A Separate Peace

Here are photos of the real Devon School, the Phillips Exeter School.

Walden, Question 4

Now that we have waded through a good portion of Walden, think in particular about the chapters relevant to seasons. What thematically does Thoreau talk about in those chapters besides the season? Why does he name these chapters after seasons? Is the chapter entirely about the season or something more?

Walden, Question 3

Since we've been talking so much about classics, I thought I'd open this question up for discussion. What books would you guys consider classics? You can include your own favorite books or books that made an impression on you, or you can include books you think everyone should read. Explain why you think these books deserve to be on the classics list. Also, what makes a book a "classic?"

My classics (or must-read list) would be Heart of Darkness, Hamlet, Wuthering Heights, Walden, Leaves of Grass, and The Dark Tower Series (at least the first three, anyway!).

Essay Website

The website you need to go to in order to complete the ADAW essay prompts follows:

http://my.hrw.com

A Separate Peace, English 10 Regular

Here's a copy of the study guide if you lose the copy I gave you. Also, this will give you more information about the author and the time period of the book that is quite interesting.

Walden, Interesting Sites

This is an interesting site I came across while looking for photographs of Walden Pond. Everyone should at least take a look at the first couple of paragraphs. Interesting reading!

Thoreau's First Year at Walden

Walden, Question 2

So, we've decided that Thoreau is organizing his information somehow, albeit it's a bit confusing at times. With that being said, what do you think of Thoreau's narrative so far (that is, the part where he builds his house!)? Do you think he's following a strict timeline or making some things fit in the grand scheme of things?

Here are some links to pictures of Thoreau's cabin (a replica) and Walden Pond, if you're interested.

There are many more pictures and a virtual tour here.

Let it snow! Some things to think about

Hello, guys. I'm unsure of whether we'll actually be in school tomorrow, so I'm posting some things to consider here. You may comment on any of these things or just use them to jump start discussion whenever we return. Please make sure you've read the article "Has Our Living Standard Stalled" before we return. If you need a copy, you can find it here.

• What does Thoreau have to say about time management, clothing, and shelter?
• Does life experience make you more capable of giving advice?
• How does your culture influence what you consider necessary?
• How are things true in the past but false today?
• According to Thoreau, is it better to own your own house or rent?

Walden, Question 1

You've probably noticed by now that Thoreau sways from idea to idea and talks in circles while telling his story. Why do you think he does this?

Welcome!

Welcome, English students to our new class blog! This blog will be a great place to ask questions about what we're currently reading and gain some extra credit in the process. If you post at least five questions or comments to this blog during the nine weeks, I'll give you some extra credit. This will be the only extra credit offered from here on out, so come back and post often. Our first posts will be concerning the novel Walden.