Class today: January 29th

We are postponing our conversation on theme, Formalism techniques etc. found in Beowulf until Monday when hopefully Strep has made its way out of my house.  Sick baby.

All of the following will go in your notes:

ARCHETYPE: A repeated pattern found in art, literature, history, politics.

1. Read through and take notes on the Literary Theory PPT up through Archetypal Criticism. This will include the Psychoanalytic school, as well.

2. Read and take notes over the following link: Jung and Archetypes
- This is an author's personal website where he explains his research topics. This is a good introduction to Jung, the brilliant mind credited for the study of archetypes.

3. Now that your interest is peaked, review the following lists of archetypes: Archetype list #1
Archetype list #2 . You do not need EVERY example but I would be gathering in notes many major examples.

*If you are needing a more general introduction and clarity on archetypes and/or Jung:
Jung- Wikipedia
Archetype- Wikipedia
(notice.. a turn to Wikipedia for generalized information)

4. Now, in your notes, prepare the following questions:
- How do archetypes influence my understanding of a text? (what is a text, again?)
- Where have I seen examples of these archetypes in my world beyond a literary text? Examples. Lots!
- How does the study of archetypes tie into my previous question about history, religion, art, culture, etc?

5. Homework; Get the EPIC notes found under literary links down in YOUR notes and keep to your already set Beowulf reading schedule.

Class today: January 26th

Beowulf Theme Study:
In your class notes we will be collecting ample evidence of the two major Anglo-Saxon Themes utilized in Beowulf.
The two themes for examination are: The Heroic Tradition and The Elegiac Tradition

Setting aside plenty of room in your notes for both themes, you will be gathering evidence for each from the first 600 lines of the poem. Once you have found textual evidence that supports the theme, you will be supplying explanation of its (the text's) literary significance.  This will be a thorough text exercise.

Keep in mind this is only the first step, we will be doing something with the textual notes.

Remember: Quiz on Wednesday/Thursday over the first 1200 lines of Beowulf. There will be a few questions over literary theory/Formalism and A/S history, as well.

Here is the link to the Beowulf series that premiered last Saturday:
Beowulf Trailer

Beowulf Reading Schedule

As you read, you are expected to annotate the text and take thorough notes.
The posted line numbers are expected to be completed by the posted dates.

January 25th: Lines 1-285
                   - 2nd half of poetry terms test
January 26th: Lines 286-661

January 27th/28th: Lines 662-1231
                   - Quiz over introduction and first 1200+ lines of Beowulf

January 29th: Lines 1232-1491

February 1st: Lines 1492-2199

February 2nd: Lines 2200-2538

February 8th: Finish the poem
                     - Quiz over entire poem

Due: Friday, January 22nd

Read the introduction to Beowulf. Quiz on Friday.

Class today: (1/19) and Due: January 20th/21st

1. We take the first half of the poetry terms test today (up through hovering stress).
2. Remember- State of the Union notes and responses are due today.

For Wednesday/Thursday-
You will need to do a Formalist read of the two poems that you were given in class: "Invictus" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing". Do a very close read of these two poems. Utilize your poetry terms and your FORMALISM questions- Access them all. The handout. The two handouts I posted online. Use them all to pull as much meaning as you can.

When you have read each poem and thoroughly examined them, you are going to be developing a literary/Formalist argument.  Keep it to the thesis formula that I taught you first semester. Do your best! Just write it on the page of each poem.

For Friday: January 13th

For Friday, we are going to begin to wade into Formalist Criticism by first practicing a bit and then reading an example of an individual who has mastered the school of theory.

1. You first need to read James Baldwin's short story "Sonny's Blues". As you are reading, I want you to be utilizing the questions from the Formalist school of theory. Jot down things that you notice in conjunction with doing a "Formalist" read. This is just the beginning, so any thing that you are noticing when it comes to form and structure and HOW a piece comes together is good!

Sonny's Blues TEXT PDF

2. When you are done, look over your notes. Are there any connections? Any theme running throughout the things you were noticing? Groupings? (Think like you are reviewing a Brainstorm). Jot down any informal conclusions that you have.. Just jot them down on the bottom of your notes.. side margins, etc.

3. Read "Light and Darkness in Sonny's Blues" by Michael Clark. This is an example of what is going to be our end result. Clark has developed a Formalist argument from the exact same literary text that you have read. I want you to look at the development of thinking. The manner in which he examines the text, not so much what we can learn about "Sonny's Blues".   How did he look at the short story? What kind of things did he notice?

Take notes on HOW Clark examined the literary text and be ready to talk about it on Friday.

"Light and Darkness in Sonny's Blues"- Michael Clark  (Starts on 2179)

State of the Union Assignment

Tonight is President Obama's final State of the Union.
Your assignment is the following:
1. Look over the different schools of theory questions. Pick 5-6 relevant questions that you feel will be helpful/applicable in listening to the President's speech.
2. Write these questions out on notebook paper. Leave some space in between.
3. As you are listening, keep in mind your questions. When you have ideas/questions/answers to your questions, jot them down under the coinciding question.
4. When the speech is finished, using your notes, you will have a two page typed response that answers the following question: How did watching the State of the Union and employing this analytical approach impact your comprehension/interest/awareness of this text? Use your specific examples from your notes to support your ideas.

You will turn in your typed response AND notes on Friday, January 15th.

Here are some links to help you prepare for the SOTU:

Everything You Need to Know About the SOTU

https://www.whitehouse.gov/sotu

UPCOMING:
Remember 1st half of poetry terms test is January 19th.

Class today: January 11th

From the PowerPoint, make sure that you have a good start of understanding of the following concepts: Literary theory definition; philosophy definition; the origin of literary theory (Plato); definition of Idealism; Allegory of the Cave; Aristotle's Poetics; Parts of a tragedy; elements of a tragedy; Formalism definition

Your first literary terms test will be NEXT TUESDAY, January 19th. It will cover the first half of the terms. The second half will be January 25th.

For class today, I want you to read the following handout: Reasons Why We Study Literature

After you are done, in your notes, you will need to identify the top three reasons that you feel is why we study literature and your rationale as to why these are the top three reasons. You will also need to identify the top three enlightening reasons- which reasons did really push you to think about literature in a different capacity and why?

Due: Monday, January 11th

1. Start making flash cards for poetry terms. Find the list of poetry terms under literature links on the right side. There are 83 (oh, chill out).
2. Open up the literary theory PowerPoint. Start taking notes on the the first slides up through Formalism. Do your best. Some of it will be confusing. I will be explaining it in class. I just want you to have some familiarity with the concepts before I expand upon them in class.

Thoughts? >

Due: Friday, January 8th

1. 3 Bears discussion- Turn in your question responses and Bears story.

2. Read and take notes on the following link:
Study of Literature
(Please note that this reading developed from a religious university and the brief reference of Christianity is not being passed along by your instructor with the discussion of literature). 

Homework.
Next, you will need to take a copy of the "schools of literary thought". Please read through these questions and TRY.. try... to write a short summary of what you think each school of theory addresses.  Use the questions to see common threads... concerns. Have this for FRIDAY.

Class today: January 6th

1. Get out your "Three Bears" stories. Please switch stories with a partner. Read through their version of this story.

Answer the following questions: Write them down on paper.. you will turn these in at the end of the hour.
1. How are the bears portrayed.. positive? negative? 
2. How many bears are there in the story (for example.. there were always four in my story)
3. How is Goldilocks portrayed? 
4. How does the story end? 
5. What is the moral of this story? 
6. What differences do you see in your partner's story in relationship to your own? 
7. Do you feel that there is significance in the differences? 
8. What similarities to you see? 
9. Is there a significance in the similarities? Why do you both include these elements? 
10. Why is this story one that everyone knows? 

2. Once you have answered all of these questions... go through them with your partner.
Now answer the following questions:

11. What do the two/three of you notice about this story beyond just the plot?
12. What purpose does this story serve to society? the family? the individual? 

HOMEWORK :
Now open the link:
3 Bears History
Answer the following questions together:

13. In what ways has the story changed from the version you have written down? 
14. What do you feel is the significance in these changes? 
15. What influenced these changes? Speculate. Guess..   Imagine. 
16. What are some things you never thought of in consideration of "The Three Bears" that this information illuminated? 
17. What are some conclusions that you can make about the study of literature? Society? 
18. What questions do you have? 

Staple your questions together.. make sure your name is on your paper WITH your copy of your story.