and possibly just wrong.  But, this test is an interesting way to get you thinking about some of the major issues, if only for long enough to fill in a bubble.  Share your results!

http://www.gotoquiz.com/candidates/2008-quiz.html

Quick edit.  After much discussion and deliberation, we will not be turning in the visual projects on Friday.  I am granting a continuance across the board, with one requirement:

You must bring your project to school on Friday.  It does not need to be finished, but I want to see your progress.

Your next assignment is to write a 5 page argumentative essay over a presidential candidate’s position on an issue of your choice.  This will be due on Tuesday 22nd. In this paper, you should synthesize material (quotations and arguments) from each of the following types of sources:

1. The candidate’s stated (that is, in his or her own words) position on the issue
2. The opinion of a critic on the candidate’s stance on the issue
3. The opinion of an opponent on the candidate’s stance on the issue.

Using at least three sources (it would be best to use more), formulate an essay discussing the extent with which you agree or disagree with the candidate’s position on the issue.

This essay requires you to accurately explain the candidate’s position and the position of others alongside your own.  Whether you choose to bolster or counter the candidate’s stance, be sure to take both sides into account in your paper.

A works cited page is required for this paper.

If you have any comments/questions, post them for the good of all.

[Edit:  T.B. (the girl, not the disease...) had a great idea.  If you write your article analysis over an article you plan to use for your paper, you can double up the credit and look at one piece from two perspectives.  Just make sure it's a good one.

Also, we will be discussing the final chapters of The Picture of Dorian Gray tomorrow.  I mentioned this last week, but neglected to mention it today.  Sorry.  We'll do a synopsis at the beginning of class tomorrow to catch everyone up.]

We will be working on the visual aspect of our MGRP visuals tomorrow.  Please remember to bring your sources to class, as we will be turning in a rough outline/project proposal at the end of class.  This outline should contain the following:

• A description of media to be used (computer animation, pen and ink, collage, photography, etc.)
• A description of content to be included in the work (metaphor, color, design elements, text, sketch of panels if creating a comic strip)
• A list of sources to be referenced in the work (these are the books/papers you should bring to class tomorrow)

We will be spending a lot of time on this project, so spend time thinking about what you would like to say with your piece (message), then determine how you should deliver it (medium).  If you have any questions, or would like to run an idea by the class, post a comment below.

Today we discussed possible topics for our next essays.  Here’s what we came up with:

1st Hour Dracula—after exploring various symbols in Stoker’s novel (vampires, the stake, blood, the transfusions, lightness and darkness, etc), we came up with several topics from the book, which are listed below:

• Fear of the unknown
• Fear of death
• Good versus evil
• Holy versus unholy
• Purity versus corruption

We also explored the vampire metaphor (life/health/soul/purity/blood-sucking) in modern culture and society.  For the essay, each student will be writing a short fictional piece implementing the vampire metaphor and one or more of the topics listed above.  We will be workshopping these in class tomorrow, and they are due Monday the 14th.  The papers should be at least two typed pages, double-spaced, 12 pt font, header, etc.

3rd Hour War of the Worlds—as with Dracula, we explored various symbols in the novel (aliens, the alien technology, the curate, the hero), then pulled several topics from the work:

• Foreign versus domestic
• Adversity
• Humanity/inhumanity
• War
• Interaction between opposing cultures

Students will write a short analysis of "Book I" from Wells’s novel, discussing one of the topics above and supplementing their argument with quotations from the text.

4th Hour War of the Worlds—Using an "invasion" metaphor, students will write a short fiction piece using one or more of the topics above from War of the Worlds.  The perimeters of the paper are the same as those for the Dracula piece above.