We talked in class about comparisons and contrasts between "Memphis Belle" and All Quiet. One line from the movie was "Those that I fight I do not hate, those I guard I do not love." (It was from the poem he read.) What are your feelings about that quote? Are there other things you want to say or point out about the movie?
INFERNO MONDAY!!!
This picture is of the historical people who flew this mission, not from the movie.
When Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel was asked why Jews did not fight during the
Holocaust, he replied "...the question is not why all the Jews did not fight, but
how so many of them did. Tormented, beaten, starved, where did they find the strength-spiritual
and physical-to resist?"
Just a reminder, I am going to see "Defiance" on Monday at 4:20 PM at Premiere Theater. If you want to go, you are welcome to. It is certainly not required. If you do go, or if you have seen the movie on your own, I would love to hear your thoughts on it.
We will finish All Quiet this week. You guys have been pretty impressive in discussion, I have to say.
Monday, January 26
Define Unit 2
Compare/contrast paper in class
Tuesday, January 27
All Quiet seminar
Wednesday, January 28
"Memphis Belle"
Thursday, January 29
Finish "Memphis Belle"
Friday, January 30
Vocab Quiz 2
We are moving right along!!!
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."
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.
First of all, can anyone say THREE DAY WEEK!?!?! We are seriously the luckiest people on the planet. :)
Wednesday, January 21
Vocab Unit 1 quiz
History Quiz
Homework: Read 10-12
Thursday, January 22
7-9, 10-12 Quizzes
Discuss 7-12
Poetry activity
Friday, January 23
Symbolism in groups
DUE: Journals
Things are about to start hopping! Stay on top of things!
We will begin (and nearly finish!) All Quiet on the Western Front this week. Most classes feel that they get a lot out of this book. I am anxious to hear your take on it.
Monday, January 12
Define Unit 1
Practice Gateway test
DUE: Parent letter
Tuesday, January 13
WWI Notes
Prepping to Read
Read chapters 1-3
Wednesday, January 14
Quiz over 1-3
Discuss 1-3
Character activity
Read chapters 4-6
Thursday, January 15
4-6 Quiz
Discuss 4-6
Read chapters 7-9
Friday, January 16
7-9 Quiz
History quiz
Discuss 7-9
Vocab Quiz
Read 10-12
Enjoy!!! :)
Hey guys, and welcome to the blog! I hope you dedicate yourselves from this first day to the learning we all would like to see take place and the grade you want to receive in the end. I am anxious to get to know all of you and I am especially excited about what kind of discussions we will have via this online format. You will be required to post one per unit and I will try to have several possible postings for you to comment on with each unit. I will try to keep the white board in the classroom updated with the commenting deadlines and to remind you, but you need to make it a point to check the blog frequently. There might be times I need to tell you something and forget in class, so I post it on here. I would make this blog a stop-off point each afternoon/evening in my Internet journeys if I were you. Well, I hope we have a wonderful semester together! (And how lucky were we that our beginning was delayed by a day!?!??!)
