Hill's English Unleashed.life - Freshmen CP

Of Mice and Men: A Paradise Lost

4/3/2020

One of the reasons that good reading can be hard, is that author's may use one of many literary devices. We are going to focus on several throughout the year, beginning with the hardest. We begin with those because you do not have to get them right now. They take time, growth, and experience. Steinbeck is a master of a few of these, namely: symbol/archetype, allegory, and allusion. He isn't trying to be difficult; he is trying to be expressive. We are going to spend a few weeks working our way into these techniques so that reading his book is more meaningful.

The first and the hardest of these techniques is allusion: a reference to something else, to enrich the text. One of the primary texts that Steinbeck is referring to, also one of the most important English texts written, alluded to, and politic changing, is John Milton's Paradise Lost. It is also one of the most difficult pieces. We are going to listen to music and read an abridged version. It won't be simple, but whatever you take from it will enrich reading in general, and Steinbeck and Shelly's Frankenstein specifically.

2) Read and annotate the article below: BBC- Why You Should Re-Read Paradise Lost
Either print out the article or digitally save and annotate. Post in Classroom.

BBC: Why You Should Re-Read Paradise Lost

Not perfect, but here are a few optional overviews of Paradise Lost.

3) Read Book 1 in Google Classroom (or your packet) or on the Dartmouth site below. Language is original, spellings are different than modern spellings. Don't let that throw you. :)

Paradise Lost - Book 1

When have you ever felt betrayed? What was your reaction?
How did your emotions change the world around you?
Assignment: All of these songs were chosen by students as the soundtrack to PL.
Start collecting songs of your own as we go through the story.
Send them to me and I will add them!

Soundtrack sampler from Last Year- PL Book 1

"To a Mouse"

3/30/2020

Annotate your poem and add our notes from here, please. Allusions are different than symbols. You have to have read and understood the reference well-- or you won't understand your piece with the same depth. We have worked very hard to make sure that you understand that knowing what happens is possibly less than half of a text. Knowing how that text interacts with the world? That is everything. Remember Steinbeck is one of the foremost American Authors who changed a nation with his writing. It is important that we go beyond and feel into his true meanings.

Of all times, I have taught this book, this may be one of the most important and, one of the first times, I thing Steinbeck would be really proud of us. Shutting down a nation and profits to safeguard lives? This is our story of how we did it right. Now, how are you going to invest in yourself, your dreams, your education, and your community so that we all make it through this stronger?

Please read part of the Burns article. It is lengthy. Concentrate on the first 25%. I pulled out one of the most important quotes for you here.

"Burns...has been viewed alternately as the beginning of another literary tradition: he is often called a pre-Romantic poet for his sensitivity to nature, his high valuation of feeling and emotion, his spontaneity, his fierce stance for freedom and against authority, his individualism, and his antiquarian interest in old songs and legends. The many backward glances of Romantic poets to Burns, as well as their critical comments and pilgrimages to the locales of Burns’s life and work, suggest the validity of connecting Burns with that pervasive European cultural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries which shared with him a concern for creating a better world and for cultural renovation" (Poetry Foundation).

Robert Burns- overview

Allusion: a reference to another source: history, literature, religious, etc.
Allegory: a piece with many layers where characters, places, and incidents are symbolic of something else- likely a real allusion.

Answer the questions in quality annotations and/or answer them in Classroom. We hope to return. I can accept handwritten assignments and packets at that time. For altering your grade while we are distance learning. Turn in your work to Classroom as typed answers or as a picture of annotations.
Questions to annotate for:

What happens in the poem? What has the farmer done to the mouse? What will happen to the mouse because of it?
Who does the farmer represent?
Who does the mouse represent?
Answer question #1 again in light of that representation.
Does the farmer seem to have understood? Does he sound sincere? (Hint: is he going to do anything about it?)

"To a Mouse" is an allegorical poem. Here are its most important layers:
1) The farmer and the mouse- what is literally happening and how should the reader feel about this?
2) England and Scotland- Which is the farmer and which is the mouse? Why and how does that change the answer to your questions?
3) Humanity and Nature- Which is the farmer and which is the mouse? What is Burns saying about how humans treat the world and each other?

Of Mice and Men

3/25/2020

1) We already watched this video as an introduction to Steinbeck and the Great Depression. You should have notes in MLA at the beginning of your packet.

2} We watched episode one of this documentary on Superheroes as an additional intro to the 1930's and how literature encapsulates our history and psychology through symbolism. Looking at how Grapes of Wrath and the comics discuss our nation like the Odyssey does for the Greeks is a huge step into better understanding Of Mice and Men.

What do the superheroes show us about our world, our society, and ourselves?

Superheroes Documentary on Amazon

3) Of Mice and Men movie. Watch trailer as you begin to read your book. The movie has some alterations but they are minor, and it is excellent. For free on HBO. For rent on Amazon and other. PG-13. Annotate the beginnings of chapter 1 and chapter 6 in your packet. How are they the same and how are they different? What will happen in the story?

4) "To a Mouse" -listen to the poem and annotate in your packet. I included the original and a standard English version. "To a Mouse" is based on the same issues that Steinbeck is pointing out, but in Scotland. Who does the farmer represent? Who does the mouse represent? Why do we need to read this poem to understand Of Mice and Men? What is an allusion?

5) Read Of Mice and Men
I will post separately about Paradise Lost, which is an additional allusion for Of Mice and Men, but for simplicity, your home school work is to read Of Mice and Men and answer the questions in the packet with citations. The whole audio only takes about 3 hours to complete. Please read carefully and answer questions well; take more notes as needed. The main questions though-- what does each character represent? What does the mouse represent? What is Steinbeck's main point- hint: same as the Grapes of Wrath. Like the Odyssey- this is a national story. Is this a story that we are proud of? How do we become better? This year this books seems particularly well timed. How do we answer the call to our communities in times of struggle?

Of Mice and Men- Amazon Audio

Of Mice and Men on Audible

Of Mice and Men PDF

Odyssey- Extended remix

3/25/2020

Hi everyone,
While we are at home, I am working on our Odyssey readings with my own kids. They are actually working through the Latin/Greek Roots and using your Odyssey yellow packets. My daughter will be in 9th next year and so we might as well get her prepared. Here are some of the things we are watching and discussing from home. Some of them you have already seen. Some of them I show my sophomores. And the Troy movie is based on the Iliad which I show infrequently. FYI- While I recommend it, the Troy movie is rated R. I have an edited family version if I show it in class, but if you choose to watch from home it does have nudity and violence. :) Still interested? Or working on essays or epics? Here are somethings to explore! Miss you!

Ancient Monster Hunters: This is the folklorist who realized that griffins were dinosaurs. Watch all five for the whole documentary.

Clash of the Gods- Zeus. Clash of the Gods documentaries series is on History Channel for free.

Troy movie- available to rent on Amazon. Rated R.

A student made me lotus cookies one year!

Clash of the Gods Medusa. A movie I show sophomore year, but watching for fun with my kids!

Clash of the Gods- Hades

The Odyssey movie- Rated PG-13

Lotus Eaters reference from Janna!

My kids and I are enjoying our "history, literature, mythology" class and adding more pieces as we go! What are you adding of your own independent studies at home as you explore your reading and writing as your heart desires.
We are watching 300 right now as I write to you!
Want to watch it with us?

2.19.20

2/19/2020

Periods 1, 3, 5:
Today you are visiting your counselors halfway through the period. First lets get a few things accomplished and then you can head out.

Silent read and annotate to finish your Odyssey packets for 20 min. Make sure that your annotations are good.
Following that you have 10 min. to discuss your thoughts and findings, as well as your favorite god, goddess, or monster (you may also choose an incident). Homework is to look up an article based on that reality: drug abuse, alcoholism, democracy, prejudice (especially of gender, race, religion, economic class).
Work on your root list. You do not need your worksheets. I want you to concentrate on roots only and the words that you think of that help you remember them. On this next test 80 out of 100 are roots.
Go sit by your counselors door and wait in line to see your counselor- even if you forgot your card. When you are finished come back to class and work on any work you have yet to complete or work on finding an article on your phone.
- Times to leave: P1 - 9:25, P3 - 11:25, P5 - 1:50.
Homework: Find and annotate (printed out with annotations or notes and a work cited on your own paper) an article related to the issues Odysseus has to fight in the Odyssey. Bring it with you on Friday to work together on an essay in class.

Roots List 1-20

An Epic Journey

2/5/2020

The plan: everyday we will read another section of the Odyssey and discuss what it represents and how it affects us still today. Students will apply that to writing their own story and to finding historical articles or current events that relate to the story.

Writing: This quarter we are in the deep end on a journey through great writing and the great allusions, symbols, history, psychology, plotting, and grammar that goes with it. We will be annotating the Odyssey and watching movies as an example, then writing our own epic to practice.

Odyssey packet-
Introduction and Conclusion
4 paragraphs:
1) What does god/goddess/monster represent
2) Compare to real life article
3) What does 2nd god/goddess/monster represent
4) Compare to real life article
work cited
annotated story
2 annotated articles.
Extra credit: typed paragraphs and work cited.

Epic due--End of the Quarter:
5 pages typed- unless other project
Epic Outline:
Cover
Map
*Optional- dedication page
*Optional- Prologue/Prophecy
Exposition- "Normal" life, typically isolation
Location #1- arrival, meeting, confrontation, escape-Typically a "calling"
Location #2- arrival, meeting, confrontation, escape- Typically journey to a special location
Location #3- arrival, meeting, confrontation, escape- Typically a battle for dominance
Location #4- arrival, meeting, confrontation, escape- Typically a battle to death/rebirth
*Optional- homecoming
Back cover with blurb :)

The End of Our Semester

12/9/2019

Our last week(s):

Finish Symbol/Archetype Notes
Friday- Blog Post due on Google Classroom
Tuesday- "The Scarlet Ibis" due on StudySync
Tuesday- Vocabulary Final 1-15
Finals Day- In-class Essay

Symbols, Archetypes, and Motifs

12/4/2019

Arguably beginning with Freud, Jung, and Campbell, the symbolism and archetype discussion has become fundamental, not only to literature, but to sociology, psychology, and religion, etc. Archetypes are symbols, or even structures, that are fundamental to how our brain thinks, remembers, and connects ideas. They are a part of our DNA, spirit, psyche, or wherever you feel comfortable locating them-- because science is still unsure. What we do know is that they seem to be similar (though not exactly the same) across time periods and cultures. They link and connect our mind to our body and our environment. They seem to be a secret psychological code to understanding story and ourselves. Because they are inherent to you, we just need to tap into them and create our own lists of symbols, archetypes, and motifs. Begin with: what does the archetype remind you of and how does that make you feel...

Websites and Blog Posts!

11/22/2019

Our last "essay" of the semester is a blog post for our websites! You can write about anything that you want! Will it be video games, music, baseball, band? What is it you love? Blogs - or articles- should be 2-4 paragraphs of the most exciting parts of your topic and how to get involved. Whatever it is have fun!

Due December 13th

See handout on Google Classroom and turn in there.

My Atticus

11/19/2019