Pit and Pendulum - Edgar Allan Poe Rap

Just in case you missed this in class today!!

The Devil and Tom Walker

Please post your response to the following question by Tuesday, November 2 at 3:30 pm.

Should people pursue wealth? Why or why not? How important is wealth to you? What limits, if any, would you put on your own pursuit of wealth?

Contrasting Literary Periods - The Romantics

Review the characteristics of the Romantic hero on page 144 of your text. How does this type of hero compare with the characters who play major roles in literature and movies today? Do you find evidence of the Romantic hero in the ways that today's prominent public figures (for example, politicians) are packaged for popular culture? Write a paragraph or two in response to these questions.

Your answer needs to be posted by Friday, October 29 at 8 pm.

Puritanical or Rational?

So, now that we have studied a little bit about the philosophies that underpinned the founding fathers of our country, we have been able to identify two brances of thinkers: the Puritans and the Rationalists.

The Puritans were strict Christians whose religious beliefs dominated their entire worldview - from their community government to their pulpit. They saw the world as in need of redemption by God. Cotton Mather, Jonathan Edwards and William Bradford are famous American Puritans.

The Rationalists were much more scientific and logic-based. They tended to be Deists, people who believed in a Supreme Higher Being who set the world in motion, but they did not have very personal religious convictions. Some of early America's leading politicians and patriots were Rationalists such as Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and so on.

If you were to live in the time of the American colonies, would you have been a Puritan, or a Rationalist? Think not about what these terms mean strictly, but the ideas and principles they stand for. Are you more of a personally religious individual or more of a scientifically-minded individual? Do you believe all mankind is born evil with a sinful nature or do you believe in the basic goodness of humanity and inherent logic and structure to the world? Explain why you believe you would belong to either the Puritanic philosophy or the Rationalist philosophy.

Please compose a 100 word response to this prompt. Your blog must be posted by Monday, October 11, 2010 at 3:30 pm

Contrasting LIterary Periods

Who are we? Answers then and now.

Consider what you've learned about the dominant philosophical and religious beliefs in early America. The Puritans believed that the world was fallen and that people were sinners who could be redeemed only through the grace of God. The rationalists believed the universe was basically good and that doing good for others was the best way to worship God. How do people today regard the universe and human nature itself? Write a brief essay (250 - 500 words/ 1 to 2 pages typed) explaining whether you find evidence of Puritanism and rationalism in American society today.

Please type your answer to this question into a word document. Then, copy and paste your answer into the body of a response. This blog response is due by Monday, October 4th by 3:30pm.

American Lit Quick and Dirty Part 1

American Lit Quick and Dirty Part 1

Okay, home skillets. The first link on the previous post is bad. Do not use it. Please use the link above to view the video and then respond to the questions on the previous post. Your blog post must be submitted to me by Friday, September 24th at 3:30 pm. No late work will be accepted.

Quick and Dirty

Your first blog post is here!! Yay!!

Please watch the following videos on Teacher Tube. (You can simply click on the links):

http://www.teachertube.com/members/viewVideo.php?video_id=68699

and

http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=68700&title=American_Lit_Quick_and_Dirty_Part_2&vpkey=

For your first blog post, please respond to the following questions: Remember your answers must be well written and well thought out to receive credit. While the videos may be quick and dirty, your thoughts should be neither.

What era of American Literature sounds most appealing to you? Why? What era sounds as if it will be a struggle for you to get through? Why? What are you looking forward to learning in this class? Why?

Welcome!

Good Morning/Afternoon! Welcome to the Kromas Zone. This is a place where we will meet on a regular basis to discuss issues related to the literature you are reading. You will be expected to post to these blogs on a regular basis. Please make sure that for every blog post you include your first and last name and the period you are in. While you are an original human being, you are not necessarily the only John Adams in the world. Please help a sister out and give me the info I need to get you the grade you earned!