First Assignment-Sophs
For your first essay, I would like you to write about your favorite work of art. Now please don't limit the definition of art to just the fine arts, like painting and classical music. Include in that definition the genres of the novel, short story, poem, movie, television show, painting, popular song, dance, etc.
You may write an organized five-paragraph essay if you like (and if you remember the format), or you may organize your ideas in any other way. Remember, though, that you want to communicate in both an informative and interesting way. Express how and/or why you react to your choice.
Prewriting help
To make a choice and to get yourself thinking, ask yourself these questions: what story do you never tire of reading (for me, it's The Gift of the Magi)? . . . what movie could you watch over and over again? . . . what poem have you memorized and sometimes still recite just for the fun of it (I like Jabberwocky, for the fun times—I'll read Ulysses in more thoughtful moments)? . . . what painting blows your mind (we've already discussed Starry Night)? . . . what song melody always brightens your face (it's Bruce Springsteen's
Is your reaction to your "favorite" emotional or rational? A little of both? Is there something about this work that makes you think about your own life? Exactly what thoughts cross your mind? When do you most enjoy your favorite? Does it evoke specific memories? Does it put you in a certain mood? Does it make you think a certain way or does it teach you a lesson, support one of your virtues, inspire you to have a certain goal?
Typed. Double-spaced. 3-4 pages. 12-point type. Stapled. MLA heading. Due September 15.
posted by JTF @ 10:59 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Mr. Fiorelli,
Awesome blog. Are you the only one who blogs on this website?
Actually, Mrs. Healy, Ms. O'Keefe, Ms. Albanese, and a few other teachers blog with their classes, too, with blogger.com, but their web addresses are different.
Mr. Fiorelli,
I would have to say one of my favorite pieces of art is the film The Gladiator. This film is about a great Roman army general named Maximus. What makes Maximus so great are his leadership, his intelligence, and intensity in what he does. Maximus leads his army to victory against Germanic barbarians, which ends the long aged war Rome was involved in. Through this victory Maximus earns the respect of or Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Aurelius is dying from a deadly sickness and appoints Maximus the new emperor of Rome despite him having a son named Commodus. When Commodus is informed about this he turns extremely jealous and kills his father then he declares himself emperor. Maximus finds out about Commodus' involvement in the emperors death and refuses to be loyal to him. Commodus then orders for him and his family to be executed, unlike his family Maximus narrowly escapes. Maximus is eventually captured and sold to a gladiator training school. It is hear that he fights for his life. Through his various battles Maximus becomes very popular with the people of Rome. Because of his popularity the new emperor Commodus would like to meet him. When he goes down to the arena to meet the great warrior, but to his amazement he finds out it is Maximus. But instead of executing him he decides to let him live because he does not want to become unpopular with the people of Rome. Commodus eventually devises a plan to kill Maximus. He decides to fight Maximus in front of the people of Rome, but he stabs Maximus before going to the arena to weaken him. Then as the two of them fight each other Maximus eventually prevails and he gets a major applause from the people of Rome. But a few minutes later he dies due to blood lose. He is then carried out of the arena on the shoulders of his fellow warriors with the respect and honor of everyone in that arena. What is film means to me is respect, loyalty, and honor must be earned through ones actions. Maximus was a great general because he had the respect of all his soldiers. He had their respect because he wasn't behind the battle directing he was up in the front with them in the trenches fighting the same battle they were. That is why this film is one of my all time favorites.
I think that one of my favorite pieces of art is the movie Invincible. This movie starts out with the lead character, Vince Papali, played by Mark Wahlberg living in Philly in 1976 and working as a low class bartender. Vince has a great love for football and in the movie he would play with all his buddies in the park by his house. Even though he and his friends are in their thirties they still play like a bunch of kids playing backyard football. Later in the movie, Vince has come home and is watching the eagles play the giants, but they lose tragically. The coach of the eagles at the time was Dick Vermeil who was frustrated with the eagles poor playing and desparately calls for open try-outs. These tryouts allow anyone from the area to try out for the eagles NFL team and Vince, loving the eagles and fairly talented on the field with his friends decides to try out. Vince only played one year of football in high school and thats all. He shows his worth and is accepted in the eagles lockeroom. At first the team doesn't like him because of how easy he had it to get in, but they learn to accept him. He has his first game and starts special teams but doesn't do too well.Later on in the season Vince hits an opposing player and the ball comes loose and he picks it up for a touchdown and the eagles win it because of his amazing story and talent.
I like this movie because I am a hardcore Philly fan and I love the story of Vince Papali. His story is inspirational and shows that anyone can do something if they work at it with their full potential.
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