"This is Not Just a Book it's literature, it's art"

Today in class we discussed the book Invisible Man and the many events within the book. We came to realize that “ the book is hard to follow and it is very challenging trying to decipher all the events and their symbols”. We discussed the many cultural reference in the book which are done in a dream like state. We spoke in great depth about Mr.Norton visiting Jim Trueblood’s house and the connotations behind the visit, along with the notion of this “animal experiment on blacks”. We see that Mr.Norton is this affluent white man who is in support of social justice and equality for all. It is implied that Jim Trueblood is only kept around because he is the only man in town who has done something like this to his daughter. Having discovered this, Mr.Norton also wants to question Mr.Trueblood and see what really happened. Because of all this questioning we see possibly there is this "experiment" going on with all the African Americans.

Continuing on from the cultural reference we analyzed the message and purpose behind the statue that is at Tuskegee University. While discussing the significance and purpose behind the statue the question we grappled with the most was “ What is the veil of ignorance?”.

While getting past the notion of the veil of ignorance, along with cultural references to African Americans we spoke much about the influence that the South Baptist Church has on this book. We highlighted page 113 in the book as major example of the Southern Baptist Church influence. While in class Mr.Neal showed us what a Baptist sermon might sound like through Nikki Giovanni’s interpretation of “The Creation”.

And the next scribe is..... Imo. :)

Scribe post David Jacquet Neal Descriptive writing

Descriptive writing

Question: Come to Jesus moment- Did you actually read the three readings in the Norton reader, not read them/ understand them, or was  it time management?
Most of answers were that it was just really dense writing and was hard to stay focused on it.

Plays The moth pod cast on NPR












What elements of story telling is she using in the podcast?

1. Humour
2. Song
3. Change in tone
4. Conflict
5. Dips into her darker past
6. Helps us imagine the story/ imagery 
7. Similes
8. Uses an accent 
9. Unique modifiers
1. especially when describing the field

Whats the story about?
The story was a strong story that many people in the class had comments upon.  These are those answers that came up.

1. Faith
2. the reaction to the loss of the father
3. a bad thing can turn good
4. Coincidences
5. Karma and/or luck

Graduation
There were many comments stated about this writing.  The main character had lots of anger during this and on pg 18 were she goes on a rant about all races and how they all should be destroyed. "As a specious we were an abomination. All of us."  But also there were parts were it was extremely happy and meaning full such as when they sing the anthem.











The next post will be by ASA

English class 9/17/10 Invisible Man and "The Knife" descriptive language

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On Friday in class we started by discussing descriptive language and how it can be used to give more complete details about what is happening in the writing. The list of examples of descriptive writing techniques is as follows:

• Verb choice is unique (buttering)

• Personification

• Unique modifiers (adj./adv.)

• Figurative Language

• Simile/metaphor

• Oxymoron

• Symbol

• Personification

• Allusion=indirect reference to a famous story/image

• Concrete specific detail

Mr. Neal also mentioned that descriptive writing is like pepper, it is good but only in the right amount too little and you don't notice it or too much and it's all you can notice.

And the next scribe will be...

...

Ava

English class 9/17/10 Invisible Man and "knife" descriptive language

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Today in class we discussed the first chapter of Invisible Man and "The Knife". In Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, Jordan and Asa said society caused his behavior, because in this period of time whites have a higher status than blacks. He is ashamed of his grandparents being slaves and feels guilty.

Mr. Neal's wall of English terms:

Verb Choice is unique (buttering)

Personification: when something that is not animate is given human characteristics

Unique modifiers (adj./adv.)

Figurative language - simile/metaphor

- oxymoron

- symbol

- Personification

Allusion = Indirect reference to a famous story/image

Concrete (specific details)

Class discussion

"knife"

Contains descriptive language about limbs and different body parts being knifed apart.

Blood chases the knife (personification)

Concrete evidence is seen in the beginning of the story on pg. 40

Invisible Man

Symbol: American flag tattoo on girl who looks like kewpie doll represents the corruption of the American Dream

The next scribe post is from David not kobe Jacquet

Invisible Man Discussion

Today in class we discussed persona in relation to the prologue of Invisible Man. Ralph Ellison introduces a peculiar character to us in the prologue, unlike any other character any of us had read about before. He's an oddball, full of anger, and so unusual it's very hard to relate to him. We found through discussion that Ellison intentionally created this distance between the reader and the character to give him creative flexibility as to what he makes the character do. This way, there is no predictability in the story. Imogene also suggested that Ellison could be using this character as a way to show the effect of an abuse on a human being. Throughout the prologue, Ellison enforces the idea of invisibility in relation to the estranged character. In doing so he's setting up and allegory or symbol that will become a recurring theme throughout the rest of the book.

The next Scribe is...... (BIG BUILD-UP)

GET READY!

The infamous TAUS!

Invisible Man Discussion 9/16/10

http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/inman.jpg

Today we discussed the book Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison.  We discussed the Prologue and our reactions to it. Bruna:  So obsessed with himself that he doesn't see himself. Many found the man to be a weird person.  Jake said that he was mentally unstable.  Character whines and complains that he is invisible.

Observations of Persona:
The character wants up to feel bad for him that he is invisible.  The book relates to Borges and I.  He is also impulsive.

Weird moments of the Prologue:
Almost kills a man when he bumps into him
Smokes some marijuana and finds story in music:  He talks to a slave woman who fell in love with her master and had three sons with her.  Sons threaten to beat him.

Amazing quote of the day:

"In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the five fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress." Booker T. Washington

Ideas for persona:
Persona is understood person --> awkward.  Oppressed to the point that he feels invisible.

WOW MOMENT NUMBER TWO:

Jake Carrol 11:39 a.m: His invisibility is not a result of his craziness, his craziness is a result of his invisibility.

I tell you, this kid is on a roll!

And the next scribe is...


wait for it...


Karan Bakshi.

Shooting an Elephant and Invisible Man Prologue

In class we discussed Shooting an Elephant and the prologue of Invisible Man. We talked about the transformative moment, themes, and whether George Orwell was trying to be implicit or explicit. On p. 515   there is a transformative moment when he realizes he is going to shoot the elephant when he wasn't going to be before, he is forcing himself to do it. "And it was at this moment, as I stood there with a rifle in my hands, that I first grasped the hollowness, the futility of the white man’s in the East.” (515) He knew he couldn't let the elephant kill him so he felt his only alternative was to kill the elephant. Then on p. 517 there is a transformative moment in tone and mood when he starts to regret is decision.

WOW Moment of class--Jake Carroll, 10:29am 9/15/10--When discussing the theme of "Shooting an Elephant":

When you oppress others you are oppressing yourself.

Then we talked about the prologue of Invisible Man. The symbol of invisible in the text is about race, class and society. Groups of people aren’t recognized because they do not have the ability and they have no voice. We also talked about the persona of the invisible man and how crazy he is. He lives in the ground and puts lights all over the ceiling and ground. But he does not think he is crazy and has an altered perspective.


AND THE NEXT SCRIBE IS... NOAH!!

Symbolism and Elephants

Today’s class was mainly about symbols and persona. The class decided that the definition of persona was “The way the author wishes to be viewed for the purposes of the story”. In Shooting an Elephant, George Orwell’s persona was purposely negative. He is racist, low in power, and would do anything for attention. This is partly because he wants the reader to believe him. It takes a while for anyone to tell you about their flaws. The elephant that he shoots is a symbol. It could be of many things, power, fears, himself. The symbol that seems most likely is Imperialism. Saying that Imperialism is as ludicrous as shooting an elephant. The persona was an imperialist who was helping control a country, and it is a reoccurring theme that Imperialism was a flawed system.

And the next Scribe is Slaw.