As You Read The Awakening

You will post a blog for each section of reading you do in The Awakening by Kate Chopin. You will also need to leave at least one comment for one of your classmates each week. Extra comments translate to extra credit. Your responses should discuss (but are not limited to) the topics below.

1. Discuss any bird imagery that you come across.

2. Discuss references to water, swimming and the ocean.

3. Discuss the female characters (major or minor) in the novel. Describe their character, their relationship to Edna, and their role, job, or place in society.

4. Similarly, discuss the male characters. Describe their relationship to Edna, their place in society, and the effects that they have on Edna.

To keep you on track, here is a schedule for your blogging:

Wednesday, October 29 - we will discuss Ch 1-4 in class
Friday, October 31 - we will discuss Ch 5-9 in class
3:00 on Friday - I will grade your blogs over Ch 1-4 and Ch 5-9 (and comments)

Monday, November 3- we will discuss Ch 10-14 in class
Tuesday, November 4 - we will discuss Ch 15-19 in class
Wednesday, November 5 - we will discuss Ch 20-24 in class
3:00 on Thursday - I will grade your blogs over Ch 10-14, Ch 15-19, and Ch 20-24 (and comments)

Monday, November 10 - we will discuss Ch 25-29 in class
Tuesday, November 11 - we will discuss Ch 30-34 in class
Wednesday, November 12 - we will discuss Ch 35-39 in class
3:00 on Thursday - I will grade your blogs over Ch 25-39, Ch 30-34, and Ch 35-39 (and comments)

Slackers!

Many of you have been major blog slackers this week.... no posts, no comments for your classmates. We're done with Heart of Darkness blogs for the time being, but please get yourselves organized before we begin The Awakening. If any of you post on HOD after this, please email me and let me know, as I won't know to give you credit otherwise.

Heart of Darkness

Throughout the reading of this text, there are many elements that I want you to notice. You've already received this list on the sheet entitled "As you read Heart of Darkness." Your blog for each night of reading should consist of a discussion of where you see some of these elements in your reading assignment. Rather than just listing the occurrences, though, you should detail your thoughts on what Conrad is saying. You don't need to write about every single item that you notice; limit yourself to those you find the most interesting.

1. Specific details that point to the futility of the European presence in Africa.

2. Every time there is a shift between the unnamed narrator and Marlow as narrator.

3. Examples where Conrad uses the symbolism of black and white, and whether he is using it in the "traditional" sense or if he is using white to symbolize evil and black to symbolize good.

4. References to people, places, or objects and how they SEEM to be. This is the conflict of illusion vs. reality.

5. References to work or labor.

6. Points either for or against the interpretation of this novel as a racist text.

7. Imagery--brightness, gloom, isolation, madness, disease, sterility, physical decomposition, diabolism, and violent death.

Short Story Assignment

Just in case you forget, this is what a short story assignment should contain:

1) Write a sentence: “’Story X’ is a short story about….”
2) Write a level one, a level two, and a level three question.
3) Fill the rest of the page with your observations about the story. It can be personal response or your answers to one of your level two or three questions, or your interpretation of the story’s theme, or…something else. Comment insightfully and intelligently. Show me that you are actively thinking about the story and what it means.

Welcome

I'm glad you're not all bitter anymore. :)