English I (Pre-AP): Fahrenheit 451 Test Preview

Here's what you need to know for tomorrow's test:

• Alliteration
• Allusion
• Flashback
• Foreshadowing
• Hyperbole
• Irony
• Metaphor
• Onomatopoeia
• Paradox
• Personification
• Simile
• Tone

Knowing the "Burning Bright" section of the novel and reviewing today's in-class notes probably wouldn't hurt, either.

English Classes: Weekend Reading Joy

Sophomores: You need to read up to the end of Othello, Act 4.

Freshmen: You need to read Fahrenheit 451 up to the break in the middle of page 154 (which is 451 backwards, as someone mentioned as we left the library this morning).

Feel free to finish reading either text, though. The sections above are the minumum you should read. You don't want to be known as someone who only does the bare minimum, do you?

Get reading!

English I (Pre-AP): Fahrenheit 451 Vocabulary Set #2

Write the definition of each vocabulary word in the space following the part of speech. Make sure the definition you choose matches the way the vocabulary word is used in the sentence from the text, below.

Use a dictionary or dictionary.com!

• Bewildered (adj.):
• Cite (v.):
• Disperse/-ing (v.):
• Draught (n.):
• Filigree (adj.):
• Fold (n.):
• Hone/-d (v.):
• Latrine (n.):
• Murmur (n.):
• Mush (n.):
• Needle/-ing (v.):

They sat, not touching her, bewildered with her display. (100)

“I’ve always said poetry and tears, poetry and suicide and crying and awful feelings, poetry and sickness; all that mush!” (101)

…she had started on her own slow process of dispersing the dynamite in her house, stick by stick. (102)

It was good listening to the beetle hum, the sleepy mosquito buzz and delicate filigree murmur of the old man’s voice…. (103)

By the time I was forty my blunt instrument had been honed to a fine cutting point for me. (104)

Montag had to rice from the game and go to the latrine to wash his hands. (105)

“The crisis is past and all is well, the sheep returns to the fold.” (105)

“There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain.…” (106)

“Stop blushing. I’m not needling, really I’m not.” (106)

“‘The devil can cite scripture for his purpose.’” (106)

When you are confident you have the correct definitions, see me and you can complete the post-project quiz.

English I (Pre-AP): What's in a Name Project

Authors often choose names based on what they symbolize (Grant is generous, Joy is happy) or what they may allude to (Adam or Eve to the Genesis account of mankind’s origin). Montag’s name in Fahrenheit 451 refers to a brand of paper; Faber refers to a brand of pencil (the relationship between pencil and paper can be seen in the relationship between the two men). As the protagonist of your own story, your life, what does your name say about you?

Collect the following information, then create a poster (8.5 x 11—regular paper size—or larger) displaying everything you know about your name.

What does your name mean (first, middle, last)—You may look it up in a baby-naming book at a bookstore or online at a site like babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com. Last names can be found at genealogy.familyeducation.com.

If possible, ask your parents why they chose the name(s) they gave you and write down their response(s).

How much is your name a part of your identity? What do you feel your name “says” about you? If you changed your name would you become a different person? Why or why not? Include this information in your poster, too.

Due: April 23rd—you may orally present your poster in class for extra credit.

English I (Pre-AP): Fahrenheit 451 Test Preview

Tomorrow's test will cover scenes from pages 60-68 in the novel and cover the following literary devices:

• alliteration
• flashback
• foreshadowing
• hyperbole
• irony
• metaphor
• onomatopoeia
• oxymoron
• personification
• paradox
• simile
• symbolism

Be very prepared.

English I (Pre-AP): Fahrenheit 451 Vocabulary

Write the definition of each vocabulary word in the space following the part of speech. Make sure the definition you choose matches the way the vocabulary word is used in the sentence from the text, below.

Use a dictionary!

• Compressed (v.):
• Gesture (n.):
• Gorging (adj.):
• Hysterical (adj.):
• Igniter (n.):
• Illumination (n.):
• Luxuriously (adv.):
• Marionette (n.):
• Pedestrian (n.):
• Pulverized (v.):
• Tatters (n.):
• Venomous (adj.):

With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head, and his hands were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history. (3)

[H]e flicked the igniter and the house jumped up in a gorging fire that burned the evening sky red and yellow and black. (3)

[H]e showered luxuriously, and then, whistling, hands in pockets, walked across the upper floor of the fire station and fell down the hole. (4)

Or was the atmosphere compressed merely by someone very quietly there, waiting? (5)

It was not the hysterical light of electricity but—what? But the strangely comfortable and rare and gently flattering light of the candle. (7)

[H]is mother had found and lit a last candle and there had been a brief hour of rediscovery, of such illumination that space lost its vast dimensions and drew comfortably around them. (7)

It’s like being a pedestrian, only rarer. (9)

[S]he was like the eager watcher of a marionette show, anticipating each flicker of an eyelid, each gesture of his hand, each flick of a finger, the moment before it began. (11)

He felt that the stars had been pulverized by the sound of the black jets and that in the morning the earth would be covered with their dust like a strange snow. (14)

When you are confident you have the correct definitions, see me and you can complete the post-project quiz.

English I (Pre-AP): Tone in Fahrenheit 451

Read the following passage, then write a short paragraph identifying the scene's tone. You must support your idea with embedded text evidence.

He opened the bedroom door.

It was like coming into the cold marbled room of a mausoleum after the moon had set. Complete darkness, not a hint of the silver world outside, the windows tightly shut, the chamber a tomb-world where no sound from the great city could penetrate. The room was not empty.

He listened.

The little mosquito-delicate dancing hum in the air, the electrical murmur of a hidden wasp snug in its special pink warm nest. The music was almost loud enough so he could follow the tune.

He felt his smile slide away, melt, fold over, and down on itself like a tallow skin, like the stuff of a fantastic candle burning too long and now collapsing and now blown out. Darkness. He was not happy. He was not happy. He said the words to himself. He recognized this as the true state of affairs. He wore his happiness like a mask and the girl had run off across the lawn with the mask and there was no way of going to knock on her door and ask for it back.

Without turning on the light he imagined how this room would look. His wife stretched on the bed, uncovered and cold, like a body displayed on the lid of a tomb, her eyes fixed to the ceiling by invisible threads of steel, immovable. And in her ears the little Seashells, the thimble radios tamped tight, and an electronic ocean of sound, of music and talk and music and talk coming in, coming in on the shore of her unsleeping mind. The room was indeed empty. Every night the waves came in and bore her off on their great tides of sound, floating her, wide-eyed, toward morning. There had been no night in the last two years that Mildred had not swum that sea, had not gladly gone down in it for the third time.

The room was cold but nonetheless he felt he could not breathe. He did not wish to open the curtains and open the french windows, for he did not want the moon to come into the room. So, with the feeling of a man who will die in the next hour for lack of air,.he felt his way toward his open, separate, and therefore cold bed.

Remember, tone is how the author feels about his/her subject. It is separate from how the protagonist feels, as well as from how the reader feels (though it may be aligned with either or both). It is revealed primarily by the connotations inherent in the author's word choice (diction) as well as the author's selection of literary devices (metaphor, simile, hyperbole, irony, etc.). Consider using the following stem(s) in writing your paragraph:

The tone of the passage is [tone]. Bradbury makes this clear by choosing [quoted diction/literary devices], which make it clear [explanation].

English Classes: Reading Assignments for April 5-7

On Monday, April 8, there will be quizzes covering the following material.

Pre-AP English II: Othello, Act 1, scenes 1 and 2.

English I (Pre-AP): Fahrenheit 451, from the beginning through the *** at the top of Page 41 (The last line you'll read is "Damn!" said Beatty. "You've gone right by the corner where we turn for the firehouse.")

You, of course, may read more if you wish. I won't stop you.

English I (Pre-AP): Fahrenheit 451 Opening

If you missed class on Thursday, please print out and complete the following assignment.

The first line of the novel is: It was a pleasure to burn. In the opening passage, draw an oval around each word/phrase that deals with pleasure, joy, sensuality, etc. (eg., the word pleasure in the first sentence and the phrase special pleasure in the second). Mark each word/phrase that deals with burning, fire, destruction, etc., with an “explosive balloon”(eg., the word burn in the first sentence and blackened in the second; some, like eaten in the second sentence will have both). When you are done, complete the answer at the bottom of the page.

If you would like to annotate your copy of the novel, you may do that instead of marking up the worksheet, but you should still complete the short-answer question at the bottom.

Pre-AP English II: Quickwrite on Faber's "Three Things"

In "The Sieve and the Sand" Faber mentions that society needs three things in order for books to make a difference in the world:

1. Quality of information: Books must reflect life.
2. Leisure to digest it: Books must be thought about, though not necessarily agreed with.
3. The right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction of the first two (the "life" in the text and the reflection upon it).

In 2-3 sentences, discuss whether you agree with Faber's three things and why you feel the way you do.

Pre-AP English II: IWA Conclusion

Last week we looked at how to write a thesis paragraph and two body paragraphs (#1, #2). Today in class we looked at writing a conclusion. Essentially, the conclusion is a restatement of the thesis paragraph (make sure you use different words).

Here's an example:

In the end, Bradbury has created two highly-engaging characters in Faber and Montag. If the reader is unaware of the paper/pencil allusions in their names, the experience of reading is still more than worthwhile. If, on the other hand, the reader does have an awareness of the connection between the names and the pencil/paper and mentor/mentee relationships, it takes their appreciation of Bradbury’s work to a much deeper level.

You now have everything you need to write your IWA. Please compile the blocks of body text -- add some transitions of your choice to make it your own -- and turn it in in the inside front pocket of a plain two-pocket portfolio by Thursday, November 8.

Pre-AP English II: 451F (Part 2) Socratic Seminar Questions

Be prepared to discuss these questions in class on Friday, Nov. 2, 2012. Remember to support your answers -- even the World Connection questions -- with evidence from the book.

If you missed the seminar, submit well-thought out written responses to two questions (100%; one question=80%). You may NOT answer a close-ended question.

If you were in class and did not respond twice, use the back of your remaining half-sheets ("buns") to respond to the questions. If you respond to a question discussed in class, your response must refer to the text and add to the conversation we had. (+20 points for the first, +10 points for the second)

WORLD CONNECTION QUESTIONS
What would do if you knew a loved one was breaking the law? --M.P. (2nd)

If your house caught on fire, what would be the most important thing for you to save? --N.O. (1st)

If you had to choose between friends and family, who would win out? --N.B. (6th)


CLOSE-ENDED QUESTIONS
How does Faber react when Montag rips the Bible? --A.P. (2nd)

What did Montag think Beatty wanted to happen when he ordered Montag to burn his house --P.P. (2nd)


OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
What does "the sieve and the sand" represent in the second section of the novel? --J.M.S. (2nd)

Why does Granger trust Montag --O.M. (1st)

Why does Mildred think of the people in the parlor as "family"? --A.G. (6th)


UNIVERSAL THEME / CORE QUESTIONS
If you were running away from society, where would you go? --B.C. (2nd)

If the government required you to inform on your neighbor, what would you do? --Anon. (1st)

If you could memorize any book in the world, what would it be? Why? --Mr. Mikesell


LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
What is the significance of the Phoenix in the novel (how does the symbol change from the beginning of the novel to the end)? --A.E. (2nd)

What does Faber's comparison between himself and a queen bee reveal about his character? --M.C. (1st)

Pre-AP English II: IWA Body Paragraphs, Pt. 2

Yesterday we looked at how body paragraphs should be written in an IWA. In general, each body paragraph should have two to three pieces of evidence from the text to support the main idea of the paragraph.

Yesterday's body paragraph carried the idea that the paper is dependent upon the pencil to give it meaning or significance (similar to the mentee's dependence on the mentor). Today, we'll create body text that shows how over time the mentee becomes more and more like the mentor. For instance:

In “The Sieve and the Sand,” Faber gives Montag instructions via ear-radio on how to get out of trouble. At one point he tells Montag to “‘Say ‘yes,’” and then “[Montag’s] mouth moved like Faber’s.” This simile indicates that people are seeing Faber’s influence on Montag,just as they would notice what is written on a piece of paper, rather than the paper itself.

Likewise

In the “Burning Bright” section of the book, the mentor-mentee (pencil/paper) relationship between Faber/Montag becomes complete. Montag symbolically becomes Faber when he “[dresses] in Faber’s old clothes and shoes,” escaping from the Hound at the river. Like a piece of paper virtually disappears when covered in writing, Montag becomes invisible and only what appears to be Faber remains.

(These two blocks of body paragraph text also demonstrate the direct answer/topic sentence, text evidence/support, commentary/connection of a good open-ended or short-answer response to an EOC question.)

Our body paragraphs need a bit more detail and transitional material, but they're in pretty good shape.

Next Monday: Conclusions

Pre-AP English II: IWA Body Paragraphs Pt. 1

Yesterday we looked at the thesis paragraph of the IWA. One reason the thesis paragraph is so short is because the bulk of your effort should go to your body paragraphs.

It's easy to fall into the trap of plot synopsis in an IWA, so don't. Make sure that you're analyzing the text (how Bradbury writes, in this case) rather than summarizing it (what Bradbury writes). Keep focused on the literary and rhetorical techniques he employs instead of the plot details.

We want to focus on moments in the text where the literary technique demonstrates the mentor-mentee relationship. For instance, on page 85 (81, new edition), Faber states

Now, if your suggest that we print extra books and arrange to have them hidden in firemen’s houses all over the country, so that seeds of suspicion would be sown among the arsonists, bravo, I'd say!”

Montag takes Faber seriously, missing out on his verbal irony (Faber's next line includes the comment "I was joking"). Montag demonstrates, however, that he's unable to question what Faber says, just as a piece of paper cannot question what the pencil writes on it. We can analyze this in our essay as:

One place where this is evident is in the “Sieve and the Sand” section of the story. Faber employs verbal irony when he suggests that they “print extra books and arrange to have them hidden in firemen’s houses…, so the seeds of suspicion would be sown among the arsonists[. Bravo!]” Montag, like a piece of paper that cannot question what is written on it, believes Faber to be sincere in what he says.

We can also use part of the story, a little earlier on page 85, where Faber remarks on a paradoxical comment Montag makes:

When Montag uses the paradox “That’s the good part of dying; when you’ve nothing to lose, you run any risk you want,” Faber congratulates him. He says, “There, you’ve said an interesting thing … without having read it.” In this way Faber mentors and encourages Montag, imprinting his wisdom like a pencil tracing across a piece of paper.

We'll need to keep adding more evidence and more body paragraphs, but this is a good start.

Next: More Body Paragraphs!

Pre-AP English II: Intro to the IWA

Beginning with this six-weeks, students will complete an Individual Writing Assignment every six-weeks. The first one we'll write together.

The IWA begins with a prompt:

In many novels character names do double duty. Not only do they suit and identify the character, but they may also act symbolically and deepen the meaning of the story. In a well-developed essay, explore how Ray Bradbury’s choice of names in Fahrenheit 451 enhances the reader’s appreciation of the work.

The prompt not only tells you what to do (write about how an author's choice of character names enhances the reader's experience), but also offers a suggestion as to how you should prove your thesis (symbol).

At the end of the Afterword printed in many editions, Bradbury writes

Only recently, glancing at the novel, I realized that Montag is named after a paper manufacturing company. And Faber, of course, is a maker of pencils!

Therefore we can see that symbolically the relationship between Faber and Montag is similar to the relationship between Pencil and Paper. This helps greatly in deciding the direction of our essay.

We'll start out writing two-sentence thesis paragraphs. (Once this is mastered, you may get "fancy" if you choose.) The first sentence is the thesis (what you're going to prove); the second sentence is your method (how you're going to prove it).

As the IWA is a work in progress (You write a draft, I annotate corrections on your draft essay, you revise, the cycle continues until your essay is satisfactory), we won't come up with a perfect thesis to start with, but let's try:

In Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury chooses names that enhance the reader’s appreciation of the novel. As he says in the “Afterword,” Montag is symbolic of a paper company, and Faber is symbolic of a pencil manufacturer – mirroring their relationship in the story.

Next up: Body Paragraphs!

Pre-AP English II: 451F Socratic Seminar Questions

Be prepared to discuss these questions in class on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012. Remember to support your answers -- even the World Connection questions -- with evidence from the book.

WORLD CONNECTION QUESTIONS
Some people say that football is too violent and dangerous (think concussions). How would you react if football were banned? --A.M. (1st)

Would you like a robotic dog? --M.G. (2nd)


CLOSE-ENDED QUESTIONS
Why did Montag become a fireman? --M.B. (1st)

What significance does Benjamin Franklin have for the people in Montag's society? --R.S. (2nd)

What did Clarisse's uncle do to wind up being put in jail? --R.B. (2nd)


OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
Why is Montag with his wife if they don't love each other? --J.M. (1st)
(classroom-appropriate, evidence-backed answers only. --Mr. Mikesell)

What effect does Clarisse have on Montag? --K.L. (1st)

Why would Montag take the books when he knew the consequences? --J.M.S. (2nd)

What did Beatty mean when he said that "'Books say nothing'"? --J.J. (2nd)


UNIVERSAL THEME / CORE QUESTIONS
In what ways do "the powers that be"/society affect what you can and cannot think? --M.C. (1st)

If people were to treat you like an outcast because you "thought differently," what would you do? --J.J. (2nd)

Are you happy? How do you know? --Mr. Mikesell


LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
How does the simile "They fell like slaughtered birds" contribute to the development of the story? --O.M. (1st)

How does the simile "[Clarisse's] dress was white and it whispered" contribute to the development her character? --F.L. (2nd)

How does the allusion the woman who burned herself further the development of the story? --J.C. (2nd)

Pre-AP English II: 451F Open-Ended Question

If you didn't complete your open-ended response in class today, please do so now (replace the partial response with your completed response once your response is complete):

What reasons did Beatty give for the banning of books? Are his reasons legitimate? Support your response with evidence from the text.

10 lines maximum.

Ray Bradbury RIP (1920-2012)

In Pre-AP English II we study Fahrenheit 451. On the day of author Ray Bradbury's passing (if not every day), I think it's important to reflect on the three things Faber, a character in 451^F, says are needed for books to make a difference in the world.

After you read them, go out and make a difference in the world.

1. Quality of information: "...it means texture. This book has pores. This book can go under the microscope. You'd find life under the glass, streaming past in infinite profusion. ... Telling detail. Fresh detail. The good writers touch life often."


2. Leisure to digest it: "You can shut [books] and say, 'Hold on a moment.' You play God to it. ... Books can be beaten down with reason."


3. "The right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the first two."

For more on Ray Bradbury, see this article.