1. Windows to the World
Chapter 1 and 2 (part 1)

2. Welcome from the Author
In the Welcome chapter, what did you learn about the author? Lesha Myers?
What did she tell you about her dog? How does she connect her dog to English?
What is the purpose of this course?
What is her approach? How can you be successful in this course?

3. About Tora
Tora is Lesha Myers Shiba Imu dog. Like me, she calls her dog a puppy.
How does Tora communicate? Do you have pets? How do they communicate what they want or how they feel?
Ginger
Do any animals or pets have a real language?

4. Blessing of Language
Have you ever thought much on the blessing of language?
God only gave this gift to humans.
How did God form His creation? With language. He spoke everything into existence.
People communicate with words because God communicates with words.
Language, for people, is innate, inborn, and natural.

5. Genesis 1 Six times we see in Genesis “3 Then God said”
God said: “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion. ~ Part of that “image” includes language.
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them,
Throughout history people have used language to communicate with God.

6. Genesis 11:1-9 / The Tower of Babel
11 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

7. Tower of Babel Continued
5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

8. Language = Literature
Because we have language – we therefore have literature.
Literature is created by people ~ thus literature reflects the beliefs and values of the person writing the literature.
Literature has the ability to touch your heart and soul at your deepest level.
God can use literature to change you, and conform you to the image of Jesus Christ.

9. Author’s Purpose To equip you to handle literature
To think and write about what you read > and your beliefs and values
To learn the elements of literature: plot, setting, characterization, author’s influence, allusion, symbolism, and irony.
To read stories from various periods of time and cultures. Some Christian and some highly lacking Christian values.

10. Author’s Purpose
In reading various forms of literature, you Get the opportunity to develop discernment and respond to literature based on your own beliefs
Learn to analyze the worldview of the author or poet and your own view ~ the either accept or reject the perspective.
To grow in wisdom

11. Author’s Approach Writing about literature is work.
You will be asked to write and think in new ways
Reading stories and answering questions. Some thought provoking questions.
There are not a lot of comprehension questions. Sometimes you’ll come up with your own questions and your own answers.
The Author has provided 6 stories. We will probably be adding to this throughout the year.

12. How to Succeed in this Course
Take responsibility for your own learning. (High School students)
If you don’t know something, look it up. Vocab word, Biblical allusion, historical or geographical reference, etc.
One word can unlock a whole new realm of understanding!
Great dictionaries online: Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language
Use the Checklists in most chapters. This is to spark your thoughts.

13. Critical Approach Book based on New Criticism and Formalism
Acknowledging a universal and unchanging truth to explain the human experiences and values.
Relies on the story to interpret the story. The meaning arises from the story itself, from the author’s intent, rather than from a personal experience. (Although personal experience enriches a story – not to re-create the meaning though)

14. Critical Approach
Literary approach of this book relies on close reading ~ attention to the details and devices in the story.
Just as you would read Scripture to interpret Scripture, internal consistence, and authorial intent or Authorial intent/ God intent)
All methods in this book support the Christian Worldview.

15. Chap. 2 Annotation What happens when you read?
Annotating is the single most important literary analysis skill that a student will learn.
Short hand methods? Such as w/, w/o, s/, s/b, w/b, x-fer, lol,

16. When you read….
Passive Reading; when you read, do you take in the words and let them wash over you, and view the scene as it lives in your mind?
To read literature passively isn’t enough - You must train yourself to read actively.
Active Reading = to think as you read. To stay focused and engaged. To listen to your inner voice. ~ If you do not have an inner voice then develop one.
Begin a conversation with yourself!

17. To Begin….
Read slowly – Give yourself time to think, consider, and how to respond.
Where do you store all that thinking ~ annotation!
Annotate:
To Explain * To Talk Back (Ever talk to the TV or a Movie)
To Comment on * To Go Beyond
To Note
To Interact with the Literature

18. What Should You Annotate?
Pg. 9 ~ The Author has given examples in The Gift of the Magi on how to annotate.
We’ll talk about her annotations and your annotations in a bit!
Annotation is highly personal! It’s a conversation with YOUR inner voice
Purpose: To record YOUR unique thoughts, feelings, and impression.
Remember – Take your time. This is the most important step in Literary Analysis!!! It forces you to THINK!

19. To Begin… Consider the title… The Gift of the Magi
What might the title tell you? Or mean?
What might a gift from a Magi look like?

20. Also Consider… Where does the story take place?
Who is in it? What happens?
Can you make and personal connection? Shared experience?
What is the author’s purpose?
How does the author accomplish that purpose?
Are there any particularly beautifully written sentences or sections?
Do you have any questions as you are reading?

21. The Gift of the Magi Were the author’s notes (annotations) helpful?
What annotation / notes did you write of your own ~ different than the author.
Let’s review the purposes ~ what can we answer so far of the purposes?

22. Homework Chap. 2, pg. 14-26 Read The Most Dangerous Game + annotate
Checklist of your annotations
Read: Marginalia + annotate
Be prepared to share annotations and realizations in class on Wednesday, September 6th
No school Sept. 4th ~ Labor Day

23. Part 2 of Chapter 2 Further Thoughts on Annotation
What are your thoughts on annotation thus far?
Okay to read through the story first, then go back and annotate while reading the 2nd time.
That’s what I did with the stories.