First period continued with Nightjohn. We mainly did some reading, though we looked briefly at what the written word is capable of.

Second and sixth periods used the idea of formal, informal, and slang language to determine what makes voice in Nightjohn. For instance, looking for and replacing slang, we transformed this

…they be thinking because I don’t make noise and go to twattering all the time that I be dumb.

into this

they think because I don’t make noise and go gossiping all the time that I’m dumb.

Clearly the first example is more realistic than the second if we are to assume that the narrator is a twelve-year-old slave girl. The students were able to see, by altering for themselves, the importance of word choice in creating voice.

Fourth period continued with the mythology presentations. We’ll finish up Monday.

Homework

• First, second, and sixth periods: none.
• Fourth period:
  • complete weekly writing assignment;
  • transfer the “Works Cited” from your presentation to a word processing program and turn it in Monday.