Unit 6 How to Write a Rotten Poem with Almost No Effort Teaching plan综合教程三.doc

Unit 6 How to Write a Rotten Poem with Almost No EffortTeaching PointsBy the end of this unit, students are supposed to1) grasp the authors purpose of writing and make clear the structure of the whole passage through an intensive reading of Text I How to Write a Rotten Poem with Almost No Effort.2) comprehend the topic sentences in Text I thoroughly and be able to paraphrase them.3) get a list of new words and structures and use them freely in conversation and writing.Topics for discussion1) Do you like reading poems? Have you ever tried to write a poem?2) If YES, do you think it is difficult to write a poem? Where does the difficulty die?3) What kind of poem can be called a good poem? How can we write a good poem?Cultural BackgroundAbout Poetry1. History of Poetryl Some of the earliest poetry is believed to have been orally recited or sung, closely related to musical traditions, and much of it can be attributed to religious movements: rhythm, rhyme, compression, intensity of feeling, the use of refrains.l Following the development of writing, poetry has since developed into increasingly structured forms.Written composition meant poets began to compose for an absent reader.l Much poetry since the late 20th century has moved away from traditional forms towards the more vaguely defined free verse and prose poem formats.2. Classification Three major genres: l Epic poetry: a long story about brave actions and exciting events;l Lyric poetry: more personal, shorter poems intended to be sung;l Dramatic poetry: comedy and tragedy as subgenres.Text IHow to Write a Rotten Poem with Almost No EffortRichard Howey Global ReadingI. Text Analysis Modern life is more about material and tangible goods than about spirit pursuit. We set clear targets for our future, neglecting that we are gradually losing one joy that human kind usually have: the fun of spontaneity. The writer of this essay reminds us that poetry, especially creating poems, can provide us such pleasure. Though the writer of this essay writes in a half-mocking tone, and the method he introduces will not ensure us to create a wonderful, or even presentable poem, his real purpose is to make the creation of a poem less difficult than we may imagine and to induce amateurs to set their first steps on their journey to a more aesthetic life.II. Structural Analysis1. In terms of organization, the article clearly falls into three main parts:The first part (Paragraphs 1-3) introduces the problem with poetry and the significance of the writers solution.The second part (Paragraphs 4-9) introduces in detail how people can create a poem of their own.The third part (Paragraphs10-12) serves as the ending of the essay. In this part, the writer reiterates his intention and make s kit clear he is just joking by presenting such a method of creating a poem.2. The mocking tone of the author is mingled with some fairly emotional statements which reveal his real love of poetry, e.g.“Once a person has written a poem, of whatever quality, he will feel comradeship with fellow poets and, hopefully, read their works. Ideally, there would evolve a veritable society of poet-citizens, which would elevate the quality of life worldwide. Not only that, good poets could make a living for a change.” (Paragraph 3)“But at least its a poem and youve written it, which is an accomplishment that relatively few people can claim.” (Paragraph 10)“Chances are, youll find their offerings stimulating and refreshing. You might even try writing some more of your own poems, now that youve broken the ice. Observe others emotions and experience your own thats what poetry is all about. (Paragraph 11)III. Rhetorical FeaturesApparently simple but lucid English, sometimes even a colloquial speech style, creating the effect of a heart-to-heart talk between the writer and the reader, e.g.“The last line of your poem should deal with the future in some way.” (Paragraph 8) “Now that poem (like yours, when youre finished) is rotten.” (Paragraph 10) Detailed ReadingQuestions1. What does the writer think is the problem with poetry? (Paragraph 2)The problem with poetry is that most people dont know how to write a poem and there is no market for good poets and poems.2. What is the solution for this problem suggested by the writer? (Paragraph 3)The solution for this problem suggested by the writer is to make it easy for everyone to write at least one poem in his life.3. How does the writer justify his solution? (Paragraph 3)The writer thinks this may not only enhance peoples recognition of poets but cultivate a poetry-loving society and elevate the quality of life.4. What is the real intention of the writer to present such a method of creating a poem? (Paragraph 11)By introducing such a method of creating a “rotten” poem, the writer is actually encouraging people to start their journey to the appreciation of poetry and to acquire a more intimate feeling toward poetry. 5. What is the purpose of the last paragraph? (Paragraph 12)Since the title of the essay bears a very obvious mocking feature, the last paragraph, which echoes with this tone, reminds his readers of the fact that he is merely joking. Text II The Interpretation of PoetryRobert DiYanniLead-in QuestionsDo you enjoy reading poems in daily life? What is your way of understanding a poem; do you read line by line and consult materials or just have a fast reading to get a glimpse of idea?Main idea Notes 1.About the author and the text: Robert DiYanni is professor of English and Director of Interdisciplinary Studies at Pace University. He has taught graduate classes in English at New York University and Queens College City University of New York. Among his books are The Art of Reading; Modern American Poets; Prose Pieces; Essays and Stories; Reading Poetry; Modern American Prose; and Womens Voices. Professor DiYanni received his B.A. from Rutgers University and his Ph.D. from the City University of New York.The text is taken from the book Literature Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay (Second Edition).2. ROBERT HADEN (Para. 4) Robert Hayden (1913-1980) was an American poet, essayist, educator. He was appointed Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1976.3. ROBERT FROST (Para. 8) Robert Lee Frost (1874-1963) was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and philosophical themes. A popular and often-quoted poet, Frost was honored frequently during his lifetime, receiving four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.Additional notes1. sense of the poems coherence (Paragraph 2) This is the point of the essay: the main task of reading a poem is to understand the logic in and the general meaning of the poem, or the general purpose of the poet served by the facts and details presented in the poem.2. solidify our sense of what the poem implies (Paragraph 5) confirm our understanding of the poem, including its general purpose 3. make this interpretive leap (Paragraph 9) draw metaphoric inferences on the basis or even beyond the concrete facts and explicit logic in the poem4. Because we invariably bring different experiences of life and of literature to our reading of poems, we will see different things in them and will make different kinds of sense of them. (Paragraph 11) In fact, in reading a poem, our understanding is usually subjective and affected by our personal experiences and emotions. Readers form various big pictures of a single poem and draw different inferences about the poem.Questions for Discussion 1. What is our chief concern when we endeavor to interpret a poem?2. How does the author interpret the poem “Those Winter Sundays” based on observations, inferences and conclusions?3. What does the poet Robert Frost try to tell the reader in his poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”?4. Why do we say that one should interpret a poem before he is able to evaluate the poem? Key to questions for discussion1. When we endeavor to interpret a poem, our chief concern is what the poem really means or suggests, rather than how the poem affects us. In other words, interpretation is based on our rational understanding and intellectual comprehension instead of our emotional responses.2. The author senses the poets remorse and regret for not being aware of all his father did for him; the author also senses the intensity of the poets feelings both in his repetition of the phrase “what did I know,” and in the words that describe his fathers actions: “loves austere and lonely offices.”3. It is a rare beautiful sight: “The woods are lovely, dark and deep”, which might fit into the poets aesthetic view. Thats why the poet stops his horse to appreciate this wondrous scene. However, one can not indulge himself too much in a particular attraction, as he has miles to go before he goes to sleep, which might be interpreted as one has so many obligations to fulfill before his eternal sleep death.4. When we try to interpret a poem, we are supposed to pay sufficient attention to details and understand them as accurately as possible by virtue of intellectual capabilities and rational thinking. However, when we try to evaluate a poem, we are supposed to assess its literary quality and make a judgment about how good it is and how success