France

By -
Bonjour!

Today will begin our 2-day journey through France and French culture. Let's start off with a few videos:
Now let's find out what you found out. Going around the room (or one at a time) show us what you found about French culture. What is the thing you researched or brought in to show us? How does it fit into French popular culture? How is this thing, object, idea, etc. different from our culture? Let's explore!

Look! The history of French Bread!

After presentations, let's take a look at Raymond Queneau (Post Modern French author in the Oulipo school or tradition). Information on Raymond Queneau can be found at the link. He's the co-creator of the Oulipo school. Oulipo as a cool meta-fiction style can be found here. Look here for ideas for Oulipo writing exercises!

Exercises in Style:
1. Write a short succinct story about "modern" life. This should be nothing more than a short anecdote. In fact, you can title the first entry anecdote. Or Writing Exercise.
2. Rewrite the same short story at least two or three more times (total of 3-4, but you can do more if you'd like) using any of the following writing "Styles":
Metaphor
Simile
Personification
Alliterative
Anagrams
Formal
Slang
Onomatopoeia
Past Tense
Present Tense
Future Tense
Passive
Sonnet
Alexandrine
Exclamations
Epic
Heroic
Cockney
Cross Examination
Five Act Play Summary
Tragedy
Comedy
Introspective
Subjective
Objective
Apostrophe
Awkward Syntax
Biased
Olfactory
Ode
Elegy
Haiku
Villanelle
Sestina
Journalistic
Accented (pick an accent)
Mathematical
Neoclassical (Age of Reason)
Dickensian
Film Script
Play Script
Ransom Note
Any other you can think of...
Learn more about France and some authors/artists:

The literature and some key authors:
Please watch this film. It is 34 minutes in length. Albert Lamorisse's masterpiece: The Red Balloon.
Antoine de Saint Exupery's The Little Prince.

STORY IDEA: write a short children's story and illustrate it. Include elements of fairy tales or adventure or morals as you see fit. Remember that most children stories deal with young protagonists growing up.

French poets: Please read the poetry and fiction packet given to you last class. One poet not listed is Andre Breton. Please read about him here and select two poems of his from the website to analyze and/or comment on along with the handout.
Andre Breton (surrealist)

WRITING IDEA: Choose a region of France, find a city or village, learn a little about life there. One of your tasks for our next portfolio will be to set your story in a European country. Take notes on relevant information that a writer might use. Then use it to create a vignette (look a French word!) set in France. You can even try your hand at surrealism.

HOMEWORK: Write for your portfolio. Try some of these writing prompts! Read the poetry/fiction packets, etc. Coffeehouse is Friday. Select a piece you would like to prepare and read.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Namesake Analysis/Discussion Chp. 1 & 2; How It Feels To Be Colored Me

By -
Image
Let's go back to examining  The Namesake , Chapter 1 this morning to continue examining the writing style going on here. Take a closer look at these passages: Pg. 3 (1st full paragraph) to 4 (end of 1st full paragraph): How is Ashima's character compared/contrasted with the American women in the hospital? What do you notice about the sentence structure of this paragraph? What does the use of dialogue in this paragraph provide for the reader? What literary devices do you notice? Can you find figurative language/metaphor/alliteration or other elements of imagery? How are the sentences similar to a contraction (the action in the scene)? Pg. 10-12: how is Ashoke's character presented? How does his story parallel or contrast with his wife's? How is Ashoke different from the other American men in the waiting room? What details do we learn about him?  Pg. 13-14: Nickolai Gogol and the short story "The Overcoat" is alluded to here. Just notice it for now. This al
Read more

Clash of the Titans (Conclusion); Creation Myths

By -
Clash of the Titans (conclusion) Clash of the Titans   (1981)--produced and designed by  Ray Harryhausen . Directed by  Desmond Davis . Starring:  Laurence Olivier  as Zeus,  Maggie Smith  as Thetis,  Harry Hamlin  as Perseus, and  Burgess Meredith  as Ammon. Clash of the Titans (2010) & Clash of the Titans (2010) Medusa Scene Wrath of the Titans (2012) Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief (2010) Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters (2013) Percy Jackson Titan's Curse (2017) Use mythic criticism to review (in writing or as a podcast or vlog post)  Clash of the Titans . Take notes during the film to help you prepare your review. Myth Criticism  asks: 1. How does the story resemble other stories in plot, character, setting or use of symbols? 2. Are archetypes presented, such as quests, initiations, scapegoats, descending, or withdrawals and returns? [Use your handout/notes to help!] 3. Does the protagonist undergo any kind of transformation (such as movement from innoc
Read more

Wilderness Tips - Examination & Analysis

By -
Image
Use period one to continue the story draft you started last class. Use your time to develop your ideas, theme, work on plot, character development, setting, and other aspects of your fiction writing. Remember, your story should include the following: Write a draft that includes a flashback . Consider an urban setting, but at some point in your story, move to a more natural setting. The setting should reflect the inner conflicts of your protagonist if possible. Avoid character cliches: surprise your reader (and possibly yourself or even your character) Include a secondary character who should act as a foil to the protagonist. Write in present tense ; (flashbacks can be written in past tense); Use 3rd person POV (limited, omniscient, objective). See the previous post for more details. Period 2: Let's discuss what we've read so far in the collection. Wilderness Tips is   Margaret Atwood’s second volume of short stories ( Bluebeard’s Egg and Other Stories (198
Read more