Wednesday, December 16, 2009

ELAALRL2-The student identifies, analyzes, and applies knowledge of theme in a work of American literature and provides evidence from the work to support understanding.




  • The person identifies, thinks about, and uses what is learned from the works of american literature and gives proof directly from the source to back up understanding.

RIP VAN WINKLE

This was a very interesting story. I believe that the romantic parts in this story were when he fell "asleep" for like 20 years after helping a Dutch man carry his liquor and watching a game of 9 pins, and the part where he reaized things were different when he got back to town. Obviously a person cant sleep for that long without dying so that was kind of longshot, then he accepted the fact he had aged 20 years. After he got that all figured out he just went back to live with his daughter and her husband, i feel that that part was a bit romantic also.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Vocab-

Deism-
faith based on the idea of science or mathematics.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Comparison of Belief

In the Native American poem post you see that their beliefs are fairly simple and grounded around nature and things that have to do with the Earth. The Puritans believe that not everyone has the choice to go to heaven. They believe that god is going o save a select few people. There are big differences between these cultures solely because they were situated in different areas. The Native Americans don't believe that their has to be so much structure behind a creation theory. Nobody really knows how the world was created so I can imagine living as a Native American with no kind of history of things like the bible or a priest to give insightful information of the past. The Puritans on the other hand, sound like they have their religion down pact. For example, in Jonathan Edward's sermons he states that god is angry and there is no way to earn his grace. The way that he says that makes you aware that he feels strongly and believes in his heart that this is what happened. It sounds like they believe in it strongly and wont be changing their mind any time soon. I'm sure if you got the Chief and a Saint in the same room then they would clash, I'm not sure that they could have anything in common though.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Native American Literature

An ancient Chippewa tradition The dream net has been made For many generations Where spirit dreams have played.
Hung above the cradle board,Or in the lodge up high,The dream net catches bad dreams,While good dreams slip on by.
Bad dreams become entangled Among the sinew thread.Good dreams slip through the center hole,While you dream upon your bed.
This is an ancient legend,Since dreams will never cease,Hang this dream net above your bed,Dream on, and be at peace.
Response-
I believe that this poem is self explanatory and it is simple to understand. The Native Americans created a dream catcher that you hang over the designated sleeping place. Depending on what type of dream you have apparently triggers the net on the dream catcher to capture bad dreams and let good dreams pass through the net unscathed. It is originally designed with the intention of producing peaceful sleep.

GA Performance Standards

ELAALRL1-

I believe what they are trying to make you understand is that you should be prepared for what your about to learn. Giving you insight on more complicated literary terms rather than using simple analogies. I'm guessing that they want us to become more intelligent while we learn, to improve things like reading pace and expanding our vocabulary.

ELAALRL3-

The student will understand a variety of different kinds of literature relating them to what they know from either what they have learned before or what they have experienced in the past.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Sonnet 1

"Candle Light"

A warm candle dancing with delight (A)
the breeze sways her with grace (B)
feeling the opposite of trite (A)
with a smile perched upon her face (B)

As time slips by (C)
the wax drips slow (D)
she responds with a sigh (C)
where did the hours go (D)

The snuff draws near (E)
she cries with a shout (F)
wish fire could tear (E)
in a second, the fire's out (F)

Just a snuff and life can be diminished (G)
but with another match, it can be replenished (G)

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

UNIT 2

ELABLRL4 The student employs a variety of writing genres to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of significant ideas in selected literary works. The student composes essays, narratives, poems, or technical documents.





1) I understand this statement simply to mean the student will explore various different writing styles to give them an understanding idea of chosen pieces of writing. The student will also write essays, narratives poems, or technical documents.





2) Examine the difference between the rhyme scheme Spencer uses and the one Shakespeare uses. Explain the difference. Which one do you prefer?





Even though Edmund Spencer's poem seems longer they are the same length. The rhyming scheme didn't differ too much to me when I compared it. I like William Shakespeare's poem better only because he rhymed his words better than Edmund did. Heat does not rhyme with sweat. The only change I see in the scheme would be how in Edmund's sonnet, he keeps rhyming in consecutive order until he gets to the next letter and then he changes it up.





3. The rhyme scheme divides sonnets into four sections. The first section is a question asked from one point of view, the second is the same question asked from another point of view. The third section is called the turn. The turn is a shift in focus or the thoughts of the first two points of view. The last section is the conclusion. Use this method to explain the message in each of the four sections of the two poems above.





In the first quatrain of Shakespeare's sonnet he's thinking whether or not he should compare a girl to a summers day. He concludes that summer is to rough for someone so calm and lovely. In the second quatrain Shakespeare states that it may not be a good idea to compare someone so fair to a summers day because the sun can sometimes be too bright, fairness can fade and nature will eventually age. The third quatrain suggests that her beauty will not fade and she cannot die because she had been written in the poem. Because the sonnet wont die neither will her memory. The lasts quatrain says that as long as people are alive and can see, the sonnet will be remembered and so will she.





The first quatrain of Edmund's sonnet says that his lover is cold to him while his love for her burns. The colder she gets the more he burns for her and the feelings don't change. The second quatrain says no matter how cold and hard she is toward him his love is still strong and he wonders why that is. He states in the third quatrain that it is an amazing thing that their feelings are so different, him being the fire to melt the ice, she just gets colder and yet he still burns for her. The last quatrain suggests that such powerful love on a gentle mind can alter any ones feelings.




When forty winters shall besiege thy brow Sonnet 2 by William Shakespeare


When forty winters shall besiege thy brow, (A)

And dig deep trenches in thy beauty's field, (B)

Thy youth's proud livery so gazed on now, (A)

Will be a tattered weed of small worth held. (B)

Then being asked, where all thy beauty lies, (C)

Where all the treasure of thy lusty days, (D)

To say within thine own deep sunken eyes, (C)

Were an all-eating shame, and thriftless praise. (D)

How much more praise deserved thy beauty's use, (E)

If thou couldst answer, (F)

"This fair child of mine Shall sum my count, and make my old excuse, (E)

"Proving his beauty by succession thine. (F)

This were to be new made when thou art old, (G)

And see thy blood warm when thou feel'st it cold. (G)


Response:


In the first quatrain Shakespeare is saying that over a long period of time you will become less beautiful by aging. That your proud of looking young now but soon you will be whithered with time becoming an old weed. The second quatrain hes saying to the girl, where did your beauty go? Where did all your fun days go? Hes saying that in his own old sunken eyes how can she be praised if she looks old and whithered. In the third quatrain hes telling the girl that in order to preserve her beauty, have some kids to pass on your youth and beauty. In the last quatrain he makes it clear that once she has lively kids with warm blood running around, hers wont seem so cold and it will make her feel better.





LIKE as the culver, on the barèd bough, (A)

Sits mourning for the absence of her mate; (B)

And, in her songs, sends many a wishful vow (A)

For his return that seems to linger late: (B)

So I alone, now left disconsolate, (B)

Mourn to myself the absence of my love; (C)

And, wandering here and there all desolate, (B)

Seek with my plaints to match that mournful dove (C)

Ne joy of aught that under heaven doth hove, (C)

Can comfort me, but her own joyous sight (D)

Whose sweet aspect both God and man can move, (C)

In her unspotted pleasance to delight. (D)

Dark is my day, whiles her fair light I miss, (E)

And dead my life that wants such lively bliss. (E)

Like as the Culver on the Bared Bough- Edmund Spenser

Response:

In the first quatrain he expresses a sad bird sitting alone on a branch because her love left her. The birds songs are sad which makes the situation more depressing. He is describing the bird to be his own feelings. In the second quatrain he talks about being alone and how he mourns to himself now that his love has left. In the third quatrain he is saying that nothing in heaven can make him feel better while he is away form his love. He is saying that nothing can compete against her looks, sweet aspect and charm, the way he saw her. In the last quatrain he says that as long as his love isn't there to light up his life then his days will be dark and full of misery. His life is dead even though he prays for his lively bliss. He will continue to be miserable as he looks for new ways to express his sadness. He continues to mourn and complain about his absent love.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

UNIT 1 The Anglo-saxons

ELABLRL3
1)The student deepens understanding of literacy by relating those things to the past and now, to their own life. Paying attention to all literature will make the student better equipped and they will have a better understanding. By comparing and contrasting with past history the student will understand literature more.

2) I thought Beowulf was a particularly interesting piece of writing. It wasn't really a story; more of a poem really. Anglo-Saxon culture sounds confusing, like it wouldn't have been very organized. There are many parts of this story that intrigued me. The worst part of the whole story is that he died and he cant celebrate after his sound victory.


In the first part of the story Beowulf come to the aid of the Danes. That part kind of stuck out because he didn't have to do that. It really wasn't Beowulf's problem at all. He could have just stayed where he was and not broken a sweat. I don't know if he did it out of pride or just to help people in need, either way he didn't have to come.


Later on in the story Grendel's mother attacked, never saw that coming. What happened to Grendel's dad? It seems that he would be the one to avenge his sounds slaying instead of his mother. She was pretty strong and it took him a while to take her out. He had some trouble with his sword and stuff. That part stuck out to me because i didn't think that his mom would be next in line to fight.


I think the Angelo-Saxon culture is pretty cool and is my favorite setting in most video games. Instead of guns and tanks, I like the games where there are swords, axes, mythical creatures getting slayed by knights. I like the fact that they believed in Gods that have special jobs such as Thor, with his lightning. In this case Beowulf was a warrior in those times and was a major character of Anglo-Saxon culture. Anglo-Saxon culture is around because people believe in angels.

Beowulf didn't receive any sudden power out of nowhere like the modern day heroes today. If we compared him to somebody like Ironman, the two heroes are very different depending on the aspect of culture. Ironman basically made his suit, he wasn't given any kind of powers at birth.

At the end of the story as things were wrapping up Beowulf dies. That sucks so bad, i really didn't see it coming at all. In hero stories the hero is supposed to live on and be a great leader. In modern day hero stories the hero doesn't die. Its strange that he feels happy wen he died because he did a good job defending his people and holding up the throne for a long time. I bet if he had a son then his story would go on just like Beowulf's. He would have gotten some pretty sweet armor too.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Georgia Performance Standards

I believe what they are trying to make you understand is that you should be prepared for what your about to learn. Giving you insight on more complicated literary terms rather than using simple analogies. Im guessing that they want us to become more intelligent while we learn, to improve things like reading pace and expanding our vocabulary.