Cartoons

Drew, Logan, and I were discussing the appeal between the cartoons we grew up with and the ones that are popular now. I find that the cartoons of our younger years are far better than the ones of today.

For this blog, since we are analyzing things, I want you all to choose your favorite 90's cartoon and analyze why you think it is the best and what was so appealing. If you can, try to find a deeper meaning.

My favorite cartoon was probably a tie between "courage the cowardly dog" and "samurai jack". These were my favorites, because I believe it was more than just an adventure each episode. Courage dealt with fear and did whatever it took to keep his owners safe, that could be determined as a metaphor for the dangers of life and perhaps even childhood. I also believe that limited vocabulary that courage has takes a huge role, because he can not fully explain his fear, therefore he must physically deal with the problem.

Vocabulary Words & Poetry Reading Assignment

Hello all.

Well, I'm not sure what happened with the blog this weekend (Patrick?), but I hope you all enjoyed your extra day off.  Here are the vocabulary words for your first poetry vocab. quiz, which will be next Tuesday (the 29th).  The definitions are all in the packet I handed out to you last week.  It will be fill in the blank, but you will have to know how to spell them.  Rather than simply matching them with the definitions, however, you will be asked to recognize several in action (ie. The phrase "jumbo shrimp" in the poem above is an example of a(n) ______________________ [oxymoron]). 

1.       Allusion

2.       Assonance

3.       Cacophony

4.       Couplet

5.       End-stopped

6.       Enjambment

7.       Euphony

8.       Heroic couplet

9.       Litotes

10.   Metaphor

11.   Meter

12.   Metonymy

13.   Onomatopoeia

14.   Oxymoron

15.   Prosody

16.   Quatrain

17.   Rhythm

18.   Simile

19.   Synecdoche

 

In addition, the time has arrived for you to do some poetry analysis on your own.  Over the next three weeks, I would like you to select three poems per week from the following website, print them out, and respond to the ten questions we have covered in class for each poem (you may do it on the same sheet on which you print the poem): http://www.poetryfoundation.org/.  The three poems from the previous week will be due each Monday.  I will grade on how insightful and detailed your responses are, with particular emphasis on how well you analyze the language/poetic devices.

On another note, we will be starting Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man about mid-February, so I would like you to purchase a copy and have it in your possession by the 11th.  It is a widely published book, and you should be able to find a used copy for fairly cheap.

See you in class.
Mr. Pace

MLA Citation Guidelines

Hi all,

I enjoyed our discussion this morning; hopefully it helped strengthen some of your arguments.  As promised, here is a link to a citation guide for MLA format: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/1/. 

It outlines the way to integrate all types of sources both in-text and on your works cited page.  Let me know if you have any troubles, and I'll try to respond.

Cheers,
Mr. Pace

A Students Future

One more week is all that lies between us and the halfway point of our last year in Salmon High School. Among our class, I have yet to talk to anyone who fails to be ecstatic at the prospect of perpetual freedom. With this freedom however comes the opportunity to accomplish our dreams. So I ask what are the dreams you will immediately pursue after we have walked out these doors?

At the beginning of fall I had plans to apply to multiple institutions, yet have found myself only to have done the paperwork for one. Soon enough however I will apply to BSU and  CCA. Most likely I will begin classes at University of Idaho where I plan to major in English with a writing emphasis and minor in Broadcasting. At the same time starting this summer, I will begin to learn how to make short films of my own. 

Children Lost

There was a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. There were a total of 20 students killed and 6 adults. My blog is more a demand. Pick one of the victims and write a blurb about them, their life and how they relate to you or someone you know. One of the victims parents did an interview and said "[...] is the country still carring on with their everyday life?" The answer for us is yes, but we need to acknowledge ones lost rather than the killer.
After the first part give your opinion on the right to bear arms.

The American Dream

In Death of a Salesman, Biff describes his dream of earning enough money and buying his own land to one day have his own ranch, and fulfill his life with the work that he loves to do. Biff's father, Willy, believes that Biff is confused and not trying to get his life started and needs to stop wasting his time in Texas working a little paid job.

In class we discussed what the American Dream was; to have a house with a white picket fence, a good job, lots of money, and a family. For this blog, describe your dream or your future plans and discuss how your dreams or future may differ than your parents'. Do you plan to fulfill your dreams, and how might your dream be different than the simple "American Dream?" Have fun with this topic and be specific on what your future plans and dreams with hold!

Thanksgiving

Sorry this is a little late, but I know none of us even get on here until Sunday around 5 o' clock, so I figured it would be fine. I jumped at the chance to take a detour away from Oedipus and poems and blah blah blah! So, in honor of Thanksgiving this past Thursday, the topic is this. What is your favortie thing to do with your family on Thanksgiving? Any traditions you usually carry out? Favorite thing to eat or put on your turkey?
Let's have fun with this blog, and make it stress-free. No wrong answers--- GO!