Journals (20 points)

Journals are due on Thursday October 31st.

Here's a list of the prompts that I will be looking for. I didn't number the prompts since they may differ for period 5 and period 6. --Ms. A

What is literature?
Bloom's Taxonomy
"Identity" video response
Symbol that represents you
Euripides Quote
Response to brain video
College Readiness / What are you doing to prepare for college?
Is the Epic Of Gilgamesh still relevant today?
What did Gilgamesh learn from his journey?
Hero's Journey / Response to artwork
Is the modern day war hero downplayed in today's society?
1 1/2 response on a modern day tragic hero
"Yertle the Turtle" questions
Survey for Antigone / What guides you? List and explanation
Would you go against the law to bury a loved one?
Response to Gandhi quote: "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind"

Model Commentary

        The conflict between law and ethics is a timeless controversy that can be seen in modern life and in literature. In our time, in the ongoing “War on Terror,” the death of bin Laden can be seen similarly to the death of Antigone’s brother, Polyneices. Both Polyneices and bin Laden are  enemy combatants killed in the field, whose deaths create controversy not only with the law, but also as to how they will be buried. Unlike Antigone, who takes matters into her own hands and goes against the law, the US attempts to deal with bin Laden’s death in both an ethical and legal way, which I believe yields the best results that helps to appease most people worldwide. 

In Antigone, the law issued by Creon is very clear: “No one shall bury him, no one mourn for him / . . . and the penalty-- / Stoning to death in the public square” (20-25). Antigone, being true to her ethical beliefs went against the law and decided to honor her brother and give him a proper burial in defiance of Creon and his rule. The issues of law surrounding the death of bin Laden are slightly different than the ones experienced in Antigone and are much more complex. After the raid that resulted in killing bin Laden, many people were questioning whether or not the US followed international laws appropriately. Under law enforcement standards, a country can use lethal force only if it is strictly necessary to prevent the loss of other lives or to prevent the escape of someone you are seeking to arrest (Amies). Since the raid was in the context of a firefight, the SEALs had no way of knowing whether or not bin Laden was armed, or if he had explosive devices hidden on his person (Amies). I agree that the US acted in accordance with the law and did the right thing by killing him, a point that needs emphasizing since there are critics who believe that bin Laden should of been captured and tried in court. If the US would have arrested and tried bin Laden, a new set of issues would have been raised that might have the potential of enraging other terrorists from around the world. 

After bin Laden’s death, it was revealed that he received a burial at sea that included some traditional Islamic procedures. In a statement made by President Barack Obama, he explained, “the remains had been handled in accordance with Islamic custom, which requires speedy burial, and the Pentagon later said the body was placed into the waters . . . after adhering to traditional Islamic procedures -- including washing the corpse . . .” (Hendawi). I’m of two minds about the US’s actions. On the one hand, I agree that bin Laden should have a proper burial because it is the humane and ethical way to handle the situation, which also shows sensitivity to bin Laden’s cultural traditions. On the other hand, I’m not sure if bin Laden should even receive a proper burial since he committed such horrible crimes against humanity. However, if bin Laden didn’t receive some sort of burial, this could have the potential to enrage many people around the world. Perhaps the US learned a lesson from Antigone and realized that even if an enemy defies you, that person should still be respected in death. If Polyneices would have received a proper burial, Antigone would have been complacent and would not have had to act out against Creon.

Many of the characters in Antigone are unwavering in their beliefs and unwilling to compromise, usually to their own detriment. Both Antigone and Creon are headstrong and are unable to see each other’s points of view. Alternatively, I believe the course of action taken in the death and burial of Bin Laden resulted in the best outcome for the world. Even when faced with the difficult situation of killing an enemy combatant, the US did its best to appease both international and ethical laws. 

Red: Claim

Blue: Evidence / Quotes

Green: Commentary

Requirements for Antigone Commentary (30 Points)

Due Tuesday October 29th 

For this commentary you will be relating Antigone with the 2 bin Laden articles we discussed in class.

Question: How do legal and ethical issues affect the lives of an individual and a country?

--Typed 1 1/2 -- 2 pages. MLA Format.

--You must cite evidence from ALL 3 sources. The three sources you should be citing from include Antigone, “Osama Bin Laden Dead: Muslim Scholar . . .”, and “Bin Laden’s Killing prompts . . .”

--Please staple your 3 domain venn diagram and your “Character Philosophies” worksheets to your commentary

bin Laden Video: Burial at Sea

Hi all, Here's the video we watched in class on bin Laden. You may want to re-watch it. You can refer to this video in your commentaries. --Ms. A

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/other-shows/videos/killing-bin-laden-burial-at-sea.htm

Bring Non-Fiction articles to class

Visit the two links below. Please read and print out these two articles. Bring to class tomorrow--Friday October 25th

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-sea-burial-muslim-scholars_n_856315.html

http://www.dw.de/bin-ladens-killing-prompts-uncomfortable-legal-ethical-questions-for-us/a-15048146

Questions for Scene 1 of Antigone (pages 944-949)

Due 10/22 Period 5 

Due 10/24 Period 6

1. What crime has Polyneices committed in the opinion of the king?
2. What news does the sentry bring to Creon?
3. How does Creon believe the act of burying Polyneices was carried out?
4. What does Creon demand that the sentry do?

Video #1 An Introduction to Greek Tragedy

Video #2 Greek Theatre - Tragedy and Comedy

Video #3 Oedipus Rex - The Short Version! (Animated)

An overview over "The Iliad" by Homer

The Hero's Journey / Monomyth

What makes a hero? - Matthew Winkler

Creative Writing Assignment

English II Periods 5 and 6

Creative Writing Assignment    “Archetype in Action”

DUE:  TUESDAY, October 8^TH, 2013  15 pts.

Guidelines:  Write a 1 1/2- 2 paged typed (double-spaced) story that features an archetypal character who struggles against some force or injustice.  In considering your character, choose from the following ideas:

1.  The Archetype of the Priest/Savior (Example: Neo in The Matrix, Frodo from Lord of the Rings, many religious figures);  

--character who intercedes on behalf of the people—willing 

       to sacrifice or rebuild. He/she defies the darkness and 

       travels through a type of underworld—Hades, Mordor, Hell

2.  The Archetype of the Hero/Adventurer (Example:  Gilgamesh / Indiana Jones):

--character who seeks the unknown and hazards risk to discover truth and wisdom.  He/she undertakes a quest that seems insurmountable but proves valuable.

3.  The Archetype of the Survivor (Example Pi from The Life of Pi or Rose in Titanic):

--character who is “marooned” by some sort of force—natural/man-made disaster or psychological upheaval.  He/she is ultimately triumphant but is marked by the event—sometimes crippled or plagued.

4.  The Archetype of the Shape Shifter (Example Mrs. Doubtfire, Spiderman, Batman, Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde): 

--character who changes role or personality, often in significant ways.  He/she is hard to understand, and his/her alliances and loyalties are questionable. Character lives a double life.  

5. The Archetype of the Fool (Example Forest Gump):

--character who amuses others through jokes/jests but who possesses a superior understanding of human nature.  He/she is seemingly absurd but is actually wise.  Also known as a type of savant, the fool lives outside the mainstream society, which allows for his/her detachment and wry observations. 

As a storyteller, you need to also remember the craft of fine writing:   

1. Perspective (What point of view will you adopt?) 

2. Setting (Where will you place your story?)

3. Conflict (Will your character grapple with an internal or external struggle?) 

4. Dialogue (How will your character converse and interact?)

5. Pacing/Suspense (How will you build momentum and climax in your story?)

ONE FINAL SUGGESTION:  THINK INCIDENT RATHER THAN EPIC—A GLIMPSE RATHER THAN A FLOODLIGHT

YOU DON’T NEED TO END THIS STORY IN A TRADITIONAL MANNER—YOU CAN LEAVE IT SUSPENDED RATHER THAN RESOLVED.

Epic of Gilgamesh Commentary

Homework Due 10/4

Finish reading the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Write a 1 page commentary discussing what The Epic of Gilgamesh reveals about Ancient Mesopotamian values (the moral ideas and standards of behavior). What ideas were important to the Mesopotamians? What did they expect of their rulers? What values did they want their heroes to embody? Use examples from the story to support your answer.