Eng 20-2 Assignments
SHAKESPEARE ASSIGNMENTS
1a.
Read and translate Banquo’s advice to Macbeth at I.iii.130ff. Re-write the
advice in your own words. Then, apply this advice to an example from your own
life experiences or the modern day.
1b.
Translate a page of Shakespeare’s Macbeth into your own words. Write it like we
speak today.
2.
Concoct/devise a plan of your own that is better than Macbeth’s to take power.
3.
Think back to Macbeth’s experiences of the weird sisters and the disembodied
dagger. Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever had an experience of something
that you couldn’t explain? Do you know someone who has? Explain/describe and
evaluate. Finally, what do you make of Macbeth’s visions in the play?
4a.
What makes a true friend? What other kinds of friendship are there? What kind
of friendship does Macbeth have with Banquo? Explain.
4b.
Find five words in the play that you don’t know. Look them up in the dictionary
and write out the definition. Next, use each of these words in a separate sentence
of your own creation (One sentence per word).
5.
MAJOR ASSIGNMENT: Persuasive Writing in Context: Write a formal letter from the
perspective of an advisor to King Macbeth. Offer him advice on how he ought to
rule and maintain his power. Follow the business letter format, and make sure
to include evidence/support from the play.
6.
Study Macbeth’s “Out, out brief candle” speech at the end of the play (V.v.20-30).
What does he mean? How is he describing life in this speech? Evaluate his
understanding of life? (i.e., Do you agree? Why or why not?)
7.
Study Malcolm’s final words in the play. What does he say (Re-write the passage
in your own words). What does he promise? Do you think Malcolm will be a better
or worse king than Macbeth and his own father, Duncan? Explain and support your
answer with evidence from the play.
8.
Students will watch Roman Polanski's 1971 movie version of Macbeth, and write a short movie review. The movie review will
develop critical-analytic skills. It will take the following form:
9.
Students will watch Kurosawa’s 1957 classic, Throne of Blood and write a short movie analysis. The movie
analysis will contain the following components:
Taketori Washizu
Lady Asaji Washizu
Noriyasu Odagura
Yoshiteru Miki
Old Ghost Woman
10.
(ALTERNATE) Shakespeare’s play Macbeth teaches us lessons about
tyranny, the dangers of ambition, and perhaps illustrates the truth of the
saying, “absolute power corrupts.” Examine similar concepts as they are
illustrated in Oliver Stone’s Wallstreet.
(i) Do a character study of Gordon Gekko. What
sort of a person is he? What motivates him in life? What is his understanding
of the importance of greed for the proper functioning of society? Do you agree
with Gekko? Why or why not? (paragraph form)
(ii) Do a character study of Bud Fox. What is he
like at the beginning of the film? How does he change through the influence of
Gekko? What epiphany does he have by the end of the movie, and why does he
learn this life lesson? (paragraph form)
(iii) Do a character study of Carl Fox (Bud’s
father). What sort of a person is he? What motivates him in life? What does he
suppose that a properly functioning society is built upon? How does this view
contrast with Gekko’s? Explain how Carl’s influence assists Bud in acquiring
his epiphany.
(iv) Write a paragraph that discusses the
similarities and differences between the characters of Macbeth, Gekko, and Bud
Fox.
(v) The story told in Wallstreet is loosely patterned after the junk bond/insider trading
scandals of the '80s. Write a paragraph about what you take to be the lessons
of the film, and how we might use these lessons to criticize the current
economic crisis in North American society, and the US in particular.
11.
Langston Hughes “Weary Blues” Assignment (also available on my website)
OF MICE AND MEN
ASSIGNMENTS
1.
Chapter One Reading Comprehension
2.
Chapter Two Reading Comprehension
3.
Chapter Three Reading Comprehension
4.
Chapter Four Reading Comprehension
5.
Chapters Five and Six Reading Comprehension
6.
Character Chart from Of Mice and Men
7.
Literary Exploration Of Mice and Men (MAJOR ASSIGNMENT)
8.
Persuasive Writing in Context Of Mice and
Men (MAJOR ASSIGNMENT)
THE CRUCIBLE ASSIGNMENTS
1.
The Crucible Inquiry (MAJOR ASSIGNMENT)
2.
The Crucible Literary Exploration (MAJOR
ASSIGNMENT)
3.
The Crucible Persuasive Writing In Context (MAJOR
ASSIGNMENT)
4.
The Crucible Workbooklet
5.
The Crucible Character Chart
LEGAL LITERATURE UNIT
See
Legal Lit rescue package.
POETRY: Answer all
reflective response in full sentences and complete paragraphs (ONE PAGE
minimum)
1.
Reflect upon your own experiences of growing up, and what among them are most
significant to you (Springsteen’s Growin’ Up)
2.
Reflect on the manner in which your own life is poetry (Springsteen’s Open All
Night)
3.
Reflect on either Tom Petty’s “Last Dance with Mary Jane” or Dylan’s “Knocking
on Heaven’s Door.” Write about the experience of paradox in either song. For
example: How Petty’s song can have 2 opposite meanings and both can be correct.
OR How Dylan’s song implies that in order to find oneself or to find one’s
life, one must first lose one’s self or one’s life. Conclude with your own experience
of paradox.
4.
Langston Hughes’ Reading Comprehension “Weary Blues”
5.
The Death of Hattie Carroll Reflection
6.
Jabberwocky Reading Comprehension
7.
Reflection on Medgar Evers: If you could change one thing about the world or
yourself, what would it be, and how would you go about doing it?
VISUAL ANALYSIS
1.
FIVE Visual Analyses (either personal, creative, or critical, 2 pages each)
COMEDY UNIT
1.
Complete FIVE Comedy Analyses
2.
Comedy Inquiry Assignment
3.
Comedy Unit Presentation
4.
Patch Adams Reflective Questions
i. Explain why comedy is depicted as a positive
force in the lives of people in the film. What does comedy teach us? How does
it help us to live happily?
ii. Explain why comedy makes some people
uncomfortable in the film.
iii. Investigate the real Patch Adams and his
contributions to health care in the United States.