English III Journal- Fear as a Motivator

Many people would agree that fear is one of the most powerful motivators of human behavior. Fear of injury makes us buckle our seat-belts. Fear of failure makes us study or work harder. Edwards and other pastors used harsh warnings in their sermons to make "sinners" understand the danger of their actions and situation by actually FEELING the fear and horror of their sinful state. Do you think fear is a great motivator? Write about what motivates you and whether you would use fear to motivate someone else.

English IV Journal #1 (Archetypes & Heroes)

Beowulf is an ancient tale about a hero who faces violence, horror, and even death to save people from danger. The epic took place many years ago, but this story still speaks to people today, perhaps because so many of us are in need of a rescuer... a hero. Take a moment to invent and develop a contemporary hero. You must create your own hero. Describe your hero, and analyze him/her using these questions *What sort of evil or oppression does your hero confront? * WHY does he/she confront evil? What is the motivation? *What virtues does your hero represent?

English II (Animal Farm Chapter 8)

Select one of the following three journal options and complete an organized 3/4 journal complete with a thesis and supporting details.

A- The commandments are changed to suit the pigs’ behavior. Revise some of your school’s rules so that they suit you more. Next to each item, give a short reason the existing rule needs to be changed.


B- Some animals are executed on the spot if they are guilty of a crime. Write a paragraph about your feelings on the death penalty. Do you feel it is ethical? If so, for what crimes should anyone receive the sentence? If not, explain your answer.


C- The animals’ memories are weak, and they easily forget past events and rules. Write a journal describing your earliest memory. What is the importance of memory and remembering things first-hand?

English IV In the Time of Butterflies Journal

Write a journal about each sister's personality and interests. Is there one sister who may be considered the main character of the novel? Why/Why not?

English III Harlem Journal

Pick one of the following writing topics and answer it in an organized, 3/4 of a page response.


How does Hughes challenge America’s race relations without rebellious sounding rhetoric? How does he view his culture’s past, present, and future in his poetry?

How do you use music to get over or heighten your emotions? How does Hughes incorporate the blues and jazz culture into his pieces? Come up with a topic for a blues song and experiment with some bluesy lines.

For what reason does Claude McKay say that even a doomed resistance in worthwhile? Is reacting to violence violently stupidity or intelligence?

English IV Journal (The Stranger Super Journal)

Please organize your response, supporting a cogent and coherent thesis in multiple paragraphs. Try your best and use creative language. This journal must be 500-700 words.
Leave your response as a comment and select the "Anonymous" profile. Leave your first and last name as the first line of writing as your comment.

A- Camus was a self-proclaimed "absurdist." Based on The Stranger and Meursault’s beliefs in The Stranger, how would you define "the absurd"? What role do concepts like "detachment," "alienation," "acceptance," and "society" play? How is absurdity reflected in (a) the events in Meursault’s life, (b) the relationships Meursault finds himself in, and (c) the attitudes with which Meursault faces, and subsequently rejects, the world?
B- In what sense does Meursault triumph at the end of The Stranger? (This was what Camus intended, but you’re welcome to argue that, in fact, Meursault doesn’t triumph at all.) Does Meursault overcome society’s judgment, and thereby, its shackles? Or is it more important that he rebelled against conformity? And what’s up with him wishing for a large crowd of hating spectators at his execution?
C- In his jail cell, Meursault finds an old newspaper article about a Czechoslovakian man who is murdered by his mother and sister. How does this article relate to Meursault’s own trial for murder? How does this article expand the themes in The Stranger? How does it support Camus’s philosophy of the absurd?

English III (Steinbeck's "Leader of the People")

It seems that in every generation there are older people who say "It was different in my day." These people feel nostalgic about their past, remembering it as a golden age when everything was simpler and more heroic. In fact some people end up living mainly in memories of a past that no longer exists and may never have been as they remember it.
Do you believe that the time of heroes is long last? who are today's heroes, or are there none worthy of the label? What opportunities do you see for heroism today?

English II Journal (Flags & Animal Farm)

What is the power of a flag? Why do countries need flags and how do they use them? Is a flag a sign of control or independence? Why do politicians use so many flags when they speak?

English II Journal (Utopia Development)

In your opinion, what is the best way government can be organized? What elements of rule, law, and order must be preserved for a society to thrive? In two-to-three paragraphs, outline a government or system and explain how it will thrive.

English IV Journal (The Stranger Ch. 1)

Analyze Meursault's relationships with other people in the first chapter. Try to explain his indifference with the heavy events surrounding his life. Why doesn't Meursault cry at his mother's funeral? Do humans have a purpose- do our lives have meaning? What events in the first chapter make it an existentialist piece? Use quotes from the novel to support your points.