Note: these assignments may shift and change. For that reason, try not to get too far ahead.
Mon 4/27: No Zoom meeting today!
As you did last week, I'll send you a Google form to fill out for attendance.
Please click here for the link to PDFs of an early handwritten version of the novel.
Many thanks to Dr. P for finding this and for making the PDFs!
Note: I don't intend for you to read all or much of this.
Rather, spend 10-15 minutes looking through the PDFs.
Identify a section of the novel that is a little--or very--different from the published version of the novel. Come prepared to talk about this in class on Tuesday (Block F) or Weds (Block C).
Total time for the assignment: 15-20 minutes.
Tues 4/28 (Block F) or Weds 4/29 (Block C):
Read the following articles on Gatsby:
Thurs 4/30 (Block F) or Fri 5/1 (Block C): Start Fences
In Fences, read and annotate "Characters," "Setting," "The Play" and Fences, Act One, scene 1 (pp. 1-20)
If you don't have a paper copy yet, here's a link to the exact version we're using: Fences PDF Plume Edition
Mon 5/4: No Zoom meeting today
As you did last week, I'll send you a Google form to fill out for attendance.
Tues 5/5 (Block F) or Weds 5/6 (Block C): Read and annotate Fences, pp. 21-40 (Act One, scenes 2 and 3)
Thurs 5/7 (Block F) or Fri 5/8 (Block C): Writing assignment:
Do the following assignment as a quasi-freewrite.
By "quasi-freewrite," what I mean is, don't worry too much about grammar, sentence structure, etc.
In Part I, however, you must quote from the text and practice your close reading skills.
Part I: In Fences, what does being a good father mean to Troy? What does being a good husband mean? Find specific words and lines from the play that illustrate your responses.
Part II: What is your personal definition of a “good” father? In your opinion, is Troy a good husband and father? Why/why not?
Word count total: 350 words minimum
Please post your assignment here on Canvas
Mon 5/11: t.b.a
Tues 5/12 (Block F) or Weds 5/13 (Block C): Read and annotate Fences, pp. 41-58 (Finish Act One)
Thurs 5/14 (Block F) or Fri 5/15 (Block C): Read and annotate Fences, pp. 59-77 (Act Two, scenes 1 and 2)
Mon 5/18: Optional office hours.
Tues 5/19 (Block F) or Weds 5/20 (Block C): Finish reading and annotating Fences, pp. 78-101 (Act Two, scenes 3, 4, and 5)
Thurs 5/21 (Block F) or Fri 5/22 (Block C):
Do the following assignment as a quasi-freewrite (pass/fail--simple homework assignment: no stress!)
By "quasi-freewrite," what I mean is, don't worry too much about grammar, sentence structure, etc. In Part I, however, you must quote from the text and practice your close reading skills.
Part I: Rose understands her world through the metaphor of gardening (70-71) whereas Troy thinks of his world through the metaphor of baseball (69-70). What do these metaphors reveal about what Rose and Troy value most in life? Find specific words and lines from the play that illustrate your responses.
For those of you with different editions, these speeches are in Act II, end of scene 1--the two long speeches--one by Troy ("Rose, I done tried all my life. . .") and one by Rose ("I been standing with you!...).
Part II: How do you see the world, if you had to pick a metaphor/analogy? Do you see it more as a baseball game or a garden or something else entirely?
Word count total: 300 words minimum
Please post your assignment here on Canvas
Mon 5/25: Memorial Day--no school
Tues 5/26 (Block F) or Weds 5/27 (Block C): Final day of class!
Gatsby Revision Assignment:
Re-read your Gatsby paragraph
Make sure to read all the bubble comments as well as the end comments
Please fix the mechanical errors in your Gatsby paragraphs
Make a list of all the mechanical errors
Also, please write out the sentences with the errors, and highlight where you fixed them. (E.g., if you added a comma, highlight it.)
For models of closely reading specific words and phrases, please look at the sample passages on Gatsby here
Re-write (or start re-writing) your para, using the suggestions I made to improve the paragraph.
Spend no more than 30 minutes on the above assignment.
Post your assignment here on Canvas
During class time, you'll write a "Dear Sophomore Self" letter (this is not homework)