What some people won't do to get out of a little homework.

What was intended to be a ten-minute "fun" game into the concept of The Great Chain of Being turned into an epic, hour-long tribal council on the relative merits of pirates, actors, beggars and thieves. You argued passionately. You deduced mathematically. You called on the collective brainpower of thirty minds. A few leaders rose to the occasion while some retired to their seats, unable to take the all the stress and yelling. In short, it was an awesome display of the power of the group--people working together to come up with a solution that would benefit the whole...isn't teamwork a beautiful thing?

Have a great weekend everyone. Enjoy the break from the homework--you've earned it! :)

Quote of the Day:
"Highlighter...HIGHLIGHTER!"
- Kyle, on wanting to speak.

When Playoffs and Literature Collide.

Much has been written about the Vancouver Canucks in the last little while. This, in itself, is not surprising given that we live in a hockey-crazed city. That this latest post, written by popular Canucks blogger Passittobulis, is written in verse form is slightly more unusual, but not completely unheard of. What is absolutely mindblowing, however, is that this poem is written in the form of a classical Petrarchan sonnet--a verse form dating back to the Early Modern English period, and a notoriously difficult type of poetry to write. Who says English class doesn't relate to real life?

We gather here, to mourn, and eulogize,
The Blackhawks, former champ'ions of this league,
Whose losses, Byfuglien, Burish, Ladd, Versteeg,
And others, have, it seems, spelled their demise.
The core remains intact! Hossa and Toews,
Brent Seabrook, Patrick Kane, and Duncan Keith,
But their enormous contracts, like a wreath,
Didst hang the team. We dance atop their graves!

It's difficult to veil such Schadenfreude,
To be the bigger person, to withdraw.
A frown on every Hawks fan, boy and girl!
This thing, which I have longed to have enjoyed,
I heartlessly and heartily guffaw --
The woe of every Illinoisan churl.

Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Tomorrow, we start one of my favourite works of literature: Macbeth--Shakespeare's classic tale of ambition, murder and vengeance.

This is a play that has gorgeous language, elements of the supernatural, meditations on good and evil and characters you love to hate. This is a play that has everything and yet nothing is what it seems to be.

There is NO BLOG for this week (you're welcome)--just come to tomorrow's class with an open mind, a positive attitude and a sense of excitement.

"It will have blood they say, blood will have blood."

Hello All,

For this week's blog post, I was inspired by the excellent monologues in class today and yesterday. Your assignment is simple: post the script of your monologue. Blog posts are due by 8 pm on Friday, April 22, and comments by 8 pm Monday, April 25. For your comments, feel free to incorporate things from the performance of the monologues.

Because you have already been marked on your monologues through your performance, you will only receive a mark for your comments for this week.

As promised, HERE is the link to the, in my opinion, quite shocking Obama-chimpanzee article.


Quotes of the week (a double-header by Wilfred):

"That car is white. That's racist."
"I have to feel the feminisim" - Getting in touch with his feminine side prior to his monologue.

Hi Fellow Cheeseballs,

Highly amusing class today. Dramatic Pause. Grand Master Mah and I are very much looking forward to your presentations next week. Emphatic Hand Gesture. Just a reminder about what we discussed in class yesterday. This week's blog post will be due Sunday April 17 at 8 pm, and your comments on Monday April 18 at 8 pm.

Wait for applause,
Ms. Henrickson

***

Today's Reflection

There are many things in this life that I do not know. However, I am fairly certain that there are very few people in this world who have had the distinctly...unique...experience of being swarmed and surrounded by a cadre of teenagers marching in unison as they rehearse their English assignments at the same time. Like some horrifying organism that has taken on a life of its own, Ms. Tyre and I could only watch, helpless, as the initially small groups grew with increasing ferocity until they formed one living, breathing, monologue-spewing mass. Some say average adult's worst nightmare, I say just another Tuesday afternoon English Enriched class.

Ms. Mah

GO 'NUCKS GO!

In the spirit of impending playoff fever and three, count'em THREE, persuasive essays that predicted the Canucks to take the cup this year, I present a little something for your viewing pleasure. It's local, it's timely, and, in my (completely unbiased) opinion, way better than the original.

Hi Everyone,

Your blog post for this week will be to write a response to your pre-Spring Break essay, where you answered the question, "Is Okonkwo a hero" (you will get your essays back tomorrow). Has your opinion changed now that you've finished the novel? Why or why not? Feel free to include any thoughts concerning post-colonialism or cultural relativity.

Quote of the week:

"It's unhygenic"
- Rando, to explain the Igbo practice of abandoning twin babies

"Grand Master Mah"
- Wilfred, annointing Ms. Mah with her new nickname
(NB: Ms. Mah approves of this new nickname!)