Wednesday, 2/1: Writing

* Pray (safe travel; cautionary tales)

* Review Grammar

* Writing

Example 1: Megan Anders

Example 2: Jina Park

HW: Finish J32

Tuesday, 1/31: Grammar: Colon

* Pray

* Kubla Colon

* Bedford > Punctuation > Colon (35)
1.  Read 35-35d.
2.  Take notes on the rules
3.  Do ex. 35-1 all.

* J32

HW: Work on J32

Monday, 1/30: Reading

* Pray (for babies)

* Journal 32 Reviewed

* This week we will have a M.C. practice test.

* Austen questions will now be oral. You do not need to fill in answers any longer; simply keep up with the reading and look over the guide for what I will be asking.

J32

I.  Notes and Terms (don't forget to provide a literary example or sentence for each term defined)
* allusion
* third-person limited point of view
* stream of consciousness
* first-person point of view  
* objective (or dramatic) point of view
* epistolary novel (esp. as treats point of view; not in Perrine's or Turco)

Below, see Turco
* logical argument
* a priori or deductive reasoning
* a posteriori or inductive reasoning
* general principle
* premise (major and minor)
* conclusion
* categorical syllogism
* taxonomy
* differentia


II. Story, ch. 5: Point of View: Example story: "The Swimmer" by John Cheever, pg. 607, on Focus.
Response question: In a well-developed paragraph, examine the role of the point of view in supporting the central idea of the story.

III. Poetry, ch. 8: Allusion. I will list the poems and the questions. This will tighten our scope and make your work clearer and easier.

Get the Poetry Foundation app for your iPad, please. The poems are scattered in Perrine's (use the appendix--back of the book--to locate by title or author).

Review and Remember: "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen, "Terence, this is stupid stuff" by A.E. Houseman, "Never Again Would Bird's Song be the Same" by Robert Frost

New to consider: "The Destruction of Sennarcherib" by Lord Byron, "Journey of the Magi" by T.S. Eliot, "Nothing Gold can Stay" by Robert Frost, "Kubla Kahn" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, "Sailing to Byzantium" by William Butler Yeats

Optional: "The Abortion" by Anne Sexton

Choose two poems to answer this one question:
1. In a well-developed paragraph, explain how one allusion significantly strengthens the poem in terms of its power (density, intensity), imagery, and central meaning.

IV.  Austen: Read 10 chapters (through ch. 35)

HW: Work on J32

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Someone asked me about allusion in the title "The Unknown Citizen" by W.H. Auden.

The answer is The Tomb of the Unknowns (it has never officially been named) at Arlington National Cemetery (for fallen American soldiers in certain modern wars who could not be identified) in Arlington, Virginia. 

Here is a picture of the amphitheater.  Note the national treasures buried in the cornerstone.

And what do we read over the west entrance?  "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori." 

This also echoes Paul's Mars' Hill sermon in Acts 17 where he speaks of the altar "To the Unknown God." 

Block Day, Week 25: ICE

* Pray

* Tea

* Check J31; discussion: "Hunters in the Snow", Heaney, Marvell vs. Herrick, Browning

* ICE

HW: Read

Wednesday: Writing: Allusion and Chaucer

* Please read the following theme essay from Mackenzie's SI ICE final exam.
Prompt: Explain an allusion (or allusions) that supports a major theme from a semester 1 work; do not merely summarize the plot

  

And a Tookish Reminiscence

Warren Richardson told me that he hated middle school for a season.  He had a hard time; felt bored. 

One day, reading Tolkien, he had an epiphany: Something he read changed the way he saw the world.  Since then, he wanted to do his best at everything in life.  He wanted to try new things.  He took interest in whatever he engaged in, sought to explore the world.  Today, he is studying engineering at Stanford.

What was the quote?

"Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick. He looked out the window. The stars were out in a dark sky above the trees. He thought of the jewels of the dwarves shining in dark caverns" (Tolkien 28).

Where to find terms and extra grammar and MLA info.?

You may ask, "Mr. Schwager, what should I do to find a definition that's not from Perrine's or a part of Turco's .pdf...other places have such long and various definitions."

Well, I'm glad you asked.  This is an alphabetical list that covers most terms (besides Turco's advanced terms): Cummings Study Guide Terms. 

Or, you may ask, "Mr. Schwager, the Bedford book is kind of funky to work with online.  Is there a good site that has similar info. in a better format for me to review or learn from? MLA review?"

Why, yes, there's the OWL at Purdue:
Writing and Grammar
MLA

These sites and Bedford have all been added to as a link list below the label on the right side of the blog for convenience.

Enjoy,

Mr. S

Tuesday, 1/24: Grammar

* Pray

* Tea party deux?  If so, be sure to comment below and bring bottles of water (per. 1 and 3). 

* "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty

* "Hunters in the Snow" by Tobias Wolff

Keep in mind: How do you account for character motivation?  What kind of characters are these? 

* Grammar: Do ex. 34-2 letters and numbers

* J31

- The numbering was confusing.  It makes sense to put your Perrine's notes and the terms together.  We will call the intro. notes and terms the first section from this point.

1.  Introductory notes and terms: Define and provide an example from literature (many should readily come from recent readings)
2. Complete sentence responses with some consideration: Austen.
3. Complete, considerate responses: Poetry.
4. Complete, considerate, elaborated responses: Short story. 

* Discussion

HW: G 34-2; J31

Monday, 1/23: Reading

* Pray

* Collect J30

* Assign J31 (due block day)

1. Terms and Introductions
* Paradox
* Overstatement
* Understatement
* Irony
* Litotes
For the following, see Turco Advanced Rhetoric and Nonfiction
* Disquisition vs. discourse
* Socratic dialogue
* Didactic
* Letters vs. belles lettres
* via negativa vs. via affirmativa
* Creative nonfiction
* Metafiction
* Metanonfiction
* Narrator
* Argument

2. Story: Take notes of Ch. 4 introduction: Theme.  Read Tobias Wolff: "Hunters in the Snow"
- 1.  In a well-developed paragraph, explain the theme of this piece using specific examples from the story.

3. Take notes on Perrine's Poetry Ch. 7: Figurative Language III: Paradox, Overstatement, Understatement, Irony; read the chapter.
- Questions: Choose two poems, one of five or more questions.  Choose separate centuries.

4. Austen
- Read -Vol. 2, Ch. 2 or ch. 25 (depending on your text)

- Answer any 10 questions between vol. 1 ch. 20 and vol.2 ch. 2 (or between ch. 20-25)

* Discussion

* Work in Class

* Bleak House

HW: Work on J31

Seniors going to a Junior College Next Year: Get an invitation from Student Services

The room for the CA Community College presentation is   D – 13,     and senior students who have indicated that they are, or may be community college bound will be given an invitation and pass on Tuesday during 2nd period.  They are to give the pass to their regular Advisory teacher ahead of time (ideally) and show up in   D-13 right at 1:00 pm because presentation will start then. 
There is much information to go over and hopefully time for questions.   Attendance will be taken both days.
 

Thursdays: Christian Study in B22

Read, listen, discuss, and pray with us during lunch on Thursdays in B22. 

Upcoming:
Colossians Encouragements; discussion following

Ordinary You, Extraordinary God, part 1: 20 min. with discussion following. 

We'll endeavor to have something good for the spiritually mature and for those of new faith (meat and milk as the Paul would say).


Come and learn and pray with us,

Mr. S

Block Day, Week 23

* Pray

* Early tea

* Quiz

1) Card
2) Terms
3) Practice AP

* Latter tea

* Bleak House

HW: Finish Journal Assignment

Wednesday, 1/18: Writing

* Pray

* Grammar 34-1
a. kind; just
b. defense, they...children, but
c. money, I...books; if...left, I
d. correct
e. it; wisecracking
1. dangerous; you
2. correct
3. house, the...heated; every
4. want, but; testing
5. poor; rich


* Read "Hymn to God My God, in My Sickness" (pg. 825)

* Read Mackenzie's response (below).

* Work on J30

HW: Work on J30

Wednesday 1/18: Writing, Example Essay: Mackenzie Jackson's "Hymn to God My God, in My Sickness"

Mackenzie Jackson

Mr. Schwager

English IV AP Per. 5

8 December 2005

Prompt: Choose an literary term and apply it to a Perrine poem of your choice (3-4 pages). 

Victorious in Death: Biblical Allusion in “Hymn to God My God, in My Sickness”

A writer references Achilles’ heel, Madame DeFarge, the Harpies, Job, June Cleaver, the storming of Troy, and Ebenezer Scrooge; these are some of the most famous allusions in life and literature. With each implied reference to such a name or an incident, there is a universal recognition of the connotations and histories associated with such allusions. Because of its ability to add depth to and enrich meaning in both poetry and literature, allusion has become one of the most widely used and debated literary elements. John Donne, the greatest metaphysical poet in history, was a prolific user of allusion. In his many attempts to expand on the themes of love, death, and the afterlife, Donne makes use of powerful allusions, especially those he had become familiar with in his career as a priest, those of a biblical nature. In his religious poem, “Hymn to God My God, in My Sickness”, written when Donne was very ill and thought to be near death, he makes use of biblical allusions such as the relationship between Adam and Christ as well as to Christ’s death and resurrection in a successful attempt to enrich his themes of earthly struggle and heavenly victory. These allusions in a poem concerning a reflection on life and a preparation for death expose Donne’s life struggle between humanity and divinity and the ultimate victory of the divine.

Tuesday, 1/17/12: Grammar, Perrine, etc.

* Pray

This week: Quiz on our block day covering Q2 outside reading and terms (Perrine's poetry --ch. 6; fiction--ch. 3). We will also have a single M.C. test section. Tea party and Bleak House follow.

* Ch. 4: "Valediction Forbidding Mourning"

Grammar: Semicolon.
Read 34, 34a, 34b, 34c, and 34d. Do ex. 34-1 (all letters and numbers)

Austen's Prayers

#1

 

"Give us grace, Almighty Father, so to pray, as to deserve to be heard, to address thee with our Hearts, as with our lips. Thou art every where present, from Thee no secret can be hid. May the knowledge of this, teach us to fix our Thoughts on Thee, with Reverence and Devotion that we pray not in vain. Look with Mercy on the Sins we have this day committed, and in Mercy make us feel them deeply, that our Repentance may be sincere, and our resolution stedfast of endeavouring against the commission of such in future. Teach us to understand the sinfulness of our own Hearts, and bring to our knowledge every fault of Temper and every evil Habit in which we have indulged to the dis-comfort of our fellow-creatures, and the danger of our own Souls. May we now, and on each return of night, consider how the past day has been spent by us, what have been our prevailing Thoughts, Words, and Actions during it, and how far we can acquit ourselves of Evil. Have we thought irreverently of Thee, have we disobeyed thy commandments, have we neglected any known duty, or willingly given pain to any human being? Incline us to ask our Hearts these questions Oh! God, and save us from deceiving ourselves by Pride or Vanity. Give us a thankful sense of the Blessings in which we live, of the many comforts of our lot; that we may not deserve to lose them by Discontent or Indifference. Be gracious to our Necessities, and guard us, and all we love, from Evil this night. May the sick and afflicted, be now, and ever thy care; and heartily do we pray for the safety of all that travel by Land or by Sea, for the comfort and protection of the Orphan and Widow and that thy pity may be shewn upon all Captives and Prisoners. Above all other blessings Oh! God, for ourselves, and our fellow-creatures, we implore Thee to quicken our sense of thy Mercy in the redemption of the World, of the Value of that Holy Religion in which we have been brought up, that we may not, by our own neglect, throw away the salvation thou has given us, nor be Christians only in name. Hear us Almighty God, for His sake who has redeemed us, and taught us thus to pray." (The Lord's Prayer follows.)

#2

"Father of Heaven! whose goodness has brought us in safety to the close of this day, dispose our hearts in fervent prayer. Another day is now gone, and added to those, for which we were before accountable. Teach us almighty father, to consider this solemn truth, as we should do, that we may feel the importance of every day, and every hour as it passes, and earnestly strive to make a better use of what thy goodness may yet bestow on us, than we have done of the time past. Give us grace to endeavour after a truly Christian spirit to seek to attain that temper of forbearance and patience of which our blessed saviour has set us the highest example; and which, while it prepares us for the spiritual happiness of the life to come, will secure to us the best enjoyment of what this world can give. Incline us oh God! to think humbly of ourselves, to be severe only in the examination of our own conduct, to consider our fellow-creatures with kindness, and to judge of all they say and do with that charity which we would desire from them ourselves. We thank thee with all our hearts for every gracious dispensation, for all the blessings that have attended our lives, for every hour of safety, health and peace, of domestic comfort and innocent enjoyment. We feel that we have been blessed far beyond any thing that we have deserved; and though we cannot but pray for a continuance of all these mercies, we acknowledge our unworthiness of them and implore thee to pardon the presumption of our desires. Keep us oh! Heavenly Father from evil this night. Bring us in safety to the beginning of another day and grant that we may rise again with every serious and religious feeling which now directs us. May thy mercy be extended over all mankind, bringing the ignorant to the knowledge of thy truth, awakening the impenitent, touching the hardened. Look with compassion upon the afflicted of every condition, assuage the pangs of disease, comfort the broken in spirit. More particularly do we pray for the safety and welfare of our own family and friends wheresoever dispersed, beseeching thee to avert from them all material and lasting evil of body or mind; and may we by the assistance of thy holy spirit so conduct ourselves on earth as to secure an eternity of happiness with each other in thy heavenly kingdom. Grant this most merciful Father, for the sake of our blessed saviour in whose holy name and words we further address thee." (The Lord's Prayer follows.)