Unit-6-How-to-Write-a-Rotten-Poem-with-Almost-No-E.pptx

Unit1Unit 6 How to Write a Rotten Poem with Almost No Effort第1页Watch the video clip and answer the following questions.1.Why should students of all majors study poetry?2.Are the students expressions changing when they are listening to Mr.Keatings words?Pre-reading Activities-Audiovisual supplement 1Audiovisual SupplementCultural InformationBecause poetry has universal value.It stands for human passion and love and these are what we are living for.Yes,they are all inspired by Mr.Keatings speech about the meaning of poetry.第2页Pre-reading Activities-Audiovisual supplement 2Audiovisual SupplementCultural Information第3页Mr.Keating:Keep ripping gentlemen.This is a battle,a war.And the casualties could be your hearts and souls.Thank you Mr.Dalton.Armies of academics going forward,measuring poetry.No,we will not have that here.No more of Mr.J.Evans Pritchard.Now in my class you will learn to think for yourselves again.You will learn to savor words and language.No matter what anybody tells you,words and ideas can change the world.I see that look in Mr.Pitts eye,like nineteenth century literature has nothing to do with going to business school or medical school.Right?Maybe.Mr.Hopkins,you may agree with him,thinking“Yes,we should simply study our Mr.Pritchard and learn our rhyme and meter and go quietly about theVideo Script1Audiovisual SupplementCultural InformationFrom Dead Poets Society第4页business of achieving other ambitions.”I have a little secret for you.Huddle up.Huddle up!We dont read and write poetry because its cute.We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race.And the human race is filled with passion.Medicine,law,business,engineering,these are all noble pursuits,and necessary to sustain life.But poetry,beauty,romance,love,these are what we stay alive for.To quote from Whitman:“O me,o life of the questions of these recurring,of the endless trains of the faithless,of cities filled with the foolish.What good amid these,o me,o life?”Answer:that you are here.That life exists,and identity.That the powerful play goes on,and you may contribute a verse.ThatVideo Script2Audiovisual SupplementCultural Information第5页Video Script3Audiovisual SupplementCultural Informationthe powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.第6页1.History of PoetrySome of the earliest poetry is believed to have been orally recited or sung,closely related to musical traditions,and much of it can be attributed to religious movements:rhythm,rhyme,compression,intensity of feeling,the use of refrains.Following the development of writing,poetry has since developed into increasingly structured forms.Written composition meant poets began to compose for an absent reader.Cultural information1Audiovisual SupplementCultural Background第7页Much poetry since the late 20th century has moved away from traditional forms towards the more vaguely defined free verse and prose poem formats.Cultural information2Audiovisual SupplementCultural Background第8页2.Classification Three major genres:Epic poetry:a long story about brave actions and exciting events;Lyric poetry:more personal,shorter poems intended to be sung;Dramatic poetry:comedy and tragedy as subgenres.Cultural information3Audiovisual SupplementCultural Background第9页Text AnalysisStructural AnalysisText Analysis Modern life is more about material and tangible goods than about spirit pursuit.We set clear targets for our future,neglecting that we are gradually losing one joy that human kind usually have:the fun of spontaneity.The writer of this essay reminds us that poetry,especially creating poems,can provide us such pleasure.Though the writer of this essay writes in a half-mocking tone,and the method he introduces will not ensure us to create a wonderful,or even presentable poem,his real purpose is to make the creation of a poem less difficult than we may imagine and to induce amateurs to set their first steps on their journey to a more aesthetic life.Rhetorical Features第10页Structural analysis1Structural AnalysisText AnalysisParagraphsMain idea1-34-9 10-12The first part introduces the problem with poetry and the significance of the writers solution.The second part introduces in detail how people can create a poem of their own.The third part serves as the ending of the essay.In this part,the writer reiterates his intention and makes it clear he is just joking by presenting such a method of creating a poem.1.In terms of organization,the article clearly falls into three main parts:Rhetorical Features第11页Structural analysis2Structural AnalysisText Analysis2.The mocking tone of the author is mingled with some fairly emotional statements which reveal his real love of poetry,e.g.“Once a person has written a poem,of whatever quality,he will feel comradeship with fellow poets and,hopefully,read their works.Ideally,there would evolve a veritable society of poet-citizens,which would elevate the quality of life worldwide.Not only that,good poets could make a living for a change.”(Paragraph 3)“But at least its a poem and youve written it,which is an accomplishment that relatively few people can claim.”(Paragraph 10)Rhetorical Features第12页Structural analysis3Structural AnalysisText Analysis“Chances are,youll find their offerings stimulating and refreshing.You might even try writing some more of your own poems,now that youve broken the ice.Observe others emotions and experience your own thats what poetry is all about.(Paragraph 11)Rhetorical Features第13页Rhetorical FeaturesStructural AnalysisText AnalysisRhetorical Features Apparently simple but lucid English,sometimes even a colloquial speech style,creating the effect of a heart-to-heart talk between the writer and the reader,e.g.“The last line of your poem should deal with the future in some way.”(Paragraph 8)“Now that poem(like yours,when youre finished)is rotten.”(Paragraph 10)第14页Detailed reading1Detailed ReadingHow to Write a Rotten Poem with Almost No EffortRichard Howey 1 So you want to write a poem.Youve had a rotten day or an astounding thought or a car accident or a squalid love affair and you want to record it for all time.You want to organize those emotions that are pounding through your veins.You have something to communicate via a poem but you dont know where to start.第15页Detailed reading2Detailed Reading2 This,of course,is the problem with poetry.Most people find it difficult to write a poem so they dont even try.Whats worse,they dont bother reading any poems either.Poetry has become an almost totally foreign art form to many of us.As a result,serious poets either starve or work as account executives.There is no middle ground.Good poets and poems are lost forever simply because there is no market for them,no people who write their own verse and seek out further inspiration from other bards.第16页Detailed reading3Detailed Reading3 Fortunately,there is a solution for this problem,as there are for all imponderables.The answer is to make it easy for everyone to write at least one poem in his life.Once a person has written a poem,of whatever quality,he will feel comradeship with fellow poets and,hopefully,read their works.Ideally,there would evolve a veritable society of poet-citizens,which would elevate the quality of life worldwide.Not only that,good poets could make a living for a change.第17页Detailed reading4Detailed Reading4 So,to begin,have your paper ready.You must first understand that the poem you write here will not be brilliant.It wont even be mediocre.But it will be better than 50%of all song lyrics and at least equal to one of Rod McKuens best efforts.You will be instructed how to write a four-line poem but the basic structure can be repeated at will to create works of epic length.第18页Detailed reading5Detailed Reading5 The first line of your poem should start and end with these words:“In the of my mind.”The middle word of this line is optional.Any word will do.It would be best not to use a word that has been overdone,such as“windmills”or“gardens”or“playground.”Just think of as many nouns as you can and see what fits best.The rule of thumb is to pick a noun that seems totally out of context,such as“filing cabinet”or“radiator”or“parking lot.”Just remember,the more unusual the noun,the more profound the image.第19页Detailed reading6Detailed Reading6 The second line should use two or more of the human senses in a conflicting manner,as per the famous,“listen to the warm.”This is a sure way to conjure up“poetic”feeling and atmosphere.Since there are five different senses,the possibilities are endless.A couple that come to mind are“see the noise”and“touch the sound.”If more complexity is desired other senses can be added,as in“taste the color of my hearing,”or“I cuddled your sight in the aroma of the night.”Rhyming,of course,is optional.第20页Detailed reading7Detailed Reading7 The third line should be just a simple statement.This is used to break up the insightful images that have been presented in the first two lines.This line should be as prosaic as possible to give a“down-to-earth”mood to the poem.An example would be“she gave me juice and toast that morning,”or perhaps“I left for work next day on the 8:30 bus.”The content of this line may or may not relate to what has gone before.第21页Detailed reading8Detailed Reading8 The last line of your poem should deal with the future in some way.This gives the poem a forward thrust that is always helpful.A possibility might be,“tomorrow will be a better day,”or“Ill find someone sometime,”or“maybe well meet again in July.”This future-oriented ending lends an aura of hope and yet need not be grossly optimistic.第22页Detailed reading9-10Detailed Reading9 By following the above structure,anyone can write a poem.For example,if I select one each of my sample lines,I come up with:In the parking lot of my mind,I cuddled your sight in the aroma of the night.I left for work next day on the 8:30 bus.Maybe well meet again in July.10 Now that poem(like yours,when youre finished)is rotten.But at least its a poem and youve written it,which is an accomplishment that relatively few people can claim.第23页Detailed reading11-12Detailed Reading11 Now that youre a poet,feel free to read poetry by some of your more accomplished brothers and sisters in verse.Chances are,youll find their offerings stimulating and refreshing.You might even try writing some more of your own poems,now that youve broken the ice.Observe others emotions and experience your own thats what poetry is all about.12 Incidentally,if you find it impossible to sell the poem you write to Bobby Goldsboro or John Denver,burn it.It will look terrible as the first page of your anthology when its published.第24页What does the writer think is the problem with poetry?Detailed reading2-QuesionsThe problem with poetry is that most people dont know how to write a poem and there is no market for good poets and poems.Detailed Reading第25页Detailed reading3-QuesionDetailed Reading1.What is the solution for this problem suggested by the writer?The solution for this problem suggested by the writer is to make it easy for everyone to write at least one poem in his life.2.How does the writer justify his solution?The writer thinks this may not only enhance peoples recognition of poets but cultivate a poetry-loving society and elevate the quality of life.第26页Since the title of the essay bears a very obvious mocking feature,the last paragraph,which echoes with this tone,reminds his readers of the fact that he is merely joking.Detailed reading11-12-QuesionDetailed Reading1.What is the real intention of the writer to present such a method of creating a poem?By introducing such a method of creating a“rotten”poem,the writer is actually encouraging people to start their journey to the appreciation of poetry and to acquire a more intimate feeling toward poetry.2.What is the purpose of the last paragraph?第27页Detailed reading ActivityClass ActivityGroup discussion:What is your comment of authors method of creating a poem and do you like the poem he composes according to this?Do you have any other ideas about how to create a poem?Detailed Reading第28页pound v.strike or hit heavily and repeatedlyDetailed reading pound1e.g.Pounding on the floor,she shouted at the top of her voice.She slipped out of the office with the stolen secret file in her handbag,her heart pounding severely.Detailed Reading第29页Detailed reading pound2Detailed ReadingCollocations:pound against/one.g.Waves pounded against the pier.pound along/through/down,etc.e.g.I could hear him pounding up the stairs.pound oute.g.The Rolling Stones were pounding out one of their old numbers.第30页middle ground an area of compromise or possible agreement between two extreme positionsDetailed reading middle grounde.g.Each party wants to capture the votes of those perceived as occupying the middle ground.In the argument everyone has to take sides;there is no middle ground.Detailed ReadingPractice双方谈判无法达成共同立场。双方谈判无法达成共同立场。The negotiators could find no middle ground.第31页squalid a.morally repulsive;sordidDetailed reading squalide.g.He was living in squalid conditions.Detailed ReadingSynonyms:degraded,filthy,poor,shabby,slummy,sordid,wretched第32页imponderable n.a thing that cannot undergo precise evaluation Detailed reading imponderablee.g.We cant predict the outcome.There are too many imponderables.Detailed Reading第33页rule of thumba broadly accurate guide or principle,based on experience or practice rather than theory.Detailed reading rule of thumbe.g.I havent been taught the finer points of carpentry;I just make things by rule of thumb.Detailed ReadingPractice这笔生意行事法则是礼貌至上。这笔生意行事法则是礼貌至上。The rule of thumb in this business is courtesy.第34页cuddle v.hold close in ones arms as a way of showing love or affection.Detailed reading cuddlee.g.He cuddles the baby close.What do you think of some youngsters cuddling each other in public places,paying no heed to those who pass by?Detailed ReadingSynonyms:fondle,nestle,snuggle第35页incidentally ad.by the wayDetailed reading incidentallye.g.Incidentally,it was many months before the whole truth was discovered.Detailed ReadingDerivations:incident n.e.g.A spokesman said it was an isolated incident.incidental a.e.g.problems incidental to growing up第36页Detailed reading as a result As a result,serious poets either starve or work as account executives.(Paragraph 2)Paraphrase:As a result,serious poets could no longer depend on poetry writing for a living;they have to turn to other profession,and most probably to become a businessman,which is held traditionally diametrically opposite to the profession of literary creation.Detailed Reading第37页Detailed reading ideallyIdeally,there would evolve a veritable society of poet-citizens,which would elevate the quality of life worldwide.(Paragraph 3)Paraphrase:An ideal situation would be the development of a society composed of citizens who are dedicated to poetry writing,and from doing this people will have better life quality.Detailed Reading第38页Detailed reading this is a This is a sur