France

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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.

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