Friday, April 29 Musée des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden

Learning Targets: I can cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
I can determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text.
I can analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama.
I can determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful.


In class: listening / reading  to W. H.  Auden's Musée des Beaux Arts and responding to analysis questions.
(class handout / copy below)

Musee des Beaux Arts

Musée des Beaux Arts

W. H. Auden

About suffering they were never wrong,
The old Masters: how well they understood
Its human position: how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting
For the miraculous birth, there always must be
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating
On a pond at the edge of the wood:
They never forgot
That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.

In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone
As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green
Water, and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,
Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.

*******************************************************************************

Name_________________________________ thematic comparison between by Musée des Beaux Arts by W.H. Auden and Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton    Part 1

Musée des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden

Landscape with the Fall of Icarus  by Pieter Breughel

About suffering they were never wrong,

The old Masters: how well they understood

Its human position: how it takes place

While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;

How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting

For the miraculous birth, there always must be

Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating

On a pond at the edge of the wood:

They never forgot

That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course

Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot

Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse

Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.

In Breughel's Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away

Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may

Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,

But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone

As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green

Water, and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen

Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,

Had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.

Accompanying questions for Musée des Beaux Arts. Use specific text to support your responses.

1.                 What did the “Old Masters” understand about suffering?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  2.   What do the contrasting examples in the first stanza seem to suggest about the “human position” of suffering? Support your answer using details from the first stanza. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3   According to the speaker, how does Brueghel’s painting depict the reaction to Icarus’ disaster? Explain using specific details from the second stanza.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.   How does Brueghel’s The Fall of Icarus seem to reinforce speaker’s ideas about suffering? Support your answer using details from the poem and from the painting shown above.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.         In your opinion, why did Auden write this poem? (Do not use “I”!) In your response explain what he wishes to convey and why.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.         How does Auden use imagery to help convey his ideas about suffering?     Give three specific examples and identify the type of imagery. (auditory, visual, olfactory, sensory, gustatory)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6.         Find two examples of irony and explain how they add to your understanding and appreciation of the poem.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thursday, April 27 Roman Numerals

In class: Roman numeral review

When we read Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, several people asked about using Roman numerals. You probably had these in elementary school, but, even around Rochester, you will find buildings with Roman numerals, mostly to indicate when it was constructed.

 With a partner or two, translate the numbers. The first one is done for you.

You probably had these in elementary school, but, even around Rochester, you will find buildings with Roman numerals, mostly to indicate when it was constructed.

 With a partner or two, translate the numbers. The first one is done for you.

Key:

I	The easiest way to note down a number is to make that many marks - little I's. Thus I means 1, II means 2, III means 3. However, four strokes seemed like too many....
V	So the Romans moved on to the symbol for 5 - V. Placing I in front of the V — or placing any smaller number in front of any larger number — indicates subtraction. So IV means 4. After V comes a series of additions - VI means 6, VII means 7, VIII means 8.
X	X means 10. But wait — what about 9? Same deal. IX means to subtract I from X, leaving 9. Numbers in the teens, twenties and thirties follow the same form as the first set, only with X's indicating the number of tens. So XXXI is 31, and XXIV is 24.
L	L means 50. Based on what you've learned, I bet you can figure out what 40 is. If you guessed XL, you're right = 10 subtracted from 50. And thus 60, 70, and 80 are LX, LXX and LXXX.
C	C stands for centum, the Latin word for 100. A centurion led 100 men. We still use this in words like "century" and "cent." The subtraction rule means 90 is written as XC. Like the X's and L's, the C's are tacked on to the beginning of numbers to indicate how many hundreds there are: CCCLXIX is 369.
D	D stands for 500. As you can probably guess by this time, CD means 400. So CDXLVIII is 448. (See why we switched systems?)
M	M is 1,000. You see a lot of Ms because Roman numerals are used a lot to indicate dates. For instance, this page was written in the year of Nova Roma's founding, 1998 CE (Common Era; Christians use AD for Anno Domini, "year of our Lord"). That year is written as MCMXCVIII. But wait! Nova Roma counts years from the founding of Rome, ab urbe condita. By that reckoning Nova Roma was founded in 2751 a.u.c. or MMDCCLI.

1.  MMXLV = ____2045________	2.  MMCDL = ____________________	3.  685 = ____________________
4.  DCLIII = ____________________	5.  882 = ____________________	6.  MMDLXXVI = ____________________
7.  MCCCXVII = ____________________	8.  MMCDXXVI = ____________________	9.  one thousand, two hundred seventy-four = ____________________
10.  MDCXI = ____________________	11.  MMCXXXV = ____________________	12.  XXI = ____________________
13.  1698 = ____________________	14.  MMDCCCLXX = ____________________	15.  DCCCXLII = ____________________
16.  MMCCLXXXVII = ____________________	17.  nine hundred ninety-three = ____________________	18.  DCXVIII = ____________________
19.  CMLXIX = ____________________	20.  MDCXLVIII = ____________________	21.  62 = ____________________
22.  CMXCI = ____________________	23.  MDCCCXXIX = ____________________	24.  DXXXIV = ____________________
25.  MCDXL = ____________________	26.  918 = ____________________	27.  MMCLXXIV = ____________________
28.  MMCCCLXIII = ____________________	29.  MMCDLXXXIX = ____________________	30.  CCCLVI = ____________________

Wednesday, April 26 writing Ethan Frome essay in class.

In class: Using the graphic organizer that was handed out on Monday and completed in class yesterday, please complete the following response as a cumulative assessment for Ethan Frome:

You may only use your completed outline, not the text, as no textual evidence is needed. Both the essay and the outline are due at the end of class. For those receiving extended time, please hand in or submit before class tomorrow.

For those using the chrome books, please send to 2006630.




In Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in a character. Write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect this character and illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.


Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton essay  outline and response

In an essay of three well-written paragraphs of approximately a total of 300 words, write a response to the following thematic question about the novel.



1. In Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in a character. Write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect this character and illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.

Outline:

Hook: Write a general statement to engage your audience and lead into your topic sentence / thesis statement.
            This may concern naturalism, nature versus nurture, a cultural observation in relation to the circumstances of the setting or morality. It is important to remember to context of the novel.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thesis statement: Look to the prompt above. Rephrase and write a statement you will prove. Chose only one character as your centerpiece, although you may make connections with others.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Middle paragraph: If your thesis is clear, you know who you are focusing on and exactly what points you want to bring in here. Select specific parts of the novel to support your thesis. Remember you are connecting the surroundings within the story (this does not have to be simply the season, but think about community and home life.

Three circumstances or events in _____________________________ life that shaped her or his moral or psychological character.  Put them in chronological order. How are going to link them within the paragraph? Use transition words: in addition, moreover, finally, meanwhile, for this reason, accordingly, no doubt, above all, next, from here, likewise, equally important, on the other hand, also, again, similarly

Do not write whole sentences here. Take notes for yourself.

1. First scene: what happens, how and why does it impact the character?

2. Second scene: what happens, how and why does it impact the character?

3. Third scene: what happens, how and why does it impact the character?

Conclusion: Do not say “in conclusion”…..Refer back to your thesis. How and why do the circumstances you have just referred to illuminate an understanding between one’s environment and one’s actions in life. Think about the restrictions or benefits of these.  Again, take notes here to actually write the essay.

Tuesday, April 25 creating outline for Ethan Frome essay

In class: we will review the graphic organizer for content and comprehension  that was passed out yesterday.

This will be collected tomorrow, along with the completed essay.

Tomorrow when you write, please begin with a MLA heading.

your name
instructor's name
English III- (3, 7, 8)
26 April 2017

                                                     Ethan Frome

Outline:

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton essay  outline and response

In an essay of three well-written paragraphs of approximately a total of 300 words, write a response to the following thematic question about the novel.



1. In Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in a character. Write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect this character and illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.
Outline:

Hook: Write a general statement to engage your audience and lead into your topic sentence / thesis statement.
            This may concern naturalism, nature versus nurture, a cultural observation in relation to the circumstances of the setting or morality. It is important to remember to context of the novel.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thesis statement: Look to the prompt above. Rephrase and write a statement you will prove. Chose only one character as your centerpiece, although you may make connections with others.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Middle paragraph: If your thesis is clear, you know who you are focusing on and exactly what points you want to bring in here. Select specific parts of the novel to support your thesis. Remember you are connecting the surroundings within the story (this does not have to be simply the season, but think about community and home life.

Three circumstances or events in _____________________________ life that shaped her or his moral or psychological character.  Put them in chronological order. How are going to link them within the paragraph? Use transition words: in addition, moreover, finally, meanwhile, for this reason, accordingly, no doubt, above all, next, from here, likewise, equally important, on the other hand, also, again, similarly

Do not write whole sentences here. Take notes for yourself.

1. First scene: what happens, how and why does it impact the character?

2. Second scene: what happens, how and why does it impact the character?

3. Third scene: what happens, how and why does it impact the character?

Conclusion: Do not say “in conclusion”…..Refer back to your thesis. How and why do the circumstances you have just referred to illuminate an understanding between one’s environment and one’s actions in life. Think about the restrictions or benefits of these.  Again, take notes here to actually write the essay.

Monday, April 23 class discussion of Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

ETHAN FROME by Edith Wharton review

In class: everyone was to have finished this short novel over the break. This was shared both orally and on the blog for each of the four days before the break.

Tomorrow you will use your texts to create an outline on the following thematic topic, which you will use to write a three-paragraph essay on Wednesday.  I am passing out the outline in class today, so anyone who is on the field trip tomorrow will have it completed to use on Wednesday. The essay will be due at the end of the school day on Wednesday, with the exception of those who receive extended time. Please note that the outline is a separate grade. I must emphasize that you will NOT have access to your text on Wednesday, but only your outline. It is therefore very important to have finished the novel and assembled a thorough outline.

1. In Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in a character. Write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect this character and illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.




Theme 1:  CONFLICTS EXISTING BETWEEN PERSONAL INCLINATIONS AND GROUP OBLIGATIONS.

a. What dilemma does the protagonist face?

 b. Who is asking him or her to make the choice? 

c. Does this person have that right?

d. What, ultimately, influences the protagonist’s decision? 

e. Was the decision the “right” one for him/her as well as the other person involved? 

f. passion vs duty

THEME 2: HOW MUCH CONTROL DO WE HAVE OVER THE CHOICES WE MAKE? 

Crystal Ball Exercise: Lines from the novel.

Based upon the following lines, answer the following:

(1) Whose said this?

 (2) What is this person probably like? 

(3)  How will this attitude affect the way he/she deals with difficulties in life? 

a. “The doctor don’t want I should be left without anybody to do for me.”

b. “I know I ain’t anything like as smart as I ought to be…but if she’d only let me I’d try.”

 c. “She needn’t know anything about it if you keep quiet. I’ll get another just like it tomorrow.” 

 d. “Oh, no—don’t let’s think about it…”

 e. “I’m the one to blame for its getting broken.” 

 f. “Yes, and my folks told me at the time you couldn’t do less than marry me after…”

THEME #3 IS SUICIDE A SOLUTION OR A “COP OUT”? 


****************************************************
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton essay  outline and response

In an essay of three well-written paragraphs of approximately a total of 300 words, write a response to the following thematic question about the novel.



1. In Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in a character. Write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect this character and illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.

Outline:

Hook: Write a general statement to engage your audience and lead into your topic sentence / thesis statement.
            This may concern naturalism, nature versus nurture, a cultural observation in relation to the circumstances of the setting or morality. It is important to remember to context of the novel.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thesis statement: Look to the prompt above. Rephrase and write a statement you will prove. Chose only one character as your centerpiece, although you may make connections with others.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Middle paragraph: If your thesis is clear, you know who you are focusing on and exactly what points you want to bring in here. Select specific parts of the novel to support your thesis. Remember you are connecting the surroundings within the story (this does not have to be simply the season, but think about community and home life.

Three circumstances or events in _____________________________ life that shaped her or his moral or psychological character.  Put them in chronological order. How are going to link them within the paragraph? Use transition words: in addition, moreover, finally, meanwhile, for this reason, accordingly, no doubt, above all, next, from here, likewise, equally important, on the other hand, also, again, similarly

Do not write whole sentences here. Take notes for yourself.

1. First scene: what happens, how and why does it impact the character?

2. Second scene: what happens, how and why does it impact the character?

3. Third scene: what happens, how and why does it impact the character?

Conclusion: Do not say “in conclusion”…..Refer back to your thesis. How and why do the circumstances you have just referred to illuminate an understanding between one’s environment and one’s actions in life. Think about the restrictions or benefits of these.  Again, take notes here to actually write the essay.

Thursday, April 13 "smash up"

Below is the link to the film. We watched the Prologue to establish a visual of Starkfield, Massachusetts in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts in the winter, as well as the physical nature of Ethan. The film substituted the character of the minister for the unbiased, objective narrator of the text. We are looking at the last 40 minutes of the film today. 

Keep in mind the organizational structure of the text: the novel is divided into three parts, which correspond to the prologue (1913), center part (1888) and then back to 1913.

Last 40 minutes of the film Ethan Frome.  

Ethan Frome part 7

Ethan Frome part 8

Ethan Frome part 9

Ethan Frome part 10