April 30, 2014

Discuss 30-44; answer final questions; discuss final questions.


PHILOSOPHY/CRITICISM due Monday.

Tuesday 4/29

Today in class we had cultural presentations and answered questions for 30-44 (we'll discuss tomorrow).

HW:
1. Work on philosophy assignments (due MONDAY).
2. Finish Antigone for tomorrow!

Example Assignment:

Philosophical Statement

The television show Archer juxtaposes the upper and lower classes to espouse the value of creating a definitive distinction between social classes in order to maintain control over society. Indeed, most of the show focuses upon Sterling Archer’s inability to understand other classes; his butler, Woodhouse, not only maintains Archer’s home, he also takes care of Archer’s mistresses, conceals his alcohol abuse and literally gives him nourishment. Thus, the show creates and emphasizes a clear social class distinction. Moreover, the audience primarily identifies with Archer, showing the show’s regard for this strict class structure. Despite his obvious and multiple shortcomings, Archer is a sympathetic character, as proven by his surprisingly emotional response to the birth of his love child with Lana. Indeed, though Archer continuously mistreats Lana, even she realizes that he is both personally and professionally necessary to her, demonstrating that he is the clear hero of the show. THE SHOW IS CALLED ARCHER.

            Additionally, the writers of the show often juxtapose the buffoonery of the lower class characters, furthering the importance of a distinction between classes for the maintenance of social control. Pam, the large Southern director of HR, as a member of the lower class, is mocked and constantly makes mistakes. Not only does she use a dolphin puppet to lead meetings about sensitive issues, she later becomes addicted to drugs, creating even more of a burden for the rest of the ISIS firm. Even Lana, Archer’s love interest, seems to be at the utter mercy of members of the higher class. Both Archer and his mother manipulate and mistreat her, yet she remains a loyal employee and continues to have intensely emotional (albeit mostly angry) reactions to Archer’s actions. Thus, through the juxtaposition of the classes, the show Archer emphasizes the importance of a distinction between classes in a civilized organization or community.

Literary Criticism ***Note: a complete analysis would include a second body paragraph (about triumph over chaos) and a conclusion. Yay.

            Are Antigone and Archer a match made in heaven? Both characters are members of the upper-class and, despite being deeply flawed, constantly seem to find redemption. The television show Archer juxtaposes the upper and lower classes to emphasize the superiority of the upper class and to demonstrate the necessity of the class system to maintain order in society. Due to the unbreakable classicism in Antigone and the ultimate triumph over chaos, the play would be considered a successful piece of literature when viewed through the philosophical lense of Archer.

            First, both Antigone and Creon continually emphasize their roles as members of the upper class.  In fact, when discussing Antigone’s duty, Creon reminds the audience of his niece’s place in society by claiming, “You are a daughter of lawmakers, a daughter of kings, Antigone. You must observe the law” (29). The parallel structure in the sentence likens kings and lawmakers, thereby equating social class with power and articulating the importance of both. Antigone also creates a dichotomy between the classes when she says of the guards, “I don’t mind being killed, but I don’t want them to touch me” (25). Not only does Antigone demonstrate classicism when she prefers being killed to being touched, she refers to the guards not with names, or even titles, but the pronoun “them”. The use of an impersonal and alienating word creates a disgusted tone, giving further evidence of Antigone’s reliance on the social structure. As a result, this play is certainly a successful example of the Archer philosophy; members of the upper class identify a clear juxtaposition between the economic strata of society, just as the members of ISIS do in the television show.

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday April 22, 24, 25

Tuesday

In class we:
Discussed Antigone p. 3-19 and assigned the cultural presentation.

HW: Work on cultural presentation.


Thursday

In class we:
Worked on cultural presentations.

HW: Read pp. 20-29 and Tragedy Journal 2: How has the role of the chorus changed?  What tone does the Chorus take? What is the effect of the Chorus’ tone?  How does the chorus comment on the tragic elements of the play? Use at least 3 quotations from the text.


Friday

In class we:
Discussed p. 20-29 of Antigone

HW: Read pp. 30-44 and Journal 3: How does Anouilh juxtapose Antigone's perception of duty with Creon's perception of duty? What is the effect of this juxtaposition? Use AND ANALYZE at least 3 quotations from the text to support your argument.
**CULTURAL PRESENTATIONS WILL BE MONDAY AND TUESDAY. BE PREPARED TO PRESENT MONDAY!

MONDAYYYYYYYYYYYYY April 21

To do we did the following:
1. Reviewed Nietzsche
2. Review Aristotle
3. Reading Quiz
4. Intro dramatic terms
5. Page 1 analysis

HW:
1. Read pp. 3-19
2. Tragedy Journal 1: Choose one of the texts about tragedies we’ve studied in class and write a journal that examines to what extent the author of that text would find Anouilh’s Antigone to have the beginning of a successful tragedy. Be sure to include specific aspects of tragedy the author discusses AND at least 3 quotations from Antigone.

April 17 and 18

April 17:
OAKS testing

HW: Quick read and IOP proposals due MONDAY.

April 18:
Aristotle reading and questions, reading time

Quick read and IOP proposals due MONDAY.

Weds. 4/16/14

Today in class we did the following:

1. OAKS writing
2. Discussed Reinert and Hamilton


HW: Do "active reading" of Nietzsche and create a compare/contrast chart for Nietzsche's treatment of tragedy and EITHER Hamilton's or Reinert's.

Similarities:
-Both deal with struggling against external forces
-Man is vulnerable to the powers of the world
-Value dignity

Differences:
-Reinart generalizes the experience of tragedy whereas Hamilton examines the process.
-Reinart deals with an individual's struggle despite hopelessness of the world whereas Hamilton asserts that tragedy is more than the struggle-- tragedy is also the capacity for suffering.
-Reinart focuses on man's desire to overcome obstacles whereas Hamilton examines the human soul.
-Reinart: dignity comes from pushing limits; Hamilton: "dignity of a soul in anguish".
-Reinart externalizes "forces of evil" and Hamilton conveys sympathy for antagonists.

Tuesday 4/15

Today in class we did the OAKS writing test.

Homework:
1. Read the Hamilton article and demonstrate active reading by doing one (or more of the following): underlining or highlighting key points, making margin notes.
2. Answer the questions on BOTH sides of the Reinart paper.

4/14

Today in class we reviewed OAKS, introduced the IOP

**IOP Proposals due next MONDAY

April 2, 2014

Today in class we did the following:
1. Turned in baby commies
2. Discussed script assignments
3. Viewed propaganda films
4. Work time for propaganda assignment

HW:
Re-writes are due TOMORROW
Finish Dystopian text for FRIDAY

April 1, 2014

Today in class we had our 2nd Dystopian discussions.

HW:
BABY COMMIES due TOMORROW!

-Re-writes due Thursday
-Finish books for Friday
-Dystopian Scripts due: by end of class on Monday.