Welcome Back!

I'm glad to see you all back and diving right in! Our new building is absolutely wonderful and I hope as the weather warms up to be able to move some of our literary circles outside, picnic style. I am totally fine if you'd like to bring in some snacks for those circles to make them feel more cozy and relaxed. Discussing literature shouldn't feel like a chore. :) I was impressed with the work I saw, the cooperation, and the discussions taking place at your tables today. I think there are many English teachers that would be envious of how well these discussions are going. If I haven't told you lately, it is an honor to work with each of you. I'm confident I have the best high school class anywhere.

As far as history, our major focus today was on Reconstruction and the Radical Republicans. Again, I was very impressed with your ability to distill and discuss the primary document "Mississippi Black Codes" today. There's some legalese and advanced vocabulary within this document, but you handled it like a pro. That's pretty awesome. The level of work you are doing in this class and the content you are working with easily fits within an honors program. So if your parents are keeping transcripts, they could mark this class an honors course.

So, here's a review of what we discussed in class today.

Radical Republicans:

• Strongly opposed slavery
• Distrusted ex-Confederates
• Demanded harsh punishments (including death) for Confederates
• Emphasized equality, civil rights, and voting rights
• Absolutely detested by President Johnson
• Their votes overthrew Johnson's vetoes

After the fall of Radical Republicanism, the Democrats issued in "Redemption." 

• White dominated state legislatures enacted Jim Crow laws
• Disenfranchised most black and many poor whites through a combination of Constitutional amendments and electoral laws.
• Radical Republicanism was undermined and unfulfilled.
• These Jim Crow laws prevented African Americans from voting in the South until the 1960s. 
• Full Federal enforcement of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments did not occur until legislation passed during the Civil Rights movement (1955-1968). 

Literature Review:

We listened to the short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, but you may want to go back and review the story on your own. We also discussed The Call of the Wild and some of London's influences, including Nietzsche and Darwin. Remember, a key theme with most of London's works is "Nature Wins." 

We are also moving into my personal favorite literary genre, Southern Gothic. :)) 

Southern Gothic literature finds its roots within the Gothic tradition that was popular in Europe in the 1800s. Think Dracula and Frankenstein. But it diverges from this tradition with its own unique American traits. Southern Gothic literature relies on the supernatural, ironic or unusual events to guide the plot. It uses these to explore social issues and reveal the cultural character of the South. Remember, "To live in the South, one has to be a scar lover." These are the defining characteristics of Southern Gothic literature:

• Cast of off-kilter characters (Freakishness)
• Outsiders
• Imprisonment
• Violence
• Sense of Place

For this week's homework, I have provided assignments for both history and literature. Your history assignment is to define in 2-3 sentences (each term) totalitarianism, capitalism, communism, socialism, and fascism. As America grows in size and power, and industrialization increases, our interactions with other political entities also increases. We must become familiar with these distinctions in order to understand the ideologies (and wars) that spur on conflict, as well as to understand our own protest literature and music. What's the problem with capitalism? How is socialism different than communism? What is fascism and how is that different than communism? What system does America use? What other kinds of nations fall under the other examples? 

For literature, you will write three paragraphs this week (gasp!). :) It's going to be much easier than you realize. You have so much material to cover in your three short stories ("The Lottery," "The Evening Sun," and "The Yellow Wallpaper,") that you may need more space to write. The biggest thing I am looking for here is an engagement with the text. Think along the three C's here. Which story is most controversial? (Why? What part?) Which is most confusing? (Where did the story lose you? What just doesn't make sense? Is the author arguing for something outside of the norm? Pointing to something that seems unusual or problematic?) And which story is most compelling? (Which one provokes the most thought for you? Which one has you asking more questions, feeling challenged, or stirs up your own rebellious response?) You don't always have to agree with authors. It's fun when you don't. But write about them. I do not want a summary here. I want your response to them. The other option is to pick the Southern Gothic story in the mix and prove that it fits the genre by using the characteristics above. How is that story Southern Gothic? Who's an off-kilter character? How do you have a sense of place? Is it violent? Where? What happens? Write three paragraphs proving your claim on that one story. :) 

If you have not finished your map, please keep working on it. You can bring it to class to work on, also. There is no other history reading assigned. I think three short stories, five definitions, and three paragraphs will keep you busy. Oh, and I'll have a short quiz at the beginning of class over our lectures today to help you earn some homework passes. Our writing will be increasing a bit, but don't worry. It's not anything you can't handle. 

One more thing: Please type your papers in MLA format. At this stage in class, you should all be proficient in MLA format. 

Glad to have you back. Please call me or email me if you need some extra help.