Happy Ascension Day! We are blessed to have a risen and ascended Savior who even now intercedes for us at God's right hand.
Literature 7-8
The Slave Dancer ch. 4: "The Bight of Benin." Read this before answering the questions below.
In some earlier responses, some of you referred to this novel as a "Christian book." It may be, but I never said that. The book does deal frankly with the matter of human sin, especially the sin of abusing our neighbor, but I would stop short of calling it a Christian book. Here's why: You will have noticed by now that Jessie sometimes makes references to his pastor, the parson. When he does so, it is almost always insulting. Add to that the fact that the most outwardly "Christian" character in the book is Ben Stout, who, beneath his innocent exterior, is sadistic and vengeful. He is a hypocrite, like the Pharisees that Jesus often argued with. On the other hand, there are no positive characters who identify as Christians. For these reasons, I would not call this book a Christian book, though I strongly believe it has value for Christians.
After weeks on board the Moonlight, which is sailing eastward toward Africa to buy African prisoners as slaves. As Jessie learns, we learn with him. We are getting to know the characters better. We are learning about his responsibilities on the ship. We are finding out about the slave trade itself. As the enslaved prisoners are brought aboard the ship, slavery begins to take on a human face for us, as it does for Jessie. Even in New Orleans, he saw slavery only from a distance; now slavery and slaves are becoming much more real.
Respond in complete sentences. Due Friday, May 22. Do not send until tomorrow.
1. According to the first full paragraph above, why is it not accurate to refer to this as a Christian novel?
2. What benefit does it still have for Christians?
3. What is the main idea of the second full paragraph above? Answer in one complete sentence.
4. The Bight of Benin is part of the Gulf of Guinea on the west coast of Africa, near the modern country of Benin. Follow this link: Bight of Benin. Enlarge the map and find the location labeled there. a) Did you find it? b) What direction do they have to go to reach the island of Sao Tome?
5. Explain how flags protect the Moonlight.
6. Who is the greatest threat to the slave trade? (Slavery was still legal in the US, but not the slave trade.)
7. Why do they make the slaves dance?
8. What is a cabociero?
9. Give one reason that may explain why Purvis gets so upset when Jessie shows sympathy for the enslaved Africans.
10. What violent episode takes place on p. 56?
11. What are the buckets in the hold for?
12. What shocks Jessie so much on p. 59?
American Literature
"Bells for John Whiteside's Daughter." Read "About the Author" and "About the Selection" on p. 575. Read the poem aloud or listen to it here. Suppose that you agreed to prepare a short video commentary on this poem. Prepare a script for this video commentary. Begin by noting some of the important features of the poem as a whole. Then do a stanza-by-stanza commentary of the kind you often have heard in this class. When completed, the script should take about 6 to 10 minutes to read aloud.
If you wish, you may collaborate with one other student in this class. If you wish to submit a recording of the script along with the script, you may do that. If you wish to make a video (Sarah?), you may do that too. Let me know if you will need extra time for that. Due Friday, May 22.
British Literature
Finish the book by Friday. You know what to do.
C.S. Lewis
Finish the book for Wednesday. You know what to do.
Luke and Acts
Acts 24 is a record of Paul's trial before the Roman governor, Felix. In a paragraph of no fewer than 100 words, retell Luke's account in your own words. Due Friday, May 22. Do not send it until tomorrow.
Poets and Prophets
Read Isaiah 60 and briefly comment on the following units with a focus on how they may foreshadow Christ during his earthly ministry, or during his heavenly session (Happy Ascension Day again!), or at his return, or in any combination of the above. Unit 1 (1-3); unit 2 (4-7); unit 3 (8-9); unit 4 (10-12); unit 5 (13-14); unit 6 (15-16); unit 7 (17-18); unit 8 (19-20); unit 9 (21-22). Due Friday, May 22. Do not send until tomorrow.
Introduction to French
Read ch. 4 and respond for tomorrow.
Intermediate French
Do Revision 4 for tomorrow.
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