Read and annotate Act 4 of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1. You do not have a writing assignment for this reading.
Begin thinking about the speech explication that is due Friday, Dec. 16. The assignment is described in full in the document posted to the right (under Syllabus and Assignments). You'll notice that this assignment has one or two small but possibly significant variations from what I presented in class. Here are the eight speeches you can choose from:
Hal, Act 1, scene 2, ll. 175-197
Hotspur, Act 1, scene 3, ll. 160-189
Hal and Falstaff, Act 2, scene 4, ll. 411-442
Henry IV, Act 3, scene 2, ll. 94-129
Hal, Act 3, scene 2, ll. 130-160
Falstaff, Act 4, scene 2, ll. 11-43
Falstaff, Act 5, scene 1, ll. 128-140
Falstaff, Act 5, scene 3, ll. 112-127
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Homework for Tuesday, Dec. 6
Read and annotate Act 3 of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1. While reading, be mindful of the rhetorical situations the prominent characters face. (A rhetorical situation is the context in which someone writes or speaks, the conditions that shape how a speaker or writer addresses an audience.) For Act 3, scene 1, keep in mind that Mortimer is Lady Percy's brother (and Hotspur's brother-in-law), and Mortimer's wife is Glendower's daughter. If you are confused by Hotspur's behavior at the beginning of Act 3, scene 1, just know that Hotspur is mocking Glendower's mysticism while also trying to forge ahead with the rebellion.
In a well-composed paragraph, answer one of the questions below:
1. In scene 1, Worcester chastises Hotspur (hisolder brother his nephew)for treating Glendower harshly and for acting poorly in general (ll. 177-189). What qualities is Hotspur criticized for, and where does he show those qualities in Act 3, scene 1? How does Hotspur react to his younger brother uncle's criticism?
2. In scene 2, Henry IV forgives Hal fairly quickly (l. 29), but then he has a lot to say about the nature of being a king, and how he still doubts whether Hal is ready to truly stand by him (ll. 29-91, 94-129). Consider Hal's rhetorical situation and answer the following questions. Why is Hal's initial response (ll. 92-93) so brief, but his subsequent response (ll. 130-160) much longer? Do you think Henry IV is convinced that his son has turned a new leaf?
3. When Hal returns to the tavern for the first time since reconciling with his father, does he interact differently with his cronies, or is he the same old lighthearted, ne'er-do-well wag? Support your answer by giving attention to Hal's rhetorical situation and his language.
In a well-composed paragraph, answer one of the questions below:
1. In scene 1, Worcester chastises Hotspur (his
2. In scene 2, Henry IV forgives Hal fairly quickly (l. 29), but then he has a lot to say about the nature of being a king, and how he still doubts whether Hal is ready to truly stand by him (ll. 29-91, 94-129). Consider Hal's rhetorical situation and answer the following questions. Why is Hal's initial response (ll. 92-93) so brief, but his subsequent response (ll. 130-160) much longer? Do you think Henry IV is convinced that his son has turned a new leaf?
3. When Hal returns to the tavern for the first time since reconciling with his father, does he interact differently with his cronies, or is he the same old lighthearted, ne'er-do-well wag? Support your answer by giving attention to Hal's rhetorical situation and his language.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Homework for Friday, Dec. 2
Finish Act 1, scene 3, and read and annotate Act 2 (beginning with scene 2) of William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1. In a well-developed paragraph, complete one of the writing responses described below. (These prompts are adapted from the Cambridge School Shakespeare edition of King Henry IV, Part 1, Rex Gibson, editor, published by Cambridge University Press in 1998.)
1. A major aim of scene 2 is to make the audience laugh as much as possible. But, is Falstaff serious in parts of this scene? Write a rhetorical analysis of Falstaff's language that explains whether he is jesting throughout the scene, or if he turns serious.
2. Do Hotspur and Lady Percy really love each other? Write a rhetorical analysis of Hotspur and Lady Percy's conversations in scene 3, and explain why they speak to each other as they do. You may consider the context of the conversation as well as each character's purpose and persona.
3. In scene 4, Hal and Falstaff take roles as Henry IV and Hal in preparation of Hal's impending visit with his father. With an emphasis on their language, how do Falstaff and Hal convey the king's seriousness?
Extra: In scene 4, when Falstaff acts as both Henry IV and Hal, he expresses a concern that all of Hal's buddies should be banished except himself. Why is he so concerned about banishment, and why at this moment in the play?
1. A major aim of scene 2 is to make the audience laugh as much as possible. But, is Falstaff serious in parts of this scene? Write a rhetorical analysis of Falstaff's language that explains whether he is jesting throughout the scene, or if he turns serious.
2. Do Hotspur and Lady Percy really love each other? Write a rhetorical analysis of Hotspur and Lady Percy's conversations in scene 3, and explain why they speak to each other as they do. You may consider the context of the conversation as well as each character's purpose and persona.
3. In scene 4, Hal and Falstaff take roles as Henry IV and Hal in preparation of Hal's impending visit with his father. With an emphasis on their language, how do Falstaff and Hal convey the king's seriousness?
Extra: In scene 4, when Falstaff acts as both Henry IV and Hal, he expresses a concern that all of Hal's buddies should be banished except himself. Why is he so concerned about banishment, and why at this moment in the play?
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Homework for Thursday, Nov. 17
Read and annotate the "Introduction" to your edition of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1. You may also find it helpful to read the "About the Text" section, but you are not required to do so. There is no writing component for this assignment.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Homework for Tuesday,. Nov. 15 (Day 1)
Play with words this weekend and write a piece about anything. Don't worry about form or genre; feel free to experiment. This piece of writing will not receive a grade. Feel free to draw on anything you know, are interested in, are ignorant about. This piece may be of any length, and in any form. I only ask that it be typed and printed out.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Homework for Thursday, Nov. 10
Read Eula Biss's essay "No Man's Land," which was handed out in Tuesday's class. Type and print your responses to the following questions:
1. What has Biss come to say in this essay?
2. According to Biss, what does it mean to be a pioneer? Don't look for one sentence to answer this question; think of the essay as a whole.
3. Biss writes, "Even now, at a much more wary and guarded age, what I feel when I am told my neighborhood is dangerous is not fear but anger at the extent to which so many of us have agreed to live within a delusion—namely, that we will be spared the dangers others suffer only if we move within certain very restricted spheres, and that insularity is a fair price to pay for safety" (p. 154). A. Are you persuaded by Biss's expression of anger in this sentence? If so, explain how she has earned the reader's trust to express her anger. If not, explain why you are not persuaded by her expression of anger. B. Whether or not you are persuaded by her anger, what do you think of the point she's trying to make?
1. What has Biss come to say in this essay?
2. According to Biss, what does it mean to be a pioneer? Don't look for one sentence to answer this question; think of the essay as a whole.
3. Biss writes, "Even now, at a much more wary and guarded age, what I feel when I am told my neighborhood is dangerous is not fear but anger at the extent to which so many of us have agreed to live within a delusion—namely, that we will be spared the dangers others suffer only if we move within certain very restricted spheres, and that insularity is a fair price to pay for safety" (p. 154). A. Are you persuaded by Biss's expression of anger in this sentence? If so, explain how she has earned the reader's trust to express her anger. If not, explain why you are not persuaded by her expression of anger. B. Whether or not you are persuaded by her anger, what do you think of the point she's trying to make?
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Homework for Thursday, Oct. 20
Complete the imitative paragraph that we started in class. Further details below.
Read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, chs. I-II, available here. Write one good sentence describing your reaction to this reading.
The paragraph you should imitate begins with "Ken Harvey was gasping for air" (50 Essays, p. 336). Identify an institution that has not lived up to its promises, and imitate Mike Rose's writing to show how it has failed someone. (The person it fails can be anyone in general; it doesn't have to be someone you know.) Follow Rose's writing strategies in the paragraph to draw attention to the institution's failures: his language, his examples, his sentence variety, and how his sentence structure (especially toward the end) reinforces his point.
Read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, chs. I-II, available here. Write one good sentence describing your reaction to this reading.
The paragraph you should imitate begins with "Ken Harvey was gasping for air" (50 Essays, p. 336). Identify an institution that has not lived up to its promises, and imitate Mike Rose's writing to show how it has failed someone. (The person it fails can be anyone in general; it doesn't have to be someone you know.) Follow Rose's writing strategies in the paragraph to draw attention to the institution's failures: his language, his examples, his sentence variety, and how his sentence structure (especially toward the end) reinforces his point.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Homework for Tuesday, Oct. 18
In 50 Essays, read Mike Rose, "'I Just Wanna Be Average.'" Write one page in response to the following prompt: As we discussed in class, Baldwin's "Notes of a Native Son" goes back and forth between the specific and the general, the narrative and the analytic, and the personal and the public. Explain how Rose employs this strategy to achieve his purpose in "'I Just Wanna Be Average.'" It will help, of course, to identify Rose's purpose in your response.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Topic for Wednesday's Response
Here is your prompt for the one-page response: Now that you've finished The Color of Water, what is McBride's situation, and what is his story? In other words (for those who are new to the class), what is the context for McBride's memoir (his situation), and what idea, or emotional insight, has he come to share with the reader (his story)?
Monday, September 26, 2011
Assignments for Wednesday, Sept. 28, and Monday, Oct. 3
For Wednesday, Sept. 28:
1. Read and annotate The Color of Water, pp. 107-137.
2. Bring two questions to class about this reading and email them to me.
3. Write one typed page in response to the following prompt: Analyze the structure of McBride's memoir. You may choose a general feature (e.g., alternating narratives), chronological structure (flashbacks, jumping around in time, and so on), or some other organizing principle you have noticed. In your response, explain the rhetorical advantages or disadvantages of the structural aspect you've decided to write about.
4. Look at the independent reading assignment and choices posted to the right. You must tell me your selection by next Monday, Oct. 3.
5. See the assignment for Essay 1 (the narrative essay) posted to the right.
For Monday, Oct. 3:
1. Select your independent reading book.
2. Read and annotate The Color of Water, pp. 137-191.
3. Bring two questions to class about this reading and email them to me.
4. Write one typed page in response to the following prompt: Take an incident described by McBride, but write it in his mother's voice. You may write it as you think she would write it, so make whatever changes you think are appropriate.
1. Read and annotate The Color of Water, pp. 107-137.
2. Bring two questions to class about this reading and email them to me.
3. Write one typed page in response to the following prompt: Analyze the structure of McBride's memoir. You may choose a general feature (e.g., alternating narratives), chronological structure (flashbacks, jumping around in time, and so on), or some other organizing principle you have noticed. In your response, explain the rhetorical advantages or disadvantages of the structural aspect you've decided to write about.
4. Look at the independent reading assignment and choices posted to the right. You must tell me your selection by next Monday, Oct. 3.
5. See the assignment for Essay 1 (the narrative essay) posted to the right.
For Monday, Oct. 3:
1. Select your independent reading book.
2. Read and annotate The Color of Water, pp. 137-191.
3. Bring two questions to class about this reading and email them to me.
4. Write one typed page in response to the following prompt: Take an incident described by McBride, but write it in his mother's voice. You may write it as you think she would write it, so make whatever changes you think are appropriate.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Assignment for Monday, Sept. 27
1. Read and annotate The Color of Water, pp. 57-105.
2. Write one typed page in response to the following prompt: Write a brief narrative piece modeled on one of the three passages from Color of Water listed below. Your writing should strive to mimic McBride's writing (e.g., sentence structure, word choice, level of detail, and so on ) rather than the specific nature of the incident. That said, you may find it helpful to follow the general nature of the passage's incident as described below.
2. Write one typed page in response to the following prompt: Write a brief narrative piece modeled on one of the three passages from Color of Water listed below. Your writing should strive to mimic McBride's writing (e.g., sentence structure, word choice, level of detail, and so on ) rather than the specific nature of the incident. That said, you may find it helpful to follow the general nature of the passage's incident as described below.
- p. 9 ("As a boy...race and identity she ignored"; a profile of someone you know well, probably with a distinctive personality)
- pp. 34-36 ("The incident confirmed my fears...a knot of disbelief and tears"; a confrontation with someone that probably ended badly)
- pp. 94-95 ("The question of race...began to fall apart"; activities with your family that you probably hated)
In addition, be sure to bring 50 Essays to class as you will read George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant."
Lastly, stop by on Friday during tutorial to pick up your summer essays before the weekend. If you don't get them from me, I will leave them with the substitute.
Friday, September 16, 2011
For Tuesday, Sept. 20
1. Read pp. 1-55 of The Color of Water.
2. Write one typed page in response to the following question: How would you describe McBride's narrative persona, and what strategies does he use to develop that persona? Check later in the weekend for a sample response that uses the De Quincey reading completed in Friday's class. Click here for that sample response.
3. Via email, submit two questions about The Color of Water to me. These should focus on aspects of McBride's writing choices.
In class, we will begin with an in-class reading of Hughes's "Salvation," in 50 Essays, which we did not get to on Friday.
On a separate note, notice independent reading assignments and the vocabulary list posted to the right (under Syllabus and Assignments). Read about the independent reading assignment this weekend; maybe you can even decide on a book. The vocabulary list is where I will try to keep track of unfamiliar words that come up in class. If I miss any that you would like to see on this list, just email it to me. You will not be quizzed on these words, but it would be great to see them in your writing over the course of the year. The listed words link to their Merriam-Webster definitions.
2. Write one typed page in response to the following question: How would you describe McBride's narrative persona, and what strategies does he use to develop that persona? Check later in the weekend for a sample response that uses the De Quincey reading completed in Friday's class. Click here for that sample response.
3. Via email, submit two questions about The Color of Water to me. These should focus on aspects of McBride's writing choices.
In class, we will begin with an in-class reading of Hughes's "Salvation," in 50 Essays, which we did not get to on Friday.
On a separate note, notice independent reading assignments and the vocabulary list posted to the right (under Syllabus and Assignments). Read about the independent reading assignment this weekend; maybe you can even decide on a book. The vocabulary list is where I will try to keep track of unfamiliar words that come up in class. If I miss any that you would like to see on this list, just email it to me. You will not be quizzed on these words, but it would be great to see them in your writing over the course of the year. The listed words link to their Merriam-Webster definitions.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Summer Reading 2011
For next year's AP Lang students, the summer reading options and assignments are posted to the right (under the Times' headlines) and linked here. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach me by email. I hope you enjoy the reading, and have a great summer!
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