W3, #7: SOUNDTRACK for BEOWULF

Set-Up: Obviously any film that tries to put a story like Beowulf in front of an audience has to think seriously about the sound track. Pick the right music and the film will cleverly manipulate the audience into a wide range of emotions and reactions, not to mention make a bit of a bonus profit as fans go buy the CD/MP3s after the fact.

Challenge: What would your Beowulf film soundtrack sound like?

• Pick 5 different events (or parts of chapters) from the epic poem detailing Beowulf’s life.  These can be tiny transitional moments or long scenes/conversations; it is entirely your choice.
• Select one song that you think is a great match for each event (or part of a chapter).  Music can be instrumental or have lyrics.  All music styles/genres are acceptable.
• Identify the song and the artist/group that performed the version you think is a good match.
• In 1+ sentences, explain why you made each choice.
• Optional:  provide a link to an Internet version of the song (MP3 — iTunes; video — YouTube, etc) so that I can listen/watch as I’m reading.  Thanks in advance…but this is purely optional if you have time and can find the link(s).

W3, #6: Memory is a Curious Thing

Set-Up: During Unferth’s response to the visiting warrior Beowulf, his childhood is brought up. In this situation, his integrity and loyalty is attacked. Beowulf — besides suggesting that Unferth’s tongue might be a bit thick with alcohol — boldly responds to this attack with a clear re-telling of a vital series of events from his childhood.

In essence, his childhood memory is both his sword and shield in the first ‘fight’ we witness.  Kind of an interesting plot twist for a hero capable of fighting sea monsters, the spawn of Cain, and angry dragons.

Challenge: Write a response to the following question:

What is the earliest childhood memory — where you were the ‘hero’ or center of the story — that you are 100% convinced you remember?

Note: to the best of your ability, try to recall/describe a memory that does not require being reinforced by photographs and/or family members telling you key details.

Length: 7+ sentences

W3, #5: HOOK ‘EM EARLY

Set-Up: Playing off our collective need — as Honors English II students — to (rigorously) improve our ability to:

• grab our reader’s attention with a unique argument (the moment they start reading our essays)
• analyze new literature from many perspectives (without being bogged down by plot summary)

…let’s take on the following writing challenge:

Challenge:

• Write a compelling movie ‘trailer’ (a.k.a. television advertisement) that will inspire someone to want to read Beowulf (or at least go see the movie of said text).
• Focus on the first 5 chapters (from “The Monster Grendel” to “The Monster’s Mother”).
• Use actual text — i.e. real quotations, my lovely friends — from the story.

Length:

• 3-4 sentences.  You may go for 5+, but only if every word truly matters.
• # of Quotations:  2 minimum, 3 is slightly better, 4 is crazy great!
• Keep in mind:  you do not need to use the entire line/sentence as a quotation.  Just use the key phrases/lines.  And make sure that you use quote marks.

Hint: While plot matters, you do not have time to waste in plot-summary-land in this short piece of writing.  Instead, use what you know about the story — tone, underlying ideas, metaphors, etc — to ’sell’ the story.

W3, #4: KNOCKING ON HEROT’S DOOR

Set-Up: We have — like Beowulf and his men — just knocked on Herot’s door. In other words, we’re ‘entering’ the story from a very basic level of understanding.  [note:  hopefully you picked up on the Herot reference!]

Sure, we grasp the basics of the story:  there is a bad guy/creature, a king and his men who are in trouble, a hero that arrives to save the proverbial day, an epic battle that is about to begin, etc.  Likewise, we diligently begin to note various character’s names and lineage-oriented relationships, figure out the basic plot structure, and wrestle with a bit of language (or epic poetic structure) that takes some early effort for us to ‘translate’ now that summer is over.

At the same time, we quickly begin to realize — as Honors students [note: pat yourselves on the back at this point] – that something deeper and more complicated is going on in this story of swords, warriors and kings running from creepy head-smashing monster-critters.  Some of these may include:

• historical/societal connections
• language, syntax, diction, connotations
• literary allusions
• character psychology
• metaphors, similes, symbols
• and this quirky thing that Mr. Long keeps subtly bringing up over and over and over and over…

Challenge:

Part 1:  Point out one utterly cool/intriguing thing that you noticed in each of the following sections that goes beyond plot summary:

1. “The Monster Grendel”
2. “The Arrival of the Hero”
3. “Unferth’s Challenge”
4. “The Battle with Grendel”
5. “The Monster’s Mother”

Part 2:  Explain — in 3+ sentences — one of the 5 things that caught your attention.  Even if you don’t fully get it, take some time exploring the ideas/possibilities.  We’ll learn from each other along the way.