"The Lost Generation": Alienation and Artistic Experiment
I came across this Top 100 All-Time Novels list when updating my bookmarks. The novels were picked by TIME critics Lev Grossman and Richard Lacayo in 2005. http://www.time.com/time/2005/100books/the_complete_list.html
"The Great Gatsby" is there, too. Interestingly enough, "The Great Gatsby" made it to the Reader's Choice Top 5 Novels list.
http://www.time.com/time/2005/100books/0,24459,ratethis,00.html
Students, if you were to put together a list of your Top 5 novels, would you include "The Great Gatsby"? How would your list look like?
Hi class,
I just wanted to share some thoughts on how we can expand our view and enrich our projects by getting feedback from like-minded people. I joined the Explode only a week ago (you can see my friends on the sidebar) and I have already struck a few professional contacts. My new friends are teachers who have been using blogs for educational purposes for quite a long time. They are providing me with advice, support, and inspiration.
Today, my new friend Teacher Dude left the following comment about the tools to publish photos: I would also recommend www.slide.com and PhotoStory 3 which can downloaded, free of charge from Microsoft. Both allow you to do amazing things with photos. Also have your students used the Great Gatsby audio book (unabridged) which can be downloaded from TorrentSpy? Thanks, Craig!
Yesterday, when I was browsing the blog of my new friend Claudia, who teaches English in Argentina, I came across an interesting post: THE FCE BLOG by Claudia Ceraso: What shall I read?#links
That is just what we need! The LibraryThing is an easy, library-quality catalog. But most importantly, LibraryThing also connects you with people who read the same things. So, I decided to explore how it works and I got registered. I added to my account the books that you are doing research on. This is how it looks:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?view=Jilimili
Students, Olga' My dear Gatsby,I haven't ever thought that I would write such a letter for you...But I have to do it now! Please, forget me before!I must admit that things between us had a great and beautiful start.I still remember all the good things that surrounded us: the way you used to touch me, the tender words we dedicated to each other, the way you used to look at me (always with a mix of love and desire), the warmth of your body. Yet, a few months later, it seems that none of the promises that we planted in those fields we created has flourished.Unfortunately, it just didn t happen nothing remains of what looked like a growing love, besides some memories, everything else lost its enchantment fast, and just a bitter taste was left of what tasted like such a sweet candy.It was a shame, it still is a shame, because no one expects a relationship to fail. May be a distance was one of the reasons for it!I want you to know that I don 't feel good about myself or happy with what I just said. To be honest, I 'd much rather be writing about you and how wonderful and fulfilling things have been between us ever since the day we met. But, much to my dislike, there are times in life when you have to be honest, thus avoiding a small misunderstanding that could grow it something more harmful for those involved.You know, despite this decision to break up with you, I' m keeping my fingers crossed that we may touch our lives with more joy, keeping in our hearts and souls the affection and respect we 've always felt for each other. I understand, how bad you are now. Maybe it was very cruel, may be you'll hate me, but I had to say it to you! I'm sure, it'll be better for us. We haven't any futute, and you understand it even better than I!
Please remember that your creative writing drafts are due next Thursday (03/30/07). Be sure to submit them in an electronic form.
You can choose any topic below and compose:
a) a letter that Gatsby might have sent to Daisy while he was fighting in World War I;
b) a letter that Daisy might have written to Gatsby on her wedding day;
c) Gatsby's ruminations while he was floating on the mattress shortly before he was shot.
I look forward to reading your compositions! Enjoy creating them!
I have already received essays from Svetlana,Olga K., Anna, Lilya, Elya, Katya, Lena.
Lena has published her essay(#1) on her personal blog http://emphaticewe.blogspot.com/
Oksana's Essay (#2)
Dear James!It's the last time I'm writing to you.I'm sure you will come to hate me after reading this later. But nevertheless I must tell you about my feelings, I can't restrain myself any longer.We'll never meet again and this thought drives me crazy.I'm broken! James, dear, I love you....I really love you...more than ever... I can't imagine my life without you.But it's too late to do anything...too late.I'm getting married today, James! I know it's a mistake, but I can't change anything now.Good Lord, only now I'm aware of what I have done! How could I accept his proposal, I don't love him at all and will never love.My careless action have spoiled all my life!I'm to blame for everything! In two hours Mike will come and we'll go arm in arm to the church.You know, I'm afraid of telling him "no" beside the alter,because my heart belongs to you. But no... I mustn't...if I utter this word I 'll dishonour my family.It can't be allowed.It can kill my Mum..You see, I'm in charge of my family. James, I beg you, forgive me,for God's sake, forgive me!I know I don't deserve it,but try to understand me.Do your best to forget me. I wish you would be happy, I don't doubt you will, you are a man of great will. I will remember you until my death, I will keep im memory every moment of being with you. You were so romantic, so tender....I'll never forget our time together.I remember our first dance, you were so shy...and our kiss, remember?your smile and eyes ...they were so innocent, so sincere...Good Heavens,I remember everything as it were yesterday!I will always love you, James. But I have to think about my future. Mike is not bad, I hope he'll take care of me. I can't let him down,I promised. Besides he wants to have children and only God knows how I dream of them! Certainly, at first I thought that everything would be easy but now I understand that I have mistaken. I should have think about you in advance, but now I have no choice. I'll suffer all my life, God will punish me for it. But I'm sure you will be happy I wish you to find your love with all my heart. I didn't want to hurt you , it was better to tell you the truth.
Always yours
Daisy
Olga S.'s Essay (#2)
Dear Jay,
Or I’d better say Mr. Gatsby now… How are things with you? I have been waiting for you to return for a long time, and still you are very far away, somewhere in Europe. I hope that you are fine, there.
And I think I would never be as happy as I used to be with you, because I cannot become yours now even if you crossed the Atlantic in a few hours, putting away everything – your career, you duty. I am getting married today, so in a few hours there will be no “your sweet Daisy” any more. There will be Mrs. Buchanan – “here is to the bride and groom!” – those drunkards at the party will say.
Do not ask me why I am doing it – you understand it perfectly well, you have always been the man that could look into the inner corners of my soul. I cannot stay a maiden any longer, and Tom is at least well-known and well-to-do. He would provide for me and for my children if we ever have any. He is not a very loyal husband, but neither am I a loyal wife, with you always in my mind. How I wish it would be you standing beside me in front of the altar! This dream can never become true.
Now my whole life will become a dream – a boring dream that is going to last till I’m dead. There will probably be parties and constant moving (my husband hates staying in one place for a long time), but they will be empty since you’ll not be beside me. I have been thinking of you for long years, I’m doing it even at the day of my wedding. Everybody thinks me to be a happy and lucky bride – a bitter satire, if only they knew! So will you never forget me, Jay, will you? Not even if you marry? This is the only thing I want – just to know that you still remember me, Daisy.
Now I have to finish – it’s time for me to get dressed. Do not write me – this will only increase your and my pain.
Already not yours,
Daisy
Sveta's Essay (#3)
No, that can’t be. I’ve been waiting for her to accept my feelings towards her for five years. And no word, no even a sign of her affection. No, she loves me, she told me that… I’ll never doubt her words. But why didn’t she say she loves me when I needed it most of all? I know. Her husband threatens her. Oh my God, he beats
my little Daisy to rage!!! She doesn’t even dare to reject his nonsense ‘love’!! And if so, what am I doing here, on a mattress? They may be swearing right at the moment, he may do her harm! No, that’s crazy. I’m
going mad. How on Earth can he abandon his wife if she looks so young, fresh, happy and satisfied? But if she’s content with her life and all the stuff, why has she assured me that she has been waiting for me for all these horrible five years? When I couldn’t touch her although she was near. When I wasn’t able to articulate a sound when I was asked about her. I don’t believe she’s careless or ‘rotten’ as Nick claimed her to be. She’s divine. It’s just a matter of duty that she can’t break up with her husband. They have a daughter, after all. It’s that girl that’s of prime importance to Daisy, not me. I should have got the clue much earlier. And what about me? I need Daisy’s care too. Why wasn’t she worried about her girl when we were spending days and nights together? She didn’t even mention her. She didn’t even care whether she feels good or not, whether she has had breakfast or not. What has happened to her over these years? She used to be so caring, nice and passionate. And now, when I’m ready to give her everything, she’s so indecisive! Christ, how am I to make her sure she’ll feel safe beside me? Can’t she see that her husband doesn’t match her? He’s vulgar, impolite, impulsive. She needs someone passionate, caring treating her like a Goddess. I’m ready to do all that for her. But It seems she no longer needs my sympathy and affection. If so, I think I have nothing to do with her life. And I have nothing to live for. I wish I died right here, in this place.
Good bye, my Gatsby! I really loved you!
Yours,
Daisy
Hi everyone,
This post was prompted by Elena. As a follow-up to our discussion, she suggested Cary Grant as a candidate for the role. In fact, according to wikipedia.org "The Great Gatsby" has been filmed four times (1926, 1949, 1974, 2000) starring Warner Baxter,Alan Ladd, Robert Redford, and Toby Stephens.
Thanks to my colleague and my mentor in American Literature Maria W., we'll be watching the 1974 version starring Robert Redford on April 12
But my question is of different nature. Why didn't Fitzgerald make his Jay Gatsby older by 15-20 years? For example, somebody like Cary Grant in this picture... Post your comments please.
Image Source:www.michaeldeas.com/.../Cary_Grant_High.jpg
Dear Students:
Please download this coursebook from http://englishtips.org.
We'll be using it as a substitute for "Highlights of American Literature". Make sure to get registered before you do it. I would recommend you to explore this site. You are sure to come across some gems.
Best,
A.V.
The Great Gatsby: Chapters 6-9
Francis Scott Fitzgerald as a Chronicler of "the Jazz Age" Era
1. “The Great Gatsby” chapters 1 through 5
On-line copy at The Roaring Twenties", an article by Svetlana V. Titova, an MSU professor
3. SAL p.25-27.
Image Source: http://www.hugbugs.com/theartofelagance/roaringtwenties.JPG
The Jazz Age 1920's
Added to http://www.youtube.com by Aaron1912
PS Dana's blog was a random stumble when searching for "teaching" on MyBlogLog.com. Lo and behold! I found a Great Gatsby Treasure Hunt. I guess I'll make use of it only next year.
Class,
In view of the mass absence on March 1, I've decided to rant on the topic of discipline and class attendance.
If you read my first post carefully, you might remember that "regular attendance is the only way to keep up with the ongoing "conversation" of the course. It will also be a factor in the final grades. You should not expect to pass the course if any one of the four major areas of the course--quizes, attendance/participation, blog entries, and the participation in the final web project -- missing, incomplete, or unsatisfactory".
If you are absent, you need to understand that an absence (whether excused, or not) is NOT a get-out-of-jail-free card for whatever assignments were done in class or due. I really hate to lecture like this but please remind yourselves that you are all grown people attending the top University by choice. Please don't expect hand-holding. All students in this course will be held to the same standard.
I hope that's the last time I have to bring that up! Let's concentrate now on moving forward with the class now. 70% of you are simply doing a wonderful job in the course so far. This is indeed a very demanding course with all the experimental stuff around it and those of you who are perfecting every single assignment I give you are truly proving that it IS possible to meet the expectations of a challenge. Bravo!
It will only be fair to those who attend all the class and post on their blogs on a regular basis that from now on:
1) every week each student is supposed to leave an entry on the group blog about what she/he has done over the week as far as the group project goes. It might be only a few lines about how many pages you have read, but it's crucial that you log in on the web site and create a post.
2) If you miss a class, you will be given a special written assignment to post on your blog about the reading you've missed. If one single lesson is not covered in this way, you won't be given a go-ahead for the end-of-the-year examination in English.
I expect Roman, Sasha, Ilya, Lilya (who missed the 02/15 class devoted to Theodore Dreiser's "The Second Choice") to reinterpret this story by using the first person point of view perspective. (Boys, please retell this story from Barton's point of view; Lilya, please retell this story as if told by Shirley's parents.)
To those who missed the "Dry September" class (Ilya, Roman, Lilya, Elya, Sveta, Lena): you are expected to retell the story in Hawkson's point of view. The essay is to contain 250-300 symbols.
See you on March 15,
A.V.
A FOLLOW-UP: I have received the "Dry September" summaries from Sveta M. and Lilya Kh. They retold "Dry September" by William Faulkner from the barber's perspective. Good job!
Sveta:
Well, everything happened so quickly that I could hardly resist that gang of McLendon. I guess I was scared myself. Some client dropped by at the hairdresser’s and told the latest news about that notorious rape. I’ve known Will Mayes for good and I know he was morally incapable of committing such a dirty crime. Knowing Minnie Cooper, I would actually believe she has done something to herself. But McLendon
rushed in with his racist attitude prompting everyone to ‘punish the Negro’. I relied upon my clients’ and just acquaintances’ common sense but it looks like racism and hatred for the black took its own. They quickly decided upon the vehicle and the ‘mob law method’. I was forced to accompany them as I was fiendishly scared of that damn general. We dropped by at Mayes’ place and McLendon struck Will into the car. I couldn’t stand that bloody journey knowing that in some 30 minutes this black guy next to me would be slaughtered. On half way I got out of the car as I didn’t mean to stain my hands with the blood of the innocent guy. On my way home I saw the same car returning but, as you see, without Will there. Some days later I learned that Minnie was vulnerable to mental disorder. Her mental health was ruined
after that ‘Negro incident’. Anyway, why would she? What could have been the cause of her indisposition if she was only a victim?
Lilya:
It was the sixty third rainless day of bloody September, Saturday which I will never forget. In the evening I was on my working place, in the barber shop. Somebody told the rumor, story, or whatever it was, about Miss Minnie Cooper and the Negro. At that moment I was shaving a client and was really surprised and even shocked to hear this news, because I knew this guy. It was Will Mayes, a good nigger. And I knew Miss Minnie Cooper, too. Everybody knew. And I told about it to the people present. There and then they started to accuse me of nigger loving, but all I was trying to say was just the fact that he couldn’t do it and Miss Cooper was known for her weirdness. You know the women that get old without getting married… Besides, there was an incident about a year ago, when she said that a man on the kitchen roof was watching her undressed. But nobody wanted to listen to me and to hear me. The most furious were Butch and McLendon, who came in the barber shop in the heat of the dispute. He immediately became the leader of the 3 angry men and they all went out. The screen door crashed behind them reverberant in the dead air. I couldn’t let them….do it, so I went out, running. I went swiftly up the street, where the sparse lights, insect swirled glared in violent suspension air. When I overtook them, McLendon and three others were getting into a car parked in an alley. They thought I changed my mind and offered me to jump into their car. I did it, because there was no another chance to stop them. I asked them, if he was there, didn’t that prove that he never done it. But there was no answer. McLendon called Will. The vague noises began to grow out of the darkness ahead; then they got out and waited in the dark. Then I heard another sound: a blow, a hissing expulsion of breath. Somebody (probably, Butch) whispered: “Kill him, kill the black son!”. But McLendon told them to drag the Negro to the car. I had waited beside the car and could feel myself sweating, I knew I was going to be sick at the stomach. Will really didn’t know why they grabbed him, what did he and what they were going to do with him. It was awful. The Negro didn’t want to get in the gar, McLendon struck him, the others struck him with random blows and he whirled and cursed them, swept his hands across our faces and slashed me upon the mouth, and I stuck him, too…. Then he got in the car. I couldn’t be there anymore and asked John to let me out. McLendon drove swiftly and didn’t stop the car. The road led to an abandoned brick kiln…As he didn’t stop, I kicked the door open and jumped. The car went on without checking speed. I fell into the ditch and lay chocking and retching until the second car passed. Then rose and limped on until reached the highroad and turned toward town. Suddenly I heard the cars behind me, so I left the road and crouched again in the weeds until they passed away. The last was McLendon’s car. There were 4 people in this bloody car and Butch was not on the running board as before. Done. I don’t remember how I got to my house. And that dry September day I don’t want to recall but will never forget.
Students,
Just to inspire you to become webheads, I have put together a photo slideshow featuring American Nobel Prize Laureates in Literature. Please note that I've provided the links to the web sites from where I've downloaded the pictures. When you use an image created by somebody else, it's a must to cite the image source. We don't want any copyright infringement, do we?
This album is powered by BubbleShare - Add to my blog
I think our blogs need some "bells and whistles". It has taken me some time to figure out how to upload your PowerPoint presentations (they do deserve being shared!!!).
I have discovered two free web services that might enable you to post your slideshows and photos on the web. They are www.slideshare.net and www.bubbleshare.com
This is my first attempt at using slideshare.net. I am uploading Olga Kravchenko's slideshow as an example. Feel free to upload your own presentation you made last semester on you blog. Bubbleshare.com is for pictures only.
Also, I have found a blog that offers some really neat templates and widgets. If you are interested in changing the look of your blog, go to http://blogger-templates.blogspot.com/
