This is a blog for my students of ESO and Bachillerato. The idea is to include follow-up on-line materials related to the contents studied in class, to exchange opinions, to carry out projects in common and to receive feedback from students and colleagues, so your suggestions are welcome!
Some questions that may help you with your essay on Frankenstein:
-On the topic "Playing God":
-Why is Victor an "overreacher"? What is the price he has to pay for that?
-Are cloning or genetic engineering current examples of man´s overreaching?
-Is it ethical to design human beings? If you could, would you want to have perfect children? Would a perfect human being still be human? What is perfection?
-On the topic "All that glitters is not gold (and viceversa)":
-Who is the only person who doesn´t reject Frankenstein´s creature? Why? (think of Javier A. in his team´s film)
-Is appearance important? Do we prejudge people just because of it?
-Beauty is far more than skin deep. Do you agree?
-On the topic "Are humans (some of them) born evil or are they made evil by society?"
-If Frankenstein´s creature hadn´t been rejected, would he have killed so many people?
-Can education change a person for the better? Does our background determine our future completely?
-Are you aware that you can create "monsters" when despising or bullying others?
-On the topic "Nature vs Science":
-Is man in his quest for improving our existence on Earth going too far? Can progress mean the destruction of the Earth? When should progress stop?
-Do we really need so many energy-consuming machines and electronic devices?
-Why don´t we just accept life as it is and assume ageing, illness and death as natural stages in that process?
-Would you like to live longer? Maybe forever? Why?
-On the topic "The obsession for knowledge":
-What do Walton and Victor Frankenstein have in common?
-"Curiosity killed the cat", they say. Do you agree?
-What´s the point in learning so many things at school?
-Can knowledge be fun?
(Some questions can be used in several topics)
“How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that
man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who
aspires to be greater than his nature will allow.”
(Mary Shelley,
Frankenstein, or the modern Prometheus)
Next Tuesday at 1.30 pm we´ll have the visit of Jacqueline Lesko, a film-producer you´ll be able to learn a lot from. She is in Spain to take part in the Muestra sobre Cine y Emprendimiento (to be hosted by La Casa de América in Madrid), where the documentary Spinning Plates, co-produced by her, will be shown. More info:
-On Spinning Plates
-On Jacqueline and other documentary crew members.
Follow-up for the Romantic period lessons. The Gothic novel:
I.
Introduction
"Gothic" has come to mean quite a
number of things by this day and age. It could mean a particular style of art,
be it in the form of novels, paintings, or architecture; it could mean
"medieval" or "uncouth." It could even refer to a certain
type of music and its fans (do you remember Tom,
Sid, the Goth and the Ghost?). What it originally meant, of course, is
"of, relating to, or resembling the Goths, their civilization, or their
language" ("gothic").
A. Brief history of the Goths
The Goths, one of the many Germanic
tribes, fought numerous battles with the Roman Empire for centuries. According
to their own myths, the Goths originated in what is now southern Sweden. They
separated into two groups, the Visigoths (the West Goths) and Ostrogoths (the
East Goths), so named because of where they eventually settled. They reached
the height of their power around 5th century A.D., when they sacked Rome and
captured Spain.
B. Connection to the Gothic Novel
Centuries
passed before the word "gothic" meant anything else again. During the
Renaissance, Europeans rediscovered Greco-Roman culture and began to regard a
particular type of architecture, mainly those built during the Middle Ages, as "gothic"
- not because of any connection to the Goths, but because the “Renaissance man”
considered these buildings barbaric. Centuries more passed before
"gothic" came to describe a certain type of novels, so named because all
these novels seem to take place in Gothic-styled architecture - mainly castles,
mansions, and, of course, abbeys. The gothic
novel was invented almost single-handedly by Horace Walpole, whoseThe Castle of Otranto (1764) contains
essentially all the elements that constitute the genre. Walpole's novel was
imitated not only in the eighteenth century and not only in the novel form, but it has influenced the novel, the short story,
poetry, and even film making up to the present day.
II. Elements of the Gothic
Novel
The Gothic novel took shape mostly in England from 1760 to 1830 and falls
within the category of Romantic literature. It acts, however, as a reaction
against the rigidity and formality of other forms of Romantic literature.
The Gothic novel could be seen as a description
of a fallen world. We experience this fallen world though all aspects of the
novel: plot, setting, characterization, and theme.
The setting is greatly
influential in Gothic novels. It not only evokes the atmosphere of horror and
dread, but also portrays the deterioration of its world. The decaying, ruined
scenery implies that at one time there was a thriving world. At one time the
abbey, castle, or landscape was something treasured and appreciated. Now, all
that lasts is the decaying ruin of a once thriving building.
The Gothic hero becomes a sort of archetype as
we find that there is a pattern to their characterization. There is always the protagonist,
usually isolated either voluntarily or involuntarily. Then there is the villain,
who is the epitome of evil, either by his (usually a man) own fall from grace,
or by some implicit malevolence. A lonely, pensive,
and oppressed heroine, usually in distress, is often a central figure of the
novel. The women suffer all the more because they are often abandoned, left
alone (either on purpose or by accident), and have no protector at times.
The plot itself mirrors the ruined world in its
dealings with a protagonist's fall from grace as she falls into temptation from
a villain. In the end, the protagonist must be saved through a reunion with a
loved one.
The metonymy of gloom and horror: Metonymy is a
subtype of metaphor, in which something (like rain) is used to stand for
something else (like sorrow). For example, the film industry likes to use
metonymy as a quick shorthand, so we often notice that it is raining in funeral
scenes. Note that the following metonymies for "doom and gloom" all suggest
some element of mystery, danger, or the supernatural: wind (especially
howling), rain (especially blowing), doors grating on rusty hinges, sighs,
moans, howls, eerie sounds, footsteps approaching, clanking chains, lights in
abandoned rooms, gusts of wind blowing out lights, characters trapped in a
room, doors suddenly slamming shut, baying of distant dogs (or wolves), thunder
and lightning…
In addition to the standard
gothic machinery above, many gothic novels contain elements of romance as well.
They include obviously powerful love; tension between true love and father's
control, disapproval, or choice; lovers parted (some obstacle arises and
separates the lovers, geographically or in some other way); illicit love or
lust that threatens the virtuous one (the young woman becomes a target of some
evil man's desires and schemes), etc.
Have a look at the trailer of a film based on another famous Gothic novel, The Monk (1795), by C.S. Lewis, set, by the way, in Madrid...
Ten students of the Nicholas Senn high school, our twinned school in Chicago, have been in Madrid for an exciting fortnight. They have departed for Chicago today but they have left behind a good bunch of great memories, it´s been a really fantastic experience having them around. Here you are some pics:
With Rosa working on a group rendering of Picasso´s Guernica
Josoe (aka Chino) and Alin working on their drawings
Juan Carlos and Marta, chaperone teachers of the American students
Putting all the pieces together
And now at the Reina Sofía Museum with their partners to see "the real McCoy"
In San Juan de los Reyes (Toledo) with Adolfo and their partners
Another pic in Toledo
In the Jesuit church
Michael showing off his basketball abilities in the Forus sportscentre (Coslada)
In Music class with Paloma
Our language assistants also were with them: here Jade and Oliver
The Manzanares castle
Ismael helping at a difficult pass on the "Camino Schmid"
In the "Collado Ventoso" with 4º Diversificación students. Notice Ayo´s stick
So, these are the guidelines for the project of this term: a film based on Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley:
-This is a group activity. You are free to organize your team as you like.
-Unlike with Much Ado About Nothing, where you were free to deconstruct Shakespeare (and OMG, you did it with all your heart and soul), you must now stick to the original plot and characters, without changing any features.
-You must choose a chapter (or several) to work with. In order to choose it, go to a summary of the novel chapter by chapter (you can use the one here). Once you have chosen your chapter/s, look for it/them here and read it/them carefully.
-Now you must organize the task each member of the team must do. These are the tasks to be covered:
1. Director: is primarily responsible for the storytelling, creative decisions and acting of the film.
2. Scriptwriter: the one/s in charge of writing the script for the actors to learn.
3. Storyboard artist. S/he must elaborate the storyboard, that is, the story in "comic" format that will be used as a model for the shooting of the scenes. You can do it online if you like (try here).
4. Production designer: creates the visual conception of the film and is in charge of the sets, locations, costumes, special effects and make up (this role is critical in this film).
5. Director of photography: S/he records the film and supervises photography.
6. Sound designer/Composer: chooses (or, why not, creates) the appropriate music and sound effects for the scenes. Ask Paloma for advice...
7. Actors, obviously.
-Each team member must assume several tasks. Teams should range between 3 and 6 members.
-Deadlines: Give me your teams and the tasks carried out by each member by April 24. Deadline for the project: May 20. That day you must present the following items:
1.The storyboard
2.The script
3.The film itself (in a common format, please). We´ll watch them all in class.
-Evaluation: 2 points. For the mark I´ll take into account all the tasks mentioned above.
As a warm-up, try watching the trailer of the version by Kenneth Brannagh. Btw, does the protagonist ring a bell with you?
In teams, you have to think of 3 things which in your opinion best represent teenagers in Spain in 2015. The objects must not be bigger than a book and will include explanations of what they are used for with the passive voice (It´s used to, it was invented....). The idea is to put the most representative objects into a time capsule to be buried and eventually opened in 2099 so that the people living then can have an idea about what we were like. Ready?
The Nicholas Senn High School is our twinned school in Chicago. As you probably know, ten students from there are going to pay us a visit from April 7 to 18 and are going to be hosted by families of LGB students. We are really looking forward to meeting them. We´ll keep you informed about the activities we carry out together! Learn more about the school here:
