Work for the week of Feb 13th - Juniors

Monday February 13th, 2012
-Minutes: Sean, Johnny, Matt
-Reading assignment: Finish Act I one of Death of a Salesman.
-SAT Vocab: Superlative, Nettle



Tuesday February 14th, 2012
-Minutes: Karen, Stanley, Aaron
-Visit my Stuy teacher page at stuy.edu *** and read both of the A papers.  Please explain, in two full paragraphs, what is the paper’s thesis statement, how does the writer support this thesis statement, how are the introduction and conclusion successful, and any other points of interest you have noted.
-SAT Vocab: Whimsical, Bemoan


***go to stuy.edu>students>classes and homework>english>late american literature - files are in pdfs, a bit big, give a chance to load.



Wednesday February 15th, 2012
-Minutes: Joan, Jason, Izzi
-Paper to be distributed Due March 2nd, begin to trace a topic of interest.
-Reading assignment: Read through 76 - middle of the page up until “Biff dear.”

-SAT Vocab: Wispy, Nonentity

Thursday February 16th, 2012
-Minutes: Thomas, Kevin, Cihang
-Please pick two topics of interest for your essay and provide two quotations supporting each.

-Reading assignment: Read through 86, up to flashback scene.

-Answer the following questions for class (to be checked as homework):

Willy is rather concerned with getting his point across to Howard, but Howard is too involved with various bits of technology.  What is the subtext behind Howard’s distraction.  How does such interest in technology connect with some of the themes we’ve been discussing in class?

What nickname does Howard continuously refer to Willy as?  Significance?

What is, according to Willy, the “death of a salesman”?

-SAT Vocab: Refute, Berate

Friday February 17th, 2012
-Minutes: Sarah, Chris, William

-Reading assignment: Read through 98.
-Questions to consider (will not be checked for homework):
Focus on the scene where Biff burns his sneakers.
Why does Willy continuously refuse a job from Charley?  Try to think broadly instead of seeking out the most simplistic answer.
-SAT Vocab: Contumacious, Jocular       






Please finish the book over break and consider your essay topic.

Freshmen Extra Credit

Hypothesis: Before McMurphy arrives, the Chief lives in a kind of solitary confinement.  He is isolated in his machinations of fog, a type of prison.

Let us then read the following article (it's LONG) and consider the effects of solitary confinement within the context of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.  The article can be found HERE.

Obviously, to compare solitary confinement in a prison to a mental institution is an easy task.  There are MANY differences. But what is perhaps more interesting is to search for the similarities.  Within this article, please consider the following questions:

-Are the incarcerated men of this article criminals that deserve punishment?  Are they mentally ill and require treatment?
-While the patients in One Flew Over are by no means isolated from each other, they are certainly removed from the "Outside" world.  How can this isolate be a detriment to one's mental health?
-Does this article present any solutions?  How could we improve the penal system or mental health system based upon the conclusions discovered in this piece?
-Should prison be a place of "torture"?  Is it possible to use physical/mental torture to promote positive behavior?
-What are the similarities between those who suffer through long terms of isolation confinement and the patients of the mental hospital in our book?

Please be sure to read other's comments before writing as to avoid repetition.  You are not required to answer all questions, or ANY questions for that matter.  I encourage you to create real-life connections, present outside sources of interest, and whatever tangent your heart desires to chase after.  Let's make this a worthy discussion.

Work for the week of Feb 6th - Freshmen

Due Monday February 6, 2012
Read through page 76 (Per 4) 
Read through page 70 (Per 9)

Due Tuesday February 7, 2012
Homeroom Day - Periods are 21 minutes long due to AMC Exam
Catch up on your reading.

Due Wednesday February 8, 2012
Minutes: Charlie Zheng, Olivia Zhong,
Read through page 102 (Per 4) 
Read through page 92 (Per 9)

Please answer the following questions for class.  Questions should be written down. 

-What is time control?

-What is the significance of McMurphy's underwear?  What could these boxers symbolize?  What does McMurphy's tattoo symbolize?

-Beginning on page 91(Per 4) OR 82 (Per 9), what kinds of delusions does the Chief experience?  Is Chief sane or insane?  Can you prove it?

-What scruples does McMurphy have with an orderly over soap powder?  How does Chief relate McMurphy's activity to his father?

Due Thursday February 9, 2012
Minutes: David Butsko, Sabrina Bari

Read through page 117 (Per 4) 

Read through page 103 (Per 9)

Please answer the following questions for class.  Questions should be written down. 

-Please analyze the following two episodes: The music incident, the Monopoly game.  Connect 5 quotes from BOTH of these scenes (5 total) that display how the patients and the administration battle over control of the ward.

Due Friday February 10, 2012
Minutes: Daniel Zarotsky, Daisy Zheng

Read through page 130 (Per 4) 

Read through page 115 (Per 9)

Please answer the following questions for class.  Questions should be written down.

-What makes McMurphy finally lose his temper?

-How does McMurphy intend to "escape"?

-What bet does McMurphy lose?

-Why does McMurphy still think that he is a "winner"?

-Is he a "winner"?

Due Monday Febraury 13, 2012
Minutes: Victor Cai, Kieran Carpen

Read through page 145 (Per 4) 

Read through page 128 (Per 9)

Work for the week of Feb. 6th - Juniors

Due Monday February 6, 2012

SAT Words: Antiquated, Meander

HW: Read through page 18, answer questions on previous blog post.

Due Tuesday February 7, 2012

Homeroom Day - Periods are 21 minutes long due to AMC Exam

SAT Words: Quandary, Dubious

HW: Read through 27 where Happy states “Sh . . . Sleep, Biff.”

How are Biff and Happy foils of each other?  Create a t-chart comparing the two brothers emphasizing their differences.  You should present four differences, using quotations as evidence.  

Due Wednesday February 8, 2012

SAT Words: Dotard, Attenuate

HW: Read through page 37.  Consider the three young men in the flashback scene: Happy, Biff, and Bernard.  How would you characterize each young man?  How do such characterizations foreshadow what these young men will become in the future?  We haven’t met Bernard yet, but can you guess what type of man he is?  

Minutes: Remy Carr, Alex Bu, Josh Bloom

Due Thursday February 9, 2012

SAT Words: Timorous, Hinder

HW: Get started on reading through page 52, due Friday.  Define the American Dream.  What role does family play in the American Dream?  Please be specific and include how your family influences your concept of success.  No need to write more than 5 sentences.

Minutes: Michelle Chang, Aidan Causilbaggot, Josh Bloom

Due Friday February 10, 2012

SAT Words: Parsimonious, Languid

HW: Finish reading through page 52.

Minutes: Keo Chau, Eric Cerny, Yu Heng Chen

Freshmen Homework

Due Monday February 6th, 2012
Please read the following pages according to your period:
Period 4 - pg. 42-75
Period 9 - pg. 42-70

Consider the following questions:
What do we learn about Randall McMurphy's history?  Consider his time at war, his crimes, and his psychiatric history.
Please discuss the diagnosis McMurphy receives from the work farm doctor.
What, according to the doctor, is the purpose of group therapy?
What is squealing?
How does Pete make the transition from an Acute to a Chronic?

What particular point does McMurphy try to convince Harding of?

Juniors Homework

Hey Juniors.  Welcome to our digital home away from home, the Stuyblog.  I'll be posting assignments, extra credits, minutes schedules, and relevant media on this particular site so check it regularly.  Bookmark this page!  I'll post the work for the week of Feb. 6th by noon on Sunday.

Here's your homework for the weekend.

-Please explain Willy's occupation.  (Don't just say "he's a salesman.")
-What difficulties does Willy often experience in his commute?
-Willy contradicts himself when discussing his son Biff.  Please find the two separate examples that reveal this contradiction (identify by page number).  What does this reveal about Willy as a father?
-How would you characterize Linda?

Aside from the third question (about contradictions) you really don't need to write more than a sentence for each question.  Be ready to discuss this text in class on Monday.  I will be asking individuals to read aloud as particular actors.

And by the way, I'm really excited to be working with all of you.  You are truly an insightful and fun group of juniors who, only after a few days, are making me VERY optimistic about this class.

Juniors Extra Credit

For extra credit, I'd like you to watch "I'm a Little Bit Country", a South Park episode (Season 7, Episode 1) that discusses the dual identity of America.  

I'll be honest, considering our discussion of subtext, gilded identity, and Hemingway's iceberg, I believe this episode is AT BEST loosely connected to our discussion.  But perhaps there is something more to this?  It's very easy to criticize how this episode has LITTLE to do with our class and our themes, but let's try to argue the opposite.  Here is your assignment:

Consider our hypothesis:  The American narrative is that of duality: an outward appearance of success masking a frail, damaged culture beneath it.  American culture is itself, gilded.  How does this episode of South Park support our hypothesis?

Do not simply answer this question, but read other comments and respond to their comments.

As this is a class discussion, I implore you to be professional and polite.  If you comments are in any way inappropriate, crass, or simply mean, I will remove your comment and BAN you from extra credit.