These two essays due upon our return

These essays must be submitted in MLA format and word-processed.


Essay #1

“It is a common rule with primitive people not to waken a sleeper, because his soul is away and might not have time to get back” —James George Frazer "The Golden Bough"

According to critic Northrop Frye, "Tragic heroes are so much the highest points in their human landscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them, great trees more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divisive lightning." Compare T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land” and “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”; in either poem, the “tragic collective voice hero” and tragic figure function as an instrument of the suffering of others. Read the poems carefully. Then write an essay in which you explain how the suffering brought upon others by these figures contribute to the tragic vision of both poems as a whole. How does either poem address the universality of human failure and redemption?


Essay #2

“I don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.” —Joseph Campbell

In many works of literature, a physical journey - the literal movement from one place to another - plays a central role. However, more importantly is the wisdom and knowledge gained by such physical journeys. Read Samuel Taylor Coleridge's “Kubla Khan” and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”. Consider the two poems carefully. Then write a well-organized essay in which you compare the physical journeys of either speaker, the wisdom that they both learn in the end, and how the journey adds to the meaning of the work as a whole. Make sure to apply Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” and St. Thomas’ “integritas”, “consonantia”, and “claritas” in your final analysis.

The Scotsman between The Enlightenment and Romanticism

Pestilence, deluge, and penitence!!!Chaos comes to the world! Aye, Rab Burns is a Scotsman through n through!!! :)

Gould Ole 'Rab' Burns

Read the poem by Robert Burns, "A Man's A Man for A' That".

What's the poems central message? How do you know?
Consider diction, theme, and didactic...

Also, why do you think that it's another one of Burns' poems, that I'm sure no body knows the lyrics to, that is sung the world over at New Years?

In Peace,
Whyte

Final Exam Study Guide and Winter Assigment will be posted Friday

You must be able to apply the seven AP Poetry Stem and nine AP Prose Stem concepts to the literature pieces that we've covered in class. You will also be expected to know the various philosophers, artists, and thinkers that we've studied in correlation to the literature.

Whyte

Extra-Credit Essay!

Having researched Plato's infamously allegorical "Cave Slaves", read Samuel Taylor Coleridge ["Glencoe Literature (Green Book)] on (711).

It is critical to be able to decipher The Ancient World's concept of the universe as a giant "stereoma". The Stereoma is a concept employed in both the allegory and in the poem.

Other pointers, include: a working knowledge of Plato's seven forms, and the Warlord Kubla Khan's Shangdu.

Consider diction, imagery, theme, and figurative langauge.

And do you see Glaucon? Gnothi Seauton...

See Book 7, Plato's "Republic": "The Allegory of the Cave".

Compare to Outer Party members of Oceania.

Bakunin Vs. Rand

See "For Reasons of State" by M. Bakunin and "Anthem" by A. Rand. Draw contrasts, relating both to Orwell's work.

Extra Credit if you can connect Weber, Lippmann, and Burnham to Bakunin, Rand, and Orwell.

Walter Lippmann...

Research his "Public Opinion" and "The Phantom Public".

See if you can tie Weber, Burnham, and Lippmann to "1984".

James Burnham...

and his "Managerial Revolution". See this in relation to Orwell's thinking behind the development of "1984".

Tomorrow's Test!

Remember to have reviewed the Study Guide that I sent you last week. Also, remember to have studied the stories of No Name Woman and Crazy Mary, as well as, Fa Mu Lan and Ts'ai Yen...

How does Kingston use imagery, diction, figurative language, and tone to narrate her tale?

Crazy Mary

Consider Crazy Mary's story. Can you draw any comparisons to No Name Woman's? Could either of these women have been the other?

Also, think about Ts'ai Yen's tale in comparison to Fa Mu Lan's: why would Kingston employ the talk-stories of two very --seemingly-- different women? Mu Lan brandished a sword whereas Ts'ai Yen brandished the word...

Orwell's Influences

See Zamyatin's "We", James Joyce's "Dubliners" and Max Weber's definition for "The State".

Legend and Philosophy in "The Woman Warrior"

Research Qigong, Qi and Brave Orchid in "Shaman"...

or The Legend of the Two Empresses and "At the Western Palace"...

or the "Tao Te Ching" and "A Song for a Barbarian Reed Pipe...

Aristotle's Unities

Wow. I am reading some very good responses to the various historical and philosophical concepts posted. Good job, people.

Check out what ole' Aristotle had to say about his "Unities" theory. Apply this theory to either 1984, A Portrait, or The Woman Warrior.

While you were eating those yummy enchiladas,

you might have failed to write this down and/or heard my direction...

Due: DEC 1... 1984 and The Portrait of A Artist As A Young Man reading is due, as are the five-page essays for each...

You must read both novels over the break. Then, you must write two well-written essays on 1984 and A Portrait of the Artist As A Young Man. Consider theme and philosophy.

Each essay must be FIVE full pages. These will take the place of the usual Book Analysis. You must you short in-text citation where necesssary. Remember to conjugate all verbs to present tense.

Introduction:

Must be 7-10 sentences in length. You must introduce, then define all relevant terms before presenting your thesis. Your thesis must contain a strong, persuasive argument. AS IN COLLEGE, YOU WILL DECIDE ON THE TOPIC your thesis statement is based on...

Choosing a Topic:

I presented you many areas of research for either novel. AS you sift through these concepts, while reading the novels, ideas that interest you should begin to bubble up. Think. Be patient. The research, in conjunction with the reading, once again, will stir in you some idea.

Pursue this idea. It will become your topic.

From your topic, you will then generate your thesis. THIS IS HOW COLLEGE WORKS.

Conclusion:

Do not repeat your thesis. Rather, show the reader how you have proven your thesis.

Again, this should take from 7-10 sentences.

Peace,
Whyte

While you were eating those yummy enchiladas,

you might have failed to write this down and/or heard my direction...

Due: DEC 1... 1984 and The Portrait of A Artist As A Young Man and a five-page essay for each...

You must read both novels over the break. Then, you must write two well-written essays on 1984 and A Portrait of the Artist As A Young Man. Consider theme and philosophy.

Each essay must be FIVE full pages. These will take the place of the usual Book Analysis. You must you short in-text citation where necesssary. Remember to conjugate all verbs to present tense.

Introduction:

Must be 7-10 sentences in length. You must introduce, then define all relevant terms before presenting your thesis. Your thesis must contain a strong, persuasive argument. AS IN COLLEGE, YOU WILL DECIDE ON THE TOPIC your thesis statement is based on...

Choosing a Topic:

I presented you many areas of research for either novel. AS you sift through these concepts, while reading the novels, ideas that interest you should begin to bubble up. Think. Be patient. The research, in conjunction with the reading, once again, will stir in you some idea.

Pursue this idea. It will become your topic.

From your topic, you will then generate your thesis. THIS IS HOW COLLEGE WORKS.

Conclusion:

Do not repeat your thesis. Rather, show the reader how you have proven your thesis.

Again, this should take from 7-10 sentences.

Peace,
Whyte

George Orwell and The Spanish Civil War

Research George Orwell, his Homage to Catalonia and The Spanish Civil War (1936-39) in preparation for 1984. Although this novel might seem at first simple, it's actually quite multi-layered and complex, containing some pretty straight forward analysis on the human history...

St. Thomas Aquinas

Research the Aesthetic Arrest, Claritas and Natural Revelation in preparation for James Joyce. This is really heavy-hitting reading.

Romantic Philosophy

Influences on the Romantic movement...What exactly is Romanticism?
See Keats, Shelly, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Byron, Burns, and Blake to name just a few.

Joseph Campbell on Eternity

...the Axis Mundi. What is it to be "eternal"? Consider what J. Campbell, Professor of Comparative Mythologies at Sarah Lawrence has to say on the matter.

I suggest you also research what he has to say about the word "myth" and its FOUR functions.

How now, then, might you apply Campbell's work to Kingston and Yeats'?

In Peace,
Whyte

"Half a League, Half a League"...123, 123

Run a quick research on the Crimean War and Tennyson's more heroic version of a fantastical military blunder that occurred there. This battle has since been immortalized by literary canon: "The Charge of the Light Brigade".

Prepare to share in class tomorrow.

In Peace,
Whyte

Or explore the Faustian anti-hero

Comparing him to Macbeth...

T.S. Eliot and "The Sacred Wood"

Check out Eliot's seminal work on "effective" poetry and poesy...what do you think? Warning: Eliot is a hard-hitting writer who expects his reader to be on par with him. And you can do it!

Tomorrow

Be ready to cover Part One from Kafka's Metamorphosis (Underlined).

In Peace,
Whyte

Plato's "Allegory of The Cave"

Examine to consider Plato's infamous underground den. There are all sorts of lovely diagrams posted across the Internet that you might also peruse. Absorb his point.

Then, apply Plato's allegory to Gregor. You may find that you have to "bend and twist" parts of the story to draw parallels. This is O.K. It's critical thinking in its highest "form".

Whyte

Friedrich Hayek The Road to Serfdom

Research Friedrich Hayek The Road to Serfdom. Apply his theories to The Stranger. Hayek’s political social commentary is probably, you might find, the exact opposite to Albert Camus’.

Apply his criticism to Camus and Kafka.

Jungian Analysis...[Hu]man and His Symbols

Examine and contemplate Jung's "objective psyche". Carefully consider his position, defining all abstract concepts, applying his work not only to Meursault but to Gregor Samsa, as well.

Please, go back and engage the older blog posts. You are missing out!

Mr. Whyte

David Hume and The Stranger

Consider Hume's "Treatise of Human Nature", which he later extracts and expounds upon the ideas he proposed in Treatise in a shorter essay entitled "An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals".

Define core concepts before proceeding to make connections to Meursault.

Also, you can always post a blog after its incept date.

Mr. Whyte

Joseph Campbell's "Aesthetic Arrest"

Take a look at Joseph Campbell' ideas on the "aesthetic arrest." Whatdya think? Has this ever happened to you while admiring a piece of art or listening to a certain song or...? Do you think Meursault has an "aesthetic arrest" of sorts towards the end of his days awaiting execution? What's that he says about the world?

Mr. Whyte

Arthur Schopenhauer and Meursault

Consider A. Schopenhauer splendid essay called "On an Apparent Intention in the Fate of the Individual." AS always, define abstract terms, assigning to connotation to the figurative world and denotations to the literal; poetry and prose and never between the two shall meet.

St. Thomas Aquinas and The Stranger

Yes, the lovely thing about university is that we should have the capacity to think universally.

Research St. Thomas Aquinas. Consider what he has to say. Remember to define abstract concepts. This will allow you to truly understand major and minor ideas that comprise the literary canon. Also, remember to take a position. You must agree or disagree, proving "why" and "how."

Finally, you must draw linear conclusions by comparing what Aquinas was saying centuries ago to Meursault's character.

Mr. Whyte

Nietzche and The Stranger

Check out Nietzsche's philosophy. Consider what he says, then arguing AGAINST or FOR his insights, apply his argument(s) to Meursault in a single paragraph.

Tomorrow we take a look CSAN (Character, Setting = Action, Narration) Square with its internal motive the TM Core (Tone = Mood) in The Stranger.

Mr. Whyte

Philosophy 101:

Hello Folks! I want you to become well-versed on the greatest thinkers of human history (pun intended). Knowing, for example, major philosophers can better assist you along your literary journey.

For extra credit, I suggest you write a one paragraph abstract either on Camus and Sartre or Soren Kierkegaard.

I furthermore suggest that in your research that you begin using "Scholar Google", "Lexus Nexus" and other more collegiate-level metasearch engines.

Happy Hunting,
Mr. Whyte

Montclair High School, California
AP English Literature & Composition Class of 2009