Emily Dickinson: Poems vs Letters

Amercian Poet Emily Dickinson

There is no history. There is only biography.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1839)

In many ways, Emily Dickinson’s poems have become her biography. Over the past century, many literary critics have explored Dickinson’s content, form, and style. One of the topics for debate has been whether some or all of her poems could be considered “letters” rather than “poems.” Perhaps they are both.

No doubt long after you are a student my Jr. English class, you will read and study Dickinson’s works. Some of you, in response to a requirement; others for pleasure.

I would like you to take about thirty minutes to explore the Dickinson Electronic Archives. Read a short biography about her. Read some of the responses to her work, or read Martha Nell Smith’s essay about Dickinson’s “letter poems.”

Using this digital source or another that you find, read a few of Dickinson’s poems that we will not cover in class. Find one that you would consider a “letter”  rather than a traditional poem. Cut and paste the poem in your blog response and explain in 4-5 sentences what drew you to the poem and why this poem in particular reminds you of a personal letter more than a poem.

As writers, both Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman responded to the American culture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in a decidedly different manner than their contemporaries or American writers before them. While their writings are in some ways biographic, in other ways their works reveal much about the history and culture of this period in America history.

Whether history or biography, letter or poem, take the time to relax and enjoy what these great literary figures have to offer.

Please post your response by 7:00 am on Thursday, November 19th.

photo attribution: www.cs.princeton.edu/…/Authors/Dickinson.shtml

Ralph Waldo Emerson: A Mind on Fire

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Literary and philosophical scholars have long since characterized Ralph Waldo Emerson as one of the greatest thinkers in American history. Emerson’s philosophy of individualism is deeply rooted in the philosophy of such intellectuals as Kant, Plato, Swedenborg, and Pascal.

The New England Renaissance in American literature was in full swing by 1840 and lasted until about 1855. With the 1836 publication of his essay Nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson, ushered in the movement known as Transcendentalism.

Emerson scholar, Robert Richardson, has written a book titled Emerson: A Mind on Fire. In this WGBH podcast of the same title, Richardson discusses his work and entertains questions from the audience. This is a 30-minute audio file.

As you listen to the WGBH podcast entitled Emerson: A Mind on Fire, contemplate this question: How does Emerson’s philosophy of individualism contrast with today’s concept of “I”? Richardson talks about what meaning Emerson still has for us today. He addresses the contrast in Emerson’s philosophy of individualism with the concept of individuality that we see in 21st century American society.

Please submit your 75-word response by Tuesday, October 27 at 7:00 AM.

Other related resources:

Emerson Society
Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson

Image Attribution: http://www.ineedmotivation.com/blog/2008/10/23-powerful-quotes-from-ralph-waldo-emerson/

Century’s-old Fascination with Hawthorne’s Hester

In the quintessential Hawthorne manner, 17th century, Puritan Boston comes alive in the pages of The Scarlet Letter. One need not read far into the novel to realize that Hawthorne’s intent is to concern the reader with the lives and relationships of the central characters, Hester Prynne, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth, and Hester’s daughter, Pearl. The fact that Hawthorne draws less attention to the Puritan leaders and their government, suggests to the reader that he may approve less of them than those who have been labeled as sinners and law-breakers.

“’My theory is,’ Hawthorne told a friend, ‘that there is less indelicacy in speaking out your highest, deepest, tenderest emotions to the world at large, than to almost any individual. You may be mistaken in the individual; but you cannot be mistaken in thinking that, somewhere among your fellow-creatures, there is a heart that will receive yours into itself.’” (Wineapple)

I fine Hawthorne’s comment very interesting.  In the midst of taunting Puritan religion and tradition, Hawthorne also finds a way to share with us the inner most thoughts, emotions, and struggles of one individual who finds herself a victim of Puritan society.

In 1850, The Scarlet Letter was received with much acclaim, selling 4,500 copies almost immediately. What is it about Hester Prynne’s plight that intrigued the 19th century reader then and the 21st century reader now?

You will develop your own impressions of Hawthorne’s protagonist as you read deeper into the novel. Meanwhile, explore the ideas posed by noted Hawthorne Biographer, Brenda Wineapple, as published in the June 2008 issue of History & Now. Develop 2-3 of her ideas concerning the reader’s fascination with Hester Prynne as you respond in a 75-100 word paragraph. Post your comment by 7:00 AM, October 1st.

Guilty as Charged!…Case Closed.

O Christian Martyr Who for Truth could die When all about thee Owned the hideous lie! The world, redeemed from superstition’s sway, Is breathing freer for thy sake today. –Words written by John Greenleaf Whittier and inscribed on a monument marking the grave of Rebecca Nurse, one of the condemned “witches” of Salem.

On this day, July 22, 1692, Puritan Judge John Hathorne, has issued a warrant for several new arrests. Essex Country Marshall, George Herick, has been ordered to apprehend these citizens for whom the court has reason to believe are engaging in witchcraft and wizardry.

Since June of this year, eleven people have been taken to Gallows Hills for hanging. Many others are currently suffering in prison awaiting their fates. Whether witch or wizard, there is suspicion of guilt.

Review the very fascinating site, The Salem Witch Trials – 1692. …Fast forward to September 1, 2009. Your alarm has just sounded, and you realize that that your Blackberry is alerting you of a message. When your eyes begin to focus on the screen, you see a text from District Attorney Danny Porter,representing the Criminal Justice Division of the Gwinnett County Government. The “high priority” message urges you to report of your own accord to the office of Mr. Porter. A warrant has just been issued for your arrest. Charge: witchcraft or wizardry.

Using the website above, comtemplate your options today as compared to or contrasted with the options that citizens had in 1692. After deliberating, share with us what options would be available to you as a 21st century citizen. Keep in mind that this is a serious charge and your very life could depend on your actions and your plan of defense. [Comments will close on Friday, September 4th @ 7:00 AM. One 6-10 sentence paragraph please.]

Getting to Know Thornton Wilder

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” Thornton Wilder

The play “Our Town”  continues to be the most performed play on high school and university campuses today. Can you imagine why? The simplicity of theme and staging, the minimal action and suspense  –what is it that draws us into this play? Think about this on your own, even before we discuss it in class. I look forward to your comments.

Please read the biography of Thornton Wilder that you will find on the Thornton Wilder Society homepage.

Next, review this presentation about the life and works of Thornton Wilder. Wilder bio

Finally, post a comment to this blog, listing 5 facts that you learned about Wilder on the Wilder Society page that were not included in the PowerPoint.  [Due by 7:00 AM, August 21st]

What is YOUR Green Light?

Fitzgerald's Green Light

Okay, you’ve read F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s The Great Gatsby. Think about how the search for the American Dream influenced his Jazz Age characters. Is 21st century America still driven by the pursuit of the American Dream? What goals and aspirations have you set for yourself in life?

1. Read “Gatsby’s Green Light Beckons a New Set of Strivers” at NY Times Online.

2. Take the Green Light Quiz online.

3. Post a comment to this blog. What do you think about the Times article? How did you do on the quiz? Give some serious thought to the “green lights” that you have embraced in your life …for your future. Make a comment about one of those dreams. How will this dream of yours make you a better person? How will it improve the life of those who share the globe with you? …Be sure to include your first and last name with the period that you have this class. Due: 8:00 AM Wed., Aug. 12th

“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine morning—So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” F. Scott Fitzgerald

Graphic Attribution:

http://www.goatseay.com/greenlight.jpg

21st Century Schools: After the chalk dust settles

Imagine classrooms where students are active, creative, and enthusiastic about learning. Expeditious growth in the basic skills of reading, writing, speaking, listening, researching, scientific exploration, math, and multimedia is demonstrated. Possible?

To say that education has transformed as it has moved into the 21st century is certainly an understatement. When I began teaching in the 1970’s, academic “excellence” was defined in 20th century terms. As a 20th century high school English teacher, I was expected to be fully prepared to share my expertise in Language Arts. I was expected to be on point in academic matters as well as with innovative teaching techniques. I was expected to raise the bar to challenge my students while at the same time sharing my passion for learning. Not bad in terms of 20th century thinking.

As 21st century educators, we now know that the 20th century problem of education lay in its orientation. Teachers like me were encouraged to become master teachers. While some students benefited, others unfortunately did not. After all, there was only so much time from bell to bell, only so many handouts that we could generate, only so many lectures we could deliver, only so much chalk dust we could stir up. As the definitive source of knowledge, teachers remained quite limited in what they could do to improve the academic development of their students. With the century’s turn, the chalk dust settled, and schools were faced with the need to reinvent themselves.

For the past several years, secondary and post-secondary educators have made preparations for this metamorphosis in education. Technology, learning differences, student-centered lesson plans, interdisciplinary learning experiences, and green issues have taken center stage as professional growth initiatives. We teachers were hearing of the need to embrace 21st century learning long before we knew why, but we bought in to idea and never looked back. What does 21st century learning look like? What changes in education are necessary to prepare students for 21st century challenges that lay ahead in post-secondary schools and careers?

The “you tube generation” desperately needs 21st century teachers to inspire them and to show them how global connectivity, collaboration, and creativity will lead to lifelong learning, limited only by their imaginations and levels of participation. Teachers, however, understand they are no longer the sole source of this inspiration. The 21st century learner is fast becoming aware of a global audience which will provide over-the-top stimulation for students. I like educator Wesley Fryer’s self-description as a “catalyst for creative engagement and collaborative learning.” He defines 21st century learning as “moving at the speed of creativity.”  Teachers must teach effective digital expression, together with the critical need for Internet etiquette and the application of Christian values in the global community.

As an educator in the 21st century, I get it. I understand that rather than realizing the self-centered, limited goal of becoming a master teacher, I must embrace the goal of becoming a master learner. Beside cheering students on and orchestrating their learning experiences, students need me to help them locate, manage, and utilize information in productive ways. Their successful production in post-secondary schools and in 21st century careers will depend on the preparation they getting today. Helping students learn information that will soon be outdated is a waste of my valuable time and theirs. In the 20th century, teachers, by default, limited potentials by defining student success in terms of how much information they could remember. As a 21st century educator, I understand that success comes only with teaching students how to manage the explosion of global information. Bells will no longer define appropriate learning times, in the same way that the traditional four walls will no longer restrict learning for students.

Educational expectations are in a revolutionary mode. Through professional development and the provision of 21st century hard and software, we are well on our way to reinvention and, in fact, are on the cutting edge. Jessica Jolls, President and CEO of the Center for Media Literary, suggests that educators today are faced with “an ever-changing landscape, so we need to focus on the ‘constants’ that make an individual an effective user of technologies.”  Teachers are learning how to integrate technology in order to teach the 21st century learning strategies which involve global connection, information management, collaboration, and creativity.  As a teacher drawn into the intensity of this process, I am fully aware of my own limitations as the sole source of knowledge for students. “A good teacher can show students that there isn’t just one route from A to B, but multiple routes with design and usability tradeoffs that are critically important,” suggests Chris Stephenson, Executive Director of the Computer Science Teachers Association. I get it and my colleagues get it as well. Schools must not only understand the need for reinvention but they must expect it.