Have something to say? Let me know your opinions in the comments or send me a private email.
Homework:
Answer the multiple-choice questions for chapter 13
No summary writing homework. Start writing your essay instead.
Choose a topic for your essay:
Write in detail about one of the characters in “The Magician’s Nephew” (TMN).
Write in detail about one of the settings in TMN: Narnia, Charn, Uncle Andrew’s study, London, the Wood Between the Worlds.
Write about another Narnia story and compare with TMN (similarities and differences)
Write about the similarities and differences between TMN and the Bible (Genesis – the creation of the world and the temptation of Eve)
Today’s class:
Checked the answers to chapter 12.
Read the key points of chapter 11:
Aslan talks to Digory and asks him if he is ready to undo the wrong he has done. Digory says he is. Aslan does not force Digory. Digory must do this of his own free will.
Digory is shocked to see Aslan crying real tears. Aslan understands Digory’s sorrow.
Aslan does not punish Digory for bringing Jadis into Narnia. Instead, he gives him the chance to “put things right” 正常な状態にする［戻す］
Polly volunteers to accompany Digory. She does not have to go, but she wants to go.
Digory offers Polly the chance to go home and eat. He is thoughtful and chivalrous. He has changed.
Choose the topic for your final essay and start writing.
Final essay should be 800-1000 words (excluding the bibliography).
The topic can be any topic connected with British history in the 19th century.
Choose something you are interested.
Choose something you want to find out about.
Your essay title should be a question, e.g. “Why did Britain become so rich in the 19th century?”, “Why did prices fall and wages double in the 19th century?” , “Why was compulsory education introduced in Britain?” etc.
Today’s class:
Rules for writing:
Don’t use contractions like “don’t, aren’t, isn’t, it’s, they’re” etc.
Don’t write names in ALL CAPITALS. It’s like shouting.
Don’t being a sentence with “And, So, But, Because”. Use “In addition,” “However,” “Therefore,”. Or combine with the previous sentence to make a single sentence (and keep the “and, so, but or because”).
Give your opinion with evidence: facts, numbers, etc.
Write the first draft of your final essay, print it out and bring it to class next week.
Today’s class:
Presentations:
Urabe – Tolkien on Fairy Tales
Yonemori – on Noah’s Ark
Ueda – on chivalry.
What did CS Lewis himself write about fairy tales and about how and why he wrote the Narnia stories? We read some extracts from his short essay “On Three Ways of Writing for Children” and “Sometimes Fairy Stories May Say Best What’s to be Said” (in “On Stories”).
In Noah’s Ark, there were three levels. These levels symbolize the Christian hierarchy. Christians understand the world as made up of hierarchies, and believe it is important to recognize and accept this. They do not believe in absolute equality. For example, God is not equal to humans; He is not on the same level.
We read some extracts from chapter 12:
Aslan gives Digory a chance to “undo the wrong” that he has done (bringing the Witch into Narnia)
Aslan is “not the sort of person one could try to make bargains with.” Digory understands this. I.e., he understands that Aslan is his superior.
Aslan and Digory understand the meaning of grief. “Let us be good to one another”, he says. See also Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” 互に情深く、あわれみ深い者となり、神がキリストにあってあなたがたをゆるして下さったように、あなたがたも互にゆるし合いなさい。
Finish writing the first draft of your final paper, print it out and bring it to class next week.
Today’s class:
Presentations
Yamanami on Immersion Language Programs
Nishimori on Semiotics
Does the Immersion Language program really work? What about results? Some people argue it is ineffective and expensive.
Signs and symbols are used particularly by cults and secret societies. Secret societies want their members to accept THEIR meaning for signs and symbols associated with the society. But signs and symbols do not “mean” anything by themselves.
Scottish accents: listen to this song “I’m on my way” by the Proclaimers and see what differences in pronunciation you notice between their pronunciation and standard British English. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1yYDuSf3C4[/youtube]. And here’s another one with the lyrics on-screen. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIbf4SDRYeg[/youtube]
Why is this video so popular, do you think? [yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY’]What do you think about it? How did you feel watching it? Write your answers as comments on this blog by Tuesday midnight.
Type your final paper, print it out and bring to class next week.
Today’s class:
How to write a bibliography using MLA style. (MLA_Sheffner.)
How to quote and cite articles.
Answer these questions on loose-leaf paper. Then discuss with your classmates in groups of 4.
Who are you writing for? Who will read your essay? Answer: Mr. Sheffner and your fellow students.
What is the main purpose of your essay?
What is the strong point of your essay?
What is the weak point of your essay?
What feedback do you want from your classmates?
Watch the video. Why is it so popular? 44,902,860 views （再生回数）as of Jan. 11th, 2013.
why doesn’t Polly tell Digory not to listen to the witch?
Mr. Sheffner talked about the simple Christian message: joy is possible, peace is possible, contentment is possible, for every human being. Joy, peace, contentment come when we are close to Aslan (God) and when we are close to Jesus and when we follow their advice. What Aslan wants for Digory and Polly and all the inhabitants of Narnia is joy – to enjoy Narnia and enjoy the gift of life.
Students read each others’ final papers, in groups of 4 or 5, checking for meaning, format errors and spelling/grammar mistakes.
Mr. Sheffner explained how to write a bibliography. Click the link to download the document (PDF): MLA_Sheffner
15 minutes free writing on
the experience of writing the final paper
the experience of preparing for and giving two oral presentations this semester
the experience of reading classmates’ final papers and getting their comments.
