Chapter 6

In the conclusion of the novel, both Lennie and George are faced with difficult realizations.  The images Lennie sees and the decision George makes allows the reader a chance to glimpse the thoughts of each man.

Explain what the reader learns about Lennie and George in Chapter 6.  Support your discussion with a strong connection to the world in which the men live.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Annotation focus:

                Examples of characters’ inability to interact and form meaningful connections

The death of Curley’s wife is the climax of the novella.  Because of this event, the reader sees how the dream of a ranch owned by the men could never come true.  Who is truly at fault for Curley’s wife’s death?  Explain if this person is also responsible for the death of the dream.

Explain how Lennie’s dream and Curley’s wife’s dream are similar.  How does the tone of the last conversation between these two characters support the novel’s theme?

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Annotation focus:

                Theme of the attempt to achieve the American Dream

                Steinbeck’s use of “hope”

This chapter focuses on characters we have previously identified as “weak” trying to assert power. 

·         How does one weak character attempt to have power/ control?  How does this incident illustrate the predatory nature of human beings?

·         Explain how the dream of the ranch becomes more significant as the reader understands the characters’ lack of power and increased loneliness.  

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Annotation Focus: Developing theme of loneliness

Steinbeck uses several examples of silence to illustrate the loneliness of the ranch and the characters.  Reread page 48 – 49 to see at least one example of silence in this chapter.  Explain how “silence” is being used to allow the reader to understand loneliness.

Identify a character that is either literally or metaphorically being silenced.  Explain how this silencing occurs and the affects it has on the character.  

CHAPTER 2

Chapter 2

Annotation focus:

1)Interactions between the men on the ranch.  Concentrate on where are friendships possibly forming and where may conflicts occur.  Consider also how the men react to Lennie and George traveling together.

2)Examples of foreshadow – find at least three.

RESPONSE PROMPT

“On some level we are all facing fear - afraid of being seen for who we truly are. Afraid of seeing ourselves for whom we really are.  Afraid of confronting our limiting beliefs, we avoid facing fear by hiding. In order to prevent our true inner self from being seen, we wear a symbolic or metaphorical mask over our authentic personality in the hope that we will remain hidden” (Neta).

Choose one character in Of Mice and Men that is hiding behind a metaphorical mask.  Explain why this person “wears” a mask and how the reader’s understanding of this character can change once the character’s true emotions are understood.

Because of his limited cognitive ability, Lennie is the only character not hiding behind a mask.  Instead he is controlled by his true emotions.  Analyze your annotations on friendship and conflicts.  Then, use those to explain the significance of the quote: “Lennie cried out suddenly – ‘I don’t like this place, George.  This ain’t no good place.  I wanna get outa here’” (Steinbeck 32). 

Of Mice and Men

Chapter 1

Annotation Focus: Examples of imagery

Steinbeck characterizes Lennie with descriptive language that creates an image of an animal. In a paragraph analysis, define Steinbeck’s purpose for this characterization of Lennie and analyze what literary elements (besides imagery) he uses to achieve his overall purpose.

Steinbeck use imagery to provide the readers with information about the setting, characters, and the dream.   Identify the most significant passage which uses imagery and then analyze how the characters are reflected in the setting. 

GRADES POSTED

Congratulations! Many of you successfully completed your summer reading.  Grades are posted in Genesis.  The comment posted with your grade is your first paragraph grade, then your second paragraph grade.  If you have any questions, please contact me.

Once we start class, there will be about a week of Gatsby information to learn, and then you will have a test.  I wold suggest reviewing notes, or the novel before class being so you can contribute to the discussion.

BLOG 2 - Did you read Class Announcements below???

In Blog Response 1, you focused on an area of Gatsby’s life (besides Daisy) that did not meet his grand expectations.  Review your response, and/or reading through your classmates answers, to help focus your answer to the next bullets. USE CHAPTERS 6-end TO ANSWERS THESE QUESTIONS. 

·         From an outsider’s perspective, Gatsby lived a fabulous life filled with money, parties, and friends.  However, the reader learns Gatsby’s life is created on an illusion of happiness.  Based on this novel, what are the benefits AND dangers of living life this way?

·         Choose another character that could tell the story of Jimmy Gatz. Identify which character you would have tell his story.  Then, specifically identify fundamental examples of how the reader’s understanding of the novel would change. 

When answering this response, remember each bullet is a full paragraph.  Each paragraph must include text evidence, properly cited.  Be sure to AVOID SUMMARY.  Instead, I want to know why and how events matter.  Remember to email specific questions within the established time frame. 

Class Announcements for Blog 1

Hello All!

Your next question will be posted by Thursday, July, 23.

Thank you for submitting your blogs.  I can tell that many of you put a lot of thought and effort into your responses.  Well-done.

At this point, you should have received an email with your grade and comments to help you.  If you did not receive an email, please let me know IMMEDIATELY! If you emailed me a question from a personal email, I used this to respond to you.  If you did not, I used your Maple Shade email.  Also, if you do not see your response posted, I did not receive it and you have a 0. 

For those of you that struggled with the assignment, please take my email as constructive criticism. These responses will not "make or break" you for the first marking period.

Finally, I know not all students will be checking their email and this blog.  Please spread the word to your classmates that this is posted.  Also, if you have a friend that you see did not publish a response, contact them and have them email me in case there is a problem.

The Great Gatsby Chapters 1 - 5

Due July 17 by 11:59 pm

**If you did not comment on the "name" blog, and still plan to be a part of this class, please provide your name on the "name" blog AND complete these questions by the due date.

At the end of Chapter 5, Caraway muses, “There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams – not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion” (Fitzgerald 95). 

·         At this point in the novel, Fitzgerald could replace Daisy’s name with a few characters or ideas to show how Gatsby’s life is an illusion.  Choose one other aspect of Gatsby’s life that does not live up to his extraordinary expectations and analyze how this revelation gives the reader a glimpse of the reality occurring in the novel.

Nick Caraway is a peripheral narrator; that is, he tells the story while on the outside of looking in.  He reserves his judgments of people and claims to be “one of the few honest people that [he] have ever known” (Fitzgerald 59). 

·         Explain how Nick’s narration is either beneficial or detrimental to the reader’s understanding of what is “really” happening in West Egg.

To answer this blog, write a complete paragraph for each bullet.  For the second bullet, if you refer to the given piece of text evidence, you must include a second piece of text evidence that supports your point.  In other words, the given text evidence does not count for the evidence you are required to submit in your answer.

Refer to the rubric on the EBoard for any help with the grading process.  Email me specific questions according to the guidelines.  

Follow Blog

English 10 2015-2016

Please add a comment of your first and last name in the comments so I can see you now have access to the blog.

Please complete this by Friday, June, 12

Introduction

Hello All!

Here are the guidelines for answering Blog Questions:

1. All questions must be answered in complete paragraphs.  I am looking for a topic sentence that tells the reader what your paragraphs is about, strong details, transitional phrases and a concluding sentence.

2.  When answering the question, you MUST use direct evidence from the text.  This means you are to take, word for word, from the text.  You must follow MLA format, which states that at the end of each sentence you should contain the author's last name and page number. 
"Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance" (Austen 14).

3. Read the rubric.  This will show you how you are being graded.  Match you responses to the rubric in order to be sure you are on track. I DO NOT accept late response. I do offer constructive feedback 3 days prior to the final deadline (email by Tuesday 11:59 pm, I will offer feedback to improve your response by Friday 11:59 pm.) 

4.  Please make sure your first and last name are included in your response.  If your screen name is BDizzle, I will have absolutely no idea who you are.  As BDizzle is not a name in my Gradebook, he or she will get a zero.  Just type your name at the bottom of each response UNLESS your name is your screen name.  

5. To answer the blog you must first FOLLOW my page, then add your response as a comment.  If you are not following my blog, you will not be able to comment on the page.  If you post your response in any other spot but the "follow" option, I will not be able to grade it. 

6. Your responses will first be emailed to me, then will be posted after the deadline.  If you do not see a "I am not a robot" code when your submit your blog, something went wrong.  The most common examples of this is when students use an ipad, but do not use the Blogger app. I will periodically check my email over the summer; email with any questions or concerns.