Sunday, March 27, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Home - a found poem...
I selected a line or two from everyone's letters home... they read like a poem, almost.
Home
by English 12
To Whom it May Concern
To my Beloved
Dear Mom and Dad
Mom
Mom
Loved Ones
I know you are really scared right now.
For a fallen man shall say to his assailant, “If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven.”
You have always been there for me and have protected me
since the day I was born.
Thank you for being wonderful.
I want you to know that I am grateful.
Should I die, do not worry.
There is a kind of calm to it, as if the air, though heavy with humidity,
washes over you and lifts your spirits.
I will be safe and fine.
Don’t worry. I’ll be back.
This is my opportunity.
I might die.
I can’t guarantee that I’ll survive.
You really are the most important people in my life.
You are the people that have shaped my life.
Just know that wherever I am, I’ll always be with you.
I’m not leaving, I don’t want to leave, I’m not ready to.
I want to come home.
Please don’t be scared. You have prepared me well.
I love my family and I pray for you everyday.
Please accept my decision and think about my future.
I have such a passion for life and now it is my time to live.
I hope that this is enough.
I’m not sure when I’m coming home.
I love you more than anything. Just know I love you, miss you and I will be home, with love, your only daughter, see you in heaven, love, sending my love, I love you all and I think about you often.
PS – I love you
"Death will give us back to God, just like the setting sun is returned to the lonesome ocean."
Home
by English 12
To Whom it May Concern
To my Beloved
Dear Mom and Dad
Mom
Mom
Loved Ones
I know you are really scared right now.
For a fallen man shall say to his assailant, “If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven.”
You have always been there for me and have protected me
since the day I was born.
Thank you for being wonderful.
I want you to know that I am grateful.
Should I die, do not worry.
There is a kind of calm to it, as if the air, though heavy with humidity,
washes over you and lifts your spirits.
I will be safe and fine.
Don’t worry. I’ll be back.
This is my opportunity.
I might die.
I can’t guarantee that I’ll survive.
You really are the most important people in my life.
You are the people that have shaped my life.
Just know that wherever I am, I’ll always be with you.
I’m not leaving, I don’t want to leave, I’m not ready to.
I want to come home.
Please don’t be scared. You have prepared me well.
I love my family and I pray for you everyday.
Please accept my decision and think about my future.
I have such a passion for life and now it is my time to live.
I hope that this is enough.
I’m not sure when I’m coming home.
I love you more than anything. Just know I love you, miss you and I will be home, with love, your only daughter, see you in heaven, love, sending my love, I love you all and I think about you often.
PS – I love you
"Death will give us back to God, just like the setting sun is returned to the lonesome ocean."
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Enemies and Friends - Journal Topics
Why is the stolen jackknife more than just a stolen jackknife? Why does it start a feud that ends in paranoia and a "war within a war"?
Jensen copes with his paranoia by separating himself and keeping his back against a stone and remaining "always on gaurd." Why does this defensive move fail? Why is it horrible, in real life, to have to live in fear, believing that someone is out to get you?
Are people born to become crazy or do circumstances and environment make us crazy? In your answer refer directly to the novel.
Sun Tzu, the infamous writer of "The Art of War," wrote in 420 BC, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Is this the better way... to befriend those who you do not trust?
Eventually, Dave and Lee find peace and learn to trust. They even make a formal pact with one another to kill the other if they are wounded in a way that will leave them disabled. But when Lee is injured neither can stand to their word. Lee begs to not be killed and Dave does not even consider finishing Lee off. What was the pact really about then?
Jensen copes with his paranoia by separating himself and keeping his back against a stone and remaining "always on gaurd." Why does this defensive move fail? Why is it horrible, in real life, to have to live in fear, believing that someone is out to get you?
Are people born to become crazy or do circumstances and environment make us crazy? In your answer refer directly to the novel.
Sun Tzu, the infamous writer of "The Art of War," wrote in 420 BC, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Is this the better way... to befriend those who you do not trust?
Eventually, Dave and Lee find peace and learn to trust. They even make a formal pact with one another to kill the other if they are wounded in a way that will leave them disabled. But when Lee is injured neither can stand to their word. Lee begs to not be killed and Dave does not even consider finishing Lee off. What was the pact really about then?
Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong - Journal Topics
What are the rules of story telling? Rat keeps "breaking the rules." How does he do so... what's wrong with his tone and the ending? How is this story really about story writing?
Mary Anne goes through many stages of transformation in this story? What are those stages? What do they represent? Why does she become so frightening to Fossie?
Why do all the other guys, like Rat, love Mary? Why would they rather love her than some pretty girl back home?
Explain: "The girl joined the zoo. One more animal - game over."
There is yet another allusion to Lord of the Flies in this chapter. The decayed head of the large black leapard is like the head of the pig... If you have read "The Lord of the Flies" explain the relevance of this recurrent allusion.
What does this story tell us about the nature of women and the societal expectations for women?
Mary Anne goes through many stages of transformation in this story? What are those stages? What do they represent? Why does she become so frightening to Fossie?
Why do all the other guys, like Rat, love Mary? Why would they rather love her than some pretty girl back home?
Explain: "The girl joined the zoo. One more animal - game over."
There is yet another allusion to Lord of the Flies in this chapter. The decayed head of the large black leapard is like the head of the pig... If you have read "The Lord of the Flies" explain the relevance of this recurrent allusion.
What does this story tell us about the nature of women and the societal expectations for women?
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Monday, March 14th
1) Silent Reading - anything you like...2) Out Loud Reading - teacher or student: "The Dentis" pp. 87-88
3) Discussion Questions Whole Class:
- In your life, how do you know when someone is telling the truth?
- When you find out someone has lied to you, how do you ever trust again?
- Why is "the truth" so important to us?
4) Review Questions "How to Tell a True War Story."
5) Tomorrow: Journal Time! Introduce the creative aspect of the journal...
Friday, March 11, 2011
What are these journal entries all about?
20 Paragraph Responses - As you read a novel, your understanding and appreciation will be enhanced if you take a moment to write about each chapter as you go. This novel has 22 chapters, but I am only asking you to write 20 responses.The Topics - you can write about anything. Really! You could pick 20 quotations and respond to those. You could find 20 parts of the book and reflect on what just happened OR you can use the writing prompt/journal topic suggestions that I am creating, here on this blog, as your headings.
Reflect/Think/Write - See the rubric for how you will be graded. Show me your thinking. Remember that I know the novel. Please avoid re-telling of the story.
Journal Topics - How to Tell a True War Story
- "This is true." This novel is a fiction, that seems an awful lot like a memoir. How can we know what is true and what is fabricated? How can we know this in the real world? Look at the scandal that erupted over the untrue (or just a little bit true) memoir, "A Million Little Pieces." Why is "the truth" so important to us?
- " A true war story is never moral...you can tell a true war story by its allegiance to obscenity and evil." Re-read the passage on pp. 68-69. Do you agree?
- What "seems to happen" in the true story about Rat that is told at the beginning? Does the story have a moral, a lesson?
- " A true war story is never moral...you can tell a true war story by its allegiance to obscenity and evil." Re-read the passage on pp. 68-69. Do you agree?
- What "seems to happen" in the true story about Rat that is told at the beginning? Does the story have a moral, a lesson?
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Rainy River - Possible Journal Topics
Chapter Four- “On the Rainy River”
Why does O’Brien write of his experience as a pig declotter? How does this information contribute to the story? Why does he go into such detail?
The narrator questions war on page 40. What stand does he take on the war itself? Why?
What does the narrator mean why he says that “the draft board did not let you choose your war” (40)?
Why does the narrator express such a feeling of shame on page 52?
Why does the narrator say that going to war is the cowardly thing to do?
In this chapter, the narrator claims that Elroy Berdahl was “the hero of my life”. Why does he make this claim?
Why does O’Brien write of his experience as a pig declotter? How does this information contribute to the story? Why does he go into such detail?
The narrator questions war on page 40. What stand does he take on the war itself? Why?
What does the narrator mean why he says that “the draft board did not let you choose your war” (40)?
Why does the narrator express such a feeling of shame on page 52?
Why does the narrator say that going to war is the cowardly thing to do?
In this chapter, the narrator claims that Elroy Berdahl was “the hero of my life”. Why does he make this claim?
Spin - Journal Topics
1. Describe how “the war was like a ping-pong ball.”
2. What does the last paragraph tell us that stories are for?
3. What types of memories are included in this chapter and why are they important?
2. What does the last paragraph tell us that stories are for?
3. What types of memories are included in this chapter and why are they important?
Group Review Questions
Chapter 4: “On the Rainy River”
1. How did Tim feel about the Vietnam War while he was at college? Do his actions and language support the idea that he “hated” the Vietnam war?
2. What were Tim’s options once he received his draft notice? Who did he hold responsible for his situation? Who did he think should go to war instead of him?
3. What does Tim say is Elroy Berdhal’s role in his life? What sort of person was Elroy? How did Tim know?
4. How do the opening sentences prepare you for the story?: “This is the one story I’ve never told before. Not to anyone.” What effect do they have on the reader?
5. Why does O’Brien relate his experience as a pig declotter? How does this information contribute to the story? Why go into such specific detail?
6. At the story’s close, O’Brien almost jumps ship to Canada, but doesn’t: “I did try. It just wasn’t possible.” What has O’Brien learned about himself, and how does he return home as a changed person?
7. In this chapter, we learn the 21-year-old O'Brien's theory of courage: “Courage, I seemed to think, comes to us in finite quantities, like an inheritance, and by being frugal and stashing it away and letting it earn interest, we steadily increase our moral capital in preparation for that day when the account must be drawn down. It was a comforting theory.” What might the 43-year-old O'Brien's theory of courage be?
1. How did Tim feel about the Vietnam War while he was at college? Do his actions and language support the idea that he “hated” the Vietnam war?
2. What were Tim’s options once he received his draft notice? Who did he hold responsible for his situation? Who did he think should go to war instead of him?
3. What does Tim say is Elroy Berdhal’s role in his life? What sort of person was Elroy? How did Tim know?
4. How do the opening sentences prepare you for the story?: “This is the one story I’ve never told before. Not to anyone.” What effect do they have on the reader?
5. Why does O’Brien relate his experience as a pig declotter? How does this information contribute to the story? Why go into such specific detail?
6. At the story’s close, O’Brien almost jumps ship to Canada, but doesn’t: “I did try. It just wasn’t possible.” What has O’Brien learned about himself, and how does he return home as a changed person?
7. In this chapter, we learn the 21-year-old O'Brien's theory of courage: “Courage, I seemed to think, comes to us in finite quantities, like an inheritance, and by being frugal and stashing it away and letting it earn interest, we steadily increase our moral capital in preparation for that day when the account must be drawn down. It was a comforting theory.” What might the 43-year-old O'Brien's theory of courage be?
Friday, March 4, 2011
Love - Journal Choices
"You writer types," he said, "you've got long memories." Should we trust Tim O' Brien, the protaganist, to tell the stories truthfully? Why?
When Jimmy meets up with Martha again, after the war, her eyes were "gray and neutral" yet he still loved her. Why does Jimmy need to hold on to Martha and his love for her. What does his love represent?
When Jimmy meets up with Martha again, after the war, her eyes were "gray and neutral" yet he still loved her. Why does Jimmy need to hold on to Martha and his love for her. What does his love represent?
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The Things They Carried - Journal Topics
- What do the things they carried reveal about the soldiers? How are these things symbolic (what do they represent)?
- "The died so as not to die of embarrassment." How do the social expectations for men, in general, play into the soldier's lives in the war?
- (p.22-23) Re-read the poetic passage about the "freedom birds." What does the tone, symbolism and imagery of the paragraph reveal about Tim (the protagonist)?
Use examples - quotations to support your thinking...
Have a main idea - no rambling...
- "The died so as not to die of embarrassment." How do the social expectations for men, in general, play into the soldier's lives in the war?
- (p.22-23) Re-read the poetic passage about the "freedom birds." What does the tone, symbolism and imagery of the paragraph reveal about Tim (the protagonist)?
Use examples - quotations to support your thinking...
Have a main idea - no rambling...
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
The Things They Carried - Day Two
1)Return some things - test back tomorrow...2) Movie Questions
3)Back to Vietnam - History and Overview
4) Start reading - page 21?
4) Silent Reading?
5)Reading Journal and Chapter Notes... tomorrow.
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