Jill's take on the Night motif

In reading the novel, Night, it's obvious that night is a major symbol in the book. A question I keep asking myself as I read the book, though, is what does it mean? So far, I have come up with a few ideas on the topic but I'll let you guys comment and throw in anything else that crosses your mind. I think that Wiesel uses night to symbolize an absence of God. According to the book of Genesis, God’s first creation was light. The first thing he did was get rid of the infinite darkness. This is why I think that darkness and night symbolize a world without His presence.

I keep coming across examples of this in the book. The falling of night constantly occurs when pain is at its worst, and its being there shows Eliezer’s belief that he lives in a Godless world. For example, the first time Eliezer says that “[n]ight fell” is when his father receives news about the exile of Jews. Likewise, it is night when Eliezer first gets to Auschwitz. Also, it is night when the prisoners start the run from Buna.

Has anyone else found any examples of the symbolism of night? Maybe there are some other ideas as to what it could mean?

The Harlem Renaissance

Hey everyone! In class, we have just started learning about the Harlem Renaissance. It is very interesting to learn about all of the writers and artists that were a result of the time period. I don't know about you guys, but I personally like learning and reading about the musicians of the time period. I don't reguraly listen to jazz or anything, but I like the music and I think the songs and musicians of the time were very unique. It is really sad that because of the depression all of the prosperity and joy of the Harlem area was lost. At least today it is still remembered and studied by people of colors and ages of all!

Maddie

Which poem is your favorite?

Since we have been studying the Harlem Renaissance we have been reading and discussing a lot of poems. I have liked most of the poems that we have read but there are a few that really stand out to me. My top two poems out of the ones we have read are "Dream Deferred" and "Jazzonia". Personally I liked the message for Dream Deferred that you should never forget about your dreams. I also liked "Jazzonia" because of the rhythm it had to it. The poem just flowed with the beat it had to it.

Siobhan

Brittany on Wright's Writing Style

Did you know that Black Boy is about Richard Wright's own life? Well it is!

I think Black Boy is one of the best books we've read in this class. It is really interesting and grabs your attention right away. On the second page of the story, Richard is already burning down the house!

Richard Wright's style of writing is realism. He writes through his own point of view. Another thing that was really interesting was that in the first chapter they killed a cat by tying a rope around its neck and hanging it from a tree... just like lynching. Richard Wright writes about more realistic things, unlike Hemingway who writes more of a modernistic way. Hemingway's take on the world is a lot different than Richard Wright. Do you like Richard Wright's style of writing?

Michelle's 1st Impression of Black Boy

So I just finished reading ch.1 of Black Boy and I thought it was pretty interesting. Richard seems to be a pretty curious guy especially when he lit the curtains on fire and then just sat kind of hid in the house while it was burning until his dad came to get him. I also thought it was interesting how Richard and his brother killed the cat. Like I'm not sure if they knew that that's what the white people did to the black people, but if they did I would think that they wouldn't have killed the cat in the first place. I also thought it was sad that their dad left them to live with another woman and he didn't even leave them with any money or food. I don't know if the dad will be coming up in any of the other chapters, but if he does I don't think he will be of any help 'cause so far he's been a real jerk and I don't really like him. So I was just wondering what everybody else thought of the book so far-->what you liked, what you didn't like, or even who you did or didn't like.
Okay, thanks,
Michelle

1st Semester Evaluation - Part 4 - Self - Evaluation

This last part deals honestly and reflectively with your own assessment of how much you have learned in the past several months in Excel 10. Forget the grade that will be on your report card next week; I want to know how you feel about how much you've learned in both history and literature. Give yourself a letter grade and justify that grade in a well reasoned paragraph or two with specific examples from the semester.

1st Semester Evaluation - Part 3 - The Future

This evaluation is about the 2nd Semester. What would you like to see more of in the second semester? Were there learning experiences/lesson plans that you enjoyed that you'd like to do more of? If so, what? If you have taken part in something really cool in a past history or literature class, tell me about it so that I can consider it for the rest of the year.

Also, I want to know what you'd like to see less of in the second semester. Knowing that fewer homework assignments and tests and quizzes are NOT going to happen, give some suggestions as to ways that the class can improve. Are we doing too much history and not enough literature? Or vice versa?

Provide one or two examples for each question.
Thanks.

1st Semester Evaluation - Part 2

O.k. The next part of the evaluation concerns meaningful experiences.

I want you to tell me about the different learning experiences that we have had and tell me which were the most meaningful and which were the least meaningful to you and why. What I mean by meaningful is how much do you remember, how much did you learn, and how much were you interested in the topic studied. Was this experience a lesson that you'll always remember even when you're an old geezer like me(see above)? Conversely, which lessons didn't work for you at all? Was it a matter of interest level, the way it was presented, or the topic itself (boring)?

Pick two topics - one positive and one negative to share.
Thanks.

1st Semester Evaluation -Part 1

Now that the first semester is over, it's time to evaluate what we've accomplished. In the next few posts, you'll be asked to comment reflectively and honestly about your learning and your effort in Excel this semester.

In this quote, evaluate the videos that we have seen (10 for the best possible video - 1 for the worst possible video). Rate all the videos with a number between 1-10 and pick any two and write a short paragraph about why you liked and/or disliked them.

Choose from the list (excerpts or full segments):
WW1 + Treaty Inherit the Wind Norma Rae
Newsies Teddy Roosevelt bio Supersize Me
2 art movies Walt Whitman bio Ulysses Grant bio
Robber Barons - Carnegie, Rockefeller, Morgan
Frontier House Hemingway bio Prohibition - Dry Crusade
New York videos Potions and Poisons The Others

Updating the Scopes Trial - Evolution, Creation, or Intelligent Design

We talked about the different theories of how we got on this planet. We went over evolution, creation and intelligent design. After that we began to debate over which theory should be taught in public schools. Regardless of what my own personal belief is, I believe that evolution should be taught in public schools. The students will be taught this in biology, and it doesn't make much sense to teach religious beliefs to a group of students who may have different religions. All that can do is cause controversy among the parents and teachers, and confuse the students with their own religion. I think that the teachers should teach the evolution theory, although they should be able to mention that there are other theories and beliefs out there and it is alright to have different thoughts about how we became. I don't know if this is going on the blog or not, but if it is, then share me your thoughts and musings.

AJ

Editorial Note - It's going on the blog!

Newsies Tie-in w/ Curriculum

So, we watched Newsies this week and not only is it the best movie ever, but it has some similarities to some of the things we learned earlier this year. During the Gilded Age, many business tycoons would try to out do their competition, in Newsies Pulitzer was trying to “out-do” Hearst’s paper, and this is what started the strike. Later in the year we learned about the unions and the strikes and that is what the newsboys were doing. Yellow journalism was when the news papers would “improve the truth” to make their stories more appealing and that was also a main part of the movie. These were the similarities I saw, did any of you see any others?

By Alex S.