Leaders and Power

Hello--

Here is the link to the video you should watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZbJOE9zNjw
*This is clip that should be listened to loud


After watching this four minute clip please spend five or so minutes responding to the clip: you might want to consider the following ideas--
1.) Is Gustavo a leader? If so why? How does he lead?
2.) Is Gustavo powerful? Or does the power come from his leadership?
3.) Are there rules that Gustavo must follow as leader--if he breaks them does he become less powerful or less successful as a leader?

I will leave you with one of my favorite Gustavo quotes:
"I have this conception of music that it is a river--that, like life, it is the particular place where the water is going, but the water is the music."

So for now--here is to finding that river and acknowledging the natural power it possesses.

Good luck and I hope you have a good day.

For Monday's Class

Here is what you should do for the remaining time:

Please revise, and extend, one of the blog posts you have already written on The Catcher in the Rye. These blog posts should be increased in both length, quality and depth. Remember revising is about fixing ideas and not just about putting the commas in the right place--and in order to fix ideas, it sometimes means that you must erase/edit ideas.

A couple points of clarity:
-You should type these responses and format them properly.
-They should be a little over a page, single spaced, in length (I think).
-Make sure that you sound like you--but also make sure that you are not being too casual...this is still a piece of writing that will be turned in.
-Include at least three pieces of textual support.
-They should be printed out before class on Wednesday BUT you should also post what you accomplish today in class on the blog.

The last thing to remember is this--revision is about both adding and subtracting. Revision is about making your writing better. Revision is about correcting ideas and not just about sticking the commas in the right place.

Good luck and let me know what else I can do in order to be of assistance.

Best,
AK

HW for Thursday Night

Here is your assignment--

I have made a smaller post--but most of it does not belong to me, but rather someone who is now just an 'empty shell.'

Tell me what you learned in class today--I am not sure what guidelines should be around this assignment....just do your best....just create something you can be proud of, something that you will carry with you for a long time to come.

Best,
AK

HW for the Night

Hello--

I am sorry this is not finding you sooner, but I hope that it finds you well.

In class, I told you that Mr. Fletcher was not only a smart man--but a wise man as well. I hope that you listened closely to the words he spoke today when he gave Adam Kane an award. Thinking about that talk, our class today, and our class I general--I thought about the Shorris' essay and his reference to Plato's "Allegory of the Cave."

So let me say this--literature makes us rich. And for me the written word is both sacred and holy--it is my church: reading gives me the laws I live by and writing allows me the chance to articulate what laws I have broken and a chance to confess these transgressions; I think that this statement also 'holds' true for Holden. Early this year, I shared a story with you about Pope John Paul and Father Tony--the punch line of that story reads: "The church is not a mausoleum for saints; it is a hospital for sinners. And we are both sinners."

On page 188 it reads--"The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one." Thus--here is what I would like you to consider tonight: because of this year--and what we have read and what we have discussed--what is a cause you want to live humbly for, and how will you make sure get to this goal?

Your responses can take any form--but the should be around 300 words. More importantly, remember that the best words are true words--and true words only come from the heart.

Good luck.

Best,
AK

Questions to Consider when reading "Reading"

Please think about these three questions--you are note required to respond to these questions, but I would be interested to hear what you have to say about them.

1.) Why does Holden start crying at the end of chapter 23? How are his tears like the rain that has been a constant present in the novel? How does Phoebe act as a mirror for Holden--what does her character reflect?
2.) How is Holden 'connected' to James Castle? How does Mr. Antolini act as a bridge between these two characters?
3.) What does Holden hope to gain by going to Mr. Antolini's apartment? In this moment, does he finally get what he is searching for?

Good luck and let me know what I can do in order to be of assistance to you.

Best,
AK

The Catcher in the Rye--Post No.1

Please respond to the following question by the start of class on Monday. Your responses should be around 350 words, you should cite the text, use proper grammar, however, you are free to use the "I." Your responses can be personal in style but should be professional/academic in tone and substance.

At the start of chapter 3, page 18, Holden says: "I read a lot of war books and mysteries and all, but they don't knock me out too much. What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it."

In The Catcher in the Rye, what is one passage (paragraph) or idea that has 'knocked you out,' that has inspired or provoked you?
Please clearly state what this idea or passage is, articulate what you believe the purpose of this passage/idea is in regards to Holden's narrative, and then discuss why you are personally drawn to it.

As always please let me know if you have any questions--but I would encourage you to try and work through this assignment on your own and see what you come up with.

I look forward to reading your responses and learning from your ideas.

Best,
AK

Big Fish--Personal Responses

Please post your individual responses here--you should respond to one of the flowing questions:
1.) What is one of the central themes of the story, and how does it apply to another piece of work we have studied this year? You should reference at least one other text we have studied?
2.) By watching this movie what has 'bloomed' for you? You should reference something you have learned about one of the literary terms we have studied, one theme, and include one personal lesson you will carry with you.
3.) How does the film teach us about the importance of story telling--what are the purposes of stories, how does stories make people and events immortal, and what do they tell us about our own relationships? You should reference specific moments from the film but also include other thoughts you have about this question that has run through so many of the conversations, and stories, we have shared this year in English class.

Some more specific guidelines about these responses:
-you should include a reference to at least one aphorism, symbol, and theme. You should make reference to at least two characters and motifs. Please feel free to use the character profiles, theme explanations, and motif responses you have completed as groups.
-your responses can contain I, and they should be personal reflections/thoughts. However, I would encourage you to make sure that they adhere to the guidelines. Simply, you have to play within the rules, but you also have the chance to be creative.
-they should be a minimum of five-hundred words
-they should adhere to the rules of good writing. Really make sure that every sentence is clear and direct, but more to the point on this personal assignment really work on infusing your prose with depth of thought and sophistication of expression.

Due:
These responses are due Monday at the start of the class--with that being said, I would highly encourage you to start working on them soon because you will have reading over the weekend.