Acting in Hamlet

Think about the role of acting: Hamlet acting mad in an attempt to trick Claudius; player re-enacting the king's death to get at the truth; meanwhile, we have actors performing this entire play on stage. Explore the irony of how acting - pretending to be something you're not - can uncover truths.

Act II

Find lines in Act II that reveal Hamlet's psychological state. They may be lines spoken by Hamlet, or by others. Consider how the character's perspective might shape the way s/he sees Hamlet's (or his own) psychological state. What meaning do you make of his psychological state?

Bilingualism in Things Fall Apart

Why does Achebe choose to write his novel in English but still include words or phrases of Igbo? What purpose might this serve and/or what effect does it have on you as a reader? Why does he sometimes define the word in the text and sometimes require readers to look in the glossary in the back of the book to see the translation? How does this inclusion of multiple languages compare to the Russian and English used in Vaclav & Lena or Spanish and English in "How to Tame a Wild Tongue?"

Is Okonkwo's death honorable?

Meursault's Final Struggle

Write about Meursault's philosophical struggle in the final chapter of The Stranger. What is he grappling with? What is he trying to understand? What conclusions does he come to? Post to the class blog. 

The Stranger: Part II, Chapter 1

1.     Are there any other “crimes” with which Meursault is charged, besides murder? If so, what are they?

2.     Is he mentally insane? Does/should he qualify for an insanity plea?

3.     On the surface he seems very different from “normal” society; is that difference authentic? Does he seem to be more of an “outsider” than he really is or does his atypical nature run even deeper than it appears to on the surface?

4.     What is the significance of the magistrate’s question about Meursault’s pausing between gunshots, and the significance of Meursault’s refusal to answer?

5.     Why does the magistrate become so upset about Meursault’s atheism? 

Vaclav & Lena

Post a written response (about 250 words) to the blog on your initial reactions to Vaclav & Lena. Topics could include but are not limited to the influence of the reader's culture on his/her reading of the text, remarkable elements of writing style, or the role of language diversity in the text.