Leaders and Power

Hello--

Here is the link to the video you should watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZbJOE9zNjw
*This is clip that should be listened to loud


After watching this four minute clip please spend five or so minutes responding to the clip: you might want to consider the following ideas--
1.) Is Gustavo a leader? If so why? How does he lead?
2.) Is Gustavo powerful? Or does the power come from his leadership?
3.) Are there rules that Gustavo must follow as leader--if he breaks them does he become less powerful or less successful as a leader?

I will leave you with one of my favorite Gustavo quotes:
"I have this conception of music that it is a river--that, like life, it is the particular place where the water is going, but the water is the music."

So for now--here is to finding that river and acknowledging the natural power it possesses.

Good luck and I hope you have a good day.

HW due for Thursday--Revised

You should respond to this post by the start of class on Friday:

You can respond to one of the following questions OR your response can be a fusion that addresses both questions.

Directions:
-You must use at least three quotes (properly cited) in your response.
-Your response can use I, and it can be personal NOT analytical; however, you should make sure that you focus on clearly and aptly articulating your point. Think about what you really want to say--and then the find the best words to say it.
-Your responses should fully articulate what you are feeling; thus, the length of the response is up to you, however, I would encourage you to mine your thoughts, emotions, and ideas for all they worth...simply, do not leave an idea unexplored that pertains to this question.

Questions to consider:
1.) By reading about Holden what are the things you have learned from him? ANOTHER WAY TO ASK THIS QUESTION IS: By listening to Holden's story what ideas have you 'caught' and will keep stored away in your heart long after the book has ended?

2.) In chapter 25, what is Holden so afraid of--do you think he is afraid of writing bad words, do you think he is afraid of Pheobe growing up, do you think he is afraid of missing everybody? What are specific examples of things he might be 'caught' doing, and how is his possible punishment both a good and bad thing?

I would encourage you think deeply about this questions and all you have learned--work humbly when you answer these questions and write truly.

Good luck (Holden would hate the fact that I ended this message like that),
AK

HW for the Night

Hello--

I am sorry this is not finding you sooner, but I hope that it finds you well.

In class, I told you that Mr. Fletcher was not only a smart man--but a wise man as well. I hope that you listened closely to the words he spoke today when he gave Adam Kane an award. Thinking about that talk, our class today, and our class I general--I thought about the Shorris' essay and his reference to Plato's "Allegory of the Cave."

So let me say this--literature makes us rich. And for me the written word is both sacred and holy--it is my church: reading gives me the laws I live by and writing allows me the chance to articulate what laws I have broken and a chance to confess these transgressions; I think that this statement also 'holds' true for Holden. Early this year, I shared a story with you about Pope John Paul and Father Tony--the punch line of that story reads: "The church is not a mausoleum for saints; it is a hospital for sinners. And we are both sinners."

On page 188 it reads--"The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one." Thus--here is what I would like you to consider tonight: because of this year--and what we have read and what we have discussed--what is a cause you want to live humbly for, and how will you make sure get to this goal?

Your responses can take any form--but the should be around 300 words. More importantly, remember that the best words are true words--and true words only come from the heart.

Good luck.

Best,
AK

Questions to Consider when reading "Reading"

Please think about these three questions--you are note required to respond to these questions, but I would be interested to hear what you have to say about them.

1.) Why does Holden start crying at the end of chapter 23? How are his tears like the rain that has been a constant present in the novel? How does Phoebe act as a mirror for Holden--what does her character reflect?
2.) How is Holden 'connected' to James Castle? How does Mr. Antolini act as a bridge between these two characters?
3.) What does Holden hope to gain by going to Mr. Antolini's apartment? In this moment, does he finally get what he is searching for?

Good luck and let me know what I can do in order to be of assistance to you.

Best,
AK

Blog Entry for Tuesday's Long Block

Hello All--

I hope that this message finds everyone well. Right now, I have been up for a little over an hour--getting reading for the day and wishing I was in South Berwick, Maine instead of Manchester, NH. I trust that yesterday went well and that today will also be a success.

For the second half of class today, please complete the following writing assignment:
On page 60, it reads: "'Hey listen,' I said. 'You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? THat little lake? By any chance, do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over? Do you happen to know by any chance?' I realized it was a one in a million chance."

I love how this passage starts--and Holden's declaration of "Hey Listen." It feels as if he is talking to me (the reader) instead of a cab driver-it seems like he is asking me as a reader to help him--help him find his way, help him navigate the waters of his current problems. Thus, it transforms this questions from a literal idea into a more symbolic thought, or question: how is Holden like one of those ducks and will he ever find out where they go when their world freezes over?

In the 40/45 minutes you have in the rest of class please respond to that question. I would highly suggest that you write as much as possible--that you concern yourself with both quality but also quantity: get as many ideas down as you possible because you will be given the time to back and revise some of them at a later date.
-These do not need to be analytical responses. You can use I.
-While you do not need to write body paragraphs--your writing should try and argue a point.
-You should however include pieces of textual support and focus on trying to provide some analysis on how your piece of textual evidence answers the questions.
-Work on clearly and directly articulating the ideas you have.
-Think about how other motifs help answer this question and what themes that they are connected to.
-You should post your writing at the end of the class period.

I know that some of you might find this a difficult task--and I am sorry that I am not in class in order to answer your questions and help you along. However, have confidence in your abilities, write through your problems, and believe the fact that 'with a little elbow grease everything is possible."

Can't wait to see you soon--but thank you in advance for your efforts and dedication.

Best,
AK

The Catcher in the Rye--Post No.1

Please respond to the following question by the start of class on Monday. Your responses should be around 350 words, you should cite the text, use proper grammar, however, you are free to use the "I." Your responses can be personal in style but should be professional/academic in tone and substance.

At the start of chapter 3, page 18, Holden says: "I read a lot of war books and mysteries and all, but they don't knock me out too much. What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it."

In The Catcher in the Rye, what is one passage (paragraph) or idea that has 'knocked you out,' that has inspired or provoked you?
Please clearly state what this idea or passage is, articulate what you believe the purpose of this passage/idea is in regards to Holden's narrative, and then discuss why you are personally drawn to it.

As always please let me know if you have any questions--but I would encourage you to try and work through this assignment on your own and see what you come up with.

I look forward to reading your responses and learning from your ideas.

Best,
AK

Big Fish--Personal Responses

Please post your individual responses here--you should respond to one of the flowing questions:
1.) What is one of the central themes of the story, and how does it apply to another piece of work we have studied this year? You should reference at least one other text we have studied?
2.) By watching this movie what has 'bloomed' for you? You should reference something you have learned about one of the literary terms we have studied, one theme, and include one personal lesson you will carry with you.
3.) How does the film teach us about the importance of story telling--what are the purposes of stories, how does stories make people and events immortal, and what do they tell us about our own relationships? You should reference specific moments from the film but also include other thoughts you have about this question that has run through so many of the conversations, and stories, we have shared this year in English class.

Some more specific guidelines about these responses:
-you should include a reference to at least one aphorism, symbol, and theme. You should make reference to at least two characters and motifs. Please feel free to use the character profiles, theme explanations, and motif responses you have completed as groups.
-your responses can contain I, and they should be personal reflections/thoughts. However, I would encourage you to make sure that they adhere to the guidelines. Simply, you have to play within the rules, but you also have the chance to be creative.
-they should be a minimum of five-hundred words
-they should adhere to the rules of good writing. Really make sure that every sentence is clear and direct, but more to the point on this personal assignment really work on infusing your prose with depth of thought and sophistication of expression.

Due:
These responses are due Monday at the start of the class--with that being said, I would highly encourage you to start working on them soon because you will have reading over the weekend.