Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Fishbowl #5 The Truman Show: fifth hour

Afternoon!  Today is our last fishbowl day.  Let's make it a great one.

A couple of reminders of things we've previously discussed:

  • Please carefully proofread your posts.  Gratuitous errors in some interfered with comprehension.
  • Use the "reply" feature to thread your posts if you're responding to a particular question or comment v. saying, down the page, that you're responding to a prior question.
  • Aim for 3-5 good posts for each discussion.
Writing about film is a bit different than writing about written text as, obviously, we don't have a book of quotes to choose from.  Here is a copy of the script as well as a website featuring some "famous quotes".

Another great way to approach posting about film with specific plot points and evidence is choosing those concrete, 60 second snapshots from your film notes.  Here is an example of an effective question and comment for a discussion of film.

Example question:  One of the quotes that stuck out to me from the film's end is when Truman asks Christof who he is, and he responds by saying "I am the creator...of a television show".  That pause seems significant.  Why does Wier have Christof refer to himself as "the creator"?  What is he criticizing about Chrisof's power over Truman?  Man's power over other humans in general?

One scene that seemed important is from when Truman is little, and he says he wants to be a great explorer, like Magellan.  His teacher turns to him and says, in short, that he's too late; there's nothing left to explore.  This scene shows Truman's lifelong desire to go beyond Seahaven and, moreover, mankind's innate curiosity, as well as people's willingness to stifle that curiosity to maintain the status quo.




Happy posting!

Fishbowl #5 The Truman Show: first hour

Morning!  Today is our last fishbowl day.  Let's make it a great one.

A couple of reminders of things we've previously discussed:

  • Please carefully proofread your posts.  Gratuitous errors in some interfered with comprehension.
  • Use the "reply" feature to thread your posts if you're responding to a particular question or comment.
  • Aim for 3-5 good posts for each discussion.
Writing about film is a bit different than writing about written text as, obviously, we don't have a book of quotes to choose from.  Here is a copy of the script as well as a website featuring some "famous quotes".

Another great way to approach posting about film with specific plot points and evidence is choosing those concrete, 60 second snapshots from your film notes.  Here is an example of an effective question and comment for a discussion of film.

Example question:  One of the quotes that stuck out to me from the film's end is when Truman asks Christof who he is, and he responds by saying "I am the creator...of a television show".  That pause seems significant.  Why does Wier have Christof refer to himself as "the creator"?  What is he criticizing about Chrisof's power over Truman?  Man's power over other humans in general?

One scene that seemed important is from when Truman is little, and he says he wants to be a great explorer, like Magellan.  His teacher turns to him and says, in short, that he's too late; there's nothing left to explore.  This scene shows Truman's lifelong desire to go beyond Seahaven and, moreover, mankind's innate curiosity, as well as people's willingness to stifle that curiosity to maintain the status quo.

Happy posting!





Monday, March 9, 2015

Fahrenheit 451 fishbowl #4: first hour

Today is our last Fahrenheit 451 fishbowl.  Let's make it a great one!

Here are some all-star posts from last week's discussion to model yours after.  Please  notice that each one is carefully proofread & uses a passage to contextualize each question or to support each comment.  Please use such textual evidence with every single post.

Also, remember to use the "reply" feature beneath individual comments and questions versus creating a generic post that dialogues with a particular question or comment.

Happy posting!

Jake asked, "On page 90 Mrs. Phelps says, "He'll be back next week. The army said so. Quick war. Forty-eight hours they said, and everyone home." What happens in a 48 hour war and what kind of fighting is there in such a quick period of time?"

And Brian D. questioned, "What kind of TV shows is Mildred watching? What Montag describes on the TV screen is a bit disturbing. "Montag saw a number of bodies fly in the air" (90)."

And Bianca inquired, "In this society it seems as if having a child is practically meaningless, and the only point in having one is for the world to go on and reproduce, the quote that sparked my thinking is on page 92, "The world must reproduce, you know, the race must go on...". I didn't understand why they do this? And when did children become a burden?"

Here's another great question from Hunter "On page 106 there is a quote where Montag says "we've stopped in front of my house". Do you think that Beatty planned on burning Montag's house down the whole time he knew Montag had books?"

And a comment from Ryan, "To respond to Brooklyn when he asked "Why did Montag read to those women?" I would say that Montag was pretty much just fed up with how his society was turning out, Montag said, "Damn it! What do you know about Hoag and Noble!" (p93) I believe that Montag is starting to realize just how ignorant all these people really are."

And a great question from Sam M: "On page 97, Mrs.Phelps is in tears after Montag reads the poem, Mrs. Bowles blames it on the poetry, "Poetry and suicide and crying and awful feelings." Do you think this same outcome would occur if he had read a different type of text?"

Fahrenheit 451 fishbowl #4: fifth hour

Last Fahrenheit fishbowl!  Let's make it a great one.

Much, much better last time!  Many very quality, well-supported comments.  Here are a few highlights:

Noah asked, "Montag likes to comment on his hand like they have a mind of their own like on page 102 when it says,'Montag felt the guilt of his hands' why do you think that is?

Also, Marissa commented, "I think books were mostly banned to censor the information that makes the government look bad. Also, the stuff we see as violence is seen as entertainment to them, like when the bodies flew across the screen and Millie was not bothered by it. 'Millie, did you see that?''I saw it, I saw it!' pg 90

And Liam stated, "Early on in part two Faber describes books importance saying that 'they have quality. And what does the word quality mean? To me it means texture.' By this I think Faber means that unlike most things they have in this society, books have personality and creativity unmatched in the modern world.

I picked these as they each contextualized their questions or supported their comments with a passage from the text.  Please do that for every post.

Let's aim for at least 5 good quality comments or questions today.

Happy posting!


Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Fahrenheit 451 Fishbowl #3--part 2: fifth hour

I think our outer circle discussion could have been better last class.

A few reminders:
1.  I want to see your questions and comments throughout the course of discussion.  Let's be more concrete:  to earn full credit, aim for 3-5 well, developed, text-supported responses.  Some today will be writing a response instead.  If I'm unable to see your thinking on the blog, this assignment will be your mandatory alternative next fishbowl.

2.  Use the comment thread feature.  Rather than writing @ whomoever, press the "reply" button directly below the comment or question to which you're responding.

3.  For EVERY EVERY EVERY question and comment you offer, capture a quote that informed that comment or question.  EVERY.  In some places, we were throwing out those comments and questions with quotes, but without more explanation, it was unclear how the 2 connected.  Here is one of the only good examples I found from last class; Bergen commented, "Unfortunately, I almost feel like he does. After slapping her, he just say "Listen, give me a second." (pg. 63) so it almost seems like it doesn't bother him to much."

Let's step up our game today, outer circle!  You can do better!

Fahrenheit 451 fishbowl #3: first hour

Morning!  Looking forward to a great fishbowl over part 2 of Fahrenheit.  Remember, anything from this section is fair game:  comprehension questions, analysis questions, and big picture questions.

You guys are doing well with all of our expectations.  Some seem challenged, however, with the idea of incorporating passages into each response.  Remember, for each question & comment, I'm asking you to include & cite a passage from the text; aim for fewer, better responses.  Be sure, too, that the passage you include, in fact, supports your thinking, discussing its relevance to your argument.   Here are a few of your classmates who did a great job with that in our last discussion.  Please use their questions and comments as good examples.

Here is one of Becca's comments:  "It is mentioned that a quote Montag read was 'stamped with Fiery Steele' into his mind, and I think that it might show that fire is starting to hurt him, because reading that book was against everything he used to believe in very strongly [so] he basically betrayed himself. Maybe it is giving him an idea as to how much he is hurting other people". (Pg 34)

And Monica's "The way of life they live is part of who the people are. When Beatty is talking to Montag he said that people like Clarisse don't happen very often. "Luckily, queer ones like her don't happen often. We know how to nip most of them in the bud, early." (Bradbury 58)

And a great comment from Meghan: "I think that completely depends on what family you're born into because parents beliefs and lifestyles tend to pass on to their children. For example, on page 7 Clarice says "Oh, just my mother and father and uncle sitting around, talking." I think this shows that the reason Clarice thinks so much is because the rest of her family talks instead of being on technology.

Here's another great comment from Ben: "It seems as though Mildred and Montag fight a lot. I think that they will get divorced. Montag on page 53 says 'For God's sake, let me be!" If they don't get divorced then their marriage will be complicated.'"