Midterm in room 329 for Sackstein

Please come to school dressed in uniform tomorrow with 2 pens.

please report to room 329 for your exam.

See you in the morning... rest up.

Class analysis assignment - 1/23/09

After reading over your passage choices and analyses from Tuesday, I'd like us to do more work on this...

Directions: In class today, please select passages from the "Winter" p.61-93 (only) to meet the following criteria:

1. passage that reveals an important quality of the main character (protagonist)
2. passage that shows the symbolic importance of something or a passage that suggests why the book has the title it has

Make sure to write the passage and page number and then analyze the passage based on the criteria... what does Toni Morrison do to show the above? How is it effective? How does it relate back to the novel as a whole? Be specific - underline words, make direct references to what you've selected...

Please post both of your passages and comments to this post.

For instance: (and you can't use this as an example of your own...)

passage that the author used language in a particularly effective way:

"My daddy's face is a study. Winter moves into it and presides there. His eyes become a cliff of snow threatening to avalanche; his eyebrows bend like black limbs of leafless trees. His skin takes on the pale, cheerless yellow of winter sun; for a jaw he has the edges of a snowbound field dotted with stubble; his high forehead is the frozen sweep of the Erie, hiding current of gelid thoughts that eddy in darkness. Wolf killer turned hawk fighter, he worked night and day to keep one from teh door and the other from under the windowsills. A Vulcan guarding the flames, he gives us instructions about which doors to keep closed and opened for proper distribution of heat, lays kindling by, discusses qualities of coal, and teaches us how to rake, feed, and bank the fire. And he will not unrazor his lips until spring" (Morrison 61).

Analysis: In this passage Morrison uses the motif of winter to characterize Mr. Macteer. She uses the extended metaphor comparing his features to wintery imagery, such as "eyes become a cliff of snow threatening to avalanche." This image is strong and potentially scary, almost threatening, yet at the same time respected. She uses the simile "eyebrows bend like black limbs of leafless trees" to show the curves of his brow emphasizing the power of the before mentioned avalanche in his eyes. He is "cheerless" like the winter sun, not yielding enough warmth to keep them sated. Morrison characterizes Mr. Macteer in this stern manner to give us a contrast to Cholly Breedlove as well as present a tone for what the winter section will be about. It is effective as the reader gets a better sense of who Claudia is in its description and how she is raised. We've already learned a little about Mrs. Macteer and now we get the other half. The whole Macteer family serves as a barometer to which we can compare/judge the Breedloves in the future. The strong imagery and diction further solidifies the watchful way that her father protects the family :"A Vulcan guarding the flames, he gives us instructions about which doors to keep closed and opened for proper distribution of heat, lays kindling by, discusses qualities of coal, and teaches us how to rake, feed, and bank the fire." He both protects and instructs as a good, authorative parent should. The reader walks away from this description feeling like children, slightly afraid of him, but curious nonetheless.

Independent Reading Assignment #4 due 1/23 -TOMORROW

Directions: Identify and present passages from your independent reading book that illustrate the qualities listed below. Limit passages to one page of text. To present them, you may type them or photocopy and paste them.

After each passage, write a brief but specific explanation of hot the passage exemplifies the quality stated (three to five sentences). Remember to provide the page number of each passage.

1. passage that reveals an important quality about the main character (protagonist)
2. passage that shows an important part of setting
3. passage that suggest the complexity of the protagonist's conflict(s)
4. passages that suggest the complexity of the protagonist's conflict(s)
5. passage in which the author uses language in a particularly effective way
6. passage in which the author uses language in a particularly effective way
7. passage that shows teh symbolic importance of something or a passage that suggests why the book has the title it has
8. passage that shows the protagonist's situation at the end
9. passage that suggests and important idea, theme, or insight the book conveys
10. passage that shows what you liked about the book

Bluest Eye Reading for Regents Week

I'd like you to read all of the Spring section for Tuesday, 2/3 - p. 97-183

Make sure to take notes and annotate as you go - marking passages that you feel Toni Morrison uses language well, passages that show good examples of characterization, particularly good uses of figurative language... etc.

This should all be done in your sourcebook.

Independent Reading assignment #4

This is due on Friday 1/23 (this week) - please don't forget to turn your work in.

Independent Reading assignment #4

This is due on Friday 1/23 (this week) - please don't forget to turn your work in.

English Regents Midterm

Folks, many of you haven't turned in your consent forms for your practice regents. Please have your parents email me or turn in your consent. You will not be able to take the test on Tuesday 1/27 and Wed. 1/28 if you don't turn one in.

thanks in advance.