Homework for 9/30

Monday: Select an author/topic for the literary research project for tomorrow.
Tuesday: Rough draft for college essay due.
Reading annotations suggestions:
As you consider The Bridge of San Luis Rey, keep in mind these questions as you annotate:
What is the relationship/distance between the narrator and Brother Juniper? How does that impact the tone?
What questions do you have about the text as you read?
In addition, here are things to note, with any observations or questions which accompany them:
Again and Again: What words, images or events are returned to again and again? Why?
Contrasts and Contradictions: What contrasts or contradictions do you notice in a character or between characters? Is there a moment in a character's actions or behavior (or is there a detail with setting) where something happens that is surprising or unexpected?
Memory Moment: A recollection by a character that interrupts the forward narrative of the story.
Aha Moment: A character has a moment of realization (also known as an epiphany). Where does it come in the story? How might it connect with the big idea of the novella?
Tough Questions: A moment when a character is expressing serious doubt or confusion. What inner struggles is the writer revealing?
Words to the Wiser: An older person offers advice to a protagonist or narrator about life.


This will be your essay topic for this novella. You might note any moments in the text which may relate to ideas:
In works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present actions, attitudes, or values of a character. Choose a novel or play (in this case BOSLR) in which a character must contend with some aspect of the past, either personal or societal. Then write an essay in which you show how the character’s relationship to the past contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

Block day: Read and (on a separate piece of paper or sticky notes) annotate, "Perhaps an Accident"
Friday:
1. Read and (on a separate piece of paper or sticky notes) annotate, "The Marquesa de Montemayor."
 2. In Google Drive, you will see a spreadsheet labeled: Literary Research topics. If you open it, you will find your name. In your row, please write your final choice for your topic and author, as well as the first text you will read. There is a column for comments if you would like to make them. Please post by Monday.

Literary Research Project

During graduate school, I had the opportunity to study William Faulkner's work and bear-wrestled The Sound and The Fury to the ground. I also read about his life: his insecurities, his failures as a man and his amazing speech when he received the Nobel Prize for literature. I  looked at many critics, those who thought he was a genius and others who believed he was an overrated drunk. What I discovered is there is so much more to Faulkner than I learned when I studied As I Lay Dying in my AP Lit class in high school. In looking at this range of work and criticism, I gained insights about my writing that has helped me finish my memoir. Our hope is this literary research project will help you connect the dots and extend yourself to reach outside the vacuum that is so often the case in high school curricula.

In very general terms, the task is straightforward: you pick an author, a literary time period, a genre you have a question about; you read as much of his/her work you possibly can; during your reading, you formulate and track the development of an inquiry which will turn into a thesis; you consult historical and critical resources; you write a paper between twelve and fifteen pages; you turn it in and celebrate a tremendous accomplishment; your parents look at you with admiration; Mr. Record stops you in the hall to ask how your paper is coming; when you tell him it's done, a proud smile crosses his face, and with all profundity says, "Congratulations." Sounds good, right?

Because AP Lit is a college-level course, you will have quite a bit of freedom on this work. In college English courses, most professors have you read a few books, then they say, "write a paper." There isn't a prompt; there aren't specific guidelines. The expectation is that you display some original thought and initiative. Part of the purpose of this project is to help you get to the point next year when you can shrug off the influence of teachers and blaze your own trail. However, I'm not letting you fly unfettered just yet.

It is a requirement of this project that you check in with me via small papers, letters and literary analysis charts throughout the year. I shall collect these papers and respond to what you've written about. We'll also conference on your progress. I hope you are wildly excited about this project. If you choose the right author or topic, you should be! Below is the schedule of big dates as well as a literary analysis chart which I expect you to pass in with each mini-paper. Please download a copy when you get your first book. As always, if you have questions, feel free to call, email or make an appointment to chat.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES:

Note: You will need to use vacation time to complete these readings, unless you are superhuman. If you do this, your life will feel much calmer and more manageable. Don’t test the bounds of your procrastination skills.

September 30th: Choose an author. If you have questions, come see me beforehand. No J.K Rowling or that guy who wrote Captain Underpants. Jodi Picoult won’t cut it either. Sorry. If you are thinking of taking the AP Lit exam, this list may be helpful for you: http://www.chelseaschools.com/library/ap_literature_popular_titles.htm
Some other lists that could be of interest:  
NPR story on adapted version of Modern Library list 
Modern Library's 100 Best Novels
AP Free Response List: This is the list (and frequency) of titles which have appeared on the AP Literature exam since 1971.

November 1: First letter due. This is addressed to me. In it, observe the style of your author. What did you notice about the sentences? Paragraphs? Chapters? Voice? What did you think your author did exceptionally well? What confused you about your author? Why? In looking at the biographical details of your author (or time period), what questions do you have so far? What do you expect from the next novel? And, the million dollar question: Do you think you made the right choice? Length: 3 pages, double-spaced. In addition, please attach the literary analysis chart for book #1. It is also listed above in Helpful Documents.

 
January 3: Second book due. Here’s the fun one. Culling from your wisdom in reading two books by your author, construct a “short short” story where you imitate the style of your writer, using some of his or her signature “moves”. Length: no more than 1,000 words.  In addition, please include a process paragraph on how you chose to imitate the author.

January 31st: Third book due. Please write a 2-3 page analytical paper, comparing the three books of your author. This should contain a seed for your thesis.
 Please submit the literary analysis chart for book #3.

March 7: You find three pieces of critical work and respond to them, analyzing the claims of the author and weaving in analysis which will help support your thesis. 

NOTE: For your final paper, you will need four secondary sources. Three of these sources must be critical essays.

April 11: Rough draft due. You must turn in at least 3 pages of your rough draft and an extensive outline for the rest of your paper.


Here is an exemplar papers which may help guide you: Steinbeck author paper


April 28: Final paper due. 12-15 pages. Blood, sweat, and tears. After I look at it, you can have it bronzed and put on your mantle.

Homework for week of 9/23

Monday: Finish Costello essay. Due Tuesday. Here is the criteria for grading: rock grade slip
Tuesday:For block day, read Amherst College Exemplar essays
As you read, answer these questions for each essay.
What is the writer's strengths? How does the writer utilize VOICE? Example?
Which is your favorite essay? Why?
What would an admissions officer infer about this candidate? How are you making your decision?
Begin Imitation assignment. Due Friday.
Block day: Work on Imitation assignment. NOW DUE ON MONDAY, 9/30.

Friday:
1. Research literary research/author subject. Have your decision by Tuesday, 10/1.
2. Read this short Op/Ed piece by Phillip Lopate: The Essay, An Exercise in Doubt.
3. Imitation assignment due on Monday, 9/30.

Homework for week 9/16

Monday:
1. From the packet, read and annotate James Baldwin's essay from his collection The Fire Next Time and Stephen King's essay, "On Impact."See personal essay notes for guiding questions. Due Tuesday.

2. Work on revisions for summer essay. Be sure to include a process paragraph which addresses the following questions: What revisions did you make in this draft? How do you think these revisions strengthened your writing? How did the revision writing differ from the initial draft writing? Did you have any challenges as you revised your paper? If so, elaborate.


Tuesday:
1. Read "Rocking Around the Clock" by Elvis Costello, noting these guiding questions:
Read Elvis Costello’s piece carefully, taking note of elements like tone, voice, diction, and restraint (sometimes known as economy). Note how he reveals something of himself as he suggests music for every hour of the day. Especially, note his clear sense of audience. Who is he talking to? How is the audience invited in and persuaded to hang out with him for several pages? How does he use language to convey his own personality and reach out to his reader? How does he (subtly) build credibility with his reader? Due block day.

2. Work on revisions for summer essay. Make sure to include a process paragraph at end. See questions from Monday.

Block day:  
1. Work on revisions for summer essay. Make sure to include a process paragraph at end. See questions from Monday.
2. Begin working on Costello assignment. Due Tuesday, 9/24. Here is an exemplar essay. Note the exemplar has 24, rather than 18 hours. You will only write 18 hours.

Friday: 
1. Continue drafting "Rocking Around the Clock" essay. Due Tuesday, 9/24.
2. Read and annotate David Sedaris essay in packet from last week. Due Monday, 9/23

Homework for week of 9/9

Monday:

From the packet, read “Killing Chickens” and "Barn Raising" For “Killing Chickens”, consider questions from the bottom of personal essay notes as you annotate.

Tuesday:
All of this reading is due on block day.
1. From the packet, read Barbara Kingsolver's "A Pure, High Note of Anguish"*.
 What is Kingsolver's (complex) argument? Underline lines that you agree or disagree with AND write notes in the margins to show your thinking. We'll discuss in class.  

 *This clip may provide context for the dancing children reference. It was taken from a news clip on the day the Towers fell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrM0dAFsZ8k  
   
2. From the packet, read "The Names" by Billy Collins, in your packet. Like you did this summer, annotate, thinking about the process you used with the packet. (See first page of packet or find it here: TP-CASTT method for poetry)
3.From the packet, read "Why Poems Aren't Bunnies:How to Write about a Poem."

Block day:
All of these assignments are due on Friday.
1. Write a THESIS STATEMENT in response to Billy Collins poem "The Names", responding to the following question:
Write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the poet conveys the complex idea of memory  through the use of literary devices such as tone and imagery.  

2. Read the following essays:
http://thisibelieve.org/essay/25569/
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94566019
http://thisibelieve.org/essay/11056/


Choose two lines from EACH essay that you feel are effective in showing the writer's voice. Either annotate in margins or on separate sheet of paper, explaining why you find them effective. Also, note, if you can, the "move" the writer executes to make them effective.

Friday: 
1. From the packet, read and annotate James Baldwin's essay from his collection The Fire Next Time and Stephen King's essay, "On Impact." Due Tuesday.
2. Read my comments on your rough draft. If you have questions, respond in Google Drive. We'll discuss on Monday.
For next week:
Revise your summer essays, using my feedback and this rubric as your guide: revision summer essay rubric The revised essay will be due on Friday, 9/20.

Homework for week of 9/3

Tuesday: For block day: Bring in 6 word memoir and photo. See details from last week's blog. Reread Tim Seibles “Faith”, noting any new observations and questions.
Block day: Choose central question for summer reading essay. Begin drafting. Here is prompt, guidelines and rubric:Summer Reading essay and rubric

For this essay, the thesis will be the "extent to which  offers answers". Your central question will be included in the introduction.
 
THESIS resources:
Although we have not read A Room with a View by E.M. Forster, here are some exemplary thesis statements from that novel, so you can get an idea about the construction of a thesis:

By juxtaposing Cecil and George, Forster presents a conflict Lucy must resolve. Her decision reflects the change in the role of a woman shifting between two men and two Eras

By portraying Lucy as a character who feels uncomfortable at any hint of self revelation, Forster employs music as being the only way in which Lucy can access her own soul.

Forster employs the foil characters of George and Cecil to represent the idea of passion versus convention in Victorian society, and the inability to reconcile the two sides.

Note about construction: In most cases, the subject of your sentence in the thesis is the author, the predicate is the BIG idea and the HOW (or literary devices) could be an introductory clause. Remember, we are focusing on the wizard (the author) and what big truth s/he is exploring.

Here is the sample introduction I showed you in class: Sample introduction
Here is a sheet if you struggle with academic language: Vivid verbs and literary vocab 

Friday: Draft summer reading essay. Due Monday