Saturday, July 19, 2014

Directions for the Second Summer Session: All Souls

WHAT TO DO WHILE YOU'RE READING ALL SOULS BY MICHAEL PATRICK MACDONALD
While reading All Souls make note of the following using post-it notes, bookmark notes, or writing in your own copy of the book:
·         the writing style MacDonald uses (consider how he creates intimacy and a sense of trust with word choice, sentence structure, tone),
·         the narrative structure MacDonald uses (consider how he begins and ends the book, consider how he organizes events into chapters, consider how he introduces stories within the larger story and builds to climaxes),
·         the way he characterizes people (by describing their actions and their physical appearance, by including their own words, by describing how others react to them, by comparing and contrasting people’s behavior, by showing changes over time, etc.),
·         and the way he characterizes places (particularly South Boston).
Overall how do MacDonald's choices contribute to the purpose, meaning, and effect of the book?

By taking notes you'll be better prepared for the seminar. Some of you did this for the last seminar and it helped a lot.
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WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU FINISH READING ALL SOULS AND BEFORE COMING TO THE HIGH SCHOOL ON July 29*.

Respond to one of the following rhetorical analysis prompts in a Google Doc that you share with me on July 29 or on paper that you turn in on July 29.

Option #1: Writing Style
Find three or more passages in the book (one from the beginning, one from the middle, and one from the end) that exemplify Michael Patrick MacDonald's writing style (word choice, sentence structure, tone). Write an essay in which you analyze how the style of language MacDonald uses contributes to the purpose of the book as a whole.
Option #2: Narrative Structure
Find three or more passages in the book (one from the beginning, one from the middle, and one from the end) that show how MacDonald arranges events in a particular way so that the events have a particular effect on the reader. Write an essay in which you analyze how the arrangement of events contributes to a point MacDonald makes (explicitly or implicitly) in the book as a whole.
Option #3: Characterization of a Person
Find three passages in the book (one from the beginning, one from the middle, and one from the end) in which MacDonald characterizes a particular person (Ma, a brother, a grandparent, someone else). Write an essay in which you analyze exactly how MacDonald characterizes the person in the passages and how the characterization of the person contributes to a point MacDonald makes (explicitly or implicitly) in the book as a whole.
Option #4: Characterization of a Place
Find three passages in the book (one from the beginning, one from the middle, and one from the end) in which MacDonald characterizes Southie. Write an essay in which you analyze exactly how MacDonald characterizes Southie in the passages and how the characterization of Southie contributes to a point MacDonald makes (explicitly or implicitly) in the book as a whole.
Include the quotations and page numbers of the quotations above the essay with the essay below. Weave parts of the quotations into the essay to support your analysis. Your essay should be 500-1000 words in length.
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Then, respond to this argument prompt in a Google Doc that you share with me on July 29 or on paper that you turn in on July 29..
In All Souls Michael Patrick MacDonald explores the ways that pride both strengthens Southie and undermines its strength. In a short essay (approximately 500 words) explore the extent to which pride has a similar effect on Gloucester today. In the essay show that you understand what MacDonald suggests about pride’s effect on Southie and then apply that understanding to your experiences and observations of life in Gloucester. Use examples from your experiences, observations, studies, and reading to develop your argument. Your essay should be 500-1000 words in length.

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*If you cannot attend the session you must (1) send an email to Mr. James Cook with the reason you cannot attend, (2)  turn in your responses through Google Docs, and (3) after the session read the description of the session posted on the blog and complete the activities.
 

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