Week Seven

This week we continued with poetry. We also did a practice midterm blog post. Here is what I posted:

www.wordle.net

Important concepts that I learned:

1: I learned how to analyze a character.

2: I learned that not all poems are written in flowery language, and that some tell stories instead of just portraying emotions.

3: I learned that plot is not always chronological; it can start anywhere, end anywhere, and go any which way while traveling in between.

Activities I liked/did not like:

1: I really like the wordles that we did. They are a fun way to explore literature, and are unique for every person.

2: I liked how we worked in teams to write a poem. At first I thought that it would not work out, since everybody thinks and feels differently, and poems are based on what we think and feel. In the end though, the poems all came out great.

3: I did not like writing our first paper, but that dislike is based more on my dislike of writing essays that on the topic of the paper. The topics that we had to choose from were good, and I found that writing the paper helped me better understand how to analyze a character. I just do not like to write essays for some reason.

Sentences that represent how I felt about what I learned:

1: I feel that I can better understand what I read now.

2: I feel that I can look at poetry in different ways and enjoy the different aspects of a poem.

3: I feel that I have a better grasp on literature in its many forms.

This has allowed me to get a good view of my own thoughts about this class. It has really helped me see where I am and where I am going.

Week Six

This week saw a continuation of poetry, with a focus on dramatic and lyric poetry. Lyric poems are easy to remember (though I can never remember them) and are written in a form that makes them easy to sing. Nursery rhymes are an example of lyric poetry.

Dramatic poetry has deep meaning and deep expression. It often portrays the writers thoughts and feelings about an emotional subject. Dramatic verse was used by play writes such as William Shakespeare because it made it easier to remember the lines for a play.

For the discussion forum, we had to split into groups, with the group leader facilitating the discussion. We came up with and answered questions pertaining to the poems that we read as well as the youtube videos we watched.

I feel that this lesson has given me a greater understanding of poetry. I also feel that I will be able to find more enjoyment in reading poetry, particularly dramatic poetry.

This is a video that I think everyone should watch, courtesy of youtube.com:

Week Five

Poetry was the topic for this week
We never saw it coming, the little sneak

In class we had to make a poem out of words from a newspaper article. I though it would be difficult at first, but mine came out surprisingly well.

We also learned that poetry is everywhere, and that there are many more types of poetry than we thought, or at least more than I thought. Not all poetry is some flowery rhyme about beauty or love.

For our discussion forum post, we had to write a ballad about a murder in the news that had a love theme. This is mine:

A tale of woe on Christmas Eve
Missing was Laci Peterson
Her home she did not choose to leave
But without a doubt she was gone

She was pregnant with a baby boy
So that makes two lives destroyed
At first Scott was thought to be innocent
But his story was inconsistent

Scott was having an affair with Amber Frey
And 15 days before Christmas Day
He told her he had lost his wife
But at this time she was still alive

Scott Peterson was arrested
And through circumstantial evidence
Scott was found to be guilty
And was given the death penalty

I feel that I can enjoy poetry more than I have in the past. I really should try to find some good poems. Maybe an epic, those look interesting.

Week Four

Setting was the topic for this week. We went over the importance of setting and how setting can be achieved through the use of symbols and imagery.

Setting plays a big role in a story. The setting of a story is the where and when. Without this information, the reader cannot form a proper overview of events. Different places and different time periods have unique environments that will impact the story. Something as basic as describing the outfit a woman is wearing can cause confusion if the setting is not properly described. The same outfit worn in different locations or different years can be seen as either commonplace, old fashioned, or can get the poor woman wearing it tied to a burning stake.

I feel that being able to identify the setting of a story is vitally important, and that i will now be able to clear away some of the confusion that comes from a story where the setting is not explicitly stated.

Week Three

This week was all about theme. Theme is the central ideas, values, thesis, messages, and meaning of a story. The theme is what connects a work of literature to the real world.

When considering the theme of a work, first see if the title reveals the theme. Themes can also be revealed in a direct statement by the author, or through the actions and personalities of the characters. Symbols and other details in the work can also give us a hint about the theme.

Finding the theme in what I read makes me feel more connected to the work of literature. I can understand the motivation behind the story and why things progress the way they do.

Make sure your speakers are on, because here is the ultimate theme(song)
courtesy of youtube.com

Week Two

This week we learned about characterization. There are ten ways of characterizing a character. (say that ten times really fast)

One of these methods is to see if the characters actions are wise or unwise. You can also consider the characters motivation and the effects of the characters behavior.

I feel that being able to understand a character improves the experience of reading literature. By understanding a character, I can form an opinion about them that accurately reflects on their true self.

Week One

I had my first lit class today. It seems that once again my professor is very enthusiastic about what she teaches.

We did an activity to get o know each other better. We had a handout with some questions on it, and we had to go around and find a classmate that had done what the question asked. We then had to write that classmates name on the handout along with one other fact about them.

Following this we jumped straight into our lesson on plot. We learned that plot is everywhere. It is what happens in any situation.

This lesson made me feel that I can now understand what I read better. I now know how to look for the plot of a story.