coming home

As I write these words, it is only five and a half hours until the homecoming game.

Go Scouts!!

OK...that being said...

it's time for weekend homework!

(I know: you're beyond excited, right?)

CW:

Post the character sketches! Then work on creating the stories into which you'd like to place these characters...

Here are a few concepts:

Bringing your character to life:

Write a back story for your characters. What would have happened to make them as they are today? What caused their problems and created their needs and desires? Just free write for 5 or 10 minutes...

Dream one of your character's dreams in a free write...

Interview your character; explore his or her motivations and emotions and concerns; let yourself be surprised at the answers.

As you go through the story, keep these things in mind: What does she want? What's in her way? How does she get in her own way? How will she overcome internal and external obstacles? How will it end? How will the reader feel at the end?

Tips for plot creation:

Use the writers' rules of three: have your character try three times to solve a problem. Write from the perspective of problem/solution. Ask yourself "what happens next?" and just free write. If you get stuck, make a list of 100 possibilities, no matter how crazy they might be; include ideas that make no sense, that are illegal, that are obvious, that are too scientific, that are magic, that are hilarious, that are out of character, that are ridiculous, that are unwise, etc.

Never forget the critical importance of conflict. Conflict comes from action, atmosphere, argument, problems, emotions, word-choice, sensory details, mystery, or what-have-you, but everything comes from conflict.

E3H:

Online, continue the boards. Especially discuss "Ulysses," as fifth period didn't get to do so in class. Consider that we will be moving next week toward a project in poetry.

This project is called a fantasia.

A fantasia combines a poem, your own interpretation (literal or allegorical), visual images, your voice, and music.
For information about how to make one, click here. Below, you'll see a student's visuals from a few years ago. Imagine the student reading the poem and music playing that enhances the mood and experience; the audio did not copy.

I tried to embed it, but it would not embed. Go here to watch it.

So, in addition to continuing the discussions this weekend, you should begin the process of developing this project. Our lab time is limited in availability, and I do not know if I will be able to get you in there as a class, but I will try. First step: select a poem! I need to approve it, so email me when you know what you want to do. Most poems in S&S are eligible.

There is a new board called Fantasia Poems, where you should post your selections once they are approved for discussion and assistance. Peers can help you with ideas for images and interpretation and even pronunciations. I'll have much more info on this later.

E2H:

Continue the discussion boards on Dickinson; remember that you'll be writing an essay later next week. Meanwhile, there is a new board open called "Dickinson parodies" into which you should post your own personal parodies of the Dickinson style. Base your poems on any of ED's poems (other than the ultra-short ones), but you don't need to copy her topics. Just her style. :-)

Have a great weekend!

j: live long and prosper
music: never lived at all--ellis paul
silly 70's: gimme dat ding--the pipkins

--kt