Reading Period 17: February 16-22: The Rhetoric of Opposition

Long Read:

"Apollonianism and Dionysianism" by Friedrich Nietzche, excerpted from The Birth of Tragedy, books 1-4.

If you are reading from the AP reader, this selection starts on p. 547. If you are looking at the link above, scroll down to the beginning of The Birth of Tragedy and read the first four sections, down to "Antigone and Cassandra."

This is not an easy read. In A World of Ideas, the introduction to this piece will be extremely helpful. Failing that, go ahead and read the Wikipedia article "Apollonian and Dionysian," particularly the section about German philosophy.

Creative Assignment:

Building on the "My Struggle" list you started in class, create a visual illustration, in the style of Molly Crabapple's illustration of Dali's list. You can use different font styles, small drawings, or colors, or whatever helps you bring your list to life.

OR

For those who were not in class and did not do a "My Struggle" list, please explore the concepts of Apollonianism and Dionysianism by creating characters that illustrate these two worldviews. You can write about them or draw them. If you draw then, they can be anime, cartoons, realistic, animals, or whatever you like, but add details and show us how these philosophies would manifest themselves in a personality. If you write about them, write at least 300 words total.

Writing Assignment:

As we discussed in class, your assignment is to write a personal essay about your "My Struggle" list. You should reference at least a few of the pairs you described, but don't let your essay become just another list. You might talk about the process of making the list, if it was easy or difficult for you, if you see the world in these terms, or if you reject the idea altogether. Your lists in class were really interesting and I look forward to reading more.

OR

If you are in the AP class, your assignment is to write the three essays in the practice exam that I emailed out. We have already read the prompts, outlined some ideas, and discussed strategies, but time yourself according to what you see on the test, and give yourself a chance to look back over the materials and carefully read the prompts again. You will be submitting two copies -- one for me to grade and one for peer editing. This time in peer editing we're focusing on the definitions of effective, adequate, and inadequate, so make sure you're convincing as well as clear.

OR

If you missed class and you're not in AP, respond to the following prompt from the 2017 practice AP Lang exam, written by the College Board:

In a 2011 essay in The Atlantic, author and journalist Lori Gottlieb writes: "Nowadays, it’s not enough to be happy—if you can be even happier. The American Dream and the pursuit of happiness have morphed from a quest for general contentment to the idea that you must be happy at all times and in every way." Gottlieb then cites Barry Schwartz, a professor of social theory: “Happiness as a byproduct of living your life is a great thing . . . [b]ut happiness as a goal is a recipe for disaster.”
In a well-developed essay, take a position on the claim that pursuing happiness as a goal has detrimental effects. Support your argument with appropriate evidence from your experience, observations, or reading.

Quiz:

For ten points, after reading the Nietzsche, give me five examples of Apollonian people and five examples of Dionysian people. They can be fictional, historical, or currently alive, famous or local. You must give a brief explanation with each one.