Quiz Reminder

Remember that you guys want to read to pages 288 (If you are reading the longer version of the novel- most likely period 1) or 241 (If you are reading the shorter version- most likely period 2). There will be a quiz tomorrow, 10/22.

During the weeks after homecoming, I am always surprised to see toilet paper still stuck in the trees of those few unlucky houses. I often think about how items can be stuck in tree branches for quite a while, despite the wind or rain. I think McMurphy would be surprised by this as well- only it wouldn't be TP that he would throw up in a tree.

 Expect questions referring to the actual fishing trip, when they are on the boat and away from land-all on their own. And study up on topics we have discussed in class the last week.

Allusion

An allusion is a reference, within a literary work, to another work of fiction, a film, a piece of art, or even a real event.

An allusion serves as a kind of shorthand, drawing on this outside work to provide greater context or meaning to the situation being written about.

Common literary allusions are Greek/Roman mythology and famous works of Shakespeare. But the most common literary allusion is the Bible.

As you read the second half of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, decide what famous text Kesey is alluding to. What figure from history is McMurphy compared to in the novel?

Check out the trailer for Warm Bodies. What famous literary text is the movie constantly alluding to?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07s-cNFffDM

One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest Essay Topics

1.       One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest has often been criticized for its treatment of female characters.  Compare two female characters in Cuckoo’s Nest. Choose from Nurse Ratched, Vera Harding, The Night Nurse (Nurse Pilbow), Mrs. Bromden, Mrs. Bibbit, and Candy. How does Kesey depict women in this novel? How are these women similar and different? Can they be symbols of feminist ideals, patriarchal society, social reform, misogyny etc.?  Focus on one of these topics.

 

2.      Discuss Kesey’s use of Chief Bromden as the narrator. Why is the novel told from his point of view? How does this viewpoint reflect the novel’s purpose or meaning?

3.      Many critics and readers feel that there are many parallels between McMurphy’s story (behavior, etc.) and that of Jesus Christ. Explain this comparison.  What is Kesey’s purpose or message in drawing a comparison between McMurphy and Jesus Christ?

4.      The conflict created when the will of an individual opposes the will of the majority or the powerful is a recurring theme of many novels, plays, and essays.    Write an essay in which you discuss the topic of individualism vs. group conformity in the novel. What is Kesey’s message about individuality and it’s connection with deviance and social exile? Which characters best demonstrate the conflict between individuals and group conformity? What lesson can be taken away from their journey towards individual self-discovery? Do not merely summarize the novel.

5.      Compare the mental institution in Kesey’s One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest with Big Brother and The Party in Orwell’s 1984. What message is each author sharing on authoritative figures and entities? How does each portray authoritative organizations differently and why are these differences important to their respective messages? You must use quotes from each novel.

Requirements:

·         Essay must be a minimum of 2 ½  pages, and it must follow all MLA style rules.

·         Essay must include direct quotes from the novel (minimum of three). 

·         Please write in the third person; in other words, no “I” or “you” pronouns.

·         Your essay must have an original title.

·         Your Thesis Statement must contain the three P’s (Prompt, Provable, Purpose).

·         Your Introductory Paragraph and First Body Paragraph will be due Friday 10/25. Therefore, I strongly suggest you finish the novel by Wednesday 10/23.

Quiz Reminder

Remember to finish "Part One" of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest for tomorrow 10/15. 

There will be a quiz.

I know lots of you are going to be catching up on the baseball playoffs. Sadly, the Oakland A's won't be making it to the World Series, so I probably won't have anything else to do tonight other than read ahead in Kesey's exciting novel. 

You may want to read the final section carefully.

I think that Bromden is an interesting narrator- I just always wish that I knew more of his backstory. I am sure that all of you are wondering the same thing: What caused Bromden to end up in the mental institution? We get little bits of information of his past here and there. But I definitely wish Kesey would tell us even more about his past life.

If you ask me, I am most curious about the origin of this mysterious "fog" that Bromden sees in his hallucinations. I mean, where did it come from? I might just need to ask you guys that tomorrow for clarification. Have fun reading tonight!

Quiz Reminder

Remember that tomorrow, Tuesday 10/8, there will be a quiz on pages 42-70 of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. Make sure to read- and focus on the conversation that Harding has with McMurphy after the group therapy session.

Evaluating Voice in Writing

Read the excerpt of the narrator on the bottom of the page.

Analyze the passage for diction (word choice): What specific words does the author use to give him his own distinct voice? Circle at least three specific words.

Analyze the passage for syntax (sentence structures): How would you describe the structure of the sentences the narrator is using? Longer with many clauses? Shorter and more spare?

Analyze the passage for tone: How would you describe the tone of the narrator? Sarcastic? Agitated? Mature?

“Most of the big shore places were closed now and there were hardly any lights except the shadowy, moving glow of a ferryboat across the Sound. And as the moon rose higher the inessential houses began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors’ eyes — a fresh, green breast of the new world. Its vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby’s house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams; for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder” (Fitzgerald, 189).

Write a glorified paragraph (at least 8 sentences) about your typical morning waking up and going to high school- only this time you should try and copy the voice of the excerpt you just read. What specific words should you use? How should your sentences be structured? What forms of descriptive or figurative language would you use? What would your tone be?

1984 Socratic Seminar Topics

Students will be placed in one of two groups and will be given a specific topic for discussion in the Socratic Seminar. A Socratic Seminar is when a group of students (in this case 17) discuss a topic with one another in a respectful manner. Students bring up topics and present questions as others discuss different answers with textual support. It is not a debate, but a dialogue. From now till the Socratic Seminar, you will want to gather quotes, evidence, and examples that will better help you to understand your specific topic. The written requirement for this Socratic Seminar will be to have a notes page with at least three different analysis style questions (one of which can be a synthesis question) and five different quotes. There will be two different broad topics for each seminar. When thinking of questions and quotes, look to the subtopics for ideas and focus:

1)   The Decline of Individualism and the Resilience of the Collective Mind in Orwell’s 1984.

a.       Big Brother’s portrayal in the story.

b.      The Two Minutes of Hate and the crowd’s reactions.

c.       The different characters and what they stand for in the fight against/for Big Brother

d.      Newspeak and its purpose to cut down on individual thought.

e.       The Proles, and whether or not they really do have a sense of individualism.

f.       Parson and his kids vs. the old man in the tavern and their outlook on society.

g.      Thoughtcrime and its depiction in the novel.

h.      The three party slogans and how they hold up in the novel

i.        How “The Party” Differs from other historical totalitarian regimes.

j.        Winston’s “Philosophical Feelings” and his love of Big Brother.

k.      Winston’s final encounter with O'Brien and his argument that, if all else fails, the inherent nature of the individual—the "spirit of man"—is strong enough to undermine a society such as that created by The Party.

2)      Relationships and Character/ Gender Portrayals in Orwell’s 1984.

a.       The differences between male and female portrayals in the novel.

b.      The differences between Winston’s and Julia’s forms of rebellion.

c.       Winston’s (and Orwell’s) view of the opposite sex and whether or not that changes over time.

d.      Winston’s relationship with Julia and whether or not that changes over time.

e.       Big Brother’s take on prostitution, relationships, and sex

f.       Katharine vs. Winston and their take on relationships

g.      The role that O'Brien plays in Winston's life and how his character evolves or devolves during the novel.

h.      Winston’s sense of rebellion and how it evolves/ devolves over the course of the novel.

i.        Winston’s dreams and how they hold significance in the novel and his development as a character.

j.        Winston, Julia, or O’Brien as heroic characters.

k.      Winston’s comments about the Spirit of Man and whether or not he embodies it.