Artistic Choices: April 11 or 12, 2017

Focus: How do the director's artistic choices affect your interpretation of The Great Gatsby?

1. Warming up with one directorial choice and how it's affected your interpretation of characters, settings, symbols, and/or themes from The Great Gatsby

Ex: In Fitzgerald's novel, when Daisy sees Gatsby's mansions for the first time and he shows her his wardrobe, Fitzgerald offers no explanation for Daisy' sudden crying. She simply says, "It makes me sad because I've never seen such--such beautiful shirts before."

But in the film version, the dialogue goes like this:

Jay Gatsby: [Daisy cries after Gatsby showers her with fancy shirts] What is it? Daisy, Daisy darling, what is it?

Daisy Buchanan: It... it makes me sad.

Jay Gatsby: Why?

Daisy Buchanan: Because...

Nick Carraway: [narrating] Five lost years struggled on Daisy's lips, but all she could manage was...

Jay Gatsby: Why?

Daisy Buchanan: [laughs] Because I've never seen such beautiful shirts before.

The big difference here is that Lurhmann (the director) includes a voiceover from Nick explaining that she's crying over the five lost years, not the shirts. In the original novel, there's a stronger possibility that her sadness is shallow rather than tragic as she appears to be crying over Gatsby's material possessions. Luhrmann, on the other hand, portrays Daisy as a more complex, empathetic character.

2. Viewing the film version of Chapters 6 and 7 in The Great Gatsby, keeping an eye and ear out for Luhrmann's artistic choices


HW:
1. Please read and blog on Chapter 8 by this Friday, which is when our next fishbowl will take place. You will have some reading time on Thursday.

2. Double check with your partner to make sure your Monday's timed writing is complete.

3. Click HERE for a detailed view of this week's bell schedule.

The Road Not Taken: April 10, 2017

Focus: Can you repeat the past?

1. Warming up with three good things

2. Reading Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" with an MMM approach and completing a partner in-class writing

3. Editing your writing using the American Lit Writing Checklist

HW:
1. Please read and blog on Chapter 8 by this Friday, which is when our next fishbowl will take place. You will have some reading time on Thursday.

2. If you didn't finish today's writing, you have until midnight tonight to add anything you'd like to add. I will be assessing them Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

3. Click HERE for a detailed view of this week's bell schedule.

Final Friday Freewrite: April 7, 2017

Focus: How is the film adaptation of The Great Gatsby influencing your perception of the novel?

1. Warming up with your final Friday Freewrite (scroll to the two final prompts)

2. Watching the film version of The Great Gatsby with a focus on directorial choices/changes

In a New York Times review of the 2013 film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, A.O. Scott writes the following in his article, "Shimmying Off the Literary Mantle":

"Mr. Luhrmann [the director] sticks close to the details of the story and lifts dialogue and description directly from the novel’s pages. But he has also felt free to make that material his own, bending it according to his artistic sensibility and what he takes to be the mood of the times."

As you watch the film today, consider the following: 

• How has Baz Luhrmann (the director) made the material his own, and for what purpose? 

• In other words, what artistic choices has Lurhmann made that differ somewhat from Fitzgerald's, and how do these choices affect your perception of characters, settings, symbols, and/or themes in The Great Gatsby?

• Please post your response to these questions on today's class blog at the end of class.

3. Wrapping up by posting your responses to the blue questions above on today's blog

HW:
1. Remember that all make-up work from the past six weeks is due today.

2. A heads-up: On Monday, we're doing a partner in-class writing to practice for the literary in-class writing at the end of The Great Gatsby.

3. Our Chapter 8 fishbowl discussion will take place next Friday, April 14. Because of the testing schedule, I will see you Monday, Tuesday OR Wednesday (shortened class), Thursday (shortened class), and Friday. You will have one block of reading time, and that will be on Thursday.

Driving Forces: April 6, 2017

Focus: What are the driving forces behind the death in Chapter 7?

1. Warming up with Henry's cars and a hands-on analysis of Myrtle's vehicular homicide

Each kit contains the following: A yellow car, a blue car, a "Myrtle", and a random car coming from the opposite direction.

Level 1: Reenact what happens in Chapter 7 with the cars. Who's in which car on the way there and the way back? Where are they going and why? Who is driving each car? Why do they switch around?

Level 2: Analyze Fitzgerald's choices here. Why did he make this so complicated? Why does it matter that _________ ran over ________? Why is _________'s car? Why are the car colors symbolic? Why this manner of death?

Level 3: What is Fitzgerald trying to teach us about...recklessness? Love? Lust? Dreams? Respect?

2. Enjoying a fishbowl discussion of Chapter 7

3. Wrapping up:

• Why did Myrtle have to die?
• Was her death an intentional murder?
• What rising conflict lead up to this moment?

HW:
1. Your blog entry for Chapter 7 must be complete by the end of the day on Friday; after this, Chapter 7 blog entries can only receive half-credit.

2. Our fishbowl discussion of Chapter 8 is Friday, April 14.

3. This Friday is the end of 12 weeks; all work from the past 6 weeks is due this Friday by 3:00 pm.

Into the Abyss: April 5, 2017

Focus: What is the significance of the Underworld in the hero's journey, and how does this help us understand Chapter 7 in The Great Gatsby?

1. Warming up with the elements of the Abyss/Underworld in the hero's journey
(1st 7 minutes to set up background, then 54:00-1:05 for Underworld scene)

• What aspects of this setting suggest that it's a symbolic abyss/underworld?

• What is each hero's greatest fear and/or deepest need? How do they face these fears and needs in the Underworld?

• To what extent does each hero conquer his/her greatest fear and fulfill his/her deepest need in this scene?

• What part of each hero dies? 

• What part of each hero is reborn / transformed?

2. Reading Chapter 7 with a focus on the Underworld (or the hero's journey in general); as you journal, try using the Underworld questions above to guide you.

TOMORROW'S FISHBOWL LEADERS SHOULD USE THIS TIME TO PREPARE.

HW:
1. If you were absent the Thursday before spring break, please listen to my memoir feedback, fill out the reflective rubric, and return it to me today.

2. Finish reading and blogging on Chapter 7 by tomorrow; leaders should prepare their syllabus for fishbowl.

3. This Friday is the end of 12 weeks; all work from the past 6 weeks is due this Friday by 3:00 pm.

Any Heroes Here?: April 4, 2017

Focus: Is there any potential for heroism in The Great Gatsby?

1. Warming up with SAT Boot Camp, Day 2: "The Original Condition"

2. Recapping Chapters 1-6 by watching your videos and trying out the hero's journey in The Great Gatsby on Nick and Gatsby

• Quickly recap the different stages of the hero's journey. Look up anything you feel confused about; try this website or this one if you need a quick refresher.

• Try filling out the hero's journey so far for Nick.

• Try filling out the hero's journey so far for Gatsby.

• Draw larger conclusions: Is one character a more convincing hero than the other? Are they both heroes? Why? Is neither a hero? Why not? What might Fitzgerald want us to understand better or differently about the role of heroes in a Modern world?

3. Taking time to read and journal on Chapter 7

HW:
1. If you were absent the Thursday before spring break, please listen to my memoir feedback, fill out the reflective rubric, and return it to me by Wednesday.

2. Read at least the first ten pages of Chapter 7 by tomorrow; start your blog entry. You need to read all of Chapter 7 by Thursday and complete your blog entry (just one for the whole chapter). It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOONGG, so start tonight.

3. This Friday is the end of 12 weeks; all work from the past 6 weeks is due this Friday by 3:00 pm.

The Recap: April 3, 2017

Focus: What do we need to recap before we can move forward?

1. Warming up three good great things!

2. Entering SAT Boot Camp, Day 1: "Gerry's Salamander"

3. Recapping the building conflicts in Chapters 1-6

You and your row are going to create a short video on your phone to recap your assigned chapter.

• Level 1: Address the FIVE most important plot points of your chapter.

• Level 2: Address characterization, setting, symbols, motifs, and perhaps even read a passage or two.

• Ending: Ask a big, cliffhanger kind of question.

• E-mail me your video when you're done. We're going to watch these at the end of class today (or the beginning of class tomorrow, depending on how long this takes).

Let's see your creativity, enthusiasm, and intellectualism at work here, 

4. Plotting the rising conflicts in Gatsby, Chapters 1-6 together

HW:
1. If you were absent the Thursday before spring break, please listen to my memoir feedback, fill out the reflective rubric, and return it to me by Wednesday.

2. Read at least the first ten pages of Chapter 7 by tomorrow; start your blog entry. You need to read all of Chapter 7 by Thursday and complete your blog entry (just one for the whole chapter). It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOONGG, so start tonight.

3. This Friday is the end of 12 weeks; all work from the past 6 weeks is due this Friday by 3:00 pm.