IB Lit: Infernal Presentation Topics 2017

Presentation Topics:

• Mythological Prison Guards: Pagan Creatures in The Inferno
• The Prophesies of The Divine Comedy: the Meaning and Implications of the 4 Prophesies in The Inferno
• Canto VI - Ciacco
• Canto X - Farinata
• Canto XV - Brunetto Latini
• Canto XXIV - Vanni Fucci
• The Powers and Limitations of Human Reason in The Inferno
• Why does Dante do what he does with Virgil?
• Dante's Politics in The Inferno (or "Dante v. the Pope")
• The Highway to Dante's Hell--the Biblical, Classical, and non-Christian Inspirations for Dante's Version for the Terrain of the Underworld
• Botticelli, Blake, Dore, and Dali: a Comparison of the Pictorial Representations of The Inferno in Various Illustrations
• Robert Frost's "Fire and Ice": A Thematic and Analytical Comparison to The Inferno

Due Date (All Project Teams): October 9th

Presentation Parameters:

• Each partner is responsible for an equal share of the work
• Each partner is responsible for five (5) minutes' worth of the presentation
• Visuals are acceptable and encouraged (PowerPoint, Prezi, etc)
• Rubric ____/30 points possible
• Knowledge and Understanding: 0-5 points
• How well does the candidate know and understand the content of the work(s)? 
• Interpretation and Personal Response: 0-10 points 
• How valid is the candidate’s interpretation of the work(s)?
• To what extent does the candidate’s response show critical thinking and originality?
• Presentation: 0-10 points
• How effective and convincing is the candidate’s presentation?
• Use of Language: 0-5 points
• How accurate, clear, and precise is the language used by the candidate?

IB Lit: The Elephant Vanishes Final

Thursday, September 28

1. Discuss the tension between Japanese society and the characters in Murakami’s stories. Why would Murakami seek to portray such a rift?
2. How does the lack of character detail affect the stories themselves? If this puts a greater emphasis on the stories’ thematic elements, then what purposes do the characters serve?
3. Discuss the magical/surreal elements of Murakami’s stories. How do such elements affect readers’ understanding of contemporary reality?
4. Literature alludes to myths, folk tales, superstitions, and other cultural touchstones regularly, sometimes even coincidentally or accidentally. How does what some critics call Murakami’s “attack on the cultural connotation of dreams” illustrate the divide between modernity and tradition?