Syllabus starting April 27
PIP’S WORLD COLLAPSES AS HE DISCOVERS his benefactor is NOT Mrs. Havisham, and Estella is NOT destined to become his wife, and what seemed like “great expectations” for a wealthy and wonderful future dissolve. Nonetheless, he endeavors to help his friend Herbert Pocket with the 500 £ he receives from his benefactor. And what should we make of his visit to Wemmick’s Walworth residence and his relationship with Miss Skiffins? How is their relationship juxtaposed to Pip and Estella’s? What does his benefactor—his “Uncle Provis”—risk a death sentence to meet Pip? And why does Pip help his benefactor, when he seems so repulsed by him? And what does Magwitch mean by repeating, “I ain’t gonna be low,” again, and again?
MONDAY / GREY DAY—OFFICE HOURS
Today is a grey day, and you can meet with me during Zoom office hours 12:50 and 1:50 pm.
Check Canvas announcements for the link to Zoom.
TUESDAY / BLUE DAY (NO CLASS)
We will be adding to the reader’s questions on the shared google sheet, So stop in and post questions up through chapter 45.
WEDNESDAY / GREEN DAY
There was some confusion last week about the Zoom link, and that was on me. This week we are meeting at both Wednesday and Friday. The Zoom link will be on the Canvas syllabus.
5th period meets at 9:10 am; 6th period meets at 10:20 am. I usually open the meeting 5 minutes early to help those who encounter technology issues.
We will address any pressing questions about the Dickens reading over the weekend, likely talking about Miss Skiffins and Estella’s treatment of Mrs. Havisham.
We will move on to reading paragraphs aloud and “poking holes” in one another’s arguments, ensuring our stated claims are a) debatable; b) insightful; c) address opposing points-of-view. As necessary, I will point our lingering stylistic issues.
Read chapters 46-47 (333-346)
THURSDAY / BLUE DAY (NO CLASS)
Those that haven’t posted one question per chapter or submitted the paragraph on GE should get that posted no later than class on Friday.
FRIDAY: / GREEN DAY
Today’s zoom meeting, like Wednesday’s, is linked from the syllabus on Canvas.
As with Wednesday, we will start with pressing questions about the reading. We will likely talk more specifically about why Magwitch comes back to England, and why Pip tries to protect Macwitch.
We will continue reading through paragraphs, poking holes in arguments, and addressing stylistic issues in your writing.
HW: Chapters 48-52 (346-376) Remember to add your reader’s questions to the google sheet as you make progress.