The Soliloquy

 

A soliloquy is a device used in drama where a character addresses the audience to portray an internal thought. The soliloquy can sometimes be confused with the monologue, however, the soliloquy is only to the audience and no other character is supposed to hear. A monologue is different because it is a dramatic speech to the audience and to other characters. When you watch this video, notice the similarities and differences in each actor's performance. Dialogue is crucial in dramas, which is why plays are viewed more on the content and less on the performance. Good plays can be performed badly, but bad plays can never be good because they suffer from poor dialogue.

Assignment: Shakespeare utilized the soliloquy and monologue often in his work. Post in the comments section another famous soliloquy or monologue by Shakespeare.

Jabberwocky and Context Clues

Read the following poem, which is famous for using nonsense words:

Jabberwocky
 
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.


Now that your finished reading the poem, think about the nonsense words that you just read. Did you understand any of them? If so, how? What was the poem about? How do you know? If you can answer any of these questions then you are utilizing context clues, and you might not even know. We use context clues in reading anytime we come across a word that we don't know. For example, If I left out a ***** in a sentence, your mind will try and fill in the blank. This is an important reading skill because many of the hard texts that you will come across will be full of words that you might not have ever seen before.


Assignment:
Pick out two of the nonsense words from this poem, and post the words and their definitions in the comments sections.


Extra Practice:


Context clue quiz-show game.

Analyzing History and Context

Context is the situation in which the story was written, including the time in history and in the author’s life.Context can influence the meaning of a story. When and where a story takes place often shape the characters and plot.

History is the set of facts that identify what was going on in the world at a certain time. In the story, the Scarlet Pimperrnel, the setting is Paris France, in September 1792. At that time, France had just undergone a revolution.

Culture refers to the traditions, attitudes, and beliefs people hold in a place and time.
History and culture affect what author chooses to write about, the characters he or she uses, an the way the characters behave.

Assignment: After you finish reading The Scarlet Pimpernell, identify any history or culture that could have influenced the text. Post your responses in the comments section.

Prepositions

Prepositions work in combination with a noun or pronoun to create phrases that modify verbs, nouns/pronouns, or adjectives. 

Example 1: Mr. Whitehead was in the class room.
Example 2: Mr. Whitehead of Sheldon High School ran in the classroom after lunch.

Here is a list of prepositions:

Aboard, about, above, across, after, against, along, amid, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, by, down, during, except, for, from, in, into, like, near, of, off, on, onto, out, over, past, since, through, throughout, to, toward, under, underneath, until, unto, up, upon, with, within, without.

Assignment: Write a sentence with a preposition underlined and post it in the comments section.

Freytag's Pyramid

Read the following basic elements of plot structure provided by Freytag's pyramid. Try to connect the different parts of a plot structure to a story that you have recently read.

Exposition-provides the background information needed to properly understand the story, such as the protagonist, the antagonist, the basic conflict, and the setting.

Rising Action- the basic internal conflict is complicated by the introduction of related secondary conflicts, including various obstacles that frustrate the protagonist's attempt to reach his goal. 

Climax-the turning point which marks for better or the worse in the protagonist’s affairs.

Resolution-conflicts are resolved creating normality for the characters and a sense of release of tension and anxiety, for the reader.

Falling Action- the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist unravels.

Assignment: Explain by posting in the comments section how the different parts of the story we read in class can fit into Freytag's pyramid.