Read the directions carefully.
"I didn't know" or "I didn't understand" is not an acceptable excuse. If you need clarification, ask.
1. You’re now working on your thesis-driven research paper, which is due Tuesday, June 1. Make sure I take a look at your thesis and your plan before starting to write a draft. If you want me to take a look at a draft prepare one by class time on Friday. Remember:
a. Use MLA format to write the paper. This includes the heading, the in-text citations, and the works cited page (hanging indentation, alphabetical order). Consult your Compass, the library handout, and/or citationmachine.net for help.
b. Use a twelve-point font (avoid any sans-serif font). Double Space. The paper itself must be at least 1000 words in length (at least three pages).
c. To support and develop your thesis, you must use (and cite) at least three sources in the body of the paper.
d. The paper will be evaluated according to the research paper rubric.
2. You’re also adding three more sources to your annotated bibliography. On Tuesday, June 1 you will also hand in a revised annotated bibliography with ten citations and annotations. Remember:
a. Include a topic title.
b. Use MLA format for the heading and citations.
c. Citations (with annotations) must be in alphabetical order.
d. The purpose of the annotations is to summarize and evaluate what the source has to say about the topic. (These annotations could help future readers, including your teacher, with the readers’ own research.)
e. The annotated bibliographies will be assessed according to how well the annotation achieve the purpose described above and according to how well the annotations and paper as a whole conforms with MLA format.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Writing a Question and a Thesis Statement that Answers It...
Cape Ann Art & Culture Research Paper: How to Write a Thesis
Think about what you have learned about the topic. What aspect of the topic do you think you could interpret or analyze or compare or evaluate?
Then turn that aspect of the topic into a question.
Your clear, supportable, debatable, insightful, meaningful (perhaps even original) answer to the question will be your thesis.
What’s due and when?
Bring your question and thesis to class tomorrow, Friday, May 21 and post your question and thesis in the comment box on the blog by class time on Monday, May 24.
On Friday we will "workshop" the questions and thesis statements. Then we will work on writing the paper itself (1000+ words with at least three sources cited in the text and a works cited page--you've already found the sources!). A complete first draft of the paper will be due in class on Friday, May 28 and the final draft of the paper with developed and supported thesis, in-text citations from at least three sources, a Works Cited page with at least three sources, and an annotated bibliography of “Works Consulted” will be due Tuesday, June 1.
Some ideas for getting started.
• Begin with a depiction of Gloucester from the readings. Apply it to your topic. Agree, disagree and/or revise that depiction of Gloucester using your research as support. You might take a quotation.
• Begin with an artist’s or poet’s take/use of your topic. Explain and analyze this take on the topic. Or, evaluate and judge this take.
• Begin with the changes that have taken place with your topic over time. Explain and analyze these changes. Evaluate and judge these changes. Predict future changes. Propose and defend preservation. Advocate for a certain kind of change.
• Begin with a comparison. The comparison could be within your topic. (Compare the meaning of two parts of Fiesta.) The comparison could be with your topic in Gloucester and the same topic elsewhere. (Compare St. Peter celebrations in Gloucester with those in Sicily.) The comparison could be between your topic and something new. (Compare Fitz Henry Lane’s paintings to Winslow Homer’s. Compare the poetry of Gloucester’s first Poet Laureate, Vincent Ferrini, to the current Poet Laureate, John Ronan.)
• Explain, analyze, evaluate, judge…the meaning of some aspect of the topic, the reason for some aspect of the topic, the cause of some aspect of the topic, etc.
Some examples of questions
• For example, if your topic is St. Peter's Fiesta you might explain why certain saints are venerated during St. Peter's Fiesta. (In the form of a question: why are St. Peter and Mary venerated during Fiesta?)
• Or, if your topic is Stage Fort Park you might compare its past uses to its present uses. Or, if your topic is fishing you might compare schooner fishing to trawler fishing in Gloucester. (How did the change from sails to engines change affect Gloucester industrially and culturally?)
• Or, if your topic is painters of Gloucester you might analyze Fitz Henry Lane's use of light and precise detail in his paintings. (What is significant about Lane's use light and detail in his paintings?)
• Or, if your topic is Charles Olson you might interpret the meaning of one or more of his poems that interest you. (What is the meaning and significance of "Letter Six" of the Maximus Poems?)
Some examples of questions and answers
• Why are St. Peter and Mary venerated during Fiesta?
• The veneration of the statues of St. Peter and Mary symbolize the importance of fishing and family to Sicilian-Americans and other Catholics in Gloucester.
• How did the change from sails to engines change fishing?
• The change from sails to engines led to a change in fishing practices that end up endangering the fishing stocks for future generations.
• What is significant about Lane's use light and detail in his paintings?
• Fitz Henry Lane uses light to convey luminous, transcendent beauty and, conversely uses to precise details to evoke the material reality of man's relationship with nature.
• What is the meaning and significance of "Letter Six" of the Maximus Poems?
• In "Letter Six" Charles Olson asserts the necessity of attention and care from all citizens of a place if that place is to thrive.
Think about what you have learned about the topic. What aspect of the topic do you think you could interpret or analyze or compare or evaluate?
Then turn that aspect of the topic into a question.
Your clear, supportable, debatable, insightful, meaningful (perhaps even original) answer to the question will be your thesis.
What’s due and when?
Bring your question and thesis to class tomorrow, Friday, May 21 and post your question and thesis in the comment box on the blog by class time on Monday, May 24.
On Friday we will "workshop" the questions and thesis statements. Then we will work on writing the paper itself (1000+ words with at least three sources cited in the text and a works cited page--you've already found the sources!). A complete first draft of the paper will be due in class on Friday, May 28 and the final draft of the paper with developed and supported thesis, in-text citations from at least three sources, a Works Cited page with at least three sources, and an annotated bibliography of “Works Consulted” will be due Tuesday, June 1.
Some ideas for getting started.
• Begin with a depiction of Gloucester from the readings. Apply it to your topic. Agree, disagree and/or revise that depiction of Gloucester using your research as support. You might take a quotation.
• Begin with an artist’s or poet’s take/use of your topic. Explain and analyze this take on the topic. Or, evaluate and judge this take.
• Begin with the changes that have taken place with your topic over time. Explain and analyze these changes. Evaluate and judge these changes. Predict future changes. Propose and defend preservation. Advocate for a certain kind of change.
• Begin with a comparison. The comparison could be within your topic. (Compare the meaning of two parts of Fiesta.) The comparison could be with your topic in Gloucester and the same topic elsewhere. (Compare St. Peter celebrations in Gloucester with those in Sicily.) The comparison could be between your topic and something new. (Compare Fitz Henry Lane’s paintings to Winslow Homer’s. Compare the poetry of Gloucester’s first Poet Laureate, Vincent Ferrini, to the current Poet Laureate, John Ronan.)
• Explain, analyze, evaluate, judge…the meaning of some aspect of the topic, the reason for some aspect of the topic, the cause of some aspect of the topic, etc.
Some examples of questions
• For example, if your topic is St. Peter's Fiesta you might explain why certain saints are venerated during St. Peter's Fiesta. (In the form of a question: why are St. Peter and Mary venerated during Fiesta?)
• Or, if your topic is Stage Fort Park you might compare its past uses to its present uses. Or, if your topic is fishing you might compare schooner fishing to trawler fishing in Gloucester. (How did the change from sails to engines change affect Gloucester industrially and culturally?)
• Or, if your topic is painters of Gloucester you might analyze Fitz Henry Lane's use of light and precise detail in his paintings. (What is significant about Lane's use light and detail in his paintings?)
• Or, if your topic is Charles Olson you might interpret the meaning of one or more of his poems that interest you. (What is the meaning and significance of "Letter Six" of the Maximus Poems?)
Some examples of questions and answers
• Why are St. Peter and Mary venerated during Fiesta?
• The veneration of the statues of St. Peter and Mary symbolize the importance of fishing and family to Sicilian-Americans and other Catholics in Gloucester.
• How did the change from sails to engines change fishing?
• The change from sails to engines led to a change in fishing practices that end up endangering the fishing stocks for future generations.
• What is significant about Lane's use light and detail in his paintings?
• Fitz Henry Lane uses light to convey luminous, transcendent beauty and, conversely uses to precise details to evoke the material reality of man's relationship with nature.
• What is the meaning and significance of "Letter Six" of the Maximus Poems?
• In "Letter Six" Charles Olson asserts the necessity of attention and care from all citizens of a place if that place is to thrive.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Gloucester Narratives: Ways of Looking at Gloucester
Over the next two weeks you will read a narrative in which depictions of Gloucester -- or parts of Gloucester -- play a significant role.
While you read you will maintain a double-entry journal, which will be collected on Friday, April 30.
Read the directions carefully.
On the left side of your journal you will record quotations from throughout the book -- at least ten.
Select quotations in which some aspect of Gloucester -- people in or from Gloucester, places in Gloucester, the history of Gloucester, etc. -- is depicted or in which a direct statement about Gloucester is offered. Choose passages that seem significant in presenting a particular perspective on Gloucester and set of perceptions about Gloucester. (Note: If your book has sections that do not deal with Gloucester you may select up to five quotations that are not directly related to Gloucester people, places, history, etc. These quotations should still be significant in some way to the book as a whole.) Also, make sure you choose passages from the beginning, middle, and end of the book. You will write down each quotation and the page on which you found it.
On the right side of your journal you will respond to the quotation.
Make inferences. What does the depiction of Gloucester suggest? How is it significant? What does it seem to mean?
Respond. Do you agree or disagree with the depiction? Are you skeptical? Are you surprised? Do you have a personal or family connection to the way Gloucester is depicted in the quotation? (Show me that you are reading with your head and your heart.)
Remember some guiding questions:
How do writers depict Gloucester? How are the differing depictions significant? (How is Gloucester used by the writer? What does the writer suggest about Gloucester? Does Gloucester seem to represent something -- an ideal, an alternative, a warning, a trap, a set of values -- in the work?)
Here are some of the books. In the comment box post your name (first name, last initial) and the book you plan to read.
While you read you will maintain a double-entry journal, which will be collected on Friday, April 30.
Read the directions carefully.
On the left side of your journal you will record quotations from throughout the book -- at least ten.
Select quotations in which some aspect of Gloucester -- people in or from Gloucester, places in Gloucester, the history of Gloucester, etc. -- is depicted or in which a direct statement about Gloucester is offered. Choose passages that seem significant in presenting a particular perspective on Gloucester and set of perceptions about Gloucester. (Note: If your book has sections that do not deal with Gloucester you may select up to five quotations that are not directly related to Gloucester people, places, history, etc. These quotations should still be significant in some way to the book as a whole.) Also, make sure you choose passages from the beginning, middle, and end of the book. You will write down each quotation and the page on which you found it.
On the right side of your journal you will respond to the quotation.
Make inferences. What does the depiction of Gloucester suggest? How is it significant? What does it seem to mean?
Respond. Do you agree or disagree with the depiction? Are you skeptical? Are you surprised? Do you have a personal or family connection to the way Gloucester is depicted in the quotation? (Show me that you are reading with your head and your heart.)
Remember some guiding questions:
Here are some of the books. In the comment box post your name (first name, last initial) and the book you plan to read.
Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling
The Maximus Poems by Charles Olson
Know Fish by Vincent Ferrini
The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant
Dogtown: Death and Enchantment in a
The Last Fish Tale by Mark Kurlansky
At the Cut by Peter Anastas
Broken Trip by Peter Anastas
The Finest Kind: the Fishermen of Gloucester by Kim Bartlett
Hammers on Stone and A Village at Lane's Cove by Barbara Erkkila
Voices by Richard M. Swiderski
When
Prologos and Gloucesterbook and Gloucestertide by Jonathan Bayliss
The Lone Voyager (about Howard Blackburn) and The Fish and the Falcon (about Gloucester's involvement in the War of 1812) (formerly called Guns Off Gloucester) and many more by Joseph Garland
Out of Gloucester and several other books (not all books on the linked page deal with Gloucester) by James B. Connolly
History of Gloucester by John Babson
History of the Town and City of Gloucester, Cape Ann, Massachusetts by James Robert Pringle
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Starting to think about your Gloucester...
In the comment box write a response (300+ words) to the following question:
In what way is "your" Gloucester different from other people's?
To answer this question you might think about your own life and experiences in Gloucester. What people and events have influenced your view of the place. You might think about the places in Gloucester that are "yours". You might think about family history in this city -- or elsewhere -- that affects your view of Gloucester. You might think about the ways in which you feel you belong and, perhaps, the ways in which you feel alienated. Do you want to stay? Do you want to leave? Do you want to leave and come back? Certainly think about what you think is the dominant view about what Gloucester "really is" and whether you also have that view or not. Those are just some of the ways you might begin answering the question.
In what way is "your" Gloucester different from other people's?
To answer this question you might think about your own life and experiences in Gloucester. What people and events have influenced your view of the place. You might think about the places in Gloucester that are "yours". You might think about family history in this city -- or elsewhere -- that affects your view of Gloucester. You might think about the ways in which you feel you belong and, perhaps, the ways in which you feel alienated. Do you want to stay? Do you want to leave? Do you want to leave and come back? Certainly think about what you think is the dominant view about what Gloucester "really is" and whether you also have that view or not. Those are just some of the ways you might begin answering the question.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Here are the rest of the "C" words...More to come...
circuitous (adj.) roundabout (The bus’s circuitous route took us through numerous
outlying suburbs.)
circumlocution (n.) indirect and wordy language (The professor’s habit of speaking in
circumlocutions made it difficult to follow his lectures.)
circumscribed (adj.) marked off, bounded (The children were permitted to play tag
only within a carefully circumscribed area of the lawn.)
circumspect (adj.) cautious (Though I promised Rachel’s father I would bring her home
promptly by midnight, it would have been more circumspect not to have specified a
time.)
circumvent (v.) to get around (The school’s dress code forbidding navel-baring jeans
was circumvented by the determined students, who were careful to cover up with
long coats when administrators were nearby.)
clairvoyant (adj.) able to perceive things that normal people cannot (Zelda’s uncanny
ability to detect my lies was nothing short of clairvoyant.)
clandestine (adj.) secret (Announcing to her boyfriend that she was going to the gym,
Sophie actually went to meet Joseph for a clandestine liaison.)
cleave 1. (v.) to divide into parts (Following the scandalous disgrace of their leader, the
entire political party cleaved into warring factions.) 2. (v.) to stick together firmly
(After resolving their marital problems, Junior and Rosa cleaved to one another all
the more tightly.)
clemency (n.) mercy (After he forgot their anniversary, Martin could only beg Maria
for clemency.)
cloying (adj.) sickeningly sweet (Though Ronald was physically attractive, Maud
found his constant compliments and solicitous remarks cloying.)
coagulate (v.) to thicken, clot (The top layer of the pudding had coagulated into a thick
skin.)
coalesce (v.) to fuse into a whole (Gordon’s ensemble of thrift-shop garments coalesced
into a surprisingly handsome outfit.)
coerce (v.) to make somebody do something by force or threat (The court decided that
Vanilla Ice did not have to honor the contract because he had been coerced into
signing it.)
cogent (adj.) intellectually convincing (Irene’s arguments in favor of abstinence were so
cogent that I could not resist them.)
cognizant (adj.) aware, mindful (Jake avoided speaking to women in bars because he
was cognizant of the fact that drinking impairs his judgment.)
coherent (adj.) logically consistent, intelligible (Renee could not figure out what
Monroe had seen because he was too distraught to deliver a coherent statement.)
collateral 1. (adj.) secondary (Divorcing my wife had the collateral effect of making me
poor, as she was the only one of us with a job or money.) 2. (n.) security for a debt
(Jacob left his watch as collateral for the $500 loan.)
colloquial (adj.) characteristic of informal conversation (Adam’s essay on sexual
response in primates was marked down because it contained too many colloquial
expressions.)
collusion (n.) secret agreement, conspiracy (The three law students worked in collusion
to steal the final exam.)
colossus (n.) a gigantic statue or thing (For 56 years, the ancient city of Rhodes featured
a colossus standing astride its harbor.)
commendation (n.) a notice of approval or recognition (Jared received a commendation
from Linda, his supervisor, for his stellar performance.)
commensurate (adj.) corresponding in size or amount (Ahab selected a very long roll
and proceeded to prepare a tuna salad sandwich commensurate with his enormous
appetite.)
commodious (adj.) roomy (Holden invited the three women to join him in the back seat
of the taxicab, assuring them that the car was quite commodious.)AT Vocabulary
complacency (n.) self-satisfied ignorance of danger (Colin tried to shock his friends out
of their complacency by painting a frightening picture of what might happen to
them.)
complement (v.) to complete, make perfect (Ann’s scarf complements her blouse
beautifully, making her seem fully dressed even though she isn’t wearing a coat.)
compliant (adj.) ready to adapt oneself to another’s wishes (Sue had very
strong opinions about what to do on a first date, and Ted was
absolutely compliant.)
complicit (adj.) being an accomplice in a wrongful act (By keeping her daughter’s affair
a secret, Maddie became complicit in it.)
compliment (n.) an expression of esteem or approval (I blushed crimson when Emma
gave me a compliment on my new haircut.)
compunction (n.) distress caused by feeling guilty (He felt compunction for the shabby
way he’d treated her.)
conciliatory (adj.) friendly, agreeable (I took Amanda’s invitation to dinner as a very
conciliatory gesture.)
concomitant (adj.) accompanying in a subordinate fashion (His dislike of hard work
carried with it a concomitant lack of funds.)
concord (n.) harmonious agreement (Julie and Harold began the evening with a
disagreement, but ended it in a state of perfect concord.)
conduit (n.) a pipe or channel through which something passes (The water flowed
through the conduit into the container.)
confection (n.) a sweet, fancy food (We went to the mall food court and purchased a
delicious confection.)
confidant (n.) a person entrusted with secrets (Shortly after we met, she became my
chief confidant.)
conflagration (n.) great fire (The conflagration consumed the entire building.)
confluence (n.) a gathering together (A confluence of different factors made tonight the
perfect night.)
conformist (n.) one who behaves the same as others (Julian was such a conformist that
he had to wait and see if his friends would do something before he would commit.)
confound (v.) to frustrate, confuse (MacGuyver confounded the policemen pursuing
him by covering his tracks.)
congeal (v.) to thicken into a solid (The sauce had congealed into a thick paste.)
congenial (adj.) pleasantly agreeable (His congenial manner made him popular
wherever he went.)
congruity (n.) the quality of being in agreement (Bill and Veronica achieved a perfect
congruity of opinion.)
connive (v.) to plot, scheme (She connived to get me to give up my vacation plans.)
consecrate (v.) to dedicate something to a holy purpose (Arvin consecrated his spare
bedroom as a shrine to Christina.)
consensus (n.) an agreement of opinion (The jury was able to reach a consensus only
after days of deliberation.)
consign (v.) to give something over to another’s care (Unwillingly, he consigned his
mother to a nursing home.)
consonant (adj.) in harmony (The singers’ consonant voices were beautiful.)
construe (v.) to interpret (He construed her throwing his clothes out the window as a
signal that she wanted him to leave.)
consummate (v.) to complete a deal; to complete a marriage ceremony through sexual
intercourse (Erica and Donald consummated their agreement in the executive
boardroom.)
contemporaneous (adj.) existing during the same time (Though her novels do not
feature the themes of Romanticism, Jane Austen’s work was contemporaneous with
that of Wordsworth and Byron.)
contentious (adj.) having a tendency to quarrel or dispute (George’s contentious
personality made him unpopular with his classmates.)
contravene (v.) to contradict, oppose, violate (Edwidge contravened his landlady’s rule
against overnight guests.)
contusion (n.) bruise, injury (The contusions on his face suggested he’d been in a fight.)
that you take off your boots before entering their houses.)
convivial (adj.) characterized by feasting, drinking, merriment (The restaurant’s
convivial atmosphere put me immediately at ease.)
convoluted (adj.) intricate, complicated (Grace’s story was so convoluted that I couldn’t
follow it.)
copious (adj.) profuse, abundant (Copious amounts of Snapple were imbibed in the
cafeteria.)
cordial (adj.) warm, affectionate (His cordial greeting melted my anger at once.)
coronation (n.) the act of crowning (The new king’s coronation occurred the day after
his father’s death.)
corroborate (v.) to support with evidence (Luke’s seemingly outrageous claim was
corroborated by witnesses.)
corrosive (adj.) having the tendency to erode or eat away (The effect of the chemical
was highly corrosive.)
cosmopolitan (adj.) sophisticated, worldly (Lloyd’s education and upbringing were
cosmopolitan, so he felt right at home among the powerful and learned.)
covet (v.) to desire enviously (I coveted Moses’s house, wife, and car.)
credulity (n.) readiness to believe (His credulity made him an easy target for con men.)
crescendo (n.) a steady increase in intensity or volume (The crescendo of the brass
instruments gave the piece a patriotic feel.)
culmination (n.) the climax toward which something progresses (The culmination of
the couple’s argument was the decision to divorce.)
culpable (adj.) deserving blame (He was culpable of the crime, and was sentenced to
perform community service for 75 years.)
cultivate (v.) to nurture, improve, refine (At the library, she cultivated her interest in
spy novels.)
cumulative (adj.) increasing, building upon itself (The cumulative effect of hours spent
in the sun was a deep tan.)
cunning (adj.) sly, clever at being deceitful (The general devised a cunning plan to
surprise the enemy.)
cupidity (n.) greed, strong desire (His cupidity made him enter the abandoned gold
mine despite the obvious dangers.)
cursory (adj.) brief to the point of being superficial (Late for the meeting, she cast a
cursory glance at the agenda.)
curt (adj.) abruptly and rudely short (Her curt reply to my question made me realize
that she was upset at me.)
curtail (v.) to lessen, reduce (Since losing his job, he had to curtail his spending.)
outlying suburbs.)
circumlocution (n.) indirect and wordy language (The professor’s habit of speaking in
circumlocutions made it difficult to follow his lectures.)
circumscribed (adj.) marked off, bounded (The children were permitted to play tag
only within a carefully circumscribed area of the lawn.)
circumspect (adj.) cautious (Though I promised Rachel’s father I would bring her home
promptly by midnight, it would have been more circumspect not to have specified a
time.)
circumvent (v.) to get around (The school’s dress code forbidding navel-baring jeans
was circumvented by the determined students, who were careful to cover up with
long coats when administrators were nearby.)
clairvoyant (adj.) able to perceive things that normal people cannot (Zelda’s uncanny
ability to detect my lies was nothing short of clairvoyant.)
clandestine (adj.) secret (Announcing to her boyfriend that she was going to the gym,
Sophie actually went to meet Joseph for a clandestine liaison.)
cleave 1. (v.) to divide into parts (Following the scandalous disgrace of their leader, the
entire political party cleaved into warring factions.) 2. (v.) to stick together firmly
(After resolving their marital problems, Junior and Rosa cleaved to one another all
the more tightly.)
clemency (n.) mercy (After he forgot their anniversary, Martin could only beg Maria
for clemency.)
cloying (adj.) sickeningly sweet (Though Ronald was physically attractive, Maud
found his constant compliments and solicitous remarks cloying.)
coagulate (v.) to thicken, clot (The top layer of the pudding had coagulated into a thick
skin.)
coalesce (v.) to fuse into a whole (Gordon’s ensemble of thrift-shop garments coalesced
into a surprisingly handsome outfit.)
coerce (v.) to make somebody do something by force or threat (The court decided that
Vanilla Ice did not have to honor the contract because he had been coerced into
signing it.)
cogent (adj.) intellectually convincing (Irene’s arguments in favor of abstinence were so
cogent that I could not resist them.)
cognizant (adj.) aware, mindful (Jake avoided speaking to women in bars because he
was cognizant of the fact that drinking impairs his judgment.)
coherent (adj.) logically consistent, intelligible (Renee could not figure out what
Monroe had seen because he was too distraught to deliver a coherent statement.)
collateral 1. (adj.) secondary (Divorcing my wife had the collateral effect of making me
poor, as she was the only one of us with a job or money.) 2. (n.) security for a debt
(Jacob left his watch as collateral for the $500 loan.)
colloquial (adj.) characteristic of informal conversation (Adam’s essay on sexual
response in primates was marked down because it contained too many colloquial
expressions.)
collusion (n.) secret agreement, conspiracy (The three law students worked in collusion
to steal the final exam.)
colossus (n.) a gigantic statue or thing (For 56 years, the ancient city of Rhodes featured
a colossus standing astride its harbor.)
commendation (n.) a notice of approval or recognition (Jared received a commendation
from Linda, his supervisor, for his stellar performance.)
commensurate (adj.) corresponding in size or amount (Ahab selected a very long roll
and proceeded to prepare a tuna salad sandwich commensurate with his enormous
appetite.)
commodious (adj.) roomy (Holden invited the three women to join him in the back seat
of the taxicab, assuring them that the car was quite commodious.)AT Vocabulary
complacency (n.) self-satisfied ignorance of danger (Colin tried to shock his friends out
of their complacency by painting a frightening picture of what might happen to
them.)
complement (v.) to complete, make perfect (Ann’s scarf complements her blouse
beautifully, making her seem fully dressed even though she isn’t wearing a coat.)
compliant (adj.) ready to adapt oneself to another’s wishes (Sue had very
strong opinions about what to do on a first date, and Ted was
absolutely compliant.)
complicit (adj.) being an accomplice in a wrongful act (By keeping her daughter’s affair
a secret, Maddie became complicit in it.)
compliment (n.) an expression of esteem or approval (I blushed crimson when Emma
gave me a compliment on my new haircut.)
compunction (n.) distress caused by feeling guilty (He felt compunction for the shabby
way he’d treated her.)
conciliatory (adj.) friendly, agreeable (I took Amanda’s invitation to dinner as a very
conciliatory gesture.)
concomitant (adj.) accompanying in a subordinate fashion (His dislike of hard work
carried with it a concomitant lack of funds.)
concord (n.) harmonious agreement (Julie and Harold began the evening with a
disagreement, but ended it in a state of perfect concord.)
conduit (n.) a pipe or channel through which something passes (The water flowed
through the conduit into the container.)
confection (n.) a sweet, fancy food (We went to the mall food court and purchased a
delicious confection.)
confidant (n.) a person entrusted with secrets (Shortly after we met, she became my
chief confidant.)
conflagration (n.) great fire (The conflagration consumed the entire building.)
confluence (n.) a gathering together (A confluence of different factors made tonight the
perfect night.)
conformist (n.) one who behaves the same as others (Julian was such a conformist that
he had to wait and see if his friends would do something before he would commit.)
confound (v.) to frustrate, confuse (MacGuyver confounded the policemen pursuing
him by covering his tracks.)
congeal (v.) to thicken into a solid (The sauce had congealed into a thick paste.)
congenial (adj.) pleasantly agreeable (His congenial manner made him popular
wherever he went.)
congruity (n.) the quality of being in agreement (Bill and Veronica achieved a perfect
congruity of opinion.)
connive (v.) to plot, scheme (She connived to get me to give up my vacation plans.)
consecrate (v.) to dedicate something to a holy purpose (Arvin consecrated his spare
bedroom as a shrine to Christina.)
consensus (n.) an agreement of opinion (The jury was able to reach a consensus only
after days of deliberation.)
consign (v.) to give something over to another’s care (Unwillingly, he consigned his
mother to a nursing home.)
consonant (adj.) in harmony (The singers’ consonant voices were beautiful.)
construe (v.) to interpret (He construed her throwing his clothes out the window as a
signal that she wanted him to leave.)
consummate (v.) to complete a deal; to complete a marriage ceremony through sexual
intercourse (Erica and Donald consummated their agreement in the executive
boardroom.)
contemporaneous (adj.) existing during the same time (Though her novels do not
feature the themes of Romanticism, Jane Austen’s work was contemporaneous with
that of Wordsworth and Byron.)
contentious (adj.) having a tendency to quarrel or dispute (George’s contentious
personality made him unpopular with his classmates.)
contravene (v.) to contradict, oppose, violate (Edwidge contravened his landlady’s rule
against overnight guests.)
contusion (n.) bruise, injury (The contusions on his face suggested he’d been in a fight.)
that you take off your boots before entering their houses.)
convivial (adj.) characterized by feasting, drinking, merriment (The restaurant’s
convivial atmosphere put me immediately at ease.)
convoluted (adj.) intricate, complicated (Grace’s story was so convoluted that I couldn’t
follow it.)
copious (adj.) profuse, abundant (Copious amounts of Snapple were imbibed in the
cafeteria.)
cordial (adj.) warm, affectionate (His cordial greeting melted my anger at once.)
coronation (n.) the act of crowning (The new king’s coronation occurred the day after
his father’s death.)
corroborate (v.) to support with evidence (Luke’s seemingly outrageous claim was
corroborated by witnesses.)
corrosive (adj.) having the tendency to erode or eat away (The effect of the chemical
was highly corrosive.)
cosmopolitan (adj.) sophisticated, worldly (Lloyd’s education and upbringing were
cosmopolitan, so he felt right at home among the powerful and learned.)
covet (v.) to desire enviously (I coveted Moses’s house, wife, and car.)
credulity (n.) readiness to believe (His credulity made him an easy target for con men.)
crescendo (n.) a steady increase in intensity or volume (The crescendo of the brass
instruments gave the piece a patriotic feel.)
culmination (n.) the climax toward which something progresses (The culmination of
the couple’s argument was the decision to divorce.)
culpable (adj.) deserving blame (He was culpable of the crime, and was sentenced to
perform community service for 75 years.)
cultivate (v.) to nurture, improve, refine (At the library, she cultivated her interest in
spy novels.)
cumulative (adj.) increasing, building upon itself (The cumulative effect of hours spent
in the sun was a deep tan.)
cunning (adj.) sly, clever at being deceitful (The general devised a cunning plan to
surprise the enemy.)
cupidity (n.) greed, strong desire (His cupidity made him enter the abandoned gold
mine despite the obvious dangers.)
cursory (adj.) brief to the point of being superficial (Late for the meeting, she cast a
cursory glance at the agenda.)
curt (adj.) abruptly and rudely short (Her curt reply to my question made me realize
that she was upset at me.)
curtail (v.) to lessen, reduce (Since losing his job, he had to curtail his spending.)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Hamlet Work
Now that you've finished reading the play here's the work that we need to complete.
1. Comic strip directions: Create a sixteen (or more) panel comic strip depicting the story of Hamlet from 3.3 (Claudius praying/not praying) to the end. Remember that the comics will be evaluated for their clarity, care, accuracy, and completeness. Don't leave out the subplots. You will hand in your comic strip on Friday, April 2.
2. Motif directions: In the comment box below write an open response explaining the significance of the motif in the play overall with particular attention to the second half of the play. Make sure you analyze at least three direct quotations in your response.
At the end of your open response type up all the references to the motif that you found from 3.3 to the end: write down the speaker, act, scene, and line (for example Polonius 2.1.97) for each reference to the motif.
This is due by class time on Monday, April 5. (Will you stay up to watch the Sox and Yankees Sunday night?)
3. "Ophelia Speaks" directions:
We will share these in class on Friday, April 2 then you will hand them in.
4. More SAT vocabulary.
Go here for the new words. Follow the study card/sheet directions:
For each word make a study card or sheet. Include the word in the middle in the top left place a definition, in the top right write a synonym (a word that means nearly the same thing), in the bottom left write (or draw) an example or write sentence with context clues, and in the bottom right write an antonym (a word that is the opposite of the word. (Not all words have antonyms.)
I'll check your study cards/sheets and we'll take another quiz on Monday, April 5.
1. Comic strip directions: Create a sixteen (or more) panel comic strip depicting the story of Hamlet from 3.3 (Claudius praying/not praying) to the end. Remember that the comics will be evaluated for their clarity, care, accuracy, and completeness. Don't leave out the subplots. You will hand in your comic strip on Friday, April 2.
2. Motif directions: In the comment box below write an open response explaining the significance of the motif in the play overall with particular attention to the second half of the play. Make sure you analyze at least three direct quotations in your response.
At the end of your open response type up all the references to the motif that you found from 3.3 to the end: write down the speaker, act, scene, and line (for example Polonius 2.1.97) for each reference to the motif.
This is due by class time on Monday, April 5. (Will you stay up to watch the Sox and Yankees Sunday night?)
3. "Ophelia Speaks" directions:
Role: Ophelia
Audience: Readers and viewers of Hamlet who want to understand Ophelia more deeply.
Format: 1. a soliloquy
2. 14+ lines*
3. The lines conclude with a rhyming couple in iambic pentameter. (*The other 12 lines may be in prose or in iambic pentameter (blank verse).
4. State where in the play you would insert the lines. (Would you create a 4.8? Would you place them somewhere in 4.4 or 4.6? Be precise: act, scene, line. She could even, I suppose, return as a ghost; or a letter she has written or a diary she has kept could be found. Be thoughtful and creative.)
5. Refer to song lyrics (from 4.4 and 4.6) and/or flower imagery (from 4.6).
Topic: What Ophelia is thinking and feeling at the moment in the play into which you decide to insert her soliloquy?
We will share these in class on Friday, April 2 then you will hand them in.
4. More SAT vocabulary.
Go here for the new words. Follow the study card/sheet directions:
For each word make a study card or sheet. Include the word in the middle in the top left place a definition, in the top right write a synonym (a word that means nearly the same thing), in the bottom left write (or draw) an example or write sentence with context clues, and in the bottom right write an antonym (a word that is the opposite of the word. (Not all words have antonyms.)
I'll check your study cards/sheets and we'll take another quiz on Monday, April 5.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Soliloquy 4.4
Soliloquy 4.4
How all occasions do inform against me, (35)
And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,
If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.
Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not (40)
That capability and god-like reason
To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be
Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple
Of thinking too precisely on the event,
A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom (45)
And ever three parts coward, I do not know
Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;'
Sith I have cause and will and strength and means
To do't. Examples gross as earth exhort me:
Witness this army of such mass and charge (50)
Led by a delicate and tender prince,
Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd
Makes mouths at the invisible event,
Exposing what is mortal and unsure
To all that fortune, death and danger dare, (55)
Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be great
Is not to stir without great argument,
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw
When honour's at the stake. How stand I then,
That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd, (60)
Excitements of my reason and my blood,
And let all sleep? while, to my shame, I see
The imminent death of twenty thousand men,
That, for a fantasy and trick of fame,
Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot (65)
Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause,
Which is not tomb enough and continent
To hide the slain? O, from this time forth,
My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!
NOTES
[Source: http://shakespeare.about.com/od/studentresources/a/allinform.htm Amanda Mabillard, B.A. (Honors) is a freelance writer specializing in Shakespeare, Renaissance political theory, theatre history, comparative literary history, and linguistic topics in Renaissance literature.]
inform against ] Accuse me.
market ] Employment.
discourse ] The power of reason. God gave human beings the ability to reflect on life's events.
Looking before and after ] Our intelligence allows us to analyze past experiences and make rational judgments about the future.
fust ] Grow mouldy. Hamlet is saying that God did not give us the power of reason for it to go unused.
Bestial oblivion ] The forgetfulness of an animal. Our capability to remember separates mankind from other animals or "beasts". But Hamlet forgetting Claudius's deeds is clearly not why he delays the murder.
craven scruple ] Cowardly feelings.
of ] From.
event ] Outcome.
quarter'd ] Meticulously analyzed (literally, divided into four).
Sith ] Since.
gross ] Obvious.
mass and charge ] Size and cost. Hamlet is referring to the army led by Fortinbras, prince of Norway. Hamlet wishes he had Fortinbras's courage.
puff'd ] Inflated.
Makes mouths at the invisible event ] Shows contempt for (or cares not about) the uncertain outcome of battle.
Rightly to be great...stake ] Truly great men refrain from fighting over insignificant things, but they will fight without hesitation over something trivial when their honour is at risk. "True nobility of soul is to restrain one's self unless there is a great cause for resentment, but nobly to recognize even a trifle as such as cause when honour is involved" (Kittredge 121). Ironically, "Hamlet never learns from the Captain or attempts to clarify what the specific issue of honor is that motivates the Prince of Norway. In fact, there is none, for the play has made it clear that Fortinbras's uncle, after discovering and stopping his nephew's secret and illegal revenge campaign against Claudius, encouraged him to use newly levied forces to fight in Poland...Since no issue of honor is to be found in Fortinbras's cause, Hamlet, through his excessive desire to emulate the Norwegian leader, ironically calls into question whether there is any honour in his own cause" (Newell 143). [Mr. Cook adds: or, perhaps, Hamlet’s mind has once again moved from the particular (Fortinbras and his army) to the abstract (consideration of what defines greatness). It seems Fortinbras and his army are not important in and of themselves but in how they “inform against” (indict, critique, etc.) Hamlet’s inaction.]
twenty thousand men ] In line 25, it was 20000 ducats and only 2000 men. It is undecided whether this confusion is Hamlet's or Shakespeare's.
blood ] Passions.
trick of fame ] Trifle of reputation. But is not Hamlet jealous of Fortinbras and his ability to fight in defense of his honour? "Fortinbras is enticed by a dream, and thousands must die for it. Hamlet's common sense about the absurdity of Fortinbras's venture shows the pointlessness of his envy" (Edwards 193).
Whereon...slain ] The cause is not significant enough to consume the thousands of men fighting over it, and the tombs and coffins are not plentiful enough to hold those who are killed (continent = container).
1. (Make connections!) In a paragraph compare what Hamlet says in lines 36-49 of this soliloquy to what he says in lines 91-96 of his “To be or not to be” soliloquy (below).
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry, (95)
And lose the name of action.—
2. (Make connections!) In a paragraph explain how this soliloquy is similar to the “O What a rogue and peasant slave” soliloquy. (Think about the role that Fortinbras plays in this speech and that the First Player plays in the earlier speech: “What would he do, / Had he the motive and the cue for passion / That I have?”)
3. (What’s your opinion?) Hamlet contrasts his own cowardly thought with the actions of Fortinbras. Do you think Fortinbras is a good role model for Hamlet? In other words, should Hamlet be more like Fortinbras or not? Explain your answer in a paragraph. Use evidence from the play and this soliloquy to develop your answer. (Like Hamlet, you might be able to argue both “yes” and “no”.)
Post below by class time on Monday.
How all occasions do inform against me, (35)
And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,
If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.
Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not (40)
That capability and god-like reason
To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be
Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple
Of thinking too precisely on the event,
A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom (45)
And ever three parts coward, I do not know
Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;'
Sith I have cause and will and strength and means
To do't. Examples gross as earth exhort me:
Witness this army of such mass and charge (50)
Led by a delicate and tender prince,
Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd
Makes mouths at the invisible event,
Exposing what is mortal and unsure
To all that fortune, death and danger dare, (55)
Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be great
Is not to stir without great argument,
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw
When honour's at the stake. How stand I then,
That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd, (60)
Excitements of my reason and my blood,
And let all sleep? while, to my shame, I see
The imminent death of twenty thousand men,
That, for a fantasy and trick of fame,
Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot (65)
Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause,
Which is not tomb enough and continent
To hide the slain? O, from this time forth,
My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!
NOTES
[Source: http://shakespeare.about.com/od/studentresources/a/allinform.htm Amanda Mabillard, B.A. (Honors) is a freelance writer specializing in Shakespeare, Renaissance political theory, theatre history, comparative literary history, and linguistic topics in Renaissance literature.]
inform against ] Accuse me.
market ] Employment.
discourse ] The power of reason. God gave human beings the ability to reflect on life's events.
Looking before and after ] Our intelligence allows us to analyze past experiences and make rational judgments about the future.
fust ] Grow mouldy. Hamlet is saying that God did not give us the power of reason for it to go unused.
Bestial oblivion ] The forgetfulness of an animal. Our capability to remember separates mankind from other animals or "beasts". But Hamlet forgetting Claudius's deeds is clearly not why he delays the murder.
craven scruple ] Cowardly feelings.
of ] From.
event ] Outcome.
quarter'd ] Meticulously analyzed (literally, divided into four).
Sith ] Since.
gross ] Obvious.
mass and charge ] Size and cost. Hamlet is referring to the army led by Fortinbras, prince of Norway. Hamlet wishes he had Fortinbras's courage.
puff'd ] Inflated.
Makes mouths at the invisible event ] Shows contempt for (or cares not about) the uncertain outcome of battle.
Rightly to be great...stake ] Truly great men refrain from fighting over insignificant things, but they will fight without hesitation over something trivial when their honour is at risk. "True nobility of soul is to restrain one's self unless there is a great cause for resentment, but nobly to recognize even a trifle as such as cause when honour is involved" (Kittredge 121). Ironically, "Hamlet never learns from the Captain or attempts to clarify what the specific issue of honor is that motivates the Prince of Norway. In fact, there is none, for the play has made it clear that Fortinbras's uncle, after discovering and stopping his nephew's secret and illegal revenge campaign against Claudius, encouraged him to use newly levied forces to fight in Poland...Since no issue of honor is to be found in Fortinbras's cause, Hamlet, through his excessive desire to emulate the Norwegian leader, ironically calls into question whether there is any honour in his own cause" (Newell 143). [Mr. Cook adds: or, perhaps, Hamlet’s mind has once again moved from the particular (Fortinbras and his army) to the abstract (consideration of what defines greatness). It seems Fortinbras and his army are not important in and of themselves but in how they “inform against” (indict, critique, etc.) Hamlet’s inaction.]
twenty thousand men ] In line 25, it was 20000 ducats and only 2000 men. It is undecided whether this confusion is Hamlet's or Shakespeare's.
blood ] Passions.
trick of fame ] Trifle of reputation. But is not Hamlet jealous of Fortinbras and his ability to fight in defense of his honour? "Fortinbras is enticed by a dream, and thousands must die for it. Hamlet's common sense about the absurdity of Fortinbras's venture shows the pointlessness of his envy" (Edwards 193).
Whereon...slain ] The cause is not significant enough to consume the thousands of men fighting over it, and the tombs and coffins are not plentiful enough to hold those who are killed (continent = container).
1. (Make connections!) In a paragraph compare what Hamlet says in lines 36-49 of this soliloquy to what he says in lines 91-96 of his “To be or not to be” soliloquy (below).
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry, (95)
And lose the name of action.—
2. (Make connections!) In a paragraph explain how this soliloquy is similar to the “O What a rogue and peasant slave” soliloquy. (Think about the role that Fortinbras plays in this speech and that the First Player plays in the earlier speech: “What would he do, / Had he the motive and the cue for passion / That I have?”)
3. (What’s your opinion?) Hamlet contrasts his own cowardly thought with the actions of Fortinbras. Do you think Fortinbras is a good role model for Hamlet? In other words, should Hamlet be more like Fortinbras or not? Explain your answer in a paragraph. Use evidence from the play and this soliloquy to develop your answer. (Like Hamlet, you might be able to argue both “yes” and “no”.)
Post below by class time on Monday.
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