2011 The House of the Spirits: 2011

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Epilogue

When you respond to this chapter, DO NOT simply repeat the thoughts of others. Add something new to a previous comment. Comment or critique on a previous posting. BUT YOUR ULTIMATE goal is to add something new to the discussion. Also...don't forget to use as many direct quotes as possible!!!!

14: The Hour of Truth

13: The Terror

12: The Conspiracy

11: The Awakening

10: The Epoch of Decline

9: Little Alba

8: The Count

7: The Brothers

6: Revenge

5: The Lovers

4: The Time of the Spirits

3: Clara the Clairvoyant

2: The Tres Marias

1: Rosa the Beautiful

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Pablo Neruda

I'm intrigued by this opening. I love, love, love when novels begin with quotes by famous people...and I really like maps too!! So who is this Pablo Neruda guy? I know who he is, but do you? Where do these lines come from - a poem or an essay? Most importantly, why has Allende decided to begin her novel with these particular lines? What themes are evident? What contrasts?

When you respond to this posting, DO NOT simply repeat the thoughts of others. Add something new to a previous comment. Comment or critique on a previous posting. Your goal is to add something new to the discussion. And...don't forget that it's a good idea to return to this opening every once in a while as you read the novel. When does its significance start to make sense?

Friday, May 13, 2011

Summer Reading Assignment

Dear Student,

As of May 20th, 2011, you have enrolled in 12^th grade AP Literature and Composition. The College Board description of the course states: “An AP English course in Literature and Composition should engage students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. The course should include intensive study of representative works from various genres and periods, concentrating on works of recognized literary merit.”

I want you to take a moment and think about the two skills mentioned in this description: careful reading and critical analysis. How carefully do you read the literature you’ve been assigned for English class? Does your reading frequently include critical analysis? We don’t need to discuss your answers; you and I both know what they are. Instead of approaching the summer reading assignment with a negative attitude, try this approach: carefully read a novel and as you are reading the novel, think about what you are reading. That’s it – read and think!!

I can guarantee that the majority of you have never read a novel like The House of the Spirits. I will tell you that I first read this work in my senior level English class and was immediately hooked. Remember, I wasn’t an English teacher back then, just a high school student like you in AP English class. I can only hope that you will be as intrigued as I was, and I eagerly anticipate hearing your opinions of the text on the class blog.

Before you begin The House of the Sprits, might I suggest you do a little research. Oh, here we go, right. I can hear the groans. Okay, how about this? Pretend that you’re on a sports team and your next game is away. Before the game starts, do you scope out the track, field, course, team, etc? This is all I’m suggesting you do – check out what you are up against. Do you know what magical realism is? Have you ever heard of Isabelle Allende? Can you locate South America on a map? I promise that answering these questions will enhance your reading of The House of the Spirits. At the very least, it will prepare you for…well, you’ll just have to see. For those of you who are interested in reading fiction that will prepare you, consider the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Chronicle of a Death Foretold is pretty accessible. Like Water for Chocolate, a novel by Laura Esquivel, is another work of magical realism that has also been adapted into a movie…a really, really, really good movie.

Next, join the blog at http://2011thehouseofthespirits.blogspot.com/ and participate in some discussions (there are over twenty) of The House of the Spirits. See the attached handout for more specific details. I expect you to share what you are “thinking” at least TEN times over the course of the summer. All comments/postings should specifically reference the text using proper citations. I look forward to reading about what you are “thinking.”

It occurred to me that perhaps you would feel better knowing that your teacher, the mean one asking you to read and think about a book over the summer, was also doing her own summer reading. So what’s on my list? The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Passion by Lauren Kate, and A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness are just to name a few. For more academic reading, I’m going to tackle Reading Shakespeare with Young Adults and the sure to be titillating Content Area Writing by Jim Burke.

If you have any questions or doubts about your intentions in the AP English classroom, please do not hesitate to discuss this matter with me before the next school year begins.

Sincerely,

Michelle Matysak