English 258

For Thursday, let’s read and talk about Hemingway’s short story “Cat in the Rain.”

We’ll also do some bookclubbin’!  This is your last in-class chance to get your bookclub presentation in order – – make sure everyone knows what they’re doing, set time limits, arrange multimedia extravaganzas, etc.

For Tuesday, let’s talk about these stories from In Our Time: “On the Quai at Smyrna,” “Indian Camp,” and “The Battler.”  (The latter two are available online here.)

And, we’ll spend some time in class preparing for your Bookclub presentations!

Let’s continue talking about “Burial of the Dead” from Eliot’s “The Waste Land.”  You started dividing this first book of the poem into its separate images.  Now, see if you can locate images or metaphors of “the Dead” and/or the un-Dead in each of these fragments.

And, let’s meet in our book clubs to catch up on all the work you’ve done over the fall recess.

Well, no need for a personal holiday – – the SFSU campus is closed this Thursday and Friday due to bad air quality.  Enjoy your break and stay safe!

Some things to keep in mind on your return:

• your “Lexicon of American Literature” assignment is due
• you want to read the first section – – “Burial of the Dead” – – in T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land” 
• and, as you finish reading and writing about your book in our bookclubs, you’ll want to really start sketching out the connections between your book and American literature

It’s bookclubbin‘ time!  Let’s spend a little time in class talking about your books.  At this point, you want to be close to done reading your book and ready to start thinking about how you want to define your book as “American literature.”

Also, I’ve posted our next two-page assignment – – “The Lexicon of American Literature.”

Let’s finish up with Robert Frost by reading and talking about “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” 

And, let’s read and discuss Ezra Pound’s very short poem, “In a Station of the Metro.” 

Let’s start class by doing some bookclubbin‘!

Then, if we have enough time, let’s talk about Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”

On Thursday, let’s do some bookclubbin’!  You’ll have a chance to meet face-to-face with your bookclub in class to talk about your book, reading logs, and reading progress.

And, let’s read two Robert Frost poems – – “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”  These are lovely but tricky poems.