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Take a look at revised Calendar. We are planning the remaining work on short stories, and setting up what we will do for the poetry unit. The assignment sheet for the short story essay will be posted for Thursday.
Writing about structure
Your book walks you through the details of how writing about structure means looking at the "parts" of a story: the sections, scenes, shape of the plot (is it chronological? associative?), patterns (such as contrasts, repetitions, associations or connections, the sequence of ideas or images, and so on) => and then writing about the relationships between those parts and the themes/meanings the author creates through the use of those parts.
The process for writing about structure is to identify the "what happened" and the themes/meanings of a story, and then identify the structures/parts that are important to the reader's perception of those themes and meanings.
From class discussion of 10th of December:
We worked as a whole class to identify what happened and the major themes.
What happened
Kid saves old guy from freezing; kid (Robin) is dorky, wants to be a hero, "magnificent little dude"
Old guy who has terminal brain disease was going to kill hmself but decides he doesn't want to
Themes
Interdependence, what it means to love and be loved, connection, the fact that we learn different lessons about being human at different agesWanting to be a "hero" – wish to be valuedWanting to live but feeling guilty and afraidWanting to be viewed in a certain wayWish to have someone need you, but not wanting to have to rely on (need) others
You then worked in groups to: 1. Make some observations about the structure: identify
scenes, changes in pov, setting; patterns in the way the language is used, etc.Interdependence, what it means to love and be loved, connection, the fact that we learn different lessons about being human at different agesWanting to be a "hero" – wish to be valuedWanting to live but feeling guilty and afraidWanting to be viewed in a certain wayWish to have someone need you, but not wanting to have to rely on (need) others
2. Put some ideas out there for how structure contributes to/allows
the author to develop the story's themes/focus theme
Important structures:- The 8 sections which alternate between Robin's and Eber's points of view.
- The sequence in settings: walking/outdoors/in the cold , to traversing the ice(taking a risk for another), to returning to safety (indoors).
- Contrasting scenes or "thoughts" of the two characters: how they start out grounded in either fantasy/reminiscence and move to attention on real people & places.
-The differences in language between the ways Robin and Eber talk (significant of their different ages and their different issues)
- The sequence in settings: walking/outdoors/in the cold , to traversing the ice(taking a risk for another), to returning to safety (indoors).
- Contrasting scenes or "thoughts" of the two characters: how they start out grounded in either fantasy/reminiscence and move to attention on real people & places.
-The differences in language between the ways Robin and Eber talk (significant of their different ages and their different issues)
For next class:
Read: Either "Boys and Girls", and "Uncle Rock" (you only need to skim the story you are not working with); be prepared to discuss how to write a paper about the story you read. You may choose structure, pov, setting - or some other feature (characters, language) as the focus for your idea to write about. The purpose of these presentations is to open up lots of ideas.
Read: Either "Boys and Girls", and "Uncle Rock" (you only need to skim the story you are not working with); be prepared to discuss how to write a paper about the story you read. You may choose structure, pov, setting - or some other feature (characters, language) as the focus for your idea to write about. The purpose of these presentations is to open up lots of ideas.
Boys and girls: Krysten, Justin, Cynthia, Jeen, Melanie, Rute
Uncle Rock: Stephanie, Melissa, Sarah, Zuleme, Chante, Alycia, Madeline
Uncle Rock: Stephanie, Melissa, Sarah, Zuleme, Chante, Alycia, Madeline
Write: Post your ideas/brainstorming about how you might write an essay focused on the structure/themes for Tenth of December. This is not polished writing. You can use your notes class work.
In class on Thursday we will talk about the two stories and hear your ideas. Then we will look at the assignment sheet and you will have some time to think about what in particular you want to write about for your first draft essay.
Also, this week we are finishing up work on short stories, and moving into work on poetry.
For short stories, after we go over the essay assignment sheet and you put up this last post = to brainstorm an essay with a focus on structure (due at the beginning of class Thursday),I will give you some feedback on your ideas - hopefully by the end of Friday - so you will have some comments from me in terms of writing your short story draft. You will have time in class on Thursday to post an indication of which idea you like best (from your brainstorming so far) - or to tell me that you want to write a different paper altogether. Well - I guess we didn't do that!
For poetry, we will be picking out the poems we want to read. So if you have some poems that you want to include - let me know.
For short stories, after we go over the essay assignment sheet and you put up this last post = to brainstorm an essay with a focus on structure (due at the beginning of class Thursday),
For poetry, we will be picking out the poems we want to read. So if you have some poems that you want to include - let me know.
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