Summarizing.

SUMMARIZING

... to make a long story short....

Sometimes good things come in small packages.

Other times big things have to be stuffed into small packages.

Here you see 22 male students at Saint Mary's College in Moraga, Calif., in 1959 stuffed inside a telephone booth. Actually, you may not know what a telephone booth even is, but let me assure you that its purpose was not to house 22 college boys.

Nobody asked these boys to do this. But I'm asking you to write a one sentence summary of an entire novel.

You will have to stuff a lot of action and ideas into your sentence. Hopefully the sentence you produce will look and sound a little better organized than the contents of the phone booth above. Focus on the big picture, generalize artfully, and and let go of the details.

Your sentence cannot exceed 50 words. It should give a balanced, if brief, overview of the contents of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. You do not need to mention the author, and I will count the title as one word. Once these have been posted as comments, I'll ask you to tell me whose summary you think is best.

I must receive your comment by 7:00 am on Sept. 1. I moderate comments before they can be posted, so comments will not actually appear on our blog until later in the day.

Challenge: Explicating "Alley Cat"

Alley Cat

My leashed dog finds him
in a stiffened crouch,
orange back-hairs up.
Of course he's learned nothing
from dying.
His paws are still flexed
in a dream of infection and pain;
his wide face leers like the moon
in a young girl's window.

Already new toms are contesting
the fence top he
thought choice.
Already the horseflies
are feasting.

And who wouldn't honor him
likewise:
no pity.

What is this poem up to? Compose a stanza-by-stanza explication (close explanation of contents) of this poem. Pay special attention to unfolding the meaning of the final stanza and the poem's last line. What does “no pity” have to do with honoring? Do your best to read this poem clearly; do not be afraid to venture an interpretation. Write in full, correctly punctuated sentences and well-organized paragraphs, and work hard to correctly integrate quoted words and phrases into your writing. Begin this assignment by hand or on your laptop and then post your response as a comment. Make sure you comment on the right post. I will take a grade on this -- do not collaborate!

Due from boys Wednesday morning, March 7 at 1:30 p.m. Due from girls Monday morning, March 12 at 7:30 a.m.