Monday, January 5th

Today's Goals:

• Review Albert Camus' philosophy of "the absurd"
  
• Compare Sisyphus to Harold Crick-- is Harold Crick an "Absurd Hero"?

Announcements:

• Honors lunch meeting THIS Wednesday (1st semester honors)
• Honors: Doc binders were due over break (-10% per day late)
• Honors: Synthesis papers were due via email today. -10% per day late
• 2nd Semester Book Club honors meeting NEXT Wednesday at lunch
• Missing books from semester 1
• If you signed up to buy your own book for Happiness and Meaning book club, make sure you have it with you in class by tomorrow.

Agenda
1. Welcome back!  Take 3-4 minutes to talk about highlights from your break with your neighbors

2. **Journals will work the same way as they did in December for Happiness and Meaning-- starters and journals will be collected together! I'll post all of them in GREEN on my DP so it's easy to find.
Bookmark this link to required journal prompt summaries 

3. Journal #1:  What do you remember about "the Absurd" and Sisyphus (who was he, why does Camus call him the "absurd hero"?). You may consult your notes if needed.

4. Review 

• The Absurd and Sisyphus (slides 14-20)
• Meursault:

"As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself—so like a brother, really—I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again. For everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate."

5. Begin watching Stranger than Fiction (113 minutes)
An IRS auditor (Will Ferrell) suddenly finds himself the subject of narration only he can hear: narration that begins to affect his entire life, from his work, to his love-interest, to his death.
Director: Marc Forster
Writer: Zach Helm
Stars: Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman


6. Last 15 minutes: Pass out book club books and go over homework/class biz
A. January Happiness and Meaning book club list


B. Grade breakdown for the rest of Happiness and Meaning project:

• Journal: 20%
• Literary Analysis Essay: 30%
• Final seminar: 20%
• Personal Philosophy on Happiness and Meaning art piece and artist statement: 30%

C. Homework:
Read the first 15-20 pages of your book by tomorrow.  Time yourself to see how long (without distractions) it takes you to read (minute-per-page-pace).