Friday, December 16, 2011

Heart of Darkness / Apocalypse Now



As promised, here is the open thread for you folks to discuss your thoughts regarding Joseph Conrad's, Heart of Darkness and Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now. Don't be bashful. Reach out to your classmates. You may find that their thoughts lead you in a direction you hadn't before considered, or that you might take them somewhere they had likewise never considered.

You might be pleased to know that Apocalypse Now: Redux has - today - become available on streaming Netflix for anyone who subscribes to the service and might like to review the film.

Links to the script and IMDb entry ...

As for the images from the film that I've included ... each comes from a scene that I think could be key in your understanding of the work. Consider each ...

Half in the light, half out ... questioning Willard as a teacher might question a student.
 
How's this for primitive?

*** STRING IS CLOSED ***

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions



It is time to make a choice. You've two options:

Choice A ...
  • Live the rest of your life in complete security. You'll work, but receive no paycheck. Instead, you're guaranteed all of the necessities. Food, shelter, and clothing will be provided for you. In exchange, you'll give up certain freedoms. You'll read only what the powers-that-be allow you to read. You'll watch only approved television programs and films. Your relationships - plutonic, sexual and marital - will be determined by the governing body.
Choice B ...
  • Live the rest of your life in complete uncertainty. You'll work, but your pay will be based solely on the quality of your work. Nothing will be guaranteed. You will have to scratch out your own food, shelter, and clothing. You'll be free to make decisions for yourself. You may read whatever you choose. You may watch whatever you choose. The quality of your relationships will also be entirely up to you. You are free to do as you choose but never, NEVER are you free from worry.
Which do you choose? Think carefully. A life free from worry is indeed a grand idea. So too is a life lived freely. Be sure to explain yourself, and to respond to your classmates.

*** STRING IS CLOSED ***

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Courage

Easy one this week ...

Consider the following photograph and your understanding of courage. Is the young man at the center of the picture, courageous?

*** STRING IS CLOSED ***

Monday, October 31, 2011

The Female of the Species

Here's another gem from Mr. Kipling. As always, I'm curious about your impressions of the poem, but I also would like for you to answer the following question?

In "The Female of the Species" does Kipling offer us a sympathetic portrait of women?

How does this poem compare when juxtaposed with "The Vampire"?




The Female of the Species

WHEN the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride,
He shouts to scare the monster who will often turn aside.
But the she-bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail,
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

When Nag, the wayside cobra, hears the careless foot of man,
He will sometimes wriggle sideways and avoid it if he can,
But his mate makes no such motion where she camps beside the trail -
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

When the early Jesuit fathers preached to Hurons and Choctaws,
They prayed to be delivered from the vengeance of the squaws -
'Twas the women, not the warriors, turned those stark enthusiasts pale -
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

Man's timid heart is bursting with the things he must not say,
For the Woman that God gave him isn't his to give away;
But when hunter meets with husband, each confirms the others tale -
The female of the species is more deadly than the male.

Man, a bear in most relations, worm and savage otherwise,
Man propounds negotiations, Man accepts the compromise;
Very rarely will he squarely push the logic of a fact
To its ultimate conclusion in unmitigated act.

Fear, or foolishness, impels him, ere he lay the wicked low,
To concede some form of trial even to his fiercest foe.
Mirth obscene diverts his anger; Doubt and Pity oft perplex
Him in dealing with an issue - to the scandal of the Sex!

But the Woman that God gave him, every fibre of her frame
Proves her launched for one sole issue, armed and engined for the same,
And to serve that single issue, lest the generations fail,
The female of the species must be deadlier than the male.

She who faces Death by torture for each life beneath her breast
May not deal in doubt or pity - must not swerve for fact or jest.
These be purely male diversions - not in these her honor dwells -
She, the Other Law we live by, is that Law and nothing else!
 
She can bring no more to living than the powers that make her great
As the Mother of the Infant and the Mistress of the Mate;
And when Babe and Man are lacking and she strides unclaimed to claim
Her right as femme (and baron), her equipment is the same.

She is wedded to convictions - in default of grosser ties;
Her contentions are her children, Heaven help him, who denies!
He will meet no cool discussion, but the instant, white-hot wild
Wakened female of the species warring as for spouse and child.

Unprovoked and awful charges - even so the she-bear fights;
Speech that drips, corrodes and poisons - even so the cobra bites;
Scientific vivisection of one nerve till it is raw,
And the victim writhes with anguish - like the Jesuit with the squaw!

So it comes that Man, the coward, when he gathers to confer
With his fellow-braves in council, dare not leave a place for her
Where, at war with Life and Conscience, he uplifts his erring hands
To some God of abstract justice - which no woman understands.

And Man knows it! Knows, moreover, that the Woman that God gave him
Must command but may not govern; shall enthrall but not enslave him.
And She knows, because She warns him and Her instincts never fail,
That the female of Her species is more deadly than the male!

Rudyard Kipling


*** STRING IS CLOSED ***

Thursday, October 27, 2011

East of Eden Open Thread


I've been asked to provide a forum for discussion of the test questions for Steinbeck's novel. This is that thread. There will be no leading questions. There will be no input from yours truly (unless I just cannot help myself). What happens in the comments that follow this post is entirely up to all of you. I encourage you to share ideas.

Have at it guys.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

In Honor of Halloween ...



In honor of the holiday I offer this selection from Rudyard Kipling. I won't ask too many leading questions. I'll only say that I'm interested to see what each of you think. I look forward to reading your replies.

“The Vampire”
A fool there was and he made his prayer
(Even as you and I!)
To a rag and a bone and a hank of hair
(We called her the woman who did not care),
But the fool he called her his lady fair
(Even as you and I!)
Oh the years we waste and the tears we waste
And the work of our head and hand,
Belong to the woman who did not know
(And now we know that she never could know)
And did not understand.
A fool there was and his goods he spent
(Even as you and I!)
Honor and faith and a sure intent
But a fool must follow his natural bent
(And it wasn't the least what the lady meant),
(Even as you and I!)
Oh the toil we lost and the spoil we lost
And the excellent things we planned,
Belong to the woman who didn't know why
(And now we know she never knew why)
And did not understand.
The fool we stripped to his foolish hide
(Even as you and I!)
Which she might have seen when she threw him aside--
(But it isn't on record the lady tried)
So some of him lived but the most of him died--
(Even as you and I!)
And it isn't the shame and it isn't the blame
That stings like a white hot brand.
It's coming to know that she never knew why
(Seeing at last she could never know why)
And never could understand.

*** STRING IS CLOSED ***

Thursday, October 20, 2011

It Must Be Something ...


I realize we're all still dancing with "Jabberwocky," but I thought we might consider multitasking. Consider the following poem (don't worry ... it's brief).

"To the Field Goal Kicker in a Slump"

It must be something
like writer’s block,
when nothing will go
between the margins,
when language won’t soar
high enough,
when you wake
in the morning and know
you’ve chosen
the wrong game.

     - Linda Pastan

Please take a moment, and share your thoughts with everyone. Do we love this poem? ... hate it? ... are we absolutely indifferent to it?

Does the poem work for you, and if so, what makes it work? What is going on here?

Be brave ... poetry doesn't bite unless you give it the opportunity.

*** STRING IS CLOSED ***

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Lost In Translation Part Deux: The Return of Mimsy



As some of you may know, the verse highlighted in the previous string is a selection from Lewis Carroll's poem, "Jabberwocky." Here is the poem in its entirety:


'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!

"He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back."

And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.


You should know that the poem is often used by teachers as an illustration of portmanteau, and to help students learn to identify the various parts of speech. A portmanteau word (portmanteau is most often used as an adjective) is a combination of two words, without the comma common to contractions. For example, "frumious" is often regarded as a combination of furious and fuming. "Galumphing" is thought to be a combination of galloping and triumphant. If this interests you then you'll find all of this information online. None of this, however, matters in the context of our discussion. We'll be looking at the nonsensical words in the poem as just that, nonsense.

What is the first question English teachers ask when you read a poem in class? I know that you know. So, tell me. What is it?

That's right. Teachers always ask, "What does the poem mean?"

Your response is usually, "How should I know?" At that point you tune out and begin drooling on yourself, while the teacher tells you what he or she thinks the poem means. This isn't how I like to do business.

Yes, I'll be asking about the meaning of the poem, but I won't be supplying an answer. I'll also be asking an equally important, and often overlooked question. Here goes ...

"How does the poem mean?"

Specifically, how does Lewis Carroll use nonsense to add meaning to his poem?
So, we have two questions that I am asking each of you to answer ...
  • What does the poem mean? What is it all about?
  • How do the portmanteau words - the nonsense - add to the meaning of the poem?
Be not afraid of the jabberwock. Heed not the jaws that bite or the claws that catch. Put your fingers to your keyboard, and demonstrate that you're capable of lucid thought.

*** STRING IS CLOSED ***

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Lost In Translation



I would like for each of you to translate the following lines. Some of you may recognize them. If you do, don't let on as to the source. All will be revealed in time.

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

I must insist that you not use any reference material (dictionaries, Google, Wiki-anything, etc.). Rather, simply substitute words you know for those you do not understand. Use your imagination to give the selection meaning where there might otherwise appear to be none.

Again ... Absolutely No Search Engines (like Google) ... Search Engines Bad ... Search Engines Very Bad ... Search Engines Make Brains Small ... Search Engines Make Mongo Angry!

Remember to respond to the initial post, and later reply to at least one of your classmates' submissions. Everyone submits a minimum of two comments.

*** STRING IS CLOSED ***

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Distant Strains of Triumph

Hello everyone. Tonight I found myself thinking about the title of our blog, and I thought I would share with you the source of that title. After you've read the poem that follows, please share your thoughts with the class. Do you like the poem? ... why or why not? Does the poem have a specific message? If so, how does the poem express that message? Finally, why do you suppose I chose the 13th line to represent our class forum? I am very interested to see what you folks think.

Success is counted sweetest

Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne'er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple Host
Who took the Flag today
Can tell the definition
So clear of Victory

As he defeated--dying--
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Burst agonized and clear! 
  
                                         - Emily Dickinson 


***STRING IS CLOSED***

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Wisdom Supporting Liberty

By now it is possible, perhaps even likely, that most of your classmates have discovered the identity of the statue featured in "Why Words Matter." Jules Dalou's sculpture, Wisdom Supporting Liberty gives us a classical representation of the Greek goddess Athena (the goddess of both wisdom and war) supporting the naked representation of Lady Liberty. Some questions are in order.

1. How does the title impact your understanding of the statue?

2. What is the significance of Liberty's nakedness?

3. Why is Wisdom armoured and seemingly prepared for war?

4. How might we apply our understanding of the statue to current events or the current state of our nation?


*** STRING IS CLOSED ***

Thursday, September 15, 2011

A Dilemma ...


Much of the discussion we'll have in regard to East of Eden will focus on the concepts of good and evil. As such, I feel a much more generalized discussion about right and wrong is necessary. To that end, read the following paragraph. After you've had a few moments to think about what you've read, write a response in which you reply to the questions at the end of the paragraph. Once you've written an original response you may then respond to each other. For the record, I am expecting you folks to engage in a solid debate without much prompting from me.

A trolley has been sabotaged by a demented English teacher, and is running out of control down a track. On the trolley are five people who will die if they jump or the trolley is not somehow stopped. Fortunately, you are standing next to a switch that when thrown will change the tracks on which the trolley rides, and lead the car onto an unused track where it is sure to slow to a stop. Unfortunately, there is one person standing on that track. She will die if you throw the switch. What do you do? What is the right choice?

Mmmmm ... fried noggin.


*** STRING IS CLOSED ***

Friday, August 26, 2011

Why Words Matter



In the comment section following this post, please record your observations regarding the above photograph. Share whatever comes to mind, and then suggest a title for the statue. Be sure to explain why you've chosen to name it as you have.

In crafting your response, remember that our purpose here is two-fold. First, we want to engage in a thoughtful, creative, and interesting exchange. The nature of that discussion will vary from week to week, and will often seem completely unrelated to the content of our lessons or classroom discussions. This will sometimes prove untrue, but is ultimately of little consequence. What matters most is that we think. Second, I want for you to write. Place your fingers on the keyboard, and make the miracle happen. Believe it or not, you are a writer. I am giving you the opportunity to prove it to the world.

There are some rules by which we must all abide.

  • Practice civility. A lack of courtesy will not be tolerated in this forum. Do not take this to mean that you must practice political correctness or otherwise censor yourself. I encourage a healthy debate. I encourage originality. I simply ask that you consider your classmates' positions, elevate your diction, and thereby elevate our discourse.
  • Each of us must respond to the original prompt at least once during the week. We must also reply to at least one of our classmates responses. To clarify, you will be crafting at least two comments for each post.
Other rules may follow as we all become more familiar with this particular format. For now, I only ask that you try to enjoy yourself.

- Mr. D

P.S. Some of you may be interested to know that the statue in question currently resides only 60 minutes away in the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts. There you will also find a collection of work by Degas, Picasso, Manet and Monet. Field trip?

P.P.S.

In order to comment, simply click on "COMMENTS", craft your response in the space provided, and then select "Name / URL" for an identification. Type your real name, and not an alias or internet moniker. Comments that are not posted with a name will not stand, and will be removed from the discussion.

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