<p>I am going to do something about
"A Day in the Life of Ivan somerussianname"</p>
<p>I don't know what to do.</p>
<p>Presentation counts.</p>
<p>What kind of cool presentation can I do?</p>
<p>This is the in-class oral right?</p>
<p>In that case, I did one last year on "Heart of Darkness". I wrote/presented a monologue from Kurtz' point of view and then explained it. It was about the perceptions of madness. </p>
<p>Most people in my class just presented in essay style, but the better ones all had something to go with them - like a drawing or piece of music you created to represent something. Some even had interviews between characters or between a character and the author or something like that. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Wait a sec. How is your English oral structured?</p>
<p>We didn't get to choose or anything. Ours was just an analysis. How are you doing yours?</p>
<p>One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich? I did my World Lit paper comparing it and Night.</p>
<p>You have to do a presentation? We just got up in front of the class and lectured (with only notecards). :confused: </p>
<p>Hmm...maybe dress up as a Russian prisoner?</p>
<p>We had to do ours in a private room alone with the teacher and tape recorded. We didn't get to pick, just assigned a piece.</p>
<p>There's a difference- the Oral in my junior year we did a practiced in-class presentation on a topic we picked. The Oral in my senior year was a private, tape-recorded presentation (given 20 min to prepare). I assume the OP is a junior?</p>
<p>I guess so. </p>
<p>We never did a practice one. It was essentially all or nothing.</p>
<p>Yea, I am a Junior and our teacher is calling this an IA. We have to be recorded and have time restrictions and stuff.</p>
<p>Yes, it's one day. What are your opinions of the book ( i haven't read night yet)?</p>
<p>A monologue could be a good and easy way to get my point of view of the character(s) across. Thanks for the idea.</p>
<p>OUr structure:
Pick something to anaylize
Do it in 10 to 15 minutes
Have a cool presentation for better grade</p>
<p>I liked the book. I wrote about the effect the camps had dehumanizing the prisoners. For example, in Ivan Denisovich, the prisoners are desperate for more food rations (I think he hides some in his bunk?). The random searches (taking off your jacket in the cold!!!) were cruel, and the health care (hospital) was laughable. The manual labor and the care he puts into it also struck me as important. Also, when you think about all Ivan had to go through, and you consider the fact that this was just one day of many in several years, its very depressing. :(</p>
<p>OHH THats a good idea!</p>
<p>All of those things = dehumanization meaning like they are treated like animals.</p>
<p>I also noticed animal instincts. Like, you behave much differently in the cold than in regular life. At the same time, they struggle to keep human dignity by eating with your head up or putting a lot of care into work and even closing themselves in. Wow, thanks WARBLERS!!!</p>
<p>SO maybe I should do the contrast of those two things?</p>
<p>Start out with dehumanization then add the struggle for dignity.</p>
<p>And then there's the "SO WHAT" factor? So what? I really have trouble answering that question!! What do you think?</p>
<p>"So what"? I think the survival of human values in a dehumanizing experience is the essence of the book (e.g. what the author is trying to get across). I suppose if you wanted to apply it to life, there's plenty of examples- the concentration camps, Japanese imprisonment in CA, World War II and Vietnam POWs (Bridge on the River Kwai, if you've seen it), etc.</p>
<p>Well, Warbler, that doesn't answer so what?</p>
<p>LIke... I'm trying to think of a time I actually answered so what...</p>
<p>Okay, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, one theme is the badness of hedonistic life examplified through Dorian's degrading values and struggle to keep "young" in order to STAY hedonistic.</p>
<p>"So?"</p>
<p>"If you live a hedonistic life, you die. by means of transitive properties of stabbing your own potrait. :D" -- Okay, I think it's more like, the hedonistic life style can lead to the death of your soul (okay, reword it into something better).</p>
<p>Something like that.</p>
<p>... <em>thinks</em>... What is a poor girl to do! >_< I hate my brain! I suppose I should ask my English teacher.</p>
<p>Maybe the answer can be "This struggle gave them the will to stay alive" or something. Good enough?</p>
<p>I have to do one next week, but haven't decided which book to do it on: Beloved, Fifth Business, Heart of Darkness, and Antigone.</p>
<p>Do the one you are most passionate about! Whenever you let the passion shine through, people want to listen and you get a better grade! :)</p>
<p>I'm passionate about Dorian Gray, but I'm not allowed to do him.</p>
<p>Now I'm trying to think of a cool presentation. Maybe from the point of view of a GAURD! That'd be cool. I'd wear a gaurd uniform and talk in a stupid russian accent. "The prisoners are suprisingly obedient. This simply von't do!"</p>