G bell-Chekhov and Kincaid-Due Friday, October 15th

Both Chekhov and Kincaid portray conflicts through relationships within their short stories. In "The Lady with the Pet Dog," the connection between Dmitry and Anna is filled with contradictions through a morally corrupt affair, while in Kincaid's "Girl," the association between the mother and the daughter creates tension within the household. Using textual evidence, support how these challenges allow the reader to obtain a stronger understanding of these short stories.

E Bell Hawthorne Post, Due Friday Oct. 15

Nathanial Hawthorne's writings often featured extensive references to Puritanism in the New England region. Hawthorne's ancestors lived during the height of Puritanism in New England and were involved in the Salem witchcraft trials in 1692-1693. His writings often reflect this background, suggesting he feels shame and guilt for the crimes of his ancestors. Analyze Hawthorne's dynamic tone regarding Puritanism in ANY of his works that you have read (short stories, novels, etc.). Use Freudian psychoanalytic techniques to construct your own "spin" of ideas on Hawthorne's intended message. What is Hawthorne trying to say about Puritan society? the human mind? This is a flexible prompt topic and each student should be able to present ample evidence to support his/her opinion (use quotes, personal analysis, etc.). Be sure to provide insightful thoughts and inject new ideas into this blog feed - avoid repetitiveness.
Brennan Pieroni, Jeffrey Ruland, and Natalie Undeland

Freud and Hawthorne E Bell - Due Friday, October 8th

Freud is known for using the psychoanalytic theory for his patients. He uses methods like free association to understand his patients’ illnesses, and believes windows are opened to a person's inner feelings through dreams. "Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne describes a disturbing dream where the protagonist of the story, Goodman Brown, comes face to face with evil. Choose specific examples that relate Freud's interpretation of dreams and his theory of "the mind is like an iceberg" to Brown's disturbing dream.  (Kelsey R. and Kevin J.)

F Bell Sept. 30th

In the short stories "Saving Sourdi" and "We Came All the Way from Cuba So You Could Dress Like This" characters face challenges due to their family's background. Choose specific examples of this, explain how they enhance the plot, and relate the examples to the author's background. Be sure to add textual evidence to support your assertions.

You may find these links helpful for backrounds on the cultures:

http://www.cal.org/co/cubans/life.htm

http://chinaunique.com/educate/culture.htm

G Bell-Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud devoted his life to deciphering the human mind. He utilized the method of psychoanalytic theory to better understand the brain and how it functions. http://wilderdom.com/personality/L8-1MajorThemesAssumptionsPsychoanalytic.html; Using the site above as a reference, find two characters (one from Faulkner's work and one from O'Connor's) and explain why these characters exemplify the meaning of psychoanalytic theory. What traits do they possess that make them significant examples of psychoanalysis and Freud's teachings?