We talked in class about comparisons and contrasts between "Memphis Belle" and All Quiet. Are there other things you want to say or point out about the movie?
INFERNO TOMORROW!!!
This picture is of the historical crew, not from the movie.
We will finish All Quiet this week and then begin The Inferno later in the week. I am anxious to see what you guys think of my good friend Dante!
Monday, 8/25
Seminar over All Quiet, Copy Unit 2 Vocab
Tuesday, 8/26
Watch "Memphis Belle"
Wednesday, 8/27
"Memphis Belle", writing analysis
DUE: Compare/contrast essay
Thursday, 8/28
Inferno Introduction, notes, hell activity, assign cantos
Friday, 8/29
Vocab Quiz 2, Work in groups on cantos
DUE: Journals
Inferno video group, you all will have the weekend of 9/6 and the following week to film your Inferno video.
For most of you, today was the first of MANY seminars (especially if you take my Holocaust Lit and AP classes after this one!). I thought it went quite well. I was most impressed at the lack of dominance on the part of any individuals. This is very rare, believe me. You all were polite and courteous to each other and didn't talk over the top of each other. There were also very few comments that were extremely surface-level. For a first seminar, great job! That being said, I think in our next seminar we should strive for a little more depth to our discussions. We didn't get into very many deeper philosophical issues today. On your part, what are your opinions about the seminar? Did you enjoy that format? Was it difficult for any of you? What parts were most enjoyable and what parts were most challenging? Do you think you prefer seminar to a test?
On a side note, the compare/contrast essay is due WEDNESDAY!!!!! Do not forget!!!!
Below is the text for another of my favorite poems. This one speaks to the theme of people being enemies because of a word of command, instead of personal conflicts. Respond to this poem and relate it to both the book as well as any other war literature or movies.
The Man He Killed ~Thomas Hardy
"Had he and I but met
By some old ancient inn,
We should have sat us down to wet
Right many a nipperkin!
"But ranged as infantry,
And staring face to face,
I shot at him and he at me,
And killed him in his place.
"I shot him dead because –
Because he was my foe,
Just so – my foe of course he was;
That's clear enough; although
"He thought he'd 'list perhaps,
Off-hand like – just as I –
Was out of work – had sold his traps –
No other reason why.
"Yes; quaint and curious war is!
You shoot a fellow down
You'd treat if met where any bar is,
Or help to half-a-crown."
This week we will pretty much start (and finish!) All Quiet. I hope you enjoy the book and the discussions as much as I do. It is really one of my favorite units this semester.
Monday, August 18 - Character activity chart, Define Unit 1, 1-3 Quiz, 1-3 Discussion
Homework: Read 4-6
Tuesday, August 19 - Finish Character activity chart, 4-6 quiz, 4-6 discussion
Homework: Read 7-9
Wednesday, August 20 - WWI History quiz, 7-9 quiz, 7-9 discussion
Homework: Read 10-12
Thursday, August 21 - 10-12 Quiz, Discuss 10-12, Symbolism activity in groups
Friday, August 22 - Vocab Quiz Unit 1, Compare/contrast paper
Homework: Finish paper
Have a great weekend!
Read the poem below by Wilfred Owen. Respond to it in some way and then make a connection between this poem and All Quiet.
DULCE ET DECORUM EST by Wilfred Owen
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.
8 October 1917 - March, 1918
If you liked this poem, search out other WWI poetry. Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, Rupert Brook are all good places to start. Poetry from this era is very interesting and realistic.
We are considering a trip to DC in the spring. It will be in April, will consist of missing three days of school, and will cost somewhere between $600 and $800 (probably). Please remember to discuss this with your parents and let me know what the interest level is.
First day back... I don't think I have had a better first day in eight years of teaching! Everyone seemed so positive and in accordance with all of the new policies and procedures. I am so excited about the coming year. My classes also seemed to be really great. This blog is for English II Honors. I also have a general/English II classes and one for my spring classes. I am excited about the new blog posting requirement for this class. I just think it will be a fun way to communicate with each other and to cover some things that we might not have time to discuss in class. Below is a calendar for this week in English II Honors:
