I have read All Quiet on the Western Front every year for the past 12 years--and each year it gets better and better. I remember when I first read the last line of  chapter one when Kropp says, "Youth? That is long ago. We are old folk," I simply thought, yeah, probably true; however, now when I read it, it is more like a silent chill that makes me want to cry because, while this is only a book and a fictional story, it "IS" the story of our world since history started to record itself, and the incessant and draining wars instigated and championed by misguided rulers and sycophants. A good writer makes real what we already know--but probably ignore.

Welcome back!  

For homework, read the rest of Chapter One in All Quiet on the Western Front. Be sure to annotate for vocab, characters, and themes--as well as just good and powerful sections of writing.

...and watch this brief video from the opening scene from the 1979 movie version of the book:

OK...I admit it. I don't like the blog on Final Site, so I came back to Weebly because it simply works better for me--and I imagine, for you, too...

So you finished The Odyssey and now what do we do?

Write about your experience reading The Odyssey using my Personal Essay Rubric.  If you combine the essay rubric with the Heroic Cycle, the Fitz-Style Journal Post rubric--and mix in some How to Tell a Good Story techniques, then you should end up with an awesome essay of between 650-1200 words.  The final length is up to you.

This is due on Thursday and should be posted on your blog.  Extra credit if you make a podcast or video to go along with it.

This and watching "Brother Where Art Thou" is are only work this week!