Someone in 1st period was teasing about "allergies" as part of the garden scene, and someone in 2nd was staunchly defending the purity and beauty of nature.  Between 2nd and 3rd I found this picture, which certainly justifies both views:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36692876/ns/health-allergies_and_asthma/displaymode/1247/?beginSlide=1

However, I'll still stick by some of our thoughts in class--and the third paper thesis--as probably stronger interpretations of the passage! 

Equalizing class stuff:  1st period, we will look at W.H. Auden's "Musee des Beaux Arts"  (big book) tomorrow, first thing.  2nd and even 3rd, we did that--but we'll look more thoroughly at that 3rd paper on the garden scene. 

SO, IN CLASS TODAY
The most important thing was to get more tone practice/close reading practice by looking at how the passage characterizes Tess.  What if the question does not give you features to analyze?  You have to figure out what's most important and effective.  That was the nature of the game . . . so after essentially three partial practice rounds (nocturnal walk in the woods, pasture scene at dawn, garden scene listening to the music) you are ready for a careful, insightful, AP worthy response of your own.  That was today's hand-out.  (Absent people will have to collect the real deal straight from me.)

Yes, I wanted it done overnight, partly as a better gauge of a "timed write," and partly because I wanted no official homework betweeen Friday and the AP lit test on Thursday.  But I am hearing that too many people had not finished reading the book, and that is the main priority for tomorrow.  If you have finished the book, and want to be done with homework for the main test week, then by all means, DO THE TIMED-WRITE TONIGHT.  Type it if you can (OK to do long-hand in the 40 min. for best practice, then quickly type it up).I will be happy to take on Friday as planned.  Otherwise, Monday is fine, but here's the catch:  if you are testing on Monday, you must still get it in by that day. I do not want it e-mailed; I will open a turnitin.com folder for those papers. 

Look over the "random thoughts on Tess" hand-out from today (linked to yesterday's post).  Someone asked about "Mr. and Mrs. Clare"--yes, I meant Angel's parents.  Of COURSE you are thinking about Tess throughout, and Angel is already on the list.