Morning Reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltun92DfnPY
Shane Koyczan
Writing in the Second Person
Go to library for A Prayer for the Dying by Stewart O'Nan
HMWK for Wednesday: Read Ch. 1 to pg. 26
Read short articles. Discuss and report back to class:
Group #1 Wikipedia on second person narrative:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second-person_narrative
Group #2 Why you should write in 2nd person:
http://thewritepractice.com/second-person/
Group #3 Writing in second person:
http://www.chuffedbuffbooks.com/writing-in-second-person-atwood-to-tolstoy/
UNTIL GWEN--Dennis Lehane
Click on this link and read (saving paper):
adlibris.com/se/images/UntilGwen.pdf
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=76576
An interview with Dennis Lehane
theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/05/hookers-guns-and-money/3125/
Until Gwen Response
1. What about "Until Gwen" sticks out the most to you? You could focus on a scene, an image, a character, the style, the point of view, a theme--anything really. Write a perfect paragraph of 5-7 sentences in response.
or
2. "Until Gwen"
Use the title "Until Gwen" in a sentence about the main character of this story: "Until Gwen, he ______. During Gwen, he ______. After Gwen, he ______." Do the same with the main character's father: "Until Gwen, his father ______. During Gwen, his father ______. After Gwen, his father ______."
Describe the lasting impact Gwen had on these two men. Are there similarities?
At the story's end, the main character has all the means to completely re-invent himself. Financially he is secure. On paper he has no past. He is able to completely start somewhere new where no one knows him. If you could write an epilogue to this story, one year later, where would he be?
Post your comments! Continue working on animated poetry and contests
Current Contests: Sokol--a poem and/or story
Gannon--1-3 poems
https://www.gannon.edu/NewsDetail.aspx?id=8589940409
Lelia Tupper Scholarship---essay, and creative writing variety, (up to 12 pages total--4 essay and 8 creative writing)
Scholastic --December 17!!!
I never had the sympathy for people that are "victims" to bullying. I can say that because to let others determine how you feel or act means that you are weak mentally and emotionally. Its really a waste of time because eventually youll get older and get over it it's just names. To do suicide or isolate yourself just show how weak and easy you can be a victim to other ones will. GROW BALLS, suck it up be strong... Throw a punch!!!
ReplyDeleteI thought this morning's reflection was very powerful and can easily be related to by many students today. The author spoke with great emotion and really helped find a connection with the audience as a result.
ReplyDeleteThe spoken word poem Austin shared this morning was great. The shift in tone in the beginning was a little odd but the rest of it packed a punch. The animation was really well done and the authors tone of voice was strong and powerful; it gave the piece even more meaning than it would have otherwise.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite poems. I find it powerful, deep and sophisticated. Every line was an interesting representation of emotion and the piece was full of fantastic metaphors. Spoken word is my favorite type of poetry by far. It is powerful and always has a very obvious meaning. A great inspiration.
ReplyDeleteDamn. That was intense. The speaker was very good at portraying how passionate he was about his poem and it was just incredibly powerful. Everyone can relate to it which makes it inspirational to everyone who's ever been put down. The animation was very good too and it had a nice flow of different styles. I liked that not all of the images were literal and made you think.
ReplyDeleteTHAT POEM. To This Day is an outstanding spoken word piece that not only is animated beautifully but also speaks on a very important topic. Unfortunately, bullying is something everyone endures at some point within their years of school. This video always reminds me to be sensitive and understanding to people because you never truly know what they are going through or have gone through. Everyone has a story and something that challenges them everyday, whether or not they vocalize it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Austin, for sharing this powerful piece. I've seen this before and it continues to move me. I think we all need to be supportive of one another, to practice kindness and gratitude, to reach out to those people who are hurting. Growing up can be so painful without believing in oneself and being able to say "they were wrong." Words do hurt; actions, too. Children can be so cruel to one another without realizing how much pain they can inflict on one another. I doubt that any of us have not been scarred at one time or another.
ReplyDeleteHow we survive and heal and learn about our own self-worth and "beauty" is an amazing journey. The imagery in this spoken work poem and the animation
are easily accessible and moving to any audience. The message it conveys melts many a hardened heart.
The morning reflection was really powerful, and the visuals really helped set the mood. I really liked the poem, it was really deep. and its something a lot of people can relate to, it showed a lot of emotion. This video helps you realize that people may be going through so much and you might not know.
ReplyDeleteThis video was really special in understanding the universal feeling of being the "underdog", someone who everyone can cheer for and support. However, in reality, its someone who is sympathized for, but never truly helped. That's a message that I feel the story evokes really well. It starts out as an innocent joke, an attempt to hide something and establish a mutual relationship, and then bringing that out a much broader image of suicide, drugs, and depression. The overall tone and feeling parallels well with the humiliating and hurtful atmosphere of bullying itself.
ReplyDeleteThis morning reflection was very great to me. I felt what it stood for was relatable to everyone because almost everyone to this day has been called names or bullied in some sort of form. I really fell in love with the person who spoke the poem because his voice was really soothing and it felt like it was perfect for this sort of subject. The poem was a little long though, at moments it seemed it was going to end but then it picked right up again, but other than that I enjoyed it. I'm glad I was shown this this morning.
ReplyDeleteEven now, as it is being more realized, there is still people who try to say "kids can be cruel." these words exist in our minds from childhood and on because we heard them told to our parents so often. we, ourselves, the ones who this was said about in first grade. the ones who promised they wouldn't be like the grownups who used that excuse, are succumbing. we are still to use to using that phrase as a scapegoat. we still need to realize that when a child is bullied for being a little over weight or a woman is fired for the shape of her body, it's not their fault. society still blames the victim, in most situations because it's easier. to this day when a girl at a party has a little to much to drink and she is the only female in attendance, wait- we don't bother with those details when she claims rape;we just blame it on her this is what our society as whole has to stop. placing the blame on the wrong side will only make us fall into the same hole our parents fell into when our kids go into first grade.
ReplyDeleteThis was my favorite morning reflection so far! It had a great message. I loved how it told the truths about school and kids. Most people think that when kids do bully, the kid being bullied can get over it. But they can't. It's really hard to get over it when you constantly have people bullying you. This had sooo much meaning. It was also nice how he talked about how kids nowadays are depressed, on pills, or suicidal. Even if they don't show it. I really liked it, and it really stood out to me.
ReplyDeleteIn "Until Gwen" Gwen has an extreme impact on the two men. The main character Bobby, feels that Gwen accepts him for himself so therefore he values her greatly. Gwen was somebody that Bobby in a sense loved and reminisced about while getting out of almost two years in prison. Bobby's father has a liking to Gwen because he frequently asked Bobby about his relationship with her and he seems to think that she's a great person for his son. Gwen was mostly influential on Bobby though for the simple fact that she uplifted him and encouraged him.
ReplyDeleteWhat stood out most to me is the viewpoint. I felt as if I was the character. I really like reading stories like this because it helps me understand the story more. It’s like acting but without having to actually do act in front of others. I liked being a new person for a short amount of time.
ReplyDeleteIn the story " Until Gwen" written by Dennis Lehane, the lives' of the two main characters, Bobby and his father, are deeply impacted by a women named Gwen. Gwen serves as one of the only joys in Bobby's life after he returns from serving a long sentence in prison. Gwen offers love and support to Bobby, as he longs for her in the begging on the story. Gwen impacts the fathers life in that she makes such a profound impact on his son.
ReplyDeleteThe short story Until Gwen is an interesting second person story about two men after one of their releases from prison. I find that the perspective of second person is extremely useful in creating a more personal and relatable story that the reader can actually understand from a very unused yet effective POV.
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ReplyDeleteUntil Gwen, he never knew true love. During Gwen, he had some one he could trust. After Gwen, he was lost. Until Gwen, his father had him all to himself. During Gwen, his father shared his son. After Gwen, his father got meaner.
Describe the lasting impact Gwen had on these two men. Are there similarities?
Gwen changed them both through the crystal. with his father, she added another body to his death toll; with bobby she showed him what true love is.
a year after killing his own father, bobby had moved to L.A. figured maybe he would figure out his birth certificate and everything. he got his GED and was holding a stable job; he even found a new girl. No one could replace Gwen, but he had come to love again.
What sticks out the most to me in "Until Gwen" is the perspective that was used, I felt like I was a character in the story. Bobby and his father were really impacted by Gwen, Bobby feels like Gwen is the only thing that makes him happy in his life.She makes him feel loved after getting out of prison.She encouraged both of them.
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