Completed the outline for "...Soft Rains":
“There Will Come Soft Rains”
By Ray Bradbury
I. The Big Four
a. Characters: the house, dog
b. Theme: technology makes life easy, but it can also control and destroy us.
c. Plot: automated house provides for a missing family, continues operating until a fire starts and destroys it; family killed in nuclear blast
d. Aug. 4, 2026, Allendale, CA
II. Plot Breakdown
a. House is trying to survive after family is gone
b. House versus nature
c. Tree branch crashes through window, fire starts
d. Suspense: where is everybody?
e. Climax: house trying to fight the fire
f. Denouement: House dies, but it still is giving the time
III. Analytical Elements
a. Third person
b. Personification, imagery
Introduced two new vocabulary words:
Symbol: something used for or regarded as representing something else; ex. The grim reaper=death, huskie=football team, eagle=America
Allegory: a story meant to be read symbolically.
Distributed "Masque of the Red Death" and read the intro page on Edgar Allen Poe.
11R
Read the last three paragraphs of the Declaration and summarized Jefferson's purpose: present a reasoned argument to justify the colonies' rebellion.
Contrasted the beliefs in the source of a governments authority; feudal = the divine right of kings; Enlightenment = power originates with the people, for the purpose of protecting the unalienable rights endowed upon men by 'the Creator.'
Added the following to the vocabulary list;
Parallelism: the repeated use of phrases, clauses, or sentences in structure or meaning to strengthen an argument
Jefferson used this device effectively in the Declaration in his list of grievances.
HW:
Handout: "Self-reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Directions: Read the first paragraph. Underline all phrases and sentences for which the meaning is clear, and that point to what the theme may be. This is a challenging bit of writing!
12R
Continued with Beowulf through line 542. Discussed the use of symbolism, dream imagery, and elements of the 'Hero Quest'. For example, Beowulf's leap into the water brought him to an underground battle-hall where he fought Grendel's mother. This is an example of the hero's journey to the underworld.
HW: read through to line 622. Students are encouraged to note their thoughts in the margins.
Also discussed assigning students ten lines that they would present to the class. This will be done for the section titled, "The Last Battle."
