For Tuesday, May 5

Relax!  Think about the skills you have gained this year.

Synthesis Essay:

Opinion Driven
Use 3 sources
Let sources talk to each other
Make sure my own opinion is clear

Analysis Essay:

How does the author persuade his readers to change their thinking or move them to action?
In your thesis, include the author's goal.
You are looking for rhetorical strategies.  You are writing about the writing.

Argument Essay:

Make sure your opinion is clear.
Fill your essay with current events, reading, and experiences that support your opinion.

For Monday, April 27

For Monday, I want you to write a "spoken word" piece.   "Writing" a "spoken" word piece might seem impossible, but I am positive that these performers begin with a manuscript that the writers memorize to present to their audiences.  AND...no worries, you will get a chance to "speak" your written word to our class.  (This is like poetry or heavy impact paragraphs.  Stylize your "word" with intentionality.)

Step One:  Select a social "issue" about which you feel strongly.
Step Two:  Think about words that will express your feelings on the subject.
Step Three:  Think about scenarios in which you would find your "issue" in action.
Step Four:  Think about ways you see to fix the problem...or at least make an effort to fix it.
Step Five:  Start writing.
Step Six:  Read your work aloud.
Step Seven:  Rewrite, fine tune, restructure, and refine.
Step Eight:  Read your work to your parents.  What do they think?  Do they have any suggestions?
Step Nine:  One more look, refine...one more time.
Step Ten:  Get ready to present...

For your review:  This is the clip we watched in class:

http://goo.gl/xWbT50  You can find many more clips online.

For Thursday, April 23

Prepare yourself mentally and physically for class Thursday by brushing up on current events, breathing in God's spirit, reading a poem, reading a news article, thinking about life as you know it.  We will write a 40 minute essay and do a multiple choice sample.

Enjoy your time off...just be aware of all that is going on around you.

For Tuesday, April 21

This weekend you will read a stream in the NY Times Room for Date which asks the experts the question:  Does poetry matter?  I would like for you to read the discussion (all articles).  Then, formulate your own opinion.  Select three of the sources that you will use in a synthesis essay.

DON'T WRITE THE ESSAY~JUST PREPARE TO WRITE AN ESSAY.

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/07/18/does-poetry-matter

On Tuesday, we will discuss the debate.  Then, I will set the timer for 40 minutes and away you will go...writing for a full 40 minutes, sharing your informed opinion as to whether poetry matters:)

You may choose to print out the specific articles you will cite in your essay.  I will also have copies of each of the articles for your use on Tuesday.

Have a wonderful weekend!

For Friday, April 17

Walk...barefoot
Look at a painting
Listen to music
Taste an exotic fruit
Touch a flower
Breathe deep
Watch your grass grow
Write a poem

For Monday, April 13

Bring in any work you have completed on the rough draft of your The Road paper.   You will have time in class to work on your essay.  I will be available for questionss.  The final paper is due on Wednesday, April 15.

For extra credit, select one of the images below.  Next, let it inspire you to write a poem.  Bring me the poem.

For Thursday, April 9

Select a paper topic for your essay over The Road.  Remember: your topic must be narrow enough to cover in approximately 1000 words.  PRIMARY GOALS:  ANALYZE MCCARTHY'S PURPOSE FOR THE NOVEL; FORM YOUR PERSONAL OPINION REGARDING HIS PURPOSE/WORLDVIEW AND STATE IT.

Write a working thesis (we can change as necessary) and find (highlighted or typed) a minimum of six insightful and apropos quotes from the novel that you will use to prove your thesis. 

Know the definition of apropos.

EXAMPLE:  If you choose to analyze McCarthy's use of light imagery, you will justify your interpretations regarding light imagery with multiple concrete examples from the novel. In your conclusion, you will agree or disagree with the way McCarthy sees light in his post-apocalyptic world.  You might ask yourself:  What does light mean to me?  How has light been used or seen (in a literary sense) throughout history?  How does God (our God) define light?  In a landscape without moral absolutes, does light/hope have any purpose?

Comparing The Road to another piece of literature, film, painting, song, tv series could be excellent. Make sure to check with me if you are unsure about the validity of a companion piece.

Off the top of my head:

Father-Son Relationships
Night by Elie Wiesel
A Beautiful Life 1997 film
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

Post-Apocalyptic Novels/Films
The Book of Eli
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (think about the importance of story/history/memory)
Brave New World by Alex Huxley (think:  Does society make a difference in moral absolutes? or even Which world is more cannibalistic?)

If you want to run some ideas past me, feel free to email or text.

DUE DATE FOR ESSAY:  BOP - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

For Wednesday, April 8

If you have not already done so, finish reading The Road.

For Monday, March 30

Finish reading The Road.

Find a song that MOVES you emotionally.  This can be instrumental or include lyrics.  If you choose a song with lyrics, print out about 7 copies of the lyrics.  You will need to communicate to the class how and why this song moves you; type out your explanation for me.  How does the song demonstrate "humanity"?

Mentally answer this question:  What other art forms move me?  How does this happen?  You should select a painting, novel, poem, sculpture, sport play, etc.  I will ask you how this _______ moves you.

Here are some art pieces that move me!

For Thursday, March 26

Complete the quick write over the relationship between music and humanity.  Make sure to answer each of the questions.  You will need to turn in about a page and a half.

In search of a world language, music seems to the universal language of Earth regardless if the song is sung in Arabic or Spanish or Japanese or is recorded in Swahili. Humanity has been communicating through music longer than spoken language. Even now instruments in fusion music, local and indigenous and classical music still earns respect from warring factions and divided nations. Music has been used in the past and currently the present as a form of diplomacy sometimes backed by governments across the world in cultural exchanges by citizen led initiatives from film festivals, musical collaborations between national bands across borders or further away to call for understanding, cooperation and peace where politicians have failed to bridge the gap. Just as it has been used for diplomacy it has also become a tool of therapy for distressed people: soldiers and civilians suffering PTSD and daily stress of life in general. Than there is the role of music in propaganda and how it has been used to promote a jingoistic and exclusionary nationalism. But at the end of the day, music is still regarded as a culture and sound everyone around the world enjoys and immerses in.

http://ignoringoccupation.blogspot.com/p/art-and-culture.html

For Tuesday, when we get back from Spring Break.

Read The Road through page 200.  I know I am posting this late, but hopefully, you can make it through the pages.  It starts slow; try to embrace the psychology of the piece.  Look for writing style.  It's not necessarily a book to read for plot line.

If you do not make it through all 200 pages, no worries.  Just get as close as possible.

For Friday, March 13

Bring in the novel The Road, by Cormac McCarthy.

After we watch our last project presentations, we will have a brief introduction to our next novel.  Then, we will drop everything and read.  Feel free to bring a pillow.

For Wednesday, March 11

FOR EVERYONE:

Each project should have a notes page that tells me the page numbers on which your quotes can be found.  This can be a simple numbered list.  Put your quotes in the order they appear in the project.

INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS:

Sydney Bedell
Theme:  Dark and Light - Dorian's Demons
Animoto - 5 minutes
Quotes on separate sheet of paper
Commentary - Wilde's Message / Lesson for Today

Makena Belnoski
Theme - Good vs. Evil - Dorian's Dual Nature
Scrapbook - No pics from the movie
9 quotes
Commentary - Wilde's Message

Scott Buras
Theme - Growing Depravity of Dorian
Animoto - Original photography/Hand Pick music
9 Quotes
Commentary - Lesson Wilde teaches through this theme in his novel.

Emily Clark
Theme:  Dorian's Metamorphosis through Symbol Flowers and Colors
9 Quotes
Commentary - Wilde's Message

Sierra Dockrey
Theme:  The Power of Influence
Three Dimensional Book Art Piece
Animoto with Quotes - 9 quotes + Commentary - Wilde's Message

Lucas Foxicas
Theme:  No escape from the consequences of sin
9 Quotes within ___ original songs set to modern hits
Hats to represent characters
Performance
Commentary - Wilde's Message

Mackenzie Hogan
Theme - Dorian's Transformation
9 Quotes from novel
Frame with photography - dying flower
Commentary - Wilde's Message

Alayna Holm
Theme - Dorian's Transformation through Influence
9 Quotes = 9 Emotional Response Sketches
Bigger portrait
Commentary - Wilde's Message

Garrett Mayes
Theme - Good vs. Evil/Dorian's Dual Nature
CD-Playlist
9 Songs - 9 Quotes
Rationale for each song
Album Cover
Commentary - Wilde's Message

Hayden Pratt
Theme - Far reaching effects of sin - Dorian's corruption leads to death
Legos Diorama (4 scenes)
9 Quotes
Commentary - Wilde's Message

Gentry Smith
Theme - Hiding Sin Increases Sin
Art Piece - Layers - Dorian hides the painting
5 - 7 Layers
10 Quotes
Commentary - Wilde's Message

Sterling Smith
Theme - Dorian's Increasing Degradation - Face Sin or Be Trapped
Animoto - photoshopped photos/video
Hand pick your music please
9 Quotes
Commentary - Wilde's Message

John Stephens
Theme - The Power of Negative Influence
Animoto - 3 minute minimum
15 quotes
No photos from movie
Commentary - Wilde's Message
Any quotes not included in Animoto written out on separate sheet of paper

Emily Tyminski
Theme - Every choice bears a consequence - Hiding sin
Diorama scene with Sybil + symbols to demonstrate Dorian hiding his corruption
9 quotes
Commentary - Wilde's Message

Dani Wilds
Theme - Dorian's Increasing Corruption
Original photos - minimum 9
White to Black symbolism
9 Quotes
Commentary - Wilde's Message

For Thursday, March 5 AND For Monday, March 9

Today's Meet - Actually closed at 12:01 p.m. today, which means lunch time.  So...if you have posted your five comments=100 minor grade for you.  If you have not posted, you will receive no penalty/no reward.  You will be exempted from the assignment.  Forgive me as I try to become more tech savvy.  I'm learning.

NOTICE:  I HAVE MOVED PROJECT DUE DATE.

We will complete your team discussion sheets over PoDG.

Salvador Dali
Metamorphosis of Narcissus

The remainder of class time will be spent on your PoDG project.  You will meet with me to go over the specific requirements for your particular project.  Everyone must meet with me on Monday.

PROJECT DUE:  
11 March 2015

Keys for success:

You want your project to do everything a quality analytical essay over this novel would do.  Think:  3 body paragraphs...9 quotes with explanations or quotations sandwiches.  So, in your project, include a similar amount of evidence and explanation.

Obviously, this will look different for every project, but if you realize that this is our goal as far as tools used and exercised, your project will be superior in all its parts.

For Friday, February 27 and Thursday, March 5

Finish the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Friday, February 27.  We will spend time Friday brainstorming ideas for your project (worth two major grades).

For our TodaysMeet chatroom, you will be responding to the 2012 prompt on the AP Language and composition exam.  This chatroom will be open for one week; all comments must be in by March 5.

ROOM URL:  
http://today.io/PsvD

Kristof Kintera is one of the most successful and most interesting Czech artists of the youngest generation. His oeuvre is characteristic of a certain doubt concerning the possibilities and role of the arts.

I DESIRE:

1. For you to have a fun way to see how many creative ideas and proofs you can come up with as a whole group.  12 minds are better than 1.
2. A free exchange of ideas; feel free to disagree with one another; however, I do not want you to create dissension in the class.  Be respectful and fight fair.  Use concrete examples to back up your opinions.
3. Each student must contribute at least five comments to the chat room.  I will grade your comments as one minor grade.
4. Note, if your comment exceeds the character limit, just add another box.  
5. The prompt in the chat room is limited because of space; refer back to the blog for the entire prompt.
6. Have fun!  

THE PROMPT:
Consider the distinct perspectives expressed in the following statements.

If you develop the absolute sense of certainty that powerful beliefs provide, then you can get yourself to accomplish virtually anything, including those things that other people are certain are impossible. William Lyon Phelps, American educator, journalist, and professo
r (1865–1943)

I think we ought always to entertain our opinions with some measure of doubt. I shouldn’t wish people dogmatically to believe any philosophy, not even mine. Bertrand Russell, British author, mathematician, and philosopher (1872–1970)

 In a well-organized essay, take a position on the relationship between certainty and doubt. Support your argument with appropriate evidence and examples.

For Wednesday, February 25

Finish the novel Picture of Dorian Gray by Friday February 27.


Options for raising your grade/extra credit:  This will take the place of your lowest major grade.

Write the argument essay over the relationship between art and humanity.

Oscar Wilde adhered to the tenants of aestheticism, a late 19th-century European arts movement which centered on the doctrine that art exists for the sake of its beauty alone, and that it need serve no political, didactic, or other purpose.

Name the artist mimicked on this bookcover.

Chinua Achebe believes that artistic and literary works must deal primarily with the problems of society. He has said that "art is, and always was, at the service of man" rather than an end in itself, accountable to no one. He believes that "any good story, any good novel, should have a message, should have a purpose."

Think about the differing views of art.  Then write an essay in which you explain your position on the relationship between art and humanity.  Use appropriate evidence from your reading, experience, or observations to support your argument.

THESIS TEMPLATES:

Templates for making concessions while still standing your ground:

     Although I grant that ________________________, I maintain that _____________________________________.

     Proponents of X are right to argue that _____________________. But they exaggerate when they claim that ___________________________.

     While it is true that ___________________________, it does not necessarily follow that ____________________________.

Templates for agreeing:

     X’s theory of _________________ is extremely useful because it sheds light on ______.

Template for disagreeing:

     By focusing on ____________________, X overlooks the deeper problems of _____________________.

For Monday, February 23

Read The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 13 through 18.  Pay particular attention to color, Biblical allusion, imagery, and symbolism.

Consider:

As we have discussed, Oscar Wilde wrote this novel 1890.  A decade later, he was arrested and charged with "'committing acts of gross indecency with male persons.'  The details of Wilde's final five years, spent in prison and in lonely exile, are tragic...Wilde's conversion took place within the last two days of his life, when desperate friends, the Catholic Robbie Ross among them, brought in a local priest to gauge Wilde's assent to the conversion and to administer Last Rites.  Appropriately, Wilde's last act was an assent to a final ritual" (Cauti xxxiii).

"Like an object caught in the tension of two opposing forces, his body and mind were torn between the love of God and the enticement of the sensual" (Zacharrias 5).

"His death at forty-six was attributed to the destruction he brought upon his body through an indulgent lifestyle" (Zaccharias 6).

So...PONDER THIS:

How do we account for Wilde's work that seems to speak so strongly against immorality and the pursuit of pleasure?  How does Wilde communicate his personal argument with Truth? What part does the Holy Spirit play in an artist's endeavor?  What does this tell us/bring up concerning the human condition?  As Christians, what is our take away?

For Thursday, February 19

Read Chapters 11 and 12 in The Picture of Dorian Gray.  Chapter 11 is a pivotal chapter in the novel.  While the first few pages contain some of the most interesting paragraphs regarding Dorian's fall into decadence, much of the chapter follows the format of A Rebours, the yellow book Lord Henry gives to Dorian.  Remember, the yellow book follows the moral decline of the young Parisian through description.  As you read, you may skim the paragraphs devoted to describing Dorian's mutliple obsessions/collections.  When you come to paragraphs where some plot development seems to occur, read them carefully.

Chapter 12 is crucial.  Read it carefully.  Mark it up.  We will read Chapter 13 together on Thursday.

Blessings!

For Tuesday, February 17

French Salon

Read Chapters 9 and 10 in The Picture of Dorian Gray.  In Chapter 10, Lord Henry gives Dorian a "yellow book."  Chapter 11 will go into much detail regarding the book and its effect on Dorian. Much of Chapter 11 will mimic the book's own style and preoccupations.  So we will skim parts of Chapter 11 together and focus our attention more on plot line and symbolism.  The "yellow book" is most likely a reference to A Rebours (translated into English as Against Nature or Against the Grain), the seminal Decadent novel by the French author Joris Karl Huysmans.  Wilde first read A Rebours on his Paris honeymoon shortly after its publication in 1884.  We will talk more about this book in class.

Read the College Board sample essays for Question 3 over "ownership."  Before reading the actual grades and explanations, try to put your own grade on each sample.  Look at the differences between your essay and the samples provided.

On Tuesday, we will have a "salon" discussing Dorian Gray and as time allows the nuances of the argument essay.

In this painting, titled "Reading from Moliere," artist Jean Francois de Troy depicts a salon of the French Enlightenment.

A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine the taste and increase the knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to please or to educate" ("aut delectare aut prodesse est"). Salons, commonly associated with French literary and philosophical movements of the 17th and 18th centuries, were carried on until quite recently in urban settings. (Wikipedia)

The Salon by Toulouse-Leutrec

For Friday, February 13

Read Chapters 3-8 of Picture of Dorian Gray.  Use all of your close reading strategies.  You should be prepared for a reading quiz.

Wednesday is exam practice day.

For Friday, February 9

Oscar Wilde-Lord Henry???

1.   Read Chapters 1 and 2 from The Picture of Dorian Gray.

2.  In these chapters, find and annotate for the following allusions:

Chapter 1:
Adonis
Narcissus
Antinous
Chapter 2:
Schumann's "Forest Scenes"
Hellenic Ideal
Hermes
Faun, Satyr
Dr. Faust *  (a key)


3.  Create a character sketch for each of the major characters:
Lord Henry Wotton
Basil Hallward
Dorian Gray

For this character sketch, you may write paragraphs with embedded quotations.  You may draw and annotate your drawing.  You may create a comic strip, design a collage, produce Picasso heads, etc. You choose the way in which you will communicate your findings.

*Note:  You must use words/quotes in your creation, so your communication is clear.

A Narcissus

Dorian Gray Complex

For Thursday, February 5

Write a one page response to one of the statements written by Oscar Wilde in the Preface to his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.  You will agree/disagree/or both with the statement.  Give evidence for your argument.  Concrete and relevant evidence.

What is your opinion?  Write a brief paragraph (4-5 sentences) stating your opinion regarding the following quote:

“Part of the role of the church in the past was—and could and should be again—to foster and sustain lives of beauty and aesthetic meaning at every level, from music making in the village pub to drama in the local primary school, from artists’ and photographers’ workshops to still-life painting classes, from symphony concerts, to driftwood sculptures. The point is this. The arts are not the pretty but irrelevant bits around the border of reality. They are the highways into the center of a reality which cannot be glimpsed, let alone grasped, any other way. The present world is good, but broken and in any case incomplete; art of all kinds enables us to understand that paradox in its many dimensions. But the present world is also designed for something which has not yet happened. It is like a violin waiting to be played: beautiful to look at, graceful to hold-and yet if you'd never heard one in the hands of a musician, you wouldn't believe the new dimensions of beauty yet to be revealed. Perhaps art can show something of that, can glimpse the future possibilities pregnant within the present time.” ― N.T. Wright, Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense

For Tuesday, February 3

Peruse your annotations for "A Modest Proposal."  Make sure you are prepared to answer questions regarding Swift's rhetoric and style on a quiz, as well as, in team discussion.

Acquire your hard or digital copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

Optional:
For your expanded learning and practice, write an essay over the last six or seven paragraphs of The Great Gatsby, one of the greatest excerpts of literature of all time:)  Your essay should answer the following prompt:

Assess Fitzgerald's purpose in writing his novel The Great Gatsby.  Read the last seven paragraphs of Fitzgerald's novel. Considering this brief excerpt, write an essay analyzing the literary techniques/rhetorical strategies Fitgerald uses to convey his viewpoint and/or purpose.

If you choose to write this essay, it will benefit you greatly either by raising your grade on your literary device interpretations over the same passage OR by raising your grade on another major assignment.

For Wednesday, January 28

1)  TOP PRIORITY:  Complete your digital essay for Gatsby.  Make sure your theme is apparent with fitting quotes and images. We need enough quotes to sell that this is a theme of the novel.   Make sure to tie your essay theme to today's audience.  Today, I viewed Alayna's, Sydney's, Sierra's, and Luke's.  They all did a good job demonstrating Fitzgerald's messages that transcend time.

2)  You will be reading "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift.  Your pre-reading assignment is to peruse the following questions:  (can be find under Questions on Rhetoric and Style).  Then, as you read Swift's essay, annotate accordingly.  I will expect you to not only underline the device (for example:  diction mentioned in question 2), but to also write in the margin how the device works in the passage.  If you need to use a second sheet of paper, that is fine.  If the question does not lend itself to annotation, just think about it for team discussion.  Pretend you are reading to write an essay.  I will be checking your annotations.

3)  Read "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift.  It is in your AP Language and Composition textbook, or you can find the complete text online.  Annotate according to the Rhetoric and Style Questions.

4)  Acquire a copy of the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.  You will need this novel on February 3.

A Modest Proposal-Questions on Rhetoric and Style:

1.  How does Swift want the reader to view his speaker?  That is, how would Swift want his reader o describe the persona he adopts?
2.  Note Swift's diction in the first seven paragraphs.  How does it show quantification and dehumanization?  Explain the purpose of Swift's specific word choices.
3,  At the beginning of the essay, Swift explains the anticipated results before revealing the actual proposal.  Explain the rhetorical purpose of such a strategy.
4.  In paragraph 9, why doesn't Swift end the sentence after the word food?  Explain the purpose and effect of the modifiers included there.
5.  Identify examples of appeals other than the classical appeals, such as appeals to thrift, economy, and patriotism.  Explain the rhetorical strategy behind each example.
6.  Consider the additional proposal that Swift mentions in paragraph 17.  Explain the rhetorical strategy at work in that paragraph.
7.  Which targets does Swift ironically identify in paragraphs 21 and 22.  Note the rhetorical progression of paragraphs 21-26.  By using such a method, what is Swift satirizing?
8.  What are the assumptions behind each of Swift's claims in paragraphs 21-26?  Explain them.
9.  Read carefully, paragraphs 29-31.  What are the "expedients" that Swift discusses there?
10.  To what do the "vain, idle, visionary thoughts" (para. 31) refer?  What is Swift's tone here?
11.  How does the final paragraph of the essay contribute to Swift's rhetorical purpose?
12.  By publishing such an outrageous text, what might Swift have hoped to bring abaout amond the people of Ireland?

For Monday, January 26

Begin planning, creating, and perfecting your Gatsby Digital Essay.  The due date is Wednesday, January 28; however, we will have a reading assignment out of your textbook on Monday night, so I do not want you to get stuck with double homework.  Pace yourselves so you can produce a wonderful product, superior in all its parts.  Superior in ALL parts receives an A.

The final digital essay should analyze Fitgerald's use of images to demonstrate his novel's themes and purposes.

I think my final product was about 2 minutes or so.  You decide how long your video must be to communicate your insights into The Great Gatsby.  You are the professional rhetorician.  What IS so great about Gatsby?

We will be reading a few essays and doing some "exam practice" questions next week.  After your break on January 29 and 30, we will begin reading The Picture of Dorian Gray.  This novel has always been a student favorite.  You may want to go ahead and pick up or download your copy.

Have a creative weekend!

But what does it mean?

For Thursday, January 22

If you are writing an independent essay on "longing," turn it in as the bell rings Thursday morning.

Carefully examine the cartoon.  You can also find this cartoon in your textbook on page 234.  Answer questions 1-4 on pages 233-234.  In case you do not have your textbook, I have provided the questions below.  Please answer in complete sentences.

1.The title of this cartoon alludes to the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  Why is the allusion appropriate?
2.Try summarizing the point, or message, of the cartoon.  How does the verbal summary change the impact of the visual?
3.  What does the audience have to know in order to get the full impact of the cartoon?  Will readers who have jobs in the "quickee mart" or places such as McDonald's feel insulted or mocked?  Explain.
4.  What is the purpose of the expression "old sport"?  How does it contribute to the characterization of the man in the suit?

If you have not already annotated the last seven paragraphs of the novel as to literary device and meaning, please do so.  I will be taking a grade on this, and we will be working with this passage on Thursday.  (See previous post)

For Tuesday, January 20

Read Chapters 8 and 9 of The Great Gatsby.  Focus your annotations on figurative language. 

Close Reading: Close read the last seven paragraphs of the novel beginning "Gatsby's house was still empty when I left--."  Pay particular attention to rhetorical, literary, and stylistic devices Fitzgerald employs to achieve his purpose in the novel as a whole.

First you must decide, what is Fitzgerald's purpose?

The following due date will depend on your group's decision regarding your longing essay:

One essay written by entire group:  Due:  9:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 20.
Four essays written individually   :  Due:  8:15 a.m. Thursday, January 22.


Sample thesis statements for longing essay:
Longing is necessary to the human condition as can be seen in the literary works of Keats, Fitzgerald, and C.S. Lewis.

Longing gives hope, purpose, and joy to the human condition as can be seen through the literary works of Keats, Fitzgerald, and C.S. Lewis.

While Keats and Fitzgerald recognize man's need to long for something beyond the realities of life, C. S. Lewis offers the answer to hyumanity's need for longing.


For your reading pleasure:

Longing

By Dennis Brutus

Can the heart compute desire’s trajectory
Or logic obtuse with semantic ambiguities
This simple ache’s expletive detonation?

This is the wordless ultimate ballistic
Impacting past Science’s reason, past logic
To blast the heart’s defensive mechanism.

We will discuss this piece.  Johannek

O my heart, my lost hope love, my dear
Absence and hunger mushroom my hemispheres;
No therapy, analyses deter my person’s fission:

My heart know now such devastation;
Yearning, unworded, explodes articulation:
Sound-swift, in silence, fall the rains of poison.