Week 19 Monday January 26th - 31st 2009

This week we finished off the background work about Ellis Island and began the text entitled
On the Threshold of a New World .
We started by introducing it , describing the accompanying photo then we discussed the significance of the title . The photograh is an arial view of Ellis Island which is seen as an extremely symetrically built place . Nothing seems to have been left to nature or at random thus declaring loudly that order reigns ! The authoritarian impression given portrays very well the strict , servere and inhuman atmospere to be found there .
Likewise as you discovered this word ' threshold ' , in the title , makes one think of a marriage when the new husband carries his new bride over the treshold into their new apartment or home . We can clearly make a parallel between the situation of the new immigrants on Ellis Island and a marriage . In both cases there is a sort of binding contract , names can be changed and the outcome is equally uncertain . The passing through is always euphoric , it is what happens after which can make the difference !

You had to read and prepare all the text for Monday !

In the group class on Friday you were given the opportunity to express yourselves in writing on the film The Visitor , in the form of a letter or a dialogue , on the visit of Eddy HARRIS , in the form of a review or for those of you unlucky enough not to have shared these experiences you had a comprehension exercise based on the Times review of the film The Visitor .

Have a nice weekend !