Prompt and circumstance

Hi!

I've had some questions regarding the poem, "The Soul Selects Her Own Society," which is the subject of the AP prompt essay due this Friday. So I thought I'd write out the poem here and ask you each to offer your insight into the poem.

Here's the actual prompt:
Read the following poem carefully. Write a well-organized essay that examines how the poet's style coveys her meaning. Consider form, word choice, stanza length and format, length and arrangement of lines, and literary devices. (On the back side of the handout I gave you before the break, you'll find suggestions for this essay. Feel free to refer to that as you respond to this blog. Remember, the actual essay--typed, double-spaced, etc.--is due Friday at the beginning of class.)

Here's the poem:

The Soul Selects Her Own Society

The Soul selects her own Society--
Then--shuts the Door--
To her divine Majority--
Present no more--

Unmoved--she notes the Chariots--pausing--
At her low Gate--
Unmoved--an Emperor be kneeling
Upon her Mat--

I've known her--from an ample nation--
Choose One--
Then--close the Valves of her attention--
Like Stone

--- Emily Dickinson

Remember, you are simply offering insight into the poem--interpretation, ideas for the essay, etc. You will actually write the essay (on your own) later to turn in Friday. Have fun!

Love,
Mrs. D

Essay insight

Hi!

I don't think we could all handle another "free for all" blog post (or I'm not sure Gibby would survive the anger, anyway), so today we're just going to discuss our essay topic for the week (due tomorrow, by the way). Do you feel God had created you for some set purpose, as Santiago felt about fishing. It was, he said, something he was born to do. If you don't feel driven to one (or many) life tasks, then how do you know when you are in the middle of God's will? How do you seek out God's will for your life?

Love,
Mrs. D

Grab bag

Greetings!

I have absolutely no desire to have you answer a blog regarding The Old Man and the Sea today... I thought, perhaps, you'd like to share the ideas you put in your "Good Cornerstone" or "Bad Cornerstone" essay that I've graded (yes, folks, it's true!)... Then I thought, "Nah!" So what do YOU want to share today?

It's up to you! But, of course, you must share something. And no CUSSING! (I never thought I'd have to say that here. In Algebra, yes.) Need ideas? How 'bout these:

-- what I'm doing for spring break
-- what I'd like to do for spring break
-- the best food known to man
-- the most important thing you could do today
-- why I have less time than anyone else
-- pet peeves
-- gripes
-- best friends
-- worst nightmare
-- The Old Man and the Sea (only through the exposition, of course)
-- Good Cornerstone... Bad Cornerstone
-- whatever's on your heart (your godly heart, that is)

Seriously, edify. Truth is OK, but don't slam anyone.

Love,
Mrs. D

Half empty or half full?

Good morning!

In critical discussions of literature, tone refers to "the attitudes toward the subject and toward the audience implied in a literary work." Usually, literary works can be said to have an overall tone, which results from the cumulative effect of various parts of that work. The individual books of the Bible, for example, convey a variety of tones toward their subjects and audiences. The Song of Solomon, through its celebration of physical love between a bride and groom, creates a tone of joy. The Gospel of Mark, through its rapid narrative pace and its probably original, abrupt ending at 16:8, creates a tone of urgency for its readers--they must respond, and now, to its claims about Jesus Christ. Psalm 23, through its pastoral imagery, creates a tone of quiet assurance; Psalm 88, through its constant references to darkness and trouble, creates a tone of despair.

A major question as Fahrenheit 451 ends concerns the tone of the novel: Is the ending optimistic or pessimistic? That is my question to you today. What tone do you find at the end of the novel and why do you feel that way?

In addition, do you LIKE the way the novel ends? I've heard some complaints (imagine that!) from some that they don't like Part 3 at all. So how should the book end? Give us your ideas.

So two things to answer this morning--or this afternoon!

Love,
Mrs. D

A symbol of our love...

Just kidding! This is certainly not about love, but it is about symbols. As you've probably realized by now, Fahrenheit 451 is a heavily symbolic novel. It has actually been called "the only major symbolic dystopia [that is, anti-utopia] of our time." The most powerful symbols in literature are powerful precisely because they cannot be reduced simply, if at all, to any single True Meaning (which makes you all happy because you have something to argue). Even the symbols in the Bible are, to use another technical term from academics, "multivalent"--in other words, rich with multiple (although not necessarily infinite and certainly not arbitrary) meaning.

In Scripture, for example, fire is sometimes a symbol of God's glory (Ex. 19:18; Psalm 29:7-9), sometimes a symbol of God's judgment (e.g. Gen. 19:24, 28; Matt. 3:11-12); and sometimes a symbol of sanctification (e.g. Mal. 3:2-4; Acts 2:3-4). Sometimes it represents all three of those ideas in one verse. Similarly, the fire throughout Fahrenheit 451 operates symbolically. As you read, or shall I say re-read or scan, find an occurrence of fire--either literal or figurative--and suggest a symbolic meaning with which Ray Bradbury invests fire. Write that occurrence (page number would be helpful plus the passage verbatim) along with your interpretation.

If you can't find a "fire" reference that is untaken, look at waging war. OK, that's a bit extreme, but you could look to see how war operates symbollically in the book. You may also write about Montag's house (literal function and symbolic function), the river (same deal), or the railroad (ditto).

That should cover it!
Love,
Mrs. D

A spoonful of sugar...

Greetings!

Today you have the joy of having a 100 percent average in my class (sorry, for some of you, that's actually less than what you typically earn... guess you'll have to bring this up).... This is the first day of the last quarter of the school year--can you believe it? So right now, you've done nothing to mess up your 100 percent average (average of nothing, however, so I guess it doesn't mean too much) as long as you answer today's blog (and turn in your appropriate homework tomorrow).

As Faber examines Montag's Bible, he comments:

"Lord, how they've changed it in our 'parlors' these days. Christ is one of the 'family' now. I often wonder if God recognizes His own son the way we've dressed him up, or is it dressed him down? He's a regular peppermint stick now, all sugar-crystal and saccharine when he isn't making veiled references to certain commerical projects that every worshipper absolutely needs."

How does Faber's evaluation of his society compare with what you see in your society? Do you think only "worldly society" does this to Christ, or does some of this attitude and practice sneak into "Christian culture" as well?

Express yourself.... you know, the freedom of expression and all that (right, Will?). OK, just freedom of speech.

Love,
Mrs. D

Ban the *#*?//**+ thing!

Hi guys!

Last blog of the third quarter... Early in Part Two, Montag swears, using the name of Jesus and God as an expletive. He also uses a few cuss words. Why do people do this? (I mean, besides students (or teachers), children (or parents), and bad drivers (or colorblind police officers) messing up your day) IS swearing wrong? Is cussing wrong? Are they the same things? When someone swears, should we stop listening to that person, or if it is in a book, should we stop reading that book? If it's in a movie or a TV show, do we shut it off or walk out? Why or why not?

Let's have your opinion on these thoughts!

Love,
Mrs. D