"Have it Your Way" Short Writing: 50 Points, Due Saturday, April 25, by Midnight.

Copy/paste 62.8 words--the insights/thoughts/word you find most compelling--said by artist(s) on this blog (you have four choices; use one or two artists--click on the comments on the posts below). Write 314+ words agreeing, disagreeing, extending, and/or reacting to their insightful words. Really think hard and critically. Do not type fluff to fill the 314 minimum. Invest some time and thought. Be as original as you possibly can.

Andrea Offermann of Germany, Tomer Hanuka of Israel, Tomislav Torjanac of Croatia, and Joanna Barnum of the United States will undoubtedly offer you stimulating thoughts to work with. Like these four, you are becoming better and better thought criminals all the time.

2009 International Artist Interaction & Insights

How are novels (literary fiction) like paintings, sculptures, photographs, songs, themes (musical) and/or scores?

Andrea Offermann, renowned artist from Germany whose piece "The Ship Sank" is right here, responded to this question. Click the "comments" to read her exceptional perspectives.

Mr. Goheen and Mr. Kessler responded intelligently, too. Now that you're farther into the novel, what do you say?

Student-Artist Interaction: Andrea Offermann's Interpretation and Artwork

Andrea Offermann--How are art and literature connected? How does the analysis of one help the analysis of the other? How were you able to transfer your reading of Life of Pi to the canvas? How does this book lend itself to visual creation? Please tell us about your reading and painting process. Thank you very much.

BVHS Students--Post questions for Ms. Offermann here, if you would like.

This is Offermann's painting "Pink Elephants". "This image plays with our belief of what is real. Which world is the real world? The world inside the elephant? Or the world around it? How do we prove which is real? And after all, what does real mean?" (www.tinyshowcase.com/artwork.php?id=670).

Complementary Artwork for Life of Pi

Yann Martel has said that much of the artwork submitted in the global Life of Pi art competition complements (adds to) the reading/interpretation and doesn't replace conceptualizations. What Life of Pi artwork has stimulated your interests? Why? How? (This is a painting by Andrea Offermann, entitled "Screaming Match." You'll read/see it soon. Offermann earned second place, I think, in the contest for the illustrated version of the novel. Tomislav Torjanac of Croatia was the winner of the prestigious contest.)

Life of Pi Reactions due Monday, May 19, by 10:00 p.m. (200 points)

1350+ YOUR OWN WORDS. 319+ MARTEL'S WORDS. 25+ ARTISTS' WORDS. 25+ EXPERT'S WORDS.

You must complete 3 written reactions (short essays), each of 450+ words. Additionally, you must include 319+ quoted words from Martel's novel. 450 x 3 = 1350 + 319 = 1669 total words. You must also include the views of one expert (religious, scientific, mathematical, historical, or other kind of expert). Of the 3, 1 topic/question must come from list created by students at our blog; 1 topic/question must come from Tomislav Torjanac's or Andrea Offermann's responses; and 1 topic/question must come from the Life of Pi anticipation guide (the blue sheet I gave you when we began this book).

_____ 1. We can see a lot of ourselves within animals.
_____ 2. Animals can see a lot of themselves in us.
_____ 3. Zoos are great places for animals to be.
_____ 4. The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha—and the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls—brings a lot of revenue to the city; so, the animals are being exploited for the monetary gain of people.
_____ 5. Inside we are all African.
_____ 6. There is one religion that is accurate.
_____ 7. Wanting to survive comes naturally to any organism.
_____ 8. All Islamic people are bloodthirsty.
_____ 9. Your mom should be there for you every step of the way, until you are 25.
_____ 10. Your dad should be a stern disciplinary force; otherwise, you will not learn valuable lessons.
_____ 11. There should be a “pecking order” among siblings; it is healthy, productive, and proper for the older and bigger to dominate (“survival of the fittest”).
_____ 12. Mankind is the cruelest of all beasts, because when we hurt other people, we realize they are being hurt; when cats play with and eat mice, the cat has no idea that the mouse is in pain. This makes people the least respectable of all species (concept from Mark Twain’s The Damned Human Race).
_____ 13. Good authors can provide endless thinking opportunities; without them, life would be dull.

_____ 14. It is one of the big tragedies in history—that people have caused extinction of species.
_____ 15. Global warming is not a big deal; in fact, it is being exaggerated by the media.
_____ 16. Seeing traumatic events will never leave your psyche.
_____ 17. Art is essential in schools and in life.
_____ 18. In their behavior, animals are as predictable and purposeful as people are.
_____ 19. The Pacific Ocean is a source of wonder, inspiration, danger, and awe.
_____ 20. Murder is all right when executed in self-defense.
_____ 21. Losing your mother is like losing the sun above you.
_____ 22. It is wrong to want to be alone.
_____ 23. Adults need reading groups (monthly book clubs) to keep their minds stimulated.
_____ 24. Your heart and mind have to work together to fully sustain your being.
_____ 25. In our minds, a constant battle is waged between good (superego) and bad (id).
_____ 26. People are irrationally obsessed with animals: our children’s books, our stuffed toys, our mascots, our pets, our television programs and characters...