Imagery and Imagination: August 29, 2017

Focus: How do we indulge in and intellectualize imagery in poetry?

1. Warming up with a painting by Bruegel

2. Exploring in small groups William Carlos Williams's and W.H. Auden's poetic reactions to the painting above with a focus on imagery, tone, and complex statements

• Brainstorm on the title (if there is one).

• Which images engage you the most? Which ones help you "fall into the poem"?

• Think of the images as puzzle pieces. What patterns can you organize them into?

• Circle your "buts": Where are the shifts?

• Back to that title!

• Try to use the imagery to consider the author's tone and/or purpose. 

• What is the author trying to do?
• (______ but also ______)

3. Creating your own poetic response to the image below (using your five senses)

What do you want to say about this picture? 

Incorporate your imagery into a short poem or piece of prose that conveys your meaning or tone.

HW:
1. For tomorrow: Reread the rest of Oedipus Rex by Wednesday; compose a Socratic ticket full of questions to bring to class. We will have our first graded Socratic that day.

A thought: Choose five important moments from the play and ask a good question about each.
Or, try to uncover some patterns in the play (what kinds of things repeat?). Ask questions about those.
Or, delve into character analyses. Or deep, deep philosophical questions. Or all of the above.

2. For Thursday and Friday: Bring your laptop to class. We will work on your big question blogs on Thursday, and we will spend 30 minutes on your college essays on Friday.

3. Come in to see me for a conference on your college essay!

4. All of this week: 

• Bring Oedipus and How To Read Literature... to class each day.

• Come see me for a conference on your college essay! Keep working on it!