CP - Author's Note Reflection

1) Read through the notes from our Socratic Seminar:

• period 6

• period 7

2) Choose ONE of the quotations in Part B and blog your answer to the question in BLUE below the quotation you have selected. You should write a minimum of one paragraph. Be sure to reflect on the Socratic Seminar we had and review any notes you took as you read the Author's Note OR as you observed/participated in the seminar.

DUE - Tuesday, Nov. 12

HONORS - What is truth in story?

Yann Martel begins his 2001 novel Life of Pi with an Author's Note, in which an author character reveals what led him to Pi Patel and offers many ideas about writing. The author character writes that he had planned to work on his second novel in India, and "Thus set up, pen in hand, for the sake of greater truth, I would turn Portugal into a fiction. That's what fiction is about, isn't it, the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence" (Martel VIII).

Based on our seminar discussion of the short story "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings," and on your understanding of the Author's Note, please comment on this quotation from Life of Pi. Cite a specific example from your own reading experiences that either proves or disproves the idea that fiction is a "selective transforming of reality."

HONORS - Argument about "Found Objects"

Use our discussion of short arguments to write a paragraph about the story "Found Objects" by Jennifer Egan. Some possible topics for you to choose from:

• Sasha can/cannot stop stealing
• Coz is/is not helping Sasha
• Sasha wants to please Coz
• Sasha is "stuck" and cannot make progress

DUE:
per. 3 - Thurs., Oct. 16
per. 4 & 5 - Fri., Oct. 17

HONORS - "Found Objects" Creative Writing

For this assignment, you will focus on a minor character from the story "Found Objects" by Jennifer Egan. Be creative, but accurate; put yourself in the character's shoes. Choose one of the following 4 options and post a response on your blog.

1. You are Alex, and you have realized that your "I BELIEVE IN YOU" note is missing from your wallet.
• Imagine that you know Sasha took the note and confront her.
OR

• Use your reaction to realizing the note is missing to show the story of the note's meaning to you.
2. You are the woman whose wallet Sasha took in the bathroom of the Lassimo Hotel.
• Write Sasha an email that you will never send. (Imagine what message you would want to relay to Sasha if you were the wallet woman. Do you feel sorry for Sasha? Are you angry? Go with the message that feels right based on what the reader knows about the character.)
OR

• Imagine that you have returned to your hometown from your trip to New York. Tell the story of your stolen wallet to your friend.

CP - Response to the Ending of "Sonata for Harp and Bicycle"

Joan Aiken, the author of "Sonata for Harp and Bicycle," once said that "A flat or unsatisfactory ending is the worst sin a writer can commit." Is the ending of "Sonata for Harp and Bicycle" satisfactory or not? Why? If it was unsatisfactory, what would you have changed?

HONORS - "To Build a Fire" argument

Now that you have read Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire," please write a paragraph defending one of the following claims:

• The man dies because he tries to use reason to outwit nature; the dog survives because he uses instinct to work with nature.
• The man dies because he tries to use reason to outwit nature.
• The dog survives because he uses instinct to work with nature.
• The man dies because he dismisses the advice of the old-timer on Sulphur Creek.
• A claim of your choice.

Remember that this is formal writing and you should follow the guidelines we discussed last week!

Resources:

• "To Build a Fire"
• period 3 evidence
• period 4 evidence
• period 5 evidence

Toy Story

Think of a childhood toy that you loved dearly. On your blog, please write one paragraph about the toy. Some questions to consider:

• What is the toy? 
• How did you get this toy?
• Why do/did you love the toy so much?
• Describe how you feel/felt about owning the toy.