Sunday, November 28, 2004
English I Archives Week of 11/15/04 & 11/24/04
Monday, November 22, 2004
I. A FEW NOTES ABOUT THE AUTHOR JOHN STEINBECK
STEINBECK, John (1902-68). Winner of the 1962 Nobel
prize for literature, the American author John Steinbeck is best
remembered for his novel 'The Grapes of Wrath'. Steinbeck's story of
a family of farm workers migrating from Oklahoma to California
describes the hopelessness of the Great Depression era.
John Ernst Steinbeck was born on Feb. 27, 1902, in Salinas,
Calif. He took classes at Stanford University for several years but left
without a degree. He worked as a laborer to support himself while he
wrote. Steinbeck's first novel was published in 1929, but it was not
until the publication of 'Tortilla Flat' in 1935 that he attained critical
and popular acclaim.
He followed this success with 'In Dubious Battle' (1936) and
'Of Mice and Men' (1937). 'The Grapes of Wrath' (1939) earned for
Steinbeck a Pulitzer prize. In these works Steinbeck's proletarian
themes are expressed through his portrayal of the inarticulate,
dispossessed laborers who populate his American landscape. Both 'Of
Mice and Men' and 'The Grapes of Wrath' were made into motion
pictures.
In 1943 Steinbeck traveled to North Africa and Italy as a war
correspondent. Some of his later works include 'Cannery Row'
(1945), 'The Pearl' (1947), 'East of Eden' (1952), 'The Winter of Our
Discontent' (1961), and 'Travels with Charley' (1962). He also wrote
several motion-picture scripts, including adaptations of two of his
shorter works-'The Pearl' and 'The Red Pony'. Steinbeck died in New
York City on Dec. 20, 1968.
II. VOCABULARY - Of Mice and Men - Due Wed. 11/24
Chapter 1 Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues
Below are the sentences in which the vocabulary words appear in the text. Read the
sentence. Use any clues you can find in the sentence combined with your prior knowledge, and
write what you think the underlined words mean in the space provided.
1. George stared morosely at the water.
2. But Lennie made an elaborate pantomime of innocence.
3. Lennie hesitated, backed away, looked wildly at the brush
line as though he contemplated running for his freedom.
4. Lennie reluctantly reached into his pocket.
5. Lennie sat down on the ground and hung his head dejectedly.
6. He took on the elaborate manner of little girls when they are mimicking one another.
7. He looked across the fire at Lennie's anguished face, and then he
looked ashamedly at the flames.
8. George gestured with his spoon.
III. Vocabulary - Of Mice and Men Chapter 1 Continued
Determining the Meaning - Due Wed. 11/24
Match the vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions.
1. morosely A. showing a feeling of guilt
2. pantomime B. imitating
3. contemplated C. unwillingly; hesitantly
4. reluctantly D. acting that consists mostly of gestures; no words
5. dejectedly E. made a motion to express thought or emphasize speech
6. mimicking F. showing an agonizing physical or mental pain
7. anguished G. considered thoughtfully
8. ashamedly H. sadly; depressed or disheartened
9. gestured I. glumly; gloomily
IV. Questions Chapter 1 - Due Wed. 11/24
1. Identify and give a physical description of Lennie and George.
2. What is George's first complaint to Lennie?
3. What trouble did George and Lennie have in Weed?
4. What is in Lennie's pocket? Why does he have it?
5. George bursts into a long speech about what he could do if he were alone.
What could he do?
6. Lennie offers to go away and live in a cave. What is George's response?
7. Why are George and Lennie different from the other "guys like us that work on ranches"?
8. What are George and Lennie going to do someday?
9. What two things does George want Lennie to remember?
10. Why did George want to camp overnight instead of going another quarter of a mile
to the ranch?
QUARTER II BEGINSFriday, November 19, 2004
I. Vocabulary Quiz
II. Book Report Presentations (Last day)
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Thursday, November 18, 2004
I. Journal # 3 - Write 1/2 Page
Taking into account that the PRESENT MOMENT may be
all that we really have; do you feel that people spend too
much time dwelling on the past and anticipating what might
occur in the future?
Why do you think that some individuals have difficulty making
the "NOW" the primary focus of their lives? Do you feel that people
could enjoy their lives more if they didn't dwell in time and
instead only paid brief visits to their past & uncertain future?
II. Vocabulary Review
III. Book Report Presentations Continued
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Wednesday, November 17, 2004
I. DOL # 1 - Titanic
II. Book Report Presentations
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Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Denotation (DEE-no-TAE-shuhn): the exact meaning of
a word, without the feelings or suggestions that the word may imply.
It is the opposite of “connotation” in that it is the “dictionary” meaning
of a word, without attached feelings or associations. Some examples
of denotations are:
1. heart: an organ that circulates blood throughout the body. Here the
word "heart" denotes the actual organ, while in another context, the
word "heart" may connote feelings of love or heartache.
2. sweater: a knitted garment for the upper body. The word "sweater"
may denote pullover sweaters or cardigans, while “sweater” may also
connote feelings of warmness or security. Denotation allows the reader
to know the exact meaning of a word so that he or she will better
understand the work of literature.
Connotation (KAH-nuh-TAE-shun): an association that comes
along with a particular word. Connotations relate not to a word's actual
meaning, or denotation, but rather to the ideas or qualities that are implied
by that word. A good example is the word "gold." The denotation of gold is
a malleable, ductile, yellow element. The connotations, however, are the
ideas associated with gold, such as greed, luxury, or avarice. Another
example occurs in the Book of Genesis. Jacob says: “Dan will be a
serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse’s
heels so that its rider tumbles backward" (Gen 49:17). In this passage,
Dan is not literally going to become a snake. However, describing Dan
as a "snake" and "viper" forces the reader to associate him with the
negative qualities that are commonly associated with reptiles, such as
slyness, danger, and evil. Dan becomes like a snake, sly and dangerous
to the riders. Writers use connotation to make their writing more vivid
and interesting to read.
Artist: Alanis Morissette Lyrics
Song: You Learn Lyrics
Ooh, ooh, ooh...
I, recommend getting your heart trampled on to anyone, yeah
I, recommend walking around naked in your living room, yeah
Swallow it down (what a jagged little pill)
It feels so good (swimming in your stomach)
Wait until the dust settles
1-You live you learn, you love you learn
You cry you learn, you lose you learn
You bleed you learn, you scream you learn
I, recommend biting off more than you can chew to anyone
I certainly do
I, recommend sticking your foot in your mouth at any time
Feel free
Throw it down (the caution blocks you from the wind)
Hold it up (to the rays)
You wait and see when the smoke clears
(repeat 1)
I, I, oh, oh
Wear it out (the way a three-year-old would do)
Melt it down (you're gonna have to eventually, anyway)
The fire trucks are coming up around the bend
(rpt 1)
You grieve you learn, you choke you learn
You laugh you learn, you choose you learn
You pray you learn, you ask you learn
You live you learn
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Monday, November 15, 2005
LITERARY TERMS:Atmosphere
Is the mood or persistent feeling implied by a literary
work. An author establishes atmosphere partly through
description of setting and partly by the objects chosen
to be described
Mood
The atmosphere or feeling created by a literary work,
partly by a description of the objects or by the style of
the descriptions. A work may contain a mood of horror,
mystery, holiness, or childlike simplicity, to name a few,
depending on the author's treatment of the work.
Tone
the writer's attitude toward the material and/or readers.
Tone may be playful, formal, intimate, angry, serious, ironic,
outraged, baffled, tender, serene, depressed, etc.
