After distributing lists of useful connectors and transition words and explaining their usage in forming cohesive paragraphs, I handed out a writing exercise that required Marcel to rewrite a paragraph that lacked connecting phrases, and contained disordered sentences, fragments, and extraneous sentences. As Marcel has a tendency to add extraneous asides to his essays, we spent time discussing which sentences in the exercise were irrelevant and should be stricken. I then pointed out where the connector "likewise" was used thereby indicating that a prior sentence should express a similar idea. After Marcel identified the sentence fragment, he spent the remainder of the session rewriting the paragraph in order to make it cohesive and grammatically correct. For homework due Thursday, I assigned the next two stories in the novel and answering study guide questions I distributed.
We reviewed and discussed strategies for strengthening the test essays on Winesberg, Ohio that Marcel completed before the winter break. Initially, we examined the questions and focused on those areas that were very thoroughly addressed as well as some questions which were not answered or which lacked amplification. We discussed ideas for more fully addressing all of the questions subsumed within the essay. Thereafter, we examined grammar and style with a specific emphasis on maintaining a consistent tense throughout the essay. I distributed the relevant portion of Strunk's "Elements of Style" which we read, after which I elaborated on how to maintain a consistent tense . We then focused on one of Marcel's essays and together noted the shifting tenses and reviewed how to address this issue. Marcel then rewrote his third essay accordingly. We further examined word usage and grammar issues in the first two essays. For homework, I assigned rewriting the first two essays to incorporate today's lesson i.e. fully answering all of the questions, maintaining a consistent tense, and paying attention to proper grammar and diction .
Marcel has been diligent in taking notes on our class discussions . We examined two stories today and discussed the motivations of Kate Swift in rushing into George Willard's arms and his confused reaction. As much as George has misread Kate, we noted how the Reverend of the local church has likewise been unable to grasp Kate's emotional needs. Marcel noted how George and Kate's age difference relates back to a prior story wherein a character feels fated by time to never meet someone to share his life with. We last debated whether the main character in the story "Loneliness" is sympathetic or has created his own misery. We read over portions of the text that described his prior relationships, and Marcel astutely noted how the main character seems to prefer invented people to real people as he drives away any people who care about him. Marcel mentioned the lack of emotional content in the book, and I explained why the intentional style of Anderson and Hemingway both require the reader to provide the unstated emotional content. We will have a test on Thursday on the novel.
Bobby offered insightful comments in today's session. He located textual examples of segregation in the prison system and, by drawing inferences, addressed Jefferson's attitude towards his visitors and his pending execution . I mentioned how we will be writing an essay comparing Jefferson to Tom Robinson in "To Kill A Mockingbird", and we examined both characters' sense of hopelessness and how they cope . We further discussed the narrator's reasons for not leaving the community due to his allegiance to his students and, unconsciously , to his aunt who raised him. As Bobby is familiar with sports history, he was also able to elaborate on the references in the novel to Jackie Robinson and Joe Lewis and to discuss their importance to the African-American community in the novel. We discussed the importance of role models as a source of hope and inspiration. For homework, read the next two chapters.
We first reviewed Marcel's writing and grammar homework wherein he rewrote certain sentences from his essay in order to address grammar issues, superfluous words, and awkward sentence structure. His rewrites were very good. We then continued to explore the themes of "Winesburg,Ohio" that tie all of the stories together. Marcel discussed the ironies in "Respectability" , and we discussed how the main character's monomaniacal dislike of women has warped his entire life and even his physical features. We compared this failed marriage to other failed relationships in the novel. Next, we addressed the theme of piety highlighted in the next story. Marcel analyzed the Reverend's lust disguised as piety , and we noted the Reverend's. humorous self-deception in declaring primal lust for a parishioner a providential and holy inspiration. For the next story," Tandy", I had Marcel annotate in the text certain language that defined the theme . I also distributed a study guide that Marcel can reference to make sure his notebook is up to date. For homework-, update notebook to incorporate all material we have discussed in class .
We first reviewed the three types of irony ,and Marcel then identified various ironic situations in the story, "A Man of Ideas". While the main character has "ideas" none are either good or original. I next defined the concept "adventure" as used by the author to describe various characters' sudden passionate impulses which they act upon. We discussed the "adventure" of the main character in the story" Adventure" and the motivations for her desperate actions. I reiterated the novel's theme of mankind' s desperate quest for meaningful connections with another. I also reviewed the main character as what the author calls a "grotesque" due to her delusions about the man who has left her. As Marcel indicated he enjoyed the story" Thinker " , I had him review the text and make a presentation. He did a very good job outlining the essence of the plot and characterizing Seth Richards as an alienated outsider who feels others talk too much. We discussed why he is unable to connect with the town's most desired young woman, and how he blames others for his shortcomings. For homework due MONDAY, I assigned the next 4 stories.
