​Please follow the instructions for writing a poetry précis found on Google Classroom. You may use your own name or the pen name you used with The Handmaid's Tale. This is due BEFORE class tomorrow (portal closes at the start of class).

Today, we read a selection of two poems and voted on the "best." Clearly, "best" is a very subjective term, and so here is your space to justify your choice. Select your favorite of the poems and compose a BRIEF précis that illuminates the basis of your decision.

​This FIRST poetry précis is due by THIS Sunday night, but moving forward, these will be due each night that we review poems (only one précis for any of the poems read in a single day). Your poetry precis does not have to be the winning poem of the day. You may select your favorite of any that we cover in a day. Some days, we will read only two poems; others, we may read up to SIX!

Please follow the instructions for writing a poetry précis found on Google Classroom. The graphic organizer you used in class will be helpful to you here. You may use your own name or the pen name you used with The Handmaid's Tale. 

You’ve just finished The Handmaid’s Tale... And instead of ending with Offred, Atwood gives us a transcript from an academic conference hundreds of years later. Why?

Before we write a more formal literary analysis essay, we need to figure out what this ending is really doing. Address the 5 parts below in your primary blog response. This does not need to be formal in style. It’s thinking on paper (blog), and you can be as conversational as you like. You do not need to answer each specific question in your response, but you should use them to guide your literary musing.

PART I: First Reaction 

• How did you feel reading the “Historical Notes”?
• Did anything make you uncomfortable? Amused? Angry?
• How is the tone different from Offred’s narration?
• Why might Atwood want us to feel this way at the very end?

PART II: What Do We Notice?
1. How Do the Scholars Talk About Offred?

• What words does Professor Pieixoto use?
• Where does the audience laugh?
• What seems to matter most to him?
• What seems to matter least?

2. What Happens to Offred’s Story?

• Earlier in the novel, what felt important in Offred’s narration?
• What does Pieixoto focus on instead?
• What gets lost in translation?
• Does the meaning of her story change in this setting?

3. Is This Chapter Hopeful or Not?

• On one hand, Gilead has fallen. On the other hand, the scholars’ tone feels… off.
• What does this suggest about whether society has truly progressed?

PART III: The Last Line
The chapter ends with “Are there any questions?” Finish your conversation by exploring at least two possible meanings of this line.
Consider:

• Is it ironic?
• Is it dismissive?
• Is it aimed at the audience in the novel?
• Is it aimed at us, the readers?
• Does it make the ending feel complete... or incomplete?

PART IV: Bridging to the Bigger Idea
Now push your thinking further. Do you think Atwood is only criticizing these fictional academics, or might she also be saying something about:

• How society treats women’s testimony?
• How institutions interpret trauma?
• How history is recorded and remembered?
• Who gets to control narratives?

PART V: Preparing for the Essay (The Big Move)
How does reading Offred’s full story change the way we judge Professor Pieixoto?  In a meta-analysis of this chapter, how does examining Pieixoto's lecture force us to reconsider everything we just read? How does it shift the question from “What happened to Offred?” to “How will her story be handled?” and maybe even to “Who controls meaning?” Finally, ask yourself, "What is Atwood's message to me?"

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add a word count. Due by 11:59 pm Friday night, 3/6/2026. 

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add a word count. Due by 11:59 pm Sunday night, 3/8/2026.

Jezebel's, as a setting, encapsulates the duality of Gilead: a regime that outwardly enforces strict moral codes but inwardly indulges in depravity and excess. The "masquerade" atmosphere serves as a metaphor for the regime itself-a facade of order masking chaos and corruption. Offred's internal conflict is mirrored in the women around her. Serena Joy serves as her foil; a woman who, despite their class difference, represents the women who see the hypocrisy but have submitted themselves to it. Ofglen is the moral voice of resistance, while Moira's voice serves as a spirit of her past. This fragmented identity is apparent as Offred struggles to reconcile her pre-Gilead self with her current reality. This doubling of identity is further illustrated in her connection to Nick, who represents both a risk and a refuge. This moral ambiguity comes to life in Offred's "particicution" during the Salvaging. While resistance is critical, survival is fundamental, so safety through acquiescence becomes obvious.

In your response, you might address any or all of the following prompts:

• Analyze the presentation of Jezebel's and it significance as an element of the hypocrisy at the core of Gilead.
• Analyze how Offred's interactions with Nick reflect her identity and vulnerability.
• Explore the significance of the Salvagings as a ritual in Gilead.

​Successful responses will:

• Have a clear focus on how guilt and despair with identity and intimacy affect the themes of hypocrisy and corruption.
• Identify and explain key examples of narrative structure and language that depict Offred's internal conflict.
• Highlight the broader societal and dystopian context of Gilead and its impact on Offred's autonomy.
• Discuss the significance of the last chapter of Offred's narrative and its ambiguous ending.

In your response, use at least a few of the terms referenced in these blogs (and apply them correctly). Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add a word count. Due by 11:59 pm Friday night, 2/27/2026. 

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add a word count. Due by 11:59 pm Sunday night, 3/1/2026.

The action in this week's reading was both notable and contextually rich. We focused on Janine's highly ritualized birthing ceremony, Moira's escape, the Commander's odd games of Scrabble with Offred, contrasted with Offred's reflections on a childhood memory of a documentary about Nazi Germany. In this Primary blog entry, please consider how, in this week's reading, Atwood presents and connects the control and commodification of women in Gilead with the psychological effects of oppression.

In your response, you might address any or all of the following prompts:

• Explore how Atwood uses language, symbolism, and narrative techniques to convey Gilead's power over women's bodies and identities.
• Analyze how Offred's reflections on the Commander and the Nazi Germany documentary reveal her coping mechanisms.
• Discuss how these chapters reflect broader themes of survival, complicity, and moral ambiguity.

​Successful responses will:

• Develop a clear, structured argument that explores Atwood's portrayal of women's experiences, using relevant terminology (e.g., commodification, symbolism, stream of consciousness, metatextuality).
• Link the events of the reading to the wider dystopian context, feminist critique embedded in the novel, and/or the philosophical and historical implications of complicity and survival.
• Show an understanding of how Atwood balances oppression and resistance through Offred's perspective.
• Utilization of relevant historical and societal contexts (e.g., totalitarian regimes, Puritanism, environmental crises) to enhance interpretation.

In your response, use at least a few of the terms below (and apply them correctly):

• ​Metatextual: When a text draws attention to its own nature as a story (e.g., Offred's reminder, "this is a reconstruction too").
• Allegory: A story, image, or idea that conveys a deeper moral or political message.
• Dramatic Irony: When the audience knows more about a situation than the character does, creating tension or humor (e.g., Offred's view of the Commander as harmless contrasts with his actual role in Gilead's horrors).
• Antithetical: Directly opposed to or contrasting ideas (e.g., Gilead's rhetoric about purity and safety versus its institutional violence).
• Motif: A recurring idea or symbol that supports a theme.
• Symbolism-Using objects, characters, or settings to represent larger concepts (e.g., Offred's body as a symbol of control).
• Stream of Consciousness-A narrative style presenting a character's thoughts and reactions in a flow without structured order.
• Allusion: An indirect reference to historical, cultural, or literary events or figures (e.g., Nazi Germany comparison).
• Vernacular: Every day, ordinary language used by people in casual speech.
  
• Catharsis: Emotional release or relief through expression.
  
• Idiom: A common phrase with a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning (e.g., "give up the ghost").

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add a word count. Due by 11:59 pm Friday night, 2/20/2026. 

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add a word count. Due by 11:59 pm Sunday night, 2/22/2026.

The list is long of possible topics to discuss in this week's reading. Select one of the topic choices below to discuss how Atwood's use of Narrative Techniques and Imagery to illuminates your understanding of them:

• Women's Bodies and Autonomy
• Doubling and Identity
• Power and Resistance
• Time and Monotony
• Isolation and Camaraderie
• The Past and the Present
• Surveillance and Conformity
• Silence and Voice
• Control and Religion
• Hope and Despair

In your response you might address any or all of the following prompts:

• Analyze Atwood's use of narrative techniques, such as fragmented structure, imagery, and Offred's reflective voice, to convey themes of control and resistance.
• Consider how these techniques reveal Gilead's control over Offred's life and identity and, essentially, women as a whole.
• Analyze Atwood's use of Offred's detachment and reflective narration to depict the Ceremony.
• Analyze the narrative within the dystopian genre, focusing on the psychological effects of oppression and Atwood's feminist critique.

​
​Successful responses will:

1. Develop a clear argument, using appropriate terminology (e.g., symbolism, metaphor, motif, narrative perspective, tone, dystopian characteristics, stream of consciousness, etc.).
2. Provide adequate and appropriately cited evidence that ties directly to the argument.
3. Explore a nuanced portrayal of the topic and prompt selected from the list above.

​
In your response, use at least a few of the terms below (and apply them correctly):

• Analogy- A comparison between two things to clarify or explain an idea.
• Direct Characterization-When a writer explicitly tells the reader a character's traits.
• Indirect Characterization- When a writer reveals those traits through the character's actions, dialogue, thoughts, and interactions with others. 
• Motif-A recurring idea or symbol that supports a theme.
• Symbolism-Using objects, characters, or settings to represent larger concepts (e.g., Offred's body as a symbol of control).
• Imagery-Descriptive language appealing to the senses to create vivid mental pictures.
• Narrative Lacuna-A deliberate or accidental gap or omission in a narrative.
• Epizeuxis-Repeating words in immediate succession with vehemence or emphasis (e.g., "Crybaby. Crybaby").
• Synesthesia-A literary device that mixes senses (e.g., "a red scream").
• Binary Opposition-Contrasting concepts (e.g., light/dark, good/evil) used to emphasize themes.

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add a word count. Due by 11:59 pm Friday night, 2/13/2026. 

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add a word count. Due by 11:59 pm Sunday night, 2/15/2026.

Margaret Atwood employs three epigraphs at the beginning of The Handmaid's Tale to establish the novel's tone. Based on the epigraphs provided, analyze how each epigraph contributes to an understanding of:

• The dystopian world of Gilead.
• The central thematic topics of power, control, and survival.
• The author's possible message about society.

Use evidence from the epigraphs to explain how they introduce some of the possible ideas explored in the novel. You should write at least one paragraph (80-100 words-ish) for each epigraph, clearly linking the quotation to your analysis.

Successful responses will cover:

• Interpreation and Understanding:
  • Clearly explain what the epigraph suggests about the themes in the novel.
  • Consider how Atwood might be using epigraphs to set the tone of the story (e.g., dystopian-speculative, satirical, critical).
• Evidence and Explanation:
  • Include specific references or quotes from the epigraphs to support your ideas.
  • Use literary terminology accurately (e.g., anachronistic, imperative, metaphor, satire) to enhance your analysis.
• Relevance to Context:
  • Consider the relevance of each epigraph to a speculative dystopian world and how it might reflect on real-world concerns.

Key Terms:
Anachronistic: Something that seems to belong to a different time period than the one it is portrayed in.
Imperative: A command or instruction given in the form of a sentence that starts with a verb.
Metaphor: A way of describing something by comparing or calling it something else, creating a vivid image or meaning.
Satire: A way of using humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or mock societal issues, individuals, or systems.

Epigraph #1
 “And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister*; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel; and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.”  - Genesis 30:1-3

Epigraph #2
But as to myself, having been wearied out for many years with offering vain, idle, visionary thoughts, and at length utterly despairing of success, I fortunately fell upon this proposal....
-Jonathan Swift, A Modest Proposal
​
Epigraph #3
‘In the desert there is no sign that says, “Thou shalt not eat stones.”’ - Sufi Proverb

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): Minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add a word count. Due by 11:59 pm Friday night, 1/30/2026! 

Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
To mould me man? Did I solicit thee
From darkness to promote me?
                                                           -John Milton, Paradise Lost, X, 743-745 (1667)

The creature reads John Milton's epic poem, Paradise Lost (1667). Milton's epic poem tells the story of how Adam and Eve live in peaceful harmony until they are seduced by Satan into eating from the Tree of Knowledge and are punished by being banished from the Garden of Eden. While reading Paradise Lost, the creature reports that he initially identifies with the character of "Adam" insofar as both are "united by no link to any other being in existence" (132). However, the creature also identifies with the character of "Satan": "Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me" (132). Do you think the character bears a greater resemblance to Adam or Satan? Why?

Important Note: Mary Shelley, a highly educated woman of her time, would have deep knowledge of various texts (both secular and nonsecular), philosophies, cultures, and ideas and would have been encouraged by her progressive upbringing to think critically about all of them. She would have been influenced by various religious beliefs, but seems to have held agnostic or atheistic views. However, as a child of Great Britain, Shelley's conception of Frankenstein reflects a complex engagement with Judeo-Christian themes, suggesting her influence by the religion followed by most people around her.

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Sunday night, 12/21/2025! 

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Monday night, 12/22/2025!
​
Extra Information: If you are unfamiliar with Paradise Lost by John Milton, Dr Moore of Saint Thomas University gives an excellent and relatively brief overview considering the complexity of this famous poem. As always, remember that this video lecture is Dr Moore's interpretation of Milton's epic classic through the lens of sociopolitical thought. You may find that you have your own interpretation if you choose to read it.

Summary: Paradise Lost, an epic poem by John Milton, is arguably the greatest poem written in the English language. It is based upon the creation story found in the Christian Bible. Most religions (current and ancient) have stories that attempt to answer the question: Where did we come from? Interestingly, if you take a Comparative Studies course, you may find many parallels amongst various societies throughout time and place. This is where thinkers like Joseph Campbell developed the concept for his book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, and Carl Jung's Archetypal Characters. What is Paradise Lost about? Paradise Lost tells the story of the Garden of Eden, God's creation of humanity, Eve's temptation by Satan and Adam's subsequent temptation by Eve. It also tells the story of the War in Heaven, when Satan rebelled against God and fell to Hell. Paradise Lost is an extraordinary epic poem; its major themes include freedom, knowledge, justice, providence, republicanism and monarchy. This podcast provides a summary of some of Paradise Lost's major themes as well as some strategies for reading Milton's epic poem (adapted from GreatBooksProf).

Mary Shelley opens Frankenstein with four epistolary letters from Robert Walton to his sister, Margaret Saville. Through these letters, Walton reveals his ambitions, fears, values, and vulnerabilities even before Victor Frankenstein enters the story.

In a well-developed response, analyze how Mary Shelley uses the first four letters to construct the character of Robert Walton.
​
Your analysis should:

• Examine Walton’s voice, tone, and narrative perspective,
• Explore his aspirations, insecurities, and emotional state,
• Discuss how Shelley uses language, imagery, and Romantic/Enlightenment ideas to shape the reader’s perception of him,
• Consider how the MIT Press footnotes deepen your understanding of Walton’s goals, influences, and worldview,
• And evaluate how Walton serves as a frame narrator whose character both parallels and foreshadows Victor Frankenstein.

Support your interpretation with specific textual evidence from the letters and relevant footnotes.
Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 150-200 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 30, 2025.

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, December 1, 2025.

Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
To mould me man? Did I solicit thee
From darkness to promote me?
                                                           -John Milton, Paradise Lost, X, 743-745 (1667)

The creature reads John Milton's epic poem, Paradise Lost (1667). Milton's epic poem tells the story of how Adam and Eve live in peaceful harmony until they are seduced by Satan into eating from the Tree of Knowledge and are punished by being banished from the Garden of Eden. While reading Paradise Lost, the creature reports that he initially identifies with the character of "Adam" insofar as both are "united by no link to any other being in existence" (132). However, the creature also identifies with the character of "Satan": "Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me" (132). Do you think the character bears a greater resemblance to Adam or Satan? Why?

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 150-200 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Sunday night, 3/2/2025! 

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Tuesday night, 3/4/2025!

Extra Information: If you are unfamiliar with Paradise Lost by John Milton, Dr. Moore of Saint Thomas University will give you an excellent and relatively brief overview considering the complexity of this famous poem. As always, remember that this video lecture is Dr. Moore's interpretation of Milton's epic classic through the lens of sociopolitical thought. You may find that you have your own interpreation if you choose to read it.

Summary: Paradise Lost, an epic poem by John Milton is arguably the greatest poem written in English. What is Paradise Lost about? Paradise Lost tells the story of the Garden of Eden, God's creation of humanity, Eve's temptation by Satan and Adam's subsequent temptation by Eve. It also tells the story of the War in Heaven, when Satan rebelled against God and fell to Hell. Paradise Lost is an extraordinary epic poem, its major themes include freedom, knowledge, justice, providence, republicanism and monarchy. This podcast provides a summary of some of Paradise Lost's major themes as well as some strategies for reading Milton's epic poem (GreatBooksProf).

The words that Shelley uses to describe Frankenstein's process of creation suggest that it is analogous to pregnancy and childbirth. Just as pregnant women in the 18th century were confined to a room before going into labor, Frankenstein describes himself as "emaciated with confinement" and beset by a "slow fever" (Shelly 55, 57). He repeatedly refers to his "midnight labors" and anticipates the day when his "labors would [...] end" (Shelley 55, 57). Why might Shelley compare the male protagonist's process of creation with a woman's biological process of giving birth? What is the purpose of the comparison?

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 100-150 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm tonight 2-24-2025! 

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Thursday night 2-28-2025!

In this OPTIONAL blog post, please follow the directions on Google Classroom. No Secondary posting for this lecture.

Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume.

In this Primary Blog Post, please copy/paste the notes from your favorite chapter ONLY of the New York Public Library's podcast, Frankenstein: Our Dark Mirror. You may want to "flesh them out" (pun entirely intended) first, as your classmates will be reading and commenting on them this weekend.

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Thurs night, Feb 6th! 

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Friday night, Feb 7th!

Conduct a brief search on your chosen 19th century female scientist. Acting in her persona, compose a brief 1st person POV paragraph to introduce yourself. In your introduction, include your background information, your specialization, and any awards or distinctions you have earned. If you can find a interesting fact to add that is non-science related, incorporate that here. Your tone can be conversational, serious, comedic, or any that you feel best fits your persona. Include an image, if you can.

Remember, only use your Pen Name. I will know who you are. Have fun creating your fictionalized character of a real person, but do try to be faithful to your scientist's reality.
Expectations:

• 5-8 sentences written in the "voice" of your fictionalized scientist.
  
• 1st person POV.
• Details listed in the blog prompt above.

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Friday night 2-10-2023! 

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Sunday night 2-12-2023!