Homework for Monday 5.3.10

Please read through this packet:

AP Binder packet # 1

Though we do not meet as a class, I would like you to post 10 different introductions by Monday @ noon. List the prompt year, followed by your introduction. You must use five different books.

At this point, this is really to 'prep' you for the exam--you should really try and put yourself in the exam mindset when completing this assignment.

(You may include as many introductions as possible in each post.)

Agenda for week of 4.26.10

Joan Mitchell's "Ladybug" (1957). Image found in The New York Times archive February 12, 2006.

4.26.10: Monday, Day 6: SRD on Jane Eyre, volumes 2 and 3. All blog posts due.
4.27.10: Tuesday, Day 5: SRD on Nina Schwartz's "No Place Like Home: The Logic of the Supplement in Jane Eyre." pgs. 549-564.
4.28.10: Wednesday, Day 4 (Long Block): SRD on Elsie Michie's "White Chimpanzees and Oriental Despots: Racial Stereotyping and Edward Rochester." pgs. 584-597.
4.29.10: Thursday, Day 3: Putting it all together, test prep for Question 3 style prompt.
4.30.10: Friday, Day 2: In-class Question 3 style prompt on Jane Eyre.

Final Jane Eyre Blog Posts

Before you scroll down, there may be some spoilers in the blog prompts. So you may want to wait until you finish each Volume before you look at them.

This last blog post will first ask you to read others blog posts and will be graded for completion and effort.

• Make three separate posts in this comment stream: "quote" from your someone else's post from Volume 2 and / or Volume 3. Explain what about her post was compelling and interesting, and then elaborate on what else it made you think of. Repeat this three times.
• Make two separate posts on what you would like to discuss in class on Monday and explain why. Your topic also needs to include a specific moment in the text.

Each of these separate posts should be 200- 300 words in length.

Volume 3: Jane Eyre

Attention to Detail! by Noriko Ambe
2008

Cut on catalogues of "Attention to Detail - Curated by Chuck Close" at Flag Art Foundation 12 1/4 (H) x 14 1/2 (W) x 11 1/2 (D) inches 31(H) x 36.8(W) x 29.2(D)cm

Flag Art Foundation collection

In full disclosure: I did not come up with these topics, but I do like them. I would cite or reference this, but I don’t know from where it came.

• Choose one of the following three blog posts

Group A

At the opening of Ch. 28, Jane leaves Thornfeild and returns to Nature. What is the significance of this? What do you note about the ways in which “Nature” is described here: are Jane’s attitudes towards Nature essentially pagan, or are they leavened with Christianity? How does this help us consider the treatment of “Nature” within the novel as a whole?

Group B

After being taken in by the Rivers’ in Ch. 29, Jane meets St. John Rivers. How does Jane see him? Look particularly at the para. “Mr. St. John sitting as still as one. . . and again in Ch. 30 at her response to his sermon “It began calm. . .”. In what ways is St. John represented as being opposite to Rochester (consider Jane’s thoughts in Ch. 31 “Meantime, let me ask myself one question. . .”) What values or point of view do you feel are associated with him? What is significant about the way that Jane responds to him?

Group C

Just as Jane has significant dialogues with Rochester, so she converses with St. John. What is significant about these conversations, especially in terms of the light they throw on the novel’s treatment of “values”? Look at chapter 31 “Very well; I hope you feel the content. . .” and at the end of Chapter 32 “Again the surprised expression crossed his face. . .”. Also look at Chapter 34 “I have no medium. . .” and the last five pages of this chapter “God and nature intended you for a missionary’s wife. . .”. How does the novel present Jane’s dilemma as to whether or not to accept Rivers’ proposal, and how is it resolved, especially in the last few pages of chapter 35?

Each post should be about 750-100 words. I'm much more interested in the depth and specificity of your answers (analyzing how the text works) than generalities. Click here for passage explication handout. You should use some of these strategies. Also, you will be graded on the APE Rubric.

Post here and please remember to put an extra space between paragraphs for easier reading.

Volume 2: Jane Eyre blog posts

Attention to Detail! by Noriko Ambe

2008
Cut on catalogues of "Attention to Detail - Curated by Chuck Close" at Flag Art Foundation
12 1/4 (H) x 14 1/2 (W) x 11 1/2 (D) inches
31(H) x 36.8(W) x 29.2(D)cm

Flag Art Foundation collection

In full disclosure: I did not come up with these topics, but I do like them. I would cite or reference this, but I don’t know from where it came.

• Choose one of the following four blog posts

Group A: In Chapter 10, Jane provides a summary of her feelings and mental state at this point. What is the significance of this passage as a description of Jane’s inner state, and how does it match what we have learned of Jane’s character? What is the significance of her going to the top of the building to make this self-assessment? Is it significant that, almost directly after making this plea, her wish is granted? Does it not seem as though events seem almost to be caused or precipitated by her subjective feelings?

In an equivalent passage, the opening paragraphs of Chapter 12 (the famous “stiller doom” passage) Jane again craves excitement, and very shortly afterward it happens when she encounters Rochester for the first time. What does this passage say about Jane and her ‘self’? Does it confirm her as a ‘Romantic’ character? What is the significance of her ‘Feminist’ sentiments (and it might be worth noting that, in Mary Wollstencraft, there was a close affinity between Feminism and the Romantic movement)? Are both passages further examples of Jane’s sense of frustration at feeling ‘imprisoned’, and how accurately does this tally with Rochester’s assessment of Jane in Chapter 19?

Group B: In Chapter 12, Jane first encounters Rochester. What significance do you find in the way that he is introduced, the background, use of imagery, etc.? In what ways is he established as a ‘Byronic’ hero from the start?

At two key points, in Chapter 13 and Chapter 27, Rochester and Jane have a discussion, culminating in the moment of choice for Jane. What do you think is revealed by these exchanges? How relevant is it here to bring in ideas of Rochester as the Byronic hero who must be educated?

Group C: In Chapter 13, Jane shows Rochester her paintings. What do these tell you? What significance do you find in the imagery and description of these? Does the novel give any clues as to the source of these paintings?

What are we to make of Jane’s responses to the reality of Blanche Ingram? Look at the end of Chapter 16 and then at Chapter 17 “Genius is said to be self-conscious…”. You might also look at Chapter 18: “I have told you, reader, that I had learnt to love Mr. Rochester…”. What do these passages tell us about Jane? What are we to make of Jane’s point of view as the victim? What are the effects of the change of tense in the second extract? Do you detect any elements of masochism or self- martyring in these passages?

Group D: What do you think is the significance of the retelling of dreams by both Jane and Rochester? What do they show? Look at Chapter 25: “No, no, sir: besides the delicacy and richness of the fabric…”, “I dreamt another dream, sir…”, at Chapter 27: “That night I never thought to sleep…”, or at the final paragraph of Chapter 15.

What strikes you about the use of the ‘Gothic’ passages in these chapters, particularly in Chapter 15, “I tried again to sleep…’”) and the beginning of Chapter 20.

Finally, what do you notice about the use of imagery and symbolism in these chapters? You might look at the lightning episode at the end of Chapter 23.

Each post should be about 750-100 words. I'm much more interested in the depth and specificity of your answers (analyzing how the text works) than generalities. Click here for passage explication handout. You should use some of these strategies. Also, you will be graded on the APE Rubric.

Post here and please remember to put an extra space between paragraphs for easier reading.

Volume 1: Jane Eyre discussion questions

Volume 1: Jane Eyre

You should be able to discuss any and all items with references to text. I recommend using post-it notes to mark your text and jot down reminders. We will not be able to cover all of this in class if your conversation probes text with appropriate depth, insight, and analysis.

You can obviously reference things not on this list—these are obvious things in the novel, but I would be happy to hear about things you would like to comment on, especially if they garner intellectual thought.

Monday, April 12^th, 2010. Late Entry, Long Block:

• In class: SLD, Volume 1, Preface & Chapters 1-9 (p.1-91)
• Homework Due: Prep for SLD, chapter questions.

Chapter 1

• Analyze how each character is described – Jane, Mrs. Reed, John, Georgiana, Eliza.
• Analyze the exchange between John and Jane when John attacks Jane for her ‘imprudence’ at the end of the chapter. Examine this scene on as many literary levels as possible—character analysis, symbols, allusions, significance to plot, etc.

Chapter 2

• Analyze how each character is described – Bessie, Abbot.
• Examine the “Red Room” on as many literary levels as possible. A close reading of passage here would be helpful.

Chapter 3

• Analyze how each character is described – Mr. Lloyd.
• What is the most important paragraph in this chapter from the narrator? Why?

Chapter 4

• Analyze how each character is described – Mr. Brocklehurst.
• Examine the exchange he has with Jane. Examine this scene on as many literary levels as possible.
• Examine the following symbols throughout the novel so far. Locate and trace the evolution of these symbols from chapter 1 through 4: Books, The Color Red, Bird Imagery, Nature (as it represents Jane’s mind). Continue to examine any of these symbols as they appear throughout the novel.

Chapter 5

• Analyze how each character is described – Miss Temple?
• Analyze the significance of “Let your light shine so before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”—St. Matt. V. 16.

Chapter 6

• Analyze how each character is described – Miss Scatcherd, Helen Burns.

Chapter 7

• Analyze how each character is described – Julia Severn, Mr. Brocklehurst.

Chapter 8

• Analyze how each character is described – Miss Temple.

Chapter 9

• Analyze how each character is described – Mary Ann Wilson.
• Analyze the significance of “Her grave is in Brocklebridge Churchyard: for fifteen years after her death it was only covered by a grassy mound; but now a gray marble tablet marks the spot, inscribed with her name, and the word ‘Resurgam’.”

Tuesday, April 13^th, 2010 – Wednesday, April 14^th, 2010. Day 3 & Day 2:

• In class: SLD, Volume 1, Chapters 10-15 (p. 91-156)
• Homework Due: Prep for SLD, chapters 10 – 15, terms listed below.
1. What is Romanticism? What is a Romantic Character?
2. What is a Byronic Hero?
3. What is Gothic? What is a Gothic novel?

Agenda 4.12.10 - 4.16.10

4.12.10. Monday late entry, long block: SRD Jane Eyre Volume I (p. 1-91)
4.13.10. Tuesday: SRD Jane Eyre Volume I (p. 91-134)
4.14.10. Wednesday: SRD Jane Eyre Volume I (p. 134-156) 4.15.10. Thursday: no class 4.16.10. Friday: Art Research Paper due.

Agenda for 4.5.10 - 4.9.10

4.5.10. Monday: Poetry Research Paper Analysis Rewrites due. Hamlet Notebook Due. 4.6.10. Tuesday: No class.
4.7.10, Wednesday: Annotated Bibliographies due for Art Research Paper—25 sources (max of 5 from internet, unless you were given permission for a different variation.)
4.8.10. Thursday: continue to work on research and / or read Jane Eyre. Nothing due in class.
4.9.10. Friday: 70 research cards, 2 page biography & thesis, outline due.

3rd Quarter ends at 2:15. on Friday April 9th, 2010.