UNIT TWO ASSIGNMENTSSouth American Literature

Octavio Paz, Mexican Poet, Wins Nobel PrizeBy SHEILA RULE, Special to The New York Times Published: October 12, 1990

Octavio Paz, a writer of vivid surrealistic verse and penetrating social essays, won the Nobel Prize in Literature today, becoming the first Mexican writer to win literature's highest award. The Swedish Academy of Letters said in its formal announcement that Mr. Paz had won the award ''for impassioned writing with wide horizons, characterized by sensuous intelligence and humanistic integrity.''The academy said Mr. Paz's poetry consisted ''to a very great extent of writing both with and about words'' and that in his ''surrealistically inspired thought, the words are endowed in this way with new, changeable and richer meanings.'' The academy quoted a 1976 poem in which Mr. Paz was seen as articulating his literary stance:

Between what I see and what I sayBetween what I say and what I keep silentBetween what I keep silent and what I dreamBetween what I dream and what I forget:Poetry

NOTES:Mr. Paz published his first collection of poetry while a teen-ager. This year's Nobel Prize carries a cash award of about $700,000.

Friendly Letter

Between Going and Comingby Octavio Paz

Between going and stayingthe day wavers,in love with its own transparency.The circular afternoon is now a baywhere the world in stillness rocks.

All is visible and all elusive,all is near and can’t be touched.

Paper, book, pencil, glass,rest in the shade of their names.

Time throbbing in my temples repeatsthe same unchanging syllable of blood.

The light turns the indifferent wallinto a ghostly theater of reflections.

I find myself in the middle of an eye,watching myself in its blank stare.

The moment scatters. Motionless,I stay and go: I am a pause.

Friendly Letter Assignment

Persuade a friend or a relative to read a book or a poem that you have read recently.

Write you persuasive piece in a friendly letter format.

Use evidence to support your points. Turn in with planning page, rough draft and

clean, typed edited copy. Please see example.

2.2 Friendly Letter Rubric Name________ Period #____

1 point each : Letter Format/ Well organized Audience and Purpose Clear – Persuasive Evidence cited Active Voice / appropriate diction/ sentence

variety. Good grammar and spelling.

Writing Process must be shown to be graded

Assignment Persuade a friend or a relative Provide Evidence Friendly Letter format Show writing process

planning page, rough draft typed edited copy.

NAMEFRIENDLY LETTER PLAN

Audience: _______________________Purpose: __________________________Brainstorm Reasons Why a Person Should Read the Text

Put a star by the 2 most important reason.

EXAMPLE & ELABORATION FOR EACH Main Reason.

Between Going and Comingby Octavio Paz

Between going and stayingthe day wavers,in love with its own transparency.The circular afternoon is now a baywhere the world in stillness rocks.

All is visible and all elusive,all is near and can’t be touched.

Paper, book, pencil, glass,rest in the shade of their names.

Time throbbing in my temples repeatsthe same unchanging syllable of blood.

The light turns the indifferent wallinto a ghostly theater of reflections.

I find myself in the middle of an eye,watching myself in its blank stare.

The moment scatters. Motionless,I stay and go: I am a pause.

NAMEFRIENDLY

LETTER PLAN

Audience: _______________________Purpose:

__________________________Brainstorm Reasons Why a

Person Should Read the Text

Put a star by the 2 most

important reason.

EXAMPLE & ELABORATION FOR EACH Main Reason.

Amy Craig Beasley2025 Addison Way, Glenview, IL 30253

October 8, 2013 Dear Liza,

Lately you have been talking about how bored you have been. I have just the solution for you. You should read The Hobbit by Tolkien.This book has interesting characters. Bilbo Baggins is the main character. you will love him. He is brave and very smart too. In chapter twelve, he describes himself to a dragon, “I am the friend of bears and the guest of eagles. I am Ring-winner and Luckwearer; and I am Barrel-rider” (223). I love how bold he is in this scene! The Hobbit is a book full of adventure, and I know you like adventure stories. Bilbo crosses over a mountain range called The Misty Mountains, and he fights with trolls and nasty spiders. Deep in the heart of a dark cave, he finds a magic ring that makes him invisible when he wears it. Can you imagine what you could do with a magic ring that makes you invisible? Read this story today. The characters are great, and the adventures will entertain you. Trust me.

Hugs, Amy