Monday, August 15, 2016

TAKE A PIC WITH YOUR FAVORITE LIT: THE BOOK SELFIE PROJECT


Good afternoon to my 12th grade English class!
My blog post today is centered on my first assignment for English 4: take a selfie with your favorite book and report back to us why you love it.
To help my students get a better understanding of the assignment and what I'm looking for I made my own book-selfie. For my project,I chose a book that is near and dear to my heart and I am incredibly excited to teach it this year-
Cue the thunder and lightening and ominous music...
my book-selfie is on
 

BRAM STOKER'S 
DRACULA
Written in 1897
Genre- Gothic Fiction


What's this book about?
Stoker's Gothic masterpiece takes us on a journey from the Carpatheian Mountains to the city of London where he demonstrates the lengths people will go for true love. Count Dracula, a Transylvanian aristocrat with a thirst for human blood, preys upon the weak. While entertaining a business transaction, Dracula sets his sights on Jonathan Harker, an English solicitor looking to finalize a real-estate deal. Harker, initially blinded by Dracula's refinement and charm, quickly realizes he has become a prisoner in the Count's castle. After barely escaping a gruesome fate, Harker with the help of his colleagues, sets out to warn his loved ones about the evil vampire.

Why I recommend it:
I love this book
because it amalgamates romance with horror. If you have a soft spot or a dark side like me, you'll love Dracula. In addition to the great blend of genres, the epistolary form in which the book is written takes the reader on a beautifully descriptive adventure. It  shows us places like crumbling castles and lush green gardens. The imagery becomes so descriptive at times, I believe I can hear the wind blow or see the glow of the moonlight. If you ever wondered where the man, the myth, and legend came from and thought Twilight was wimpy, check out Bram Stoker's Dracula. I can't wait to share it with you all!
My favorite quote from Dracula:
 "Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!"

Book Recommendations:
In college, I took a course called "Vampires and Other Blood Suckers". During this time, my professor introduced me to a collection of novels and short stories based around the legend of the vampire. Three of my favorites that spawned from reading Stoker are The Vampyre by John Polidori (which we will read in class), The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, and Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. Thank you to Dr. Verdun for being an inspiration.
For some more great vampire lit check out:
Salem's Lot by Stephen King,
Let the Right One In by John A. Lindqvist,
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson,
and Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu
You read the book and loved it, but now you want to see the movie. Is there one?
You bet!
Francis Ford Coppola directed "Bram Stoker's Dracula" which debuted in 1992.

Is it as good as the book?
You be the judge, but in my opinion the movie is rarely as good as the book. While Coppola's version does a superb job translating the book's vivid imagery and complex story-line, my vote still lies with the paper and ink.
Where did you take your selfie and why?

My book-selfie was taken in my office by the bookshelf. To the left on my bookshelf sits a modern gramophone and centered in the middle is my favorite piece of artwork- a colorful array of framed butterflies gifted to me by my boyfriend, Luke. I chose this location because these things always seem to inspire me and make me feel at peace. 

What does choosing Dracula say about me?
  Very much like my own personality, Dracula encompasses a juxtaposition between the joy of being in love and the gloom of the Gothic.
Things that are unusual and strange, eerie, and dark and dreadful continue to excite me and shape my life daily. Psychologists claim that people who love horror are those that feel the most alive. As someone who has been following the genre for nearly three decades, I can tell you first hand that I feel more alive than ever. Grab yourself a scary book and feel the blood pulse through your veins.
Its exhilarating! 

Note to my 12th grade students:
 I can't wait to see what some of your favorite books are and I'm delighted for you to join the Blogger community.

Good luck,
Miss D

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