Writing Across Cultures

Period 1: Today, after reading Borges' poetry, we will spend the rest of period 1 working on the prompts listed in the posts below to build your portfolio/workshop folders. Period 2: Let's begin our adventure into the novel 100 Years of Solitude . As we leave Argentina and Borges (and those inspired by Borges: Cortazar, Luisa Valenzuela, and others), we journey to Colombia to meet the master writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez. First, a bit of context. Then: History of Colombia Now: Clashes in Colombia Here's a couple of good reasons to read this masterpiece. HOMEWORK: Read up through pages 1-131. Bring your books back with you to our next class (Tuesday, Dec. 3). You may also feel free to flesh out and write any drafts (or revisions) of your work for a workshop the week we return.

Selections from the "Bestiary" Share your monster idea with us! (5-10 min.) "The Book of Sand" Prompt: Consider  infinity .  Infinity according to Jorge Borges.  Write about it.  Join the debate!  (Here's another  site  (article) that might help...) "The Garden of Forking Paths" The Psychology of Choice Write your own "choose your own adventure" or have fun with Margaret Atwood's  Happy Endings. Poetry: "A Wolf"  - Write about an animal; connect the animal to past cultures or mythology; what is assumed about the animal (and how does it surprise us?) "Adam Cast Forth" - Write about a dream you had (or all of us had); write about a Biblical story in a new and unexpected way. "One Morning in 1649" - Write about a historical or legendary figure; write a sonnet about something you love (or write a sonnet about a historical figure...); write a poem that rhymes. "Limits" - Select a...

This morning, let's read some of Borges's short fiction and poetry. There will be several prompts you can try afterward. But let's look: "Funes The Memorious" How We Make Memories: Crash Course #13 Selections from the "Bestiary" Create a creature, monster of legend, or chimera and describe it (or place it in a story...)  Check out this list of medieval and ancient monsters  for ideas Speculative idea: what if one of these monsters was real? Write that story... "The Book of Sand" Prompt: Consider  infinity .  Infinity according to Jorge Borges.  Write about it.  Join the debate!  (Here's another  site  (article) that might help...) "The Garden of Forking Paths" The Psychology of Choice Write your own "choose your own adventure" or have fun with Margaret Atwood's Happy Endings. Poetry: "A Wolf"  - Write about an animal; connect the animal to past cultures or mythology; what is assum...

We'll screen the last song from Evita , then take the rest of period 1 to work on your song, musical, historical story, or any of the previous writing prompts for your 2nd marking period portfolio. You may also write something creative about what you learned from your discussions on Friday about Climate Change (essays, fiction, non-fiction, documentaries, scripts, poems, PSAs, etc.) If you need some more inspiration to write a musical, take a look at this: 22 Musicals in 12 minutes . If you did not complete your homework (the Borges packet, see below) please read that during the rest of period 1. Period 2:  TASK: From your homework, please post a COMMENT in the COMMENT section of this blog about what are some of the things that you learned about Borges that you found interesting or important from the packet. Then, please, choose one of the two short stories we read ("The Circular Ruins" & "August 25, 1983")--see your homework rubric for details ab...

As you watch the film of the musical, consider making some connections. Here are some ideas to explore as you watch: PROMPT(s): Leadership . What are the qualities of good leadership ?  Love . What are the limits of our love for our families, friends, lovers, or, even our country? Motivation . What causes a person to act, even when changing a culture or system seems futile or impossible? Other* (find your own meaning and be ready to discuss what you find...) Write a rap battle. Pick two historical figures and have them spit rhymes. See this handy article for ideas and help! Write a musical. Like Evita or Hamilton, pick a historical character (not limited to these...). Research this figure and write a script. Use poetic skills to create songs for your dramatic poem/musical. See the script for Evita as an example of the kind of thing you could be writing. [Song lyrics in musicals are CAPITALIZED when they appear...]; See the following for help. Write a song; see the follo...

Portfolio Notes: First off: good job, overall! Writing is not (nor will it ever be) easy. Congratulations on completing your first marking period portfolio.  While you might not get the highest grade on your first portfolio, please take these notes and advice on how to improve to heart. You have a lot of good starts. And, yet, as frustrating as it seems, your work is not done. Now that you have 1st drafts (or even second or third ones), you should look over your portfolio and select or mark the pieces that you might want to continue working with. [Do that now...] Review the rubric. Look at the "exemplary" notes and use that to help you bring your accomplished or promising work to the level of exemplary. In general, pay attention to:  Artistically developing your characters, the plot, structure, conflict, theme, and setting of your fiction/plays/essays/poems. Fiction (and non-fiction both) should rise to a dramatic climax, etc. Poetry (fiction and non-fiction) shou...

Please make sure you have posted your comment (it is late!) regarding the 4 short stories from last week that you were to have read. This small assignment will appear on this marking period's grade. Today is the last day to turn in any late work! Let's take a sample look at Luisa Valenzuela's work. "Luisa Valenzuela is a post-'Boom' novelist and short story writer. Her writing is characterized by an experimental style that questions hierarchical social structures from a feminist perspective. She is best known for her work written in response to the dictatorship of the 1970s in Argentina ." Argentina's coup occurred from 1976-1983. Let's read: "The Verb To Kill" A little context/history: A short animated history of Argentina (2 min.) The Funeral of Eva Peron, British Pathe' Newsreel (1 min.) History v. Che Guevara (6 min.) Should revolutions be judged by their ideals or their outcomes? (you decide...) Famou...

This morning, please prepare your MP portfolio. See the rubric posted above. Each marking period, you should reflect on your work and progress during the marking period. I'd like you to cover that now before you submit your final MP 1 portfolio. What should I see in the portfolio? (some or all of the following...) How it feels to be me - essay The Namesake writing prompts A piece about names A cultural poem draft A transformation story (using the archetypal transformation story plot/tropes) (from short stories "Horse", Julio Cortazar's "Axolotl" or "A Yellow Flower", etc. A science-fiction story draft (from The Stone Gods) An anti-poem in the style of Nicanor Parra A Pablo Neruda-style poem draft A piece set in Chile or using Rapa Nui mythology Other prompts from our reading (see Oct. 24, Sept. 30, for an example.) Other blog prompts--check the blog for details! Your reflection: [Please avoid writing about the excuses as to why...