READ THIS FIRST: If you are logging in during the break, you will want to go to the left sidebar and pull up Chapter XIV, where we left off Friday 2/1/2010. This was Friday's home work for the day we left. This will be due on Monday.

I decided to put the future blogs out early for those who are at home and want to work ahead over the break.

This NOT going to be required for when we get back, but will console those eager readers who don't want to lose the scent of the hunt!

You will be expected to continue reading in class and to to turn in your journals at the normal due date.

If you read the other blogs after XIV, there will be SPOILERS!

Enjoy your Spring Break!























Manuscript

Okay, here we go...

__________________________________________________

ASSIGNMENTS

Vocabulary Words:

assuage
inexorable
maudlin
abhorrent
incongruous


Journal: Writing the One Paragraph Essay

You will have two days to complete this journal entry along with it's steps.

You must do each step of the writing yourself before moving on to the next.

DAY ONE

STEP A. Choose one of the following prompts:

EASY DIFFICULTY - How does Agatha Christie use the imagery and the metaphor of humans as animals in her novel And Then There Were None?

- or -

MEDIUM DIFFICULTY - How is the theme of guilt woven into the novel And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie?

- or -

CHALLENGE DIFFICULTY - How is the theme of retribution woven into the novel And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie?


STEP B - Brainstorm ideas on one page of your journal.


STEP C - Use this outline (in the exact same format) to organize your ideas on one page. Don't write in full sentences yet, just short blurbs or words for your ideas.

I. Introduction: Topic Sentence ______________________________
II. Body.
A. 4ESSD #1_________________________________
B. 4ESSD #2_________________________________
C. 4ESSD #3_________________________________
III. Conclusion: Restate Topic Sentence _______________________

STEP D - Write the 1 paragraph essay as a rough draft. It should be no more than nine sentences and a single page and a half of your journal.

Now take a break. Let the ideas simmer for 24 hours. When you look at your work with fresh eyes you will be much better off than if you try to cram it all in at once.

__________________________________________________

DAY TWO

STEP E - Now go back and revise, edit, and polish your paragraph

- check spelling, grammar, mechanics

- does each of your 3 4ESSDs fit perfectly? Which one is weakest? Can you replace it with a better idea, or fix it to make it more clear?

- VERY IMPORTANT: Read it out loud to yourself. Did you leave out or insert any words? Sometimes we have a tendency to skip over these things when writing. Or, when we read our words out loud exactly as written (verbatim) we realize that we forgot to add something important.

Are your ideas on the page perfectly clear? Fix them.


STEP F - Rewrite the paragraph in your BEST handwriting. This is for 50 points so it had better be amazing!

Epilogue

Okay, here we go...

__________________________________________________

ASSIGNMENTS

Vocabulary Words:

savoury (savory)
scrupulous
vindicative
stolid (-ly)
peritonitis


Journal Questions:

1. THE ELEVENTH VICTIM. Yet another victim ends up dead, beyond the "Indian Island Ten." Who was the eleventh victim? What details do we learn about his or her death? Using your inference skills, why do you think this person was targeted? (one paragraph)

2. THE INCREDIBLE MOVING CHAIR. According to the police report, the chair that Vera stood on, and then kicked out from under herself, was found neatly placed against the wall. What does this important detail tell us about her death and the identity of the murderer? (one paragraph)

3. MAINE AND LEGGE'S CONCLUSIONS. The two investigators draw some interesting conclusions about who the murderer is by shedding light on such details as:

- what happened to Isaac Morris,
- who Elmer Robson was,
- who recorded the gramophone record,
- how the boy scouts were involved,
- the seaweed on the chair,
- and what ever happened to Edward Seton.

Who do they think, then, "dunnit?" (short answer)

4. YEAH, RIGHT... WHATEVER, AGATHA. To make a good mystery work, the author has to sustain the belief of the readers by creating a world that feels entirely plausible, realistic, and full of verisimilitude.

Do you believe that this story stretches credibility to the point of breaking any sense of reality? Or do you believe this story is grounded in reality enough as to feel possible? Explain your answer with several reasons to support your belief. (one paragraph)

Chapter XVI

Okay, here we go...

__________________________________________________

ASSIGNMENTS

Vocabulary Words:

unheeded
adroit (-ness)
lull
automaton
warily

Journal Questions:

1. FRIZZLE MY SCHIZZLE. In the nursery rhyme, the next victim "got frizzled up" which means to burn. Another word for to burn somebody is to trick somebody, as in "Oooo, burn!"

How does Vera trick Lombard? Also, what will happen to Lombard's corpse if it's left out in the open sun? (one paragraph)


2. VERA SENSES HUGO IN THE ROOM. What two lines of text tell us that Vera believed that Hugo was in her bedroom at the time of her hanging? Do you think he was there? Was anyone there, really? How do you think the noose got there in the room, conveniently waiting for her? (one or two paragraphs)


3. AND THEN THERE WERE... NONE? There are no suspects left. What? That's it? How can that be?

Speculate on who you think was the murderer and how the murderer might have been planned and executed the grand scheme. (at least one big paragraph)


4. EMOTIONAL SOFT SPOTS. Everyone has certain vulnerabilities, or parts of their personalities where they are emotionally sensitive. Clearly Vera had hers. Someone appears to have not only known her weaknesses, but to have manipulated her with them.

What was she sensitive to? What specific manipulations by the killer triggered Vera's descent into madness? In other words, what did U.N. Owen do to get her to go over the edge? (one very detailed paragraph)

Chapter XV

I decided to put these blogs out early for those who are at home and want to work ahead over the break.

This NOT going to be required for when we get back, but will console those eager readers who don't want to lose the scent of the hunt!

You will be expected to continue reading in class and to to turn in your journals at the normal due date.

Enjoy your Spring Break!

MINI LESSON

WRITING PARAGRAPH RESPONSES - TAKE 2

Just a reminder - I've noticed many of the journals are beginning to sag in the quality of the responses given. A good, solid paragraph response should include:

1. A topic sentence that restates the question as a statement that includes an answer.

2. Several 4ESSDs to support the topic sentence. Remember, 4ESSD is:

Explanation - connect the dots and explain what you mean. You can't assume the reader knows otherwise.

Elaboration - add additional information to "fill in the gaps" and build off of what was said.

Evidence - imagine if this was a court case and you needed evidence to prove your point. Provide the evidence that makes your point completely clear and undeniable.

Examples - from the text that support your topic sentence. They can be direct quotations or just paraphrasing what happened.

and Specific Supporting Details - little, exact moments that definitely demonstrate precisely what you mean.

3. A conclusion that ties the 4ESSDs back to the topic sentence.


Okay, here we go...

__________________________________________________

ASSIGNMENTS

Vocabulary Words:

innocuous
lassitude
quietus
raucous
bunkum


Journal Questions:

1. ZOO LANDERS. What did Vera mean when she said, "We're the zoo." Elaborate, explain and support your point with details. (one paragraph)

2. SIMPLY DIVINE. Vera tells Lombard that his whole situation could be "divine retribution." What is divine retribution? How could the situation be considered to be divine retribution within the context of the story? (one paragraph)

3. THE BLORE CONUNDRUM. How was Blore killed? In your opinion is it possible for either Vera or Lombard to have committed this murder? What conclusions can you draw about the murder at this point in the story? (one paragraph)

4. TWO MORE BODIES. In a double plot twist, two more bodies are found at the end of this chapter. Whose? What was the apparent cause of death for each? How does it fit with the poem? (one paragraph)

5. IF YOU LIKED ATTWN... Suppose you've enjoyed this book so far. Do some research and name at least three other famous Agatha Christie Mystries that you could read if you wanted to. Also, name three other famous mystery genre novelists. (3 titles, 3 authors)

Chapter XIV

Mini Lesson : What is NOT Theme

Previously we discussed the idea of theme as being a central concept that ties together a narrative, a driving idea about human nature.

It's important to distinguish that is not genre. "Suspense" is a genre. "Adventure" is a genre. These aren't the same a a theme, genre is a certain type of story.

It's important to distinguish that theme is not a moral. "Help Your Neighbors" or "Don't Talk to Strangers" are morals, but not themes. True themes are similar to a moral or message (as described earlier).

The difference is that a moral is more like a direction telling somebody a wise course of action, where a theme is more of universal statement about and idea or value.

To help understand the concept, consider the concept of a "Themelet" (created courtesy of a class discussion in 6th hour.)


"THEME-LETS"

Many people have wanted to use single word as a theme, and indeed they are partially correct in doing so. Words like "Faith," "Love," or "Fear" can be the root ideas of themes, or underdeveloped themes. However, these words by themselves don't make up a true "Thematic Statement" about what the author is saying universally about life.

In ATTWN, some of the correctly identified Themelets in your journals that have come up so far include:

Crime
Retribution
Punishment
Manipulation
Trust
Guilt
Revenge
Justice
Karma


Exploring "Themelets"

The challenge is to take one of these core ideas, and then attempt to expand them into a universal statement, asking yourself a questions like:

(NOTE: These are not journal questions. They are here just to get you thinking.)

Q: "Okay, so if Agatha wrote ATTWN about ________, what is she trying to say about ______?"

Q: "Where and how does _______ play out with different characters development and plot?"

Q: What is the opposite of ________? If so, is there evidence of that opposite in the story?"

Q: "What statement could tie several of the plot lines together under the idea of _________?"

Q: "Is there examples of the theme of _______ being demonstrated in a negative or opposite version of ______?



Okay. This was all pretty abstract and deep, so take it for what it's worth.


Okay, here we go...

__________________________________________________

ASSIGNMENTS

Vocabulary Words:

astute (-ness)
ebonite
farce
sagacity
conjure

Journal Questions

1. THE ORDER OF THE DEATHS. Examine the order of who died. There is a definite pattern.

Part of Agatha Christie’s genius is how the order of the deaths seems to be based upon the severity of the crimes they committed. The victims who were deemed by the killer to be “less severe” were murdered first, and the victims who were deemed “more severe” were killed most recently.

Predict the future death order based upon the severity of the crimes of those four who are remaining alive, explaining in detail your reasoning. In other words, if the pattern holds, who should die next? Who should die last? Provide a justification for your order based upon how the crimes are growing increasingly severe. (four paragraphs, one for each character)


2. BLORE STARTS TO FEEL GUILT. In the beginning Blore barely remembered his alleged murder victim, Landor. Now he can recall every feature of his face and thinks about the man’s wife and daughter. What brought about this change? Would this change have happened if he hadn’t been in the situation he now finds himself? (one paragraph)


3. CASTING CALL. Sometimes it helps to imagine modern, popular actors playing the roles of characters in a book you are reading in order to get beyond just names on a page and to be able see the characters as people.

What actors would you cast for each of the ten, primary characters? Think about the character’s age, gender, personality, and previous roles, as well as the professions of each character.

For example, one student in class today suggested that Lombard could be George Clooney and some else saw him as Jonny Depp. (ten bullets)

Chapter XIII

Hope you enjoyed the two day break. We've got some catching up to do.

Okay, here we go...

__________________________________________________

ASSIGNMENTS

Vocabulary Words:

tacit
bestial
aeons (or eons)
lithe
pretence (pretense)


Journal Questions:

1. CHAPTER XI - LOMBARD DISSES BLORE. In what way does Lombard insult Blore when he voices his opinion that Blore is not the murderer? What specific qualities does Lombard believe that Blore is lacking? What chances does Lombard give Blore of surviving? (one paragraph)

2. CHAPTER XII - WARGRAVE TAKES ACTION. What two steps does Wargrave want to take to ensure the safety of the five remaining guests? What gets locked up and where? Which two characters were chosen to guard the keys and why? (one paragraph)

3. CHAPTER XIII – PLANTING SEA PLANTS. Who do you think had the opportunity to put seaweed in Vera’s room? What was the point of doing that? What was her reaction? (one paragraph)

4. CHAPTER XIII – DRESSING FOR THE PART. How was Wargrave’s body made up to look like a judge? How does this connect back to the rhyme? (one paragraph)

5. CHAPTER XIII – SOMETHING FISHY GOING ON. In what sense is the term “red herring” from the rhyme used to have a double meaning? (one paragraph)

Chapter XII

ASSIGNMENTS

Vocabulary Words:

conclave
cumbrous
giddy
suffused
meticulous (-ly)

Journal Questions:

No journal topics tonight out of respect for the religious holiday. However, tomorrow there will be questions on Chapters 11, 12, and 13.

Just for fun... These are some most excellent examples of some creativity courtesy of question number 4 in chapter 10.