Painted Door

How does the story explore the theme of emotional neglect versus physical presence? Which is more damaging in the story, and why?

English 12: Horses of the Night

 Good afternoon all! 

Here are a couple questions for "Horses of the Night" by Margaret Laurence:

Chris eventually confronts a truth about himself that mirrors his father’s life. Is this realization empowering, devastating, or both? Defend your answer with evidence.

Horses appear repeatedly in the story. What do they symbolize at different points, and how does their meaning change as Chris grows older?

Depending on time, we may do both or pick one for our response.

English 12: The Jade Peony

 Greetings English 12! Here is our writing work for Jade Peony. Depending on remaining time, I will give some more specific instructions during class :)

How does Wayson Choy construct the grandmother's presence through memory, belief, and symbolism?

To what extent does the jade peony function as a symbol of cultural inheritance rather than personal memory?

Omelas Topics: Semester 2 English 12

 

• Our Imagination as a vehicle for Complicity: As the narrator invites the audience to create an image of Omelas, we become complicit in the moral consequences of its greatest crime: the agreement to allow a child to continue suffering in order for everyone else to be happy. Think about what this allegory represents. Considering an allegorical reading, do you agree with Le Guin's claim?
• Coming of Age and the Loss of Innocence: All children between 8 and 12 learn about the child in the basement. At this discovery, the narrator states that everyone is disgusted and horrified at first. How might the contrast of childhood and adulthood (or at least puberty), be represented through the coming of age in Omelas?

The Lottery: English 11 Essay Topics

 

1. Symbolism of the Black Box:

Discuss how the black box functions as a symbol in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery. How does its physical description and role in the ritual reflect the themes of decay, resistance to change, and the persistence of outdated traditions?

2. The Role of Community and Conformity:
Analyze the role of conformity (prioritizing fitting in and following rules over other values) in the villagers’ participation in the lottery. How does Jackson portray the tension between individual morality and community expectations?

To thrive in either of these topics, you must answer the question and explain why it's important. In topic one - if you were to find good examples that reflect the topic, perhaps in the conclusion or at the end of your body paragraph you might discuss why it is in our nature to persist in outdated traditions. In topic two - you might speculate why we prioritize the community over ourselves, why we value "fitting in" so much, that we may cross moral boundaries in order to do so.

Welcome to semester 2!

 Here we are - and here's to a good semester!

Final Writing Prompt

Well good ELL learners - it's time for our final writing topic. Here we go!