Monday, April 16, 2018

Week #5 April 16-22, 2018


Week #5 - Mad Scientists!
Assignment #1: Discussion:
Take a look at the controversial, scientific topics of our time. (See links below.)  There are many pros and cons associated with each.
  • Select one topic that is of interest to you and post a brief explanation of the topic and why you support or reject it.  
  • Respond to the people who respond to you.
  • Respond to at least two others with different topics.
  • (50 points possible this week)
Perhaps you think that knowing of your cultural heritage and sending off a blood sample to one of the many sites that search your genetic lineage through  blood is a fine thing to know. (Ancestry.com and National Geographic are just two such places that offer the testing. A test like this is used on the television show "Who Do You Think You Are.")

Or, perhaps you feel that medical genetic testing can only lead to too much information and might be used against you by health insurance companies if it is discovered that you carry a gene for cancer or other terminal and expensive illness. (Angela Jolie had this type of testing to determine that she carried the gene for breast cancer.)

Many worry that genetic modification is altering our food sources in unhealthy ways. Others hail the modification as a wonderful way to help to feel the world.

These are just a few of the many topics in our current world of science.


Possible sites - there are others. I offer these as a place to start.
Assignment #2: Who was Robert Louis Stevenson?
Task: List the top 10 facts in Stevenson's life that possibly influenced the Gothic nature of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Explain each choice.
List your sources as well.  ( 20 points)

These are good places to start. As always, try to venture out a bit further. Be sure to credit your sources.
Video documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h2lhMEnx9s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWJs_cheq-A


Assignment #3 - Video and Audio Versions (Comparison/Contrast Review)

This week will involve listing and viewing. Grab your popcorn and settle in for some entertainment.  
  1. View and read the 1920s silent movie version staring John Barrymore.
  2. Finally, watch the Broadway Musical adaptation of the book. (I was fortunate to see  an off Broadway version of this, not starring anybody in particular,  before it hit the big time on Broadway. I found it captivating even then.) This link provides the printed lyrics if you wish to print it, follow along, and make notes. http://www.thebroadwaymusicals.com/j/jekyllhyde.htm
  3. Choose from the cartoon or the 2003 version (See links below)
Task: Write a review for each version. Pretend you are the entertainment critic for the EMCC Gazette - should such a publication exist. (3 reviews total = 30 points each = total: 90)
Links to the viewing:

A.. 1920's silent movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjQaAK5Vof4 (Sorry - there are commercials. Nothing is free!)

B.. Jekyll & Hyde staring David Hasselhoff: (Yes, there is LOTS of singing!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vInYklGGCPk

C. . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EugSL1jbUE0 (cartoon version)

 OR
 2003 Movie Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mQt5FreIiQ Starring John Hannah

Week #5/ Assignment #4: Transformations/ Good to Evil & Evil to Good
  • What is evil? What is good?
  • How would you define evil?
  • What causes evil?
  • What are some examples of evil? What are some examples of good?
  • Are all people capable of evil?
  •  If there were no evil, would good exist?
  • Are people born evil, or do humans learn evil?
  • If evil could be eliminated from the earth, should it be? Explain.
  • Reference transformation scenes that support your point of view.

These are questions as old as mankind. Stevenson and other authors have explored the concept.
View the transformation scenes listed below then write a one - two page paper that answers the questions above.

Also, tell which video transformation was most faithful to the description in the novel.

Essay: 50 points
Rating: 20 points
Read the transformation scene in the book. Then rate these four and in one sentence explain why you awarded the score.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN4Di8DEPf8 (1932 Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqqZ0yFqY04 (old version Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNVrfJjDRSQ&t=24s
(Jekyll & Hyde musical version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7N7OT95XPA 1955 version Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde


Look at three or four of these and reference one or more in your essay that answers the questions posed.
10 Literary Transformations: http://listverse.com/2011/10/09/top-10-metamorphoses-in-literature/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM3j3S465oo Beauty and the Beast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUKrixitvB4 Top 10 Disney Transformations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPW7uzGbFZ4 (3 Hulk Transformations)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ebptPpLk78 (Twilight Werewolf Transformation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMAA3wr9fa0 (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFuV_8LoHD4 (Transformers Transformations)



Week #5 - Assignment #5 Mad Science Lab

Literature abounds with mad scientists and their labs.  Here is someone's top 10. Your favorite may be elsewhere!
https://litreactor.com/columns/lurid-mad-scientist-top-ten

Gothic Steampunk Halloween Images: https://www.pinterest.com/suttonlee/gothic-steampunk-mad-science-halloween/https://www.pinterest.com/suttonlee/gothic-steampunk-mad-science-halloween/
Gothic Science Lab Images: https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrTcdrMIhVXbsMA4usnnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByNWU4cGh1BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=Gothic+Science+Labs&fr=ytff1-tyc&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-006

Gothic Science Labs - gateway to Science Fiction? http://www.gothic.stir.ac.uk/guestblog/gothic-science-fiction-%E2%80%93-a-beginning/ (essay - please read)

Task: Gothic settings are important to the story. If you were to create a frightening science lab, what would you include? Would it be covered in cobwebs and adorned with skulls. Perhaps you would take a different path and have a somewhat empty room adorned with  lights, metal, and buttons. Medical machines and mysterious potions might be your style. Which is more frightening?

Answer that question by creating a collage or other visual of your Gothic mad science lab. This will work in WORD or PowerPoint. Of course, photos of your own may be uploaded as well. Either way, explain your setting in paragraph form. Let the viewer know why the items you selected for the lab would be the most frightening.
(50 points)

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Sunday, April 8, 2018

Week #4 April 9-15, 2018

Week #4 - Poe and Beyond



Assignment #1 = Discussion Board - Poe's Quotes

Visit an Edgar Allan Poe quotation site.

Read through the possibilities and  two quotations from Poe to discuss. Why were these your selections? What do the quotations have to do with Poe? How do the quotations relate to the modern reader?

Assignment #2 - All About Black Cats

  1. Before reading "The Black Cat," a grim tale by Poe, conduct research about the history of cats in general and black cats in particular. Are black cars always considered to bring bad luck, or are they simply misunderstood? Write a two paragraph summary of the information you discover. Try to stay away from Wikipedia as the information there is not always verified and can be changed by a reader's whim.
  2. For the third paragraph, share any experiences you have personally had with black cats or with cats of any color or size. Do black cats deserve their reputation for being evil?

 Possible sites: (Do not limit yourself to these! Do post your sources in a Works Cited entry following your paragraphs.)

Sites:
Just for fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNSYzXIiVrM

(30 points)

Assignment #3 Edgar Allan Poe's, "The Black Cat"


Read the tale of terror!
http://poestories.com/read/blackcat (Light text of black background)
http://www.online-literature.com/poe/24/ ( Dark text on light background)

Or listen, if you prefer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeHSRNgc6QI

Here is a short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKN_I6ouswg

Questions to answer:
1. To what extent does the first person narration have on the story? Who is the narrator? What is his problem? Is that problem internal or external? In other words, is it caused by outside forces, or is something sinister lurking within?

2. If the story had been told from third person point of view, that is by an outsider or news reporter, how might the tale have been different? Would you, the reader, know more or less? Would this point of view make the story more or less frightening? Explain.

3. Poe uses a mythological allusion by naming the cat Pluto. Conduct research and find out about the Roman god Pluto. Share 5 key points about the god as they relate to the story, the cat, and the narrator.

4. Think of movies, books or stories you have seen or read that feature cats.
  • List them. Explain in a few sentences how those tales are similar to or different from Poe's cat and story.
(40 points)
Assignment #4 - "The Cask of Amontillado"

Read the tale!
Text: http://literature.org/authors/poe-edgar-allan/amontillado.html
Audio book: https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-006&ei=utf-8&fr=ytff1-tyc&p=The%20Cask%20of%20Amontillado%20Full%20Audio%20Books&type=
Here's a movie/text version! Enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoUPJId_AWk

Here is another movie that won an award at the 2013 Sacramento Film Festival

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwQ2fcqe5w0

1. Read or listen to the story.
2. View both movie versions.
3. Write a review where you compare and contrast the movies to the original story and explain which movie most effectively captures the characters, setting, tone and message of the original.
 (25 points)
Assignment #5: "The Pit and the Pendulum"
Text: http://www.online-literature.com/poe/40/
Audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31ZjObEHQ1U (Vincent Price - narrator)

Being buried alive is a natural human fear. Poe capitalizes on that fear in many of his stories and poems. In some, like the poem "Annabelle Lee" that we read last week, he rather looks forward to going to the tomb. In others, like "The Cask of Amontillado", he portrays the horrors of premature burial. "The Pit and the Pendulum" combines the idea of being buried alive with the torture associated with the Inquisition. Add a few rats, another creature that evokes horror, and you have the recipe for terror.

A. Conduct some research on rats. What characteristics and qualities do they have that lead humans to hate and fear them? Explain in paragraph form why rats often evoke fear and disgust. Do they deserve this reputation? After all, they are the heroes in "The Pit and the Pendulum." Report your findings in paragraph form.
Rat History: http://www.ramshornstudio.com/rat_history.htm
Hawaiian rats: http://www.fws.gov/pacificislands/publications/Ratsfactsheet.pdf
Diseases carried by rats: http://www.cdc.gov/rodents/diseases/direct.html


B. What other rats appear in literature? Review these links an find out.
Review these stories. What rat is your favorite? What rat do you fear of dislike the most?  Explain your selections.

C. Now, back to the idea of burial. Describe the "pit" where the narrator is jailed. In what ways is it tomb-like? In what ways does it evolve during the story? Is the pit more frightening than the pendulum, or is the pendulum the greatest fear?
 (30 points)
Assignment #6 - Select a Poe story to read and review. You are the critic!

Poe's stories are available for free on the Internet. Here are a few places to look:
http://www.eapoe.org/works/index.htm
http://www.poestories.com/


1. Poe is famous for many literary works. You might consider one of his more popular titles such as "The Purloined Letter", "The Gold Bug", "The Masque of the Red Death", "The Fall of the House of Usher", "William Wilson", or "Murders in the Rue Morgue" to name of few. Or, you might select a lesson known tale. The choice is yours. Read the story.

Many of the stories are in audio-book form. Search YouTube. Some of Poe's works have been captures on video. Again, YouTube is a free place to search.

Assignment: Read, listen, and/or view the story of your choice. Write a review of the tale. Pretend that there is a Poe site, something like Yelp for Poe. Review and rate the story.


Your review should be 1-1/2 pages. Have fun. Your opinion counts. (50 points)

Reminder: Finish The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. We will deal with it next week.
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42 
http://www.learnlibrary.com/jekyll-hyde/

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Monday, April 2, 2018

Week #3 - April 2-8, 2018




Week #3 – April 2-8, 2018
I hope you enjoyed your week with Nathaniel Hawthorne. We will spend this week with Edgar Allan Poe's poetry.  Poe will certainly send a few chills up your spine! Enjoy! Next week we will look at his short stories.

Assignment #1: With Poe, his life experiences influenced his writing.
Research:
  1.  His early years,
  2.  His education and work experiences,
  3. His loves, challenges, and hardships.
  4. His writings, fame, and fortune,
  5. and his death.
Be sure to include in-text citations and a Works Cited segment.

Think of this as a brochure of Poe. Break your responses into the five sections listed above. You may create a brochure, or you may write a Word document and break it into the five sections. (50 points)

Sources: (Feel free to conduct additional research. These are good places to start.)                         
Discussion Board #3
Topic: Phobias
http://phobialist.com/reverse.html (Alphabetical listing of phobias)
Definition of phobia: An extremely strong dislike or fear of someone or something / an exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phobia)
The Mayo Clinic site offers a more detailed definition. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/phobias/basics/definition/CON-20023478

Take a look at the list of phobias. Think about you own experiences and the experiences of others. Also consider the use of phobias in books, movies, stories, and poetry. Share your thoughts. How do phobias impact life?

My sample:
Snakes - I guess I have something in common with Indiana Jones of Raiders of the Lost Ark fame. I dislike snakes. I boldly profess that I am not terrified of them and have even held and saved a little green garden snake that was in my yard and being tormented by the neighbors. I know that little green garden snakes are helpful and keep down the harmful insect population. I also know that they cannot poison anyone or anything. It wasn't much of an act of courage to pick up the foot-long creature and place it in the swamp behind my Virginia house.

Now rattle snakes are another story. Here in Arizona we are living in their territory. I stepped out on my porch one hot afternoon and heard a strange hissing sound that was just like the sound the sprinkling system makes when watering the lawn. It was the wrong time of day for that. As I looked around, I realized that the sound was coming from the garden area by my feet. Yes, there it was. A three foot long rattle snake was curled up by my toes. I screamed and jumped past it -a stupid thing to do. I should have kept on going out to the yard. However, once safely in the house, I called everyone I could think of to come and get the snake. Perhaps they were as frightened of snakes as I was because by the time any help arrived, the poor, lost creature had slithered its way back to the desert.

Do I have a phobia? Perhaps. I choose to think of it as a healthy respect for things that can kill me!

Assignment #2 - Poe's Poetry

A college English professor of mine once said that Poe thought that there was nothing more beautiful in this world than the death of a beautiful woman. Take a look at the following poems.

1. "Annabelle Lee" http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174151
   Musical Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAtSCz9ixWs
   A short film version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBvfLiI5uY8
2. "For Annie" http://poestories.com/read/annie
Audio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2-BtoO8Fc
3. "The Sleeper" http://poestories.com/read/sleeper
  A visual: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXERNqKOCuM

Write a brief summary of each poem.
Then, write a concluding summary noting the similarities among the three. Did Poe show beauty in death?

Assignment #3
"The Raven"
This is one of Poe's most famous works.
Read the poem. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/178713
or Listen to the poem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuGZ_wp_i9w
or read and listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BefliMlEzZ8 

1.There are several mythological allusions in this poem. Pick one. Research. Explain what the reference has to do with the poem.
  • Angels
  • Plutonian shore
  • Seraphim
  • Pallas
  • Balm in Gilead
  • Nepenthe
2. Why a raven? Conduct research and find out the history and life of ravens. Write a paragraph or two. Then explain -  In what ways does the choice of a raven add to the poem? What if this were "The Robin" or "The Eagle"? What impact would the change in birds have on the poem?

3. Look up the meaning of "Lenore." What does the name mean? Thinking back on Poe's life, is Lenore someone from his past? Explain.

4. What Gothic elements do you see in this poem. Does the time of the feathered visitor impact the story? What about the flickering firelight? What other Gothic elements add to the story?

5. Think about it, was there really a raven? What happens to the narrator in the end? Justify you opinion with evidence from the poem.

Assignment #4
More Poe Poetry

Select two additional poems by Poe to study. http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/poe/poe_ind.html

Many of Poe's poems  are read on YouTube if you prefer listening in addition to reading.
1. Summarize each poem. (20 points)
2. Explain why you selected each. (10 points)
3. Then, select one of the two and create a visual collage to represent the poem. This can be done in Word or on a PowerPoint slide. Write a paragraph or two and explain your image choices. (20 points)

Total: 60 points


Reminder: Continue reading The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
http://www.learnlibrary.com/jekyll-hyde/
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42 (Some options)


.

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Sunday, March 25, 2018

March 26, 2018 - Week #2

 Week #2 - Check Canvas for point values.

This week's activities will focus on the life, times, influences and writings of Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Assignment #1
Conduct research and find out about the life and times of Nathaniel Hawthorne. A few links are listed below. Feel free to look at other sources.

Your task is to list create a list of 15 events or experiences from Hawthorne's life that appear to be Gothic influences or are important to his writing. Please explain each choice in a sentence or two. (30 points)

Possible links:
http://www.notablebiographies.com/Gi-He/Hawthorne-Nathaniel.html
http://www.biography.com/people/nathaniel-hawthorne-9331923

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLtotbVIXuU YouTube

 Assignment #2: Setting: The location of a short story includes the actual place and the historical time frame and time of the clock, and the conditions when the events in a story take place.

Now that you know something about the author, as you read the short stories assigned for this week, think about the setting of each. Links to the stories appear in Assignments 3, 4, and 5.

  • In what ways does the setting relate to the life and times of Nathaniel Hawthorne?
  •  How does the setting add to the development of each story?
  •  If each story were set in a different time and place, to what extent would that change the effectiveness of each story?
Discuss this in a paragraph or two paragraph for each story. Break your discussion into specific sections. Note each section with the title of the story.


You will be reading and/or listening to three short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In addition, watch the video, listen to the radio play, and learn from the lectures.

Assignment #3 -Dr. Heidegger's Experiment
http://www.online-literature.com/hawthorne/130/ (Text- read)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX3jMu_4YpU Audio Book- listen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHZ3xYeIAVQ Video- view
Respond to the following questions:
1. If you had the opportunity to go back in time to an earlier version of yourself, would you? Explain why or why not.
2. Read about the mad scientist in Gothic literature. http://epublications.marquette.edu/gothic_madscientist/
Explain to what extent Dr. Heidegger fits the definition.
3. Discover the meaning of the red rose: http://www.proflowers.com/blog/history-and-meaning-behind-red-roses Conduct a quick Internet search and discover the meaning of other colors of roses. Then, pick one and explain how the story would change if the color of the rose changed.
4. In paragraph form, explain if Dr. Heidegger's experiment was a success or a failure. This is your opinion. Be sure to justify your thoughts with evidence from the story.

Assignment #4 -Rappaccini's Daughter
http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/RappDaug.shtml (Text)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlQgfmRFYVM Audio Book
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i-5xzNcdJg Radio Play

1. Conduct a Google or Yahoo search for images of gardens in Gothic literature. Take a look. Locate one that reminds you of Rappaccini's garden. Copy/paste the picture or image and explain why you selected this particular garden. In what ways is the picture like Rappaccini's garden? (Paragraphs, please!)
2. Some literary experts suggest that Rappaccini's garden is a parallel to the Garden of Eden story as told in Genesis in the Bible. This literary device is known as a Biblical Allusion. http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-allusion.html
Review both stories and compare/contrast the similarities and differences.
What elements are the same? What differs? Is this a valid comparison?
Consider the setting, characters, conflict, climax, and theme in each story as you compose your response. This may be written in paragraph form or may be completed as a chart, graph, or bulleted list.

Assignment #5-Young Goodman Brown
http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/YouGoo.shtml (Text)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch7zOnWfvFg (Audio Book)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neRfnsI7ZJI&list=PLYGpCpCTW57lVb-L-PKAsmpSW8P26rw84&index=1 (There are six sections to this lecture. Please review all.)

Setting and Grave Stones
This activity comes from: https://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/study/301_Hawthorne_Goodman.html
Complete the tasks/activities that are in RED. There are FOUR tasks. Please number your responses accordingly

Learning Activities Related to "Young Goodman Brown" and Early New England Gravestones


The Black Man of the Forest with His Familiar
The Black Man of the Forest with His Familiar (courtesy of Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA)

1.) Interpreting Allegory and Symbolism
Many of Hawthorne's stories can be read as allegories. An allegory is a story or work of art that represents another meaning. It is different than a work that draws upon symbolism to suggest other meanings. In an allegory, concrete elements, such as characters, objects, actions, and settings, stand for abstractions (such as greed, virtue, love, hope). As seen in a parable, the elements in a literary or artistic allegory work together to communicate an idea or moral. You may be familiar with Jesus of Nazareth's parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) or the seventeenth-century English classic The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. (In Bunyan's allegory, the main character, Christian, along with his companion Hopeful, is imprisoned in the castle of Giant Despair. It is a key named Promise, however, that unlocks the prison door, freeing the two and allowing them to travel together on the narrow way and beyond to the Celestial City.)
The English settlers of seventeenth and eighteenth-century New England were quite familiar with these allegories and often saw their own lives in stark allegorical terms. They lived in a world of symbols. Gravestone carvers, for example, drew upon the many symbolic images surrounding death and funerals and even the verbal metaphors of ministers of the time. They incorporated these in their own style into the gravestones they produced and created one of New England's first folk art forms.
Skulls, crossed bones, winged hourglasses, picks and shovels were just a few of the common symbols carved on gravestones in Puritan times. These carvings were a symbolic language understood by all the people. Some stonecutters, however, went beyond the use of individual symbols on their stones and carved vivid allegorical dramas. The images worked together as a kind of story in stone, communicating a moral lesson or spiritual truth to the observer. In this way, seventeenth and eighteenth century gravestones were more than memorials to the dead: they were sermons to the living.
The following learning activities will give you practice with understanding and interpreting symbolism and allegory. They will also introduce you to the art of the New England gravestone-a haunting expression of the New England mind, which was one of the chief subjects of Nathaniel Hawthorne's writing.
Activities:
1.) View the following gravestones. In writing, describe the images you see (list the characters, objects, actions, and settings, as best you can, on each one). Notice the details, especially on the Susanna Jayne and Joseph Tapping stones. After you list each element, offer your interpretation of the symbolic and/or allegorical meaning of each. In a few sentences, explain the story carved on each stone.
Detail of the Right Border of the Isaac Spofford Gravestone, 1786, Beverly, MA
Detail of the Polly Harris Gravestone, 1787, Charlestown, MA
Detail of the Susanna Jayne Gravestone, 1776, Marblehead, MA
Detail of the Joseph Tapping Stone, 1678, Boston, MA

2.) A. Explain how the following gravestone images and the story "Young Goodman Brown" reveal an aspect of the Puritan imagination.
Timothy Lindall Stone, 1698/99, Charter St. Burying Ground, Salem, MA
Detail of the Left Border of the Lindall Stone
Detail of the Right Border of the Lindall Stone
Phinehas Pratt Gravestone, 1680, Charlestown, MA.
Detail of the Zechariah Long Gravestone, 1688, Charlestown, MA
Joseph Tapping Gravestone, 1678, Boston, MA
B. ) Reading and Writing Epitaphs:
Along with symbolic images, gravestone makers carved inscriptions on early New England gravestones. Often quaint and curious (if not outright strange), these epitaphs usually give essential biographical information: name, age, death date, names of parents and, for women, name of husband. Many epitaphs even include a vivid description of the cause of death or a eulogistic sentiment praising the virtues or accomplishments of the deceased. Most stones offer a few lines of hopeful-or not-so-hopeful-verse to the passerby. A common sentiment is "Death is a Debt to Nature due, / Which I have paid and so must You." Latin phrases, such as "Tempus Fugit" (Time Flies) and "Memento Mori" (Remember Death) are other common expressions inscribed on early New England gravestones.
Like the symbolic and allegorical carvings, gravestone epitaphs provide glimpses into the lives, beliefs, and imaginations of the first English settlers. They have many truths to tell. Puritan minister and writer, Cotton Mather, made this well-known comment on Boston's colonial gravestones: "And know, reader, that though the stones in this wilderness are already grown so witty as to speak, they never yet that I could hear of, grew so wicked as to lye."
Activities:
3.) Read over the following questions, and with these in mind, view the gravestones and read the epitaphs below. When you are done, answer the questions fully.
  •  What do you notice about the use of language and punctuation on early New England gravestones?
  • What social and/or religious values and beliefs are stated or implied in the epitaphs?
  • What insights do you gain into daily life in early New England?


4.) At the end of "Young Goodman Brown," Hawthorne writes: "And when he had lived long, and was borne to his grave, a hoary corpse, followed by Faith, an aged woman, and children and grand-children, a goodly procession, besides neighbors, not a few, they carved no hopeful verse upon his tombstone; for his dying hour was gloom."
Using any of the above as models, write an epitaph for Goodman Brown. Be sure it is faithful to the story and reflects your understanding of Brown's conflict and Hawthorne's theme. Begin with these words: "Here lyes ye body of Young Goodman Brown, . . . ."
or
Using the same approach as above, write an epitaph for Young Goodman Brown's wife, Faith.

Discussion Board - Week #2
Is Arizona a good setting for a modern or ancient Gothic story? If so, tell of specific locations and times. Have a bit of fun with this. For example, I recently visited the Desert Botanical Gardens in the evening. The sun had set, and a full moon was ascending in the eastern sky. I couldn't help but think that the desert, resplendent with giant cacti and Palo Verdes might just be a terrific setting for a Gothic story or poem. Add a bat or two and a howling coyote, and you have the makings of a frightening tale! Post three times - an original post plus two responses to others. (30 points)

 

Reading Alert!

Start reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. http://www.learnlibrary.com/jekyll-hyde/ Try to get through the first five books/chapters. You might try the chapter-a-day approach. Sometimes it is better to "digest" novels in small reading bites! Pay attention to the "mad scientist" and to the setting
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Friday, March 16, 2018

Welcome to Gothic Literature 2018

Welcome to Gothic Literature - Week #1

Congratulations! You found the blog. You need to check here every Monday. The weekly post will be available for viewing at 8:00am each Monday. Assignments and links to readings will be explained here.

Assignment #1: Read the syllabus. It is on CANVAS. Look at the list on the left hand side and simply click on "syllabus." After reading the syllabus, post three things that you found interesting and list any questions or concerns you need answered. This is your first assignment. Post in CANVAS by midnight on Tuesday, 20, 2018.  (10 points)

This will serve as your official sign-in for the course. If you miss this deadline, you will be dropped from the course unless you explain in a CANVAS note why you couldn't complete the assignment.

Assignment #2: Introduce yourself in one -two pages.  (12 pt. font - 1 inch margins) Consider answering the following. Neither is your introduction limited to these questions nor are you required to address all bullets. These are provided to get you thinking.
  • What interest do you have in Gothic literature?
  • Why are you interested in this course?  What made you decide to take it?
  • What is your earliest memory of anything Gothic? For example, I can remember my mother taking me to see The Wizard of Oz in a theater. The wicked witch was so green and frightening and those gnarled talking trees so sinister, that I started to cry. Mom had to take me to the lobby for popcorn and a soda to calm me down. To this day, I am not a fan of the movie.
  • How do you react to horror movies or stories? Do you scream? Do you laugh? Do you want to run? Do you anxiously await the next page or scene?
  • Perhaps you love Halloween or all things that go bump in the night. Share a memory.
  • Do you believe in ghosts, or are ghosts simply figments of the imagination?
  • What about monsters, phantoms, ghouls, vampires, or zombies, are they real or imagined?
Again, include things about yourself that are related in some way to this course.

Assignment #3: Take an inventory of your Gothic reading to this point in time. The sites listed below contain lists. I realize that this genre might be new to some readers. If you have not read any, focus on the second list.
You will be making two personal lists.
  • Peruse the lists and make a list of the books you have already read. Give a 1-5 rating for each  with 1 being poor and 5 being outstanding. (10 points)
  • Create a second list of five books you would like to read. Include one sentence for each explaining why the title was of interest to you. (10 points)
  • What is your favorite Gothic novel, story, or poem at this point in time? Explain why in a paragraph or two. (10 points)
  • Lists:
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1230.Best_Gothic_Books_Of_All_Time
 http://www.goodreads.com/genres/horror
http://www.goodreads.com/genres/gothic-horror
http://www.goodreads.com/genres/ghost-stories
 
Feel free to look at other lists as you come across them.
 
Assignment #4: Conduct research and write a 1-2 page documented essay defining Gothic literature. What is Gothic literature? Where and when did it start? Who are the famous authors? What are some of the more common elements of the genre? What settings might one expect? What is the role of women in Gothic literature? What types of characters might one expect to find? What is the role of psychology? These are just a few of the elements that could be explored. Feel free to branch out.
Use MLA style. That means you will include in-text citations for any borrowed information. You also need to include a Works Cited page. Here are some links to MLA guidelines.
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
http://mlaformat.org/mla-citations/
 
Sample Essay
 http://mlaformat.org/mla-format-sample-paper/
  I find it useful to review a sample essay that correctly uses MLA style. If you are a pro already, you do not need to look at the sample.
And - a few words about plagiarism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyEr04c5nuM
and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmab92ghG0M
Tip: Avoid plagiarism! Give credit to your sources. It matters.
 
Suggested Gothic Literature Links
Characteristics of Gothic literature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b73OCo4iicI (12 minute PowerPoint lecture)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNohDegnaOQ The Gothic from The British Library
 (8 minutes)
Also see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvayCQWnGaI&list=PL7IUFUlkSyf_NmyXuByp43RfBQbaeOfCp The Origins of Gothic
This is followed by 14 additional short lectures of 2-5 minutes each by David Punter. Each segment covers a specific element of Gothic literature.
(There are many additional YouTube productions you might find useful. Feel free to search further.)
Other links:
http://www.virtualsalt.com/gothic.htm (This site provides comprehensive charts and lists.)
http://classiclit.about.com/od/britishliterature7/fl/What-is-Gothic-Literature.htm
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-gothic-literature.htm
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/gothic/gothic.html
 
Please explore other sites as well. These links will give you a place to start.
 
Assignment #5: Weekly Discussion Board
 There will be a discussion board each week. Make your initial post by midnight on Thursday of each week. This will give others time to respond to you. Canvas give me a time stamp of each post. 
You must add to the discussion and post at least two but not more than four times. (Two or three sentences per post.) Do not wait until 11:00pm on Sunday night to do this! Pace yourself and post throughout the week.
Topic: Reflections on the Gothic - Reality or Imagination?
I leave this rather generic. I want to see what you have to say. Some might share a favorite book, author,  or story. Others might have memories of Halloween or other "spooky" events. Some might be skeptics!
Be courteous.
Use appropriate language - no profanity or vulgarity.
Use complete sentences.
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