ModernismMay 4-8, 2015

May 4, 2015

Quickwrite: In your opinion, what is art? What are the different forms of art? What is the importance of art, if any? Why do you believe that?

Daily Notes: Modernism

Essential Questions: What is Modernism? How does Modernism reflect the time period?

What is Modernism?Modernism is an artistic movement (roughly between the early 1900’s to the 1950’s) that rejected traditional forms and emphasized bold new ways of expression, revolutionized arts and audiences.

Can you see the difference?What differences can you see between these two pieces of art (Realism and Modernism)? List at least 3.

What major social / political events were shaping American Modernism?

•World War I

•The Depression & The New Deal

•World War II, the Atomic Bomb, and The Holocaust.

Values, Attitudes, & Ideas•Disillusioned with Old Ideas & Ideals: The ideas / ideals of the 19th century failed. They could not prevent the slaughter of WWI.

•Wider Cultural Awareness: Wars and new technologies made Americans more aware of other cultures and artistic traditions.

•Greater Democratization: The middle class is expanding. Women, African Americans, and immigrants from around the world played increasingly important roles in American culture.

Values, Attitudes, & Ideas cont.•Fragmentation of Experience: War, the

stress of modern urban life, and the sheer speed of change enmeshed many people in feelings of uncertainty, imbalance, and a sense of discontinuity.

Modernism Art – American Challenges1. Create a list of 5 things Americans face as

challenges today. Consider social, political, and world affairs.

2. With each item, write a brief paragraph explaining what the challenge is and how you think it effects American Literature—or American Culture.

3. Once you are done with that, consider what you might draw to represent each problem. What colors would you use?

4. Create a drawing that uses the images you have decided will represent each item. Make this one complete art piece.

5. Finally, write a paragraph explaining your art piece and why you organized it the way you did.

Turn In at Tray

1. American Challenges List / Explanation2. American Challenges Modernism Art

Piece with explanation.

May 5, 2015Quickwrite: In your opinion, what is the current status of the world? What should be the status of the world? Consider how people/countries interact, how people live/socialize, and the way you believe people should live versus how they live currently.

Daily Notes: Modernism Continued

Essential Questions: Why do people aspire to new dreams and experience both defiance and protest in their quest? What are some common struggles we have seen from the Modernist time period until now?

Narrative Conventions of Modernists

Modernist began to pay close attend to how they told their stories.•Transitions, expositions, and explanations were

sometimes omitted. •Plot lines were often unresolved and not all

loose ends were tied together.•Timelines were not always in chronological

order. •Writing moved in and out of inner and outer

realities. •There was a focus on the “stream of

consciousness.”

•Modernist Forms: Modernist broke away from formal boundaries, preferring to take their own approach to art and literature in order to express themselves.

•Themes: Themes were implied and not always obvious to the reader. The reader had to pay closer attention, ask more questions, and forge more connections themselves.

•Tone: Many modernists had a focus on irony. Modernist showed the gap between how the world was and how it should have been. They dissected the world.

Style: •Sentences became shorter and harder-edged.•There was snappier dialogue. •There was less flowery descriptions and more

use of everyday American vocabulary. Imagery: •High & Low Culture •Domestic & Exotic •Elegant & Vulgar •Common & Bizarre Allusions:•As America’s knowledge and awareness of

other cultures expanded—so did allusions in literature.

Identities of American Literature:•Denizen of the Wasteland—Wanderer through

a war-wearied landscape, spiritually exhausted, in search of new values.

•Member of the lost Generation—Disillusioned, self-indulgent, escapist, expatriated.

•Triumphant Commoner—Believer in the innate strength of those who remain close to the land.

•Poetic Maker—Believer in the saving power of art and imagination.

•African American Artist—Creator of art from the African American perspective/experience.

The Turtle—From the Grapes of Wrath1. Read pages 757-7612. Answer the Critical Reading Questions on page

761 in complete sentences. 3. Then answer the following questions:

▫What does the turtle’s reaction to the parapet suggest about the story’s theme?

▫What symbolic meaning might you give to the turtle’s actions after it is hit by the truck?

Turn in at Tray, then complete any makeup work you have. This is due today! I will not accept it late.

May 6, 2015Quickwrite: What factors seem to influence literature? Why do you believe people create literature and art? How can literature and art be beneficial to a culture?

Daily Notes: Harlem Renaissance

Essential Questions: Why do people aspire to new dreams and experience both defiance and protest in their quest? What are some common struggles we have seen from the Modernist time period until now?

What is the Harlem Renaissance? The Harlem Renaissance was a period of musical, literary, and cultural proliferation that began in New York’s African-American community during the 1920s and early 1930s.

http://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/videos/the-harlem-renaissance

Harlem Renaissance Analysis Each group has an image. You are to examine the image and answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN PAPER:

1. What do you see in this image?

2. What does this image make you feel or remind you of? Why?

3. What do you think might be the message of this image? What makes you believe that? Be specific.

Harlem Renaissance AnalysisEach group has a poem. Read the poem together then answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN PAPER:

1. What do you believe the poem is about?

2. Why do you believe this poem was written? Who do you believe the intended audience was? Explain (be specific!).

3. What does this poem make you feel or remind you of? Why? Be specific.

4. What are the similarities and differences between the poem and the image?

Looking at BackgroundRead the background / history behind the events leading to the Harlem Renaissance, then answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN PAPER:1. How does the background of the Harlem

Renaissance change your perception of the image, if at all? If it doesn’t change your perception, how does the information support your perception?

2. How does the background of the Harlem Renaissance change your interpretation of the poem? If it doesn’t change your interpretation, how does the information support your interpretation?

May 7, 2015

Quickwrite: If you could teach any genre of literature, what would it be and why? If not literature, what would you like to teach and why?

Daily Notes: Imagism

Essential Questions: What is imagism? What was Imagism’s place in Modernism?

The Imagist Poets Outline –Worth a Test Grade

1. Read pages 716-718.

2. Create an outline of notes. You must have at least 3-5 pieces of information (it can be bulleted) for each section (Background, Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams, Hilda Doolittle, Literary Analysis, Comparing Literary Works, Reading Strategy, and Vocabulary).

3. When you finish, turn the notes into the tray and begin working on makeup work. Tomorrow is the last day to turn in makeup work.

May 8, 2015Quickwrite: How do you know someone loves you, even if he or she doesn't say it? Be detailed.

Daily Notes: Harlem Qualities

Essential Questions: What are the characteristics of Harlem literature and art? How do these characteristics reflect the time period? How did the Harlem Renaissance help shape America?

Harlem Themes/Topics• Racial Pride• Identity Issues• Social/Political Discrimination• Desperation/Hopelessness• Creative Expression• Intellectualism

Harlem Renaissance Art Qualities

• Bold, expressive colors.• Depicted African

Americans enjoying art, dancing, music, and culture.

• Depicted well-educated and refined African Americans in order to break away from stereotypes.

• Glorified and depicted African tribal and jungle scenes in order to put emphasis on African heritage.

Harlem Literature / Poetry Qualities

•Some poetry adopted a rhythmic, jazzy quality.

•Focus on rural folk themes. •Emphasized racial pride.•Directly or indirectly referenced racial

discrimination. •Talked about hard-ships the African

American Community faced. •A focus on the African American

experience in America. •Intellectual and thoughtful.

Choose ONE of the assignments below to complete.

1. Create a short story mimicking the qualities of the Harlem Renaissance—but with a focus on today’s social issues. Explain how this story reflects the social issues today and the Harlem Renaissance.

2. Create a poem mimicking the qualities of the Harlem Renaissance—but with a focus on today’s social issues. Explain how the poem reflects the social issues today and the Harlem Renaissance.

3. Create an art piece mimicking the styles/qualities of the Harlem Renaissance—but with a focus on today’s social issues. Explain how the art piece reflects the social issues today and the Harlem Renaissance.