 Project Week!
Now that we've finished our Poe Short Story unit, we will be working on a group project; developing a magazine around the stories we've covered. (If you're curious, you can goto the Handouts page and check the assignment out!) Don't worry, I'll go over how to write an effective news article and explain exactly what the project entails. I'm going to give you 4 days of classtime this week to work on the projects AND you will all have the chance to work on the netbooks. Please bring your flashdrives/activate a google docs account- if you don't have one yet, try to get one! Also, progress reports go out in the next week or so. Don't worry we have some extra credit assignments coming up soon. -Mrs. McCrady
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 Well maybe not so much in this next story!
We've reached the last of Poe's Short Stories....for this unit at least... The Pit and the Pendulum. This happens to be one of Poe's most gruesome stories and definitely suspenseful stories! Written in 1842, The Pit and the Pendulum is a tale of psychological terror. The Spanish Inquisition- Poe's choice of setting- was notorious for its cruel forms of torture and executions; this time period and place instantly establishes a sinister atmosphere. As the story begins, the unnamed narrator has been sentenced to death by a panel of judges. In the days that follow, he is subjected to the torments of the pit and pendulum. Now, we really don't know what's in the pit. The lack of accurate description heightens the atmosphere of dread. Despite his suffering, the narrator displays hope and perseverance in the face of his seemingly inevitable death, but, he chooses to fight for his life instead. Reminds me a lot of Jigsaw from the Saw movie franchise! Poe creates extreme mental anguish for his character by manipulating two common fears: fear of darkness and fear of the unknown. The Pit and the Pendulum is more than a horror story. Through is character, Poe instills a message of the potential of human integrity; the narrator is beaten but not defeated. Poe's underlying message is that life is a continuous battle, full of victories and defeats. Throughout life's challenges, however, the human spirit will endure. What scares you the most? Mrs. McCrady  Poe was one creepy dude!
Check out this fantastic article from the New York Times on the intrigue fans hold for our dear author. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/18/nyregion/city-lore-fear-dread-torment-why-poe-s-fans-are-obsessive.html?pagewanted=2&src=pm This week we'll be tackling another great Poe work and one of my personal favorites: The Masque of The Red Death. It is the story of a wealthy prince who will do whatever it takes to avoid the dangerous plague that is sweeping his town. Now the plague was a contagious, life threatening disease that really turned everything in its path into a HOT MESS! Now while the "Red Death" plague described in the story is completely fictitious, it is probably inspired by tuberculosis (or consumption, as it was known then), since Poe's wife Virginia was suffering from the disease at the time the story was written, not to mention his biological mother, brother, and foster mother all died from it! Enjoy the 4 day week! Mrs. McCrady I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing weekend!
Remember that your summer reading is due Monday. This counts as the first test grade in my course... make it a good one! : - ) We're starting our first unit together, Poe's Short Stories! To begin we'll explore the very "meat and potatoes" of the short story and other various literary elements not only found in short stories, but all facets of literature! Then of course, we will discuss the father of horror....Edgar Allan Poe. Now Poe was a very interesting man with an even more interesting history. The name Poe brings to mind images of murders and madmen, premature burials, and mysterious women who return from the dead. This versatile writer's work includes short stories, poetry, a novel, a textbook, a book of scientific theory, and hundreds of essays and book reviews. He is widely acknowledged as the inventor of the modern detective story and an innovator in the science fiction genre. Poe's reputation today rests primarily on his tales of terror as well as on his haunting lyric poetry. Just as the bizarre characters in Poe's stories have captured the public imagination so too has Poe himself. He has been seen as a morbid, mysterious figure lurking in the shadows of moonlit cemeteries or crumbling castles. The mystery surrounding not only the deaths of his multiple wives but of his own from rabies makes him one of the most intriguing authors of all time. Keep in mind that with every in class reading, there will be vocabulary and comprehension questions for homework. And to keep things interesting, I've devised some fun activities and a video clip for later in the week! : - ) Let me leave you with thi The Asbury Park Press is holding an essay contest for the month of October!
The topic is: What should be done to help ensure political campaigns are less negative and more informative? Your essay must be double spaces and under 375 words. The deadline is October 10, 2012. I am offering you 1 extra credit grade if you are selected. If you place in the top 3, I'll give you an additional extra credit grade! Hello students!
I am so excited to be embarking on this exciting school year with you! Here's a little info about this site! Be sure to explore all the tabs on this website! The majority of what that I hand out in class will appear on the "Handouts"page- all of my documents are PDF files- Be sure to have Adobe Acrobat! http://get.adobe.com/reader/ If you lose any of the handoutss or miss class, please visit that page to re-print it. Presentation notes will also be available on this page, so if you miss class, it is your responsibility to read through the notes and catch up with homework and readings. Also, if you find any great resources on anything related to what we are discussing in class,, please email me the website and I will add it to our resources page! Looking forward to a fun and exciting year together!!! -Mrs. McCrady |
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