Work for the week of Oct. 31st - Freshmen

Due Monday Oct. 31st, 2011

Please write a comparison between A&P and Harrison Bergeron

This should be a minimum of five sentences and a maximum of ten.

Due Wednesday Nov. 2nd, 2011 -- UPDATED 7:14 PM - FOLLOW DIRECTIONS BELOW
Read - St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
Please explain the stages of change the girls experience.  How do these girls conform/rebel to their new surroundings and expectations?  This should written in your notebooks and must be a minimum of five sentences and a maximum of ten.

Here is how you access the story:
Go to Stuy.edu
Run your mouse over the "Students" toolbar until you see a drop down menu
Click on the first tab which reads "Classes and Homework
Click on English
Click on my class, Ferencz E1FC Freshmen Composition
Click on the PDF link for the story.

Due Thursday Nov. 3rd, 2011
Print and read St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
Begin writing a perfect paragraph to be peer reviewed answering the following question:
Why does the protagonist choose to rebel?

Due Friday Nov. 4th, 2011

Work for the week of Oct. 31st - Juniors

Please be aware of the following: You are NOT expected to answer questions in writing, but keep these questions in mind when reading because we will be discussing these questions in class and you will be expected to participate.  Also, you are expected to find the definition of the SAT word for each day.

-Due Monday Oct. 31st, 2011

Outline is due.  5 post-its based upon “Billy Budd” hypertext website.

 SAT Word: Prosaic

-Due Tuesday Nov. 1st, 2011

Green: 291- 313

Orange: 3-24

Please find the definition of ten words in the text as you read.

 SAT Word: Amicable

Questions we will discuss in class:

How is Billy a hero?

What is the significance of the discussion of mutiny?

What kind of character is Captain Vere?

Please find the meaning of these allusions: Bellipotent, "Vere" (it's a French word)

-Due Wednesday Nov. 2nd, 2011 -Link to essay UPDATE - ESSAY IS NOW DUE THURSDAY 11/10

Green: 313-340

Orange: 25-47

Please find the definition of ten words in the text as you read.

SAT Word: Surreptitious

Questions we will discuss in class:

What is the conflict between Billy and Claggart?

How does this story allude to the Bible?  Why?

Trace the battle between "good" and "evil" in this story.

Due Thursday Nov. 3rd, 2011

Orange: 47-72

Green: 340 – 366

Please find the definition of ten words in the text as you read.

SAT Word: Spurious

Questions we will discuss in class:

Please explain the circumstances that lead to Claggart's death.

What claims does Claggart make against Billy in his narrative?

What is the significance of Billy telling his defense narrative?  Consider the the alternate title of this story, the first sentence of this story, and Claggart's narrative.

What is the conflict that Vere and his peers suffer through?

Due Friday Nov. 4th, 2011

Orange: 72-89

Green: 366-385

Please find the definition of ten words in the text as you read.

SAT Word: Tenacious

Questions we will discuss in class:

How does Billy except the terms of his execution?

Discuss the significance of Billy's interactions with the ship's cleric.

Please review the Biblical story of Abraham and Isaac.

What do you make of Billy's final words?

What religious figure is alluded to in the final scenes of Billy's life?

What is the significance of presenting Billy's story in a naval publication and in a poetic ballad?

Due Monday Nov. 7th, 2011

Peer review.  Those of us who are having our papers reviewed, please email your work to Mr. Ferencz by 11:59 P.M. Sunday night.

SAT Word: Perfidious

Billy Budd - The Hypertext

I've found a great resource to compliment our reading ... The following is a hypertext of "Billy Budd" that links specific words and terms with their definition, particularly focusing upon nautical terms and Biblical allusions.  Please utilize this resource in conducting your reading.  I will ask you to link five of these interesting allusions to your outline due Monday.  Try to connect the particular term/idea with the thesis of your paper.

You can find the website here.

Juniors - Essay #2

Attention cadets!  Tomorrow, we'll be blasting off into writing our essay!  Be sure to suit up and consider the following sketch of your upcoming essay!  Adventure awaits!

In this essay, we will be analyzing a particular theme that spans across two of our three works.  Your responsibility is to choose a theme/topic and determine Melville’s motives in employing such ideas throughout these stories.

You will be responsible for writing a four-paragraph essay.  You only need to trace your theme through two of the three Melville stories we have read.

Please select one of the following themes:

Rebellion/Mutiny

Perceptions of race

The unreliable narrator

The individual versus society

The significance of setting

The juxtaposition of separate ideologies

Frankenstein and Amon Tobin

Frankenstein Wastes a Minute of Our Time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLrt7-kIgIM

Amon Tobin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Umf0C0WCsr8

Enjoy!

Work for the week of Oct. 24th - Freshmen

Due Monday Oct. 24^th, 2011

Please finish your three perfect paragraphs for today.  If you need another day, I will not penalize you.

Due Tuesday Oct. 25^th, 2011

Aside from Young Frankenstein and the famed Frankenstein movie with Boris Karloff, please find three other examples of Frankenstein in popular culture.

Due Wednesday Oct.26th, 2011           

Please reflect upon the peer editing process.  Did your partner provide you with constructive criticism?  What did you learn from editing someone else’s paper?

Due Thursday Oct. 27th, 2011
Print and Read "A&P" by John Updike

Friday Oct. 28th, 2011

Print and Read "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut
How can you connect the theme of this story to "A & P"?

Work for the week of Oct. 24th - Juniors

Period 2,7 – Benito Cereno

Due Monday Oct 24^th, 2011

Read the first 50 pages of Benito Cereno

Please create 20 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.

Focus upon the following topics:

- Please find an example of foreshadowing through setting.

-What is off or odd about this “strange” ship at the outset of our story?

-Trace examples of discomfort.

-What is our narrator’s tone?

-How does Melville present race in this story?

-Describe the Spanish captain and his assistant.

-What has happened to the San Dominick?

-What type of narrator is presented in this story (1st?  2nd?  3rd?)

Due Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 –

Please read page 50-75

Please create 10 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.

Focus upon the following topics:

-Find examples of interactions between white and black characters

-Find examples of scenes that show color, particularly white, black, and gray

Due Wednesday Oct 26th, 2011

Finish "Benito Cereno"

Is this text pro-slavery or anti-slavery?

Due Thursday Oct 20th, 2011 –

Finish reading -Read “Race, Class and Herman Melville” PDF -  pages 54(59) – 68 (96)

How does this critical essay perceive the story of Benito Cereno?  Please focus upon the political overtones of this discussion and create 5 post-its that make reference to the passages select by the author of this essay.

Due Friday October 20th, 2011 –

Read the first 15 pages of Billy Budd

Be prepared to discuss this text in direct comparison with our previous texts.

Period 10 – Bartleby the Scrivner

Due Monday Oct 24th, 2011 –

Finish Bartleby

Please create 20 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.

10 quotes that refer to Bartleby as a ghost or pallid or not human or insane

5 quotes showing how the lawyer's utter fascination with Bartleby

5 quotes showing how the lawyer treats his workers.

Due Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 –

Read “Race, Class and Herman Melville” PDF available online -  pages 31 (36) – 50 (55)

How does this critical essay perceive the story of Bartleby?  Please focus upon the political overtones of this discussion and create 5 post-its that make reference to the passages select by the author of this essay.

Due Wednesday Oct 26th, 2011 -

Please research 3 of the following 5 pacifists.  Write a five-sentence description of each in your own words, showing how this figure was a pacifist.   Bring this in to class.  Consider the following question: Is Bartleby a pacifist?

-Thich Quang Duc

- The play Lysistrata

-Jan Rose Kasmir

-Tank Man

-Mahatma Gandhi

Due Thursday Oct 27^th, 2011

Read the first five pages of Billy Budd.  Please devise three predictions of this text based upon our knowledge of the previous two stories.  Begin to consider your essay topic, which will be assigned next week.

Due Friday Oct. 28^th, 2011

Read the first fifteen pages of Billy Budd

Be prepared to discuss this text in direct comparison with our previous texts.

Freshmen - The Metropolitan Museum of Art

For those of you seeking some extra credit, I'd like you to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art from this weekend to the next and visit the following exhibit.  (This assignment will only count as extra credit if you post before October 31st, 2011).

Remember to ask for your parents permission and to bring your Stuy ID.  This will get you into the museum for free.

Visit the "Infinite Jest - Caricature and Satire from Leonardo to Levin" exhibit and comment, on this post on the image of the creature in Frankenstein and how the images in this exhibit display appearances.  How do characteristics of monstrosity or deformities present themselves in this exhibit.


Check the hours of when the museum is open and have a great time.

I'm upping the ante.

From Monday's class through December vacation, we will have the opportunity to witness each student present his/her minutes gift.  While these gifts are a part of our grade, I feel that perhaps some of our gifts have been rather lackluster and perfunctory.  Let me reiterate a point made last month: Minutes gifts should be an opportunity for you to express yourself to the class.  Use this gift to show who you are, your interests, your sense of humor, and your personality.  Do not simply print up an article (especially one that you have not read) and pass it around the room.

Let's put some effort into this.  To spark your creative minds, I want to offer you a bribe.
By the end of the year, I will select five students from each class that I believe have given us the best minutes gifts.  We will vote on those students as a class.  The student who receives the most vote for "best gift" will receive a 25 dollar gift certificate to Barnes & Noble. 

Your gift can be loosely connected to the reading topic or but can also be connected to just about anything in our class.  By sharing yourself with the class, you are contributing.  Use this time wisely.  Impress us.  Perform for us.  Put some effort into it.

Get to work Stuy students.

 

The Story of Prometheus

Hey fresh people!  Here is the story of Prometheus.

Please read the story and print it up for class tomorrow.  I would like you to answer the following question:
Why is an alternate title of Frankenstein "The Modern Prometheus"?

You can access the story here.

Juniors - Extra Credit

After today's brief sampling of the Intelligence Squared debate "Are Men Finished?", I encourage you, for extra credit, to note the ethos, pathos and logos of the four speakers, particularly in their opening statements.  Additionally, I would ask you to challenge their arguments.  Are these credible speakers?  Do we trust their line of thinking?

Please comment on this blog post as your response.  Do not simply post your opinions, but engage other students and their ideas, either adding to their points or refuting their claims.

You can access the debate here.

So proud of you guys.

Hey.

It's me.  Your English teacher, Mr. Ferencz.

I just wanted to let you know that I am incredibly proud of you.  You are adhering to my ridiculous system of education.  You are trusting my judgment.  You are trying hard (yes, I noticed).  I know that I am quick to mention areas where you could improve, but please know this:

You, my students, make me so happy to be a teacher.  I get to spend my day listening to your awesome ideas and to joke with you.  I am so fortunate to have such insightful and thoughtful students such as yourself.  I am so grateful.  Thank you so much.  I look forward to every day we have together and hope to inspire you in some way.  Keep up the good work.

Juniors - Work for the Week of Oct. 17th

PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE CLASS PERIOD FOR THE FOLLOWING ASSIGNMENTS.
You must answer these questions and present your work to receive homework credit.

Remember, if you are reading and you aren't taking notes, you aren't really reading.

Week of Oct 17^th,  - 21^st

Period 2,7 – Bartleby (Mon.-Tues.) Benito Cereno (Wed.-Fri.)
Due Monday Oct 17th, 2011 –
Please create 20 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.

10 quotes that refer to Bartleby as a ghost or pallid or not human or insane

5 quotes showing how the lawyer's utter fascination with Bartleby

5 quotes showing how the lawyer treats his workers.

Due Tuesday Oct 18th, 2011 –

Read “Race, Class and Herman Melville” PDF available online -  pages 31 (36) – 50 (55)

You are responsible for determining the author’s main point in writing.  Please print up 5 pages of the document that you find worthy of discussion.  Connect the various explanations of Bartleby to your post-its.

Due Wednesday Oct 19th, 2011 -
Please research 3 of the following 5 pacifists.  Write a five sentence description of each in your own words, showing how this figure was a pacifist. 
-Thich Quang Duc
- The play Lysistrata
-Jan Rose Kasmir
-Tank Man
-Mahatma Gandhi

Due Thursday Oct 20th, 2011 –
Read the first 15 pages of Benito Cereno

Please create 5 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.
Focus upon the following topics:
- Please find an example of foreshadowing through setting.
-What is off or odd about this “strange” ship at the outset of our story?
-Trace examples of discomfort.
-What is our narrator’s tone?

Due Friday October 20th, 2011 –
Read the next 15 pages of Benito Cereno

Please create 5 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.
Focus upon the following topics:
-How does Melville present race in this story?
-Describe the Spanish captain and his assistant.
-What has happened to the San Dominick?
-What type of narrator is presented in this story (1st?  2nd?  3rd?)

Period 10 – Benito Cereno, Bartleby the Scrivner
Due Monday Oct 17th, 2011 –

Finish Benito Cereno

Please create 20 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.
Focus upon the following topics:

-Find examples of Delano being trustworthy

-Find examples of interactions between white and black characters

-Find examples of scenes that show color, particularly white, black, and gray

Due Tuesday Oct 18th, 2011 –
Please consider the question from today's class: Does this story serve as a thesis or antithesis for slavery? 

Extra Credit:
Read “Race, Class and Herman Melville” PDF available online -  pages 54(59) – 68 (96)

You are responsible for determining the author’s main point in writing.  Please print up 5 pages of the document that you find worthy of discussion.

Due Wednesday Oct 19^th, 2011
Finish "Benito Cereno"

Extra Credit:

Read “Race, Class and Herman Melville” PDF available online -  pages 54(59) – 68 (96)

Connect our reading of Melville's story to any particular points of interest within this piece of literary criticism.  Post your thoughts as a comment on this post.  Try to comment on the ideas of those who have posted before you.

Due Thursday Oct 20th, 2011 –
Read the first 25 pages of Bartleby

Please create 5 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.
Focus upon the following topics: 
-How would you characterize the narrator?

-Find examples of repetition.
-How would you characterize Nippers, Turkey, and Ginger Nut as workers?
-How does the narrator first react to Bartleby’s catch phrase?

Due Friday October 21st, 2011–
Finish the story of Bartleby

Please create 5 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.
Focus upon the following topics:
-Please provide 3 examples in which Bartleby exclaims “I would prefer not to” and the significance of the incident in which these words are stated.
-Please provide 2 examples that shed some light on Bartleby’s background.  Who is he?  Where does he come from?  What has he achieved in his lifetime?

UPDATE

I saved the file including all of the Junior's work for next week on a school computer.  I will post this document by 9 AM tomorrow.

In addition, I've been receiving a few emails asking if students are required to write down the "questions to consider" for homework. 

The answer is yes, yes, and moreso, YES.  Remember, if you are not taking notes when you read, you aren't reading.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.  Go Giants.

Ferencz out.

Extra Credit - Juniors

Those of us reading Bartleby, read "A Hunger Artist" by Franz Kafka.  Compare these works to one another.  You can find the story here.

Those of us reading Benito, be patient.  Extra credit will arrive soon.

New M83!

Steaming at Urban Outfitters website, the new M83, to be released next week.
Stream it here.  

Be sure to click on the link above the album art that reads "Stream the Album."

Freshmen - Week of Oct. 17th - 21st

For Monday Oct. 17^th, 2011

Read Chapter 1-3 pg. 183 - 214

Questions to consider:

-Show how Frankenstein begins to doubt the logic of his creation and its desire for a female creature.

-How is the relationship between Frankenstein and his father depicted here?

-What is the significance of the paragraph on pg.194 that begins– “But in Clerval I saw the image of my former self”?

-Discuss Victor’s emotional state as he constructs the new creature.

-How does nature seem to replicate emotion in these chapters?

For Tuesday Oct. 18^th, 2011

Read Chapter 3 –5 pg. 214-240

Questions to consider:

-Why does Frankenstein destroy the new creature?  Do you agree with his logic?

-How does the creature react?

-Describe the incident and trial relating to Mr. Kerwin.

-How does Shelley build suspense in these chapters?

For Wednesday Oct. 19^th, 2011 
Read Ch. 6 – the end

-What is the significance of Elizabeth’s death?  What happens to Victor’s father?

-Why does Victor leave Geneva?

-What does request does Victor ask of Walton?

-What is the significance of Victor’s speech to the ship’s crew?

-What is significant about the creature’s exit?

For Thursday Oct. 20^th, 2011

Trial Preparation

For Friday Oct. 21^st, 2011

-Read the story of Prometheus

-How is Frankenstein like Prometheus?



The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Did you know that The Met is free to Stuyvesant students?  Just bring your ID!  I'm going to try to align potential extra credit assignments with some of the Met's current/upcoming exhibits.  Here's a link:

Current exhibits

Paradise Lost

I found a relatively interesting article that discusses the connection between Milton's Paradise Lost and Shelley's Frankenstein.  You can find it here.

Goya's Saturno Devorando a Su Hijo (Saturn Devouring His Son)

Why do you think the creature refers to Paradise Lost and Adam when he refers to himself?  Why is Paradise Lost the creature's frame of reference?

Bartleby - Radiohead

In the video for "Just" by Radiohead, there appears to be some connection to the Bartleby story.  Thoughts?

Just by Radiohead

Interactive Sistine Chapel!

This is cool.  Frankenstein students, see if you can find "The Fall of Man" scene.  Adam and Eve are being cast out of Eden.

Interactive Sistine Chapel

Homework for 10/13-10/14

Freshmen
Period 4,9 - Frankenstein
Due Thursday Oct 13th, 2011 –
Please create 5 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.
Focus upon your groupwork.  Are you trying to prove Frankenstein/the creature innocent/guilty?

Due Friday Oct 14th, 2011 -
Continue working on your projects.  Be prepared to show me your work on Friday.  I want evidence that you have been working at home.

Juniors
Period 2,7 - Bartleby the Scrivner
Due Thursday Oct 13th, 2011 –
Please create 5 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.
Focus upon the following topics:
-What is the tone of the narrator in Bartleby?
-How would you characterize the narrator?
-How would you characterize Nippers, Turkey, and Ginger Nut as workers?
-How does the narrator first react to Bartleby’s catch phrase?

Due Friday October 14th, 2011–
Please create 5 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.
Focus upon the following topics:
-Please provide 5 examples in which Bartleby exclaims “I would prefer not to” and the significance of the incident in which these words are stated.
-Please provide 5 examples that shed some light on Bartleby’s background.  Who is he?  Where does he come from?  What has he achieved in his lifetime?


Period 10 - Benito Cereno
Due Thursday Oct 13th, 2011 –
Please create 5 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.
Focus upon the following topics:
- Please find an example of foreshadowing through setting.
-What is off or odd about this “strange” ship at the outset of our story?
-Trace examples of discomfort.
What is our narrator’s tone?

Due Friday October 14th, 2011–
Please create 5 post-its in your book on the answer's corresponding page.
Focus upon the following topics:
-How does Melville present race in this story?
-Describe the Spanish captain and his assistant.
-What has happened to the San Dominick?
-What type of narrator is presented in this story (1st?  2nd?  3rd?)

1st Post!

I did it!  I've finally created a website to share not only homework with you but announce upcoming assignments.  In addition, I'll be posting videos, events, and pictures relating to course material and perhaps some posts based on general interest not related to class at all!

Please feel free to comment on posts with questions, concerns, links, ideas, or whatever may strike your fancy.  Let's keep the language professional and utilize this resource to the best of our abilities.  Please respond to this post to show me that you have accessed this blog and read this post.

Homework for Thursday October 13th to come shortly.