Questions for the “Hunger Artist”

1. Find textual evidence that shows how Kafka characterizes the hunger artist. What is the hunger artist’s motivation? Are we supposed to feel sympathy for him? Explain your answer.
2. Why do the people grow indifferent? What does it say about people that they change their minds about what is important?
3. Why was the hunger artist replaced in the end by a panther? What is significant about the panther?
4. What is the theme of the story? What is Kafka telling us?
5. What is your reaction to the hunger artist? How is he similar to other artists?

Allegory of the Cave Journal

January 27, 2009
What are the "chains" that have held you back or imprisoned you? How did you feel when you recognized that you were being held down by certain things? How did you escape from those things that held you down--or how will you escape those obstacles in the future?

Tuesday, Dec 16: Opening Scene: Macbeth

Act 1, Scene 1
Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches.

First Witch: When shall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
Second: When the hurlyburly’s done,
Third: That will be ere the set of sun.
First: Where the place?
Second: Upon the heath.
Third: There to meet with Macbeth.
First: I come, Graymalkin.
Paddock calls anon.
All: Fair is foul, and foul is fair.
Hover through the fog and filthy air.


Definitions:

• hurlyburly: turmoil, confusion, fighting
• ere: before
• heath: barren place
• Graymalkin: name for a gray cat
• Paddock: toad

Assignment:
Discussion Questions
You can respond to the following discussion questions in a small group of 2-3 people. One person needs to take notes for your group.

1. The witches describe the present state of the world with the line “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” What does this mean?

2. The language of this scene creates an atmosphere. Pull out some descriptive words that clue us into this atmosphere (like “hurlyburly”). What do they tell us about the setting of this play?

3. Shakespeare only gives us the lines for this scene: no details exist about the setting, how the witches look, how they move, or any other things a director must consider when planning how to perform this scene. Use your imagination to create the details of this scene in the way you would like to see it on stage.

Respond to the following questions to get the details down on paper:
a. How do the witches enter?
b. How do they move?
c. What do they look like? Describe their faces. How old are they?
d. How is each witch different from the others?
e. How are they dressed? What are they carrying?
f. What do they do as they speak?
g. What sound effects do you need in this scene?
h. What does the background look like?

Characters in Macbeth

• King Duncan: King of Scotland (but not for long)
• Malcolm/Donalbain: Sons to Duncan: Malcolm should be king if Duncan dies--
• Macbeth: Scottish nobleman and general of Duncan, but wants more--
• Lady Macbeth: Wife of Macbeth, ruthless woman who wants power
• Banquo: Nobleman and friend (at least at the start) of Macbeth
• Fleance: Banquo’s son. Future kings will come from his family
• Macduff: Nobleman who is loyal to Duncan

Who is excited about Shakespeare?

We are going to start reading Macbeth tomorrow--I am so excited and I hope you are too; well, at least I hope that if you aren't excited that you'll at least be open minded about it. :) For those of you who are following this blog, here is your extra credit assignment: Memorize a soliloquy from Macbeth and present it to the class. I will be pointing them out as we read Macbeth and it is a great skill to be able to memorize the lines, really learn them and know them, and present them-- for plays should be acted out! You might want to think about how you can play with the language, experiment with how you think the lines should be delivered based on the character, and you might want to re-create the persona (maybe modernized, maybe in another country, maybe set in New York, etc.) without changing the words. Good luck and have fun!

Sonnet

After studying Shakespeare's Sonnet 18, write your own sonnet. Remember that your sonnet must:

• Be 14 lines long
• Have the rhyme scheme: abab, cdcd, efef, gg
• Be about one topic
• Have 10 syllables per line

Good luck and have fun!

2 December 2008

Choose one character to trace throughout the book. How has that character changed or developed? Find textual evidence that shows who your character is and how she/he has grown.

• What does the character look like, want, think? What motivates her/him?
• What do the other characters think about that character?

Then, create a symbol for your character and write the textual evidence that supports that character around the symbol.

Be ready to present your character in class.

Homework: Finish the book!