Stearns Fatherblog

So, I’m not there. But I am there in spirit. Not like Hamlet’s ghost (SWEEEEAAAAR! SWEEEEEAAAAAR!),but something more benign.

You’ll watch the 2nd half of Hamlet and then collect a copy of the play from the substitute. For next Tuesday, I want you to prepare for a round table discussion of the play. You’ll need to do a pretty elaborate blog post to get ready. This is an online version of the play to help you. Please grab a copy of Hamlet if you need it. Here are some of the questions I want you to consider for our discussion.

1. Why does Hamlet wait so long to kill Claudius? What are the reasons for his hesitation? How valid are they? How many times does he have the opportunity to attack Claudius? What are his reasons for not doing so?
2. Hamlet claims that his madness is feigned, an “antic disposition” which he puts on for his own purposes (I.v.172). Why would Hamlet want to feign madness? How can an appearance of insanity help him achieve his ends? Is he really sane throughout the play, or does he ever cross the line into madness? What about Ophelia’s mad scene? Is it real or feigned? Is there “method in her madness” as well, or is she entirely irrational? Why has she gone mad? (What two reasons do her songs suggest?)
3. Pay attention to the treatment of the women characters Gertrude and Ophelia. Is there any basis for the Freudian interpretation of an Oedipal attraction between Hamlet and his mother? Hamlet does seem obsessed with his mother’s sexuality. How old is Hamlet? How old do you think Gertrude is? Is Hamlet’s disgust at Gertrude’s sexuality justified? To what extent is Gertrude guilty? Was she “in on” her husband’s murder? Has Claudius confided in her since the murder? How does Hamlet’s perception of his mother affect his behavior or attitude toward Ophelia? Why does he tell Ophelia to go to a nunnery? Does Hamlet really love Ophelia? If so, why is he cruel to her?
4. Suicide is an important theme in Hamlet. Discuss how the play treats the idea of suicide morally, religiously, and aesthetically, with particular attention to Hamlet’s two important statements about suicide: the “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt” soliloquy (I.ii.129–158) and the “To be, or not to be” soliloquy (III.i.56–88). Why does Hamlet believe that, although capable of suicide, most human beings choose to live, despite the cruelty, pain, and injustice of the world?
5. Choose a soliloquy in the play to look more closely at. Paraphrase it and then connect it to the larger themes in the play.

Be ready for a round table discussion on Tuesday. Afterwards, we’ll break up into acting groups, rehearse, and try a little reader’s theater by the last week.

We’ll start with the autobiographical letter.  These are due as printed copies today.  Individually, I’m going to ask students to read one autobio letter and grade it according to voice.  These grades won’t affect your fellow student’s grade but is a measure for me in gaging how well you’ve improved in the use of voice.

Next, Raisin.  In small groups you’ll read Act 2, scene –choosing roles for your felow group members to read. Then, I’d like you to answer the following questions about the section

1. What was Beneatha’s family doing when George came in?
2. What lie does Walter tell George and why?
3. What are “assimilationist Negroes”?
4. How has Beneatha’s hair changed and why?
5. How does Walter try to insult and belittle George?  Why?
6. What did Mama do with her money?
7. Why does Ruth always seem to be asking Walter if he wants something to eat?
8. What was Walter’s reaction to Mama’s purchase? Ruth’s reaction?

Then, we’ll talk. We’ll do a small group worksheet about advice we might give to the main characters and then we’ll read Act 2, Scene 2

If we have time…

I also want to give a shot at this article about racism and the brain.

1. Why does Jesse Jackson say what he says in the opening quote?  What does it mean?
2. What does the article say about the differing aspect of black and white racial preferences?  How does the author prove this?
3. What does face memory suggest about racism according to the authors?
4. When do the authors say racial bias begins and how do they know this?
5. What was the result of the Dovido study?
6. Looking at the data from this article, what do you take away about how racism is formed and what to do about it?

HW: Finish reading the play…

So, 1st period will start with SHAPE. Your attentiveness and alacrity will be awe-inspiring.

My 5th period will have a chance to do the voice-acitivity that I had yesterday but didn’t get a chance to do. We’ll share afterwards.

Then, I want to give you writers a chance to get some peer edit help.

Reader 1: Read the Autobio looking for specifics. See places where the writing would be stronger if the writer had included details illustrating general points. For instance, after writing I’m ridiculously good at math it would be helpful to say I learn new methods of math quickly and usually I spend half of the math class helping others figure out how to plot graphs of asymptotic paraboli. (if that makes sense, I’ll be very surprised)

Reader 2: Read the Autobio for voice. This should sing. Your letter should read in such a way that only someone as cool as the author could have written it. For instance, an author who overuses to be verbs (is, was, were)…could be gently encouraged to employ stronger, more studly verbs.

Afterwards, we’ll have some time to work on our Autobios. If you are interested in seeing the full CE handbook, click here. The formatting info is on page 10 and the sample is on page 12.

If we have time, I’d like to either watch this video of Clay Shirky talking about “Cognitive Surplusses!”  or this short video about storytelling.

I also want to give a shot at this article about racism and the brain.

1. Why does Jesse Jackson say what he says in the opening quote?  What does it mean?
2. What does the article say about the differing aspect of black and white racial preferences?  How does the author prove this?
3. What does face memory suggest about racism according to the authors?
4. When do the authors say racial bias begins and how do they know this?
5. What was the result of the Dovido study?
6. Looking at the data from this article, what do you take away about how racism is formed and what to do about it?

Image Credit: Ho, Amir “Carrying the loads of life” Flickr Dec 14, 2007

…not your autobio essay of course.

First, we’ll read 1.2 in Raisin in small groups and then answer the questions in my last post.

Next, please read the poem that inspired Raisin by Langston Hughes:

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore–
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over–
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

How does this relate to the themes and events of Raisin?

Then, I want to try a little voice experiment. Imagine you were describing being involved in a small car crash. Instead of describing what happened in your own voice. Write (in a short blog post) as if you were one of the following:

• An old woman from the Midwest
• A 20-something bodybuilder who has a rage problem
• A sarcastic teenager who can’t take anything seriously
• A responsible businessperson
• A DJ who loves life so much it hurts
• A cheerleader who pretends to be happy but secretly wants to write sad poetry
• A refrigerator who hates its job
• A hyper puppy
• Your best friend
• The car involved in the crash

Finally, I’ll give you time to work on your autobiographical letter in class. Remember, the full rough draft is due on Wednesday.

Image Credit: weblogs.sun-sentinel.com

So, did you get the questions for Act 1, Scene 1?  If not, I’ll give you time to do it.  If so, we’ll have a bit of discussion about it.  Especially, about eggs.  I love eggs BTW.

Next, we’ll continue on to scene 2.  Here are the questions:

Act I Scene Two
1. Who is Joseph Asagai?
2. What did Ruth find out at the doctor’s office?
3. Why is Asagai’s present to Beneatha appropriate?
4. Why is Asagai’s nickname appropriate?
5. What does Mama say is “dangerous”?
6. Where did Ruth actually go instead of the doctor’s office?
7. Why did Mama call Walter a disgrace to his father’s memory?

Then, I want to give you a little time to see each other’s Autobiographical Letter, sections 1 and 2.  I’ll introduce sections 3-5 and then give you time in class to draft those paragraphs.

HW:  Write a first draft for the entire autobiographical letter.