For the second half of the book, we're upping the ante.
In your remaining blog entries, you should as before express the book from the perspective of Achates. However, instead of me providing the quote for you to react to, you'll select your own. Each blog should start with:
Quoted: (Person's Name)
"(Quote)"
E.g.
Quoted: Oscar Wilde
"A true friend stabs you in the front."
Your essay should then, as before, wrap the quote into a thesis which gives what you feel is a major theme of the book. The internet is a well-spring of quotes; Barlett's Familiar Quotations:
http://www.online-literature.com/quotes/quotations.php
is a known, searchable resource that may help you find a good quote to express your theme (and I have a hard copy of it as well, if you'd like to look at it). I only ask that as we move forward, you try to choose quotes that are worthy of the greatest work of the greatest poet who ever lived. One Rolling Stones line may serve a particular book especially well, but reach beyond song lyrics and trite drivel for the majority of your choices, PLEASE.
As always, you should use the suggestions of those who have commented on your previous blogs (ESPECIALLY ME!) to improve the quality of your essay. This half of the year, I will especially be looking at your progress as ruts tend to develop at this point in the project. We really must make our goal to move ever-upward. In addition to my previous variety of remarks, I will also be commenting in the future on quote choice and use. How well does the quote you chose fit with the book, and how well do you incorporate it in your essay? You may, of course, feel free to do the same in your comments on your peers.
Another "add" to this quarter will be a self-comment. After I and your peers react to your essay, you will respond/react to our comments before writing your next essay. 1-2 sentences should suffice. "I agree/disagree with (comment) because... In my next post, I plan to..."
All best as we continue through the Aeneid.
-KN
