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Both Kevin and Dana know that they can’t change history. They say: “We’re in the middle of history. We surely can’t change it” (p. 100); and “It’s over . . . . There’s nothing you can do to change any of it now” (p. 264). What, then, is the purpose of Dana’s travels back to the antebellum South? Why must you, the reader, experience this journey with Dana?

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 60-100 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 1-10-2021!

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Dana states: "It was that destructive single-minded love of his. He loved me. Not the way he loved Alice, thank God. He didn't seem to want to sleep with me. But he wanted me around—someone to talk to, someone who would listen to him and care about what he said, care about it." (page 180) How does the relationship between Dana and Rufus develop? How does it change? Is it love or is it something else? What are the different levels of love portrayed in Kindred?

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 60-75 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. **Please use the name that you were assigned in class as your PEN NAME and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59 pm on Monday night!

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas)**: 50-60 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. In these replies, you can contribute, agree, disagree, support, elaborate, challenge, clarify, and/or connect. Please use the PEN NAME that you were assigned in class as your PEN NAME and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59 pm on Friday night!

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Kindred by Octavia Butler: Blog Post #1

12/8/2020

12 Comments

What does "kindred" mean? What does it mean to be someone's "kindred spirit"? These are slightly different terms! Have you been lucky enough to find your kindred spirit yet (sometimes it takes many, many years!)? What are the pros and cons of being a kindred spirit?

Consider these questions and compose your thoughts regarding the importance of having and being someone's kindred spirit in a brief paragraph.

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 60-75 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. **Please use the name that you were assigned in class as your PEN NAME and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59 pm on Friday night!

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas)**: 50-60 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. In these replies, you can contribute, agree, disagree, support, elaborate, challenge, clarify, and/or connect. Please use the PEN NAME that you were assigned in class as your PEN NAME and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59 pm on Sunday night!

12 Comments

Big Mouths: Kevin and JJ

11/19/2018

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You have 2 ears and 1 mouth.... Please listen twice as much as you talk.

Kevin's BFF

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Tues 11/24- "Platoon" (1986) directed by Oliver Stone: Please read the entire blog post carefully before composing your responses.

11/23/2015

Just as Chris and the platoon are divided between Elias and Barnes, viewers also feel somewhat divided. You feel compelled to side with Elias because he is jaded and righteous and seems to care about his men, but you can't help but admire Barnes' hardiness, his determination to win the war, and ability to survive. After our class discussion about allegory, the Christ figure and Machiavelli, as well as the inability of humans to be purely good or evil, you understand that this is a decision that is not as easy as one might hope.

Imagine that you are a soldier in this platoon. Who do you follow, Sgt. Barnes or Sgt. Elias? Take into consideration all factors: survival, morality, reality of the war environment, psychological effects of the war, constant extreme stress, and any other factors that would affect your decision. Explain your decision in a thoughtful and well supported blog entry.

Primary Blog Entry Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the assigned "pen name" given to you in class. Please complete this in the first 20 minutes of class.

Secondary Blog Entry Expectations (read everyone's first 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 assigned "pen name" given to you in class. Please complete this in the last 25 minutes of class.

PLEASE ADD WORD COUNT AT END OF EACH BLOG ENTRY!

You have ample time to complete these three entries in one period. If you do not, you may complete it as homework, but the blog post will be closed at the end of the day.

Friday Nov. 13 - War and Peace: "The Things They Carried" Primary and Secondary Blogs (3 total)

11/10/2015

Prompt: Think about the items that you carry in your bag (backpack, purse, fanny-pack, man-bag, etc.). Choose two items and explain why you have chosen to "hump" these items wherever you go. What is the tangible and intangible element of each item and why? Then think and write about what these items say about you. Finally, compare yourself to one of the characters in the short story. Who do you most resemble and why?

Primary Blog Post: 2 Full Paragraphs (200-250 words - use at least one MLA cited quote from the short story)

Secondary Blog Post: 1 Full Paragraph (100-150 words) X 2 (one each for two classmates)

*please note: You must use the "pen name" that I assigned to you for this assignment (both primary blog entry and secondary blog entry)!

-(DAY 1) Primary Blog Post: Only those posted by the end of the day (Friday 11-13-2015 at 11:59 pm) will be scored.

-(DAY 2) Secondary Blog Post: Only those posted by the end of the weekend (Sunday 11-15-2015 at 11:59 pm) will be scored.

Author's Argument in "Dulce Et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen

3/12/2015

14 Comments

Now that you have read and analyzed Owen's poem, supplementing your understanding by viewing video clips and discussing, please take a moment to reflect on Owen's argument regarding war. Then answer the following prompts:
1. What is his argument and how does he use his poem to prove his argument? Please be sure to use multiple line references (3+ references) to support your analysis>
2. Once you have thoroughly explained Owen's argument regarding war, please compose a thoughtful response either refuting and supporting his stance.

In your Primary Blog Entry, you should respond to the questions above in a single entry. Your Secondary Blog Entry should respond to two of your colleagues' entries that are especially interesting to you.

Part One Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, 2 quotes from the novel, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the assigned "pen name" given to you in class PLEASE FINISH BY FRIDAY NIGHT!

Part Two Expectations (read everyone's first 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 assigned "pen name" given to you in class. FINISH BY SUNDAY NIGHT!

Click on image to enlarge.

14 Comments

Applying the Monomyth to Novel or Film

3/5/2015

After having explored the concept of the Monomyth (or Hero's Journey), you are ready to begin independent application of the 12+ stages of the Monomyth to a work of your choice. Please do the following steps in a narrative form (paragraphs, not list):

Select a work with which you feel comfortably familiar.
Summarize the work in a single sentence.
The bulk of your response should be tracing the main character's journey through the stages of the Monomyth.
Conclude your response with a reflection on how the essential learning that the main character learns can be developed into a thesis statement (author's argument + how + why + so what).

PLEASE ADD WORD COUNT AT END OF EACH BLOG ENTRY!

Primary Blog Entry Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the assigned "pen name" given to you in class.

Secondary Blog Entry Expectations (read everyone's first 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 assigned "pen name" given to you in class.

(3 total blog entries for this assignment)

"Platoon" (1986) directed by Oliver Stone

2/25/2015

Sgt. Elias and Sgt. Barnes

Just as Chris and the platoon are divided between Elias and Barnes, viewers also feel somewhat divided. You feel compelled to side with Elias because he is jaded and righteous and seems to care about his men, but you can't help but admire Barnes' hardiness, his determination to win the war and ability to survive.

After our class discussion about allegory, the Christ figure and Machiavelli, as well as the inability of humans to be purely good or evil, you understand that this is a decision that is not as easy as one might hope.

Imagine that you are a soldier in this platoon. Who do you follow, Sgt. Barnes or Sgt. Elias? Take into consideration all factors: survival, morality, reality of the war environment, psychological effects of the war, constant extreme stress, and any other factors that would affect your decision. Explain your decision in a thoughtful and well supported blog entry.

PLEASE ADD WORD COUNT AT END OF EACH BLOG ENTRY!

Primary Blog Entry Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the assigned "pen name" given to you in class.

Secondary Blog Entry Expectations (read everyone's first 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 assigned "pen name" given to you in class.

(3 total blog entries for this assignment)

"Facing It" by Yusef Komunyakaa

2/19/2015

Now that you have read and analyzed the poem, "Facing It" by Yusef Komuyakaa, select 3 strong images from the poem and discuss their literal AND figurative meanings. Finish your response by explaining how these images and their metaphorical meaning helps your understanding of the theme of the poem (hint: revisit the title of the poem).

PLEASE ADD WORD COUNT AT END OF EACH BLOG ENTRY!

Primary Blog Entry Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the assigned "pen name" given to you in class. Due by 11:59 pm on Friday night (2-20-2015).

Secondary Blog Entry Expectations (read everyone's first 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 assigned "pen name" given to you in class. Due by 11:59 pm on Sunday night (2-22-2015).

(3 total blog entries for this assignment)

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Blog Requirements

*your blog must clearly relate to the prompt.
*connect to at least one aspect of the reading.
*show thinking that extends beyond simple summarization.

Blog Rubric

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Kindred Blog #3

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