Classnotes 4/27-5/2

5/2/11	INTRO: Rule of the Bone reading quiz today. (chapters 16-22)  We also signed out our next book, The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier. NOTES: Had general discussion of Rule of the Bone.  Some comments made were as follows: a lot of funky stuff going on writing was crude (lack of correct grammar and punctuation-no quotation marks) sequence of events not probable- I-man brought walking stick with needles on it, onto the plane Bone sleeping with Evening Star-why was it necessary?            - to get back at his Dad (the chapter is named “Bone’s Revenge”)            - Bone feels guilty about I-man            - clinical approach            - he has overcome the trauma of his molestations            - coming of age, sexual maturity, independence Definitions: Bildungsman: a coming-of-age novel where travel is prominently featured. Hedonism: happiness through pleasure (like Russ is looking for) We worked for several minutes on an outline for tomorrow’s assignment. HOMEWORK: Rule of the Bone Assessment essay,  Assignment #4, due on Tuesday.
4/29/11	NOTES: Met in groups assigned on Wednesday. Reviewed the cave scene on pages 318-328. Relevance of this part to the rest of the book: Literally, what is happening?  Bone smokes hallucinogen, and hallucinates. In hallucination, Bone is a black slave, driving a sugar cane cart. (His race is not mentioned, but evidence of it on bottom of page 326.)  Slaves treat him as “equal”. There are white slave traders. Setting?  Around the 1830’s in Jamaica Clue that this is a hallucination? Bone is in the cave one second, and somewhere else the next second.  It’s not logical. What is the drum beating?  Bone’s heart beating? Farm- wagon loaded/unloaded Bone molested behind the barn Burns down the farm He runs Significance of this scene?  Don’t do drugs!  This may be a short “glimpse” of his whole life:            - hiding            - running            - being molested            - his greatest fears (step dad, being found, being controlled, being                          homeless) The small child, naked on stage, jumping like a frog, may be analogous to Froggy. (Rose) Self-slavery- Is Bone a slave to his own lifestyle?  Is this a literal portrayal of this? Sugar cane- Does this stand for drug addiction?  (get rum from sugar cane) Symbols and/or Motifs: Molestation - or is it a theme? Guns: Do they symbolize authority? Or violence? Or are they a phallic symbol for sexual insecurity? (Joker, Bruce, Ken, his Dad) In cave scene, molesting behind the barn: does it stand for Ken? Does the auctioneer in cave scene stand for his real dad, since they look similar?  Also, we know that his real dad is a racist. HOMEWORK: Quiz on last third of Rule of the Bone on Monday.  Assessment Essay, Assignment #4, is now due on Tuesday.  Reading assignments on calendar will be pushed ahead.
4/28/11	check-in day today HOMEWORK: Finish Rule of the Bone.  Quiz on the book Monday.  Assessment for Rule of the Bone, Assignment #4, is also due Monday.
4/27/11	NOTES:  Definitions: symbol: an object used to represent something greater - example: rose is symbol for love motif: something that recurs in a text (can be a symbol but doesn’t have to be) example: gang violence/general violence in The Outsiders In small groups, we had to read pages 318-328, Rule of the Bone, then answer the following: What relevance does this have to the rest of the book? Find 3 symbols or motifs. Check in tomorrow. HOMEWORK: Read pages 377-390, Rule of the Bone.