Kakos' 1st Hour English 10

Minority Report Thesis Statements

2007-05-10T06:41:00.001-07:00

Calling all thesis statements to the blog!

Live Blogging! End of The Kite Runner

2007-04-26T06:25:00.001-07:00

See reminders below on the post below.

Live blogging! The Kite Runner: Chapters 21 and 22

2007-04-23T06:05:00.000-07:00

Reminders:

(1) Please reference by name to whom you are responding. Ex: I agree with Clay's comment about Gatsby's childlike approach to love, but I think we need to give Gatsby more credit because he is the only character in this novel who stays true to his love.

(2) Please use correct punctuation and spelling (as always).

(3) Hit the F5 key to refresh. You will need to do this continually in order to see everyone's comments.

(4) Try to find a balance between listening to the inner circle and having your own blogging discussion on the outer circle. Please don't abandon the inner circle altogether.

Upcoming Macbeth Essay: The Thesis

2007-03-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

Because we were rushed at the end of our shortened class today, I'm going to reiterate the directions here:

Please select one of the following five questions to brainstorm and develop into a thesis statement (you may stick with the same question you used for your Act 1 summary response, or you may switch topics):

1. Do women have to be masculine in order to be powerful?
2. What impact do dreams or dream-like states have on our waking lives?
3. To what extent is ambition healthy? When does it become destructive?
4. What drives people over the edge? What causes them to lose control of themselves?
5. Do we control our own destinies, or do our destinies control us? Is there such a thing as fate?

The big difference between this essay and your earlier summary responses is that you are eventually going to turn the question into a five paragraph essay in which you compare Macbeth to another person or text of your choice. Here are the official directions I put up on the PowerPoint today:

Over the next week, you will be writing a 5-paragraph essay in which you respond to one the five questions that you responded to in your Act 1 summary response.
The two big differences are as follows:

1. You must address different acts of the play (not just Act 1).

2. You must compare a situation, conflict, or character from Macbeth to another situation, conflict, or person from the media, from another play or novel, or from history.

As you brainstorm and develop your thesis, start considering whom or what you'd like to compare to Macbeth. Hitler? Romeo? Oprah? Get creative. When you have developed a thesis, please post it on this blog.

As always, please post by Thursday 10 pm.

Independent Reading Ideas

2007-03-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

I'd like you to post one or two ideas for your independent projects. Think about what you've done in the past that you've liked, or something you've never had the chance to do but would love to try. As you post your ideas, please address the following questions:

1. What should be the goal of our independent reading projects? In other words, why are we doing them? For what purpose?

2. What criteria should we use to assess how "good" an independent reading project is?

Thanks for your ideas!

Making Your Own Prophecy

2007-03-08T06:57:00.000-08:00

Based on Macbeth's transformation throughout the play, what do you think is going to happen to him in Act 5? What do you think will happen to Lady Macbeth, or Fleance, or Macduff? Be sure to explain your thinking--defend your prophecy with evidence from the play.

Seizing Macduff's Castle

2007-03-07T14:53:00.000-08:00

Why do you think Shakespeare includes Act 4, scene 2 in the play? We have never met Macduff's family, and we don't know Macduff particularly well. Why is this scene important to our understanding of the play's central characters and themes?

Look to the lady!

2007-02-20T15:28:00.000-08:00

At the end of 2.3, Lady Macbeth "faints" while Macbeth reveals to everyone that he has killed the servants.

First, do you think that we're supposed to believe that Lady Macbeth truly faints here, or is she merely pretending to faint? Provide at least one piece of evidence (a quote or a description of an event) to support your response.

Second, why do you think that Shakespeare chooses to have the murder of the king and servants take place off stage? The film version chooses to show the audience the murders (in a pretty gruesome way, might I add)--how does this added scene affect your understanding? Does it change your view of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?

Is this a dagger I see before me?

2007-02-12T11:41:00.000-08:00

Consider for a moment one of the following elements of Act 2 of Macbeth:

The dagger

The bell (also called "the knell" by Macbeth)

The knocking in 2.2

Bloody hands (bottom of page 57)

The word "Amen" (page 55)

Please pick one of the motifs listed above and analyze what you think this object symbolizes--what deeper conflicts, themes, or flaws does it represent and how? Be sure to show me your thinking as clearly and specifically as possible.

As always, read the comments of those who have posted before you and comment on whether or not you agree with others' interpretations. I also strongly suggest that you type your response in Microsoft Word first to catch any grammar or spelling errors and to prevent any loss of work due to technological difficulties.

Sin, Ambition, and Virtue

2007-02-08T13:54:00.000-08:00

"All sins have their origin in a sense of inferiority, otherwise called ambition. "

~ Cesar Pavese

"Though ambition in itself is a vice, it often is also the parent of virtue."

~ Edgar Quinet

Read and interpret the two quotations above. Which quotation fits your personal philosophy/experiences and WHY? Alternatively, you may explain why you agree with neither quotation.

Which quotation is more closely aligned with the first part of Macbeth and why? Please give a specific example in your response.

Chance, Choice and Tragedy

2007-01-30T08:11:00.000-08:00

Please look back over the article I asked you to find over the weekend on a person who has experienced a tragedy.

First, please offer a brief summary of your article (3-5 sentences).

Second, comment on whether or not you think this person had control over this tragedy--did this happen by choice or by chance? Explain your thinking.

Third, please read over the comments on this post and respond to the following question: Which is the greater tragedy--one that happens because of a bad choice, or the one that happens by random chance? Explain your thinking.

If you really knew me...

2007-01-15T18:24:00.000-08:00

In an effort to get to know each other, trust each other, and inspire each other a little for the next creative writing piece, I'd like you to take a little risk and post five things that you'd like other people in the class to know about you. The quirkier/more unique and personal, the better. Here are my five:

1. I am a terrible sport and throw a fit when I lose--especially when it comes to board and card games.
2. I hate it when people crack their knuckles or burp in public. It's disgusting.
3. I like to watch one rerun of "Scrubs" before going to bed because I find it relaxing.
4. Sometimes I'd rather curl up in bed and read a book than go out and socialize. I would have never admitted this in high school because I used to think that it made me a dork. Now I'm automatically a dork because I'm old and a teacher, so I don't really care.
5. My mother is very, very sick, and I get upset about it everytime I'm in my car by myself.

Your turn.

If we shadows have offended...

2006-12-13T13:39:00.000-08:00

At the end of the play (don't worry--this won't give anything away), Puck delivers the following soliloquy to the audience:

"If we shadows have offended,
Think but this and all is mended:
That you have but slumbered here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend.
If you pardon, we will mend..."

Why is Puck concerned about offending the audience? What aspects of this play might be considered offensive? In your response please consider the roles of some of the following: Love, control, dreams, power, deceit, trickery, mortals vs. immortals. As always, please read the other comments before posting your own in order to avoid repetition.

Unrequited Love

2006-12-11T08:50:00.000-08:00

Unrequited love is love that is given but not returned. For example, if you were desperately in love with someone but they failed to love you in return, your love would be unrequited.

A Midsummer Night's Dream explores several instances of unrequited love, but the most predominant instance in Act 1 is that of Helena and Demetrius. Is Helena pathetic for pursuing Demetrius so insistently, or can we call her brave? Is better to follow your love, even if your feelings are unreturned? At what point should you back down and give up?

As always, BE SURE TO READ THE OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE POSTING YOUR OWN. PLEASE COMMENT ON OTHERS' COMMENTS AND AVOID REPETITION.

Matchmaking...A Wise Choice?

2006-12-06T09:18:00.000-08:00

Please ask at least one of your parents the following questions and post their responses to the blog:
(1) If you could pick out a future husband or wife for your son or daughter, what specific characteristics would you look for?
(2) Do you think that parents should have a say in whom their children marry? Why or why not?

After you post your parents' responses, please post YOUR responses to the questions below:

(1) If your parents had the power to select your future husband or wife, do you think they would pick a good match for you? Would you agree with their decision? Why or why not?
(2) What would you do if your parents hated the person you wanted to marry and threatened to cut you out of the family?

A Glimpse of 2026

2006-10-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

The year: 2026

The task: To document a history

The mission: To analyze the nature of "progress"

The results: Some visions are encouraging, some are darkly perturbing, but all are possible.

The question: Which of these will come true?

Alyssa B.

Brigid I.

Julianna D.

Making the Mockumentary

2006-10-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

I always like to hear my students' feedback on what's going well and what's not, but I'm particularly interested in your reflections on the 2026 Mockumentary you've just created. I have never done a project like this with my students before, and your thoughts and comments are extremely helpful.

Below are some questions I have, but feel free to give other feedback as well. Also, you don't need to respond to every single question unless you want to; try picking 3 or 4 questions that apply to you.

1. What was the hardest part of this project?
2. What was most helpful to you?
3. What did you need more help/explanation/structure with?
4. What do you think you did well?
5. What do you think you could have done better and how/why?
6. What advice would you give to next year's class?

1986

2006-09-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

As I try to spark your brains with different genres, use this space to list the trends you can think of that have changed significantly over the past 20 years. When we're finished, please post your list and take a moment to browse others' ideas.

Our Leading Lady

2006-09-17T19:14:00.000-07:00

Take a few moments to skim through everyone's comments on the previous post: "Curley's Wife: Victimized, or Vindictive?" Pick one specific comment (it can be yours or someone else's), and write about whether or not the film adaptation of Of Mice and Men altered this perspective of Curley's Wife.

Some questions to keep brewing in the depths of your brains...Does the film make her a more protagonistic/sympathetic character than she seemed in the novel? Or is she more antagonistic/unsympathetic? Or the same? What kinds of choices did the director make regarding her character, and what do think he was trying to accomplish?

As always, defend your response and show me your brilliant thinking!

Curley's Wife--Vindictive or Victimized?

2006-09-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

Please respond to one or more of the following questions (be sure to read others' responses before posting your own and to indicate which question prompted your responses):

How is Curley's wife different in Chapter 5 than she is in the previous chapters? Why would Steinbeck want to change our perceptions of her?

Why does Steinbeck kill off her character? What might this represent?

What motivates Curley's desire to avenge her death? Is there evidence that he did love her, or is he driven by some other emotion?

Why doesn't Steinbeck give her a name?

Any other questions you'd like to ask about Curley's wife?

Please respond by 10 pm Tuesday night.

Who let Candy's dog out?

2006-08-29T06:46:00.000-07:00

In class yesterday we talked about using symbols to analyze characters. As you finish Chapter 3 in Of Mice and Men, consider Candy's dog as a symbol. What might this dog represent (and what does it mean that he gets shot)?

Hope

2006-08-28T06:02:00.000-07:00

Consider the following quotation:

"Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things."

Do you agree with this quotation? Is hope ever not a "good thing"?
Do you think that this quotation is showing truth so far in Of Mice and Men? Use one passage from the novel to support your response.

The Self-Created American

2006-08-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

Consider the following quotation:

"The American dream to me means that you have the ability to determine where you're going. You have the ability to formulate your dream, and you have the ability to put into motion all the building blocks that will help you achieve it. And I am so grateful that I was born in America, because I've had the opportunity to travel throughout the world...But there's no place like home, and there's no place that really affords you the same types of opportunities that we have. And it's just a matter of how hard we want to work, and I would go so far as to say, in America, you can take somebody who is very successful, who has the right mindset, and you can take everything from him and put him on the street and make him a bum, and they'll be right back there in a couple of years because all it requires is the right mindset and the willingness to work. And people who realize that are already halfway there, to realizing their American dream."

Do you agree with this author? Is "the right mindset and a willingness to work" all it takes? Explain your response specifically. Defend yourself!