You Never Get a Second Chance ...

... to make a first impression. So what's your first impression of Crime and Punishment? You might focus on Dostoevsky's style, the character of Raskolnikov (or another character), the novel's Petersburg setting, or a particular passage or idea presented in the first two chapters of the novel. You might also choose to pose a question about or provide an analysis of the novel thus far.

(We can use the comments below as a starting point for discussion of the beginning of the novel on Monday 12/1.)

VFA (Vocabulary For A.P. Students)

Today in class we briefly discussed the practice A.P. multiple choice questions for the poems "An Epitaph," "Sestina," and "The Habit of Perfection." Some students expressed a bit of frustration at being stumped by challenging vocabulary or somewhat obscure literary terms. Please cite a particular word/term that caused a problem for you (including poem and question number), then provide a definition or explanation. No repeats, please!

(Sorry for the disturbing visual, but I couldn't pass it up!)

2002 AP Free-Response Question #3 (Form B)

Often in literature a character's success in achieving goals depends on keeping a secret and divulging it only at the right moment, if at all. Choose a novel or play of literary merit that requires a character to keep a secret. In a well-organized essay, briefly explain the necessity for secrecy and how the character's choice to reveal or keep the secret affects the plot and contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

Please identify the work of literature you'd choose in addressing the prompt and briefly sketch out an abstract for your argument. (Obviously, you're not writing an essay here, but rather conveying your thoughts on how you'd approach the essay question.)

Dublimericks

Today in class we read the “Dublimericks” created by Bernard Benstock and Michael J. O'Shea. Please add your own limerick (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limerick_(poetry) in which you provide a capsule summary of a work of literature (or, if you'd prefer, a single aspect of that work). If the work is not immediately recognizable to us, please identify it. Also, just because someone has already written a limerick on a work of literature doesn't mean you can't write on that one as well. Good luck and have fun!

"The Abstract and Brief Chronicles of the Time" Part II

This past Tuesday night, we witnessed history in the making. It seems that everyone - politicians, historians, pundits, writers, celebrities - is trying to weigh in and capture the magnitude of the moment. Please attach a quote from someone that you think accurately puts into perspective the significance of this moment in history and explain your thoughts on why you selected the particular quotation.


Please note: This is not meant to be a discussion of issues or politics as usual, but rather a recognition of a cultural/historical moment that transcends political opinion and political party. If the election had turned out otherwise, we still would would be talking about a moment of cultural and historical importance, only in terms of gender rather than race.

"The Abstract and Brief Chronicles of the Time" Part I

Your turn to play critic! Briefly, what did you think of the performance of Hamlet at St. Joseph's College? If possible, try to limit your comment(s) in scope to a single actor, scene, or aspect of the performance. Feel free to praise, criticize, or simply note an observation or two.

Joyce to the World!

An easy one to begin November: What's your favorite story in Dubliners and why? (Don't feel you need to wait until the end of the collection to post - write whenever you feel inspired about a particular story!) For this post, feel free to answer the question as is; in other words, it's OK to respond here on an emotional/ personal/subjective level, as I'm asking for your favorite story, rather than the "best" story. I am, however, interested in the "why." (Incidentally, if your answer is "none of them," then please refrain from posting...)