Oedipus At Colonus

Hello my little nerdlettes!

Here is a copy of Oedipus at Colonus:

Read as much as you can. Remember we left off at Oedipus in a conversation with Antigone and Ismene. I would be uber happyif you all finished the whole thing :)

http://evans-experientialism.freewebspace.com/sophocles_oedipus02.htm

Answer the first 4 questions from the link from Oedipus at Colonus:

http://www.ajdrake.com/e240_fall_04/materials/authors/sophocles_sq.htm

Antigone Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words Antigone:

Sanguine

Preface

Prudent

Pariah

Repulse

Sated

Swagger

Comprehensive

Senile

Sententiously

Lithe

Insolence

Waver

Transcend

Study Guide for Antigone

Study Guide for Sophocles' Antigone

1-116

As you read the first scene, consider the gravity of the city's condition and how aware Antigone seems of it. Throughout the play Antigone and Creon will speak much of friends and enemies. Think about wht each means by these terms. In general, Antigone and Creon tend to use the same words but mean different things by them. For example, consider Antigone's reference to becoming a "traitor" (57). This is a political term;does Antigone mean a traitor tothe city, or to something else? Compare with creon at line 580. Why does Antigone assume that Creon's order is directed against her an Ismene? When Creon appears later, consider whether his conduct and language in fact supports her assumption. Do you sympathize at all with Ismene's caution? Does Antigone treat her fairly? Why is Antigone so concerned with glory? (113) Should she be? How old do you think Antigone is?

117-78

After the initial dialogue the Chorus emerges for their first choral ode(stasimon), which concerns the previous night's battle. Contrast the picture of Polynices drawn there with Antigone's earlier discussion of her brother; does your opinion of him, and of Antigone's position change at all? The chorus evokes Dionysus(171), the first of several times this god is mentioned. Why should the chorus call upon Dionysus? Look up Dionysus.

OOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH Grammar..You'll Like )

Hello My Little Helpers..(Name coined by Michelle Larotta)

Here is a grammar project that will magically turn you into AMAZING writers. It is due next Monday November 2nd. Here is the link. Click. Print. Complete. or if you don't want to print..write qustions by hand.

http://www.heinemann.com/shared/onlineresources/E01046/sample.pdf

Enjoy

Miss G

ENG II Honors

How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent. Please read the first two segments for class and be prepared to liberaly discuss in class. Please click on adjacent link and print or write out the study questions, so we can answer them in class. See you tomorrow...toodles!

Canterbury Tales Remix

Okay Class Appreciate Because I am typing this directly into the blog because I cant cut and paste.

Destination: Ivy and Adrian's Wedding, Las Vegas, Nevada

Mode of Transport: A greyhound bus departing from Hollywood, Florida

Narrator: The Bus Driver (Michael Dominguez)

Story Telling Theme: Each person on the bus wil be giving a toast at the reception. These toasts will serve as our "stories". They will, 1. explain how your character knows either the bride or groom, and 2. be written in rhyme (like the original tales). Thy should also aim to be clever and entertaining, as those are among the criteria I will be grading you on (and later on judging to determine the winners)


Tips for a wedding toast: To help develop your character sketches:

adapted from: http://weddings.about.com/theweddingparty/a/toastwriting.htm

Before you begin:

Start off by writing down thoughts freely about the bride and groom and your relationship to them.

Make sure to answer all of the questions:

1. How do you know them?

2. Why did they choose you to make this toast?

3.How would you describe each of them? What are the first five adjectives that come to mind?

4. What was the groo like before he met the bride? How has he changed knowing her? (or vice versa if you know the bride)

5. How did they meet? How did the groom tell you about her or vice versa?

6. If your character is married, you may wish to think about marriage advice you have received or have learned.

7. Are there any particularly ausing anecdotes that illustrate who the bride and/or groom is?

Beginning: Start off by introducing yourself, as not everyone in the room will know who you are.
You might say "Excuse me everyone,if I could have your attention for a moment. I'd like to take a few moments to say a few words about our bride and groom. I'm ________, _______'s
longtime good friend (brother,siste, cousin, etc.)

* This might also an opportunity for you to say something about your 48 hour bus ride.

Middle
Tell a funny story about the bride and or groo, give your thoughts on love and arriage, tell the story of how they met, or talk about how you have seen the change through their relationship.. Give interesting details.

Closing:

It is often good to wrap up your toast wth wish,traditional toast, or blessing for the bride and groom. Raise your glass with a resounding congratulations, cheers, l'chai or salud, and don't forget to drink to your own toast.



The first draft of your character is due next class (Thursday) we will wok on a revision in class
We will also start blocking your performance which will also be recorded for a grade on monday. You will be dressed in full costume (part of your grade as well)

English IV Canterbury Tales Remix

Please see sidebar for complete instructions on this page: On the left hand column Any questions email :) me

author for our books

what is the author for caramelo and garcia girls lost their accent

English IV Period 6 Canterbury Tales

Guys in case your brains were abducted by aliens... Your homework was as follows:

1. Translate entire prologue into modern language that anyone could understand.
2. Read and complete first 5 exercises of Harvard link.

If you are interested in downloading from Itunes the Canterbury Tales Podcast here is the info:

World Literature Podcast: Subscribe to it ad d/l the Canterbury Tales

Any questions e-mail me.

The Canterbury Tales..The right way!

Hello my Eng IV Bambis'. In an effort to prepare you guys for the real world of college, I decided to experiment a little w my lesson. To the left column of the blog you will find newly posted links for your class: One will link you to a modern translation of The Canterbury Tales and the other to a Harvard University course on Chaucer and the stories. You are solely responsible for The General Prologue, The Knight's Tale, The Miller's Prologue, The Miller's Tale, and The Wife of the Wife of Bath's Prologue, and The Wife of Bath Tale. Click on the Harvard Course Link which says SYLLABUS for ENG 115 B when it takes you to the next page, click on the link w the same name, then scroll down to their first assignment, click on it and complete it. It will be due on Wednesday's class. If you have any questions email me. YOU WILL LEARN AND YOU WILL LIKE IT!!!!

Eng II Honors Two Kinds Amy Tan

Hello Bambis'

Your homework is to finish reading Amy Tan's "Two Kinds" and answer the study questions, specifically answer only the Discussion and Writing questions. Next class we will complete the Spoon River Videos. By our first class next week, which is on Tuesday, you must have both the Garcia Girls and Caramelo and be ready to go! The nine weeks are going by at warp speed...progress reports are right around the corner. Be dilligent with your work. Email me w any questions.

-Miss Gayol

My ENG IV Kids

Hey guys..here is a reminder in order to clarify any discrepancies for class. Due next class you must turn in the study questions for Beowulf handout as well as the graphic noverl/comic book of Beowulf. I added a a links area for your class. You are responsible fr reading and knowing all of the information contained in the links. I suggest that you print a copy of the info and keep it in your folder for class. If you have any inquiries do not hesitate to contact me.

??

Hi miss, its jose from 4th period. Yes, white meat jose, not french. I wanted to know if we had to use the poem we read in class, or could it be any of the poems in the worksheet?

Step By Step Instuctions -Poetry Explication

No fear students..your step by step is here!

Writing the explication:

The explication should follow the same format as the preperation: begin with the large issues and basic design of the poem and work through each line to the more specific details and patterns.

The first paragraph:

The first paragraph should present the large issues; it should inform the reader which conflicts are dramatized and should describe the dramatic situation of the speaker. The explication does not require a formal introductory paragraph; the writer should simply start explicating immediately. According to UNC's Professor William Harmon, the foolproof way to begin any explication is with the following sentence: "This poem dramatizes the conflict between......" Such a beginning ensures that you will introduce the major conflict or theme in the poem and organize your explication accordingly.

Here is an example. A student's explication of Wordsworth's" Composed upon Westminster Bridge" might begin in the following way:

This poem dramatizes the conflict between appearance and realitry, particularly as this conflict relates to what the speaker seems to say and what he really says. From Westminster Bridge, the speaker looks at London at sunrise, and he explains that all people should be struck by such a beautiful scene. The speaker notes the city is silent, and he points to several specific objects, naming them only in general terms: "Ships,towers,domes, theatres, and temples"(6) After describing the "glittering" aspect of these objects, he asserts that these city places are just as beautiful in the morning as country place like "valley, rock or hill" (8,10). Finally, after describing his deep feeling of calmness, the speaker notes how the " house seems asleep" and that "all mighty heart is lying still" (13,14). In this way, the speaker seems to say simply that London looks beautiful in the moring.

Class , you see how this student analyzes using text in order to support his analysis? I want you to do the same :) Back that analysis up!

The next paragraphs:

The next paragraphs should expand the discussion of the conflict by focusing on details of form, rhetoric, syntax, and vocabulary. In these paragraphs, the writer should explain the poem line by line in terms of these details, and he or she should incorporate important elements of rhyme, rhythm, and meter during the discussion.

The student's explication continues with a topic sentence that directs the discussion of the first five lines:

However, the poem begins with several oddities that suggest the speaker is saying more than what he seems to say initially. For example, the poem is an Italian sonnet and follows the abbaabbacdcdcd rhyme scheme. The fact that the poet chooses to write a sonnet about London in an Italian form suggests that what he says may not actually be praising the city. Also, the rhetoric of the first two lines seems awkward compared to a normal speaking voice: "Earth has not anything to show more fair./Dull would he be of soul who could passby"(1-2) The odd syntax continues when the poet personifies the city: "This City now doth, like a garment, wear/The beauty of the morning:(4-5). Here, the city wears the morning's beauty, so it is not the city but the morning that is beautiful.

The conclusion???

The explication has no formal concluding paragraph; do not simply restate the main points of the introduction! The end of the explication should focus on sound effects or visual patterns as the final element of asserting an explanantion. Or, as does the undergraduate here, the writer may choose simply to stop writing when he or she reaches the end of the poem:

The poem ends with a vague statement: "And all that mighty heart is lying still!" In this line, the city's heart could be dead, or it could simply be deceiving the one observing the scene. In this way, the poet reinforces the conflict between the appearance of the city in the morning and what such a scene and his words actually reveal.

Tips to keep in mind:

1. Refer to the speaking voice in the poem as "the speaker" or "the poet". For example, do not write " In this poem, Wordsworth says that London is beautiful in the morning." However, you can write, "In this poem Wordsworth presents a speaker who...." We cannot absolutely identify Wordsworth ith the speaker of the poem, so it is more accurate to talk about "the speaker" or "the poet" in an explication.

2. Use the present tense when writing the explication. The poem, as a work of literature, continues to exist!

3. To avoid unecessary uses of the verb " to be" in your compositions, the following list suggests some verbs you can use when writing the explication:

dramatizes asserts contrasts addresses
presents posits juxtaposes emphasizes
illustrates enacts suggests stresses
characterizes conects implies accentuates
underlines portrays shows enables


Good Luck Guys!

Poetry Explication

Hello my little ENG II H Genius Crew:

I hope you appreciate what follows..because your dedicated teacher typed it by hand. I look forward to reading you finished essays. Have a great weekend.

Miss G.

Poetry Explications:

A poetry explication is a relatively short analysis which describes the possible meanings and relationships of words, images and other small units thst make up a poem. Writing an explication is an effective way for a reader to conect a poem's conflicts with its structural features. This handout reviews some of the important techniques of approaching and writing a poetry explication, and includes parts of two sample explications.

Preparing to write the explication:

1. Read the poem silently, and then read it aloud (if not ina testing situation). Repeat as necessary.

2. Consider the poem as a dramatic situation in which the speaker addresses an audience or another character. In this way, begin your analysis by identifying and describing the speaking voice or voices, the conflicts or ideas, and the language used in the poem.

The Large Issues:
Determine the basic design of the poem by considering the who, what , where, when and why of the dramatic situation specifically:

What s being dramatized? What conflicts or themes does the poem present, address or question?

Who is the speaker? Define and describe the speaker and his/her voice. What does the speaker say? Who is the audience? Are other characters involved?

What happens in the poem? Consider the plot or basic design of the action. How are the dramatized conflicts or themes introduced, sustained, resolved, etc.?

When does the action occur? What is the date and or time of day?

Where is the speaker? Describe the physical location of the dramatic moment.

Why does the speaker feel compelled to speak at this moment? What is his/her motivation?

The details:

To analyze the design of the poem, we most focus on the poem's parts, namely how the poem dramatizes conflicts or ideas in language. By concentrating on the parts, we develop our understanding of the poem's structure, and we gather support and evidence for our interpretations. Some of the details we should consider include the following:

Form: Does the poem represent a particular form (sonnet, sestina, etc.) ? Does the poem present any unique variations from the traditional structure to that form?

Rhetoric: How does the speaker make particular statements? Does the rhetoric seem odd in any way? Why Consider the predicates and what they reveal about the speaker.

Definition of RHETORIC:
The art of speaking or writing effectively. 2. A skill in the effective use of speech. Type or mode in language and speech 3. Verbal Communication.

Syntax: Consider the subjects, verbs, and objects of each statement and what these elements reveal about the speaker. Do any statements have convoluted or vague syntax?

Vocabulary: Why does the poet choose one word over another in each line? Do any of the words have multiple or archaic meanings that add other meanings to the line? Use the Oxford English Dictionary as a resource.

The Patterns:

As you analyze the design line by line, look for certain patterns to develop which provide insight into the dramatic situation, the speaker's state of mind, or the poet's use of details. Some of the most common patterns include the following:

Rhetorical Patterns: Look for statements that follow the same format.
Rhyme:Consider the significance of the end words joined by sound; in a poem with no rhymes, consider the importance of end words.
Patterns of Sound: Alliteration and assonance create sound effects and often cluster significant words.

Visual Patterns: How does the poem look on the page?

Rhythm and Meter: Consider how the rythm and meter influence our perception of the speaker and his/her language.

I will post a couple more guidelines by tommorow. This should help get you guys started on your papers.

Best of Luck

Miss G

PS email me w concerns

I will edit

Kids i will re-submit the handouts i realized the poor reading quality after I posted I apologize

Poetry Explication..

Hello my brilliant ones (10 H) Here are the guidelines to writing your poetry explication. Enjoy!

PS Have a wonderful an safe holiday weekend and I will see you all on Tuesday :)

Hi Miss Gayol!

Hey Miss Gayol....Its Alexandra from your 2nd period class....you know, the one that came in late early this morning....I wanted to know if the poem we that we had to write of ourselves was for a grade, because I didnt exactly finish up to 14 lines in the time that I had.... I also wanted to tell you that I love the poems we went over today...especially the sincity-like one "Dora Williams"....Oh and i also wanted to give a shout out since you said know one has left any comment on the blog from 2nd period yet.....so yea...hope im the first one! =)

Elements of Plot

My 10th grade Honors Bambis' Here is a copy of the Elements of Plot we discussed in class AKA the mountain hand gesture that begins with a green glob monster lol; in case you missed class or your brain was teporarily abducted by aliens. Enjoy.

All fiction is based on conflict and conflict is presented in a structured format called PLOT.

Exposition: The introductory material which gives the setting, creates the tone, presents the characters, and presents other facts necessary to understanding the story.

Foreshadowing: The use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in the story.

Inciting Force: The event or character that triggers the conflict.

Conflict: The essence of fiction. It creates plot. The conflicts we encounter can usually be identified as one of four kinds: (Man versus.......Man, Nature, Society, or Self) There may be two or three additional conflicts-stay tuned

Rising Action: A series of events that builds from conflict. It begins with the inciting force and ends with the climax.

Crisis: The conflict reaches a turning point. At this point the opposing forces in the story meet and the conflict becomes most intense. The crisis occurs before or at the same time as the climax.

Climax: The climax is a result of the crisis. It is the high point of the story for the reader. Frequently, it is the moment of the highest interest and greatest emotion. The point at which the outcome of the conflict can be predicated.

Falling Action: The events after the climax that close the story.

Resolution(Denouement): Conclusion of action

i got it!

Miss!!! I finished the story. it was so obvious! i cant believe i didnt catch it on the first page. the clues were all there.
from: Jose (the one with the french last name in your 4th period)

PS: the questions you posted also kind of helped me find out what the story was about.

" By The Waters Of Babylon" Eng II (H)

Hello my little genius crew: Here are some questions to think about, explore and answer prior to exploring this lovely short story.

-What hardships or challenges would you be willing to endure to gain knowledge?
-What role does technology have in your gaining knowledge?
-Is knowledge the ultimate power?
-What are the destructive or negative effects of technology?

Please have these answered and ready for our class discussion on Tuesday.

Also,have the story read in its entirety. Your copy of it should e ennundated in coments questions and literary analysis.

Have a magical weekend.

-Miss Gayol

miss gayol

Miss, printer broke can't print out story and I lost my library card so I'm going to try to find it so I can print it in the library if I don't sorry

miss gayol

supp miss thang(; loll, rosa checking in.

ENG IV

Hello my early "senioritis" ridden crew. If you scroll all the way down past my 10th graders' Babylon story, you will find a link to all things Medieval. Research it. Learn it. Love it. Take notes..or it will come back to haunt you......Tomorrow you will have a break..sort of....a prompt pre-test that we have to administer for our department...But Beowulf will be back bruhahahahah.

ENG II Honors "By the Waters of Babylon"

Hello my new Bambis'..Here is your text for class. Print out a copy and brainstorm ideas you are constructing from analyzing the content of the text we read in class. Please bring this copy to class for further discussion. Thank you for being so brilliant.

Welcome New Students!!!!!

Welcome to Miss Gayol's Virtual Classroom! Here you will find a series of supplemental materials to optimize your learning experience :) I will post your assignments and you can easily download and print assignments and notes. This is a haven of learning..for that reason please make sure your questions are related to classroom discussions. If you have any private concerns such as your grade, you can e-mail me directly at: MissGayol@gmail.com I know we are going to have an AMAZING year!

Summer (:

Hey, Miss G!
I'm glad to have been in your class and gone through SO many weird moments.
Including the bromance between Franky & Afro in 2nd period..
Hehe, anyways I'm gonna start my online classes again, and yeah, I'm gonna
be out of this place in a year.
Woo!

<3 Bianca.

P.s. -- I will still come by the class so you can help me out.
Lol.

It is so hard to say goodbye.....

My Bambis'..It has been a wonderful year..but alas it is time for it to draw to a close.... :( You have all impacted me in ways you will never fully comprehend. We have laughed-Anti-Gone Videos...... The Infamous Othello Raps..The fear of the poetry explication.....The Spoonville Anthologies.....Just to name a few..and all the amazing quotes of the year (Miss Gayol's Wall of Fame)..Which I will take with me into next years classroom :) Remember I will always be your teacher whether you are in my classroom or not. Though I act sometimes like I wont..you know I will miss you all from Afro to FiFi. Have an extremely safe summer. Please stay in touch missgayol@gmail.com Listed below you will find your summer reading list for 11th (sniff sniff) grade. Love Miss G.



Eleventh Grade Summer Reading List and Assignment:
All students entering English III are to read, regardless of level, TWO (2) selections from the list below.

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin Cannery Row by John SteinbeckThe Things They Carried by Tim O’ Brien My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult(required) Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk


Assignment—All levels:Complete and type the assignment below for each book read (two for English III and three for English III—Honors and Gifted Honors). Respond to each of the following questions in a complete paragraph. (You will write a total of seven paragraphs for each book).
Describe the main character(s)
Describe the setting of the book: time, place, location, etc.
Write a short summary of the plot (How does the book begin? What is the challenge for the main character? How does s/he overcome this obstacle?)
Analyze how the main character changes as a result of meeting the challenge.
Describe your favorite part of the nook, and explain why it is your favorite.
Write your opinion of the book. Provide reasons and examples to support your opinion.
Analyze the title of the book. Why do you think the author chose that title?

* A student may replace a summer reading selection (excluding the required text) with a selection from the Superintendent’s Summer Reading list. This list is available on www.dadeschools.net

AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION
For each of the literary works that you choose to read, please record the following information in a Reader’s Response Journal. (A folder is required with a section dedicated to each piece of literature—you will continue to use this folder throughout the academic year.) This assignment must be TYPED.
Title & Author
Abstract
A summary of no more than 150 words
For the autobiography, consider the major turning points in the individual’s life
Identify 6 quotations from the work that interest you the most, (include page #), and fully explicate each one in terms of
The quote’s significance to you
The quote’s significance to the work as a whole
What is the primary message that you learned from the work?
How would you describe the writer’s style? What are the characteristics or features of this style?
What, if any, were the obstacles to your reading comprehension of this work? (i.e.—vocabulary, dialect, sentence structure, plot structure, etc.) How did you overcome these obstacles?

READ J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye and Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner
Nonfiction: Select an article from each of the sources listed below and complete the following for each:
type written synopsis
identify biases of the writer (evidence of personal feelings or opinion)
your opinion of the subject matter

Sources:Article from NPR.org “Politics and Society” http://www.npr.org/templates/topics.php?topicId=1012
Article from The New Yorker online http://www.newyorker.com/reporting
Article from www.theonion.com

Different Depictions of Gray

Oh Dorian!

Bambis......Here are some lovely notes on your favorite man of the hour. I have included a list of allusions to other works as well as some study questions for further exploration. Please take notes and answer all questions as per classroom assignment.

Picture of Dorian Gray Allusions to other works
The Republic
Glaucon and Adeimantus present the myth of Gyges' ring, by which Gyges made himself invisible. They ask Socrates, if one came into possession of such a ring, why should he act justly? Socrates replies that even if no one can see one's physical appearance, the soul is disfigured by the evils one commits. This disfigured (the antithesis of beautiful) and corrupt soul is imbalanced and disordered, and in itself undesirable regardless of other advantages of acting unjustly. Dorian Gray's portrait is the means by which other individuals, such as Dorian's friend Basil, shortly before Dorian kills him, may see Dorian's distorted soul. The portrait is also akin to Gyges' ring: for by making Dorian eternally youthful and innocent in appearance, he may commit crimes with impunity.[citation needed]
Tannhäuser
At one point, Dorian Gray attends a performance of Richard Wagner's opera, Tannhäuser, and is explicitly said to personally identify with the work. Indeed, the opera bears some striking resemblances with the novel, and, in short, tells the story of a medieval (and historically real) singer, whose art is so beautiful that he causes Venus, the goddess of love herself, to fall in love with him, and to offer him eternal life with her in the Venusberg. Tannhäuser becomes dissatisfied with his life there, however, and elects to return to the harsh world of reality, where, after taking part in a song-contest, he is sternly censured for his sensuality, and eventually dies in his search for repentance and the love of a good woman. It might even be argued that the end of the opera, in which a miracle announces the salvation of Tannhäuser's soul, suggests, perhaps, a more optimistic interpretation of Dorian's end than might otherwise be thought of.



Faust
Wilde himself stated that "in every first novel the hero is the author as Christ or Faust." As in Faust, a temptation is placed before the lead character Dorian, the potential for ageless beauty; Dorian indulges in this temptation. In both stories, the lead character entices a beautiful woman to love them and kills not only her, but also that woman's brother, who seeks revenge.[14] Wilde went on to say that the notion behind The Picture of Dorian Gray is "old in the history of literature" but was something to which he had "given a new form".[15]
Unlike Faust, there is no point at which Dorian makes a deal with the devil. However, Lord Henry's cynical outlook on life, and hedonistic nature seems to be in keeping with the idea of the devil's role, that of the temptation of the pure and innocent, qualities which Dorian exemplifies at the beginning of the book. Although Lord Henry takes an interest in Dorian, it does not seem that he is aware of the effect of his actions. However, Lord Henry advises Dorian that "the only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing";[16] in this sense, Lord Henry can be seen to represent the Devil, "leading Dorian into an unholy pact by manipulating his innocence and insecurity."[17]
Shakespeare
In his preface, Wilde writes about Caliban, a character from Shakespeare's play The Tempest. When Dorian is telling Lord Henry Wotton about his new 'love', Sibyl Vane, he refers to all of the Shakespearean plays she has been in, referring to her as the heroine of each play. At a later time, he speaks of his life by quoting Hamlet.
Joris-Karl Huysmans
Dorian Gray's "poisonous French novel" that leads to his downfall is believed to be Joris-Karl Huysmans' novel À rebours. Literary critic Richard Ellmann writes:
Wilde does not name the book but at his trial he conceded that it was, or almost, Huysmans's A Rebours...To a correspondent he wrote that he had played a 'fantastic variation' upon A Rebours and some day must write it down. The references in Dorian Gray to specific chapters are deliberately inaccurate.[18]


Themes . Theme 1 Self-worship leads to self-destruction. Dorian Gray’s excessive love of himself leads to an obsessional desire to preserve the moment–whatever the moral cost–in order to maintain his looks at the peak of their perfection and enjoy all the pleasures that they bring him. Theme 2 Time will have its way. No man can defeat time; it marches inexorably toward old age and death. Dorian Gray ends up old and ugly and dead, physically and spiritually. Yes, he remained youthful looking for many years, seemingly cheating time. But time, in the form of the portrait, caught up with him and gained its revenge. In some ways, Gray’s attempts to preserve his youth resemble the attempts by modern men and women to forestall aging with lotions, special diets and exercises, cosmetic surgery, and youthful fashions. Theme 3 Beauty is only skin deep. Beneath his veneer of elegant good looks, Dorian Gray is monstrously ugly. As Shakespeare observed in The Merchant of Venice: “A goodly apple rotten at the heart: / O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!” Theme 4 Earthly pleasures can never completely satisfy a human being. Dorian Gray never is really happy because he never realizes that the things of the earth–physical beauty and the pleasures of the flesh–can never satisfy man’s insatiable desire for them. Theme 5 Evil appears in winsome disguises. Lord Henry Wotton and Dorian Gray are both charming, each in his own way. But their outer charms disguise inner evil. Theme 6 An abused child becomes an abusive adult. Dorian Gray’s grandfather, Lord Kelso, reared the orphaned Dorian in a poisonous atmosphere. The old man despised Dorian and even had a special “schoolroom” built for the boy so that he could shut him up in it and not have to endure his presence. When Dorian grows up, he lashes out at Sybil Vane, driving her to suicide; murders Basil Hallward; and blackmails Alan Campbell, who also commits suicide. Ultimately, Dorian turns his wrath against himself. Theme 7 Implied homosexuality. Dorian Gray is admired by other males in the novel for his “beauty”–the word author Oscar Wilde, who was a homosexual himself, uses again and again to describe Dorian and the word these male characters use from time to time in dialogue in their praise of Dorian. Although Wilde never explicitly describes or refers to intimate relations between Dorian and other males, he indicates that Lord Henry Wotton and other characters either desired such relations or participated in them. Homosexuality apparently is one of the sins that corrupt Dorian and possibly other young men in the novel.

Study Questions

1. Discuss the character of Lord Henry and his impact on Dorian.

2. Discuss the role of homoeroticism in the novel.

3. “There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book,” Wilde says in the Preface. “Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.” Does the novel confirm this argument?

1. Discuss the relationship between Basil and Dorian.

2. Analyze the Gothic elements in The Picture of Dorian Gray.

3. Discuss the role of Sibyl Vane in the novel.

4. Discuss the parallels between Dorian's story and the Faust legend. Does Dorian make a pact with the devil?

5. Why does Dorian decide to destroy the painting at the end of the novel?

6. Compare and contrast the characters of Basil and Lord Henry. What is their relationship to one another? To Dorian?

The very very selfish giant.........

Here is a copy of the metaphorical selfiish giant...You will find it quite helpful in your analysis of the Oscar wilde biopic.

VERY afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in the Giant's garden.
It was a large lovely garden, with soft green grass. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flowers like stars, and there were twelve peach-trees that in the spring-time broke out into delicate blossoms of pink and pearl, and in the autumn bore rich fruit. The birds sat on the trees and sang so sweetly that the children used to stop their games in order to listen to them. "How happy we are here!" they cried to each other.
One day the Giant came back. He had been to visit his friend the Cornish ogre, and had stayed with him for seven years. After the seven years were over he had said all that he had to say, for his conversation was limited, and he determined to return to his own castle. When he arrived he saw the children playing in the garden.
"What are you doing here?" he cried in a very gruff voice, and the children ran away.
"My own garden is my own garden," said the Giant; "any one can understand that, and I will allow nobody to play in it but myself." So he built a high wall all round it, and put up a notice-board.
TRESPASSERSWILL BEPROSECUTED
He was a very selfish Giant.
The poor children had now nowhere to play. They tried to play on the road, but the road was very dusty and full of hard stones, and they did not like it. They used to wander round the high wall when their lessons were over, and talk about the beautiful garden inside. "How happy we were there," they said to each other.
Then the Spring came, and all over the country there were little blossoms and little birds. Only in the garden of the Selfish Giant it was still winter. The birds did not care to sing in it as there were no children, and the trees forgot to blossom. Once a beautiful flower put its head out from the grass, but when it saw the notice-board it was so sorry for the children that it slipped back into the ground again, and went off to sleep. The only people who were pleased were the Snow and the Frost. "Spring has forgotten this garden," they cried, "so we will live here all the year round." The Snow covered up the grass with her great white cloak, and the Frost painted all the trees silver. Then they invited the North Wind to stay with them, and he came. He was wrapped in furs, and he roared all day about the garden, and blew the chimney-pots down. "This is a delightful spot," he said, "we must ask the Hail on a visit." So the Hail came. Every day for three hours he rattled on the roof of the castle till he broke most of the slates, and then he ran round and round the garden as fast as he could go. He was dressed in grey, and his breath was like ice.
"I cannot understand why the Spring is so late in coming," said the Selfish Giant, as he sat at the window and looked out at his cold white garden; "I hope there will be a change in the weather."
But the Spring never came, nor the Summer. The Autumn gave golden fruit to every garden, but to the Giant's garden she gave none. "He is too selfish," she said. So it was always Winter there, and the North Wind, and the Hail, and the Frost, and the Snow danced about through the trees.
One morning the Giant was lying awake in bed when he heard some lovely music. It sounded so sweet to his ears that he thought it must be the King's musicians passing by. It was really only a little linnet singing outside his window, but it was so long since he had heard a bird sing in his garden that it seemed to him to be the most beautiful music in the world. Then the Hail stopped dancing over his head, and the North Wind ceased roaring, and a delicious perfume came to him through the open casement. "I believe the Spring has come at last," said the Giant; and he jumped out of bed and looked out.
What did he see?
He saw a most wonderful sight. Through a little hole in the wall the children had crept in, and they were sitting in the branches of the trees. In every tree that he could see there was a little child. And the trees were so glad to have the children back again that they had covered themselves with blossoms, and were waving their arms gently above the children's heads. The birds were flying about and twittering with delight, and the flowers were looking up through the green grass and laughing. It was a lovely scene, only in one corner it was still winter. It was the farthest corner of the garden, and in it was standing a little boy. He was so small that he could not reach up to the branches of the tree, and he was wandering all round it, crying bitterly. The poor tree was still quite covered with frost and snow, and the North Wind was blowing and roaring above it. "Climb up! little boy," said the Tree, and it bent its branches down as low as it could; but the boy was too tiny.
And the Giant's heart melted as he looked out. "How selfish I have been!" he said; "now I know why the Spring would not come here. I will put that poor little boy on the top of the tree, and then I will knock down the wall, and my garden shall be the children's playground for ever and ever." He was really very sorry for what he had done.
So he crept downstairs and opened the front door quite softly, and went out into the garden. But when the children saw him they were so frightened that they all ran away, and the garden became winter again. Only the little boy did not run, for his eyes were so full of tears that he did not see the Giant coming. And the Giant stole up behind him and took him gently in his hand, and put him up into the tree. And the tree broke at once into blossom, and the birds came and sang on it, and the little boy stretched out his two arms and flung them round the Giant's neck, and kissed him. And the other children, when they saw that the Giant was not wicked any longer, came running back, and with them came the Spring. "It is your garden now, little children," said the Giant, and he took a great axe and knocked down the wall. And when the people were going to market at twelve o'clock they found the Giant playing with the children in the most beautiful garden they had ever seen.
All day long they played, and in the evening they came to the Giant to bid him good-bye.
"But where is your little companion?" he said: "the boy I put into the tree." The Giant loved him the best because he had kissed him.
"We don't know," answered the children; "he has gone away."
"You must tell him to be sure and come here tomorrow," said the Giant. But the children said that they did not know where he lived, and had never seen him before; and the Giant felt very sad.
Every afternoon, when school was over, the children came and played with the Giant. But the little boy whom the Giant loved was never seen again. The Giant was very kind to all the children, yet he longed for his first little friend, and often spoke of him. "How I would like to see him!" he used to say.
Years went over, and the Giant grew very old and feeble. He could not play about any more, so he sat in a huge armchair, and watched the children at their games, and admired his garden. "I have many beautiful flowers," he said; "but the children are the most beautiful flowers of all."
One winter morning he looked out of his window as he was dressing. He did not hate the Winter now, for he knew that it was merely the Spring asleep, and that the flowers were resting.
Suddenly he rubbed his eyes in wonder, and looked and looked. It certainly was a marvellous sight. In the farthest corner of the garden was a tree quite covered with lovely white blossoms. Its branches were all golden, and silver fruit hung down from them, and underneath it stood the little boy he had loved.
Downstairs ran the Giant in great joy, and out into the garden. He hastened across the grass, and came near to the child. And when he came quite close his face grew red with anger, and he said, "Who hath dared to wound thee?" For on the palms of the child's hands were the prints of two nails, and the prints of two nails were on the little feet.
"Who hath dared to wound thee?" cried the Giant; "tell me, that I may take my big sword and slay him."
"Nay!" answered the child; "but these are the wounds of Love."
"Who art thou?" said the Giant, and a strange awe fell on him, and he knelt before the little child.
And the child smiled on the Giant, and said to him, "You let me play once in your garden, today you shall come with me to my garden, which is Paradise."
And when the children ran in that afternoon, they found the Giant lying dead under the tree, all covered with white blossoms.

A Streetcar named...DESIRE!!!

Here are your questions......against my will...This type of lazy behavior is morally reprehensible! LOL


1. 1. When we first meet Blanche DuBois, she has traveled to see her sister Stella. She took streetcars named Desire and Cemeteries to arrive at her sister’s apartment. What might these names represent?


2. 2. Blanche goes into Stella’s apartment to wait for her to come home. What does she do while she is waiting?



3. 3. What does Belle Reve mean? What does it refer to in the play?


4. 4. Why does Blanche say that she has left her teaching job to visit Stella?


5. 5. Why does Blanche say that she lost Belle Reve?



6. 6. At the end of Scene One, what music “rises up, faint in the distance”?


7. 7. Near the end of Scene One, what do we learn about Blanche’s husband?


8. 8. In Scene Two, Stanley finds out about the loss of Belle Reve. What is his reaction?


9. 9. What does Stanley think that Blanche has done with the money he believes she made from selling Belle Reve?


10. What does Stanley tell Blanche about Stella as they are going through her business papers?

11.Where are Stella and Blanche going while the men play poker?

12.When Blanche and Stella return to the apartment, the men are still there playing poker. Which one does Stella introduce to Blanche? What does Blanche say about him?


13. 13. Blanche goes to the back room, a bedroom, to relax until the men finish playing. She turns on the radio. Stanley asks her to turn it off, but when she doesn’t, what does Stanley do?


14. 14. Why does Blanche lie to Mitch about being younger than Stella? Why doesn’t she like bright lights?


15. 15. What happens between Stella and Stanley that ends the poker game?


Characters
What kind of relationship do Stella and Stanley have?


How does Stanley differ from Blanche?


How does Mitch compare and contrast with Stanley?


Symbols
Music – The play has many stage directions referring to music. What music and songs are present in the first three scenes? How does the music relate to the characters?



Light – Why is the paper lantern important to Blanche?




Scenes 4-6

16. 16. How did Stella say she reacted to Stanley’s breaking all the light bulbs on their wedding night?

17. 17. What idea does Blanche have to escape New Orleans with Stella?



18. 18. When Blanche and Stella are discussing Stanley, his entrance to the apartment is washed out by a passing train. What does he hear Blanche say about him?



19. 19. In Scene Five, Blanche discusses astrological signs. What sign does she think Stanley was born under and why?

What sign does she say she was born under? What does it mean?

20. Seemingly out of the blue, Stanley asks Blanche if she knows someone named Shaw. He says that Shaw knew Blanche from Laurel but must have mixed her up with someone else who partied at the Hotel Flamingo. What is Blanche’s response?


20. 20. Who is coming over to see Blanche on this night?

21. 21. After Stella and Stanley leave, a young man comes to the door collecting money for the local newspaper, The Evening Star. What does Blanche do to him?

22. 22. Blanche and Mitch discuss Stanley. She asks him if Stanley talks much about her and explains how horrid he is making her life there with them. What does Mitch respond?


23. 23. At the end of Scene Six, Blanche is confiding in Mitch by telling him the story of how her husband died. How did he die? What led to that?



Characters
Blanche – In Scene Five, Blanche is writing a letter to Shep Huntleight. Why does she not tell him the truth of her situation?


Blanche- In Scene Five, we see Blanche drinking again. Why do you think she drinks? (Don’t say she’s an alcoholic.)


Blanche – Why does Blanche flirt with the newspaper boy?

Symbols
Music – Where and what kind of music is mentioned in these scenes?



Scenes 7-11

24. 24. It is now mid-September and Blanche’s birthday. Stella has prepared a party for her. Stanley lets Stella know that he has learned some things about Blanche. What things?







25. 25. During their talk, Blanche is in the tub and singing. What does she sing about?



26. 26. Who is supposed to come over for Blanche’s birthday? Why does Stanley say this person won’t be coming?


27. 27. What has Stanley bought for Blanche?

28. 28. Blanche is stood up. They sit talking at the table and Stanley gets angry at Stella for telling him his face and fingers are disgustingly greasy. What does he do in response?


29. 29. What happens at the end of Scene Eight?


30. 30. In Scene Nine, who stops by unexpectedly to see Blanche?

31. 31. Blanche makes a very telling statement at the bottom of p. 678 about reality. What does she say?


32. 32. What does Blanche admit happened after her husband’s death? Why did she say she did this?


33. 33. Why does Mitch say he won’t marry Blanche now?


34. 34. Stanley comes home from the hospital. Blanche has been drinking fairly steadily since Mitch left. Who does she tell Stanley she heard from? What invitation does she say he extended?


35. 35. Blanche tells Stanley that Mitch came to see her that night. What does she tell him the reason was?


36. 36. What happens at the end of Scene Ten?


37. 37. Several weeks have passed and Stella is packing Blanche’s things. Where does Blanche think she is going? Where is she actually going?


Characters
Blanche – Why does Stanley want her to leave? How is her presence effecting his marriage?



Stanley – How has his relationship with Stella changed? How has his relationship with Blanche changed?


Symbols
What do you think is the symbolic meaning of the Mexican woman selling flowers for the dead in Scene Nine?


Why does Mitch rip the paper lantern off of the light bulb? What does light represent?

SPRING BREAK ASSIGNMENT!!!

No excuses my ENGLISH II and (H) kids! Due the day we come back after break: Research Paper 3 pages in APA and in MLA formats. Visit Owl @ Purdue for Maus prequel comic book is also due. If you need to download the Comic Life program you can do so @ www.plasq.com

Under name of Organization you type in: Nick JacAngelo
Under Serial # you type in the following: CMLFW1-A146-328B-1CDA-4BDB-01CA

Just in case you lost it.
Make sure you run a virus scan before you download it to your computer.
I will periodically check my e-mail during break, in case you should need assistance. I hope you are all safe and responsible dring our much needed Spring Break!

MISS GAYOL!! HELP!!

DEAR MISS GAYOL,
HEY I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE BEEN REALLLY CRAMPED WITH WORK, BUT I BELIEVE YOU MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN TO INPUT MY MAUS BOOK THAT I WROTE ON THE CAREER PORTFOLIO PAPER THAT YOU TOLD ME TO PUT ON IT, "BROUGHT MAUS BOOK." PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE INSERT THE GRADE BECAUSE I STILL HAVE IT PUT AS A "0" IN THE GRADE BOOK AND THOSE TWO "0" ARE REALLLY HURTING ME FROM GETTING MY "A" THANK YOU SO MUCH MISS. GAYOL, PLEASE INSERT MY GRADE AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.

SINCEARLY,
CHRIS DELGADO,
A.K.A ROSA ZARAGOZA (HAHA)

Guess who is back,,back again..no not Eminem

Okay people......It is work time..Brain explosion:)
This Wednesday and Thursday Othello Raps are due as well as your summaries.From this moment on, everything you give me will be typed. Your career portfolios will be due next Monday (5th) and Tuesday (2,6th). Research paper preliminary thesis is due on next wed March 4th and thursday March 5th. Don't freak out. I will be giving you many many resources to complete your assignments. Here is the OWL at purdue website. THE BEST resource for research paper writing: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ Enjoy!!!!!

is the viva la vida paper due tomorrow?

What exacly is due on monday?

For the Viva La Vida analysis is only the line by line analysis "rape" the text or is it the actual essay due on monday? Anyone... please?

Assignment Reminders :)

......I hear Jerusalem Bells a ringing...Roman Calvary choir..oops can't get that song out of my head and hopefully you have enjoyed it as much as i have. Your class discussions were fantastic on Viva La Vida..I really enjoyed this unconventional lesson. Now it is your turn to wow me with your intellectual prowess, that you have developed as a direct result of it. Next Tuesday you will turn in two things: Your analysis of Viva La Vida (line by line treat it like a poetry explication) and your Alchemist notebooks. Then we can dedicate the week to discussion of the Alchemist and prepare for Maus and Othello! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail me :) Good Luck!

Vision Boards/VivA La VIDA Welcome Back!

Hello Bambis Welcome Back..Dust the cobwebs off of those dendrites and gray matter....It is time to jam: First and foremost your Midterm

Questions...Of course I did not forget (unfortunately for you my brain did not get abducted by aliens over break)

Here they are: Yes I know you love me :)

Please select ONE out of the following three selections in which to create your midterm essay. You will be graded on your planning, organization and execution of your essay. Please be conscientious of your verbiage, grammar and voice. Make sure to incorporate literary and rhetorical devices into your exam. Best of luck to you my Bambis’!

1. The Englishman, whom Santiago meets when he joins the caravan to the Egyptian pyramids, in searching for "a universal language, understood by everybody." What is that language? According to the Englishman, what are the parallels between reading and alchemy? How does the Englishman's search for the alchemist compare to Santiago's search for a treasure? How did the Englishman and Santiago feel about each other?

2. In the play Antigone, two main themes are addressed: The concept of moral conscience vs. authority. Delineate the two main characters stances of their respective beliefs. Which of the two has a stronger argument? Which of the two is correct in their belief? Does their choice of stance affect their fate?

3. The flower myths all seem to touch on the theme of fatal attractions. Explain the correlation between all of the myths and the inevitable ill fates of their protagonists. All of the “victims” of these myths died in the “springtime” of their lives. Explain the concept of the seasons of life in depth, highlighting the significance, of why it was so important that they were taken in this stage of life.

Vision Board

A Vision Board, also known as a Dream Board, is one of the most powerful ways to put the law of Attraction to work for you. A Vision Board is a collage of words and pictures of the goals and dreams you want to attract in your life.
It is extremely important to use the exact image of what you want to attract, because whatever you put on your Vision Board will become part of your reality!
For example, if you want a specific kind of car, make sure it is exactly the type, model and color you desire.

To make a traditional Vision Board you will need a big piece of cardboard, scissors, glue and tons of magazines and newspapers. Go through the magazines & newspapers and search for images of what you desire in your life and cut them out. Personally, I found looking on the net and printing them out easier for me. Cut out the images and words and glue them on your cardboard.
For more power, add affirmations such as “I love driving my new car” or “I love swimming in my new pool”. This reinforces what you desire. NOTE: Always make an affirmation in the present tense… as if you already have that which you desire. As I say all over this site, it’s all about creating the feeling. I wrote an article on affirmations which can be READ HERE.
Hang your cardboard on the wall where you will see it on a regular basis. I hung mine on the wall directly opposite of my computer, so it is always in front of me while I work in my home office. You may want to put it up at your at your desk or in your bedroom or kitchen. Whatever works for you.
Look at it daily, and really FEEL as if you have already achieved the things on your Vision Board. Be thankful for having those things. Look at your Vision Board as often as possible with focused intent. It will amaze you as the things on your Vision Board start showing up in your life. Remember, you do not decide or plan how they will come, you just visualize already owning the things, and they will simply show up. This is great fun!

Viva La Vida-Coldplay

http://greggchadwick.blogspot.com/2008/04/coldplays-viva-la-vida.html

blog example of analysis

http://www.lyrics.com/index.php/artists/lyric/coldplay-p-435023-lyrics-viva-la-vida

lyrics and link to the video

Actual Lyrics:

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing:
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt, and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
Once you know there was never, never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become

Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest work
But that was when I ruled the world
(Ohhhh Ohhh Ohhh)
Hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter will call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
(Oooooh Oooooh Oooooh)