G. K. Chesterton: "A Piece of Chalk"

• Grammar: And I stood their in a transe of plesure realising that this Southern England is not only a grand penninsula and a tradition and a civilisation it is something even more admirable.
• Today, you will see the answer in your reading today.

* We will read an essay together.  Here are some introductory remarks to assist you.

• G. K. Chesterton (1874--1936) is staying at a house (perhaps a friend's?) in the country and decides to go out on the downs (rolling grass hills) to draw.  
• He has a few chalks but needs to get some paper.  He likes to use brown paper for chalk drawings. 
• He informs the reader that he is not going out to draw "Nature," which was the common thing to do in that day.  
• Chesterton breaks off onto an idea that though ancient poets might not have described nature as some do closer to his day, it is not because they were less blessed by it.  In fact, they probably drank it in more deeply in times past.
• He realizes he has no white chalk.  
• The color white causes Chesterton to meditate on things many people assume to be blank, void, neutral, unimportant, or dull.  Some people see the color white, sexual purity, and virtue in general as falling into this dull zone.  Chesterton knows otherwise. 

• Chesterton recalls his location, and all is well.  

• Assignment: as I read, note any words or phrases that pertain to atmosphere or tone.  You may write them in your notes or mark them with a .pdf editor on your iPad.
• HTML: "A Piece of Chalk" (1909)
• A .pdf for, say, Notability: "A Piece of Chalk" by G. K. Chesterton  (in Focus)
• Atmosphere
• What feelings communicate to you?  Is this a scary environment?  A safe environment?  A jovial environment?  Is this a dull world of walking and chalk?  A wonderful world of walking and chalk? A deadly world or walking and chalk?

• Tone
• What is Chesterton's attitude toward brown paper?  Nature?  The color white?  White chalk?  England, generally?
• How does Chesterton seem to view the reader?  Does he seem to be an intellectually superior Brit?  Does he seem timid?  Does he seem frank?  Do you picture him smiling or scowling or laughing or sneering or blankly staring? 

• Discussion:  
• Compare notes
• Let's discuss

* CWP

HW: Your typed, printed, MLA formatted CWP Story

The White Cliffs of Dover (also chalk)

Chalk walk: Glory be to God for chalky things!

Pieces of Chalk: The Uffington Horse on White Horse Hill. 3,000 years old and still galloping. G.K. Chesterton's greatest poem is The Ballad of the White Horse.