Childhood and Adolescence in Chapter One of "The Catcher in the Rye"

Just a reminder as to what you need to complete for homework tonight:

Following on from the table that you started in class today, you need to work your way through Chapter One of J.D Salinger's novel, The Catcher in the Rye documenting the versions of childhood and adolescence that are being constructed.

To do this, you should be listing words or phrases that are taken directly from the text or that sum up the impressions that you are developing as you read the story.

These words/phrases will help to formulate your analysis later on.

Image taken from Google images on 07/02/11

Winnie the Pooh

Write a response that explores the construction of childhood in Chapter 9 of A.A Milne's Winnie the Pooh.

Your opening sentence (thesis statement) should be something along the lines of:

The version of childhood constructed in A.A Milne's classic children's story, Winnie the Pooh, is both complex and contradictory. This can be clearly seen when analyzing Chapter Nine from the book.

Given the feedback you all provided in your e-mails regarding strengths and weaknesses, I am expecting more than a few sentences in your response.

Image taken from Google images on 07/02/11

What is childhood?

Your first piece of homework for me this year is to complete the following task:

Watch the following two clips on YouTube that advertise Barbie. The first clip is from 1959, it is the first ever Barbie commercial.



The second commercial is from 2010.



Your task is to compare the two commercials and discuss how each positions the audience to view the construction of childhood.

This task needs to be completed by Monday's lesson.

Welcome Back

Well girls,

Welcome back to your final year of high school!

Just a quick run down regarding my expectations of you this year in so far as the blogs are concerned.

Firstly, I am hoping to use these a lot more this year now that you will all have access to computers/ipads straight from the classroom. My overarching rationale behind this decision is that it will allow me to give you more immediate feedback regarding your writing and it will allow you to all share ideas. The second aspect of the decision is that I have found in the past that most students seem to naturally write with greater detail when given the option to type out their responses, as well as that the knowledge that what you post is accessible to the entire web seems to consciously or subconsciously make you more aware of the need to consider what you write and to proof-read to a greater extent than you do when you simply write it in your book.

It will also mean that for those who have days off for traineeships, illness, travel, excursions, etc you will be able to stay up to date with greater ease.

So, what does all this mean in the wider scheme of things?

Essentially, I will be expecting that everyone has a blog up and running by the end of this week and that you are vigilant in your use of the blog. If you do not make use of the system that is in place you will most likely find yourself falling behind and then having to explain to me, and possibly Mrs Grehan, what is happening.

I am looking forward to working with you this year girls and I hope that you will enjoy your year as Seniors :)

Image taken from Google images on 27/01/11

Practice Test

"The central lesson of "Othello" is that perception is more important than reality." Discuss

In your response, ensure that you consider the ways that Shakespeare positions his audience. You should also comment on the cultural assumptions that are embedded within the play.

Exploring Significant Quotes/Sections of "Othello"

Attempt to explore the significance of various quotes/sections from the play, Othello. In your exploration you need to consider the ways the audience is being positioned to view the various themes/issues. You also need to think about how the issue/theme demonstrates the cultural assumptions that underpin the play.

This is a sample using the Prologue from Act I of Romeo and Juliet as the stimulus. Use this as a guide for your chosen quote/section.

Act I, Prologue

The Prologue in Act I is a significant part of the play because it positions the audience to understand that the two houses, Montague and Capulet, have grudges against one another and that the only way to resolve the conflict is to suffer the deaths of their two children. This is evident through the overview of the plot which is provided by the Chorus. The Prologue is also important because it allows the audience to understand the values and beliefs that underpin the society of Verona with regards to the theme/issue of fate. The embedded attitude towards fate is that all elements of life are already planned/pre-determined. This is clear when the Chorus says, “a pair of star crossed lovers take their life”. This quote positions the audience to believe that the outcomes of Romeo and Juliet’s love were beyond their control.

Sample Planning Presentation

Using the link below, you will find a PowerPoint presentation that demonstrates the first ten steps of the essay planning guide.

The plan relates to the sample essay that can be found on the blog in the following post.

Link to PowerPoint presentation