PDF of Cuckoo's Nest

Here is a copy of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. you download this free copy.

Coen Brothers Reading Due May 11

For Monday May 11 read and annotate the following readings. We will do an in-class write test, and you will need annotations and citations.

You will need to answer the 1 of the following 2 prompts:

     1, Which of the movie scenes we watched best exemplifies the Coen Brothers' Style? Explain,            with examples from the reading and evidence from your movie notes.

     2. Describe the Coen Brothers' auteurship; what exactly is their signature style? Use as many              examples and citations as you need to prove your point.

These are the readings:

 "The Woman who Froze in Fargo" on Grantland (this is about the woman who died looking for the money- you need to be able to explain how this article is relevant to the question...)

"The Coen Brothers Know How to do Murder" on Trans/Plant/Portation and asnwer one fo the above questions on a 1-2 page response, including citations from the reading.

For extra credit, you will need to read and annotate one of the following articles:

• extra credit read "Fargo Forum: Minnesota, masculinity,  Mike Yanagita, and more" on Dissolve
• extra credit (30 page PDF) "from Blood Simple to True Grit" (this is long and will count as two assignments).
• extra credit "Coen Heads" from New York Magazine
• extra credit read "Death in the Snow" from the Guardian

In class Summarizing and Paraphrasing activity readings

1. Read this article about Up in the Air by Owen Glieberman.

2.Read this article about Up in the Air by Weslesy Morris.

3. Read this article about Up in the Air by David Cox.

Pick one of the articles and summarize its content in two sentences and use it as part of your response.

Pick one of the articles and paraphrase the author's main argument.

Rom/Com reading and essay due for Spring Break

We are doing an exploration of the Romantic Comedy Genre. It is my belief that the traditional "Rom/Com" is dead. For me, the traditional "Rom/Com" existed from 1980-2001. After 9/11 we have seen a dramatic shift in the way we view and define the genre. Pay attention to the definition of the traditional genre we have been creating in class, as well as be able to identify your own new version of the term "rom/com". Don't forget that tone plays an integral part in the definiton.

TASK: It will be your job to identify what we should call this new era of the "Rom/Com", define its elements and explain what caused the new era.

In order to complete this you will need to read each of the articles below and annotate them. Keep in mind what you have learned about the definition of the traditional "Rom/Com" and remember that you are doing a comparison as you define the new era.


1. Read "25 years later, When Harry Met Sally... is still the perfect Rom Com" from Time by Megan Gibson

2. Watch this CBS news report on how When Harry Met Sally... is the quintessential Rom Com

3. Read "Knocked Out: Have Romantic Comedies Become Obsolete?" from Grantland by Wesley Morris

4. Read "The Rom Com Hall of Fame, Champions and Challengers" from Grantland, by Grantland Staff

5. Read "Juno and the culture Wars" from Slate by Anne Hulbert.

6. Read "Where has the Love Gone? from Grantland, by Andy Greenwald

7. Read "How the Mindy Project Brought Stealth Feminism to TV" from RYOT, by Maureen Lee Lenker

8. Read "Paulie Bleeker is Totally Boss" by Billy Mernit

9. Read "Silver Linings Playbook Shatters Rom Com Mold" from Breitbart by  Julia Tayles

If these links are not working, drag the link to the URL bar and it should open from there.

Paper: After reading all these articles, you will be writing a 5 paragraph essay. (MLA format, as always) that defines the new era of "rom/com", identifies the elements of this new era and explain how it came about. You must use at least 3 direct quotations and one summary or paraphrased citation.

Extra credit 1: watch Knocked Up, or the 40 Year Old Virgin, take notes and write a jounral on whether it is a Traditional Rom/Com, or a modern Rom/Com or something else. If you can think of another movie that fits your definition of the new era of Rom/Com you may watch that and explain how it fits the definition.

Extra credit 2: Explain in an academic response, with citations whether The Fault in Our Stars, is a traditional Rom/Com or something else.

This is due Monday 4/20 by 3pm via Turnitin.com, upon return from Spring Break. Contact Mr. U before April 20, with any password or login issues.

Turinitin enrollment info:

• first period: FAL1> ID 9147916, PW english1
• second period FAL2> ID 9211029 PW english2
• fourth period FAL 4> ID 9147990 PW english4
• fifth period FAL 5> ID 9147999 PW english5

Extra reading regarding Alfred Hitchcock

1. Use this link to find info about Hitchcok's "Rear Window"
2. Use this link to find info about Hitchcock's Legacy

extra credit
1. Read andtake notes on this article about Hitchcock's legacy to the Bay Area.
2. Follow this link to YouTube of some of Hitchcock's most famous scenes. If it doesnt work, just copy paste the link into the a new window. Take notes.
3. Use YouTube to view the famous shower scene from Psycho.

Using at least 1 direct citation from an article you find on your own and 1 from the links above I provided. Explain which is your favorite Hitchcock scene and how it exemplifies his legacy. Cite your sources. Turn in all your notes.

Reading due March March 10,11 (Homework to do during my absence).

Read "A Good Man is Hard to Find", by Flannery O'Conner

listen to "True Detective" by David Sedaris (linked below under "listening")

This American Life, did an episode with Davd Sedaris about detectives and detective stories This American Life broadcasts in 3 Acts. You may skip ahead to start of Act 2, as this is where Sedaris reads. The story is meant to be heard. You may stop listening after the David Sedaris story, I have linked the transcript so you can read the story here:
                       "True Detective" by David Sedaris
                           -> (Skip just below the "prologue" and you will the story in written form).

For each story, you may download the PDF onto an e-reader if you prefer and annotate from there using Evernote or Diigo or Google Docs. Otherwise, for each story, you need 1 full page of notes minimum. We will review the stories upon my return. It will be helpful to have an annotated copy of each story Your notes should include:

• at least 15 plot points, ie main character, narrative structure, main obstacles etc
• 5 vocab words 
• 3 most important quotations, cited with 1-2 sentences expalining importance
• at least 5 pieces of personal commentary

MId Winter Break Reading Assignment

Both of these readings are due in class, Monday Feb 23. 

1. Read "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", by F. scott Fitzgerald

2. Read "It had to be Murder", by Cornell Woolrich

Extra credit:

Read "A Good Man is Hard to Find", by Flannery O'Conner

For each story, you may download the PDF onto an e-reader if you prefer and annotate from there using Evernote or Diigo. Otherwise, for each story, you need two full pages of notes minimum. Your notes should include:

• at least 15 plot points, ie main character, narrative structure, main obstacles etc
• 5 vocab words 
• 3 most important quotations, cited with 1-2 sentences expalining importance
• at least 5 pieces of personal commentary
• for Ben Button, pay particular attention to how he is treated and why
• for Murder, pay attention to the clues as to who committed the crime

We will need this when we come back, so I am putting it here for anyone who may want to listen ahead. This American Life, did an episode with Davd Sedaris about Detectives. You may stop listening after the David Sedaris story, "True Detective". 

Memento Reading Assignment and (possible extra credit)

Read and annotate “Christopher Nolan’s Memento – Analysis of the narrative structure of a noirish revenge film"  by Torben Schmidt.

As you are reading make sure you understand the elements of Neo- Noir Films and the definition of a femme fetale. There are a few typos, but it gets to the point of explaining Memento's narrative structure.

Also below is an interesting interpretation of the mementos in Memento. from Hartzog.org, a professor who has linked several very interesting pages about the movie, including the script and original story- "Memento Mori". Read and annotate it for extra credit by the end of mid winter break.

Another technique Nolan uses to keep the b &w story visually engaging is the use of mementos. Mementos are a key idea in the film because mementos--objects, notes, photographs, almost anything--are concrete means of remembering important events, people, things, etc. from the past. So it's appropriate that Leonard uses many different kinds of mementos as ways of trying to cope with his short-term memory loss. Mementos are a means of preserving at least a few short term memories.

The most important mementos in the b & w segments are the tattoos. Using tattoos as mementos is a brilliant stroke for two reasons. First a tattoo is permanent. It isn't easily destroyed or misplaced like photos or written notes. But more importantly tattoos are visually fascinating. The current cultural rage for tattoos is a testimony to the tattoo's power to arrest attention.

His tats visually dramatize Leonard's condition. The bewildering array of tattooed messages, which we know mean something to Leonard, communicate to us the opposite: a chaos of fragmentary and cryptic messages that make no sense. By means of the tattoos, we can see engraved on his body the radical disorientation of his condition.
In the scenes in the motel room, one of the key means of keeping the audience engaged is the focus on Leonard's tattoos as he's speaking. We also see him in the process of making his own tats with needle and a ball point pen.

Crash Homework and reading

Read and annotate this article from Roger Ebert titled In Defense of the year's "worst Movie".

Include 3 examples from your movie notes and at least 1 direct citation from the article to write a 1-2 page academic response.

Prompt: Explain your reaction to the movie Crash by interpreting the use of racism. Some critics had it on their "Best movie of the year" list, while more had it on their "Worst movie of the year" list. What do you think? Consider if the racism was "reponsible" and is the criticism of the movie valid?

Extra credit- look up another article, or video, about Crash, read and annotate and include it in your response.

Jan 30 Test prep

Next Friday, Jan 30, there will be an in-class Test. It will be a timed-write. The test will be based on the readings below AND what else you have learned about 3-Act Structure from the previous readings.

Read and annotate the following articles. You may have just a page of notes for each. For the test you will need to select direct citations that will be used as evidence in our response.

Your grade will be based on the Common Core Informative rubric:
http://www.schoolimprovement.com/docs/Common%20Core%20Rubrics_Gr11-12.pdf

These are thereadings for you to read and annotate:

1. What's wrong with the 3 Act structure by James Bonnet

2. What is a Multiple Narrative by Kori Morgan (fixed the link).

3. What is the Three Act Structure? by Stephen J. Cannell

4. Read these two simple, quick easy excerpts:
          Structure and Plot 
          Conflict is the essence of drama

We will follow-up in class.

Extra Credit; Yosemite free climb

• Read and annotate this article on titled "Free Climbing Yosemite's Elcapitan takes Time and a Team".

• Watch this video and read the post.

• Find a third article on your won that relates and annotate.

Response: Relate this climb to Chris McCandless and add in your own personal reflection, in a one page response, using direct citations.

Due FEB. 9

3 Act Structure, Storyline and Plot Assignment.

As we study Narravative Structure, we are learning the elemments which create the storyline, plot, timeline which help the director shape their own vision.

• 1. Read this article with a basic description of 3 -Act Structure. from ElementsOf Cinema.com, titled  3 Act Structure.

• 2. Read and annotate this article titled Narrative First about the narrative Structure of Stand By Me. 

• 3. Then watch this video on 3 Act Structure and take notes.

Extra Credit: Share a video on FaceBook about 3 Act structure or Hero's Journey, with a brief descriotion of what is "new information learned" from the video.

Terms to remember to remember: Plot, Narrative, 3 Act Structure, Sotry within a story, Denouement, Apotheosis, Belly of the Whale

• 4. Task: Use three of the terms to write a 1 page academic response, using direct quotations from the reading and videos defining the storyline or narrative structure of either The Sixth Sense or Stand By Me.

DUE BLOCK DAY Jan 20, 21.

River Phoenix - Extra Credit Reading Due Feb. 9

Read and annotate the two articles below on River Phoenix and then write a 1 page response that defines the legacy of Phoenix, as identified in the readings 20 years after his death.

You must use at least 1 doirect quotation from each article in your response and follow the acadewmic writing guidelines we have established. Also, turn in your notes from the articles.

Vanity Fair, "The Night at the Viper Room": http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2013/10/river-phoenix-overdose-dan-aykroyd

Rolling Stone Magazine, "Last Night at the Viper Room"; http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/last-night-at-the-viper-room-the-life-and-death-of-river-phoenix-20131022

This is Due no later than Feb. 9.

Understanding Hero's- Extra Credit Due Feb. 9.

Extra Credit will be for watching 1 of the movies and reading the article and writing the acompanying response. It is due no later Feb. 9.

1. Watch and take notes on the Hunger Games: Catching fire.
objective for notes; Is Katniss a traditional "hero"?

2. Watch the Lego Movie.
objective for notes: Is Emmit a traditional "hero"?

3. Read the article titled Kaniss Everdeen as Female Hero Archetype.
Read an annotate and write a paragraph respose, using citations about Katniss as the hero.

If you do not have acces to the movies you may read the article and write a 2 page response regarding Katniss as hero.