Session One Part 2

Objective: Reading and writing for information and understanding, as assessed by:
- a written response to a text and related visual
- multiple-choice questions on basic comprehension.
Let's take a look at a past ELA Regents Part 2 exam and do the following: Read the entire text and graph.
Read the instructions and answer the following:

What kind of texts do you expect to read?
I expect to read an article and a graph about the Florida manatees.
What is a graph, and what kind of information does it elicit?
A graph is a chart that has data that is organized in a way that you can see what happened throughout a time period.
How can you compare the two?
The text tells you some of the leading cause of death to manatees and the graph tells you how many death.
What are they asking you to do in this essay?
They asked that in your essay you must explain why the Florida manatees are endangered and discuss methods that can be used to save the Florida manatee.
Is this a persuasive or informative essay? Why?
I think this is an informative essay because it is informing you how manatees are getting killed and the number of manatees are killed.
What thesis statement can you possibly write for this essay?
The Florida manatees is an endangered species that are being killed by the hundreds every year and there are some possible ways to help these endangered species from being extinct.
What if they wanted you to write a Letter to a senator, then how many paragraphs would you write?
The minimum of 4 and the maximum of 6 paragraphs i will write in the letter.

Fences

Do some research on the time period of this play and autobiography on August Wilson (in your own words) make this brief August Wilson's Bio: complete name, DOB, DOD, education, conflicts from childhood to adult, achievements, personal life, works.Time Period of the play Fences: what was going on at that time.Create a list of all the characters and what role they play, how are they related, protagonist, antagonist, conflicts so far.

August Wilson was born Frederick August Kittel on April 27, 1945 in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During August Wilson's teenage years his mother married a man named David Bedford, which made the family move to a white working neighborhood called Hazelwood. When living in Hazelwood he had to to deal with racial comments, and bricks were thrown through at window at their new home. August Wilson was the only black student at Central Catholic High School which he attended in 1959. While he attended this high school there were threats against him and he was also abused which drive him away to another high school called Connelley Vocational. When he was in the 10th grade at Gladstone High School in 1960, he dropped out because a teacher accused him to use someone Else's work. In order for August Wilson to an education he went to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. In 1962 he enlists in the U.S army your three years but instead he goes for one. In 1965 he changed his name of Frederick August Kittel to August Wilson. August Wilson bought a typewriter and begun to write poems. In 1968 he begun to write plays, which he continued to write throughout the years. On October 2, 2005 August Wilson died in Swedish Medical Center in Settle due to him being diagnosed with liver cancer. Achievements: New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom(1985), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom(1985), Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play: Fences (1987), New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play: Fences(1987), Pulitzer Prize for Drama: Fences(1987), Tony Award for Best Play: Fences(1987), Literary Lion Award from the New York Public Library(1988), New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play: Joe Turner's Come and Gone(1988), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: Joe Turner's Come and Gone(1988), Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play: The Piano Lesson(1990), New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play: The Piano Lesson(1990), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: The Piano Lesson(1990), Pulitzer Prize for Drama: The Piano Lesson(1990), American Theatre Critics' Association Award: Two Trains Running(1992), New York Drama Critics Circle Citation for Best American Play: Two Trains Running(1992), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: Two Trains Running (1992), New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play: Seven Guitars(1996), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: Seven Guitars(1996), National Humanities Medal(1999), New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play: Jitney(2000), Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play: Jitney(2000), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: King Hedley II(2001), Olivier Award for Best new Play: Jitney (2002), The Freedom of Speech Award at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival(2004), Make a Shift Award at the U.S. Play Writers(2005), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: Radio Golf(2007)
Sources: http://www.post-gazette.com/magazine/19991216awtimeline9.asp and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Wilson,

Characters:
Troy Maxson- Troy is the protagonist of the book Fences. Troy is a strong, hard working man who use to lifts gargage into trucks but then got to drive the truck. Troy is the husband of Rose, is the father to Lyons, Cory and Raynell. The conflicts that Troy had done was to force Cory to quit the football team and he cheated on his wife with a women named Alberta.
Jim Bono- Jim Bono is Troy's best friend and works with also works with Troy. In the book Fences Jim is called Bono or Mr. Bono. Jim married a women named Lucille who is best friends with Rose. On Friday Troy and Bono will be at Troy's house and they will both be drinking and talking.
Rose Maxson- Rose Maxson is Troy's wife of 18 years. Rose had a child with Troy named Cory. Rose believes in letting Cory do what he wants to do. Troy cheated on her with a woman named Alberta.
Lyons Maxson- Lyon is Troy's first son from a different woman. Lyon is a musican that dosen't earn a lot of money and his girlfriend Bonnie helps him with money. Sometimes Lyon relies on Troy to get money with he reseves but sometimes can't pay back.
Garbriel Maxson- Gabriel is Troy's younger brother. He was a solider in World War II, her got a head injury while in the war which required him to get a mental plate in his head and left him with to have mental problems.
Cory Maxson- Cory is the son of Troy and Rose. Cory is a hard working boy that wants to play football but Troy doen't want him to. Troy wants Cory to work at A&P but Corty lies to Troy that he is working at A&P so he can play football.
Raynell- Raynell is the daughter of Troy and Alberta. Rose let Raynell stay with them in the Maxson House. Raynell's mother Alberta died when Raynell was born.


Homework: Plot the play Fences.

Exposition - Its Friday, good friends Troy and Bono are at Troy's house. It is also payday for the two men. Troy and Bono are drinking and talking about their job as garbage men. Troy wants to be a driver not garbage men. Bono also thinks that Troy is cheating on Rose with a women named Alberta.
Rising Action - Troy and Rose are arguing about letting Cory do what he wants to do. Troy wants Cory to get out the Football Team and go work at the A&P. Rose wants Cory to do what he wanted to do, which was Cory to be part of the Football team and on weekends to work at the A&P.
Climax - Troy tells Rose that he is going to be a father. He was going to have a baby with another women named Alberta. Rose is mad that he did that and they were married for 18 years.
Falling Action - Rose tells Troy that Alberta died at giving birth and he has a baby girl. Rose takes Raynell as her own child but refuses to be Troy's wife. Cory leaves Troy's house for good.
Conclusion - Troy dies due to a heart attack. Cory comes home from the marines and reunites with the Maxson family. Cory finally respects his father. Cory and Raynell sings the blue song that Troy will always sing.

Story Map #3

Fences, By August Wilson

Characters & Characterization:

The Protagonist is Troy. Troy Maxson was a strong, hard working African American man who works at the Sanitation department, lifting garbage into trucks but then he got a promotion. Troy’s promotion was to drive the Sanitation truck. Troy is the husband of Rose, is the father to Lyons, Cory, Raynell and the older brother of Gabriel. The conflicts that Troy had faced was to force Cory to quit the football team and he cheated on his wife with a women named Alberta.
The Antagonist is Alberta. Alberta is Troy’s lover and they met in Tallahassee. Troy cheated on his wife Rose with Alberta because of this affair it caused problems in Rose and Troy’s marriage. Alberta dies while giving birth to her daughter Raynell and Troy is the father to Raynell.

Setting:

Setting Time:1957-1965

Setting Place: The yard and porch of the Maxson house.

State the importance of the setting:The Porch of the Maxson house is were Bono and Troy will spend every Friday sitting, drinking, talking about their lives, and taking about their jobs. The Yard of the Maxson house is where Troy and Cory will have their arguments about Cory wanting to be on the football team.

Vocabulary:
1- Alfalfa: A southwest Asian perennial herb (Medicago sativa) having compound leaves with three leaflets and clusters of usually blue-violet flowers. It is widely cultivated as a pasture and hay crop.
2- Irrespective: Characterized by disregard; heedless.
3- Madder: A southwest Asian perennial plant (Rubia tinctorum) having small yellow flowers, whorled leaves, and a red root.
4- Tallahasee: The capital of Florida, in the northwest part of the state. Originally a Native American village, it was settled by the Spanish after 1539 and founded as the capital of the Florida Territory in 1824. Population: 159,000.
5- Vulgar: Crudely indecent.

Plot:
Its Friday, good friends Troy and Bono are at Troy's house. It is also payday for the two men. Troy and Bono are drinking and talking about their job as garbage men. Troy wants to be a driver not garbage men. Bono also thinks that Troy is cheating on Rose with a women named Alberta. Troy and Rose are arguing about letting Cory do what he wants to do. Troy wants Cory to get out of the football team and go work at the A&P Supermarket. Rose wants Cory to do what he wanted to do, which was letting Cory to be part of the football team and Cory will have to work on weekends at the A&P Supermarket. Troy tells Rose that he is going to be a father. He was going to have a baby with another women named Alberta. Rose is mad that he did that and they were married for 18 years. Rose tells Troy that Alberta died while giving birth and he has a baby girl. Rose takes Raynell as her own child but refuses to be Troy's wife. Cory leaves Troy's house for good. Troy dies due to a heart attack. Cory comes home from the Marines and reunites with the Maxson family. Cory finally respects his father. Cory and Raynell sings the blue song that Troy will always sing.

2 Quotes:
"Some people build fences to keep people out and other people build fences to keep people in.”
This quote means that fences are build for two reasons. One reason for building fences is to keep certain people out. The fences are used as a border to make people stay out of their property. To make non wanted visits and strangers to stay out. The second reason for building fences is to keep certain people in. The fences are used as a border as will in this situation. To keep family, friends and extended family to stay close and safe.

"You can't visit the sins of the father upon the child."
This quote means that the bad things that the father has done has nothing to do with the child. The child did nothing wrong. The father and the child are not the same person they are two different people. The child shouldn’t be blamed for the father’s wrong doing. As much has you hate what the father has done you must give the child a chance.

Conflicts:

The conflicts that the Maxson family faced were internal. The conflicts were internal because each of the members of the Maxson family faced a problem internal. Troy faced the problem with telling his wife that he cheated on her with another women. Rose faced the problem that Troy cheated on her with another wife and how to cope with this problem. Cory faced the problem that Troy didn’t want him to play on the football team and Troy wanted Cory to work at the A&P Supermarket. The member in the Maxson family that had external conflicts was Gabriel. Gabriel was a soldier in World War II, he got a head injury while in the war which required him to get a mental plate in his head and left him with having mental problems.

Themes:
Death: Death had a little role in the book Fences with Troy. Troy said that he had faced death he had said “That death ain’t nothing” and he “done seen him.” Troy says that he had talk with death, Troy will call he Mr. Death. Troy will say that death will bring his army to get him they were marching straight at him like soldiers in a parade. Troy said that he looked dead in the eyes of death because the bible said that you have to be vigilant. Troy wrestled with death for three day and three nights. Troy will all ways say that “Death ain’t nothing but fastball on the outside corner.”
History: History also plays a little role in the book Fences with Troy, Cory and Lyons. When Troy was little he played baseball. Troy wanted to play baseball in the Major leagues but he couldn’t because he was a colored man. During that time colored men couldn’t play Baseball and Football. During the time Cory was in High School times had changed, that colored boys are playing ball now. They are playing Baseball and Football. Cory can see why Troy is so hard on him. Troy had a hard childhood, his father was mean and abused Troy. He had no mother going up. In this situation Lyons had the same experience when he was little. Lyons grow up without Troy around because Troy was in jail.

Literary Elements:
Suspense: a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety.
On Page 3-4 Bono and Troy were talking and drinking because it is Friday and it is their ritual. While their talking Bono starts to think that something is going on with Troy and a women named Alberta. Troy has been eyeing her and buying her drinks. Troy has also been walking to Alberta’s house when he is suppose to be at Taylor’s. This makes you wonder what is going between Troy and Alberta. Then on Pages 61-64 Bono finds out that Troy and Alberta were fooling around because Alberta is pregnant and Troy is the father.

Characterization: portrayal; description
On Page 8-9 you can understand why Troy is the way he is. Troy is a strong and hard working African American man. The reason he is that because of what happened when he was young. When Troy was young he played Baseball and he wanted to play in the major league but he couldn’t because colored were not allowed to play. So, Troy couldn’t play in the Major League, he had to find a job and had to face reality. That is the reason why he is so hard on Cory with the football team and Lyons with his music.

Imagery: the formation of mental images, figures, or likenesses of things, or of such images collectively.
On Page 64-72 Rose and Troy were talking about what happened with Gabriel and how he got arrest. Next it went to on to getting lunch and then it went to Troy telling Rose that he is going to be a father, which led them into arguing about Troy’s affair. Finally Troy grabs Rose arm and starts hurting her. Cory comes and tries helping Rose out by punching out Troy, which led to Cory getting strike two. The dialogue that happened in these pages were so believable that I can see Rose and Troy talking, then arguing with each other. I can also see Cory trying to help Rose when Troy grab her arm, Cory punching out Troy and Troy saying “Strike two.”

Annotated Bibliography:

Wilson, August, Fences. New York : New American Library, 1986
Fences is a powerful and dramatic play that August Wilson won is first Pulitzer Prize. Troy Maxson is strong, hard working man that faces a hardship life that in a world he never knew well and to a wife and son that he doesn’t understand as well too. Troy faces problems like everyone of us face with in everyday life.

Part 4 ELA Regents: Critical Lens (Outline)

Introduction:
"To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else" was quoted by Bernadette Devlin. I agree with the quote that to gain something you desire, some sacrifices will have to be made. The book Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, by Harriet Jacobs and How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, By Julia Alvarez show that in order for the characters to gain what they desire they first have to make some sacrifices.

Body I : Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs
1- An introduction to the main character Linda Brent.
2- Linda wants to protect her children she can't see her children grow up.
3- Linda became cripped because she spent 7 years in her grandmothers garret.

Body II: How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez
1- An introduction to who Carols Garica is like Carlos being a Political activist.
2- How his Political Act made him get into trouble.
3- Carlos had to move his family because of his Political Acts.

Body III: Both Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and How the Garica Girls Lost Their Accents.
1- Setting played a role in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.
2- Characterization played a role in How the Garica Girls Lost Their Accents.
3- How both novels compare to the quote.

Conclusion:
Restate my opinion on the quote and how the two novels show that in order for the characters to gain what they desire they first have to make some sacrifices.

Part 4 ELA Regents: Critical Lens

Objective: Students will comprehend, analyze "quote/critical lens," and apply it to two works of literature

“To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else.”
—Bernadette Devlin
The Price of My Soul, 1969

"To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else" was quoted by Bernadette Devlin. I agree with the quote that to gain something you desire, some sacrifices will have to be made. The book Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs and How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents By Julia Alvarez show that in order for the characters to gain what they desire they first have to make some sacrifices.



“I like flawed characters because somewhere in them I see more of the truth.”
— Nicolas Cage
“His Truth is Out There”from Los Angeles Times,November 12, 2000

"I like flawed characters because somewhere in them I see more of the the truth." was quoted by Nicolas Cage. I agree with the quote that imperfect characters are not what they seem you can see the truth coming out. The play The Crucible by Arthur Miller and the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger shows that imperfect characters can show the truth by simply the way they act around people.