Month: January 2017

American Literature 1/27 – Socratic Seminar

/ mrshulkin / Leave a comment

Today we listened to Senator Cory Booker’s address to the Democratic National Convention.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGUtSY3FqPo

Then we met in a Socratic seminar to talk about the perspectives we explored and the questions which arose over the course of the last week. The seminar resulted in very fruitful discussions and as a follow-up assignment, you are asked to pick two questions to respond to on one page, typed, Times New Roman 12pt, double-spaced (if you cannot type it, hand-written is fine). Make sure to include evidence from the Socratic seminar, the speech, and the podcast to strengthen your argument. This paper is due on Friday, February 3rd.

Superheroes 9/1 – The Seafarer

/ mrshulkin / 1 Comment

Hi everyone,

Today we began some pre-Beowulf reading. We discussed how British culture changed in 450 AD and again in 597 AD as the Norse (vikings) invaded and their religious culture mingled with the growing Christianity.

Here are the notes in case you need more details: Brit Lit context clues. Just use the 450 AD and 597 AD slides.

To really see this change, we read the poem “The Seafarer,” which shows the blending of Norse and Christian cultures. Here’s the poem if you need it.

Tonight, and in the comments, I’d like you to answer these two:

1) Where do we see elements of both 450 AD era British religious/cultural ideas and post-597 AD British religious and cultural ideas?

2) Describe the two journeys happening here. The seafarer talks about the hardship of a life on the sea, but what figurative journey is he on as well? How do they compare to each other?

American Literature 1/26 – National Identity

/ mrshulkin / Leave a comment

Today we looked at and talked about each others’ images of America.  We mostly focused on the American Dream and American Identity.

Then we listened to the BBC podcast The Why Factor – Life, Liberty & the American Identity.  For tonight, finish the second half of the podcast and think about interesting questions you can pose in tomorrow’s Socratic seminar.

Link to podcast: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03rxtlh

 

Please remember to bring in your signed Student Release Form and your collage tomorrow (if you did not bring it in today).

 

Superheroes 1/23 – What gives a superhero “staying power?

/ mrshulkin / 1 Comment

Today was the first day of class. Welcome!

We started off talking about why some superheroes have “staying power” – that is, what makes some stick around while others fail?

For tonight, choose a hero (super or not) and check off which boxes on this archetype list apply: Archetype checklist

When you’re done, answer the two questions on the back. Remember, we talked about “cultural mythology” as what values, ideas, symbols, pop culture and struggles are relevant to our lives. You can post your answer here or hand it to me tomorrow.

Superheroes 1/17 – Integrating quotes into our essays

/ mrshulkin / Leave a comment

Today I did a recap of how to insert quotes into writing. Some of you already know how to do it, but it’s a good reminder and it gives some examples of different ways to do it. Here’s the power point: integrating-quotations-into-sentences

Remember, these essays are due on Friday. I’m not taking any late work on this one since you’ll be in a new English class on Monday.

American Lit 1/9 – Clybourne Park

/ mrshulkin / 2 Comments

Today we read two long excerpts from the play Clybourne Park, which Bruce Norris wrote in 2011 as a bookend to A Raisin in the Sun. Remember, Act I takes place in the home that the Younger family will move into but features the white family that’s living there (and Karl Lindner’s pitch to keep them there). Act II takes place 50 years later after the neighborhood has become a predominately black neighborhood and a white couple wants to move into the former Younger home (and demolish it and build a new one).

Please get a copy of Clybourn Park from me if you missed class. For Thursday, please have Clybourne Park read and answer one of the following three questions:

1) Does Clybourne Park serve as an appropriate continuation of A Raisin in the Sun?

2) Compare/contrast Clybourne Park to A Raisin in the Sun (and even Death of Salesman). Does Clybourne Park demonstrate that there is one universal American struggle or American Dream?

3) Think back to our question from the beginning of the course: what should American Literature be or do in the 21st century? Does Clybourne Park do/show/reveal/ poke/ reflect what you want to see American Lit do in our time period?

As always, use evidence and specific references to the texts to make comparisons and contrasts? This response should be between 3/4 to 1 full page.

Superheroes 1/3 – Marvel’s Civil War and the USA Patriot Act

/ mrshulkin / Leave a comment

Today we looked at a history of superhuman registration acts in the Marvel Universe, and we studied Reed Richards in particular: how did he go from anti-registration in 1990 to pro-registration 2006 (in Civil War)?

Here’s the power point for notes: history-of-superhuman-registration-acts-in-marvel

At the end of class we connected the events of post-9/11 America (detailed in the power point) to specific images, ideas and quotes in Marvel’s Civil War. How much does this book act as an allegory to modern times?

Homework

Today we also began discussing your final research paper for this course. For Thursday, come to class prepared with a topic idea and some cursory research on that topic. I will hold individual meetings during the period. This will be a homework grade.

Here are some ideas for choosing a topic:

Focus on a specific superhero
–How have they changed over the years and why?
–Use a lens (gender, feminism, Freudian, etc.) to study a superhero or group of superheroes

Study a specific story arc that spans multiple issues (like Civil War or the Death of Superman)

Connect story arc or character to our world
–Allegory, symbolism, religion, history in comics/graphic novels