• The beginning/ending
• The protagonist
• The supporting characters
• The types of dystopias
• Plot
• The author’s purpose (i.e. why is he/she writing this)

Then, we’ll write a quick body paragraph in class before doing the peer edit. The peer edit:

Reader 1:  Does the writer have all of the parts?  Does each paragraph have a) topic sentence b) a set up for #1 quote c) the first quote/evidence d) setup for #2 quote e) the 2nd quote f) a 2+ sentence discussion. Reader 2: The same as Reader 1 Reader 3: Check for grammar issues and evaluate how well the discussion explain why the similarity or difference is important.

HW: Final draft due Thur

Next, we’ll get small groups together to work on exploring themes and how they are explored in the novels.  We’ll research and then we’ll present.

Finally, I’ll go through our next paper F451/Anthem Compare/Contrast and explain what I’m looking for.  I hope to give you time to work on the pre-write in class. Get the .pdf version of my talk on literary analysis paragraphs here.

HW:  Anthem–Finish the Book, F451–to pg. 136

Next, I’ll give back the quizzes and talk a bit about the themes and ideas the novels and how someone might comment on them.

F451–>Themes: Censorship, anti-intellectualism, literacy, totalitarianism, propaganda, technology, consumerism, rebellion, society

Anthem–>Individualism vs. collectivism, technology, education, society, peer pressure, work, totalitarianism.

Anthem Questions

1. Why does Equality think that Liberty is different than all of the rest?
2. Why is it bad to be “too” happy in this society?  (46)
3. What’s so scary about the Uncharted forest?
4. What did the man do to deserve being burned at the stake? What does Equality imagine happened when he saw him?
5. What does Equality learn with the crazy frog’s leg?
6. Why is the conversation between Equality and Liberty forbidden? What do they tell each other?
7. What decision does Equality make on pg. 70 and why?  What do you think will happen?
8. Prediction:  How will this story end?

F451 Questions: Section 2

1)    Pg.68  Montag reads a quote “It is computed that eleven thousand persons have at several times suffered death rather than submit to break their eggs at the smaller end.”  What do you think that means?  Why did Montag read it?
2)    Pg. 74.  Why does Mildred prefer her “family’ to books?  Is she right?
3)    Read quote beginning “Jesus God…”  (pg. 73) What doe we learn about the political and military situation?
4)    Who is Faber and why does Montag want to talk to him?
5)    Who is the White Clown and why does Montag want to know if he loves Mildred?
6)    How does Denham’s Dentifrice drive Montag crazy?  What does this passage show about how advertising affect people?
7)    Why does Faber consider himself a coward?  What does he give Montag?
8)    What plan do Faber and Montag cook up?  Do you think it will work?

HW:  F451–> Finish section 2 (Pg. 110).

Anthem–> Read pages 62-87.

Reader 1: Read the story looking for a suspenseful story with a clear what-if.  Tell the writer what you think the what-if is and how it caused the dystopia. Also, comment on how the writer uses sensory details so that we can see, hear, smell, etc. what is going on.

Reader 2: Look at the beginning and the ending. Does it start in an interesting way–right in the middle of the action?  Is the ending surprising yet plausible? Make suggestions for improvement.

Afterward, we’ll take some time to write a bit.  Remember, the final printed out version is due on Tuesday.

Next, we’ll take a look at F451 and Anthem and try and figure out what the writer is trying to say and whether we agree. We might try to have a little full-class graded discussion.

F451 quotes

Anthem:

1) “My dearest one, it is not proper for men to be without names. There was a time when each man had a name of his own to distinguish him from all other men. So let us choose our names. I have read of a man who lived many thousands of years ago, and of all the names in these books, his is the one I wish to bear. He took the light of the gods and he brought it to men, and he taught men to be gods. And he suffered for his deed as all bearers of light must suffer. His name was Prometheus.”

2) I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask none to live for me, nor do I live for any others. I covet no man’s soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet.

I am neither foe nor friend to my brothers, but such as each of them shall deserve of me. And to earn my love, my brothers must do more than to have been born. I do not grant my love without reason, nor to any chance passer-by who may wish to claim it. I honor men with my love. But honor is a thing to be earned.

I shall choose friends among men, but neither slaves nor masters. And I shall choose only such as please me, and them I shall love and respect, but neither command nor obey. And we shall join our hands when we wish, or walk alone when we so desire. For in the temple of his spirit, each man is alone. Let each man keep his temple untouched and undefiled. Then let him join hands with others if he wishes, but only beyond his holy threshold.

For the word “We” must never be spoken, save by one’s choice and as a second thought. This word must never be placed first within man’s soul, else it becomes a monster, the root of all the evils on earth, the root of man’s torture by men, and an unspeakable lie.

3) Here, on this mountain, I and my sons and my chosen friends shall build our new land and our fort. And it will become as the heart of the earth, lost and hidden at first, but beating, beating louder each day. And word of it will reach every corner of the earth. And the roads of the world will become as veins which will carry the best of the world’s blood to my threshold. And all my brothers, and the Councils of my brothers, will hear of it, but they will be impotent against me. And the day will come when I shall break the chains of the earth, and raze the cities of the enslaved, and my home will become the capital of a world where each man will be free to exist for his own sake.

HW: Sci-Fi Story due Tues

Image Credit: themes.dreamstime.com

Then, I want us to take a liitle look at the quiz on F451/Anthem and see what worked and what didn’t.

Next, we’ll answer some questions about our books and check to see if we know what’s going on.

F451

1. What has happened to Clarisse?
2. Explain who Professor Faber is and why Montag visits him.
3. What are Faber’s reasons for the fear this society has for books?
4. Montag gets Faber to help him.   What is their plan?
5. Read the paragraph on pg. 86 starting “You can’t guarantee…” and explain Faber’s argument.  What does he mean by the reference to Caesar and the ending part about heading “for shore.” ?

Anthem

1. The old locks and lack of guards in the Palace of Corrective Detention indicate that prisoners never tried to escape. Why not?
2. Explain the four reasons the Council rejects Equality’s invention.
3. What are the real reasons behind the Council’s rejection and fear of the gift?
4. What does Equality mean, at the beginning of  chapter vii, when he says, “We are old now, but we were young this morning”
5. What is Equality experiencing for the first time in this chapter, and what does he feel as a result?

Finally, we’ll talk about our first paper assignment.  Rough draft next Thursday (25th). Final due on September 30th.

HW: Read pages 92-110 in F451 (Finish Sand and the Sieve) and 81-93 (Anthem

Period 1:  Do you agree/disagree with the following quote.  Explain with examples from your own life or from examples in history, literature, pop culture, etc. 200 words or so.

If it keeps up, man will atrophy all his limbs but the push-button finger.  ~Frank Lloyd Wright

Period 5: Read the following poem and comment on the degree to which you think society causes people to be all the same.  Do you feel that pressure?  If so, describe a time when that happened. If not, describe a time when you were able to resist pressure to conform.  Quote at least once from the poem in your writing. 200 words or so.

Then, we’ll take the quiz. Good luck.

Finally, we’ll have groups work together to create their own dystopias and present them to the rest of the class.

Image Credit: glinkster.com Godzilla vs King Kong

HW: Read F451 pages 71-91 or Anthem 68-80.

Period 1:

Let’s try and get up and move around or at least stand. We’ll push the desks back and play Fortunately, Unfortunately and also Fractured Fairy Tales.  In FFT, you take a well known tale and change the ending.  The trick is to change it to something that is surprising, but plausible. Here are the fairy tales:

1. Cinderella
2. The Boy Who Cried Wolf
3. Snow White
4. The Emperor’s New Clothes
5. Jack and the Beanstalk
6. Goldilocks and the 3 bears
7. Rumpelstiltskin
8. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Next, we’ll get to F451. We just read pages 14-40 and I’ll give you five excepts to paraphrase and connect to larger ideas.

• Page 20 “She’s didn’t look up…” (1 paragraph)
• Page 26-27 “It doesn’t like me” to “…Reacted toward me.”
• Page 29 “Oh, they don’t miss me.” (1 paragraph).
• Page 34 “That’s rich!…” to “Benjamin Franklin.”
• Page 39-40 “You can stop counting…” to “People ran out of houses all down the street.”

Then, I want us to have a larger discussion about technology and society. Please take the following survey and we’ll discuss the results. If we have time, I’d like us to write a bit in reaction to the following quote:

If it keeps up, man will atrophy all his limbs but the push-button finger.  ~Frank Lloyd Wright

Finally, we’ll get a head start on the reading.  Read pages 41-68 by next Tuesday and we’ll have a quiz over section 1.

Period 5:

Let’s try and get up and move around or at least stand. We’ll push the desks back and play Fortunately, Unfortunately and also Fractured Fairy Tales.  In FFT, you take a well known tale and change the ending.  The trick is to change it to something that is surprising, but plausible. Here are the fairy tales:

1. Cinderella
2. The Boy Who Cried Wolf
3. Snow White
4. The Emperor’s New Clothes
5. Jack and the Beanstalk
6. Goldilocks and the 3 bears
7. Rumpelstiltskin
8. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Then, I’ll read you a poem by W.H. Auden called The Unknown Citizen and ask you–individually–to write a first response to the poem.  Describe “The Unknown Citizen.”  What was he like? How does the text of the poem differ from the attitude of the poet?  What is the poem trying to get at concerning the life of The Unknown Citizen? Then, we’ll do a little work with Anthem. In small groups, paraphrase the following excerpts and connect it to larger issues and themes you think the author is trying to talk about.

• Page 31 From “International 4-8818 stepped…” to “We shall go, none the less.”
• Page 36 From “We have stolen manuscripts…” to “…clearer than rock crystal.”
• Page 41 From “We do not think…” to “…we do not like to think.”
• Page 47-48 “We do not wish to look” (one paragraph)
• Pages 50-51 From “As the chains…” to the end of the section.

If we have time, we’ll get a head start with the reading.  Pages 52-67. Quiz on Tuesday. Image Credit: Mike Lockett.com The Three Bears

We’re ready to get started with our first books.

Period 1

Let’s start with some class policy debates. In small groups, I’ll give you a short list of policies that I’d like your input on.  You’ll talk, write a bit, and then, we’ll discuss.

Next, we’ll get blogs set up (crossing fingers).  I’ll explain how.

Then, questions from F451.  Do them in groups, one copy per 4 desk group.

1. What is Montag doing at the beginning of the novel? How does he feel about it?
2. Why does the girl Montag meet upset him? What does she ask him and how does that challenge him?
3. How is life in Montag’s house very different from that of Clarisse’s house?
4. What do we learn about what a fireman is and why they have the job they do?
5. Re-read the paragraph on page 9 starting “I sometimes think…” What is she describing about how people live in that time?  What do you think the author is saying about the danger that technology holds over people?
6. What’s wrong with Montag’s wife and what happens just as he finds out?  Why did the author choose to have that happen?
7. What do we know so far about the world of F451?  How does it differ from our own?

After we get a chance to hash through those questions, we’ll talk about what’s going on in the novel and what Bradbury is trying to accomplish early in the novel.

Then, I want to talk a bit about the 6 word story. Here are some examples from Wired Magazine. I’ll give you 10 minutes to come up with 3 of your own. Then, individually, I want you to take one 6 word story and expand it into 3 paragraphs in a blog post.

Finally, we’ll read a bit in class and talk a bit about what’s going on.

HW: Read pages 14-40 (…People ran out of houses all down the street.”)

Period 5

Let’s start with some class policy debates. In small groups, I’ll give you a short list of policies that I’d like your input on.  You’ll talk, write a bit, and then, we’ll discuss.

Now, questions from Anthem:

1. Why does Equality 7-25 say that “It is a sin to write this.” What is wrong with writing?
2. How are people raised in this society? Where do they spend childhood?
3. Why wasn’t Equality happy in school? Why do you think the schools are made this way?
4. How do people choose their jobs in this society?
5. What does Equality want to be, but what does he have to be instead?
6. What does it mean to be guilty of the Transgression of Preference?
7. Re-read the paragraph on page 23 “All the great modern inventions…” and explain what it literally means and then what you think the author is trying to say to the reader about the society she is describing.

After we get a chance to hash through those questions, we’ll talk about what’s going on in the novel and what Bradbury is trying to accomplish early in the novel.

Then, I want to talk a bit about the 6 word story. Here are some examples from Wired Magazine. I’ll give you 10 minutes to come up with 3 of your own. Then, individually, I want you to take one 6 word story and expand it into 3 paragraphs.

Finally, we’ll read a bit in class and talk a bit about what’s going on.

HW: Read pages 26-51 (finish I and read all of II)

We’ll talk about how to tell a story. We’ll talk about what makes a good story and what was good–structurally–about the Sedaris story.  Then, I’ll ask you to edit your story to make it stronger and post it. Think set up, crisis point, complications, resolution.

Next, we’ll get books.  Period 2 will get Fahrenheit 451 and Period 6 will get Anthem.

We’ll read a bit in class and then for homework…

Period 2:  Read pages 3-14 in F451 (ending in “lips go moving and moving.”

Period 6: Read pages 17-26 in Anthem (ending in “cold blue glass buttons.”)