I hope by now you guys know I'm nuts for discovery or inquiry learning. I truly, truly believe the adage "what you get out of literature depends upon the questions you ask it." 

But beyond literature, curiosity and exploration and examination, I believe, lead to the "greater understandings" of Life. Wasn't it Socrates who said, "The unexamined life is not worth living"? Word. 

Here's what you need to do: 

Ask ONE question about some aspect of Hamlet. 

No repeats, so read one another's questions. (cue evil laugh here) 

Knowing how way leads onto way, it should be noted that a classmate's question can inspire your own question...just make note of it in your post. Perhaps these questions can lead us to what is so ambiguous, provocative, complex, and personally and emotionally challenging about this play. 

So begin to wonder and ponder. Have fun & think hard!

I'm not sure we could ever read enough poetry in the course of a school-year. I'm not even sure what enough poetry is. We have satisfied the curriculum and you are better readers of poetry, so is that enough? 

There are many, many more poets, guys, and enough Poems You Must Read to last us for months. There are so many more poetry induced shivers to be had! (Just please go read this right now, because we might not/probably won't have time to do it justice, but just go now, now! and read this.) 

But maybe that's the point -- I'm not sure we should ever feel like we've read enough poetry. (This is how I feel -- read this, too) 

I have found our poetry unit both incredibly inspiring and somewhat frustrating. I am, as always, impressed and inspired by what you students find in literature, and the series of poems we've studied has been no exception. 

A few memorable moments for me have been: 

• Nyah's in-class reading of "Hate Poem" 
  
• The toiling over the extended metaphor projects
  
• Liam's spot on TP-CASTT of "To An Athlete Dying Young"
  
• Alona's insights into "The Summer Day" 
  
• The collective gasp and hilarity of the realization of "she being brand new"
  
• How many of you found "Mother to Son" relatable 
• The look in your eyes with the lines, "Tell me, what is it you plan to do/with your one wild and precious life?" 
  
  

And what is frustrating is that we have, as mentioned above, only begun to skim the surface. Maybe that's something I'll rethink for next year, or maybe I'll accept the breadth of the curriculum with a Zen-like peace. But for now, I have promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep and miles to go before we sleep. 

For this blog post, I'd like you to read, post, and reply. 
Let's treat this, as much as we can, like a class discussion. I ask that you stay curious and think less about how accurate or academic your comments sound and think more about how authentic they are.  

1. Read "Musee des Beaux Arts" by W.H. Auden. (One of the last poems in your anthology) 
2. Post a comment in which you discuss the content of the poem -- what it might mean, how the poet achieves what he does, what is striking, what is memorable, what makes this poem great-with-a-capital-G. 
3. Reply to a classmate's post. 


* New Critical approach & Reader Response both acceptable. 
* No shortcuts or study sites until after your initial reading and post.


Comment & Reply posts DUE by MONDAY, MARCH 9.

The SMHS English department surveyed students about their all time favorite book. 
Here are the results!

So far so good in our poetry unit! But let's take a few more moments to talk about connotation, our TP-CASTT method, and why feelings are such a big deal in poetry. 

I've been trying to pay (even more) attention to what I read and listen to and how we use language to get others to feel stuff. My little kids are quite aware of how some words and phrasing affect me more than others.

For example...

Addy: "Can I eat this gigantic drippy ice cream sandwich five minutes before bedtime?" 
Me: Um, no you may not.
vs.
Addy: "May I eat this gigantic drippy ice cream sandwich five minutes before bedtime?" 
Me: What a proper way to ask a ridiculous question. Sure! Enjoy it and be sure to get extra sticky. 

Manners and properness will take you far, guys. Plus it's adorable and I don't want to raise a couple of heathens who eat gigantic drippy ice cream sandwiches five minutes before bedtime. wink.

Or, another scenario...

Student A: Ugh, reading is so boring!
Student B: Ugh, reading is so challenging!
Me: Student A, shut your face, reading is amazing and totally not-boring and, yes I agree Student B, at times, reading is challenging! 

Boring and challenging...probably not much of a difference in this scenario, right? But with teacher ears and connotation, I'm immdeiately emotional. 
.....

As mentioned in class, it's time to turn up for second semester lit. January to May will consist of: poetry, poetry, and more poetry; existential literature; Hamlet; a field trip to the ACS; and a senior footprint project. Oh, and graduation. It's going to be kind of awesome, guys.

But before we get there -- one more novel that will yeild a whole lot of juice for a mere 75 pages of reading.



So: your reading for break: Ethan Frome. Your assignment: to be deteremined.

Help me decide by answering this handy-dandy poll below. 

Nora is Torvald's pretty little skylark. She plays the fairy and dances for him in the moonlight. She sneaks cookies, cares for the children, and...forges her father's name for cash-money. 

Her story is reminiscent of many common tropes and themes in modern stories of awakening and scandal. I mean, maybe Nora’s scandal isn’t quite as scandalous as Kerry Washington’s Scandal or nearly as nefarious as the meth dealer's money-laundering wife, but for a woman of her time, I think she's quite the clever one.  

Your job for this post is to get context. Research A Doll's House (writer, time period, setting, etc.) to learn more about its context --especially gender roles and societal norms.

• Provide ONE FACT that is RELEVANT & INTERESTING and would provide a deeper understanding of our story. 
• Give us your fact, its source, and one sentence explaining how it contributes to your understanding of one aspect of the play. 
• Also: no repeats! So read up & get after it! 

Hello, my AP Litters! I hope all is well and you're enjoying our heavy new read.

I'm blogging from the Weebly Classic app and it doesn't allow for too much fancy. So let's cut to the homework chase, yes?

Please reply by Monday, 11.17.

The directions have changed: You only need to reply to this thread, not a classmate (though if you chose to, that'd be cool & interesting vis discussion).

Of the first 10 stories in The Things They Carried, which is your "favorite"? (Most thought-provoking, intriguing, intense,entertaining, inspiring, and so on...)

AND

What makes TTTC great literature? How (and where) is it ambiguous, provocative, complex, and personally & emotionally challenging?

I look forward to your thoughts. Read, work, & think hard.

Slaughterhouse Five is no doubt a work of literary merit. It breaks the rules in all the right ways. It is deeply weird and incredibly famous. 

Here are some of my favorite, shiver-inducing moments: 

"Listen:
Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time."

"All there is to say about a massacre, things like 'Poo-tee-weet?'"

"The queer Earth was a mosaic of sleepers nestled like spoons."

"All moments, past, present, and future, have always existed, always will exist."

"And on and on it went --that duet between the dumb, praying lady an the big, hollow man who was so full of loving echos."

"How nice --to feel nothing, and still get full credit for being alive."

"The boots fit perfectly. Billy Pilgrim was Cinderella, and Cinderella was Billy Pilgrim."

"I've been opening the window and making love to the world."

"All he does in his sleep is quit and surrender and apologize and ask to be left alone."

"If you're ever in Cody, Wyoming...just ask for Wild Bob."

And for you? What's memorable? Why does this book endure? 

AND, what's one idea from seminar that you found most interesting or intriguing? OR, what's something you either didn't say in seminar or thought of later?

Post due by Monday, 10.26.

Alright, people. A little contest for 10 bonus points...

It may be a small reward, but who doesn't like a little competition?

We've talked about Twitter reminders, Twitter chats, and all things Twitter related. (Well maybe not all things, but enough things to make it a thing.) Not all of you use Twitter, and you are NOT REQUIRED to do so. It's just one more way we can stay in contact and spread the love.

But! We need an AP Lit hashtag so any posted info is filtered to the same place. Make sense?

In the comments below, suggest your creative hashtag ideas by Friday, 10.3. Winner gets 10 points and will live an AP Lit hashtag infamy.

Next week, it's group work go-time! You'll be reading, annotating, and analyzing one final short story for the year. You will show what you know about literary elements and basic critical anlysis. 

Please vote in the pole below to provide feedback on how to divide you up. Go team!