All of Your Vocab!

By popular demand, I've found it in my heart to post all of these in case you're missing them:

Please note:
NO, there is no Their Eyes Were Watching God vocab List
NO, there is no Poetry Vocab List


Thank you Gillian for the quizlet links!

Literary Terms: http://quizlet.com/26435672/literary-terms-vocabulary-flash-cards/

Scarlet Letter #1: http://quizlet.com/26441525/the-scarlet-letter-vocabulary-list-1-flash-cards/

Scarlet Letter #2: http://quizlet.com/28499733/scarlet-letter-vocab-list-2-flash-cards/

Huck Finn List : http://quizlet.com/30404599/huck-finn-1-flash-cards/

Gatsby List: http://quizlet.com/37146677/the-great-gatsby-list-1-flash-cards/

Death of a Salesman List : http://quizlet.com/40454647/death-of-a-salesman-vocabulary-flash-cards/

Also, need to study:
hyperbole
synesthesia
synechedoche
metonymy
understatement
verbal irony
dramatic irony
situational irony
Satire
absurdity
parody

2014 Finals Essay Prompts

On the final, you will be choosing ONE of the following to respond to:

1) Trace one of the following motifs as it develops through the text: ginger, money/materialism, flying, peeing on someone, hunger, naming, colors (especially white and gold), roots

-What is the significance or symbolism of this motif in the novel? How do you know?

-Why does Morrison include it? How does it add to our understanding?

2) Trace the development of ONE character over the course of the novel: Pilate, Hagar, Milkman, Guitar, Macon Dead II, Ruth. Consider ONE (or two) of the following questions in your response:

-Who is the strongest character in this text and why?
-Defend the character who seems most unlikeable. Convince us that they've been misunderstood. 

-To what extent is this person ultimately an individual? What is Morrison communicating about what it takes to be an individual? What hinders us?

-Compare/contrast this character to another from a major work we've read this year

3) What are Morrison’s messages about the lives of women vs. the lives of men? Focus on ONE character in your response: Sweet, Pilate, Hagar, Ruth, Corinthians, Lena, Milkman, Porter, Circe. 

Go beyond the idea that "men oppress women"--how do women oppress women? how does society? what about the men who support women? What is Morrison ultimately advocating from all of us?

4) What is Toni Morrison communicating about the nature of love in this text? How is love connected to hate? To death? To ownership? What is the ideal form of love according to Morrison? 

Consider multiple forms of love (romantic, to a community, familial, etc) and any of these questions that speak to you.

5) How could we read Guitar as justified in some small way? How does Morrison ultimately want us to come away thinking about race? How do you know?

6) Review Morrison’s introduction and the information we know from her interviews. Choose 1 idea and discuss how it applies to the text. Do you agree or disagree with Morrison on this point and why? 

Some options you might consider: 1) men have more to learn (and unlearn) than women, 2) the death of her father acted as her muse to write this book, 3) she wrote the ending first, 4) this book is about flying, 5) she wanted to include many layers of language in this text to reflect the diverse information sources of the African American community in which she was raised.

College Essay Prompts

2014-2015 Common App College Essay Prompts

Pick AND REVISE your best of the free writes and rough college essays we've done. Turn in in by Tuesday at the latest for my feedback.

NO MORE THAN 650 words...

• 1) Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.   
• 
  
• 2) Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure.  How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
• (Remember, do not pick a trivial failure or a failure that YOU caused through a serious flaw in judgement or character, and be prepared to take responsibility and reflect honestly and specifically on your weaknesses)
• 
  
• 3) Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea.  What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
• (Pick something you have expert knowledge about, avoid sounding preachy or angry, do not straying too far from yourself and the effect of this idea/ experience on you)
• 
  
• 4)Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content.  What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
• (Go broad and creative on this one: mental/emotional place? with a specific other person? In the middle of music or a painting? Do not skimp on the showing details---illustrate why this place is meaningful; do not come out and say it)
• 
  
• 5) Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.
• (Remember that something small but specific to you might make for a more effective essay than reflecting on a collective societal experience ie. the meaning of 9/11, etc)

General College Essay Tips

-find the line between bragging and beating yourself up, or worse, leaving yourself out!

-find the tone somewhere between formal (in an essay, talking to the principal) and informal (talking to a good friend, writing in a diary): picture your reader as a adult with whom you feel comfortable with but you care about their good opinion.

-sound like yourself--get people who know you to read it and tell you if you're being phony. 

-Think about your "brand"-- what type of person are you? What does make you special? Why should they let you into college? Now, how can you convey that in writing?

-Be genuine. Do not make something up or twist something into the type of essay you think they want. 

-Show don't tell- pay attention to details, imagery, funny lines, 

-Pay attention to elements of style like varied sentence structure

-Be willing to write multiple drafts

-Think about what other people will write (my week building houses, my 50 hours of community service, my life on the soccer team) and either avoid these subjects or think about a new angle that your reader might not have heard before.

Good luck!

THE END (Ch 13-15 Due Mon A Tues E)

The Final Song of Solomon Homework

Simple task: pick anything you want to talk about concerning the end of this book.  Write a paragraph.

For example:

-surprised or confused by the ending?  How so?  Was it an appropriate ending?  Why/why not?
-did you enjoy the book overall?  Why/why not?
-what do you still want to talk about in class (about the book)?
-a particular moment in the last couple chapters that you particularly enjoyed or found interesting?
-connections you see between this text and others we've read?  connections to other myths, biblical stories, African American or Native American histories?
-favorite/least favorite character?  Why?
-Morrison's final messages?

(Almost) Last chance to let us know what you think!

2014 Chapters 11 (Due Wed 6/4) & 12 (Due Thurs. 6/5 A BLK and Fri. 6/6 E Blk)

I'm lumping these two together because you can use the same guiding questions for each one. As Chapter 11 was not up in time for you to post, I'll expect hard copies in class in lieu of a blog post.

Please note, Quiz on Chapters 1-10 will be TOMORROW 6/4 for both classes, as it is long block.

SoS Chapters 11-12 Homework Assignments —

For chapters 11-12, you’ll be following many of the same themes.  For each of these 2 chapters, please choose 2 of the following to answer in a post AND use at least 2 quotations PER question in your response.  Some of these questions are more appropriate for some chapters above others, so read and choose carefully.

1)    To what extent do you see Milkman developing as an individual, finding himself, discovering his moral center?  (Are there places where he still doesn’t “get it”?) Where and why?  Do you sympathize more with him as a character now?  Why or why not?  How does Morrison suggest that one finds oneself?  What are the critical components of this journey?

2)    Keep track of Milkman’s discoveries and realizations about his family’s past.  What are the significant people, moments, myths, stories, songs, that are associated with his family?  Why, according to Morrison, is it important to recover one’s family roots?  How can your past teach you about who you are?  What do you think is Morrison’s point or points by including all this stuff about family history/mythology?  Why is a critical part of this history told through a children’s song?

3)    Milkman’s relationships with others—Continue to track his developing relationship with Guitar, Hagar, and Pilate.  Mark any significant moments in the story lines of Guitar, Hagar, and Pilate and explain why they are important, strange, or confusing.

4)    Continue to take note of developments of the major themes, including Naming—especially the new names we meet, Byrd, Solomon, Ryna, and Sing—and Flying.

5)    Why did Morrison title the book Song of Solomon?  Try to think of this literally and metaphorically.

6)    How can we read ideas like “hunger” and the quest for “gold” metaphorically?  Think back to the Hansel and Gretel story—how is Milkman’s journey (what he wants, what he finds, what he comes to value) different than the fairytale.

7)    There are some really “weird” events and ideas in these chapters.  Pay attention to them!  The most interesting and important thing you can do with this book is to write about what you think seems odd or confusing or intriguing.  Write this down and explain why.  If possible, ask questions of your classmates!

2014 CH 10 (Due Tue 6/3)

1In order to help you make sure you are on top of the reading, class discussion, and class notes, BE PREPARED FOR A QUIZ on Thursday 6/5 on Chapters 1-10.  If you're a good listener and have been engaged in class for all of those days, you shouldn't really have to study for it. If you'd like, study by reading over your class notes, study guids, getting notes you've missed, and re-reading the best points of the blog for each of those chapters.

           SoS Chapter 10 Homework:

Choose one of the following to respond to. OR, whatever you find to be better or more interesting:

            1) What’s the point of the Hansel and Gretel allusion at the start of chapter 10?  Why would Morrison use it as a metaphor or starting point for Milkman’s journey to recover his family’s past/their gold?
    
2) Analyze Guitar’s speech that “everybody wants the life of a black man” (222-223). Repercussions of this speech for the friendship between Guitar and Milkman?
    

       3) How has Guitar’s past shaped who he is? (speech re mother’s eyes on 224)
   

       4) Milkman’s character development.  Where is he on his journey to find “a clear-lined self”?  To what extent is he making progress in discovering himself and becoming a better person?  Where is he still sort of a brat?

5)    Review the pieces of the family puzzle that Milkman I now setting into place.  What does he learn about: the life and death and name of his grandfather?  Circe’s role in Macon and Pilate’s lives?  The Lincoln’s Heaven farm?

6)    The story of Milkman’s encounter with Circe at first seems almost too fantastic to be real.  What detail in the story or phrases seem intentionally set to make the reader thing it is all a dream?  What details root the story in reality?  Either way, what’s the point of Milkman’s journey to see Circe?  Why is it significant?

2014 CH 9 HW (Due Fri E or Mon A)

Chapter 9 Homework Assignment 

This might be my favorite chapter in the whole book. We haven’t seen much of either of Milkman’s sisters until this chapter, but boy, do they take over this chapter in a powerful way.  We also learn more about Pilate, and her ability to both play into stereotypical gender roles and transcend them. 

Please take notes on your assigned character/questions.  List at least 2 quotations (short, proper citation format) with analysis in full sentences.  You MAY NOT REPEAT.  Read what everyone else assigned to your group wrote first, then try to add to what they wrote (with new evidence) or respond to a different question (with new evidence) for your character.  DO NOT try to answer all of the questions.

A Block: You've already been assigned to a character.

E Block: 

Girls: Corinthians     

Guys: Lena        

Anyone (guys or girls) who fits any of the following criteria: Pilate

• Is left-handed
• Has naturally curly hair
• Is double-jointed
• Listens to Country 102.5 on a regular basis (at least 3 or more x a week)
• Has visited Kansas (at least one night)
• Has NEVER seen any of the Star Wars movies

1) Corinthians: 

• What were her/her parents’ expectations for her life?  Why aren’t they working out?  Why isn’t she married?  What are black, moving-into-middle-class men looking for in a wife?  Any of this remind you of Death of a Salesman?
• How does Corinthians change, first, by working for Michael-Mary, and second, by taking up with Porter?  
• Who is Henry Porter (what do we know about him from previous chapters)?  
• How did you react to the scene of Corinthians throwing herself across Porter’s car?  Is this the act of a “doll-baby” or “grown up woman”?  Explain.
• Significance /symbolism of the rose petals for Corinthians?  
• What are Morrison’s overall messages in Corinthians’s story about love, about the life of women, about individuality?

2) Pilate: 

• How does Pilate transform herself in order to get Milkman and Guitar out of jail? Be specific.  What story does she tell?  How does this act demonstrate her understanding of her society?  Is she being weak or strong here?  Why?
• Milkman says that this whole incident makes him feel “shame…stuck to his skin” (209-210).  Why?  Is this “shame” a step forward or a step back in his character development? (To what extent is he ashamed of himself, to what extent is he ashamed of his aunt?)

3) Magdalene called Lena: 

• How does Milkman dismiss/disrespect Lena in earlier chapters and/or leading into their conversation at the end of chapter 9?  
• Why is Lena angry with Milkman (one specific action, and then more generally)? What does she mean by “there are all kinds of ways to pee on people?” (214) 
• How has sexism and stereotypical gender roles played out in this family, according to Lena?  How does Milkman’s statement that “I don’t carry no stick; I live and let live” (214) reveal his fundamental misunderstanding of how these gender roles function?
• How is Lena’s attitude toward the roses significant? 
• What are Morrison’s overall messages about the life of women and the life of men that she is communicating through Lena’s story?