Happy New Year to All!

I hope you are enjoying your holidays and wish each of you and yours a safe and happy New Year. Looking forward to seeing you in 2010!

Ms. Hughes

English 11 Enriched Debate Unit

Here's the latest from Ms. Hughes ...

You will want to familiarize yourselves with the following web sites re: Oxford Debate and Debating.

Please cut and paste the urls into your browser.

:o)

For The Basic Debating Skills go to points in #5 at:

http://www.britishdebate.com/universities/resources/ox_roughguide.asp

CHECK LIST for WR12 TERM 1

CHECK LIST for TERM 1 WR12 WORK

• Creation of a Blog Portfolio __

• Where The World Began modelling assignment ___

• Where The World Began posted to Blog Portfolio __

• News Paper Article #1 __

• News Paper Article #1: posted to Blog Portfolio __

• News Paper Article #2 __

• News Paper Article #2: posted to Blog Portfolio __

• Journal Entry adapted for posting on Blog Portfolio __

• Journal Entry posted to Blog Portfolio __

• Free Assignment __

• Free Assignment posted to Blog Portfolio __

• Submit to either a CONTEST __ or the ANNUAL ___ or a PUBLICATION __

• Journal __

U Vic's Point by Point Compare/Contrast Paper Outline

Here's the latest from Ms. Hughes

How to do a Comparison/Contrast Paper from U Vic

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/Sample/Advanced/wt/wt_15c.htm

WR12 Still to do for Term 2

1. Free Assignment (by 20 Nov)
   
2. Publication of a journal entry inspired piece to the blog (100 words)
3. Second newspaper article (by 20 Nov)
   
4. 18 Nov = due date for Journal (formula now = pages + entries = total)

WR12 Free Assign

Your "free assignment" must contain no more than the equivalent of one typed page of writing (space and a half) in Times New Roman or Ariel font (12 pt).

Object: to use written expression to convey meaning.

Form: to be decided by student.

Marking: will use the creative writing rubric.

Post to your blog portfolio.

Document with a picture if you create a project.

Due: 18 November, 2009

Attention Byng Arts English 8 Students! Here's the latest from Ms. Hughes:

Click on the following link and it will take you to a .pdf file of the Major Term 1 Assignment for Romeo and Juliet.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/21424301/Romeo-juliet-Major-Project

Make sure you print it out for yourself.

You will have part or all of class time for 5 classes to prepare for this project, particularly the group aspect. That said, you will need to work on this a little bit along and along at home as well to comfortably make the deadline.

NOT all classes from now until the due date will be solely for project work as we will be working on literary analysis work as well. This is important as the literary analysis paragraphs are a critical component to the project.

Let your imaginations play, but stay "in" the text!

Ms. Hughes

Joseph Campbell Hero's Journey

Here is a link that might be useful when studying the Hero's Journey

http://spiritualfears.com/CampbellHero.htm

Byng Arts English 8 -- Astrology and Shakespeare

Here's the latest from Ms. Hughes

You'll need to go to the following websites re: Astrology and Shakespeare and the Elizabethan period.

http://www.chartplanet.com/html/shakespeare.html

and

http://www.shakespeare-online.com/playanalysis/romeocommentary.html

Your upcoming project will require understanding and applying a basic knowledge of the symbolism of astrological imagery in Romeo and Juliet. You will need to look at the themes discussed in the second link above in addition to the astrological references.

Stay tuned for breaking news on your project! Coming soon to this blog and to class!

EN8 Hero's Journey Major Term Assignment

Important for Block 2-3 English 8: Here is your Project. You have Five (5) Classes. Work at home will likely be necessary.
English 8
Hughes
Value: Approx. 30% of Term 1

Hero’s Journey Project

“The Long Walk Home”Purpose:

To create a graphic representation of the hero journey wheels that can be identified in the film, “The Long Walk Home” AND be able to accurately represent examples from history re: The American Civil Rights Movement.

Materials: Students will be provided with 11" x 17" paper; several pieces per student to prepare and complete work. Each students is encouraged to place their work onto a poster board.


Method: Students will do ONE journey wheel from the movie, "The Long Walk Home" AND ONE journey wheel from the American Civil Rights Movement. BOTH will be placed (so they are clear and readable) onto the same poster board.

May choose one (1)of the following: Miriam Thompson's journey OR Odessa Carter's journeyAND someone from The American Civil Rights Movement.


• You will determine how to integrate their journey wheels as they see fit.
• You will need to demonstrate how the wheels work both separately from, and in relationship to, each other.
• You will be responsible for telling a unique hero’s journey from the film.
• You must include the following terms from Joseph Campbell: separation, initiation, return, boon, and sacrifice for both THE MOVIE and the HISTORICAL EXAMPLE
• You must provide examples a one (1) paragraph example for each of these terms.


Assessment for each student:

❏ representation of the journey wheel = 10%
❏ separation labeled with examples from the film = 10% (paragraph on graph)
❏ initiation labeled with examples from the film = 10% (paragraph on graph)
❏ return labeled with examples from the film = 10% (paragraph on graph)
❏ boon labeled with examples from the film = 10% (paragraph on graph)
❏ sacrifice labeled with examples from the film = 10% (paragraph on graph)
❏ neatness = 10%
❏ quality of examples =10%
❏ written explanation of what makes your historical person an example of a hero re: a hero’s journey = 20% (3 Paragraphs)
(Written analysis will be marked on the 6 point scale and valued at 20% of the project)

Due at the end of beginning of class on Monday, November 2nd.

In Class Essay Topic for Allegory of the Cave and Oedipus

Here's the latest from Ms. Hughes:

English 11 Enriched: In-class Essay on 27 October.

You may use the following:

• 1 (one) book card size index card (provided by me).
• your copy of "The Allegory of the Cave"
• your copy of Oedipus Rex
• an essay outline sheet (provided by me).

QUESTION CHOICES:

In a well written multi-paragraph response, and with reference to both "The Allegory of the Cave" and Oedipus Rex, discuss the authors' use of imagery and/or metaphor to discuss the nature of truth.

OR

In a well written multi-paragraph response, and with reference to both "The Allegory of the Cave" and Oedipus Rex, discuss the authors' use of imagery and/or metaphor to discuss the nature of fate.

Your essay must be 5 paragraphs in length. You may choose to write more, but only as required.

English 11 Enriched

Here's the latest from Ms. Hughes:

As per our group discussion in yesterday's class, the following will be the time line for finishing up Sophocles and Plato and Greek Tragedy and then moving on to Macbeth. This should take us up to the end of Term 1/beginning of Term 2.

Friday, October 16th: discussion of "Allegory of the Cave", themes, sybmols, etc. and begin making formal discussion around its thematic connections to Oedipus Rex.

Tuesday, October 20th: I am on a field trip at the Writer's Festival with my WR12 class and the students who expressed interest in going from this class. Those who remain, will be working on clarifying the stages of Greek Tragedy (as per films and on blog slides from last year) to Oedipus Rex; you need to know the technical names and stages within the plot cycle of a Greek Tragedy: Freytag's Pyramid and what parts of Oedipus Rex correspond to them. See the following link: http://www.kyshakes.org/Resources/Aristotle.html Those at Writer's Fest will make this up as homework. See also: http://www.identitytheory.com/etexts/poetics6.html

I will also provide you with the essay question for the "Allegory of the Cave/Oedipus Rex In Class" that will be on 27 Oct AND will provide you with the index card onto which you may write material you wish to bring into the essay with you.


Thursday, October 22nd: Return to discussion comparing Allegory of the Cave/Oedipus Rex" and review of the comparative essay format.

Tuesday, October 27th: In class Essay to be written today. (Approx 25% of Term 1)

Thursday, October 29th: Begin Shakespeare's Tragedy of Macbeth

Balance of Term 1: TBA (either project work or debate)

Beginning of Term 2: TBA (either project work of debate)

LEAP Playwriting Intensive Info!

Here's the latest from Ms. Hughes:


Go to www.artsclub.com/youth/leap.htm for full application details on how to apply for the LEAP Playwriting Intensive for Teen writers (ages 16 to 18).

Or email Shawn at smacdonald@artsclub.com for more info.

Thanks!

English 11 Enriched

First In-class of the year.

Value = 10% of Term 1

Day of In-Class: Tuesday 29 September, 2009

You will need:

• blue or black ink pen
• copy of Oedipus Rex or The Theban Plays

You may use:

• graph done for summer reading assignment
• pages of notes on Tragedy as made using Aristotle's Poetics re: Theory of Tragedy from website provided

You may write for 80 minutes.

ENGLISH 11 ENRICHED:

Here's the latest from Ms. Hughes.

Here is the link to the "Outline of Aristotle's Theory of Tragedy from Poetics"

http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html

Cut and paste the above link into your browser.

Required:

1. Take notes on each of the stages of in Aristotle's Theory of Tragedy as found on this site.
2. Divide a page into two (2) columns. On the left side column, list the element of tragedy from Poetics. On the right side column, provide and example and quotation from the text of Oedipus the King (aka Oedipus Rex)

Due Date: Monday 21st September, 2009. You will be allowed to use these pages of notes during the in class. on Monday.

Excellent Sonnet Review from sonnet.org

You'll have to copy and paste the link below, but it is really very good. Thorough, and a fine review of the sonnet form.

http://www.sonnets.org/basicforms.htm

"The Modern Prometheus, or Frankenstein: The Underworld" -- a short story as analysis based on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein by Sarah Hobbs

The Modern Prometheus, or Frankenstein

The Underworld

Hades’ world is a study in grey.

There are no certainties in a shadowy realm of the dead – even one’s own existence becomes suspect.

The thousands upon thousands of ghosts have amalgamated over the centuries. As their outlines blurred, their spaces slid in one another. Now they are a fine grey mist that infiltrates you ears, eyes, nose. Stroking, caressing, they whisper – give us life, let us live, let us up…

Only the Gods and the great can retain personalities; they are still defined enough in the watery light of Elysian Fields so as to be distinguishable. But even we, the immortal, are not immune to the passing of years. We continue to exist, yes – we shall exist until the end of time – but when our last disciple died, so did we. Now we are as sad echoes, as lamentable portraits of ourselves!

I stand at the side of Zeus; he is sprawled on a divan, mechanically dropping grapes into his mouth with fat-rounded fingers. His eyes are fixated on the rather voluptuous backside of one of his attendants. Some things never change.

Zeus gurgles, and shifts his gargantuan mass without once breaking his gaze. In this umbra, his musculature has suffered, badly. His shape lost in mounds of flesh.

I clear my throat, and he blinks. I clear my throat again, and delicately tap one silvery foot against the floor. With extreme difficulty, Zeus drags his eyes from the nymph and looks at me blankly. I can see his overwhelmed brain trying to account for my presence.

“Aphrodite.” Bravo Zeus, by all means bravo ye king of the Gods – you have put a name to a face.

“Ah yes.” He shifts his elephantine bulk so that he is facing me, sitting upright. “I, um, oh yes, I have a favour to ask you… or… I guess…”

“Well?” My voice chimes out the syllable, but the mist muffles the effect.

“It is a task,” he pauses, “that you have performed once before…”

“And?”

“He knows that you were, um, very…”

“Adept?”

“Adept.” The strain of the conversation is beginning to overwhelm Zeus, and his head is slowly sinking into the many folds of his neck. “He wants you to go up.” He says, appalled at the thought of the exertion.

Up. Up to the world. Up to contrasts. Up to identity.

“Up!”

“Yes.” Zeus begins to turn himself so that he is facing his old object, the nymph. He moves slowly so as to be sure of his great size. “He says you should…you should go see the three...” he drifts off again, attention once more demanded by the inspection of a sensuous set of curves.

I sniff, and regard the two with disdain. The nymph trips over to her master, he giggles appreciatively at the effect.

I am infuriated. I am the essence of beauty, not some tiresome chit. I once radiated loveliness and moved in an aura of my own seduction – to see me was to desire me. I once commanded the greatest power in the universe. The brute could at least pretend to notice me now – I have fared better against time than he.

I turn to leave. From behind I hear a high-pitched squeal, and moments later, a belligerent roar. The nymph collapses, sobbing, stripped of her youth.

I pause, smile to myself, and walk on. I have my pride left still.

I reach the judges’ dais shortly – distance is a concept of little meaning in this world. Aeacus, liver-spotted and white-haired, is the only one of the trio awake; Minos and Rhadamanthys slumber on. All three are dwarfed by huge piles of paper. The occasional white leaf slips, and flutters away in the twilight.

Aeacus moves his chin in and out as he tries to bring my form into focus. His eyes are yellow and bleary with age.

“Aphrodite.” The king inclines his head. I nod, acknowledging the deference, vindicated.

“We are honoured by your presence.” His trembling hand motions to the other two archaic figures. They snooze on, oblivious. “Moros,” he continues, bringing the wizened hand back to rest on the stone table, “has a task for you.”

“I accept.” There would be no point in refusing; to be is to be at the mercy of destiny. And I would be, I would be.

Aeacus dips his ancient head. “Apollo sees that there will be another insurrection against supreme power. A man shall aspire to the divine. This mortal will attempt to create a new race, but he must be broken by his fate. He must be made to feel despair.”

“And what am I to do? I am the Goddess of Love – I bring joy, not unhappiness, Aeacus.”

“Apollo has said you shall defeat him. I know not how. But, ” Aeacus attempts to smile. “This creator, unlike Prometheus, shall be a man, and he shall have all the weaknesses of men. And who knows the greatest weakness of men better than you, lovely Aphrodite.”

I hear his words clearly but I cannot grasp his meaning. I am beauty, I am love – what harm can I inflict? But I reply, “Thank you, Aeacus.” I must not seem weak.

As I quietly pad out of the courtroom, the mists swirl around my feet. Take us with you, let us up, the spirits whimper breathlessly.

On the banks of the Styx, I am surprised to see the familiar misshapen form of my husband, Hephaestus. His unpleasant features are further marred by a frown as he gazes across the sluggish water.

We stand side by side in silence as the boatman, Charon, navigates the current. Time passes, and the minutes, like everything else here, blend into each other.

“I suppose I am not needed this time.” Hephaestus is speaking, looking down now at his hands. Unlike the rest of his deformed body, they are beautiful – long-fingered, graceful, supple – the hands of an artist. He raises mud-coloured eyes to mine, and grins, a benevolent homeliness. I stare back.

“But no one can create as you do.” It is a fact, simply spoken and truer for it. When Zeus in his fury, commissioned man’s punishment, he called upon Hephaestus to mould the body of a woman from water and clay. Zeus then told me to grace the creation with a beauty that would make her irresistible to man. I still do not understand how that beauty could have been punishment, but now I must bring down a transgressor all on my own; the thought is disconcerting.

“Perhaps not.” Hephaestus holds out one of his glorious hands and helps me onto the raft. The mist desperately clings to the folds of my gown.

“Come back to me, Aphrodite.” His parting words travel across the surface of the river, and wrap themselves around my heart.

Earth

“ She was not her child, but the daughter of a Milanese nobleman. Her mother was a German and had died on giving her birth. The infant had then been placed with these good people to nurse: they were better off then. They had not long been married, and their eldest child was but just born. The father of their charge was one of those Italians nursed in the memory of the antique glory of Italy – one among the schiavi ognor frementi, who exerted himself to obtain the liberty of his country. He became the victim of its weakness. Whether he had died, or still lingered in the dungeons of Austria was not known. His property confiscated; his child became an orphan and a beggar. She continued with her foster parents and bloomed in their rude abode, fairer than a garden rose among the dark-leaved brambles.” (Shelley 20)

It was by degrees, that I learnt the ignominy that is childhood.

The dependence of the very young is pitiful. My instrument, one Elizabeth Lavenza, was confined to abject poverty. In that odious hovel I waited, by day bound to a mind retarded by infancy, patiently tending to any signs of emerging beauty – it was my only gift to give and I gave it to the child freely. But at night, at night I could roam the wide-open green spaces, drinking in the earthly magnificence – the clarity of form. At dawn, intoxicated at the splendor, I would return to the girl and slip behind her eyelids once more.

“Among these there was one that attracted my mother far above all the rest. She appeared of a different stock. The four others were dark-eyed, hardy little vagrants; this child was thin and very fair. Her hair was the brightest living gold, and despite the poverty of her clothing, seemed to set a crown of distinction on her head. Her brow was ample and clear, her blue eyes cloudless, and her lips and the molding of her face so expressive of sensibility and sweetness that none could behold her without looking on her as of a distinct species, a being heaven-sent, and bearing a celestial stamp in all her features.” (Shelley 20)

Beauty is unconquerable.

As Elizabeth grew I endowed her with such radiance that the sun itself felt envy. Even her ignorance was, in and of itself, a weapon. Her frailty, canonized by a purity of expression and brilliance of feature, made her irresistible. She was sublime. She was my masterpiece.

Her allure proved great. Its first victim was the gentle woman who entered that rude dwelling, for she left with my fair child. Behind Elizabeth’s blue eyes I rejoiced as we were bundled into a carriage. Finally! To be free once more from depravity!

Beauty is glorious.

“Everyone loved Elizabeth. The passionate and almost reverential attachment with which all regarded her became, while I shared it, my pride and my delight. On the evening previous to her being brought to my home, my mother had said playfully, “I have a pretty present for Victor – tomorrow he shall have it.” And when, on the morrow, she presented Elizabeth to me as her promised gift, I, with childish seriousness, interpreted her words literally and looked upon Elizabeth as mine – mine to protect, love, and cherish. All praises bestowed on her I received as made to a possession of my own. We called each other familiarly by the name of cousin. No word, no expression could body forth the kind of relation in which she stood to me – more than sister, since till death she was to be mine only.” (Shelley 21).

I knew the moment Elizabeth first saw him. Even then, as a young boy, his eyes burned with something I would vain have called insanity. His countenance drank in Elizabeth’s appearance, and I knew that his love towards her would be an all-consuming desire to possess her, and her beauty.

And so the years passed. As Elizabeth grew I shaped her passions to more closely resemble my own. Under my tutelage she came to delight in the picturesque landscape. As one, we found ecstasy in poetic creation, in the peculiarity of the seasons. She grew still lovelier - as the bud that unfolds quivering petals to the sun, so did my Elizabeth ripen. With each spring she basked more fully in her own grandeur.

The boy, Frankenstein, was not insensible to my creation. But yet with a superhuman vigour, he threw himself into study. He bruised himself in the application, already ravenous in his quest for knowledge. And my Elizabeth with her ravishing beauty, my protégée, she could only distract him from his purpose for a few days. When he returned to study, it was with an ever more voracious appetite. He was beyond the tempting charms of my creature; he was a fiend.

“ My departure was therefore fixed at an early date, but before the day could arrive, the first misfortune of my life occurred – an omen, as it were, of my future misery.

Elizabeth had caught the scarlet fever; her illness was severe, and she was in the greatest danger. During her illness many arguments had been urged to persuade my mother to refrain from tending upon her. She had first yielded to our entreaties, but when she heard that the life of her favourite was menaced, she could no longer control her anxiety. She attended her sickbed; her watchful attention triumphed over the malignity of the distemper – Elizabeth was saved, but the consequences of this imprudence would be fatal to her preserver. On the third day my mother sickened; her fever was accompanied by the most alarming symptoms, and the looks of her medical attendants prognosticated the worst event.” (Shelley 30)

At the announcement of Victor’s imminent departure, I grew acutely alarmed. I had failed to sway the youth from his investigation. Insofar, at least, it had been a theoretical undertaking, but at university, removed from Elizabeth’s softening presence, and surrounded by scientific instrument, who was to say what accident he might accomplish? As Elizabeth’s inferior mind bent to the difficulty of a farewell to a childhood playmate, I occupied myself with the cultivation of a far more tragic event.

Just as it had been when Elizabeth had been a child, her beauty triumphed over Caroline Frankenstein. Blinded by love, the mother soon lay dying, and Frankenstein was tethered to her bedside, departure forgotten.

But I was unsure. I was not one that delights in grief. I was a goddess of pleasure. I was the Goddess of Love.

But he remained, after the funeral, to comfort his devastated, flawless cousin. Hesitation forgotten, I crowed, for it seemed that Frankenstein was finally diverted from his task, finally a victim to my prowess.

And yet he was not stopped– he left. He left devoured by his lust for knowledge. He left, and I lay vanquished, stunned, and my apprehension grew.

Every night, as Elizabeth dreamed senselessly, I watched his toils. I saw him aspire to learn the greatest secret of the feminine – that of creation. He had been so threatened by my thrall in Elizabeth, that he strived now to make her redundant.

To my horror, one night he grasped the art of animation. It was butchery, but his base equipment still yielded forth a spark of life.

By day I was bound to Elizabeth’s psyche, impatient for the day to end, darkness ushering in merciful rest. At the moment of sweet oblivion, I slipped through the cracks of the universe and stood in Frankenstein’s laboratory. Each night revealed more of his being, crudely stitched together by an unpracticed hand. Each night revealed more reason to despair – I had not been powerful enough to stop this rude creator. And there he stood, on the verge of success.

There I stand now, in a miserable room watching the man-child gather his apparatus about him. Features convulsed in anxiety, he steals himself to infuse the spark of life: the final execution of an unhallowed act.

I am in agony. I hurl my ghostly self about the chamber. I send the rain hammering against the windows; I try in vain to extinguish the feeble candlelight. I beat my feet against the splintered floor in outrage. I silently pound my fury.

And yet he will not stop. His features are vilified by their gleam of exultation and I forget myself; I forget my affection and goodness and love, and I hate this Frankenstein. I hate he who dared, with his silly science, to make love obsolete, to remove the necessity of lust. I hate he, who with his impersonal metal instruments, has dared to imagine creating beauty, pure physical truth without my consent. And as the trembling youth watches the spark of life jump between his hands, I open my mouth and I curse that boy. I curse him and his patchwork monster. I scream the greatest penance that my fevered brain can supply. I condemn his creation, his brute, to an existence devoid of beauty, devoid of love.

“ I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs.

How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shriveled complexion and straight black lips.” (Shelley 42)

The creature opens his eyes and my heart swells in vindication – great hideous beast! Magnificent repulsiveness! No human will be able to withstand such abject deformity; their shallow minds cannot bear the scope of disgust. I watch as Frankenstein rushes from the room shuddering in pain. His monster lurches after him, automatically seeking that which shall never be his.

And I dance in that loathsome place, saturated in joy, in divinity, in myself. I am still Aphrodite! No man is above me! I twirl and laugh at the thundering heavens. Still Aphrodite! Still Aphrodite!

The In-between

I am in a different courtroom this time. The figures of Apollo and Artemis tower over me, the two twin robed-justices. Artemis’ expression is tinged with distaste. She and I, as a sworn virgin and the goddess of promiscuity respectively, have never gotten along.

Apollo leans his chin on one hand.

“Well, it seems your charms have brought down yet another, Aphrodite.” He muses.

Vanity makes me imprudent. “Great Apollo – did you really think that even with their science, they would be able to ignore their natures? The necessity of beauty? Of me? And then that they would dare to try to replicate this, that which is mine to give? You would be a fool to think so.”

“Is that so?” Apollo’s eyebrows are raised, Artemis’ openly mocking as she jeers, “What a high opinion you have of yourself, Aphrodite.”

“But it is a high opinion that is very much deserved.” I say. “Would you care to present this non-believer with the proof that man needs beauty, Master Apollo – I should not like to have this perceived blot on my reputation.” I motion to a disgusted Artemis.

Apollo glances at his sister then closes his eyes. When he speaks again in it not in his usual honeyed tone. His voice booms, omnipotent and terrible.

“Frankenstein shall abandon his creation. Alone, the creature shall leave the town and wander through a great wood. His journey shall be punishing, undertaken without companionship or understanding.

“He shall seek out human habitation, allured by the promise of warmth and shelter. But the villagers will condemn his presence. Bewildered and pained, he shall retreat once more into the forest.

“He shall take refuge in a hovel, where he shall become infatuated with its inhabitants. Their benevolence shall be manna to him. He shall think of making his existence known unto them.

“He shall glimpse himself in the surface of a pool, and feel disbelief, misery and shame. But he shall still not understand his curse. Not then. Not yet.

“He shall enter that rough abode, and receive the attention of the blind old man. And with the ensuing conversation, he shall dream of affection and infectious hope, shall spread to his heart.

“And so when the younger inhabitants regard him for the first time, their reaction will be an even greater betrayal, for they shall drive this monster from their father and beat the creature with a stick. And Frankenstein’s being shall be consumed by anguish, and wander forever tasting the bitterness of that rejection.

“Frankenstein’s being shall stumble on; now all joy will be as a mockery to him. He shall destroy what is hateful to him, and an innocent babe and virtuous maiden shall be his first victims. But this monster is not yet unfeeling. He shall offer his god a choice – to create another of his kind, or the maker shall feel the creature’s unrelenting hatred.

“Frankenstein will be unable to create another creature as lewd as his first, and the monster shall renew his savagery. First the shining youth, the bright Henry, shall fall at the being’s feet, and then he shall rob Frankenstein of his refuge of sweetness and gentility; the monster shall destroy Elizabeth. Her beauty shall condemn her, and she shall die.”

I am stricken, but Apollo continues. His words come quicker now, as he recites the future, unseeing.

“Frankenstein shall promise a great revenge. He shall pursue the devil. The two shall spend their lives tied together by a mutual chord of hate. They shall cross the known world, until at last they shall reach a landscape of ice and snow.

“There they shall fulfill their fate, bound as god and his creation, as together, they shall die.”

Apollo opens his eyes. The courtroom is silent and oppressive.

“Hag!” Two spots of rage have appeared on Artemis’ icy cheeks. “Harlot! Heartless freak!”

“Artemis!” Apollo is shocked.

“How dare you! How dare you! To punish the master is condonable, but to torture his creation! To condemn the innocent! What have you done, Aphrodite? What have you done?”

The Underworld

Once, in another lifetime, I brought joy to a man.

His name was Pygmalion. He was a sculptor who lived in the town of Amathus on the Island of Cyprus. He lived in his art and scorned all female society.

But this silly man loved me, he loved me, and I, flattered at his attentions, rewarded him. For when he created a woman of stone of such beauty that he fell in love with her, I gave him a miracle; I gave the statue life, and two beings found great happiness.

I cannot help but think on this now that I am back in the world of grey. Beauty is less certain, here, as it once was to me. It is truth. It is hate. It is dreadful and miraculous. Here I can accept that. On earth I could not. On earth I blinded myself.

Zeus has found himself a new nymph; one that is even more curvaceous if such a thing is possible. He has swum in the merciful river of Lethe and his glory seems as a memory of a dream.

I went back to Hephaestus. We live still on the Elysian field. He creates in fire and I think of it.

The other day I met Homer while wandering through a field of grey poppies. He was his ever-genial self, and fondly patted the space beside him on the ground.

“Sit down, most lovely Aphrodite. And if you would care to, pour your heavenly words into these foolish old ears. And by all means, let us be civilized, let us have sustenance!” He declared, seizing upon a decanter of wine.

I told him then, of Frankenstein, of his monster, of Elizabeth. And he listened then, and nodded occasionally as I spoke.

“Oh, Aphrodite!” He exclaimed. “You are great but you are not always wise, my dear. You are not to blame in this affair.”

“But I am!” I said, “I am. I am. I am.”

“No, you are not. Hear what I say to you now: autôn gar spheterêsin atasthaliêsin olonto, nêpioi. So it has been, so it shall be.”

For their own follies they perished, the fools.

Perhaps it was so; who is to say?

MIEN8: Descriptive Writing from 3 Perspectives

You should ALL have

1. a view finder
2. a paragraph written describing a large view (first view)
   
3. a paragraph written describing a tighter view of the first (second view)
4. a paragraph written describing a still tighter view of the second (third view)
5. at least one rough draft of each of the paragraphs (first, second, third views) above.

Homework:

You must TYPE up each of your 3 Perspective Paragraphs. Use 12 point Ariel font.

Work on expanding your paragraphs with more descriptive language and one simile and metaphor per paragraph.

This is due at the beginning of class next day. 5/5 completion mark. You will lose one mark for each day it is late and half a mark if I receive it after the beginning of class on Tuesday.

We will continue to work with this writing after the second draft stage.

Ms. Hughes

EN11E: Frankenstein In-class Overview

English11E
Hughes
Lord Byng
Wed. 20/05/09

• Open book (novel Frankenstein) and 4" x 6" Index Card
  

Frankenstein: In-class Essay


Purpose:

To demonstrate your ability to express your analysis of the novel in literary essay form.

• lit present
• tag
• narrowed thesis
• smoothly integrated textual support
• discussion and analysis
• etc.

Task:

Now that you have demonstrated your ability to analyze text in a multi-modal framework, the next phase is to move your analysis into the literary essay form.

Method:

• You are analyzing the text!
• Focus on ONE idea unearthed in your exploration of the novel.
• Do NOT explain your entire project; this was done in your artist’s statement and your rationale. Choose a specific aspect explaining how it works in relation to the text.
• Your project has provided a direction of thinking and evidence in support of that thinking; now is your opportunity to discuss an aspect of what you have discovered or recognized in the text.
• You may want to direct your analysis in defense of

• theme
or
• character


The value of this essay is 15% of Term 3.
You will be marked on the 6 Point Literary Analysis Scale.

Publish Post

Ms. Stepkowski's Snow Goose Unit Test

Ms. Stepkowski

May 1, 2009

The Snow Goose Unit Test

Test Dates:

H Block – May 7^th

C and D Block – May 8^th

The test will be one hour in length and will be marked out of a total of 30 points. It will consist of two parts:

Part 1 – (12 points)

12 Multiple Choice Questions

Part 2 – (18 points)

A one to two paragraph analysis of one of the literary elements in the novel

Review/Study:

• Students should be familiar with the contents of the novel.

• Literary devices (language and sound) including foreshadowing and symbol. You should be able to define these literary devices and identify them in short quotes from the novel.

• Literary elements and accompanying terms. Students should be familiar with the 6 literary elements in a novel and literary terms such as rising action, flat/round character, atmosphere, omniscient etc. You should be able to identify and discuss all the literary elements and terms with respect to the novel.

EN11E Frankenstein Project

Approximate Term 3 Values for this project:

1. Use of Class Time: 7.5%
2. Creation of Response Sheet: 7.5%
3. Creation, inclusion, and format of Bibliography: 5%
4. Participation in Group Discussion: 10%
5. In class Essay (open book parameters to be discussed): 25%
6. Students will be required to complete an individual self-assessment on items 1 - 4 for Ms. Hughes’s use when confirming/verifying her assessment.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein:
Situating the Novel in a Historical Context
Group Project and Response SheetPurpose:

• For students to begin considering historical context in the writing of the novel Frankenstein.
• To provide historical background and/or context for Mary Shelley’s writing of Frankenstein.
• To allow each student the opportunity to develop some expertise and confidence in at least one thread of the assigned historical context threads.
• For students to obtain enough expertise in a historical thread (as it relates to the writing of Frankenstein) to be able to confidently participate in class discussion by sharing that new expertise.
• For students to begin making their own connections between the historical context information and the themes of the novel, Frankenstein.
• For students to engage in group research and seminar discussion in preparation for the in- class essay on Frankenstein re: theme and historical context (approx writing date: 11 May, 2009)

Response Sheet Intent:

• To provide your group’s historical context thread findings in a succinct manner that can be shared with the rest of the class as part of a photocopied resource package.

• For students to be able to document and demonstrate their findings and hypotheses around their historical context thread and its connections to the novel, Frankenstein.


Response Sheet Requirements:

• Must have the following title centred at the top of the page: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein -- Situating the Novel in a Historical Context: (fill in thread name here)
• must by typed in Ariel 11or 12 point font.
• point form with bullets
• quotations from the novel to demonstrate connections
• Group members in top left hand corner
• at least one historical context point for each group member needed (e.g. if 5 people in your group, at least 5 context points).
• at least one connection of historical context point for each group member (e.g. if 5 context points, there need to be at least 5 ideas suggesting how they relate to the novel).
• Contributor must be indicated for each point made.

ON A SEPARATE PAGE: Bibliography of all research sources cited.

• use the MLA Citation Maker (see http://bynghughes.blogspot.com/ – useful links)

DUE: at the beginning of class on Wednesday April 29th, 2009 before silent reading.

English 11 Enriched: Overview from now to June

Ladies and Gentlemen of English 11 Enriched,

The schedule for the balance of the year looks like this:

Thursday, 9 April, 2009: FAB ASSEMBLY
Wednesday, 15 April: complete discussion of "Bartleby the Scrivener"
Friday, 17 April: Begin working on Frankenstein.
Tuesday, 21 April: First class block to work on historical context threads (lib and class available)
Thursday, 23 April: Assessment to determine completion of novel (plot, characters, conflicts, setting, etc.) = value approximately 7.5% of Term 3
AND hand out project overview and use remaining class time to continue working on historical context project.
Monday, 27th April: Last day of class time for historical context project.
Wednesday, 29th April: Historical Context Response Sheet DUE before Silent Reading. Packages compiled and handed out. Re-grouping and going through packages and class discussion re: themes within the novel vis a vis historical context.
Friday, 1st May - 12 May: TBA re: multimodal analysis

English 12 Poetry Unit for April 2009

Attention English 12 students! Click here to access a pdf of the poetry unit.

- Ms. Hughes

UWC -- University Writing Centre

Here's the latest from Ms. Hughes

This site has some really useful information for writing everything from Lab reports to Essays to how to include citations etc.

Cut and paste the link below into your browser and check it out. Definitely useful stuff here!

http://www.uwc.ucf.edu/Writing%20Resources/writing_resources_home.htm

Here is what might be a useful outline formula for the critical essay

Here's the latest from Ms. Hughes

http://www.uwc.ucf.edu/Writing%20Resources/Handouts/critical_essay_formula.htm

Cut and paste the above link into your browser and check it out. I think many of you will find the clarity with which it is laid out and the examples clear; may help some folks with improving their essay structure.

In addition, I will, of course, be providing further help in class.

This is particularly useful for my Grade 11s and 12s.

A Useful and Easy to Understand Study Help Website

Check out this website!

Excellent explanations, suggestions, help to get you studying smart. :o)

You will need to paste the following link into your browser.

http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/howtostudy.html#readactively


Ms. Hughes

Writing a Summary ... Check it out, Grade 8s!

Here is a useful sample summary:

http://homepage.smc.edu/reading_lab/writing_a_summary.htm

You'll also want to read the story which is summarized, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2721565/The-Secret-Life-of-Walter-Mitty

You can practice summary writing on anything you are reading: chapters of novels, short stories, newspaper articles, anything!

Compare/Contrast Essays:Some very useful resources on the web ...

I really like this "Tip Sheet" on the Compare/Contrast paper from Butte College. It is clear and well laid out.

This Butte College link takes you to other great writing help as well! Check it out!


http://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/style_purpose_strategy/compare_contrast.html