Who is Holden Caufield?

Reflect on the first chapter of Catcher in the Rye.  Who exactly is our narrator?  What kind of person is he?  Do you know anyone like him?  What kinds of things bother him and why?

What makes it great?

Now that you've authored a work of fiction, think about what makes your story good.  Which of the five elements -- character, plot, theme, point of view, setting -- are most important to making a story really, really good?  Explain why you feel as you do.

Where do we go from here?

 Now that we've read a few great works of horror, both fiction and poetry, it's time to move on. Though I can't make any promises, I want to know what kind of material you like to read. I will try to incorporate the types of literature and poetry that you like best in the next several units of study. Below, suggest specific titles or TYPES of work, and reasons why you want to explore them. Due Thursday, November 5.

Character flaws...

What makes a good villain?  In books, in film, what makes the 'bad' guy someone who's really fun to watch?  For instance:  what traits make the character interesting?

The fog rose around the old mansion...

A story's setting -- the location or locations in which it takes place-- often determines the mood of the story.  If the writer describes the setting well, it can make the whole story believable, and interesting.  Where would you set a scary story?  In a paragraph below, describe your scary setting in detail.  No one setting can be duplicated, so be the first to post your blog here.  Due Wednesday, October 14.

What scares you?

Some of America's greatest literature includes suspense, murder mysteries, thrillers and horror stories.  What scares you? 

DRAMA AND LITERATURE

Reflect on today's exercises.  What did you like about the exercises?  What was your favorite activity?  How do you feel about using drama in the classroom on a regular basis?

Boot Camp: would it really work?

As a teen, what kind of advice would you give to Garrett's parents regarding his behavior?  How could they help him change in positive ways?  Would Boot Camp work for most kids?

Welcome to Mrs. Picozzi's 11th Grade English class!

Reflection: This year, we'll focus on great literature: reading it AND writing it! Reflect on the books you've read at home and in school, and post on one of the following topics:

* A book that had a tremendous impact on me, either positive or negative;

* My favorite all time memory of reading at home;

* The most difficult book I've ever read and how I overcame its challenges.

Be sure to post before 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 1!