Thinking some more about Thoreau

Random Picture: Don't you feel better knowing
there are moths bigger than your head?
I bet they didn't have these at Walden Pond.

Still working with Where I Lived, and What I Lived For on page 276 of your books, search Thoreau for the following assertions we worked with in class today. They are all there. Most are explicit and some are implied.

1. You can never truly know anything without experiencing it for yourself.
2. We have very little control of our lives.
3. Most people move through life half asleep, as if they were on autopilot.
4. The reality of a thing or situation is often different than our initial impressions of it.
5. Truth is something that exists far away (in time and/or space) that we will come to know someday in the future.
6. In order for true community to take place, individuals must know themselves and have something to contribute.
7. Our lives will never have meaning until we know ourselves deeply.

The last couple are more implied in the passage. Rather than finding a single reference for those, you'll likely need to combine a few references. Oh, and blog them once you find them. ;)

Just in case you didn't notice the shadow of its
wing on her face in the picture above, here's another to
establish size perspective. That moth is on the same side
of the door as the person taking the flash picture.
Moths seek the light, right?

Where I lived, and what I lived for

Walden Pond

First, in the spirit of Thoreau, turn off all your electronics: phone, TV, radio, iPod, etc.
Second, annotate the heck out of that first paragraph. Look for antitheses, diction (look up words you don't know and write down the definitions), opinions and attitudes (look for layers and subtleties), etc., etc. Wrestle with the first paragraph for half an hour. Suck the marrow out of it.
Third, read the rest of the passage found on page 276 of your book.
Fourth, blog Question on Rhetoric and Style numbers 1-2, 4-9
Finally, reflect on his ideas. Do you agree? Are they extreme? To what purpose might they be extreme? What would it mean for you to do something similar to Thoreau? Reflect on the value in Thoreau's ideas and their practice.

Research Synthesis Paper

This paper is going to be a lot more independent than the pop culture paper. You have 13 choices with a number of sources provided for each. One difference is that you are required to use at least two outside sources of academic quality.

 Requirements

• 1500 words long 
• Full MLA format (see MLA OWL link to sample pages on the blog) 
• Use at least three sources from the conversation section that corresponds to your topic 
• Use at least 2 outside sources – acceptable sources include: 
• Books 
• Reputable periodicals such as Harpers, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Seattle Times, etc. 
• Any ProQuest resource (User name: W417CFIFED Password: welcome) 
• Many websites are questionable sources and Wikipedia is verboten.

Due
May 24, 2012

These papers will graded with the concerns of the AP synthesis rubric in mind, though since this is not a rough draft an increased emphasis will be placed on format and conventions.

Alternate Technology Option

Enjoyed the Hunger Games? Check out this interview with Suzanne Collins.