1.    What should our last essay be?  What do you want to write about?

Analyze a song-/ essay for me, prezi for the class.

Interpret the lyrics, tell what they mean.

2.    Alchemist Essay Notes.

At least 5 paragraphs-

Analysis of some aspect of the story-

At least 3 quotes per lit analysis paragraph.

Thesis that you create based on something that interests you in the book.

Thesis is an opinion:  In The Alchemist, the author, Paolo Coehlo, employs metaphor to show that the theme of the book is that one should follow his/her dreams.  (standard boring thesis)

Ask a question about something in the book that interests you and find an answer. (better way to go about a thesis)

Alchemy:  Definition, History, Determine the importance of Alchemy in the book-  It’s an extended metaphor- how?

In the Alchemist, the concept of alchemy is central to the text, and it becomes an extended metaphor for what it takes to achieve one’s goals.

Plan-

Define what alchemy is.

Provide some history of it.

Show the places it is important in the book using quotes

Explain how those quotes about alchemy line up with the idea of pursuing one’s goals and attaining them.

Conclusion to drive home the point.

3.    Alchemist Essay Brainstorm-  

4.    Writing about literature-  Practice

“’Hope’ is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul –“

When ED says that hope is a “thing with feathers” she means that hope is a bird, since birds have feathers, and when she writes that it “perches in the soul” this means that it lives inside of us because most believe that people have a soul within them.

When Vanessa said I was a bonehead she meant that…….. This means this because if a persons’ head is made only of bone, then that person has no brain, and if that person has no brain, then they must be stupid, so Vanessa was calling me stupid.

When people tell you, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, they mean that you should make sure to diversify your investments.

This means this because if a person has all of their “eggs,” or money, in one place, like a “basket”, then if something happens to that basket, all of the money is gone.  If the basket is dropped, then all of the eggs are broken, so the person carrying eggs should use multiple baskets to keep them safe, just like an investor should use multiple places to invest their money

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me

In hope is the thing with feathers, Emily Dickenson defines what hope is. For example, she says that hope, the bird, “sings a tune…and never stops at all” This means that hope never leaves us since it “never stops at all.”  Hope is always there when we need it, according to Ms. Dickinson.  Further, Ms. Dickinson says that hope is “sweetest in the gale.”  A gale is a storm, and if hope is “sweetest” there, this means that hope. 

5.    Final Project notes.

6.    P/S revised due tomorrow- Gathering for Alchemist, Finding a song to analyze.