April 7, 2011 T.S. Eliot's influence on Ralph Ellison and Shakespeare's influence on T.S. Eliot

 

APRIL is the cruelest month, breeding

Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing

Memory and desire, stirring

Dull roots with spring rain.

Winter kept us warm, covering

Earth in forgetful snow, feeding

A little life with dried tubers. 

 

April 7

Period 1

Music and Othello: Verdi vs Original Music by Jeff Danna

Conference Room

Beginning of “O” middle of “O”

End of “Otello”

"What is that noise?"

                The wind under the door.

"What is that noise now? What is the wind doing?"

                                Nothing again nothing.

                                        "Do

"You know nothing? Do you see nothing? Do you remember

"Nothing?"

   I remember

Those are pearls that were his eyes.

"Are you alive, or not? Is there nothing in your head?"

Period 2

You have been sent back in time (to kindergarten or first grade) and you have the ability to change your entire schooling experience. (Sort of Back to the Future) How do you change the next sixteen years of your life or so to make your life better? Does it work or do you lose some of the flavor along the way?

Period 3

Essential Questions: What is the “invisible” part of Man?

Is Man flesh or is Man existence?

What is the meaning of Man’s existence?

1. Ch. 2, p34 -- "Driving Mr. Norton": Characterize Norton; characterize Trueblood. Why do you think Norton is so intent on meeting Trueblood? What are the Invisible Man's reflections on the encounter between them? Is Ellison using dramatic irony -- i.e., does the reader's understanding of the meanings of the encounter sharply differ from the Invisible Man's?

"Are you alive, or not? Is there nothing in your head?"

                                But

O O O O that Shakespeherian Rag--

It's so elegant

So intelligent

"What shall I do now? What shall I do?"

"I shall rush out as I am, and walk the street

"With my hair down, so. What shall we do tomorrow?

"What shall we ever do?"

                                        The hot water at ten.

And, if it rains, a closed car at four.

And we shall play a game of chess,

Pressing lidless eyes and waiting for a knock upon the door.

Verse: Out in the street, shufflin' feet,
Couples passin' two by two,
While here am I, left high and dry,
Black, and 'cause I'm black I'm blue.
Browns and yellers, all have fellers,
Gentlemen prefer them light,
Wish I could fade, can't make the grade,
Nothing but dark days in sight:
Chous 1: Cold, empty bed, Springs hard as lead,
Pains in my head, Feel like old Ned.
What did I do, to be so Black And Blue?
No joys for me, No company,
Even the mouse ran from my house,
All my life through, I've been so Black And Blue.
I'm white inside, It don't help my case
'Cause I can't hide, what is on my face, oh!
I'm so forlorn, Life's just a thorn,
My heart is torn, Why was I born?
What did I do, to be so Black And Blue?
'Cause you're black, Folks think you lack
They laugh at you, And scorn you too,
What did I do, to be so Black And Blue?
When you are near, they laugh and sneer,
Set you aside and you're denied,
What did I do, to be so Black And Blue?
How sad I am, each day I feel worse,
My mark of Ham seems to be a curse!
How will it end? Ain't got a friend,
My only sin Is my skin.
What did I do, to be so Black And Blue?

Period 8

Chapter 19

Edward learns the lesson of humility but confuses it with gullibility

chapters 19 – 22

“In life as in literature, individuals as well as characters start with a name.  But to turn a name into a character each make a journey in order to find out who we really are.” 

Explain what this quote means to you.  Do you agree with it?  Or, do you disagree. with it?  Using two examples from the writings of two pieces of American literature, give reasons and evidence to support why you agree or disagree. 

Finally, in a concluding paragraph, suggest some reasons why the idea of make a journey is important to the writers of American Literature.

Extra Credit:

Name titles and authors

Name Characters and situations that refer to the task

Include the phrase, “American Literature”

Give a title to your work after you have finished writing it.