Block Day: Prose

* Open
  • List the parts of speech.
    • Review the parts of speech at OWL if you wish once you finish.  
      • I like OWL, but this list of eight is a bit different than the traditional breakdown.  How is it different?   
* Read the first two essays from Francis Bacon ("Of Truth", "Of Innovation").



Notes:
  • "Of Truth" (the harder essay)
    • He opens with Pilate's famous question to Christ. 
    • He notes that Skeptics (both the ancient sect and the modern, rather bloodless version) are to be found positing similar statements ("What is truth?" There is no absolute truth, etc.). 
    • He posits that lies may look prettier than the natural truth.
    • Some say fiction and poetry is the wine of demons ("vinum daemonum"). 
    • He says those "lies" are transitory at worst and that the dangerous lies are those that take up residence in the soul. 
    • He quotes Lucretius the pagan Epicurean who recognized that truth is the best vantage point possible for mankind (better than ship-watching from shore, better than watching a battle from a castle window).
    • He breaks forth in glorious tripartite parallelisms as he meditates on the creation of the world and reason. 
    • He follows Montaigne in the thought that lies are shameful because they show boldness or disrespect toward God and cowardice toward man.  We should be the reverse (reverent toward God and bold and true on earth).
    • He takes the question in Luke 18 ("Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"), and forms it into a statement to conclude his essay. 
  • "Of Innovation" (the easier essay)
    • He considers innovation both positive and negative. 
    • Medicine is a good example of generally positive innovation. 
    • Consider how nature innovates without jarring revolution. 
    • We should beware governmental innovation. 
    • He concludes with a wonderful thought from Jeremiah 6:16.
Writing Assignment: Journal 10
  • 10.1 In one paragraph, explain how you agree or disagree with a statement in either short essay from Bacon. 
  • 10.2 What do you find in Bacon's style that you see less of today in news articles or other essays? 
* Next read an essay from Samuel Johnson.  You may read a longer essay on Shakespeare in the book above (pg. 109) or you may read a shorter piece on procrastination here.
  • 10.3 From yesterday's Samuel Johnson reading:  What did Johnson think of Milton's decision not to use rhyme and instead employ blank verse in his epic work?
  • Review your rhetoric, and peruse this condensed lesson on rhetorical structure.
  • 10.4  Find at least five examples of rhetorical schemes in Johnson's writing (you may quote from either or both essays by Johnson).  Note the scheme (such as parallelism) and quote the example from the text.  
* If you finish early (esp. per. 7, as you may get ahead with no discussion): Please read the other Johnson essay then any other essay from the book of English Essays that looks interesting to you.  Keep a weather eye out for rhetorical style.

HW: Journal 10.3

Sir Francis Bacon (1561--1626)

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