Ms. Swanson
English 12, Per. 1

Spring 2014

Sources of EVIL: In Cold Blood, Grendel, and Beowulf

Daily Assignments 4/11-5/24

  1. READ: Read the novelDue: Mo 5/12

To be on track you should finish each section ofIn Cold Bloodas follows:

  1. Part I (71 pp.) by Mo 4/21
  2. Part II (78 pp.) by Mo 4/28
  3. Part III (87 pp.) by Mo 5/5
  4. Part IV (92 pp.) by Mo 5/12

  1. WRITE: as you read, make a scrapbook on the life of one of the suspects (Perry Smith or Dick Hickock), ORoneof the family membersor the detective (Nancy Clutter, Mr. Clutter, Mrs. Clutter or Kenyon Clutter, or Detective Al Dewey) in the novel. Draw or print out images; write letters, poetry, music, or diary entries; and include 3-dimensional objects that reflect or symbolize the character’s personality, friends, enemies, fears, hopes, family background, behavior/mannerisms, possessions, vital statistics, and problems. Scrapbook Due:Mo 5/12
  1. PROJECT: Select one project from the list below to create a literary or artistic rendering of EVIL.

Commit to a project by:Mo 5/12

  1. write a poem about evil,and write a ½ page explanation of what it depicts and how it relates to the readings;
  2. write a short story about evil,and write a ½ page explanation of what it depicts and how it relates to the readings;
  3. write a short screenplay about evil,and write a ½ page explanation of what it depicts and how it relates to the readings;
  4. perform a scene from one of the readings that depicts some aspect of evil,and write a ½ page explanation of what it depicts and how it relates to the readings;
  5. create story boards or a graphic novel about evil (each drawing would include dialogue/description in a caption),and write a ½ page explanation of what it depicts and how it relates to the readings;
  6. draw a depiction of one of the evil characters from the readings, and write a ½ page explanation of what it depicts and how it relates to the readings.
  1. EXTRA CREDIT Research: Find two articles on one of the main characters (Detective Al Dewey, suspect Perry Smith, or suspect Dick Hickock). Print out the articles and write a precis on each one.

Due:Mo 5/19

DAILY SCHEDULE:

We 4/9 / Get yourself a Grendel by John Gardner and In Cold Blood by Truman Capote; read the synopsis of Beowulf (handout attached) and answer questions
Fr 4/11 / Turn in final draft of research essay; start readingPart I of In Cold Blood (ICB)
M 4/14 / Read Part I ICB; go over ERWC Evil Unit
We 4/16 / Read excerpts from Grendel (pp. 12-28, 30-35); read ICB Part I; start ERWC Evil Unit assignments
Fr 4/18 / ReadICB Part I; read excerpts from Grendel(pp. 46-55)and answer questions
M 4/21 / Start Part II ICB; watchP.Zombardo’s lecture on “The Psychology of Evil” and answer questions; do ERWC Activity 1
We 4/23 / Grammar (punct.); read ICB Part II; read “Many Kids Called Unfit for Adult Trial;” annotate; do ERWC Activity 2
Fr 4/25 / Read ICB Part II; read “Supreme Court to Rule on Executing Young Killers;” annotate
M 4/28 / Finish “The Psychology of Evil” startICB Part III
We 4/30 / Grammar (pron-ref); read ICB Part III; read “Kids Are Kids—Until They Commit Crimes”; annotate;do ERWC Activity 6 and 7
Fr 5/2 / Read ICB Part III; quiz on the book so far (end of per.)
Mo 5/5 / Grammar (passive); start ICB Part IV; read “Startling Finds on Teenage Brains;”annotate

We 5/7

/

Read ICB Part IV

Fr 5/9 / Grammar (s-v agr); FINISH ICB

Mo 5/12

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Turn in In Cold Blood scrapbook,

We 5/14

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Grammar (more passive);take test on ICB; compare evil in the readings (discussion)

Fr 5/16 / brief review of Grendel, In Cold Blood, ERWC readings, and evil; compare views on evil in FISHBOWL; turn in ERWC Activities

Mo 5/19

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Portfolio Check and final analysis: organize essays and fill in Portfolio chart; read letter to self!

We 5/21

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Senior English Final: grammar test, evil essay

Fr 5/23

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Senior picninc

Mo 5/26

/

Memorial Day HOLIDAY

Tue 5/27 / English 12, Per. 1FINAL

Grendel Study Questions

  1. Describe Grendel’s first encounter with humans—where is he, what happens, why? (3)
  2. What does Grendel witness that makes him wonder who is the real monster in his story?
  3. What is the first example of human evil Grendel encounters?
  4. What sickens Grendel about this first encounter with evil?
  5. Grendel is attacked twice by humans in these passages. What happens each time, why is he attacked, and how does it affect him? (6)
  6. At the beginning of the story, Grendel is an innocent child-monster. He’s not evil and has had no experience with evil. What changes him into an evil monster?
  7. List five observations Grendel makes about the ways of men in these passages as a result of spying on them. Look especially at his observations on man’s capacity for evil.
  8. Is evil necessary for good to exist? What does Grendel have to say about it?
  9. Describe Grendel’s Mom (3 or 4 details). How is she a classic monster?
  10. How is Grendel different from his mother—what makes him different from a classic monster?

The Psychology of Evil Study Questions

1.What happens when you put good people in an evil place?

2.Does humanity win out, or does evil triumph?

3.What makes people agree to commit evil?

  1. What prevented "good guards" from objecting or countermanding the orders from tough or bad guards?
  2. If you were a prisoner, would you have been able to endure the experience? What would you have done differently than those subjects did?
  3. If you were imprisoned in a "real" prison for five years or more, could you take it?
  4. Was it ethical to do this study? Was it right to trade the suffering experienced by participants for the knowledge gained by the research?

Beowulf: Plot Overview

King Hrothgar of Denmark, a descendant of the great king Shield Sheafson, enjoys a prosperous and successful reign. He builds a great mead-hall, called Heorot, where his warriors can gather to drink, receive gifts from their lord, and listen to stories sung by the scops, or bards. But the jubilant noise from Heorot angers Grendel, a horrible demon who lives in the swamplands of Hrothgar’s kingdom. Grendel terrorizes the Danes every night, killing them and defeating their efforts to fight back. The Danes suffer many years of fear, danger, and death at the hands of Grendel. Eventually, however, a young Geatish warrior named Beowulf hears of Hrothgar’s plight. Inspired by the challenge, Beowulf sails to Denmark with a small company of men, determined to defeat Grendel.

Hrothgar, who had once done a great favor for Beowulf’s father Ecgtheow, accepts Beowulf’s offer to fight Grendel and holds a feast in the hero’s honor. During the feast, an envious Dane named Unferth taunts Beowulf and accuses him of being unworthy of his reputation. Beowulf responds with a boastful description of some of his past accomplishments. His confidence cheers the Danish warriors, and the feast lasts merrily into the night. At last, however, Grendel arrives. Beowulf fights him unarmed, proving himself stronger than the demon, who is terrified. As Grendel struggles to escape, Beowulf tears the monster’s arm off. Mortally wounded, Grendel slinks back into the swamp to die. The severed arm is hung high in the mead-hall as a trophy of victory.

Overjoyed, Hrothgar showers Beowulf with gifts and treasure at a feast in his honor. Songs are sung in praise of Beowulf, and the celebration lasts late into the night. But another threat is approaching. Grendel’s mother, a swamp-hag who lives in a desolate lake, comes to Heorot seeking revenge for her son’s death. She murders Aeschere, one of Hrothgar’s most trusted advisers, before slinking away. To avenge Aeschere’s death, the company travels to the murky swamp, where Beowulf dives into the water and fights Grendel’s mother in her underwater lair. He kills her with a sword forged for a giant, then, finding Grendel’s corpse, decapitates it and brings the head as a prize to Hrothgar. The Danish countryside is now purged of its treacherous monsters.

The Danes are again overjoyed, and Beowulf’s fame spreads across the kingdom. Beowulf departs after a sorrowful goodbye to Hrothgar, who has treated him like a son. He returns to Geatland, where he and his men are reunited with their king and queen, Hygelac and Hygd, to whom Beowulf recounts his adventures in Denmark. Beowulf then hands over most of his treasure to Hygelac, who, in turn, rewards him.

In time, Hygelac is killed in a war against the Shylfings, and, after Hygelac’s son dies, Beowulf ascends to the throne of the Geats. He rules wisely for fifty years, bringing prosperity to Geatland. When Beowulf is an old man, however, a thief disturbs a barrow, or mound, where a great dragon lies guarding a horde of treasure. Enraged, the dragon emerges from the barrow and begins unleashing fiery destruction upon the Geats. Sensing his own death approaching, Beowulf goes to fight the dragon. With the aid of Wiglaf, he succeeds in killing the beast, but at a heavy cost. The dragon bites Beowulf in the neck, and its fiery venom kills him moments after their encounter. The Geats fear that their enemies will attack them now that Beowulf is dead. According to Beowulf’s wishes, they burn their departed king’s body on a huge funeral pyre and then bury him with a massive treasure in a barrow overlooking the sea.

DENMARKSWEDEN (GEATLAND)MONSTERS

King HrothgarKing HygelacGrendel

UnferthBeowulf Grendel’s Mom

AeschereWiglafDragon