Animal Metaphor

Today we will be focusing on the personification of mice, cats and pigs in Spiegelman's Maus.  Why did Spiegelman make this choice, and why has it become so controversial?  If you want to hear more about Spiegelman's decision, he briefly discusses it in this video.

CLASSWORK: In your assigned groups of four, read "Art for Art's Sake," an interview with Speigelman about the animal metaphors in his novel.  Using the interview and your novels, answer the questions critically as a group.  Once you have finished, work together on the clique activity, assigning animals for various school cliques.  There is an opportunity to use this activity as an EXTRA CREDIT assignment. (see below)

LAB WORK: Continue your research and project work.

• Project A: If you haven't already, finish creating your 10 interview questions.  You should have a specific person in mind by now.  If you have all your questions, start writing a prologue for your script, like Spiegelman does in Maus.  Give some background information on who you are interviewing.
• Project B: If you haven't already, finish finding your 3-4 sources for your research paper.  Make sure these sources are valid.  If you have all of your sources, begin reading them and taking thorough notes to help you with your different genres.

HOMEWORK: (Project A) You must have your interview done by Friday, with thorough notes on the conversation. (Project B) You must have all of your sources with thorough notes on what you find significant and useful for your genre writing.

Extra Credit

As an extra credit assignment, you may take one of your clique animal choices and write a short fable (~500 words).  A fable is a short story with animal characters that teaches a specific moral lesson.  (The tortoise and the hare-- slow and steady wins the race.)  You can give this story to me any time up to Monday, March 9th.