Things Fall Apart Resources

The Audio files be found here: http://goo.gl/edJ3LC

The portal to the virtual Village of Umuofia is here: http://www.literaryworlds.wmich.edu/umuofia/

The Washington State University Things Fall Apart is at: http://goo.gl/XP3Nph

AND FINALLY, HERE IS THE PROJECT OUTLINE:

Final Project

 

Imagine your audience is future students who have to read Things Fall Apart. Create something that will help them understand the book better.  Due WED 1/8/2014

 

PROJECT OPTIONS: No more than 2 people per group,  and only people from your period

• Board Game – The Life of Okonkwo or UMUOFIA
• Children’s picture version of Things Fall Apart
• Graphic Novel
• Hanging Mobile
• Diorama – box with figures and 3D representations of required elements
• Movie/Video reenactment of three pivotal scenes– copy of the video required
• Movie trailer and film pitch  - video required

 

Your project can be creative in nature, but you must be able to show the elements below – they must be obvious enough for me to grade you on them.

 

Culture: must include 7 of the following elements, reference the context, and briefly explain how/why it is important in their culture:

Note:  Context is the when, how, and who that surrounds this element.

 

1. Bride Price
2. Chi
3. Cowries
4. Egwugwu
5. Evil Forest
6. Laws and Judgments
7. Kola Nut
8. Oracle
9. Palm wine
10. Titles
11. Traditions/Celebrations
• Week of Peace
• Feast of the New Yam
• Wedding

       12. Yams/seeds

 

Proverbs: at least 3 proverbs and page numbers

Follow the Recipe for Understanding Proverbs (proverb notes). What is the context? What does the proverb mean? What does it say about the values and the culture?

 

PLOT: ALL Projects must include a written summary of the plot including all the key elements from class (exposition, rising action, conflict, climax, falling action, and catastrophe). Include the role of the Christian Missionaries in the conflict. Include one specific example for each part of the plot and page #.

An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's "Heart of Darkness", Chinua Achebe

What is Achebe’s premise? How does he support it?

How does he say his argument changed during the writing of his essay?

Defend or challenge the assertion that good novels portray all people as “human”.

Due Thursday 12/5 Character Spidergram Analysis

To get to the heart of character you have to “analyze” their motivations, thoughts, and values. Complete character evaluations of  Marlow, Kurtz, and one other significant character (Brickmaker, The Manager, the Intended, or some other significant character). Use the example of the Harlequin / Russian trader as your model (see class handout).

 

 

Due Wednesday, 12/4 5 Questions for Socratic Fishbowl

Here's your chance to ask the big questions about Heart of Darkness; the ones that make even my brain hurt. Look in your journal, look to your symbol logs, look at previous biblical verses, and look inside characters and you'll come up with the right 5.

Level two questions are textually implicit, requiring analysis and interpretation of specific parts of the text.  They usually ask how or why and are often figures of speech.  It is implied.  They are between the lines. 

 

________________________ represents _________________________

 

________________________ stands for _________________________

 

________________________ equates to _________________________

 

________________________ makes one think of _____________________

 

________________________ personifies _________________________

 THE BEST QUESTIONS ARE LEVEL THREE -

Level three questions are much more open-ended and go beyond the text.  They are intended to provoke a discussion of an abstract idea or issue.  It answers the question “So what?”

Symbols: 1 - 4 due Tuesday 12/3, 6 - 10 Due Wed 12/4

Determine why each of the following functions as a symbol in HOD ch 2 and 3, then write a well organized paragraph for each  supporting your reasoning and cite specific incidents in the text as support (direct quote and page reference).

1. The journey

2. The jungle

3. Darkness and the color black

4. Light and the color white

Fog- In Heart of Darkness, fog represents distortion. It is neither darkness nor light, but in between. Fog distorts one’s views and makes it difficult to see things clearly. In Chapter 2, for example, Marlow’s steamboat is caught in a fog. Marlow describes the fog as “more blinding than the night.” (Pg. 40) He is unable to discern if the river ahead is dangerous or safe. Enveloped in the fog, Marlow makes an incorrect assumption, as he assumes that the natives will not attempt an attack on the steamer in the fog.

6. The cannibals

7. Ivory

8. The Congo River

9. Heart

10. The Flame

Heart of Darkness Questions

Please post any HOD questions or questions about your study guide here. I'll answer as quickly as I am able.

Heart of Darkness Found Poetry Prompt

Read the following passage from Heart of Darkness, and write a well organized essay in which you explain how Conrad structures the passage to create mystery. Be certain to include an examination of how narrative point of view and figurative language contribute to the mood.

 

Thesis Homework 3rd Period - due 10/22

Please post your thesis statements for Holy Sonnet 14 in the comments section below.

Thesis Homework 2nd Period - due 10/22

Please post your thesis statements for Holy Sonnet 14 in the comments section below.

Thesis Homework 1st period - due 10/22

Please post your thesis statement from Holy Sonnet 14 in the comment section.

Homework 10-15 : answer the questions after Holy Sonnet 14

Please Read the following sonnet and COMPLETELY ANSWER all questions. Turn your assignment in at the beginning of class on 10-16-13.

Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you
As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp'd town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy ;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.

1) What kind of God is suggested by the words "batter", "break", knock, overthrow? What does "three-personed God" mean?
2) With which God might the verbs "knock" and "break" be associated? The verbs "breathe" and "blow"? The verbs "shine" and "burn"?
3) What is the effect of the altered word order at the end of lines 7 and 8? how should they be written?
4)Explain the words "enthrall"(13) and "ravish"(14) to resolve the paradox in the last two lines? To what extent is this a paradox? Support your answer.

This is your entrance ticket to class 10/17/13!

 



Holy Sonnet X - Period 3 Comments

Please post your Statement of the situation and the abstract idea in the comments below. Try to compose it as one big, fluid, complex statement.

Include any unusual comparisons from the poem after to prove you're "engaged" as a fantastic class citizen!

Be sure to check your writing in word before you post it here.

Holy Sonnet X - 2nd Period Comments

Please post your Statement of the situation and the abstract idea in the comments below. Include any unusual comparisons from the poem.

Be sure to check your writing in word before you post it here.

HOLY SONNET X by John Donne - 1st period

Please post your Statement of the situation and the abstract idea in the comments below. Include any unusual comparisons from the poem.

Be sure to check your writing in word before you post it here.

"The Flea" by John Donne - 3rd Period

Please post your metaphysical conceit (unusual parallel/witty comparison) here with a BRIEF explanation. Proof your comment for errors in word before you post!

Let America Be America Again - Critical Discourse Questions

Due 9/24 - -
Here is the Link to the poem:

 http://goo.gl/OQuKs

Does the use of power reinforce or destroy stereotypes? How, specifically?




•Who is given power? How do you know?

•What power relations are being negotiated? Explicit and implicit: expose all relations?


•What is the speaker’s perspective? What is his attitude in relation to his subject?


•Who is the intended audience?

•What perspectives are marginalized or devalued in the text?

•Does this text position the reader as in insider or outsider? How do you know?

•What voices are not heard? How could this be important?

•What moral lessons does the text support?

•How does the text push you to interpret it a particular way?

How do the various italicized words and phrases create meaning?

Homwwork due 9/19: Reflection

Compose a reflection on the timed writing. Where do you feel you were successful and where did you struggle? What SKILLS do you believe you need to develop in order to be successful on the next TW?

Please leave your reflections in the comment box below with your name and class period.

2nd / 3rd period reading assignment 9/9

Here is the link to "Araby".  http://goo.gl/7oBaVl

Please use the text to answer the following questions:

1)Describe what you consider you be the story's main idea.

2) Consider the attitude of the speaker toward his home as indicated in the first paragraph. Why do you think the speaker uses the word "blind"  to describe the dead end street? What relationship exists between the speaker's pain at the end of the story to the ideas in the 1st paragraph?

1st period assignment

Here's the link to "The Horse Dealer's Daughter" text. Please finish reading the text, then answer the  following questions:

http://bit.ly/2aWx9A

What do Mabel and Fergusson realize as he revives and warms her? How do their responses signify their growth as characters?

Why does the narrator tell us at the story's end that Fergusson "had no intention of of loving" Mabel? What idea does this repeated assertion convey?

Don't forget to make notes about POV, character, setting, plot, and theme as you read. Make a note of the things that stand out.

Summer Reading 2013

Greetings Class of 2014

welcome to AP Lit and Comp!

Your summer Reading Assignments are posted below. See you in August!

Poetry assignments due 4/1

Here's the assigned poetry list from 3/28:

2nd period:
Holy Sonnet 14, p666
P.670
P. 672
P.673
P.674

4th period
Holy Sonnet 14, p. 666
Keizer- 668
Naming parts, 670
Spender, 672
Eating poetry, 674
10 o'clock p 673

5th
Poetry needs inventory
Childhood
Eating poetry, 674
HS 14, p 666
10 0'clock. P 673

Spring Break

I've updated the school website with the spring break assignments (yes, plural).Mr. Jessup's AP Lit Web Page

Enjoy your break!

This week

We will finish Hamlet this week. You are to complete logs for 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 5.1, 5.2.
You will timed write again on Thursday - Prose or Poetry.
There will be a critical reading assignment this week, as well as a spring break assignment.

Hamlet Update

1. Logs are to be complete through 3.3 by 2/26/13.
2. Oh what a rogue paraphrase due 2/26/13
3. Homework: To Be or Not To Be, that is the argument!
a) paraphrase soliloquy in your log!
b) explain what Hamlet is trying to say.
c) do you think Hamlet is alone? Support your answer in your log.
d) on a separate sheet of paper write the Soliloquy word for word as a two sided argument.
Example:
V1: "To be"
V2: "or Not To Be
V2 and V2: That is the question
V1: whether tis nobler . . .
Due beginning of class 2/26/13

Assignment for 2-15-13

Hamlet 1.3 questions : As always, use text evidence to support your answers in a way that will broaden our understanding of the scene.

1. What advice does Laertes give Ophelia? Why?

2. What advice does Polonius give Laertes?

3. Why does Polonius forbid Ophelia to see Hamlet?

Paraphrase the following sonnet, Identify its component parts, and explain the message in each section.

Leave Me, O Love Which Reachest But To Dust

 Leave me, O love which reachest but to dust,

And thou, my mind, aspire to higher things;

Grow rich in that which never taketh rust:

Whatever fades but fading pleasure brings.

Draw in thy beams, and humble all thy might

To that sweet yoke where lasting freedoms be,

Which breaks the clouds and opens forth the light

That doth both shine and give us sight to see.

O, take fast hold; let that light be thy guide

In this small course which birth draws out to death,

And think how evil becometh him to slide

Who seeketh heaven, and comes of heavenly breath.

Then farewell, world! thy uttermost I see:

Eternal Love, maintain thy life in me.

Leave your work in the proper section box on my desk at the end of the period.

1.3 - 1.5 are due Monday!

AP Poetry Scoring Rubric

Here's the rubric I promised Friday. Use it to score the three essays in your handout.

Poetry Analysis Scoring Guide

9-8

These well-organized and well-written essays clearly demonstrate an understanding of how

the speaker / author in ________ uses ________ to convey ________. In their references,

they are apt and specific. Though not without flaws, these papers will offer a convincing

interpretation of the poem, as well as consistent control over the virtues of effective

composition, including the language unique to the criticism of poetry. They demonstrate the

writer’s ability to read perceptively and to write with clarity and sophistication.

7-6

These essays also demonstrate an understanding of _________’s poem; but, compared to the

best essays, they are less thorough or less precise in their analysis of how the speaker / author

uses ________ to convey ________. In addition to minor flaws in interpretation, their

analysis is likely to be less well-supported and less incisive. While these essays demonstrate

the writer’s ability to express ideas clearly, they do so with less mastery and control over the

hallmarks of mature composition than do papers in the 9-8 range.

5

While these essays deal with the assigned task without important errors, they have little to

say beyond what is easiest to grasp. Their analysis of how ________ conveys ________ may

be vague. As a critical explanation, they deal with the poem in a cursory way. Though the

writing is sufficient to convey the writer’s thoughts, these essays are typically pedestrian, not

as well conceived, organized, or developed as upper-half papers. They may reveal simplistic

thinking or immature writing.

4-3

These lower-half essays often reflect an incomplete or over-simplified understanding of the

poem. Typically, they fail to respond adequately to part of the question. Their analysis may

be weak, meager or irrelevant, inaccurate or unclear. The writing demonstrates uncertain

control over the elements of effective composition. These essays usually contain recurrent

stylistic flaws and/or misreadings, and they often lack persuasive evidence from the text.

Essays scored 3 exhibit more than one of the above infelicities; they are marred by a

significant misinterpretation, insufficient development, or serious omissions.

2-1

These essays compound the weaknesses of the papers in the 4-3 range. Writers may seriously

misread the poem. Frequently, these essays are unacceptably brief. They are poorly written

on several counts and may contain many distracting errors in grammar and mechanics. While

some attempt may have been made to answer the question, the writer’s observations are

presented with little clarity, organization, or supporting evidence. Essays that are especially

inexact, vacuous, and/or mechanically unsound should be scored 1.

0

This is a response with no more than a reference to the task or no response at all.