Kafka, Free Read, Test, Next Essay

Senior English IV (after Conrad, Kafka, Free Reading, Test, Next Essay

Mon Feb. 11  (bring paper copy of Conrad essay to class)

DEAR DR FORMAN LETTER

Write ‘Dear Dr. Forman’ letters on back of back page

·         Describe your writing process.

Include:

·         What you were thinking about when you were Reading HOD

·         What you were interested in when understanding Freud and Psychoanalysis

·         What you got out of reading Frederick Karl and Ross Murfin

·         What your topic was when you were first forming it

·         How your ideas evolved when you were Blogging various paragraphs

·         What it was like Working in class vs. at home

·         What it was like Rethinking your ideas (if you did)

·         Write about rereading any text and how that helped

·         What was it like Editing, proofreading, and polishing your essay

·         Has writing this paper prepared you for college writing? How?

Next, pass your essay to the right for careful proofreading.

Remember, the proofreader makes no marks, only the author

FREE READING BOOK

Also on Monday: Nominate a free reading book. In Subtext, with at least one to three other people, choose a book to read parallel to and along with Kafka’s Metamorphosis.

Reading schedule for free choice book:

(read in class and at home)

Download to Subtext by President’s Day and begin reading (together)

By Mon. Feb. 25: At least 20 pages of free read book (with some annotation and comments)

By Mon. March 4: Another 20 pages of free read book, at least to page 40 or further

By Mon. March 11: At least 60 (to 100) pages of free read book

READING SCHEDULE for Kafka

By Thu. Feb. 14   p.5-15 Kafka (post blog)

By Wed. Feb. 20   p.15-25 Kafka (post blog)

By Mon. Feb. 25  p.25-35 Kafka (post blog)

By Wed. Feb. 27  p.35-45 Kafka (post blog)

By Thu. Feb. 28 p.45-58 finish Kafka (post blog

Before Mon. March 4 Study for Conrad/Kafka test

Mon. March 4 Conrad/Kafka Test

By Wed. March 6 start Graphic Novel in KNO (post blog)

By Wed. March 6 finish Graphic Novel in KNO (post blog)

By Mon. Mar. 11                  read Darwin & Genesis + blog response

By Wed. Mar. 13                 Blog your essay’s introductory paragraph

By Thu. Mar 14                     laptops; Analyze power (discussion)

By Sun. March 17 KAFKA ESSAY DUE!

Free reading

Nominate some free reading books that you would like to read together with a few other seniors in subtext. We will read these books at home and in class together over the next few weeks. We won’t heavily annotate, but some comments in the margins on subtext will help you read the book with others as a social activity and discuss it online.

By Mon. Feb. 25:  20 pages of free read book

By Mon. March 4: 40-60 pages of book

By Mon. March 11: 60-100 pages of free read book

Pick a first choice (and an alternate) from these Nominations:

(make sure at least 3-5 students are choosing the same book and then download it into subtext app)

·         Why the foul pole is fair

·         The Bible

·         Middlesex

·         Twilight

·         Catcher in the Rye

·         Thirteen Reasons Why

·         Sherlock Holmes

·         Moneyball

·         Fahrenheit 451

·         Ender’s Game

·         Dune

·         Perks of Being a Wallflower

·         Catch 22

·         Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

·         Clockwork Orange

·         Great Santini

·         Hunger Games

·         Harry Potter

·         The Help

·         Life of Pi

·         Schindler’s List

·         Into the Wild

·          Looking for Alaska 

·         Running with Scissors

·         Open by Andre Agassi (blake and alex)

·         Corner of the Universe

·         Art of War

·         Holes and sequel Small Steps

·         One flew over the cuckoo’s nest

Works Cited

Works Cited

Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. 1902. Charlottesville: Feedbooks, 2012. E-book.

This is how to cite an Ebook on Subtext published 1902 source: University of Virginia Feedbooks. Use the page numbers in Subtext, even though there are several pages!

Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and Its Discontents. ??

Karl, Frederick. “Introduction to the Danse Macabre: Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. 1968. in Heart of Darkness: A Case Study in Contemporary Criticism. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1939. Print.

Murfin, Ross C. Heart of Darkness: A Case Study in Contemporary Criticism. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1939. Print.

Collaborative in-class writings

The id

C period write aloud collaborative draft:

At first, Marlow enters the Congo and the heart of darkness coming from Great Britain and bit by bit becomes acculturated to the darkness, which affect him psychologically. His own unconscious mind and his id become attracted and fascinated with Kurtz, who represents the unleashed id that Marlow in his British, moral uptight-ness longs for. His longing may represent how repressed he is and how much he longs to explore the unknowable that resides in his own dark unconscious—and at the same time he is repulsed by what he sees. The unspeakable midnight rituals repulse and attract him. As a result, Marlow increasingly has irrational reactions to events in the jungle. For example, when he first sees the shrunken heads on posts, he claims not to be shocked so much as surprised. What really seems to bother him most is the fact that the faces are all facing the compound where Kurtz lives. Why does this disturb Marlow more than the murders? Is it because he can accept bloodshed but not the unleashed, megalomania of a power hungry despot who demands people worship him as a deity?

Brainstorming the Irrational: human’s mindset, unrestrained don’t worry about society, Pure unconsciousness. HOD: Kurtz greed for ivory. Kurtz. Shrunken heads. Ornamentation on fence posts. Aesthetic. Warning.

F period write aloud collaborative draft:

            Marlow first arrives in the Congo with British morals and sensibilities. However, soon he starts to break down psychologically and act irrationally. He is drawn to and is fascinated by Kurtz and his lack of restraint. He begins himself to act irrationally when he throws his bloody shoes overboard. He eventually chooses the cannibals over the Europeans because they are at least more honest than the European hypocrites who profess efficiency and light, but mostly steal ivory. His unnatural fascination with Kurtz and his loyalty to his memory even after Kurtz’s death show Marlow’s skewed values. Marlow has been changed (not necessarily for the better) by his profound encounter with Kurtz and the darkness. He hates lies, but tells a lie to Kurtz’s Intended because he can’t repeat Kurtz’s last words, “the horror, the horror.” And whatever did Kurtz mean by those words? Regret and repentance? Or frustration that he didn’t finish his work? Marlow affirms that at least Kurtz had something to say and will remain loyal to him because of that. Does the reader start to separate form Marlow at some point, judging him?

Freud/Murfin/Karl shed light on Conrad

Joseph Conrad

What do you see in this inkblot? Does it reveal you unconscious?

(slightly) REVISED SCHEDULE:

By Mon. Jan. 28 finish Heart of Darkness and blog about the lie

  In-class and at home, read Murfin/Karl. Begin brainstorming your ideas, making connections with Conrad or Marlow or colonialism.

By Tue Jan 29 (C=wed) read most of Ross Murfin and blog about it

In-class and at home, read Karl and brainstorm connections between his ideas and Conrad. Narrow down your focus to a paragraph from Karl and a page or so of Conrad.

By Wed. Jan 30 (C=thu) read most of Frederick Karl and blog about it

In-class and at home, read Karl and brainstorm connections between his ideas and Conrad. What narrow question would you like to answer.

by Thu. Jan. 31 Blog the narrow interesting question you want to explore (about Freud shedding light on Conrad). Sketch out the claim (to be revised again and again) that you are thinking of making. Narrow it down .

by Mon. Feb. 4 Your introductory paragraph and working title.

   In-class and at home: write your essay paragraphs. Know what you want to say.

by Tue. Feb. 5 (next day for C) First body paragraph

by Wed. Feb. 6 (C next day) Second body paragraph

by Thu. Feb. 7 (C next day) Third body paragraph

by Sat. Feb. 9 Revise and edit!

by Sun. Feb. 10 before midnight Upload to Turnitin.com, upload to dropbox, and print paper copy to turn in Mon.

by Mon. Feb. 11  Bring paper copy to class for Dear Dr. Forman letter and for proofreading.

Reading Now vs. Reading Next Year

In a short paragraph, please respond (on paper or in an email)

College requires lots of reading. But many high school students today prefer not to read. Please write a quick paragraph thinking about the current state of student reading to college expectations. How are students supposed to bridge the gap?

Before high school I didn’t not read too many books, besides the ones I had to read for school. I tried to get into the Harry Potter series but I did not get very interested in it. In middle school I read The Hatchet and a book about ancient mammoths and couldn’t stop reading them. In high school I only read books that are required. I did not really like any of them, but I still read them anyway.

I was never the kid to pick up a books and just read. I tend to skim books. I like to read dialogue and not the sub text. I read 50 Shades of Gray this summer and couldn’t finish it. I am too accustomed to being on my phone and computer to sit down and read. I’m a slow reader so I feel it’s difficult to read.

I was not a huge fan of reading, but when I find the time to read, I’m hooked.

When I was younger, reading was something I did constantly and as the years have gone by I have stopped. In middle school I read the Twilight Series and the clique series. In high school reading outside of school became more difficult. Next year in college I hope to establish a better reading habit.

My mom is an addicted romance novel reader and can easily read a book a day. I have never considered myself an avid reader. I just don’t find it as compelling to me as doing other activities such as playing sports, being with friends, or going to the movies. In 11^th grade I literally could not put The Great Gatsby down.

When I was younger I liked Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings and Ender’s Game. About the time I entered high school I stopped reading on my own. I found most of the books for school uninteresting.

In middle school I read Harry Potter and Series of Unfortunate Events and Pendragon and wasn’t able to put them down. In high school, I lost my interest for reading and honestly haven’t read a non-school book for a really long time. 

Before I hit high school, I was not an avid reader. In high school, I have picked up my reading a bit: Hunger Games, Dragon Tattoo, 1984. I lack real ambition to begin books, but once I get started I really enjoy them. I’ve never been a big fan of analyzing books, which has led to me rarely reading the books assigned in class. I really want to expand my interest in reading before I go off to college.

I am currently reading Moneyball and Why the Foul Pole is Fair. I love sports books. When it comes to school reading, I tend to blow it off and just cliff note chapter summaries but as of late I have started to read and thoroughly enjoy it.

Outside of school, I don’t really read. But I have realized when the iPad reads to me and I follow along it makes things more enjoyable.

Recently, I’ve been somewhat of a lazy reader.

I would not read any books the school gave out. All the books I read in 11^th grade were good except Huck Finn, Scarlet Letter, and The Great Gatsby. This summer I interned at a talent agency and read 22 scripts. Thanks to this, I’ve started reading more.

I’ve been a very discriminating reader. I like very few authors and have a non-existent tolerance for lengthy expositions.  These past two years I have resumed reading: science and history and analytical novels which keep my mind active.  

I use to read comic books. I have never really enjoyed reading novels in English class but I am able to make myself if I have to. I enjoy reading on the iPad more than physical books.

Starting in middle school, my love for learning started to diminish. I was surrounded by the fun games on the internet and instant messaging.  I really want to start reading again for my own enjoyment. It saddens me.

When I was little, it was hard for me to read a scene and then imagine it in my head. Now when I read, I create a mental picture and it makes reading more enjoyable. 

I like stories. My problem is that I have to translate books from English to the language of my brain: words’s ideas. I hop0e to be someone who reads frequently and does not skim. I will probably move to audio books.

In high school, I began to dislike reading more and more.

You think Conrad's hard? Look at Finnegan's Wake!

James Joyce

FROM FINNEGAN’S WAKE

(James Joyce)

  riverrun, past Eve and Adam's, from swerve of shore to bend
of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to
Howth Castle and Environs.
      Sir Tristram, violer d'amores, fr'over the short sea, had passen-
core rearrived from North Armorica on this side the scraggy
isthmus of Europe Minor to wielderfight his penisolate war: nor
had topsawyer's rocks by the stream Oconee exaggerated themselse
to Laurens County's gorgios while they went doublin their mumper
all the time: nor avoice from afire bellowsed mishe mishe to
tauftauf thuartpeatrick: not yet, though venissoon after, had a
kidscad buttended a bland old isaac: not yet, though all's fair in
vanessy, were sosie sesthers wroth with twone nathandjoe. Rot a
peck of pa's malt had Jhem or Shen brewed by arclight and rory
end to the regginbrow was to be seen ringsome on the aquaface.
      The fall (bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonner-
ronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoohoohoordenenthur-
nuk!) of a once wallstrait oldparr is retaled early in bed and later
on life down through all christian minstrelsy. The great fall of the
offwall entailed at such short notice the pftjschute of Finnegan,
erse solid man, that the humptyhillhead of humself prumptly sends
an unquiring one well to the west in quest of his tumptytumtoes:
and their upturnpikepointandplace is at the knock out in the park
where oranges have been laid to rust upon the green since dev-
linsfirst loved livvy.

Next Essay on Conrad

ESSAY ON CONRAD USING FREUD

Essay Due: Sun. Feb. 10

(to Turnitin.com before midnight, also to dropbox, also a paper copy on Mon. Feb. 11)

Question you will address: ___________

 

Title/Topic of your Essay: ___________

3-5 pages. Include a Works Cited page, MLA citation and headers, a reference to Frederick Karl (or Ross Murfin.) Proofread to eliminate errors. Have something to say! 1^st paragraph due on your blog.

Mini-deadlines on your blog: (subject to change, sometimes later for C period)

by Thu. Jan. 31 The narrow interesting question you want to explore (about Freud shedding light on Conrad)

by Mon. Feb. 4 Your introductory paragraph and working title

by Tue. Feb. 5 (next day for C) First body paragraph

by Wed. Feb. 6 (C next day) Second body paragraph

by Thu. Feb. 7 (C next day) Third body paragraph

by Sat. Feb. 9 Revise and edit!

by Sun. Feb. 10 before midnight Upload to Turnitin.com, upload to dropbox, and print paper copy to turn in Mon.

by Mon. Feb. 11  Bring paper copy to class for Dear Dr. Forman letter and for proofreading.

                                                                         Purpose

Investigate Heart of Darkness through Fredrick Karl's psychoanalytic criticism. Make an interesting and narrowly focused claim--well supported by evidence from the novella and Karl's article.

Psychoanalytic criticism: literature and the other arts as well as daydreams night dreams and neurotic symptoms, consist primarily of the imagined fantasy fulfillment of desires which are either denied by reality or are prohibited by the standards of morality and propriety that have been established by society.

Using Karl, further investigate Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and how to say more about a novel than first strikes you after reading it. Organize and polish a college-type essay.

   What fresh insights can Karl’s psychoanalytic reading of Heart of Darkness give us? Pick one event or scene or aspect of the novel and explain how psychoanalysis gives us new insight.

                                                                     Writing Task

Read Freud (below), Murfin, and Frederick Karl. Reread portions of Heart of Darkness. Then, in writing your essay, be sure to have one clear fresh answer to the following broad question:

To what extent does psychoanalytic criticism (as exemplified by Fredrick Karl, Freud, or Ross Murfin) give us insight into any one aspect of Conrad's Heart of Darkness?

Within this broad topic, WRITE YOUR OWN QUESTION! What do you want to explore? How does knowledge of the psyche illuminate Conrad’s/Marlow’s story?

Be sure to have ONE CLEAR, FRESH INSIGHT into the novel. Have one central point that is interesting. Be sure to reread parts of Conrad (and Karl) carefully, select relevant sections, and support and develop an interesting argument.  Focus narrowly. Find your own small topic within the larger one.

Citation: Use MLA documentation to cite page numbers of your paraphrasing and quotes, including a Works Cited page.

PLAGIARISM: Always remember: Browsing the internet or Spark Notes or Wikipedia for an overview of your text or topic can lead to intentional or unintentional plagiarism, which are treated the same way.

Write your own ESSAY TOPIC PROMPTS (still requires F. Karl quotes):

Create your own prompt for writing about Conrad. Run your idea by the instructor. Make sure that it is a topic you can cover in 3-5 pages with some deep insight and that you have an interesting and debatable point to make. If not, choose a different topic.

Some ideas to get you thinking: According Conrad (and Karl and Freud), are most people naturally or morally good? Why is it worth finding out what we might be at our worst? According to Conrad (and Freud), does civilization make people better or worse?

SETTING? How do specific aspects of the setting (river, jungle, light, dark) in Heart of Darkness signal deeper meanings in the text? Focus narrowly. Give insight into the role of setting as a context for the psychological aspects of the journey and use Freud and Karl to expand on this.

·         RELIABLE NARRATOR? As the story teller, Marlow adds his own thoughts, interpretations, and opinions. To what extent does this undermine the reliability of the story he’s telling? Or is Marlow’s interpretation the whole reason we are reading the story?

·         READER? What is the role of the reader in the journey to the Heart of Darkness? What can the reader bring to this novel that makes the journey more meaningful and profound? How does Conrad invite the reader to take a more active role than in novels written previously? What is the psychological journey the reader takes? (Use Karl.)

READ!

·        p. 61-70      by Tue Jan 22      blog  

·        p. 71-80      by Jan 23             blog

·        p. 81-90      by Jan 24             blog

·        p. 91-99      by Mon. Jan 28    blog about the ending

·        article/R Murfin    by Tue Jan 29      blog due on Murfin

·        article/F Karl        by Wed. Jan 30    blog due on Karl