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Behold, my favorite Jane Eyre: French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, from the '96 movie version. Doesn't she just look the part  perfectly? (cultural tangent: Gainsbourg's father is French  icon/musician Serge Gainsbourg. Feel free to enhance your potential hipster  quotient by watching this classic Serge/Brigitte Bardot video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB112Vbl8-A.   You'll thank me when you're the coolest kid in  college). 

 Blog Assignment

Please read the following extremely brief article:

The Position of Victorian Middle Class Women

http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/bronte/cbronte/73cbwomen.html 


Respond:

In the blog comments, please write a post that answers the following 
question (s): 

1. How does social class affect Jane in Chapters 14-17, specifically her 
interactions with and reactions to Rochester, Blanche Ingram and her cohort? Analyze the 
struggle that arises between Jane's sense of individuality and independence, and 
the obligation she feels to "be good" and follow the rules of social class set 
out by Victorian society. 

2. Length: 2 paragraphs. Must include at least one direct quote, properly cited. 


3. Please also reply to at least one of your classmate's comments. 


DUE: Friday morning 1/9, by 7am (so, basically, do it for HW tonight!)

I look forward to  reading your thoughts! 



 
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Our blog discussion was fun, but I'd like to do 
something a little different for next week. First, make sure you complete the reading assignment listed below, and then read the directions 

for the ensuing group discussion assignment. Let me know if you have questions!

Long Weekend Reading Assignment: Chapters 25-32


Discussion Assignment Directions

1. Each student will be assigned a question for further analysis.
2. Each student will prepare his/her thoughts on the question, including annotations, direct quotes and overall commentary. I will collect these responses for a homework grade.
3. At the  beginning of class on Wednesday, January 22, students will meet with their other group members  to discuss their findings. Then each group will lead discussion on their assigned question. Discussion will continue into Wednesday. 

Question One (assigned to Skye, Tariah, Lauren, Dacota)
Describe Jane's experiences in Chapter 28. Is Mother Nature kind to Jane? What about people? 
What do you make of the sentimental description of the Rivers? 

Question Two (assigned to Tyler, Maeve, Sully)
Using Chapter 29 as your basis, compare St. John to Rochester. How 
does Jane feel toward him, and why? 

Question  Three: (assigned to Amber, Nick, Juliet, Andrea)
Equality was a major concern  for Jane in her relationship with Rochester. Examine Jane's relationships with  the Rivers, the servant Hannah and Jane's students. Is Jane as concerned about  equality in these relationships? Why or why  not?

Question Four  (assigned to Savannah, Ashley, Bailey, Harry ) 
Some critics have suggested that the "Rivers"  portion of the book could be left out entirely. Is the River story important to Jane's development? Why or why not? Give careful reasons for your view. 

 
Picture
Behold, my favorite Jane Eyre: French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, from the '96 movie version. Doesn't she just look the part  perfectly? (cultural tangent: Gainsbourg's father is French  icon/musician Serge Gainsbourg. Feel free to enhance your potential hipster quotient by watching this classic Serge/Brigitte Bardot video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB112Vbl8-A.   You'll thank me when you're the coolest kid in  college).

Inaugural Blog Assignment: Narrative Perspective in Jane Eyre

Please return to the handout on narration that I gave you in class on Thursday, 1/9. 
Since we ran out of time during class, I would like us to finish our discussion here on the blog.As a refresher, here are the questions I posed:


1. How would you characterize Jane as a narrator? Choose two or three adjectives and offer a description of her narrative style, using examples and/or direct quotes from the book in order to support your claim.


2. Writing on Victorian Web, Ph.D candidate Devon Anderson observes that “Jane seems astoundingly strong, rational, reliable, and honest,” yet, in certain passages the reader senses, “an underlying emotional chaos and an impulse to withhold or manipulate lurking within our seemingly reliable narrator.” Elaborate on this claim, using a specific passage from the novel as evidence (you may consult your journals for a passage if you wish).

Your Assignment


1.In the blog comments, please write a post that combines your thoughts on these two prompts, using quotes to support your claims. 


2. Length: 2-3 paragraphs. Must include at least two direct quotes, properly cited.


3. Please also reply to at least one of your classmate's comments.


DUE: Sunday 1/12, by midnight

I look forward to reading your thoughts!





 
Hi all,

Here is the vacation homework, for those who were absent or lost their copy.



Have a great break!!



Vacation HW
/uploads/9/0/6/2/9062297/glass_menagerie_vacation_hw_2013.docx




 
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Another brutal blow to our schedule, kids! T.S. Eliot said that "April is the cruelest month," but obviously he was wrong. I know, you're all just as broken up about this as I am. 

Ok, here is the homework for Friday: 

Act III Study Questions
/uploads/9/0/6/2/9062297/hamlet_act_3_short_study_guide.rtf

This is a rich text format file so ALL computers can access it. If you can't, you need to email me pronto. See you soon! 


***Clarification: Please either print out the discussion questions and answer them on that sheet, or simply number a sheet of notebook paper and answer the questions there. Either way, please bring a hard copy to class, but don't post on blog. Sorry for the confusion! I wasn't clear on my original posting. :) 











 

Hi all,


If you were absent the Friday before vacation, here is the assignment I handed out. It's the one I refer to on the Google Calendar Vacation Homework posting. Email me with any questions....

/uploads/9/0/6/2/9062297/hamlet_fever_chart.doc
 
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Figurative Language Assignment

1. Choose one particular example of figurative language (metaphor, simile, image, personification) that you enjoyed from Act I of Hamlet.
2. Share the example, using proper citation format (if you're not sure how to cite Shakespeare, look it up! There are many resources available on the web, including Purdue Owl).
3. Write a brief reflection on why you enjoy this example, and briefly analyze what themes or issues are illuminated by this particular piece of figurative language. 

Due: by midnight tonight (Tuesday, Valentine's day)

Bonus Question!!! Mystery Image (above): What is portrayed in
this image? How might it be connected to any of the themes we've seen in Hamlet?
Discuss in comments if you wish. All will be revealed in class on Monday. 



 
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The Sonnet Challenge

Your sonnet should contain:
1. 14 lines

2. Attempted iambic pentameter (or at least around 10 syllables              
    per line)
3. Shakespearean OR Petrarchan rhyme scheme--slant rhyme counts! 
4. A 1-2 paragraph response to discuss process and intentions. 
5. Please feel free to post sonnets and/or responses in the comments! If you are too shy, just bring me a hard copy of the sonnet on Monday :) 



Extra Credit Sonnet should be passed in or posted by Monday, Feb 11 at midnight!




 
Please choose one of the following AP Question 3 Prompts and write a tentative thesis in response. Please be sure to write the prompt at the top of your paper when turning in your thesis statement.

Turn in your thesis statements on Monday, January 28.
(Final discussion questions should be turned in Tuesday, after speeches.)


Prompt # 1 (2007)
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap07_eng_lit_frq.pdf


 
Prompt # 2 (2010)
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap10_frq_eng_lit.pdf


 
Prompt # 3 (2000)
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/repository/eng_lit_00.pdf
 
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The reading blogs have been great fun, but I'd like to do
something a little different for next week. Check out the
directions below and let me know if you have
questions...




Directions

1. Each student will be assigned a question for further analysis.
2. Each student will prepare his/her thoughts on the question, including annotations, direct quotes and overall commentary. I will collect these responses for a homework grade.
3. At the  beginning of class on Tuesday, January 22, students will meet with their other group members  to discuss their findings. Then each group will lead discussion on their
assigned question. Discussion may go on into Wednesday.

Question One (assigned to Josh, Ben, Jamie, Allie)
Describe Jane's experiences in Chapter 28. Is Mother Nature kind to Jane? What about people?
What do you make of the sentimental description of the Rivers?


Question Two (assigned to Michelle, Aldi, Logan, Shannon, Kallie)
Using Chapter 29 as your basis, compare St. John to Rochester. How
does Jane feel toward him, and why?

Question  Three (assigned to Kelsey, Alec, Mahina, Lake)
Equality was a major concern  for Jane in her relationship with Rochester. Examine Jane's relationships with  the Rivers, the servant Hannah and Jane's students. Is Jane as concerned about  equality in these relationships? Why or why  not?

Question Four  (assigned to Connor, Kiley, Hunter, Cailyn, Kyle)
Some critics have suggested that the "Rivers"  portion of the book could be left out entirely. Is the River story important to Jane's development? Why or why not? Give careful reasons for your view.