Today’s Agenda
1) Writing assignment: For the next 5-7 minutes I want you to write on the following topic:
In the United States of America, there are a number of arguments that surround the national flag. Different people have different views on what should and what should not be done to the flag. For example, some people think that it should be illegal to burn the flag, while other people think that such actions are protected by our right to free speech. Regardless of what you may personally BELEIVE about the issue, why do you think the treatment of the flag is such an important issue for people on either side of the debate? To get started, think about this question: What does the flag represent, and does it represent the same thing to every American?
2) Group Discussion: On TV shows like American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, contestants often talk about “America.” They ask “America” to vote for them, or that “America,” give them a second chance. We all know that America is not a person, so who – or what – is it that these contestants are talking to when they ask for “America’s” help? After you have discussed this for a few moments, I want you to come up with a short list of SPECIFIC ITEMS that you think REPRESENT America.
3) Class Discussion on LITERAL Language and FIGURATIVE Language
4) When we spoke about Specific Details, we say that there were DIFFERENT CATEGROIES of Specific Details in poem. We could look for SPECIFIC DETAILS that relate to the SPEAKER, the AUDIENCE, or the SITUATION.
Last time, we talked about imagery, and how important it is to investigate the imagery in a poem as we are trying to make sense of it. Well, today we are going to learn that there are SPECIFIC KINDS of imagery in poems, and that we can learn a LOT about a poem by paying attention to this imagery:
The basic kinds of imagery we will encounter are:
Metaphors:
| 1. | something used, or regarded as being used, to represent something else |
| 2. | a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is our God.” |
Similes:
1: a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared, as in “she is like a rose.”
Symbol:
| 1: a word, phrase, or image with many associated meanings. It is perceived as having inherent value separable from that which is symbolized. |
Let’s begin today with Sylvia Plath’s “Metaphors.” The poem claims to be a riddle in nine syllables. For the next 7 minutes, I want you to write a journal entry in which you explain attempt to SOLVE this riddle. If you can solve it, I want you to EXPLAINE how you solved it.
Discuss
We can take this poem LITERALLY or FIGURATVILY. Does it make more sense to read this as a LITERAL Conversation with a lamb, or as a FIGURATIVE conversation with a lamb? And if it is a figurative conversation, what is going on here? Discuss in Groups
Now we are ready to take on an amazing poem, Edgar Allen Poem’s “The Raven.” What is this poem literally about, what is this poem FIGURATIVLTY about? How do you know
Homework:
Draft first two pages of Explication Essay
Read Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour
Notes on HOW TO WRITE THE FIRST PAPER: Due Tuesday September 30
Assignment Explication Essay (3 pages): This essay should demonstrate an in-depth understanding of a single poem. It should present a textual analysis and interpretation of the poem, not just a summary or retelling. An effective explication pays close attention to the relations between content (what a work says) and the form (how it says it), providing a helpful guide to a reader seeking to understand a poem in all its detail of sound and sense. THE PAPER MUST HAVE A CONTESTABLE THESIS.
Format:
3 double-spaced pages, 12-point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins.
Possible Procedure:
1) Reread the poems you are most interested in.
2) Using the terms we have covered in class, create some notes on what interests you most about the one poem.
3) Go over your notes and identify a possible contestable thesis for your paper. Is your thesis contestable? Is it something that someone would disagree with? If so, you’re on the right path.
4) Develop a contestable thesis about one of the poems we have read this semester. For example: Make a statement about the speaker, audience, situation, or imagery in the poem, something you can defend with solid evidence.
How to Write a Paper:
1) Begin with an introduction. In 6-8 sentences you should generally summarize the poem for the reader. What is the poem? Who wrote it? When did they write it? What is the poem generally about? You do not need to use any specific quotes here. You are just setting the reader up so that they will be able to understand what comes next. Value: 10pts
2) Your thesis paragraph: Begin with your contestable thesis. Your contestable thesis is what you will be arguing about the poem. It is the idea or notion that you are going to try to convince the reader to believe. Follow your thesis up with at least three specific examples from your poem that you believe support your argument. Explain each of these examples in a sentence or two. There is no need for heavy quoting in this paragraph. You are just setting the foundation for your paper. Value: 10 pts
3) 1st Body Paragraph. Here you are going to begin by reminding the reader of the 1st example you just mentioned to support your thesis. Basically, you are repeating that sentence, but rewording it slightly. Next, present a quote from the text that supports your point. Don’t include an extensive quote, a line or two will do. Next, explain in detail -three to four sentences – exactly how the quote supports your thesis. Value: 10pts {Remember how we QUOTE correctly from a poem!)
4) Find similar evidence in the text that supports your thesis in the same way, and then include another body paragraph focusing on that evidence. Use the same format as your previous body paragraph. If you cannot find this evidence, move on to the next paragraph. Value: 10 pts
5) Here you are going to begin by reminding the reader of the 2nd example you mentioned in your thesis paragraph. Basically, you are repeating that sentence, but rewording it slightly. Next, present a quote from the text that supports your point. Don’t include an extensive quote, a line or two will do. Next, explain in detail – three to four sentences – exactly how the quote supports your thesis. Value: 10 pts
6) Find similar evidence in the text that supports your thesis in the same way, then include another body paragraph focusing on that evidence that follows the same format as your previous body paragraph. If you cannot find this evidence, move on to the next paragraph. Value: 10 pts
7) 3rd Body Paragraph. Here you are going to begin by reminding the reader of the 3rd example you mentioned in your thesis paragraph. Basically, you are repeating that sentence, but rewording it slightly. Next, present a quote from the poem that supports your point. Don’t include an extensive quote, a line or two will do. Next, explain in detail -three to four sentences – exactly how the quote supports your thesis. Value: 10 pts
Find similar evidence in the poem that supports your thesis in the same way, then include another body paragraph focusing on that evidence that follows the same format as your previous body paragraph. If you cannot find this evidence, move on to the next paragraph. Value 10 pts
9) Summary. In the summary, you need to restate your thesis, then restate each of the points that you have used to support your thesis.
Value 10 pts
Grammar: 10
[...] Tuesday, September 23 [...]
Pingback by Welcome to Eh 112: Approaches to Literature « Approaches to Literature, Fall 2008 — September 2, 2008 @ 12:47 pm |
Gabe Cheney
Adam Crowley
EH 112
22 September 2008
“The Raven” Edgar Allen Poe
Edgar Allen Poe is known for his imagery in his writings. The Raven is no exception. Just from the title it paints a dark and mysterious picture that sticks with you throughout the entire poem. The three main images that I think Poe is trying to point out are the tapping on the door, the chamber, and obviously, the raven. All three of these images help to make the poem what it is.
The raven is by far the most important image that Poe wants you to visualize. It helps that when most people think about a raven, it automatically puts a negative connotation in your mind. The raven, a scavenger, with it’s rough black feathers, brings about a sense of desperation and desolation. The raven that the speaker sees is an old one due to the reference of the “saintly days of yore”. Right off the back it give you the impression that it’s withered and rough looking. At the same time, the speaker compares it’s poise to that of a Lord or Lady. When the raven starts to speak, it only says “Nevermore”, each time making him seem a bit more sullen and serious. After speaking with the bird a while, the eyes start to bother him. The fiery redness start to burn into his soul. For some reason, after talking to the raven for a while, the speaker thinks that it was sent by God as a messenger to tell him about Lenore. He has a lot of questions for the raven but each time it only answers, “Nevermore”. This starts to bug the speaker beyond belief and he starts to loose his mind. Without the raven coming into the chamber, this poem would have just gone on as it did and the plot wouldn’t change at all.
Another image that Poe describes pretty well really isn’t as much of a visual as it is auditory picture. The tapping on the chamber door is very important I believe in the build of the the speakers angst and unrest. When he hears it the first time he is in disbelief and can’t fathom why someone would be calling on him at this hour of the night. This causes him to be a little more tense and feel “fantastic terrors never felt before”. When he goes to answer and no one is there he becomes more fearful thinking of things that could have been there. When it all happens again, his fear just increases.
The setting of this poem is in his chamber which is a bedroom. However, Poe doesn’t make it into a honeymoon suite, he makes it into this bleak, dark room. The fire is all but gone out with the exception of a few embers. When he opens the door to look for the person tapping, he sees complete darkness. He even says that there is nothing out there but darkness, possibly comparing the way he feels to what he sees.
Comment by Gabe Cheney — September 23, 2008 @ 2:00 am |
Megan Clement
Adam Crowley
Eh112
September 23, 2008
The Raven
By Edgar Allen Poe
Edgar Allen Poe is known best for the imagery he creates within his writing. The Raven demonstrates this best through the choice of words he uses. The biggest and most important image from the poem is the raven. Also some other images that I believe to be very important are the tapping and the chamber door.
The raven is the most important image in this poem because it creates a sense of darkness throughout the poem. When people think of a raven the first thing that comes to mind is big black scraggily looking bird. Some think of it as mean and a scavenger. Also the tapping on the chamber door is very important because the speaker can’t believe that there is someone calling on him at this hour. The visitor tapping on the chamber door is that of the speaker’s lover.
The setting of this poem is in a dark chamber (bedroom) when the speaker in the poem opens the door to see who is creating the tapping there is no one there its just darkness I think that this symbolizes a lost lover who is there in spirit. The speaker is feeling empty and dark and I believe he is also comparing that to what he sees when he opens his chamber door to see nothing. The speaker also seems to have a sense of fear they contuine to state the word “Nevermore” which to me states a sense of fear.
Comment by Megan Clement — September 23, 2008 @ 1:16 pm |
The U.S. flag has many different meanings pending on who you ask. The one thing that it means to everybody is freedom. Whether it’s someone who believes that it is ok to be burn the flag, or not, it both symbolizes the freedom that our forefathers fought for. Because of this very important feeling, how we treat the flag is important to almost everyone. When we look at the history of the flag, it was really the first sign that we were independent from the British. The flag was in the front of every line of defense. If the flag went down, then charge would halt until someone else picked it up and continued. If the flag wasn’t there, then America wasn’t there. The flag has changed to accommodate the addition of states and changing of our nation. It is something that has been as symbol of our nation since day one.
Comment by Gabe Cheney — September 23, 2008 @ 4:43 pm |
The American flag is something that represents something different for each and every person. So the representation for the flag for each person is going to be like the treatment of the flag, each person will have their different view. The treatment of the flag I feel is important because it is a symbol for our county and our country is full of a variety of people. Of course the treatment of the flag is going to be an issue and different topics about how to treat it are going to come up, we are all from different backgrounds, cultures, and beliefes. What I think the treatment of the falg shoudl be is going to be different then the person sitting next to me because we do not share a mind and body, or even soul for that matter. Some people the falg is a symbol of freedom, and thats what got us to where we are today, others its just a symbol that we are an established country, so of course like i said, our opinons will be completely different.
Comment by Jen Campbell — September 23, 2008 @ 4:43 pm |
specific items we think represent america
– big corporations
– olympic gold medal
– the flag, RED WHITE AND BLUE
– president
– government
– freedom
– money
– military
– apple pie
– sports
Comment by Jen Campbell — September 23, 2008 @ 4:54 pm |
what riddle has nine syllables? what is large and blank like an elephant? What is like a melon on a vine thats maybe red and ivory? what gets bigger and bigger a time goes on, or what grows and grows untill it is done? it’s money is new, and is in a fat purse, so is it something that is wealthy with money and riches? what or who made you board the train and not get off? what or who didn’t let them get off. What is making it okay for them to not get off the train and did they eat the green apples and did they make them go on the train?
after class discussion we came to the conclusion that the poem is about beiong pregnant!
Comment by Jen Campbell — September 23, 2008 @ 5:17 pm |
What is a ponderous house? How is the fruit red and ivroy at the same time? Why can’t you get off the train?
Comment by Gabe Cheney — September 23, 2008 @ 5:39 pm |
Michael Austin
“The Raven”
Edger Allan Poe
The Raven is about a man that is either waiting for death or is waiting for something else to happen in his life. He talks about a man at his chamber door, I couldn’t think of what he meant by that at first. Then I got to thinking is this someone looking for him or is it someone looking to cause him some kind of harm. Then later on in the poem the person at the door becomes a raven. That got me thinking what is wrong with this man. Did he do something wrong to be worrying about someone or something at his door. I know in some religions the raven is the symbol of death or coming death as I had said in the first two sentences.
That might be what this man is worried about the grime reaper coming for him. Is he worried about his soul burning in “hell” for the sins of his past or things that he has kept under wraps for someone? That arise more questions that I have what did the man do to drive himself this mad that he thinks there is a fake raven outside his chamber. The next question is the bird even real? I think that the man might have killed someone or helped someone kill another person. Whatever it was he is going mad keeping it to himself.
I think that the adeance could be some one that has something that they have done that they aren’t proud of. Or it could be for someone that has done something bad or helped someone do something bad. I could teach someone some real morals that they are lacking in life. Someone could learn how to tell someone that they trust what they have done to cause these problems that they are having. It could also be a window in which someone could open up to another person so they don’t let the little things in life get to them. It could also say that if u let little things in life eat at you won’t have any fun. I think that this poem would be good for the troubled youth of today to read. They might be able to connect to the way this man is acting in the poem.
So in conclusion to reading this poem I think that the raven is in the man’s head. I think that he has done something wrong in his life that is eating at him and driving him mad. I think that the moral to this story is to not keep things under wraps just because you’re scared to tell someone. And it shows a life lesson that couldn’t be taught unless you have lived them in your own past.
Comment by Michael Austin — September 25, 2008 @ 1:53 pm |