Chapter 1: The Hero’s Journey HEROES, VILLAINS, AND MONSTERS

THOUSANDS OF HEROES. ONE JOURNEY.

1. THE CALL TO ADVENTURE Hero is young and inexperienced. Lives in a mundane, boring place; somewhere s/he does not want to be. But adventure calls! Come, venture into the unknown!

2. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD Accepts mission. Hero ventures into unknown territory. Begins transformation Meets a helper or mentor.

3. CHALLENGES & TEMPTATIONS Hero completes tasks, overcomes challenges, has adventures… and is tempted.

4. DESCENT INTO THE ABYSS The hero has to venture into the deepest, darkest place. Sometimes s/he dies. The hero has an important revelation here.

5. REBIRTH & TRANSFORMATION The hero emerges victorious from the underworld. Hero sometimes has new look, new body, new clothes, new something.

6. THE RETURN HOME Hero goes back to the “regular” world. Hero is different now, though. Makes things right at home.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN! Choose a hero from a book or movie. Trace that hero’s story through all the steps of the hero’s journey. Example: 1. Call to Adventure: Marlin lives in a secure anemone on a pleasant reef, but when his son Nemo is kidnapped, Marlin must embark upon a quest to rescue his son.

BELLWORK: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 Make a list of the attributes of a hero. Now, write a definition “hero”, incorporating the most important attributes that you listed.

GROUPWORK: Write all the different attributes on post-it notes. Then, sort the words into categories and name each category.

GROUPWORK, CONTINUED As a group, write a definition of “hero” that incorporates the most important attributes.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 BELLWORK Write a paragraph about someone who fits your definition of a hero. How does this person qualify as a hero? (make sure your paragraph has a topic sentence, details, explanations, & examples, and a concluding sentence)

BASIC BEOWULF FACTS: Beowulf is the oldest known English written story. It’s about a hero from what is now Sweden… …who saves the day in what is now Denmark. How do you think the story ended up in England?

ABOUT THE LANGUAGE: Beowulf was told and written in Old English. We estimate that the written story is from about the year 700, but the actual story may be much older.

HERE IS WHAT OLD ENGLISH LOOKS LIKE:

HOW OLD ENGLISH COMPARES TO MODERN ENGLISH:

LET’S TAKE A LISTEN:

PROLOGUE READING PROMPT The prologue tells us a bit of Beowulf’s backstory– it tells the story of an old king of the Danes, and how he lived and died. As you read, look for answers to these two questions: According to this story, what makes a king a “good king”? What is important to the Danes?

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 BELLWORK What is a monster? What is the difference between a monster and a villain? Write in complete sentences. If you are finished answering these questions, give examples of monsters and villains, and explain why they fit your definition.

Term/Allusion Know it well Sounds familiar No clue Definition Fiend evil animal or person; demon Moors grasslands Spawned born Cain & Abel brothers in the Bible; Cain killed Abel, 1 st murder EVER Lair hideout, den, batcave Lament to view something with sadness or despair; sad sad sad sad song Forged made in a furnace

Term/Allusion Know it well Sounds familiar No clue Definition Fiend evil spirit or demon Moors marshy grasslands Spawned born– we do not use this word for humans or cute things Cain & Abel brothers from the Bible; first murder Lair hideout, cave, den, your basement, batcave Lament to feel really sad; regret; a sad sad sad sad song Forged created in fire

Term/Allusion Know it well Sounds familiar No clue Definition Fiend demon/ evil spirit Moors marshy grassland Spawned born (do not use for humans) Cain & Abel brothers from the Bible; 1 st murder Lair den, cave, hideout, batcave, my basement Lament to be really, really sad. To regret. Sad sad sad sad song. Forged created in fire/furnace

Term/Allusion Know it well Sounds familiar No clue Definition Fiend an evil spirit; demon Moors marshy grassland Spawned born (not for humans) Cain & Abel brother from the Bible; Cain kills Abel; 1 st murder Lair hideout, cave, a place to regroup, my basement, batcave Lament to be really sad; to regret; a sad sad sad sad sad song Forged made in a furnace

Term/Allusion Know it well Sounds familiar No clue Definition Fiend demon, evil spirit Moors marshy grasslands Spawned born (not for humans) Cain & Abel 2 brothers from Genesis; 1 st murder Lair hideout, cave, den, basement, batcave Lament express sadness, regret, sad sad sad sad song Forged made in a furnace

WHO IS GRENDEL? As you read, keep a record of words and phrases that the author uses to describe Grendel. Who he isWhat he looks like His deedsHis motives

EXIT TICKET: 2 words that best describe Grendel (may be from the passage, or your own words) 2 words that describe the Danes

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 BELLWORK (WORTH TRIPLE POINTS) Today you are going to re-write the scene “Grendel Attacks the Danes” from Grendel’s point-of-view. Things to consider: What kind of monster do you imagine Grendel to be? The kind with a conscience? The kind with a plan? Or the kind who acts on instinct? Is he evil? Is he misunderstood? How do you think Grendel sees himself? Does he believe he is a monster? Why might Grendel want to kill the Danes? Is he hungry? Is he angry? Does he have some other motive that the original author didn’t know about? You have 15 minutes to write. This prompt is worth 9 points, instead of the usual 3.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 BELLWORK: After reading Grendel 6-8, analyze Grendel’s description of himself. List 3-5 words/phrases that he uses to describe himself. Write one or two complete, meaningful sentences that show how Grendel views himself, and incorporate textual evidence. Example: “Grendel believes that he is______________________. We know this because he says ________________________________.” OR “When Grendel calls himself a _____________________________, we see that he____________________________________.”

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 Welcome to a practice test for the EOC!! You all are no luckier than any other Junior– everyone has to take it. Let’s get ready: Sharpen 1 or 2 pencils Put all your stuff-- phones, books, toys, play-doh, whatever– in your backpack, and put your backpack along the side of the classroom. Get ready to earn some gradebook points!!

A circumlocution; also a type of metaphor. Basically, a kenning is a mini-riddle, or… A BRAIN-TEASER!! KENNING: A FIGURATIVE EXPRESSION (USUALLY COMPOUND) USED IN PLACE OF AN ORDINARY NOUN OR NAME.

SOME COMMON KENNINGS: Sail road Sky’s jewel Ring-giver Sword-water

BONE-DEN body

BATTLE-SERPENT arrow

SKY-CANDLE sun

SEA-STEED ship

SEA-THRASHER whale

WEATHER OF WEAPONS battle

FLAME-FAREWELL Death; funeral

SUN OF THE HOUSES lamp

WHALE-ROAD sea

DWELLING-ORNAMENT Wife 

BANE OF WOOD fire

BREAKER OF TREES wind

SWORD’S DEW blood

FEEDER OF RAVENS warrior

STALLION OF THE WHALE- ROAD ship

PEACE-WEAVER wife

FEED THE EAGLES Kill people

BATTLE-SHOWER arrows

LAND-SEA lake

SLEEP OF THE SWORD death

BATTLE-FLASHER sword

BAIT-GALLOWS Fish-hook

DESTROYER OF EAGLE’S HUNGER warrior

“THE COMING OF BEOWULF” VOCABULARY PREVIEW Term/ AllusionDefinition AgonyPain, suffering, anguish ProclaimAnnounce OmenSign or symbol of good or back luck ProwFront of a ship Mail (not letters)Knights’ armor Moor (v.)Tie up your boat ErrandJob, Chore, Mission SentinelGuard, Lookout, Sentry ScornDisdain, ridicule, revile LindenType of wood (from a linden tree) Gorge (v.)Stuff your face, binge, devour

“THE COMING OF BEOWULF” VOCABULARY PREVIEW Term/ AllusionDefinition AgonyPain, suffering, anguish ProclaimAnnounce OmenSign or symbol of good or bad luck (usually bad) ProwFront of the boat Mail (not letters)Chain-link armor Moor (v.)Tie up your boat ErrandChore, job, task, mission SentinelGuard, lookout, watchman ScornRidicule, disdain, contempt LindenType of wood (from the linden tree) Gorge (v.)Feast, devour… stuff your face

“THE COMING OF BEOWULF” VOCABULARY PREVIEW Term/ AllusionDefinition AgonyIntense pain, suffering, anguish ProclaimAnnounce; say out loud OmenSign of good or bad luck ProwFront of a ship Mail (not letters)Chain-link armor Moor (v.)Tie up your boat ErrandChore, job, mission Sentinellookout, guard, watchman ScornGive a nasty look; disdain, ridicule, belittle LindenType of wood (from a linden tree) Gorge (v.)Stuff your face, eat greedily or excessively

“THE COMING OF BEOWULF” VOCABULARY PREVIEW Term/ AllusionDefinition AgonyPain, suffering, anguish ProclaimAnnounce OmenSign (of good or bad luck) ProwFront of a ship Mail (not letters)Chain-link armor Moor (v.)Tie up your boat ErrandMission, job, chore SentinelWatchman, lookout ScornDisdain, ridicule, belittle LindenType of wood (comes from linden tree) Gorge (v.)Stuff your face; overeat

“THE COMING OF BEOWULF” VOCABULARY PREVIEW Term/ AllusionDefinition AgonySuffering, anguish, pain ProclaimAnnounce; declare OmenSign of good or bad luck ProwFront of a boat Mail (not letters)Chain-link armor Moor (v.)Tie up a boat ErrandChore, job, mission SentinelGuard, watchman, lookout ScornDisdain, contempt, belittle, disparage LindenA type of wood (from a linden tree) Gorge (v.)Stuff your face

“THE COMING OF BEOWULF” READING QUESTIONS How does the narrator describe Beowulf and his men? Based on this description, how do you imagine they look? Why is the Danish guard initially suspicious of Beowulf? List 3 things Beowulf tells Hrothgar about himself. What is his plan for taking on Grendel? Who does he think will win?

BEOWULF GENEALOGIES (FAMILY TREE) The king from the prologue

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 01 BELLWORK In the passage we read yesterday, the Danish sentinel told Beowulf, “A soldier should know the difference between words and deeds, and keep that knowledge clear in his brain” (Lines ). What do you think is the important difference between words and deeds? You are not a soldier, but a student, a son or daughter, a friend… How is this difference relevant in your life?

GRENDEL, PAGES As we read, take notes on Grendel’s impressions of Beowulf. What does Grendel say about His physical appearance? His face? His voice? His demeanor?

COMPARE & CONTRAST THE 2 ACCOUNTS OF BEOWULF’S ARRIVAL: BeowulfBothGrendel

DOES GRENDEL’S ACCOUNT OF BEOWULF’S ARRIVAL CHANGE YOUR JUDGMENT OF BEOWULF, OR REINFORCE IT?

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 02 BELLWORK What do you think is our society’s “Grendel”? That is, what is the thing that destroys lives, and that we feel powerless to fight back against? What kind of hero do we need to combat this monster?

Term/Allusion Know it well Sounds familiar No clue Definition Bear (not animal) have, to carry Inlaid decorated with mosaic or tiles Gruesome horrifying, disgusting, awful, frightening, grisly Infamous famous in a bad way Writhe wiggle, squirm Taut stretched tight, tense, rigid Afflict torture, torment, to bother Sinew tendon or ligament Purge cleanse, clear out

Term/Allusion Know it well Sounds familiar No clue Definition Bear (not animal) carry Inlaid decorated with mosaic or tiles Gruesome bloody, grisly, horrifying, shocking Infamous famous in a bad way; notorious Writhe wiggle or twist (usually in pain) Taut pulled tight, stiff, tense Afflict torment, bother, trouble Sinew tendon or ligament Purge to cleanse, to clear out

Term/Allusion Know it well Sounds familiar No clue Definition Bear (not animal) hold or carry Inlaid decoration is set into a floor, jewelry, etc. Gruesome gross, terrible, horrifying, grisly Infamous famous in a bad way; notorious Writhe squirm, twitch, wiggle (in pain) Taut pulled tight, tense Afflict torment, cause pain, do damage to Sinew tendon or ligament Purge cleanse, to clear out

Term/Allusion Know it well Sounds familiar No clue Definition Bear (not animal) hold, carry Inlaid decorated with mosaic, stones, jewelery Gruesome gross, horrifying, grisly Infamous well-known, famous (for something bad) Writhe wiggle, squirm (in pain) Taut pulled tight, tense, rigid Afflict torment, cause pain, bother Sinew tendon or ligament Purge cleanse, to clear out

Term/Allusion Know it well Sounds familiar No clue Definition Bear (not animal) carry or hold Inlaid embedded, as with mosaic tiles or jewels, etc. Gruesome horrifying, gross, grisly Infamous famous in a bad way; notorious Writhe squirm (in agony) Taut tense, pulled tight Afflict torment, to cause pain Sinew tendon or ligament Purge cleanse, or clear out

MONDAY, OCTOBER 07 BELLWORK Write about whatever is on your mind for five full minutes.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 08 BELLWORK Imagine you are Grendel, and write about your mother. OR Imagine you are Grendel’s mother, and write about your son.

GROUP VOCABULARY WORK As a group, decide on 5 words that you want to learn. (These can be words that you don’t know at all, or that you are already somewhat familiar with.) Find the word in the text, and read it in context. Decide what part of speech the word must be (noun, verb, etc.) Write down a couple of possibilities of what the word might mean. Consult a dictionary or thesaurus to find the word’s definition/synonym. Which of your guesses was the closest? Word (line #)Part of SpeechGuessesReal definition

GROUP ANALYSIS WORK: BeowulfGrendel Words/phrases describing her Your overall impression (what is Grendel’s mother like?) 1 or 2 sentences comparing and contrasting the 2 depictions of Grendel’s Mom. “Whereas Beowulf depicts Grendel’s mother as ______________, in Grendel, the author portrays her as being _________________.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 BELLWORK What are some of the difficulties of translating a text from one language to another? Why might Beowulf (in Old English) be even more difficult to translate than a poem in, say, modern Spanish?

Whenever you interpret something (a text, a picture, a situation, you are revealing things about yourself – you reveal your biases & preconceptions.

Woman who takes charge= bossy Woman with loud voice= shrill, obnoxious Girl gets good grades = “She works hard.” Girl gets bad grades = “She can’t do the work.” Man who takes charge= leader Boy with loud voice= outgoing, has leadership potential Boy gets good grades = “He’s so intelligent.” Boy gets bad grades = “He’s just being lazy.” HERE ARE SOME COMMON EXAMPLES OF HOW GENDER STEREOTYPES WORK:

If Hennequin is right, and our monstrous interpretation is evidence of a cultural bias against women, what does this interpretation of Grendel’s mother say about our society?

BEOWULF READING QUIZ: “THE BATTLE WITH THE DRAGON” & “THE FUNERAL FIRE” 1.Why doesn’t Beowulf become the king of the Geats when his uncle Higlac dies? 2.How and by whom is the dragon awakened? 3.What does Wiglaf say to the rest of the Geats, while Beowulf is fighting the dragon? 4.How does Wiglaf contribute to the dragon’s death? What is Beowulf’s contribution? 5.What are Beowulf’s final, dying wishes?

WRITE SOME QUESTIONS! With a partner, or on your own, take a few minutes to write some discussion questions about Beowulf. Things to consider: Beowulf’s leadership style How he changed/didn’t change over the course of the story How he stacks up against other famous heroes Whether you personally think he is heroic

DISCUSSION GUIDELINES Let everyone talk– “3-before-me” rule Stay on-topic Explore a question thoroughly; then ask follow-up questions, or related questions. Only change the subject when a topic has been fully addressed. Pay attention, even when you are not speaking. No side-conversations BE KIND TO EACH OTHER!!! It’s okay to disagree; in fact, that’s what makes discussions interesting!

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21 BELLWORK 1 st Quarter Reflection Take a look at your performance this quarter. What kinds of assignments have you gotten full credit for? Where have you gotten points deducted? Why? Where do you want your grade to be in December, and what (specifically) will you have to do to get it there? What is your favorite thing you’ve done for English class so far this year? (This can be a writing assignment, reading assignment, activity, discussion, etc.)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23 BELLWORK What would you do if you were banned from going to school, simply because of some aspect of your identity? (Gender, nationality, race, left-handedness, etc.) Consider both how you would feel, and how you would act.