Morning Reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An4a-_NjilY
Shane Koyczan
Writing in the Second Person
Go to library for A Prayer for the Dying by Stewart O'Nan
HMWK for Thursday 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 16!!!
This spoken word poem and video was incredibly inspirational. The way he used his language, with lots of metaphors and similes, along with the visual appeal, grabbed attention and told the watcher they better listen up. His point was also very clear: We can not take for granted what we have, because it can not be replaced, and it is too beautiful to dismiss. His point was that the world was something very special, and our population of humans is the only thing on it that can help to progressively preserve all of it's wonder, but this is done by working together. It is the contribution of everyone he said, that will keep the "blue dot" alive in it's massive home of a universe.
ReplyDeleteTodays morning reflection was good because it has an impact on our earth. How people may treat other people and how everyone treats each other. It may help us understand change and how we can change things.
ReplyDeleteI think that the poem "Shoulders" by Shane Koyczan was a pretty poignant video that had a very important message. We as a species have a shared responsibility to preserve and protect the earth no matter what happens. We have to control global warming, endangered species, and a whole slew of other issues that we have created. We have to do this because if we don't we doom our entire planet. Although there is the option of leaving and never returning, it's a lot less fun.
ReplyDeleteI think that the morning reflection that we watched today was pretty touching and moving. It had a strong meaning behind what is actually going on in the world. It helps you realize that we as in everyone living on this earth has to do their share to keep the earth as clean and as strong as possible. Its all we have and if we drive the earth into the ground with all of the pollution that is rested into the atmosphere everyday we won't get a second chance. We wont be able to start over and try to make the world better than what we did the first time we have to do everything in our power now to make the world a better place. We have to realize that doing that isn't all on just one person its on all of us we all have a part to do in changing the world and we all have to accept our duty as people on this earth. If we all do our part we can all be the reasons why the world has became a better place.
ReplyDeleteBased on the video that I just watched Shane Koyczan is trying to tell us that we are held responsible for what happens on our planet. Its not a act of the gods everything that happens is a result of something that we have done. he also mentioned the mythical story of Atlas the one who holds the earth on his shoulders. he was trying to say that we are all Atlas because this is our planet and we are responsible for what goes on. Also that we are responsible for keeping our planet clean and don't pollute it because we only get one
ReplyDeleteThis morning's morning reflection was a very moving video about working together for the good of mankind. "Shoulders" by Shane Koyczan was about everyone on Earth working together to hold it together and keep it clean. "How do we save our world?" was one of his statements in the video. Then, he further explained that if we worked together, and all tried our hardest, we could save this planet for our children. "We are facing crisis." The most important part of this statement is the 'we,' not the 'crisis'. If we work together, then we, can save the world that we all need.
ReplyDeleteShoulders was asking its viewers how can we save the earth because we need it. Everything we make or touch revolves around or has something to do with this earth. The video took a very powerful tole on how to keep the earth healthier and by watching it, he told us that the earth gets hurt every once in a while but its okay because you cant help it because that's what helps us help the earth. It made me think about how people don't recycle all the time and how we need to make sure we do that because we don't want trash to take over our earth or pollute it in any type of way. It takes just one person to make a difference it could be you
ReplyDeleteThis morning reflection was very inspirational given the fact that we are responsible and held accountable for one chance to be on earth.Poeple in this life time take everything for granted and don't actually take advanatage of the good to create better.
ReplyDeleteI felt like today's morning reflection is inspiring of how everyone is the part of the earth and we should do things to help protect our planet. It was also motivating as well by how Koyczan says we should help as much as we can even if it's small, it change so much in the environment.
ReplyDeleteToday's morning reflection was very inspirational and gripping. The artwork, in addition to the poetry, was a beautiful, well thought out spoken word. I loved the idea he proposed that we, the people of earth are responsible for its "health". I loved his use of imagery in addition to the reoccurring theme of mythology.
ReplyDelete"Shoulders" is a beautiful, short telling story about the world and what it is meant for us. During the video, the part that intrigued me the most was when he had said that the ground and sky are bound to be together and even though they maybe apart from each other they mostly connect when its raining. As also he told the story of Atlas holding the planet on his shoulders but states that we are Atlas holding Earth instead. Lastly, he states that the alarming statement is "We are facing crisis" but it's not the word "crisis" but the word "We" because those two letters are what describes how we are responsible, and that we are all Atlas.
ReplyDeleteThis morning’s reflection “shoulders” was a really good one. The need to keep the earth clean is nothing we haven’t heard before but the video was a good interpretation on exactly how we can do that. The message that I got from it is that we all need to do our individual parts because even one person can make a significant change. The video was also a good reminder on what the consequences will be if we don’t take care of our earth.
ReplyDeleteThe most memorable part of "Until Gwen" by Dennis Lehane was Gwen. She was not present during the action of the story, but had an influence over the past problems the main characters now have to face. It seems at first that she is this beautiful girlfriend, the love of your life, and then it is later revealed she was not entirely a saint herself. Her influence, even from the grave, as it is revealed in the last page, is overwhelming and the idea that her character can do that without even being there is unique and interesting. The reader enjoys Gwen, she is intriguing, and also generates more sympathy from the reader to "you," the main character, for you have lost the love of your life over something you now probably regret. Because the story is written in second person, Gwen is a character "you" can genuinely feel you are in love with, because she is so powerful and resonant.
ReplyDeleteWhat stood out the most in "Until Gwen" by Dennis Lehane was the way in witch the story was told. It is constantly moving from the past and present over and over again. In doing so, you are often left questions during the question when things are alluded to or talked about, but when you return the past these questions are quickly answered. It made reading the story a much more enjoyable experience, as though it was short, it was filled with discovery.
ReplyDeleteUntil Gwen, He was confused and didn't know where he belonged. During Gwen, he learned to love and realized that it didn't matter who he was. After Gwen, he felt like a piece of him was missing.
ReplyDeleteUntil Gwen, his father was just a sleazy, petty thief. During Gwen, he seemed to become a better person. After Gwen, he turned back to a con man and his old ways.