I am making better time than the last post. At least it is before Monday (smile). This is a recap of the homework. In class Thursday, students responded to the freewrite posted the night before and then we talked for a bit and spent the last part of class talking in groups about "The Dance Boots."

Read the next story in The Dance Boots, "Three Seasons" (20). Write reading logs. Bring logs to class for discussion.

In Writing about Literature, read Chapter 3: Common Writing Assignments (43-45). You can skim the examples and refer back to them when it is time to write essays and you need examples, if you like (45-56).

Also read Chapter 4: Writing about Stories (57-60) and "The Yellow Wallpaper" (63-77.) We will read Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour" together along with the sample essay.

On page 77 there is a box with "Questions on the Stories." Think about these questions when reflecting on "The Dance Boots" and later on, on "Three Seasons."

Revised Questions

How would you summarize the plot of the story? What makes it difficult or easy to do so?

Who, in your opinion is the most sympathetic character(s)? Which are the most antagonistic? What kinds of information do we learn about the emotional lives of these characters?

What is the point of view of the story? How would you compare the effects of the protagonist's choices? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each choice?

How would you describe the setting of the story?

How would you describe the writing in the story? Is the prose formal? Archaic? Conversational? Melodramatic? Be as specific as possible, and note examples that bolster your claims.

What kinds of symbols recur in the story? Are they fanciful? Ordinary? Conventional? Surprising? How do they move the narrative forward?