Writing Across Cultures

After taking a quiz on Part One of 1984 , let's discuss the significance of the following: What function does Syme play in the novel thus far? Compare/contrast him with Winston. How does a government change culture by censoring (or omitting) classical literature, such as Shakespeare, Chaucer, Milton, Byron, etc. Examine your own education. How well do you know these authors and their works? How is our culture similar/different from the line on page 53: "There will be no thought, as we understand it now. Orthodoxy ( authorized or generally accepted theory, doctrine, or practice)  means not thinking--not needing to think." What does Winston mean when he writes: "if there is hope, it lies in the proles"? Explain: "Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious." Explain: "Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows." E...

UTOPIA: In 1516 Sir Thomas More wrote Utopia --a fictional/political satire that described a perfect or ideal setting (in his case a perfect island in the Atlantic--yep, he was hinting at the "new world"). The word Utopia literally means "no place". It was meant to satirize and comment on More's own English society, but our forefathers--those dead white guys who established our government were familiar with it. Religions often refer to an utopian state (usually achieved by death or crossing over into heaven) to satisfy the masses. Hope is an excellent human trait. The book Utopia by Sir Thomas More is divided into two parts: a dialogue through correspondence (that's like texting a friend back and forth on one topic) about all the horrible things happening in Europe, and in the second part of the book, a discourse with protagonist Raphael Hythlodaeus--a fictional traveler who visits the fictional island of Utopia. Utopia, though, might not be exactly t...

Counterculture : attitude and behavior that opposes societal norms. Anonymous Prezi : "hacktivism"  Jigsaw activity: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/08/13/amid-ferguson-protests-anonymous-hacktivists-wage-cyberwar/?postshare=4771442763069034 http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/20/technology/anonymous_hack/index.htm http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/06/protesters-gather-million-mask-march?CMP=share_btn_link http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/30785773/hackers-anonymous-disable-extremist-website http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/10/24/anonymous_fight_child_abuse_network/ http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/anonymous-brandjacks-westboro-baptist-church-facebook-1C9395459 Discussion:  Who is the group targeted by Anonymous in this case? What did they do? Was it effective?  Out of the people that V attacks throughout the novel, what person or institution is most similar to the group targeted by Anonymous in your ...

During period 1, please read the current article(s) and respond to them in writing. Take about 10-15 minutes to do that. Then, use your time in the lab to either prepare for our discussion of V for Vendetta (test Monday) or continue writing your cultural baseline essays. Remember: these essays should not be turned in, but should be written as your first draft. You will be asked to go back to this original draft and revise before you turn in your portfolio! At the end of period 1, we want to discuss the importance of critical thinking with you.  Consider: What do you (you!) do when you don't know an answer? Think, pair, share. How might just following orders cause problems in your job, your daily life, or as a society? Ms. Springer will have a little exercise for you to do about critical thinking and your previous work. On page 17, you can read the titles of some of V's books. Choose one book and explain why it might be meaningful to V. Both V and The Leader descr...

This morning, please begin looking over "How It Feels to be Colored Me". Join a small group of 3-4 and discuss this essay. On the index card (front) please bullet notes about how culture and cultural concepts frame this essay. To be turned in. V for Vendetta V for Vendetta  is an example of a dystopian novel. We're going to read a few of these this year, so let's learn a little bit about  Utopias/Dystopias  (from Shmoop) Please learn more about the author Alan Moore here at this link . Before you leave the lab, please read the article and list 3 things you found out about Alan Moore. Submit your index card with these notes for participation credit. For those of you interested in delving deeper into either Alan Moore's mind or comic writing, spend some personal time watching these YouTube videos. Alan Moore: Comics & the Occult (2007 interview; 116 minutes) How to Write Comic Books (interview; 11:35) How To Write Comics (for beginners) (episode #...

Our units this year will follow this order. Introduction to Culture/Dystopia-Utopia Race & Gender, LGBT Studies (20) Psychology (23) Philosophy (29) Mythology (31) Popular Culture (35) Media Studies (36) African Literature (36) British Literature (39) European Literature (40) Asian Literature (41) North America/Native American/Canadian Literature (41) South & Central American Literature (45) Australia/New Zealand Literature (45) Middle East Literature (49) Sociology/Political Science (49)

Almost anything can be a good subject for a creative essay. Don't try to sensationalize your writing. What readers really want to learn about is YOU! EQ: How do I make my narrative or creative essays creative? How can I improve my expository writing skills and demonstrate my understanding of the non-fiction form? Some general advice about your creative essays. Creative non-fiction should be interesting. It is often called  expository  writing in that it exposes an idea or position about its subject matter. This requires subjectivity on the part of the author. In other words it should reveal the author's attitude toward its subject. It exposes an aspect of our culture, history, background, or the author's personality that reminds us about our humanity.  It should be written with as much exactness and literary skill as fiction. When you tell a narrative story (even if it's true) the details and careful attention to characterization, setting, and plot are essential...

Let's define  culture . What is culture? In your own words, describe this term. Share your response with a partner. In your notes/journal, brainstorm some cultural groups you belong to. What cultural groups (hegemonies) do you belong to? You will need this list a little later today. Brainstorming is the first step in the creative process. Brainstorm now! Now, let's read. I'll ask you to respond to what you're reading throughout this course. What sticks out for you as important or interesting in this article? Take 2 minutes and respond (in writing) to the article. Much of our class will use this technique to brainstorm ideas for stories, poems, plays, films, non-fiction and other writing projects. The fundamental idea of this course is to use our research and responses to a variety of topics to inspire our artistic impulses. Secondly, it is a course that urges the artist to depict him or herself in relation to or as the other. We will be examining power structures a...

After announcements: a pep talk & writing reaction. Welcome back, class of 2016! You have stumbled upon our classroom blog. Check here each class period for agendas, deadlines, educational information, advice, and a whole lot of links to enhance your education. All you have to do is read and click. Any material and links or articles posted here are fair game when it comes to unit tests. You will be using this blog throughout this course. If you're absent or missed something in class, please check the blog to get caught up. As stated above, each new class period includes a new post. If you have a question about an assignment and are too embarrassed to speak to me in public (or you have a question that you think you will forget to ask), feel free to use the comment section. I look forward to seeing all of your writing and thoughtful work this year as you climb the metaphorical mountain toward graduation! Please note and follow our school policies, as is expected. O...