November 28, 2013

Essay Related Something

1. Thesis is about inversion - what about the inversion? 

Point 1 - what about your thesis? what is the point? What is the issue that your subject deals with, solves, points out, shows, illuminates, etc? 

Thesis about supernatural? What about it? 

Manipulation from LM - What about it? 

Almost all of the things that you will be choosing as a subject area end with “and can be considered to be key in the downfall of Macbeth and his wife.”

If your thesis is making you write down a list and show that X or Y is in the play, then your thesis isn’t complete. 

1. Thesis is about karma - 

1. If you are stuck for a starting line in your intro - the classic thing to do (Level 3-ish as an opener)  is to start with a definition of terms.
   

A Level 4 open would maybe start with a wider look at the subject area, ie karma, talk a bit about it in some way that leads to talking about the play. 

1. Macbeth is responsible for his actions - the proof is in his own dialogue - he gives arguments for and against the crimes he commits - he shows the audience that he fully understands what he’s doing, why he’s doing it, and what it means to his conscience and to the world - I have no spur but ambition

1. Inversion - once this world is upside down, all the rules are broken - even the rules of nature - the problems in the play literally come as a result of the different elements of life that get turned upside down

1. One thesis - many theses

1. Macbeth is NOT responsible for his actions

• you need to establish that he is not functioning normally, even though he is able to think about what is right and wrong, something is stopping him from following it
• the supernatural powers aligned against him are pushing and pulling him using hallucinations, visions of a future where he has power, and visions of a future that are threatening to his power - they’re manipulating his existing way of thinking with their visions and so on
• his wife is using his emotion for her, his love for her, to manipulate him - she is also attacking his manhood, and he lives in a culture where honor (and one’s masculinity is absolutely crucial to one’s power and sense of self) - remember, females have little to no power. A man is the definition of power
• both cases are using aspects of his character against him
• prove - even though he knows what he’s doing in wrong, he is unable to stop himself - you need to think about why. 

1. Macbeth is not responsible because he is insane - not fit to stand trial, for example

• you need to find some mental disorders in the real world and apply that same criteria to Macbeth, show the symptoms at work in the play, explain how they work and then show that these symptoms make him fit a definition that would get him off scot free
• ie “not guilty by reason of insanity” 
• research - specific mental disorders must be carefully set up and yo-u need to use references, give citations, etc. (this is very provable)
• Bipolar, paranoid schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, psychotic episodes, etc

Okay, so:

Writing a Smart Character Profile

1. We start by looking at the list: 

1. interactions and relationships
2. POV of narrator (not valid in Macbeth)
3. Character’s Physical/Mental Description (not valid in Macbeth)
4. Characters own words (HUGE in Macbeth) (the only view into thinking)
5. Your view as an observer (valid, important)
6. Symbolic Meaning (potentially HUGE)

1. What did we see in the movie version? 

• this gives us another view on the character - in this case, it’s the director’s vision of the character
• you get some comparison between the two forms of media - noting the differences is often useful

1. Psychology and Motives 

• you play the behaviourist (FBI style) and consider the why of the character’s actions
• looking at all the evidence, maybe referring to it, come up with an analysis of motive, needs, etc
• this motive study is a lot of INFERRING that you have to do
• make some assessments and then try to back them up
• look for possible “hidden triggers” that you can kind of assume or almost make up, but that fit into a pattern that you can discuss
• this is the Level 4 action right up in there!

Some kind of Multimedia Diddley-dew

1. Make a poster for the exciting movie version of the play - making your own with actual art supplies = fun for me to mark

1. Video a dramatic recreation or reading and submit a link to Youtube 

1. Maybe do a dramatic reading, but put the sound over a slideshow of dramatic images (use iMovie) (on an iPad) (it’s easy)

1. Lego or other 3D modeling diorama type stuff (always interesting)

5. Create a social media profile for any character in the play and populate that profile with posts/updates/tweets, etc that show character and plot and so on

Look Fors: 

Use of thematic elements from the play

use of plot/setting/character changes

original, fun ideas to show character

implementing the change to the character through the play in the profile

Thesis Statement work

Group/Process Rough Drafting

First read draft by Lobb

Finish Draft by Lobb (if necessary)