 words from either an archetypal perspective or a reader response perspective. Your analysis needs to include a thesis. To help you with this I would suggest using this statement as your template: When analyzing “Transients in Arcadia” from a _____________ (archetypal or reader response) perspective, it becomes clear that the author is depicting the struggle between/ questioning the legitimacy of/ suggesting that human beings/  ____________________________________________.

Your introduction only needs to include your thesis.

Support your ideas using at least three specific examples from the text. I would strongly encourage you to use this method to organize your body paragraphs:

STATE: State your point. (In case this isn’t clear, your point should support your thesis.)

ILLUSTRATE: Support your point using a specific example from the text—either a paraphrase or a quotation.

EXPLAIN: Explain how this example you just used supports your point.

You do not need a conclusion.

Here’s what I’m looking for for a level 4:

Please read the short story Transients in Arcadia and answer the following questions for tomorrow:

Transients in Arcadia

by O. Henry

Study Guide

1) Look up the meanings of the words “transients” and “Arcadia”. Explain what the words mean and how they create an appropriate title for the short story.

2) What was your reaction to the opening paragraphs of the story and emphasis on description of the setting? What do you think O. Henry was trying to accomplish?

3) How does O. Henry establish Madame Beaumont as a member of high society and therefore an acceptable guest in the Hotel Lotus? To what degree does he use the same techniques with Harold Farrington? Leaving the question of wealth aside, are the two characters portrayed as suitable guests? Explain.

4) Were you surprised by the confessions from Madame Beaumont and Mr. Farrington? Why or why not?

5) Reread the story and make a list of ten words with which you are unfamiliar, or which you are unused to seeing in print. Provide a definition and at least one synonym for each word (Please indicate the source for your definition). Rewrite three sentences from the story by substituting the synonym for the original word. How does this affect the tone of the sentences?

6) O.Henry’s writing often includes coincidences and irony. How does he use these devices in this story? Be sure to use specific references to the text.

7) What level of language does O.Henry use in this short story (Formal, standard, or informal)? Why is it so important to the story’s effectiveness? Identify the point at which the level of language changes. What effect does this change have on the reader’s experience of the short story?

It’s finally our literature circle day! I’m looking forward to today. Remember you will need to have your reader’s journals and discussion questions ready in order to participate in today’s meeting. Normally the day after our literature circle meeting is dedicated to blogging. However, due to my unavoidable absence yesterday, that can’t happen. Since you got an extra day to either prepare or work ahead though, I am assigning the blog post for homework and will discuss the procedure for writing and posting at the start of class today. If this is going to be a problem for you due to lack of access to internet, please come speak to me during class time and we will make alternate arrangements.

Don’t forget your literature circle meeting tomorrow. You will need to have your reader’s journals and questions completed in order to participate.

Next:
Register / Level of Language

Register refers to the level of formality of language. Language can be characterized according to the social context for which it is appropriate. For example, language with a colloquial register might contain slang expressions and unconventional grammar. We can say that the register is formal (as in academic essays), informal (as in casual conversation, emails, texts) or standard (something in between: personal essays, fiction, etc.)

Propel, Propel, Propel Your Craft

Propel, propel, propel your craft, placidly down the liquid solution,

Ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically,

Existence is merely an illusion.

In small groups you will receive a copy of some pop song lyrics. Your task will be to use whatever tools you can find: dictionary, thesaurus, cell phones, laptops etc. to find synonyms that are more elevated. See if you can bump up the diction enough to make it hard for your classmates to identify the song.

Once the song lyrics are presented we will discuss the effect that elevated diction has on a subject which will help you understand its purpose in our next short story, “Transients in Arcadia.”

Homework:

1. If you haven’t already done so, sign up for our blogging site: www.pining.ning.com
2. Read “Transients in Arcadia”.

I have a bunch of little things I need to cover with you all today so please bear with me:

1. I’ve made some revisions to the class calendar again so let’s check those out.
2. I want to give you time to ask questions about the literature circle meeting (I trust you all looked over your handouts and are prepared to ask questions if you have any)
3. I want to talk about how to generate good discussion questions
4. I need to remind anyone who was absent on Friday to sign up for our class blogging site.
5. We’ll take up the archetypal literary criticism questions from last week.
6. You will have the rest of class time for working on your reader’s journals