Monday, December 10 ~ Short Story #5: A Piece of Chalk

Roots

• ject - throw
• dura - lasting
• dox - opinion, praise
• acu - sharp
• ali, allo, alter - other
• vert, vers - turn
• pater - father

***Heads up! Last Word Parts Quiz tomorrow!***

First, take my survey here. 

High School Bell Schedule
First	8:10 - 8:50	40 min
Second	8:55 - 9:35	40 min
Break	9:35 - 9:45	10 min
Third	9:50 - 10:30	40 min
Fourth	10:35 - 11:25	50 min*
Assembly	11:30 - 12:15	45 min
Lunch	12:15 - 1:05	50 min
Fifth	1:10 - 1:50	40 min
Sixth	1:55 - 2:35	40 min
Seventh	2:40 - 3:20	40 min

Short Story #5 

"A Piece of Chalk" by G.K. Chesterton
* Here is a bit of background information to assist you:

• G. K. Chesterton (1874--1936) is staying at a house (perhaps a friend's?) in the country and decides to go out on the downs (rolling grass hills) to draw.  
• He has a few chalks but needs to get some paper.  He likes to use brown paper for chalk drawings. 
• He informs the reader that he is not going out to draw "Nature," which was the common thing to do in that day.  
• Chesterton breaks off onto an idea that though ancient poets might not have described nature as some do closer to his day, it is not because they were less blessed by it.  In fact, they probably drank it in more deeply in times past.
• He realizes he has no white chalk.  
• The color white causes Chesterton to meditate on things many people assume to be blank, void, neutral, unimportant, or dull.  Some people see the color white, sexual purity, and virtue in general as falling into this dull zone.  Chesterton knows otherwise. 

• Chesterton recalls his location, and all is well.  

Journal 37

• Atmosphere: What feelings communicate to you?  Is this a scary environment?  A safe environment?  A jovial environment?  Is this a dull world of walking and chalk?  A wonderful world of walking and chalk? A deadly world or walking and chalk?

• Tone: How does it seem Chesterton feels about what he is writing on?
• What is Chesterton's attitude toward brown paper?  Nature?  The color white?  White chalk?  England, generally?
• How does Chesterton seem to view the reader?  Does he seem to be an intellectually superior Brit?  Does he seem timid?  Does he seem frank?  Do you picture him smiling or scowling or laughing or sneering or blankly staring? 

HW: Roots Quiz tomorrow. Rough Draft due date moved to Wednesday!