4-5 October 2011

Tuesday: We discussed the OMM film together.

And what a discussion it was!  Holy buckets.  I have to say a special hats off to

• Joanna E, who pointed out that Foster’s harvest metaphor actually works quite well–they’re busy harvesting when they’re working toward their dream, but once their dream is dead, the harvesting is over too.
• Emma G, who first pointed out that Candy and his dog share a meal alone together–a sure sign of their communion and the non-communion between Candy and the others that gets reinforced once the dog is dead.
• Ana C who pointed out the way Crooks lights his cigarette just as he lights an emotional flame under Lennie AND who also pointed out that George “misses” in horseshoes just when Lennie goes into the barn (to kill Curley’s wife).
• Ellen C who pointed out that the whole film has a “fall” atmosphere, so it fits with Foster’s notion of decline and loss.
• Tess W, who first addressed the white dog, white dress parallels in the murder scene.
• Katie K, who pointed out the bookending of the search party rather than the garden
• AND….Neil who addressed the skull on the dead branch as a sign of….well…death.  🙂

Wednesday: We’ll start our new unit, Reading for Pattern.  During this unit, we are going to look at a pattern known as the Hero’s Journey, but we’re going to do it by looking at a sub-genre called Boarding School Stories.  We’ll be reading A Separate Peace and Looking for Alaska.  We’ll also be watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  In addition to talking about these three texts, we’ll be exploring what Foster has to say about the Hero’s Journey and figuring out how all of it fits together–with the pattern.

And today I’m going to lecture on the pattern.  It’s not pretty, and I don’t do it often.  But today is the day.  You need to get notes for this class if you weren’t here today.

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