Citizen Kane

We'll be watching a film entitled Citizen Kane. If you miss a day, and if you need to catch up with Citizen Kane, you can find the film online here.

One Last Thing About Gatsby -- Is He Great?

First, watch the following video in which the greatness of Gatsby is discussed. Re-watch it, in fact. Two or three times, even.





Then, on to the essay! In a thoughtful, thorough, one-page essay, answer the following question. Be sure to use the One Page Essay Rubric version 4.0 when drafting and revising.

Is Gatsby great?

You can answer this question one of two ways:

1. While to some readers Gatsby appears to be great, he actually is not.
2. While some readers question Gatsby's supposed greatness, Gatsby actually deserves that label.

Remember, you will be using Rubric 4.0 for this one, so be sure to keep it handy while editing.

Hint: Your first task? Define for yourself what "great" means, and what makes someone a "great" person.

Life in the 1920s

Tea Time for Gatsby

In a thoughtful, thorough, one-page essay, answer the following question. Be sure to use the One Page Essay Rubric when drafting and revising.

Was it a good idea for Nick to host the tea party?

You can answer this question one of two ways:

1. While it appears that Nick should host the tea party, he actually makes a mistake by doing so.
2. While it appears that Nick should not host the tea party, he actually made a good choice by doing so.

You will be using Rubric 3.0 for this one, so be sure to keep it handy while editing.

Arnold Rothstein and the 1920s

From Wikipedia: Arnold Rothstein (January 17, 1882 – November 6, 1928), nicknamed "the Brain", was a Jewish-American racketeer, businessman and gambler who became a kingpin of the Jewish mob in New York. Rothstein was widely reputed to have organized corruption in professional athletics, conspiring in the fixing of the 1919 World Series.

According to crime writer Leo Katcher, Rothstein "transformed organized crime from a thuggish activity by hoodlums into a big business, run like a corporation, with himself at the top." According to Rich Cohen, Rothstein was the person who first realized that Prohibition was a business opportunity, a means to enormous wealth, who "understood the truths of early century capitalism (giving people what they want) and came to dominate them.” His notoriety inspired several fictional characters based on his life, portrayed in contemporary and later short stories, novels, musicals and films.

Rothstein failed to pay a large debt resulting from a fixed poker game and was murdered in 1928.

In the novel The Great Gatsby, Meyer Wolfsheim is a Jewish friend and mentor of Gatsby's, described as a gambler who fixed the World Series. Wolfsheim appears only twice in the novel and is a clear allusion to Arnold Rothstein.

Here is a clip from Boardwalk Empire.

Here is Eight Men Out. Check out minute 27.

Exit Through the Essay

In a thoughtful, thorough, one-page essay, answer the following question. Use one of the two thesis statements in a single-sentence paragraph. Craft two body paragraphs that support that thesis sentence. Use your rubric throughout the revision process, and pay special attention to your use of quotations: condensing, integrating, and citing. Ask your instructors if you have any questions.

Throughout Exit Through the Giftshop, Thierry attempts to reinvent himself as an artist: Mr. Brainwash. The degree to which he is successful is debatable, but he certainly does try. Is Thierry deserving of viewers' respect or criticism?



Answer the question with one of the following two thesis statements:

• Although some viewers might think that Thierry is deserving of respect and admiration for his efforts, he is actually deserving of viewers' criticism.
• Although some viewers might think that Thierry is deserving of criticism for his foolishness and questionable ethics, he is actually deserving of viewers' respect.

Exit Through the Gift Shop

If you miss a day of class, you can catch up with the film embedded several times below. Keep in mind, that if you have not handed in a permission slip, you will have an alternative project.

World's Greatest Dad

This post if for JUNIORS only.

In a thoughtful, thorough, one-page essay, answer the following question. Be sure to use the One Page Essay Rubric when drafting and revising.

Is Dwight an acceptable father figure for Toby?

You can answer this question one of two ways:

1. Even though Dwight does a poor job of being a father figure to Toby, having Dwight as a mentor is still better than nothing.
2. Even though Dwight tries at times, having Dwight as a father figure still does more harm to Toby than good.

To perform well on this essay, you need to do the following:

• Pay at least one visit (maybe two) to the writing lab and meet with one of the writing consultants.
• Pay strict attention to Essay Rubric 2.0 when revising your essay.
• See one of your instructors if you have any questions about your essay or the assignment.

Courageous or Foolish?

In a thoughtful, thorough, one-page essay, answer the following question. Use one of the two thesis statements in a single-sentence paragraph. Craft two body paragraphs that support that thesis sentence. Ask your instructors if you have any questions. The essay is due in TWO CLASS days in your shared GoogleDrive folder.

At the start of This Boy's Life, Toby and his mother are fleeing from a bad relationship and traveling west to get rich on uranium. Is their quest an act of courage, or is it a foolish gesture destined for failure?

Answer the question with one of the following two thesis statements:

1. Even though Toby and his mother appear to be courageous by heading west in an attempt to start over, their journey is actually a foolish gesture destined for failure.
2. Even though Toby and his mother appear to be foolish by heading west in an attempt to start over, their journey is actually an act of courage.

Independent Book Report

For your independent book report, complete the following book report.


First, in the upper right hand corner, enter the following information:

1. student name
2. book title (underlined)
3. author
4. total number of pages
5. the pages numbers that the book report will be covering (Please note: If you have not finished your novel, indicate the number of pages you have read that you will be covering. Keep in mind that if your book report is vague or incomplete, you may be given a verbal quiz. If you do not perform well on the quiz, your book report grade will reflect this. In other words, your grade will be better off if you are honest about not finishing the entire book.)

Here's an example of the header:

          John Perkins
          Carter Beats the Devil
          Glen David Gold
          339 total pages
          pages 1-172



Second, answer the following four questions in four thoughtful, thorough paragraphs. Each paragraph should be a minimum of 200 words. Use at least three cited quotations throughout the report. (Introductions and conclusions are not necessary. The report should take the form of a four paragraph essay.)

1. Summarize in detail the main events of the book.
2. Describe how each of the major characters changes/grows throughout the course of the book. For each, explain whether or not they achieved their goal. (Is each character satisfied at the end with regards to what motivated him or her?)
3. Relate a significant incident from the second half of the book that truly interested you or impressed you, and explain why you liked it.
4. Evaluate the book, indicating in specific terms what you liked and/or disliked about it.  Do not use words like “good” or “bad” – which are vague and useless.  Give concrete reasons for your evaluation.

Note: Your job here is simple: Prove that you have read half the book and reflected on it. Remember that 200 words per paragraph is the minimum. That is how many words it takes to pass, not necessarily to get an A. You will be graded here for quality as well as quantity. Again, students who do not demonstrate a thorough understanding of the book are subject to a follow up verbal quiz. The results of this quiz will be reflected in the book report grade.

If you have any questions, please ask your instructor.

This book report is due Tuesday, May 27.

Sample Book Trailers

Here are some of the sample book trailers Mrs. Shaner shared with us at the start of the unit...



Feathered




 Inexcusable

Real World Problems in Fahrenheit 451

This post is for JUNIORS only.

In a thoughtful, thorough, one-page essay, respond to the following prompt. Be sure to use the One Page Essay Rubric when drafting and revising. Also refer to the Road to Formal Essay Revision handout. Both are available in your Googledrive. You should also refer to your Problems in Science Fiction handout. The essay is due on Tuesday, 5/13/14.

Title your Googledoc "451 Problems."

The societal problems Montag faces in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451
exist not only in the novel, but in the modern world as well.

Your task in the first body paragraph is to identify one problem from the "Problems in Science Fiction" handout and present two different examples in which it manifests itself in the novel. This paragraph must include two correctly incorporated and cited quotations -- one for each example.

In the second body paragraph you must supply two examples from the real world -- other literature, pop culture, history, current events, etc.

Each body paragraph must have a topic sentence that clearly expresses what will be proven in the paragraph.

For inspiration, refer to the Googledoc that collects our notes from our previous work on this issue.

Montag's Problems

This post is for JUNIORS only.

In a thoughtful, thorough, one-page essay, respond to the following prompt. Be sure to use the One Page Essay Rubric when drafting and revising. Also refer to the Road to Formal Essay Revision handout. Both are available in your Googledrive. You should also refer to your Problems in Science Fiction handout. The essay is due on Monday, 4/14/14.

Title your Googledoc "Montag's Problems."

While Montag's world of Fahrenheit 451
seems to be very different from contemporary American society,
it is actually quite similar.

Your task in the first body paragraph is to identify and discuss at least two differences between Montag's world and ours. Each difference should have its own setup, cited quotation, and explanation.

The second body paragraph must focus on one of the real-world problems that exists both in the book and in our world. You must have a detailed example of how that real-world problem exists in the book and a detailed example of how that real-world problem also exists in our world. Remember: detailed examples are mandatory.

Grammar of the Undead

ACT Question Stems

ACT stuff...

For the English test, here is some help identifying what question stems are looking for. Check out the link here.

District 9 Analysis

This post is for JUNIORS only.

District 9 tackles a variety of real world problems: South Africa's apartheid, South Africa's racist attitudes towards Nigerians, people's willingness to buy into media smear campaigns, immigration issues, the abuse of authority by police, the utilization of concentration camps, and more. 

The film, however, is basically broken into three acts with each act focusing on one basic problem:

1. The first third of the film deals with MNU's treatment of the aliens and the way they plan to force them into a concentration camp. In other words, the first third of the film explores how horribly governments and corporations can treat groups of minorities.
2. The second third of the film deals with MNU's inhuman treatment of Wikus and how horribly governments and corporations can treat individual members of society.
3. The final third of the film deals with how people have a natural instinct for self preservation which often leads to selfish and callous behavior towards others.

Your task is to accomplish the following objectives:

• Select one of the three acts about which you would like to write.
• View the clip below that illustrates the act's central real world problem.
• Write a thoughtful, thorough, grammatically correct paragraph in which you thoroughly explain how the clip illustrates just how the problem exists in the film.
• Write a second paragraph in which you thoroughly explain how this real world problem exists in either (1) the real world, (2) A Long Way Gone, or (3) another film or book or your choice.

If you have any questions, please ask an instructor. As always, use the Road to the Formal Essay samurai handout for revision.

Act I:  The treatment of the aliens by MNU

(The treatment of minority groups by governments and corporations)

Act II:  The treatment of Wikus by MNU

(The treatment of individuals by a government or corporation)

Act III:  Wikus is ruled by his fear of MNU and his prejudice of the aliens
(Individuals are ruled by instinctive fears and prejudices)

Two more points of interest:

Be sure to bring your Fahrenheit 451 novels the day after break.

If you enjoyed District 9, you might also enjoy Monsters.

Another Long Way Gone - Essay 2

For this essay, due in your folder by the start of class on Friday if you are in school or not, is a little different than the usual. In this essay, you are going to have 3 body paragraphs instead of 2.

Here is your thesis:

While Ishmael is __________ and __________, he is not __________.

Here are the virtues from which you may choose:

• humble
• decisive
• tolerant
• focused

If you look closely at the prompt, you may notice that you have one extra virtue. Throw it away.  From the list of four, two must describe what Ishmael IS, one must describe what Ishmael is NOT, and one is not to be used.

Each body paragraph must have at least one example/cited quotation.

If you have any questions, please stop in and ask Mr. Cowlin or Mr. Smith for some help.

A Long Way Gone - Essay 1

This post is for JUNIORS only.

In a thoughtful, thorough, one-page essay, answer the following question. Be sure to use the One Page Essay Rubric when drafting and revising. The essay is due on Monday, 2/24/14.

Title your Googledoc "Hope and Desperation."

Is the overall tone of the memoir A Long Way Gone one of hope or desperation?

You can answer this question one of two ways:

1. While the book has moments of hope, the overall tone is one of desperation and hopelessness.
2. While the book has moments of desperation, the overall tone is one of hope.

Google Doc Hanging Indent Tutorial

Here is a short tutorial on how to create "hanging indents" for your work cited page:

Winter Play Trailer