Philosophical Journal

As I told you in class, you will be keeping a philosophical journal as you read The Stranger by Albert Camus. You may get a special notebook or use notebook paper and staple the entries together. Each entry should be at least a half a page of standard size notebook paper; if you use a smaller notebook, adjust accordingly. Write each entry on a separate page. There will be 15 entries, including three separate entries over one weekend. Journal entries will be posted on the board each day. The entire list is as follows:
1. In The Guest, Daru doesn't want to take sides. He thinks he can escape responsibility by letting the Arab decide his fate. Can you really avoid making decisions in life? When is not making a decision a decision in itself?
2. In The Guest, the Arab chooses prison over freedom. Freedom can be liberating or frightening. Can it be isolating to be completely free?
3.Read chapter two of The Stranger. On pg. 21, Meursault says, "I don't like Sundays." Compare how you feel on a Friday afternoon with how you feel on a Sunday afternoon. Is there a difference? What is it?
4.On pg. 21, Meursault says, "I cut out an advertisement for Kruschen Salts and stuck it in an old notebook where I put things from the papers that interest me." Cut out pictures, ads, articles that interest you from a newspaper or magazine and paste them on a separate page in your journal.
5. Read chapter three of The Stranger. On pages 27-28, Salamano says, "He's always there." Comment on the love/hate relationship in your life. (sibling, computer, etc.)
6. On page 39, Meursault realizes the sound he hears is Salamano crying. If you heard someone crying (neighbor, friend, stranger), what would you do?
7. Read chapters four and five of The Stranger. Choose one of the following journal entries:
Have you ever been disappointed in a goal? What did you do? Give up or try again?
Does adversity make you stronger?
Is marriage a serious thing? What does marriage mean to you?
What is your impression of Paris? Do you want to visit there?
What is your impression of old age?
What is your best physical quality? What if you lost it?
8, 9, and 10: Read chapter six of The Stranger. Keep a diary for the weeekend. You must have at least an entry for Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday. (see handout for complete instructions.)
11. Read part II, chapter 2. "There are some things I've never liked talking about." (pg. 72) What are the things you don't like talking about? Why? If nothing, why are you able to talk about everything?
12. Read part II, chapter 3. "It was just chance." (pg. 95) Comment on the role chance has played in your life.
13. Read part II, chapter 4. "My fate was being decided without anyone so much as asking my opinion." (pg.98) Have you ever felt this way? Explain.
14. Read part II, chapter 5. "Maman used to say you can always find something to be happy about." (pg. 113) How do you find things to be happy about? What makes you happy?
15. Read Albert Camus's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech. "Each generation feels called upon to reform the world." (handout pg. 526) Does this observation apply to your generation? Why or why not?

Meet in the Library on Monday

Before you begin reading The Stranger, by Albert Camus, I want to introduce you to various philosophies, including existentialism. We will meet in the library on Monday, where you will pair up and do some quick research on a philosopher. Each pair will give a two-minute presentation on their philosopher while the rest of the class takes notes.

Bring your literature textbook on Wednesday

We will continue our short story unit with The Guest, by Albert Camus.

Verb Tenses

If you were absent on Friday, we did Practice pg. 579 in writing.

On Monday and Tuesday, you will have an open-book test on Grammar Review pgs. 592-596.

Poetry Trilogy Due Friday by 5 p.m. on Turnitin.com

3 Poems - 2 Poets - 1 Theme

Choose three poems by two poets that have the same theme. (You must choose two poets we have read in class but you may find others poems written by them.)
Possible themes: love, nature, death, loneliness, alienation, routine of life

Write a five-paragraph essay about the three poems and their theme.

Write one-to-two biographical paragraphs on each poet in your own words.

Reproduce the poem and annotate at least three literary terms (such as simile, metaphor, personification, etc.).

Upload the assignment as one document on Turnitin.com. Your user name and passwords are the same as last semester. If you should need the class codes they are:
3646394 (period 2)
3646413 (period 4)
3646395 (period 5)