Blog, Term II, weeks 1+2

The work:
We started the Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, and studied quote handouts, poems, and reader responses that focused on it (GM). We read and dissected hte play, including looking at the film version starring John Malkovic. We wrote an in class essay about how they are all equally pathetic characters (NR). Each [character in the Glass Menagerie] is fragile in disposition whether it be their emotional intake, the fragility of a heart, the feeling of brokenness in a career...(VC). We compared e.e. cummings' poem "somewhere i have never travelled gladly beyond" to Tom's goodbye speech in the Glass Menagerie (SC).

The workers:
Mike relates the parent child relationship in the GM to that of the Grapes of Wrath (NR). Erik knew the word "jonquils" in the story meant "flowers" and prevailed after McG. called his bluff (PD). Steve said that anger is provoked in both Death of a Salesman and the Glass Menagerie (VC). Andrew believed that Tom in the film seemed to be drunk but there was no textual evidence for that (RH). Michael compared "traveled" in the first line of the cummings poem to the first line in Tom's concluding speech (RH). Silverio brought up the physical appeal of Laura and how she feels about herself (DG). Eric said that Amanda was trying to live her life through her daughter (DG). Travis spoke on Amanda's controlling attitude (GM). Keith identified how Tom's character is rebellious throughout the play (DK).

Words to live by:
"The actual world is less intense than the world of this invention and consequently his life." ~Tennessee Williams

"Time is the longest distance between two places." ~Tom (in GM)

"Glass breaks so easily. No matter how careful you are." ~Laura

"He is the long-delayed but always expected someone that we live for." ~Tom

"We live in a mysterious world, don't we." ~Tom

Guest blogger: Conor M., Weeks 15 and 16

In the past two weeks we have started to take a look into the life of Willy Loman in the play Death of a Salesman. Using our experience from reading other dramas like Henry IV we were able to pick apart the meaning of DOS. We looked at the classic descent of a hero from heaven to hell through the story. The class was allowed to focus on a specific scene between Willy and Biff and perform it to their own interpretation. James showed the class the necessity, in acting to rehearse, not only your lines but the props you are using! We then took a look at how professional actors acted out the same scene. We finished off the week by reviewing for midterms.

The workers:
At the beginning of the play, Erik shared with the class his belief that drama can provide more of an emotional connection than fiction. Steve told the class his view of Biff and Willy being sexist by calling a woman a "pig." When acting out his scene, David showed his forensics experience with acting. Michael gave us all a surprise with the volume of his recitation. Steve's group showed the class how necessary it is to also know your partner's lines in case they skip one. Brendan commented on the constant stress and anger in Willy's life. Pat noticed the entrances of Ben into a scene are easier to notice. Ryan also picked up on the red walls of the restaurant which also happens to be Willy's "hell."

Words to live by:
"Life is a casting off." ~Linda
"Nobody's worth nothing dead." ~Charley
"Bot sometimes, Willy, it's better for a man just to walk away." ~Bernard
"Why must everybody conquer the world?" ~Linda

The Glass Menagerie--some topics

Here is some brainstorming I've been doing in preparation for tomorrow's in-class essay. I've narrowed down the essay I'll ask you to write to three possibilities:

• All of the characters in The Glass Menagerie (TGM) are equally portrayed as pathetic and living a life of illusion separate from reality. Explain each of their illusions and argue which of them, if any, are left at the end of the play still living in their illusions.
• Critic Benjamin Nelson said, "When Tom leaves he escapes from a trap, a situation which is plainly unendurable, but there is nothing heroic or even positive and challenging in his departure...His departure is little more than a snap of a twig in the wind." Explain what Nelson means about Tom.
  
• According to Amanda, Mr. Wingfield, her husband, was a true gentleman. What does this mean? How does the father play into the story as a significant character? And how does the notion of a "good man" get distorted by Williams through the presentation of Wingfield in this play?

McG's Top 10 Poems most of you missed.

Top ten poems most of you should have also considered in my humble opinion:

"Crossing the Bar"--Tennyson
"Traveling through the dark"--Stafford
"Constantly risking absurdity"--Ferlinghetti
"Anthem for doomed youth" --Owen
"On first looking into Chapman's Homer"--Keats
"Siren Song"--Margaret Atwood
"I died for beauty..." --Dickinson
"Theme for English B" --Hughes
"Summer Day"--Oliver
"The Snow Man"--Stevens

Weeks 13/14 Blog

The work:
Despite the severe snow storms, field trips, and absences, our class was able to produce a plethora of literary insight and great discussions (DG). We looked at poems such as "The Eagle," "The Whipping," "Mind," and "Cross" (RH). We took these poems and picked a few to discuss intelligently in class (DM). The poetry unit as a whole seemed to be quite enjoyable with the class having to read from a variety of poems in our text (BB). Reader responses have been done for all the chapters and we broke some poems up and ripped them apart (DC). As the weeks progressed we were given the opportunity to write our very own anthology of our top ten poems (TJ).

The workers:
Silverio explained what good poetry was in his heart (BF).
Conor finds the hidden meaning behind Sylvia Plath's "Metaphors" which is about pregnancy (NR).
Travis told us where the main character would die in the poem "Cross"--"in the middle" (DM).
Eric said that Frost may not be talking about just the woods in "Stopping by Woods..." (AH).
Graham felt that "hidings" in "The Whipping" has a double meaning and represents secrets as well as being whipped (RH).
Danny added that "Metaphors" has fruit imagery (SC).
Steve observed that the whipping portrayed a one-sided scenario and caused anger toward the mother (VC).

Words to live by:
"We mortal millions live alone."~Matthew Arnold
"The way to begin is always the same." ~Martha Collins
"True ease in writing comes from art, not chance." ~Alexander Pope
"The art of losing isn't hard to master." ~Elizabeth Bishop
"Do not go gentle into that good night." ~Dylan Thomas

Rage Against the Machine: These guys can read.

Rage covers Springsteen's "The Ghost of Tom Joad." Fitting, isn't it, that it's a live performance--in California? Check it out here. (Thanks to Erik for the link.)

Still prefer the Springsteen version? Watch here and compare.

And while you're at it, why not watch a montage of The Grapes of Wrath, featuring Woody Guthrie's original tune.

Blog, Weeks 11/12

The work:
The past fortnight, the class has been working through The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. We analyzed the themes of survival and reproduction represented by Tom and Rose respectively (SS). Week 11 began with a game entitled "Starrett or Steinbeck." In this game, a student was asked to identify the author of a quote either from a student's paper or The Grapes of Wrath. Surprisingly, many students were mistaken for Steinbeck...(MM). We reached the turmoil in the Hoovervilles, the growth of "Ma" as a high order and the revival of Tom Joad (VC). We found out that "Race and space" are big themes from the beginning of the book to the end (DM). We listened to "Tom Joad" by Woody Guthrie and ""The Ghost of Tom Joad" by Bruce Springsteen. We read three articles on the book and could use these articles on the test to support our answer (RH).


The workers:
Eric concludes that Ma and Pa are observing the birds and remembering the closeness of the family. (RH)
Mike interpreted that Rose of Sharon was undergoing primitive acupuncture while crawling through the thorns. (SC)
Vincent found the big distinction between Steinbeck's plot and Guthrie's plot. (TJ)
Steve said the government camps were good and everybody loved them. (DC)
Travis pointed out that the embankment was going to break. (DC)
Brendan commented on the weather during the Joads and how it is foreshadowing...(DG)
Noel: "It goes from a patriarchal structure to a matriarchal structure." (TR)


Words to live by:

"Wherever they's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there." ~Tom Joad
"Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts. Perhaps where there's a fear of less power." ~Steinbeck
"All that lives is holy." ~Steinbeck
"How can we live without our lives? How will we know it's us without our past? No. Leave it. Burn it." ~Steinbeck
"They's a time a change, an' when that comes, dyin' is a piece of all dyin', an bearin' is a piece of all bearin', an' dyin' is two pieces of the same thing." ~Steinbeck