F - ... when you figured out Daru had zero good options and Camus doubled down in The Outsider.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: Why do we often struggle stick to personal choices in the face of societal expectations?

Learners shared their monolgues/diary entries from last class's practise.

We discussed the complexity of Daru's position at the end of "The Guest" and I reminded learners that if they put the "puzzle pieces" together, they should discover Camus attempt at social commentary.

We reviewed Camus's beliefs and how those beliefs influence characters like Daru and Meursault. They discussed briefly about which title: The Stranger or The Outsider works better for a translation of L'Etranger, the OG French title.

We began our study of The Outsider: learners worked in pairts to list the event of Part One.

NEXT CLASS: Meursault and accountability

ENTRANCE TICKET: In Part One of the novel, Meursault lives in the sensual present. What does this mean (Post your response to the digital whiteboard before you come to class next day.)

F - ... when I dropped the French title lore-bomb of Camus's short story and your whole interpretation ascended.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What happens when personal choice conflicts with societal expectations?

Learners read their independent novels.

Learners worked in their pairs from last class and tried to recall their understanding of setting, plot character, conflict in Camus's "The Guest." Learners shared details from the text that spoke to moral ambiguity, isolation, the conflict between personal choice and societal expectation, and indifference to the "universe."

We also discussed how understanding that the original French title, L'Hôte, means both "guest" and "host" deepens our understanding of the short story as social commentary, as does using a Catholic lens, especially when we consider "host" as Eucharist - a sacrifice.

PRACTISE: With today's understanding, revisit or rewrite the Daru's monologue / diary entry at the end of the short story.

NEXT CLASS: Daru & Meursault

B - ... when we moved from knights and chivalry to the very un-glam, very real life of common folk in the ballads.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What is regular society doing whilst Arthur's knights are going on quests?

I asked learners to consider one more question when it comes to Le Morte Darthur (and we discussed it): What happens when the chivalric code meant to create order instead exposes the flaws of those who uphold it?

I spoke briefly about the ballad, the learners worked in pairs to read and discuss their assigned ballad. Simar and Anne started us off by talking about Sir Patrick Spens.

NEXT CLASS: the other three ballads, The Renaissance

F - ... when you low key listened to the sub and probably just did your own work instead. (Am I capping?)

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do our surrounding influence our decisions?

Today was with Ms. Villaceran, a TTOC.

Learners should have read their independent novels, then worked in pairs to identify two to three examples (from "The Guest") of:

• Moral ambiguity

• Isolation / alienation

• Conflict between societal expectation and personal choice

• Indifference of the universe (landscape, fate)

PRACTISE: Write Daru's monologue or his diary entry when he sees what's written on the blackboard of the school house at the end of the short story.

READ: Camus's The Outsider (see the link to the left)

NEXT CLASS: the absurd, existentialism, language

B - ... when Pellinore chose violence AND honour, but the medieval universe said, "pick one."

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What happens when the chivalric code meant to create order instead exposes the flaws of those who uphold it?

We discussed how Arthur is emerging as a "just" king who live out the chivalric code, whilst Pellinore, as an older knight, seems to only follow the code based on the situation.

We chatted about how knights are supposed to act v. the reality and considered if living by ideals or codes is really that important.

READ:

• about Early Scottish and English Ballads, plus the four ballads that follow it
• Intro to The Renaissance

NEXT CLASS: the ballad form

F - ... when the guest's identify became the cliffhanger, and I promised to moderate the chaos next class.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How does identity influence how the story is perceived?

Learners worked in pairs to share their annotations and used the short story checklist to flush out their notes.

We discussed Camus's "The Guest," systematically - first setting, then plot, then character, then conflict (we decided there is indeed a dilemma), then symbol and irony. We noted that once we started putting the puzzle pieces together (the short story elements and devices), we might arrive at some deeper understanding. That deeper understanding only came with my last question: "who is the guest?" Learners decided it was Daru, so I asked, "Who thought it was the Arab on their first read?"

I mentioned that I had another question that might challenge that under standing further...

READ: The Outsider

NEXT CLASS: Camus, the absurd, existentialism

B - ... when green wasn't an aesthetic and so we did a deep-dive.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do narrative tests and trials reveal character and worldview?

We discussed the green knight being actually green and what that symbolized and revealed about the medieval world.

We also discussed how the green knight's tests and Gawain's trials reveal something about the chivalric code: honour, courage, courstesy.

READ: the excerpt from Morte D'Arthur