Blog #4: Movie Review of "The Great Debaters"

• This is a homework assignment assigned: Friday, April 24, 2015.
• The movie "The Great Debaters" was shown in class. You may watch parts you missed before or after school in Mr. Dawursk's room or rent it at your own expense.  
• It is also available on the web at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro0GBmxGdeQ.
• Final copy due by: Thursday, May 7, 2015.
 
If done as an essay:
It is a formal paper which must be typed, double-spaced, and include at least FIVE paragraphs. You are required to write a movie review about the movie “The Great Debaters.”  You will answer #1-3 and analyze ALL three areas below: literary, dramatic, and cinematic sections – (three paragraph body). 
Final copy due by: Thursday, May 7, 2015.
 
If done as a blog:
This is a semi-formal assignment written on the classroom blog of at least THREE paragraphs and TWO responses (3-5 meaningful sentences) to another student. You are required to write a movie review about the movie “The Great Debaters.”  You will answer #1-3 BUT you only have to analyze ONE of the areas:  literary, dramatic, or cinematic sections (one paragraph body). 
Final copy due by: Thursday, May 7, 2015.
 
Include the following elements in your movie review: 
1. In the opening paragraph state the title, and BRIEFLY summarize the plot of the movie. Describe how you truly feel about the film. What is your honest reaction to the film? Did you like/dislike it? Was it confusing? Exciting? Suspenseful? Boring?
2. In the next three paragraphs analyze the literary, dramatic, and cinematic aspects of the film. Please use examples from the movie to support your analysis.  
 
Literary – The literary aspects pertains to the story, dialogue and characters. Was there a good story? Are there believable characters (characterization)? Good dialogue? Did the main character change throughout the film (dynamic round)?  What was the main conflict and how was it resolved? Did the story interest you?  Who was the protagonist and the antagonist? Is this a good piece of literature?  Why or why not? Use specific examples from the movie to support your analysis.  
 
Dramatic – The dramatic aspects pertains to the acting, sets, locations and costumes. Were the actors good? Was the setting or location interesting? Did the actors wear costumes? Was there a famous movie star in the film?  Use specific examples from the movie to support your analysis.  
 
Cinematic – The cinematic aspects pertain to the camera angles, composition, lighting, music and sound effects.  Were there interesting camera angles, or cool video and sound effects? Did the music match the film?  Use specific examples from the movie to support your analysis.  
 
3. In the conclusion, rate the film (e.g. two thumbs up! / A+ / Five Stars) and state whether or not you would recommend the film to a friend.

Blog #3: American Romanticism

THIS IS A HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT.  THERE WILL BE NO TIME GIVEN IN CLASS.

Assigned: Thursday, February 26, 2015   

Due: Wednesday, March 11, 2015

 

IMPORTANT:

• Proper grammar, spelling, capitalization and punctuation will be expected and benchmarked.  Check your work (proofread) before submitting.
• Choose wisely.  If you do not have access to the internet, then do the essay instead.

If done as an ESSAY:

You will choose 4 questions to answer below.  Use the standard page layout and proper name/class/period information at the top.  This is a formal paper which must be typed, double-spaced, and include at least a ONE paragraph answer for each question.  Final copy due by: Wednesday, March 11, 2015.

 

If done as a BLOG:

You will choose 3 questions below and 2 student responses.  Begin your blog comment by writing your first name, the first letter of your last name, and your period number (John S. Period 4).  Then, reference the question number at the beginning of each answer. This is a semi-formal assignment written on the classroom blog of at least ONE paragraph per question and TWO minimum responses (3-5 sentences) to two different students. Final entry due by: Wednesday, March 11, 2015.

 Questions:

1)    In the story “The Devil and Tom Walker,“ Washington Irving engaged readers both in America and in Europe for many reasons – sometimes conflicting ones.  Look at the story again through the eyes of each of the following people.  What reasons would you give for recommending the story to others?   Give specific reasons for each of the following:  a revolutionary (radical), a puritan (conservative), an American politician, and a banker.

 

2)    Through statements Washington Irving makes about Tom Walker, his wife, and his community, what messages is Irving communicating about the following topics:  women (lines 31-37), the Puritan attitude (lines 115-118), the slave trade (lines 224-227), and moneylenders (lines 228-230).

 

3)    How does “Thanatopsis” reflect Romantic notions of nature and democratic values? Explain why.

 

4)    Reread lines 8-10 in “The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls” AND lines 25-32 in “A Psalm for Life.”  Consider what happens to the footprints in each poem.  Based upon this and other images, how would you say Longfellow’s outlook on life and death in each poem is similar?  Explain your reasoning.

 

5)    Recall from Holmes’ biography on page 248 that the poem “Old Ironsides” was instrumental in saving the USS Constitution.  What techniques and details used in the poem might have motivated readers to act?  Cite evidence from the poem to support your answer.

 

6)    Review the elements of transcendentalism listed on page 369.  Then, reexamine “Self-Reliance” and “Nature” identifying key ideas that reflect each tenet of transcendentalism. 

 

7)    Writer Henry James argued that Emerson had no concept of the evil that exists in the world.  In James’ words, it was “a side of life as to which Emerson’s eyes were thickly bandaged…He had no great sense of wrong…no sense of the dark, the foul, the base.”  In your opinion, is this a valid criticism of Emerson?  Use evidence and explain why or why not.