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American Literature Illuminated Texts
Illuminated Texts on or related to American Literature. Some of these are created using Microsoft Power Point and to hear the audio you will need to be using Windows, have Internet Explorer as your browser. For the presentations done using Adobe Flash you will need to have the Adobe Flash Player (most computers already do). For .mp4 presentations, Quicktime is required.
This impossibly intricate and detailed presentation examines Esperanza's encounter with the "junk store," and its echoes and implications in the rest of her life. The music box that makes music that is not for sale - the lovely music that it makes - all having echoes in the life, and of the life of Esperanza. To hear sound in the Power Point version of this Illuminated Text you will need to use Internet Explorer and a PC.
This Illuminated Text by Courtney Hong and Emma Ocampo on John Gardner's Grendel is a watershed in many ways. For one, it is the first to use Adobe Flash, rather than Power Point -- for another it uses the text extensively, appropriately, and ultimately beautifully to tell the story of Grendel -- his alienation and his encounter with the accidental nature of life. It is a stunning accomplishment. 
A magnificent presentation that traces Milkman's treatment of Hagar -- what she wanted -- what he was willing to give, and what he learned in the end. The presentation is complex, complete, and persuasive. It is everything that an Illuminated Text should be.
Illuminated Texts share many qualities with essays. They should have a thesis, a point of view, and as this website keeps propounding -- they need to stick to the text. This incredible presentation by Nora Lubitsch and Anna Sawyer does just that. It concentrates on Leo and his search to be more than "invisible" or made of glass. He spends his entire life trying to be noticed by the one woman who can no longer see him and the son that doesn't even know that he exists. While watching this Illuminated Text, I was struck by a thematic resemblence to The Great Gatsby
Celtic music plays in the background - and the words "Baby Grendel" appear on the screen - it then says "I" still "played cat and mouse with the universe." And the letter "I" does exactly that chasing the cat in the mouse across the screen. The text in this wonderful Illuminated Text comes alive, but that brilliance is even outdone by the critical connections that the authors create. Grendel -- still young and innocent is compared to the young queen Wealtheow -- given away as a prize, a tribute. And as the presentation makes clear - the real monsters are not named Grendel.
This presentation by Kevin Chrzanowski and David Peace pulls out all of the stops that are possible when using Adobe Flash. The character Marion appears, and a song comes from her mouth -- the car that she is waiting for zooms across the screen. As the Illuminated Text was shown in my classroom, I reminded my students that they showed again that it is the ideas that are crucial -- not the technology or the technological know how. Make Marion stand still as the text passed her by was not hard to do -- but it was brilliant to conceive.
[Wow! To keep their focus where they want it - the font is blue - love is in red and beats like a heart. All of the text and font choices not only explicate what is going on - they are simply beautiful. The word "writing" becomes a pen and as their presentation says, "without Alma there is no book." The entire presentation is touching without being sentimental - an outstanding presentation. The wonderful thing (one of them) about these projects is that students - when they want to present an effect (like the pen writing) - teach themselves (or goto YouTube where 100's of lessons on Flash are available) how to do it. JRS]
Deriving from the idea Of Mice and Men, we came to the conclusion that this should be titled Of Horses and Men. This was a very interesting illuminated text to complete. (It was Mishal's favorite!) We tried to emphasize the struggle of the horse and then in the end showed how it was similar to the struggle of a soldier.
This incredible presentation by Samantha Bakall and Ian Braddy concentrates on the birds and the flying that plays so central a role in Nicole Krauss's novel. When we watched it we were struck by its epic nature - and how it brought Isaac, Leo, and Bird all together around some beautifully selected and presented quotes. As this is a Power Point Illuminated Text be sure to use Internet Explorer, and choose to Open rather than Save - if you wish to hear the sound as well.
This is an illuminated text created by two students working on interpreting modern poetry. With their exploration of Frost's "The Flood" they did an excellent job through the manipulation of the text, use of color (red) and music of presenting the menace of the flood. The allusion to the play Macbeth is vivid.
This Illuminated Text was made by Patricia Ward and Joanne Mai. The theme of this text is "accidents", and this is easily recognizable through the accidents that occur in the quotes. The quotes are all from the book Grendel. Since this was our first time with flash, the speed of the quotes is fast. We tried making it as unique as possible, but it may seem a bit boring.
Bird is a unique character in that he tries to find permanence in his life in such a way that is very different from the other characters. He, just like the rest of his family, misses his father, but he copes with the 'hole" in his heart by founding an unshakable belief in God. This illuminated text explores Bird's goals and relationships. In the end, the story is resolved with Bird helping his sister.
Our Illuminated text is centered mainly around Magda and Baba Yaga's relationship. It also shows the events leading up to the infamous Juvenalia party where Magda overdoses. It shows a piece of the complicated relationship between Magda, Irena, and Baba Yaga. It has two songs, one for the lighter beginning of the illuminated text and a more somber one for the second half. [Great drawings, great music - great animations. It is always tricky to divide an Illuminated Text into two parts and here the creators do a great job. JRS]
An illuminated text that plays on all the depressing events that take place in one person's life. By using appropriate music and the ebst of quotes we play on the depressing events that occur in Beatas life and accentuate them. All the while we turn a story wth a somewhat happy ending into one where there is little hope to be found. :D [Watching this is like watching a first-rate movie. Great drawings, great animation, great thinking going on in very single frame of this Illuminated Text. JRS]Fresh Ink - Most Recent Content
The six most recent lessons or stories.
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The most recent comments
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The 10 Most Recent Audio Files to be posted
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Most Recent Illuminated Text
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