Gatsby

We're reading The Great Gatsby now. Stay up with the reading (page numbers are on the calendar); annotate. We'll discuss plot, characters, ideas, motifs, and writing style as we go.

Over break

You're to work on the memorization and recitation of your selected poem. Look at that Poetry Out Loud set of sheets I gave you (or go directly to their site) for links that walk you through the way to approach your recitation. I'll largely be paying attention to accuracy, but I want to hear those poems said in a meaningful way—that is, in a way that makes them clear and makes clear that you understand what you're saying (as much as possible).

The other homework is for you to read and annotate pp. 13-22. We'll discuss the story (which most of you have read before), the possible interpretive approaches, and the sample essay.

More poetry!

You'll be memorizing a poem for recitation in class. (And, if you want, you can compete in Poetry Out Loud afterwards.) At the right, there's a link to the poems from among which you can choose; Poetry Out Loud provides a wide array of options. For next class, have a poem selected.

The handout discusses how you'll be judged/graded on your recitation, which will be the week after next.

In addition, you're to read from p. 527 to the middle of p. 540 for next class. The only "writing" I want you to do is to "scan" both "Snapping Beans" and "Those Winter Sundays," marking syllables as either stressed or unstressed.

Alvarez reading and writing

Read pp. 838-863 in the anthology.

Type up your answers to the following questions:

p. 845, questions 2 and 3

pp. 850-1, all three questions

p. 852, question 4

Lastly: What is the place of reading within your family? What kinds of written works have you been exposed to in your household? What kinds of writing have you sought out for yourself?