GROUNDHOG DAY

"A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS"

Hope you find this short video both interesting and funny. You'll have to watch it several times since the voice-over speaks quite fast. Enjoy it!!

DAFFODILS by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

This is the poem I told you about in our last class. It was written by William Wordsworth in 1804.

William Wordsworth is a well-known romantic poet who believed in conveying simple and creative expressions through his poems. He claimed that "Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility". Thus, Daffodils is one of the most popular poems of the Romantic Age, unfolding the poet's excitement, love and praise for a field blossoming with daffodils. Wordsworth wrote Daffodils on a stormy day in spring, while walking along with his sister Dorothy near Ullswater Lake, in England. He imagined that the daffodils were dancing and invoking him to join and enjoy the breezy nature of the fields. Dorothy Wordsworth, the younger sister of William Wordsworth, found the poem so interesting that she took 'Daffodils' as the subject for her journal.

Daffodils

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed--and gazed--but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

The novel where DAFFODILS are seen as a symbol of colonialism and the power the latter has to control and choke people's own identity and culture is entitled Lucy and it was written by Jamaica Kincaid. While attending Queen Victoria Girl's school, the protagonist Lucy was forced to memorize a poem  written by William Wordsworth roughly two centuries ago about daffodils.  The poem recalls the beauty of daffodils that the speaker has seen years ago. Lucy cannot appreciate this beauty, because daffodils do not grow on her island. After reciting the poem, Lucy is applauded and she explains that at this moment she feels fake. She feels like people see her as English on the outside but on the inside she hates the English. The daffodils represent Lucy's alienation from both her education, and from her new home.

1984

Published in 1949 and set thirty-six years in the future, 1984 is George Orwell's dark vision of the future. Written while Orwell was dying and based on the work of the Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin, it is a chilling depiction of how the power of the state could come to dominate the lives of individuals through cultural conditioning. Perhaps the most powerful science fiction novel of the twentieth century, this apocalyptic satire shows with grim conviction how Winston Smith’s individual personality is wiped out and how he is recreated in the Party’s image until he does not just obey but even loves Big Brother. 
Some critics have related Winston Smith’s sufferings to those Orwell underwent at preparatory school, experiences he wrote about just before 1984. Orwell maintained that the book was written with the explicit intention “to alter other people’s idea of the kind of society they should strive after.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1)  In the afterword, the commentator describes 1984 as "a warning." Indeed, throughout the text, Orwell plants both subtle and overt warnings to the reader. What do you think are some of the larger issues at hand here?

2) In the final analysis, how accurate was Orwell in his vision of the future? In what ways does our contemporary society compare to his idea of society in 1984? Are there examples in which he was correct? What is most opposite? Do you see a potential for aspects of Orwell's "vision" to come true?

3)  During his final encounter with O'Brien, Winston argues that, if all else fails, the inherent nature of the individual-the "spirit of man"-is strong enough to undermine a society such as that created by The Party. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Is Winston's belief applicable to the world we live in today? Can you cite examples in our own recent history that support or dismiss Winston's belief in the resiliency and righteousness of the human spirit?

4) Discuss the role of sex and intimacy in 1984. What specific function does the Party's directive on sexual interaction serve?

5) Discuss the main THEMES in the book: TOTALITARISM; SEX & SEXUALITY; TECHNOLOGY; LANGUAGE; MUSIC; LOYALTY and any other you think it is relevant for a good understanding of the novel.

QUEEN'S SPEECH IN NORTHERN IRELAND, MAY 2011

18th May 2011. On the second day of her historic visit to Ireland the Queen has delivered a speech at a state banquet in her honour at Dublin Castle.

She said there was much to celebrate in the ties between the UK and Ireland.

This is her speech in full. She began by saying a few words in Irish Gaelic.

"A hUachtarain agus a chairde [president and friends].

"Prince Philip and I are delighted to be here, and to experience at first hand Ireland's world famous hospitality.

"Together we have much to celebrate: the ties between our people, the shared values, and the economic, business and cultural links that make us so much more than neighbours, that make us firm friends and equal partners.

"Madame President, speaking here in Dublin Castle it is impossible to ignore the weight of history, as it was yesterday when you and I laid wreaths at the Garden of Remembrance.

"Indeed so much of this visit reminds us of the complexity of our history, its many layers and traditions, but also the importance of forbearance and conciliation, of being able to bow to the past but not be bound by it.

"Of course the relationship has not always been straightforward; nor has the record over the centuries been entirely benign.

"It is a sad and regrettable reality that through history our islands have experienced more than their fair share of heartache, turbulence and loss.

"These events have touched us all, many of us personally, and are a painful legacy. We can never forget those who have died or been injured or their families.

"To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy.

"With the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all.

"But it is also true that no one who looked to the future over the past centuries could have imagined the strength of the bonds that are now in place between the governments and the people of our two nations, the spirit of partnership that we now enjoy, and the lasting rapport between us.

"No one here this evening could doubt that heartfelt desire of our two nations.

"Madame President, you have done a great deal to promote this understanding and reconciliation. You set out to build bridges. And I have seen it first hand, your success in bringing together different communities and traditions on this island.

"You have also shed new light on the sacrifice of those who served in the First World War. Even as we jointly opened the Messines Peace Park in 1998 it was difficult to look ahead to the time when you and I would be standing together at Islandbridge as we were today.

"That transformation is also evident in the establishment of a successful power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland. A knot of history that was painstakingly loosened by the British and Irish Governments together with the strength, vision and determination of the political parties in Northern Ireland.

"What were once only hopes for the future have now come to pass; it is almost exactly 13 years since the overwhelming majority of people in Ireland and Northern Ireland voted in favour of the agreement signed on Good Friday 1998, paving the way for Northern Ireland to become the exciting and inspirational place that it is today.

"I applaud the work of all those involved in the peace process and of all those who support and nurture peace, including members of the police, the Garda and the other emergency services, and those who work in the communities, the Churches and charitable bodies like Co-operation Ireland.

"Taken together, their work not only serves as the basis for reconciliation between our peoples and communities, but it gives hope to other peacemakers across the world that through sustained effort, peace can and will prevail.

"For the world moves on quickly. The challenges of the past have been replaced by new economic challenges which will demand the same imagination and courage.

"The lessons from the peace process are clear - whatever life throws at us, our individual responses will be all the stronger for working together and sharing the load.

"There are other stories written daily across these islands which do not find their voice in solemn pages of history books, or newspaper headlines but which are at the heart of shared narrative.

"Many British families have members who live in this country, as many Irish families have close relatives in the United Kingdom. These families share the two islands; they have visited each other and have come home to each other over the years.

"They are the ordinary people who yearned for the peace and understanding we now have between our two nations and between the communities within those two nations; a living testament to how much in common we have.

"These ties of family, friendship and affection are our most precious resource. They are the lifeblood of the partnership across these islands, a golden thread that runs through all our joint successes so far, and all we will go on to achieve.

"They are a reminder that we have much to do together to build a future for all our grandchildren; the kind of future our grandparents could only dream of.

"So we celebrate together the widespread spirit of goodwill and deep mutual understanding that has served to make the relationship more harmonious, close as good neighbours should always be."

TEN ADS THAT SHOCKED THE WORLD

Advertising is a world in which the normal is beautified, cracks are airbrushed over and real-life is portrayed with rose tinted glasses. And all with the intention of getting the consumers to buy into such ideals.

It is all the more uncomfortable when advertisers seek to shock rather than tantalise, although the effect can be incredible. The Independent picked ten controversial advertising campaigns to test how the shock factor compares.

Click here to have a look at the ads and feel free to post any comment expressing your views. 

THE TWELFTH DAY OF JULY- WORDS AND THEIR CONTEXT

Now that you have read the book, explain the meaning of these words paying special attention to the historical context in which they are ingrained. You'll probably have to do some research to come up with a PRECISE definition. GOOD LUCK!!

• MICKS 
• PRODS
• IRA  (chapter 2)
• THE POPE AND KING BILLY
• MURAL
• BOWLER HAT / SASHES AND BANNERS
• BANSHEE (chapter 8)
• ME  (FATHER/HOUSE)  / EEJIT (chapter 5) / WEE 
• CONSTABLE
• SHIPYARD GANTRIES  (chapter 1)
• BACK-TO-BACKS (chapter 1)
• THE BLITZ (chapter 11)
• NO SURRENDER (chapter 9)

IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS:

·         TO BE A DAB HAND AT STH

·         HAVE SHARP EARS

·         START SMALL, END BIG

·         BOLD AS BRASS

·         (TO BE) IN HOT WATER

·         COULDN’T / CAN’TSLEEP A WINK

·         GIVE YOU AN INCH AND YOU TAKE A MILE

·         EVERY TOM, DICK AND HARRY

SCHEDULE FOR THE THIRD TERM

       Advertising

• Types of advertising: outdoor, surrogate, covert ….
• Analyzing several ads

1. 1. ASICS “Made of Sport”
2. 1. The Girl Effect: The clock is ticking
3. 1. Celebrating Working Women

Joan Lingard’s THE TWELTH DAY OF JULY.

• Carrying out some research on The Troubles in Northern Ireland. 
• Watching and commenting the film  “IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER” (1993) by Jim Sheridan.
• Listening to and discussing  “SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY”  & “IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER” by U2  and “ZOMBIE” by The Cranberries.

  

            Salman Rushdie’s The COURter from the collection East, West (1994).

• Analyzing the short story
• Reflecting upon varieties of English as portrayed in the book.
• Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If”.

ANALYZING ADVERTISEMENTS

TASK: ANALYZING A PRINT AD OR A TV/RADIO SPOT

LANGUAGE: It has to be in ENGLISH (both the ad as well as the analysis)

DEADLINE: FRIDAY 30th MARCH

There's more to advertising's message than meets the casual eye. An effective ad, like other forms of communication, works best when it strikes a chord in the needs and desires of the receiving consumer -- a connection that can be both intuitive and highly calculated.The following questions can help foster an awareness of this process. Use them for class or group discussions or your own individual analysis of ads or commercials.

                 1.     What is the general ambience of the advertisement? What mood does it create? How does it do this?

 2.     What is the design of the advertisement? Does it use axial balance or some other form? How are the basic components or elements arranged?

 3.     What is the relationship between pictorial elements and written material and what does this tell us?

 4.     What is the use of space in the advertisement? Is there a lot of 'white space" or is it full of graphic and written elements?

 5.     What signs and symbols do we find? What role do they play in the ad's impact?

 6.     If there are figures (men, women, children, animals) what are they like? What can be said about their facial expressions, poses, hairstyle, age, sex, hair color, ethnicity, education, occupation, relationships?

 7.     What does the background tell us? Where is the advertisement taking place and what significance does this background have?

 8.     What action is taking place in the advertisement and what significance does it have? (This might be described as the ad's "plot.")

 9.     What theme or themes do we find in the advertisement? What is it about? (The plot of an advertisement may involve a man and a woman drinking but the theme might be jealousy, faithlessness, ambition, passion, etc.)

 10.   What about the language used? Does it essentially provide information or does it try to generate some kind of emotional response? Or both? What techniques are used by the copywriter: humor, alliteration, comparisons, sexual innuendo, and so on?

 11.   What is the item being advertised and what role does it play in American/Spanish culture and society?

 12.   What about aesthetic decisions? If the advertisement is a photograph, what kind of a shot is it? What significance do long shots, medium shots, close-up shots have? What about the lighting, use of color, angle of the shot?

 13.   What sociological, political, economic or cultural attitudes are indirectly reflected in the advertisement? An advertisement may be about a pair of blue jeans but it might, indirectly, reflect such matters as sexism, alienation, stereotyped thinking, conformism, generational conflict, loneliness, elitism, and so on.

This site may come in handy when looking for ads. You can even choose the media or the region/country. 
Watch this video and pay special attention to the type of language the voice-over uses to talk about the poster KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON. (reassurance; feature(s) special and handsome typeface, the only graphic design is; it carried/carries the slogan; it has become a truly iconic images of the ... century; its design so much appeal and resonance ; its design is simple and timeless)

PUBLIC SERVICE ADVERTISING 

Why are these "ads" considered as epitomes of this kind of advertising?

THE GIRL EFFECT: THE CLOCK IS TICKING

http://www.girleffect.org/question#/home/ 

 An ad about the powerful social and economic change brought about when girls have the opportunity to participate in their society.  

• What's the main message that the ad seems to be putting forward?
• What do the colours represent in this ad?

For many centuries people have experimented on animals. There are two main reasons for doing this:

1. first, to find out more about the animals themselves, and,
2. secondly, to test substances and procedures to see if they are harmful (with a view to deciding whether or not they can be used on human beings). In the second category fall cosmetic products as well as medicines and surgical techniques. There is a growing consensus that it is not acceptable to test cosmetic products on animals. 

The debate about the pros and cons of animal experimentation (or 'vivisection') is one that elicits very strong emotions: animal rights activists have even resorted to trespass, violence, death threats, and hunger strikes in their single-minded (and sometimes illegal) mission to end this practice. 

• Do animals have rights?
• Is it morally acceptable to experiment on animals to develop products and medicines that benefit human beings? 
• Should we experiment on animals for scientific and medical purposes?
• Should human beings be allowed to use animals as objects of sport and entertainment? 
• Check these sites to get some ideas: 

http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=7
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_arguments_for_and_against_medical_testing_on_animals 

BANKSY: AN ARTIST OR A VANDAL?

Art sometimes "challenges the public perspective". Are Banksy's famous graffiti works art or are they the desecration of public property?

Watch this video on Banksy's work and then discuss the questions below:

1. How many times has Banksy exhibited at the Bristol museum?

a) Many times

b) a few times

c) It's the first time

2. Banksy's work is usually seen ...

a) in the streets

b) in people's homes

c) in galleries and museums

3. Jackie thinks that Banksy's work 

a) makes people think

b) makes people angry

c) is illegal

4. Banksy's technique 

a) means that his work can be done very quickly

b) is unique

c) uses oil paint

5.Jackie says Banksy's work in Bristol was

a) controversial but very popular

b) provocative and no one liked it

c) destroyed by the council

6. Banksy's painting are 

a) against the government

b) supportive of the government

c) liked by the government

POST-LISTENING: Read this article http://ben-cluse.suite101.com/is-banksy-a-street-artist-or-vandal-a206556 and write a composition on your own views on the issue.

 

"GENERATION GAP": CAT STEVENS. FATHER AND SON

• Why do you think we have discussed this song in class?
• What are some of the problems which are a consequence of the "GENERATION GAP"? Is there a solution? What are your proposals?
• Have you ever had such a conversation with your father/mother?
• Do you feel that your parents (father/mother/both) don’t understand your willingness to break free from them, that they are too old to see life in the same light as you?
• Who do you agree most in the song: the father or the son's arguments?

"FILM RATINGS"

The Rating Board does not determine the content that may be included in motion pictures by filmmakers, nor does it evaluate the quality or social value of motion pictures.  By issuing a rating, it seeks to inform parents of the level of certain content in a motion picture (violence, sex, drugs, language, thematic material, adult activities, etc.) that parents may consider inappropriate for viewing by their children. What is the meaning of these ratings?

G
PG
PG-13
R
NC-17

USE OF LANGUAGE IN "ADRIAN MOLE'S DIARY"

Language is not a neutral vessel for conveying the ideas, beliefs, and values that constitute culture. Nor is it a mere tool for describing the world as it truly is—no language can be said to describe the world as it truly is. To use a language—any language—is to interpret the world in a particular way. It is a social construct which reflects the political and socioeconomic reality of a given time.

Language has been used to reflect the values and culture of our society.   We have seen a few examples of this phenomenon in Adrian Mole's book.

Can you remember why we picked these words? Try to define them and be as thorough as possible.


BROWN-SKINNED

BOIL-IN-THE-BAG food

BOX

FILTHY COMMIE

FROG WRITER

TUG-OF-LOVE child

LATCHKEY kid/child

ADRIAN MOLE SERIES

The series was first broadcast in 1985. You can see the first chapter here. The opening and closing theme was "Profoundly In Love With Pandora" by Ian Dury. It was released as a single in October 1985 and reached number 45 on the UK SINGLES CHART. I include the lyrics below. 




"My mother's heart and soul
Have gone halfway up the pole
My father's on the dole
This is taking its toll
My friend Bert is much too old
And his dog's beyond control
Though it sometimes seems they're droll
It's a nuisance on the whole.


I'm profoundly in love with Pandora
My poem has an intellectual theme
The tenderness with which I adore her
Goes all bouncy in my dreams.


Yesterday my chin was clear
Now a new spot has appeared
Barry Kent had cost me dear
Till my Grandma interfered
The BBC know I'm sincere
In making writing my career
Wish my mum would come back here
Lots of ups and downs this year.


I'm profoundly in love with Pandora
She's got knee-socks and treacle-coloured hair
The tenderness with which I adore her
Is something fine and rare.

But, my father's in a mess
And there's a great deal of stress
At our house
And my major concern
Is that things might return
To normal
So get rid of that creep
And come back to sleep
In our house
We both miss you mum
So hurry up and come
Back

My mother's heart and soul
Have gone halfway up the pole
Though it sometimes seems they're droll
It's a nuisance on the whole


Yesterday my chin was clear
Now a new spot has appeared
Profoundly in love with Pandora


Wish my mum would come back here
Lots of ups and downs this year


I'm profoundly in love with Pandora
Things aren't always what they seem
The tenderness with which I adore her
Is indeed a love supreme."


Some FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

• Do you think the song could be used as a good summary of the book? Support your answers.
• Are/were you disappointed by the way the characters are portrayed in the series? Did you expect them to look different?