Nonfiction Weekend Reading

We discussed "skimming" today in class.  Your assignment for this weekend is to skim your book, noting the main idea and organization.  Please read the first section, as well.  We will discuss on Monday.

(If you have not purchased a book yet, please find one before Monday. The libraries are well-stocked, and you can email me with any questions.)

Enjoy your weekend.

Your Grand Experiment

As we've been reading Into the Wild, we have returned to one question again and again:

• Why did he do it?

Now, I turn this question to you. Your first writing assignment of this session is an explanation/exploration of your own life. Chris McCandless realized that there was something amiss in his world, and he attempted to fix it.  Whether he found his answers is not something we can ever know, but we can take the lens we're using to study him and turn it on ourselves.

I ask that you write a piece on your own life.  It may take the form of an analysis, a narrative, a treatise, even an anthem.  Do some freewriting, look over your journals, create an outline of ideas (we'll talk about this tomorrow), then decide which form would be best. I'll talk with each of you individually about your outlines on Friday (13), so have a solid start by then.

Here are some questions you might consider (add more to the "Comments" section if you think of others more pertinent):

• Why do you do ______?
• What do you want to do with your life?/What goals do you hold?
• What plans do you have to achieve these?
• What obstacles do you foresee?/What obstacles are in place now?
• How can you overcome them/turn them into opportunities?

This is not a simple assignment, nor is it a chance for you to rant against the wrongs done to you, but an exploration of your aspirations and current situation. Remember, if we've learned anything so far,it's this: When you're heading into the wild, better have a map...

"To Light a Fire" Link and Reading Schedule

Lack London's short story "To Light a Fire" can be found here

Here's your reading schedule for Into the Wild.  Read through the chapter number given before the date given:

Friday (06): Ch 2

Monday (09): Ch 5

Tuesday (10): Ch 7

Wednesday (11): Ch 8

Thursday (12): Ch 10

Friday (13): Ch 12

Finish book before Monday (23).

I do love Thoreau...

It's nearly spring! I just hope it gets warm enough for us to read some Walden outdoors. (But why would that matter?  How does that make the reading experience more enjoyable?)

If you're interested, or did not receive a copy of "Economy" in class, here it is. (We're reading through page 10 for tomorrow):

First Day & Love in the Time of Cholera

Great first day, guys.  I hate talking as much as I did, but I think we're set for the year.  If you want a copy of the syllabus or the LitToC stuff, you can download it all here.

Also, here is the Scribd document of the novel.  As I said before, use it only until you purchase the book.  You will not be able to read the entire novel on a computer or iTouch screen.

As you read, mark the parts that are interesting to you.  This will be the first thing I ask about tomorrow.  (And don't forget vocab!)