Beowulf homework question--20 pts.

In today's society we have our own kinds of "monsters" that threaten our safety or way of life (does not necessarily have to be a "being" or living thing). (1)Who or what are today's monsters and what threats do they pose?(2) Are there any heroes fighting battles with these monsters or are they left to freely attack the people? (3)Is this a battle that can be won--or will there always be a "Grendel's mother" waiting to take the place of the other or lesser evil? Explain your answer please. (think a minimum of 2 complete paragraphs if you want full credit)

Beowulf Group Work Questions

Answer each question with the appropriate evidence from the text. (pgs. 47-51: The Battle W/Grendel’s Mother)
1. What characteristic of an epic hero does Beowulf display in lines 450-454? Please give a textual example in your answer.
2. In lines 473-474 the lake is described as a “fiery flame”—what might this be symbolic of?
3. What motivates Beowulf in lines 475-492? Give a specific example from the text in your answer.
4. Summarize the action in lines 489-525. How is this different from the fight with Grendel?
5. What characteristic(s) of an epic hero does Beowulf display in lines 590-605? Please give a specific example from the text in your answer.
6. Why do you think the Geats want the Danes to see Grendel’s head?
7. Give 2 examples of alliteration from the passage?

Beowulf vocabulary

Vocabulary terms for Beowulf--look up definitions and write example sentences (20 pts.)
1. affliction (n.)
2. cowering (v.)
3. gorge (v.)
4. infamous (adj.)
5. lament (n.)
6. purge (v.)
7. relish (v.)
8. taut (adj.)
9. writhing (v.)
10. talon (n.)

Copy the following sentences leaving room to re-write each in between

These are all actual sentences from student papers written about Beowulf as protagonist. We are not bashing these people for making mistakes, they were chosen because they were COMMON MISTAKES seen in MANY, MANY papers. Let's write down: What is wrong and then fix them together so that we stop making these errors.

1. He "seized himself, claws bent back.." shows how strong Beowulf is (41).

2. Beowulf protected everyone. "That mighty protector of men meant to hold the monster till its life leaped out."

3. He is said to be a protagonist by "he had been granted new glory" (43).

4. He is describe as "grasped at a strong-hearted wakeful sleeper"

5. "Retelling Beouwulf's bravery as they jogged along."

Next week we will be starting our college essays. In preparation for this task, I would like us to read a few and get an idea of the many different ways that they can sound. Remember, you are trying to make yourself stand out from a crowd--it is not supposed to sound formulaic. Picture yourself reading thousands of essays--after the first paragraph--would you want to keep reading yours?

1st site of sample essays

2nd site of sample essays

Welcome Class of 2013!

I hope you had a WONDERFUL summer and are ready to buckle down and prepare for what will be a very exciting and important year of your life. We definitely have a lot of work to do: writing college letters, taking college placement tests, and for some of us choosing where we want to go and what we want to do. Our main goal, is to get you on track to the destination of your choice: college, work, military.

First, let's read through the course outline:

Please finish the following two tasks by Friday:

1. Open a Google Docs Account

Directions for setting up a Google Account for: Blogger and Google Docs, etc.
*Go to Google
*sign in if you have an account
*If you "Don't have a Google Account?" Create an account now
*type in your primary email address (if you don't have one, see me)
*create a password for yourself (something easy to remember)
*accept terms
*Your account is not active until you go into the email account you provided and open the email from Google verifying your address

*this cannot be done at school because of email restrictions---if you have no access to the internet outside of school, see me.


I need you to have an active Google Account by Friday or the beginning of next week at the latest. This is how I prefer to get your work.

2. Post a message to me on the blog page

Directions for posting a message:

*At the bottom of my post it says "Comments"
*Click on it and type your message in the box (Hi Mrs. C!, Nice to meet you etc.)
*Please identify yourself in the post with your initials and class period
*If you are not signed in, sign into your Google Account and click "Publish your comment"

***Note: for responses, it is best to type in Microsoft Word and copy and paste into the post, because there is not a spelling/grammar check available.

What we have read in the unit so far...

Items read in And Justice for All so far... 1. "justice" poem 2. "Innocent...Must I Die" letter 3. "This Isn't Kiddy Court" article 4. "Words" short story 5. "The Quality of Mercy" folk-tale 6. "Someone Who Saw" short story 7. "Crossing the Line" article ***all are available in the online version of the textbook linked in the previous post