Blog #7: What I took away from our Crucible discussion

Write about an idea that you took away from our Crucible discussion today. You could write about a new insight that you gained or something that the group discussed that you were interested in. Pick something that you can discuss with some depth and that you can develop through textual references. This blog will be longer and more developed that previous ones that you have written.

Write your blog entry on a word document and then copy/paste it into the comment section of this blog (no worries about lost writing that way)!

Be sure to...
1. Discuss your own thinking about the topic as well as what your classmates said. It's okay to still have questions--but take the time to explore possible answers to those questions.

2. Discuss and ANALYZE specific scenes and lines of dialogue from the play and/or the article. Talk about how certain details and words lead to your interpretations.

3. Develop your ideas with depth (about 300 words).

4. Break up ideas into logical paragraphs (no one big block of print).

5. Check to make sure your sentences are clearly written and that you used correct punctuation and spelling.

6. Give your blog entry a fitting title.

Blog #6: The Crucible through the eyes of a psychologist

For this blog entry you will need to use the handout we went over in class that summarizes the different psychological theories.

Pick one character or one part of Act 3.

Use one of the theories from the handout we went over in class to analyze that character or that scene. What insights do you gain by viewing that character or scene with this particular psychological lens? How can you explain the behaviors you observed or any characters' decisions? What are some questions that still remain for you?

Be sure to use specific ideas or parts of the theory as you discuss the character or scene you selected.

Be sure to analyze (pick apart) specific lines of dialogue from the play.

Don't forget to give your entry a title and include your name. And of course, proofread before publishing!

Blog #5: conformity and mass hysteria articles and The Crucible

You will be working with 3 different texts for this blog entry!
1. Read the two articles I gave you: "Why So Many Minds Think Alike" by Elizabeth Landau and "Terror's Hidden Ally" by Laura Spinney.

2. Write about something from the articles that you thought was interesting or even puzzling. You can center your discussion around one particular passage in one of the articles or some of the writers' most interesting points. Just be sure that you are talking about something specific from the text of the articles. No generalizations!!

3. After you have discussed what you found interesting or puzzling about the article, connect those ideas to something specific you noticed in Act I of The Crucible. You could connect to a specific character, quote, or exchange of dialogue. Again be specific; no generalizations!

Blog #4: Write about a character from act 1 of The Crucible

Pick one character from act 1 of The Crucible to write about. Look back at the scenes that character is involved in and what he/she says or does. Write about your interpretation of that character. What ideas do you have about his/her motives, fears, values, and point of view? What are some things you are wondering about? Based on what you have seen so far, what role will this character mostly likely play as events unfold. Be sure to discuss specific lines from the text of the play.

Blog assignment #3: "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

Write about an idea you have about the sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."  Your idea doesn't have to cover the whole sermon -- it could focus on one specific passage or passages. Look for ideas from the class activities and discussions that surrounded our exploration of this text. Your idea needs to go beyond just a personal reaction.  Your idea should include an interpretation and analysis of specific textual details in the text of the sermon.
 
Develop that idea with specific details from the text.  Talk in detail about the examples you use and how they relate to your bigger idea.

Give your entry a title that fits your idea.  Also don't forget to include your name.

Blog assignment #1: a book I read...

Talk about a book you read that you found

interesting, provocative, or even mildly engaging.

Identify the title (and author if you remember), and then write a paragraph telling about the book. You could talk about the basic plot and characters if it is a fictional book or some of the topics or ideas if it is a nonfiction book. Be sure to discuss the parts that were most interesting to you as a reader. Also talk about why you would recommend this book to someone looking for an outside reading book--what makes it a good read? What kind of person would like this book?

Assignment #2 -- Use Imagery to Create Fear

Your second blog assignment involves writing a creative piece!

Describe a place or a situation that normally wouldn't be scary.  Use imagery and specific word choices to elicit fear or a sense of dread or anxiety in the reader.  Think creatively!