Kafka's Metamorphosis Assignment

OK, friends! I know that you will all spend time curled up beside the lights of the Christmas tree, reading about Gregor and his Bug Life. I know that the pamphlet isn't too much and soon you will be ready for an assignment! Well, I spent a lot of time last year (all kidding aside) reflecting on what I want students to get from this book and this project and what would be the best assignment for you. It came to me like a lightning bolt in the middle of the night last night last December! So.... here you go.  It's in three parts and before you panic, the entire assignment should not take you longer than about 3-4 hours, total. Probably less. OK?  Not only that, I am not making it due until the Friday after we come back to school so.... for those of you who either choose to or NEED TO delay your work until we are back on schedule, you have that option.

DUE DATE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 13

Part 1: Shrinklit Poem

I haven't assigned this for a few years and I LOVED it when we did them before. Essentially, it's a 12 line rhyming poem that sums up a book. You will need to detail the plot but also address theme, tone, and characters. They are typically humorous, if only because they condense an entire book into twelve lines.
Your best bet is to first write a summary, then decide which pieces are most important. Take those pieces and work them into your poem.

Below is a great example of a Frankenstein ShrinkLit:

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley
In his occult science lab Frankenstein creates a flab
Which, endowed with human will
Very shortly starts to kill.
First, it pleads a lonely life
And demands a monster-wife;
“Monstrous” Frankenstein objects,
Thinking of the side-effects.
Chilled with fear, he quits the scene,
But the frightful man-machine
Follows him in hot pursuit
Bumping people off en route,
Till at last it stands malign,
By the corpse of Frankenstein!
Somewhere in the northern mists
Horrid thing – it still exists. . .
Still at large, a-thirst for gore!
Got a strong lock on your door?
~ Maurice Sagoff

Part 2: Let Your Creativity Run Wild!

I want a creative project over the book. The important piece here is that you don't just illustrate the events of the novel but convey the message, the deeper complexities, any author information you have, etc.. I am including some ideas for you that I found on Pinterest below. You will include an index card explanation with your project and that will be almost as weighted in the grade as the creative project itself. Options are a book cover, a tshirt, a poster, a graphic design, a repurposed book, a 3-D display, a diorama, it's as wide as your mind!!!
All images below are courtesy of Pinterest...
Examples:

Part 3: AP Style Essay Question with an answer outline

You know the drill. Write a fantastic essay question, AP style and caliber, over Kafka's Metamorphosis. Then give me a brief outline of what you would expect in the answer.

That's it! And you get to start the new semester with an easy grade! WIN-WIN! :) 

I will miss you all over this break and I am very excited to see you on the first day back!!!

Week of December 12

It's all Middle Eastern novels, all the time this week!

Monday, 12/12
ME Novels

Tuesday, 12/13
Middle Eastern novels

Wednesday, 12/14
ME Novel

Thursday, 12/15
ME Novel

Friday, 12/16
ME Novel
Panels
JOURNALS DUE

Sonnets!!!

We are hitting several things today, all with sonnets. And hopefully all on the computers. First of all, after I give the notes, you will visit Sonnet Central (link here) and find a sonnet to annotate. What you will need to do is copy the sonnet and past it into a word document, then use the comments to annotate it. I don't want something with two or three points on it. I want something that looks like a WEB of detail. :)

Step 1: Pick a sonnet. It does not have to be written by Shakespeare (or Petrarch), but it DOES need to fit the sonnet form and be a well-written poem. The websites below will help you come up with one. Do NOT take too long to find one, but DO select a sonnet that you like and understand.

Shakespearean

Other sonnets (click on the poet's name and it will take you to that page, then you can click on sonnets written by that poet)

Step 2: Annotate the sonnet using the comments feature of the word processing program. First, copy and paste the sonnet into the document (including title and poet). Next, break it apart (the longer version of what you will do during the AP test on the poetry question), making notes and analysis. The websites below will help in this process. I am hoping we all know how to use the comments feature because I couldn't find a website with a tutorial for whatever generic version of word processing is on these machines...

Annotation Guides

Mr. Prestney, whom you probably wish was your teacher...

A wiki with a great example of what an annotated poem LOOKS like...

If that link doesn't work from school, here is another link.

Secondly, you will do an AP Sonnet practice question, below. Use whatever class time you have and then finish at home. Do two things. First, copy and paste into the word doc and ANNOTATE IT like the other. THEN write the essay (we will type this one, just type it below your annotation) and then email it to me. Put SONNET as the subject line.

In the Shakespearean sonnet below, the poet analyzes perspectives of reality. In an organized essay, discuss the literary techniques used to reveal the speaker's attitude toward truth in love and the apparent relativity of it.

CXXXVIII
When my love swears that she is made of truth,
I do believe her though I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutored youth,
Unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue:
On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed:
But wherefore says she not she is unjust?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
Of love's best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in love, loves not to have years told:
Therefore I lie with her, and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flattered be.

Week of 12/5

Monday, 12/5
1-TT
2-Satire

Tuesday, 12/6
Annotate a Sonnet
Sonnet AP Q
Long class

Wednesday, 12/7
No Class

Thurday, 12/8
Sonnets
Poetry Activity

Friday, 12/9
ME Novel
(Quiz and work due)