Warm-up: September 11, 2012

1. Warm-up: September 11, 2012 “I suddenly understood that if every moment of a book should be taken seriously, then every moment of a life should be taken seriously as well.” –S. Alexie “After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” –P. Pullman 1.) What are these quotes saying? Explain. 2.) How are they related to each other? 3.) Who do you know that is a good storyteller? What makes them good at storytelling?

2. Geoffrey Chaucer & The Canterbury Tales Introduction

3. Agenda • Review homework • “My Name” • Review samples • Chaucer • Prologue • Rhyme and meter • Prologue Assignments • Character Profile

4. “Floating over five letters and three syllables, it’s a strange accumulation of letters. The sound of each part feels like a fluttering butterfly wing, dripping like nectar from the side of my mouth.” “Blue is the color of my name. Blue is calm like the backdrop of a computer screen that is a photograph of tranquil waters… The color is calm like the sound of my name.” “In America, my name means beautiful white flower. It’s like a fresh stream flowing through ice toppled mountains.”

5. “My name is a name that is often misspelled, often viewed as a foreign language of its own.” “It is a fair name. A name that does not like unfairness or deception… My name is bumpy toward the end, as if two words were put together to form one name.” “In Norse, it means sword. It is a sharp, belligerent name. It doesn’t compliment my personality; in fact, it does the exact opposite. I refuse to comply with my name.”

6. Chaucer • Born around 1342 AD (exact date not known) • London • Got job as page in the royal household • Only a teenager • Father was middle class wine merchant; had connections • Well-educated • Promoted; got to travel • Worked a lot but also wrote a lot • C. Tales is his masterpiece • 1st major work in English • Portrayed people of all social standings

7. Canterbury tales • Frame Narrative • Several small stories in a larger one • Used many stories he had heard before • Stories told and retold • Focus was on storyteller’s skill • Used everyday people • Didn’t just write about heroes or royalty. • Characters: • From Feudal System • Knight, Squire, Franklin, Plowman, Miller, Reeve • In Religious Life • Nun, Monk, Friar, Cleric, Parson, Summoner, Pardoner • In rising middle class • Merchant, Sergeant at the Law, Five Tradesmen, Cook, Skipper

8. Time and place • 14th century • Pilgrimage to Canterbury • Journey had been made for 200 years. • Worship the shrine of St. Thomas Becket. • 200 year anniversary of his death. • Pilgrimage for several reasons. • Religious devotion, pray for miracles, adventure, change of scenery. • Pilgrims banded together. • Safety (robbers and roads) • Chaucer died before completing C. Tales. • Not sure the exact order.

9. Travel • Today a two-hour drive. • Then, several days.

10. Key Terms • Direct: The author tells you what the character is like. • Ex: Anne was energetic and social. • Indirect: The author shows you what the character is like through their thoughts, feelings, actions, etc. • Ex: Anne’s father was nervous about her ability to keep quiet during the day, so he got her a diary. • Rhyme: pattern of rhymes between lines of a poem or song. • Meter: recurring pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in lines of a set length. • Iambic Pentameter: 5 unstressed, 5 stressed

11. Prologue • Rhyme • Meter • Annotations • Plot, interpretations

12. Character Assignments • The Knight • The Nun • The Monk • The Friar • The Franklin • The Doctor • The Wife of Bath • The Parson • The Reeve • The Summoner • The Pardoner • The Host • The Squire • The Miller

13. Character assignments • Read your assigned section. • Complete the Character Chart on your character. • If the text doesn’t tell you the answer to a question/category, make up an answer based upon the characterization of that person in the story.