Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Bildungsroman draft due

Please complete the Bildungsroman draft (2-3 pages) today.

As a sample model of a Bildungsroman, please read the short story "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara (from Gorilla, My Love). To turn in for homework: please indicate and explain how this story follows the Bildungsroman archetypical plot. Use specific references to the story. This is due next class.

4th period we will complete our reading of Effect of Gamma Rays...Marigolds.

Friday, March 27, 2009

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-moon Marigolds

The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray -- Robert Burns (by the way, he also coined the phrase that Salinger uses for his title: A Catcher in the Rye)

Yes. Plans go astray. Where is Gorilla, My Love? Who knows. We are missing this book from our library. So, we are reading the Effect of Gamma Rays...Marigolds. Yep. It's a bildungsroman, too.

I'll copy a story or two for you from the collection: Gorilla, My Love for next class. Peace out!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Gorilla My Love - & the Bildungsroman

Ah. Short stories. Today I'd like you to write a quick short story (2-3 pages only) using the archetype of the bildungsroman. See below for the bildungsroman pattern.

At the end of 3rd period, we are going to check out Toni Cade Bambara's short story collection: Gorilla My Love. We will begin reading this 4th period in room a240.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Roald Dahl's advice to writers

Please visit Roald Dahl's website and under Roald Dahl listen to his interview about writing. After which, please post a comment below about how you (as a young writer) may be able to use or respond to this advice. Please leave your name after your response. This material will be used on the test next class.

Roald Dahl and the Bildungsroman

Many writers of young adult fiction use a certain archetypical pattern for their plots. Archetype, or "original pattern", is a model from which other characters or stories are based. Archetype is as old as human storytelling and continues throughout contemporary literature (just that you don't always notice it as archetype).

When an author uses archetype, he is patterning his character(s) or plot after other types of that kind. For example: character archetype might include: 1. The hero 2. the protective mother 3. the prostitute with a heart of gold 4. the trickster or 5. the evil or cruel master. Plot archetype might include: 1. the Rags to Riches plot 2. the Quest 3. Transformation or 4. traditional love story: boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back.

There are many, many more. And yes, archetype used too often, can create stereotype.

Plots, too, can be archetypical. One such archetypical plot is: The Bildungsroman.

The Bildungsroman is a type of story that focuses on the psychological, moral, and social formation of the protagonist (usually a young person) as he or she grows to adulthood.

This type of story was made popular during the period of the German Enlightenment, or during the seventeenth century through the eighteenth (usually ending at the Napoleonic Wars or early nineteenth century). It is still with us today, as most children's literature writers use the pattern somewhere within their stories.

The pattern is as follows:
1. The protagonist grows from child to adult.

Note: this does not always mean growing to legal or mature age--it refers mostly to the psychological state of the child (whose world centers around him/herself) to that of the mature adult (whose world centers around others). Of course, not everyone reaches this state of being just by growing older.

2. The protagonist must have a reason to embark upon his or her "journey of self discovery." A loss or discontent must, at an early stage, jar him or her away from their home or family setting. In literature, we usually call this the INCITING INCIDENT. It is the event that gets the plot moving along.

3. The process of maturation is long, arduous and usually gradual, involving repeated clashes between the hero's needs and desires and the views and judgments enforced by an unbending social order. Note: this is similar to Sigmund Freud's concept of the pleasure principle versus the reality principle- meaning that a character wants what is desired immediately or will give the greatest satisfaction, but must deal with the concept that "you don't always get what you want." Wise words for any growing or maturing person today.

4. Eventually, the spirit and values of the social order become manifest in the protagonist, who is ultimately accommodated into the society. In other words, the character grows up to become a model character -- one accepted into a specific culture or society.

5. The novel or story ends with the protagonist's self discovery or awareness of his/her growth and understanding his/her new place or role in society. In other words, there is a realization by the character that he/she has grown up.

An example of the bildungsroman archetype would be:
Holden in A Catcher in the Rye
Harry Potter in the Harry Potter and the ... series
clare in Shadow Baby
Leo in Stargirl
David in Montana 1948
Harvey in The Thief of Always
Jim in Treasure Island
Huckleberry Finn in Huckleberry Finn
Ponyboy in the Outsiders
and, of course Charlie Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

There are, of course, thousands of other characters you may be familiar with in books and movies you have read or seen. In your journal make a list of other books you have read that may have been bildungsroman novels.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Children's Book - The Witches/James & the Giant Peach

Complete your children's book today. If you finish early or need a break, please continue or finish reading The Witches or James and the Giant Peach. There will be a quiz on one of these books next week, so finish over the weekend, if you have not yet done so.

Information on Roald Dahl can be found on the link page. Please take a look!

Friday, March 6, 2009

Rhyming Dictionary

A good tool for you to use for this project (and beyond!)

Click on the link page and have fun!

Dr. Seuss - Book Project & Roald Dahl

Complete your Dr. Seuss-style poem.

From the START menu, choose the program: Microsoft Publisher. Choose WORD DOCUMENT, and a blank or other template. It will ask you to import a file. Choose the file you wrote.

From the INSERT menu, you will need to insert a # of pages. Cut your poem into parts. Decide how much text is appropriate (make at least 6 or so pages - including a title and end page. Some of you may have more.) Every facing page should have a picture (or you can set your text under a graphic on the same page.) Refer to Dr. Seuss or other children's picture books for an example of this.

Design graphics (either your own using the drawing program, or JPG's from the internet or clipart) that match your text. You will be graded on your layout and design as much as your text.

This weekend, please complete The Witches or James and the Giant Peach. As you read, consider what Roald Dahl is doing to keep the writing fun for himself and his audience. In other words, examine the writing style and learn from him.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Dr. Seuss Project

Please compose a Dr. Seuss style poem.

After this, go to google images and search for appropriate backgrounds. Save these to your file. More information will follow.

If you finish early, use your time to read: The Witches or James and the Giant Peach.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Dr. Seuss

Research Dr. Seuss. In your journal, research Dr. Seuss and find out:
1. When and where was he born (and with what name)? When did he die?
2. What was his childhood like?
3. What important events occurred in his life?
4. What brought him to write children's books?
5. Make a list of some of Dr. Seuss's works (books, films, etc.)

Check out the link nearby. Play. Enjoy. But remember to complete the steps below.

After answering these questions, go to:
1. Youtube.com and watch a bunch of his videos. Type in Dr. Seuss and you'll get plenty to watch. Have fun. Notice what kind of "reader" or "viewer" his films are written for.

2. Amazon.com. Go to Amazon.com and look up Dr. Seuss. If you can, look inside at some of his books.

3. Try your hand at writing a "Dr. Seuss" style "poem/story". Create a character and a situation, setting, and, of course, use rhyme. Create and type up the "script" for the short book - don't worry at this moment about the drawings.

The Graveyard Book - Discussion Questions

  In your discussion groups, please answer 5 of the 10 discussion questions. Choose a member of your group to record your answers. Make sure...