Blog #1 Self-Reliance

Please read the text and then post an insightful question and an intriguing comment.  Be specific in respect to what you are referring to.  Then, I'd like you to respond to what someone else has posted on the blog.  If nobody has posted yet, log back on later and do so.

Due: Wednesday, 12.12 (before class)

Blog # 1 - Thomas Paine

Please read your Thomas Paine selection and respond to the following prompts.  Use complete sentences and incorporate quotes when required.

1.  What is so gosh darn American about his high intelligence and economic limitations?

2.  What is so distinctive about his writing style?  Use a quote as support.

3.  Considering the historical context, how is the following quote so progressive?  "...for I answer roundly, that America would have flourished as much, and probably much more, had no European power taken notice of her" (4).

4.  Paine compares Britain to "savages" (5).  How does this contradict the quote you just worked with above.  Or, do you disagree with my observation?  What you reckon?

5.  The following quote could be heard today: "...dependence on, Great Britain tends directly to involve this continent in European wars and quarrels, and set us at variance with nations who would otherwise seek out friendship, and against whom we have neither anger nor complaint" (6).  I would argue you could replace Britain with America and we now have something to think about.  Which countries have suffered due to their close alliance with the United States?  Or, do you disagree?

6.  Which rhetorical strategies does Paine employ to win over his audience?  Be specific and use quotes as support.

7.  It's interesting, but I would argue, for how "simple" his style is acclaimed to be... it's rather difficult!  What do you think?

Due: Before class on Monday, 11.19

In Cold Blood - Blog # 2

Please respond to the following prompts.  2 - 4 sentences should suffice.  Use quotes when stipulated.

1.  There is much testimony relating to physical accidents and psychological instability - do you agree or disagree with this train of thought?

2.  Dr. Jones came to different verdicts about Dick and Perry.  Who knew "right from wrong at the time of the offence" (288)?

3.  There were "Two features" in Perry's personality that made him "particularly pathological" (289.  What are they?  Use a quote as support.

4.  Why are Dick and Perry "...Murderers who seem rational, coherent and controlled, and yet whose homicidal acts have a bizarre, apparently senseless quality..." (290 - 291)?

5.  Why are three of the murders "logically motivated" (294)?  Use a quote as support.

6.  To me, the following quote, said by Perry, is highly summative of this book as a whole.  Agree or disagree.  Why?

"'I didn't want to harm the man.  I thought he was a very nice gentleman.  Soft-spoken.  I thought so right up to the moment I cut his throat...They [the Clutters] never hurt me.  Like other people.  Like people have all my life.  Maybe it's just that the Clutters were the ones who had to pay for it'" (294).

7.  Agre or disagree.  Capital punishment is "'a relic of human barbarism'" (295).

8.  What is the difference between the Durham Rule and the M'Naughten Rule (308 - 309)?

9.  Games up.  What do you reckon?  They should be on the death row - yes or no?  

In Cold Blood - Blog 1

Please read pages 31 - 72 and respond to the prompts below.  Use quotes when stipulated.  2 - 5 sentences should suffice.

1.  A description of Garden City is given on 30 - 31.  We learn of many things.  One is how the taste of Americans change.  Describe this.  Secondly, we learn about why people prefer Garden City to other cities.  Describe this.  Use a quote as support.

2.  We see yet another stellar example of foreshadowing on 35.  Cite it.

3.  The word twine is used on page 39.  How might this be symbolic?

4.  Why was Perry really in Kansas?  Do you think this is an excuse he came up with after the murders? Use a quote as support.

5.  Dick and Perry start to have ominous signs.  Cite two.

6.  We're in Japan and thus far there are two connections to this lovely country.  What are they?

7.  What is a "natural killer' to Dick?  Use a quotation as support.

8.  When it was thought the murderers were local, what did one man mean when he said, "if they ever find out who done it, I'm sure it'll be a bigger surprise than the murders themselves" (69)?  There's one word in there that is distinctly American; what is it?  What larger theme does this connect to?

9.  What's the last, disturbing image Capote ends this chapter with?  Use a quote as support.

The Quiet American - Blog # 2

Please respond to the following prompts in complete sentences.  Use quotes when required.


Ch. I
1.  Who is Pascal?  Why are his quotes used and how does he connect to this text?

2.  What is engage?


3.  What major event has happened without it being mentioned in Part Three, Ch. 1?

Ch. II
4.  What is the 3rd Force in Ch. 2?  Use a quote as support.

5.  Why are happy memories the worst?  Use a quote as support.

Ch. III
6.  Give 3 solid examples of American criticism from this chapter.

Ch. IV
7.  What eventually took Fowler's mind off Pyle and Phuong? Is this what war does for a population?

Ch. V
8. What deeply bothers Trouin about napalm?  What is napalm?  Use a quote as support.

9.  Compare Ch. V to All Quiet on the Western Front.  1 paragraph.

10.  Are only the French and Americans guilty in this war?

1984 - Blog # 1

Please respond to the following prompts in complete sentences.  Use quotes when stipulated.

1.   How is Winston preparing for Hate Week at work?

2.  Who vanishes?  Is this a surprise? Use a quote as support. 

3.  Compare Julia's interests with Mersault's.  How are they similar?  What do they both value?

4.  What does Julia want to do during the Two Minutes of Hate?

5.  What does O'Brien think is ingenious about the new Newspeak dictionary?  What do you think about this development?  Would it help make language acquisition easier?  

6.  What does Winston believe the proles have retained, but Party members have lost? Use a quote as support.

7.   In Winston’s mind, what would prove he had betrayed Julia?

8.  What privilege is reserved for Party members?  In Communism, did inner party members have special benefits as well?  Look into it if need be, and give a specific example.

9.  Why will the Brotherhood never be destroyed?  Do you think it is enough to keep it intact?  Why or why not?

The Quiet American Blog # 1

Please respond to the following prompts in complete sentences.  Be specific and use concrete examples from the text. 

Part Two, Ch. 3, 2

Identify the following characters and explain their connection to the plotline. 

Mr. Chou

Dominguez

Mr. Heng

1.  What, and more importantly, does Mr. Heng show Fowler?  What do you think it is?

2.  To me, Fowler seems a bit naïve here, not Pyle, why would you agree or disagree?

Part Two, Ch. 3, 3

1.  Does Fowler appreciate his own guilt or despise it?  Where do you think it comes from?  You might need to look into Graham Greene for your answer.

2.  Fowler mutters to himself for Pyle to go away because “he doesn’t want to be saved.”  How might this be symbolic of the larger political arena?

3.  Fowler calls love a “western word” used “to cover up an obsession with one woman.”  How might Phuong look at love differently?  How about Pyle?

4.  Sometimes I find myself annoyed with Phuong and her utter passivity.  Why has Green constructed her thus?  Does it leave him open to criticism?  Is it an accurate albeit antiquated or unPC view of Asian women?  Or is it simply symbolic of Vietnam itself?

5.  Why does Fowler wish Pyle had a few “bad motives”?  Why does he thinkt he same would be good for America?

6.  What three things does Fowler tell Pyle to go play with?  He uses the verb play?  How does this choice of diction have great impact on the conclusion of Part Two

Steppenwolf - Blog # 1

Please respond to the following prompts in complete sentences.  Use quotes when stipulated.


1.  Define "a suicide" in the context of this chapter. Use a quote as support.

2.  Define "humour" in the context of this chapter.  Use a quote as support.

3.  What would happen if man and wolf finally look "one another in the eye" (68).

4.  There's a great quote on page 66 that equates the contemporary term - sell out.  Which quote do you think it is and why?

5.  How old will the Steppenwolf be when he kills himself?  Use a quote as support.

6.  Steppenwolf is clever and what not, but according to our unknown narrator, what has he not learned in life (51)?

7.  There is a beautiful quote on 51 dealing with waging war against the beast inside him as a child.  What part of you do you feel has been the victim of such aggression?

8. Please explain the following quote to the best of your ability - it makes me wonder.  "It cannot be denied that he was generally very unhappy; and he could make others unhappy also, that is, when he loved them or they loved him" (53).

9.  What would the Steppenwolf choose over hunger and torn clothing when he was younger (56)?  What does this tell us about his character? Would you make the same decision?

10.  The following quote is quite appealing, does it strike a chord in you or do you dismiss it as adolescent and unpractical?  "No prospect was more hateful and distasteful to him than that he should have to go to an office and conform to daily and yearly routine and obey others" (57).

Due: Thursday, 3.15 (Before Class)

Blog # 3 - All Quiet on the Western Front

Please respond to the following prompts in complete sentences.  Use quotes when stipulated.

1.Paul’s attitude toward the enemy in this section is best described as one of _________________.

2. How would you describe the diction and style of this section of text? Use quotes as support.

3. It can be inferred by Paul’s behavior toward the soldier that __________________.

4. What atmosphere or mood is established on pg. 223?

5. What can we infer from the 5^th  paragraph on pg. 239? Use quotes as support.

6. What does the author want to encourage in the reader?

7. What ambiguity does the speaker develop in the 3^rd paragraph on pg. 216?

8. Why is the following quote remarkable?  Think of word play.

            “Burning houses stand out like torches against the night.  Shells lumber across and crash down.  Munition columns tear along the street” (237).  

Blog # 2 - All Quiet on the Western Front

Please read Ch. 6 and respond to the following prompts.  Use complete sentences and quotes when stipulated.


1.  In No Mans Land we see nature surviving.  Cite two examples.  How does this comment on man and war and their relationship to the earth?

2.  "Between five and ten recruits fall to every old hand" (131).  Why?  Cite three examples.

3.  How does Himmelstoss react in battle?  Why is the reader inclined to be more judgmental of him?  Is this fair?

4.  Despite its tendency to be a Realist novel, Ch. 6 has distinct Romantic overtones.  Cite the best example you can find.

5.  The man in No Man Land who is injured cries in three stages.  What are they?

6.  This novel can be read as the struggle between an individual and greater forces.  Some of those forces might be: technology (think of weaponry), social conventions (peer pressure), institutions or politics.

7. Powerful quote?  Yes or no?  Why?  "...no uniform was ever made to these childish measurements" (130).

8.  There are numerous quotes to be examined in this chapter.  Select one of your favorites and do so.

Due: Tuesday, 2.14

All Quiet on the Western Front - Blog # 1

Respond to the following prompts in complete sentences.  Use quotes when stipulated.
1.  How does Tjaden kill lice and what does he plan to do with them?  What is the singular of lice?

2.  How did Himmelstoss end up at the front?  Use a quote as support.

3.  For Haie, is going home much better than war?  Use a quote as support.

4.  What is Detering's profession?  What does he worry about?  How is this polar opposite to war?

5.  Why was Tjaden not worried about his argument with Himmelstoss?

6.  On pages 84-85, contrast book smarts vs. street smarts.  Use a quote to explain.

7.  How does Kropp predict the idea of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and compare it to a sock?

8.  Explicate the following quote: "We know how to do that: to play cards, to swear, and to fight.  Not much for twenty years; - and yet too much for twenty years" (89). How does antithesis work to make this such a powerful sentence?

9.  The "front" is opposite to the "parade ground".  Explain.

10.  Paul and Kat would normally never have anything in common.  How does the war change this and how is it ironic?


Due: Thursday, 2.9

9.