Alexander Schmid Podcast

In this special Halloween edition of Potter's Pockets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Ms. Sarah Miller, Mr. Wes Schantz, and I discuss (a) the theme of time and re-iteration, (b) the viability of Sirius as a father figure vs. Mercurial figure, and (c) we considered the increasing depth, complexity, and darkness of the story to come!

In this episode of Night School, Mr. Wes Schantz and I consider Parts 37-39 of Whitman's "Song of Myself". We specifically consider (a) Whitman's use of Christian and naturalistic imagery to convey the universality of human experience; (b) Whitman's epic use of apostrophe and suffering as bond of human experience, and (c) is time best conceptualized as linear or circular?

On this episode of Side Quests, Mr. Wes Schantz and I discuss (a) the epoch-making "date" scene at the Golden Saucer; (b) we then discuss the significance of Cait Sith's betrayal, and (c) differing approaches to playing a video game, and how the game, like life, allows for this.

In this episode of Night School, Mr. Wes Schantz and I consider Parts 34-36 of Whitman's "Song of Myself". We specifically consider (a) the juxtaposition of scenes of war with their functions in the poem, (b) the use of epic conventions within Whitman's continued "universalism of human experience", and (c) how a human is a collection of many stories, not only the heroic, and so is the epic.

In this episode of Night School, Mr. Wes Schantz and I consider Part 33 of Whitman's "Song of Myself". We specifically consider (a) the purpose of the length of the part and its epic correlates, (b) the biblical and naturalistic and mundane imagery in the part, and (c) the purpose of the poet and the articulation of shared human experience and its relation to communion/digestion imagery.

In this conversation with Dr. Matt Roos, we discuss (a) the idea that words can do violence, (b) the necessity to expose one's self to danger to become antifragile, and (c) to what extent can one develop a habit of excellence?

In this episode, (a) the errors of Hektor are compounded, (b) the workshop of Hephaistos is described, and (c) the shield of Achilleus is explained and analyzed.

In this episode, Dante's "Purgatorio" Cantos 10-12 are discussed. Specifically, (a) the three steps to Purgatory, (b) the seven "P's", and (c) the function of art amongst the Proud are considered!

In this edition of Night School, Mr. Wes Schantz and I consider Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" parts 31-32. We specifically think through (a) Whitman's versatility and command of style, (b) the range of his poetic ambition and range of his naturalistic experience and expression, and (c) a consideration of what mastery really is for Whitman as a poet.

In this episode, we discuss (a) the Fall of Patroklos, (b) the fight over his corpse, and (c) Patroklos' prophecy for the future.