June 18

Blackout Poem – “Death of a Salesman”

The play, “Death of a Salesman,” by Arthur Miller is a story about life and tragedy. It follows the life of travelling salesman Willy Loman and his family. His stay-at-home wife Linda is supportive of Willy and only wants the best for him. Their eldest son, Biff, has just returned home and is still trying to figure out what to do with his life, while also pleasing his father. Their other son, Happy, has his career figured out, but he can’t seem to manage settling down with one woman. Willy is seemingly unhappy with his life, while his family, especially his wife, are doing what they can to support his through his struggles. Willy’s father was a successful salesman, while his now deceased brother, went into the African jungle and found diamonds. This play represents tragedy because it is about a man who is depressed and unhappy with his life, which eventually leads to his suicide. Willy also has an affair with a younger woman in Boston during his work trips. The following is a blackout poem, where key words and phrases that represent both tragedy and, “Death of a Salesman,” are singled out so the words picked stand out. In the blackout poem below, three images are shown, the first is an unidentified man carrying a briefcase, this image represents Willy and how he doesn’t have an identity. The second image is of a car from the 1950’s. This represents Willy’s job as a travelling salesman as well as the weapon he killed himself with. The final image, shown in the top right corner of the page, is a picture of Africa and a diamond within. This represents how Willy’s brother, Ben, went to Africa and found diamonds while there, one of Willy’s biggest regrets is not going with him.

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May 3

Between the Lines – Podcast Project

The following is a podcast discussing morality and mob mentality within lord of the flies

 

http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/7557/20140613/mit-researchers-use-brain-scans-explore-mob-mentality.htm

 

http://dailynexus.com/2012-01-24/study-substantiates-herd-mentality-theory/

 

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Opinion+Psychology+riot+They+found+exciting/4960894/story.html

 

https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/early-childhood-moral-development/

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April 6

Lord of the Flies – Island Description

The following is physical setting examples found to describe the island in Lord of the Flies

Scar – “All round him the long scar smashed into the jungle was a bath of heat.”

Shape of the Island – “It was roughly boat-shaped”

Rock – “Here the beach was interrupted abruptly by the square motif of the landscape; a great platform of pink granite thrust up uncompromisingly through forest and terrace and sand and lagoon to make a raised jetty four feet high” (13)

Lagoon – “The palms that still stood made a green roof, covered on the underside with a quivering tangle of reflections from the lagoon”(13)

Jungle – “overhung with impossible jungle and falling sheer into the sea”(90)

The Beach – “The beach between the palm terrace”

 The forest –  “The skirts of the forest and the scar were familiar”

The Signal Fire – “Roger pointed down the unfriendly side. ‘They were there–by the sea.’”

 Shore – “The shore was fledged with palm trees. These stood or leaned or re- clined against the light and their green feathers were a hundred feet up in the air.”(Page 10)

Forest Rock – ”The most unusual future of the rock was a pink cliff surmounted a skewed block: and that again surmounted, and that again, till the pinkness became a stack of balanced rock projecting through the looped fantasy of the forest creepers.”

 

 

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March 5

Walter Mitty Daydream Six

“He took one last drag on his cigarette and snapped it away. Then with that faint, fleeting smile playing about his lips, he faced the firing squad; erect and motionless, proud and disdainful, Walter Mitty the Undefeated, inscrutable to the last.”

… “Walter,” said Mrs. Mitty. “Walter!” she said angrily “Did you take a wrong turn or something? Where are we?”
Walter Mitty looked around, realizing he didn’t know where he was. “Sorry, I must’ve zoned out or something,” he said driving through the haggard forest he had accidentally turned into.

Before Walter could get another word in his wife quickly exclaimed, “well, you got us into this mess, you’re going to have to get us out of it.”

A distraught Walter Mitty answered, “of course, my dear, anything for you.” Walter followed down the single lane road that the forest surrounded for a couple miles before coming to the conclusion that he should turn around and leave the way he came in. After some time, Walter was able to safely get himself and his wife back onto the main road. Walter was almost home, when out of nowhere, a herd of deer came screaming across the road.

“Walter! Stop!” screamed his wife, who reminded him, “this is why you should never go more than forty, you could have hit them!”

“I’m sorry dear, it won’t happen again.” He assured his wife. Walter then safely continued driving home.

… “Errrrrrrr, errrrrrr,” Walter blows into his deer call, hoping that will attract them. He waited some minutes before trying again, “errrrrrr, errrrrrr.” This time, only two deer had shown up within range of his shot. However, there was a great big grizzly bear within only a dozen yards from Walter. Without any hesitation, Walter firmly gripped his hunting rifle, made sure his aim was dead on, and pulled the trigger. Bang! Went the hunting rifle, missing the grizzly bear by only inches. All the animals in the forest got frightened and started running around wildly. Walter was frustrated he didn’t hit the shot, but quickly got over it and camouflaged into the forest so he wouldn’t be seen in the pandemonium.

Walter waited until the animals had calmed before attempting to attract animals again. “Errrrrrrr, errrrrrrr,” he called.  This time, the deer wasted no time showing up within range of Walter. This time, Walter waited until the perfect time to attempt a shot, learning from his mistakes and not wanting to make the same one again. Here it was, the perfect shot, nothing between him and the meatiest deer in the forest, no bushes, trees, nothing. Once again, Walter firmly gripped his hunting rifle, scoped in, and when he saw his opportunity, he pulled the trigger.

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February 20

Plot Point Photo Compilation

“Father and Son” Plot Point Photos

In this project, one will analyze the short story, “Father and Son,” by Bernard MacLaverty and find quotes and pictures to support each plot point. Each plot point will have three to four sentences to go along with its own quote and picture. “Father and Son,” is about a father and his son who live together by themselves. The two don’t particularly get along with the son feeling like the father worries too much while the father feels like the son doesn’t love him.

 Exposition
“I know that in a few minutes [my dad] will come in to look at sleeping” (MacLaverty 165)
From this quote, we can understand that this story takes place in a house. Also, we could assume that the main characters are a boy and his father. We also know that the two have some sort of issue that makes the dad want to check on him while he is sleeping.

 Initiating Incident
“’Wake up, son. I’m away to my work.Where are you going today?’ ‘What’s it to you?”’ (MacLaverty 165)
This shows how little the son cares about his dad. The dad asks a normal question about what he is doing today but the son overreacts for no reason. The dad is trying to become a part of his sons life but the son pushes him away.

 

Rising Action
“’What do you be doing out to this time?’ ‘Not again.’  ‘Answer me.’  ‘Talking.’  ‘Who with?’ ‘Friends. Just go to bed, Da, will you?”’ (MacLaverty 166)
This shows just how damaged the relationship is between the two. The dad tries to be a part of his life but the son does not want that. The son is giving short, meaningless answers to his questions.

Rising Action
‘“Why do you always spy on me, you nosey oldbastard?”’ (MacLaverty 169)|
The son in the story is clearly fed up with his dad and wishes he would back off. The dad in the story, however, just wants to know his son better. Thedad wants his son to know he loves him but the son does not want anything to do with his dad.

 

 

 

 Rising Action
“My son with friends. Talking. What he does not do with me” (MacLaverty 169)
At this point the dad seems to have given up with trying to connect with his son. He realizes that his son talks with his friends and not him because his son does not like him. He accepts that his son does not talk to him and is very upset because of all the effort he put in to connect with is son.

Climax

“There is a bang. A dish-cloth drops from my hand and I run to the kitchen door.” (MacLaverty 169)
There is a loud noise coming from the other side of the house where his son was. The dad got very nervous thinking something horrible happened to his son. This is the climax because it is the most exciting part of the story because we donot completely know what has happened to his son yet.

 

Falling Action
“There is a strange smell. My son is lying on the floor, his head on the bottom stair, his feet on the threshold” (MacLaverty 169)
The dad finds his son dead on the stairs. Someone came in and shot him. The plot of the story is starting to wrap up as everything is coming to an end

 

 Denouement
“My son, let me put my arms around you” (MacLaverty 169)
The dad wishes he and his son were closer, but he always made the effort. The dad never stopped caring for and loving the son no matter how many times he drove him away. Everything in the story has wrapped up and all loose ends have been tied.

 

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February 13

Character Sketch – Two Fishermen

In the short story, “Two Fishermen,” Michael Foster, an ambitious, young man, is described as, “a tall, long-legged, eager young fellow,” who’s dream is to, “work on an important newspaper” (Callaghan 1). Foster is very determined to fulfill his dream and will do anything to create the best news story possible. Foster talked with the hangman and even became friends with him when everyone else in town was scared to be near him. Foster is also very friendly and connect with anyone; he goes around town talking to people and it seemed Foster had some sort of relationship with nearly everyone. Foster is and outgoing person and is not easily intimidated, this is evident when he first meets Smitty and does not hold back from telling him his goals and how he wants, “to get a reporter’s job on a city paper”(Callaghan 3). However, what Foster gains in social skills, he lacks in self confidence. He does not want anybody to know he is friends with the hangman, and will not stand up for him when he needed Foster most. Foster cares too much about what people think of him and is afraid of being judged by others. Foster may be seen as a coward, however he is very ambitious and will do anything he needs to do to achieve his dream.

Michael Foster Picture

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February 7

Capital Punishment in “Two Fisherman”

Capital Punishment in Canada was around for over 100 years before being abolished in 1976. At first the only things one could be sentenced to the death penalty for was murder, treason, or rape. As time went on the death penalty became rarer and rarer, when they abolished it the only ways to be sentenced to the death penalty is by killing on duty police officers and prison guards. In 1976, when they got rid of the death penalty, they replaced it life in jail without parole for 25 years. If “Two Fisherman” were based in Canada, it would have to take place in between 1865 and 1961 since it was not premeditated.

Thomas Delaney should not have been executed for killing Matthew Reinhart because he was molesting his wife and would have gotten killed by death penalty anyway, Thomas Delaney most likely did not have any other instances like this one so it would be seem that he is not a violent person, he just did not want his wife to get molested. Also, Thomas Delaney was just defending his wife, who was in a helpless place and obviously Thomas Delaney knowing that made his emotions get the better of him. Lastly, the death penalty is wrong against any person regardless of what they have done, if someone committed a murder, they should be locked in prison for life instead because as long as they are out of society, they can not to any more damage.

 

 

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