1. Discuss your all-time favorite book. Explain why it is your favorite. Persuade others to read it.
2. Discuss what you look for in an author's style.
3. When was the last time you read poetry for pleasure? Why do you think people don't read poetry like they used to? Should this be a concern? Discuss.
4. Which character was your favorite in Watership Down? Explain.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
September 19-23
"The Hand" by Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette
1. Why do you think the wife kisses her husband's hand in the final paragraph? Explain how the kiss might symbolize the nature of their relationship.
2. In "The Birthmark" Nathaniel Hawthorne also uses a hand for symbolic purposes. Compare the meanings he associates with the hand in his story with Colette's. How does each writer invest meanings in a central symbol? Which one do you find more effective? Explain.
"Popular Mechanics" by Raymond Carver
1. Though there is little description of the setting in this story, how do the few details that are provided help to establish tone?
2. If you are familiar with the story of Solomon in the Bible, how might "Popular Mechanics" be read as a retelling of this story?
3. Discuss how the ending of "Popular Mechanics" is similar to the ending of Hawthorne's "The Birthmark."
1. Why do you think the wife kisses her husband's hand in the final paragraph? Explain how the kiss might symbolize the nature of their relationship.
2. In "The Birthmark" Nathaniel Hawthorne also uses a hand for symbolic purposes. Compare the meanings he associates with the hand in his story with Colette's. How does each writer invest meanings in a central symbol? Which one do you find more effective? Explain.
"Popular Mechanics" by Raymond Carver
1. Though there is little description of the setting in this story, how do the few details that are provided help to establish tone?
2. If you are familiar with the story of Solomon in the Bible, how might "Popular Mechanics" be read as a retelling of this story?
3. Discuss how the ending of "Popular Mechanics" is similar to the ending of Hawthorne's "The Birthmark."
Friday, September 9, 2011
September 12-16
Chekov & Oates
1. Which version did you like better? What's the point of retelling the story?
2. "What triumph, to love like this in any room, anywhere, risking even the craziest of accidents!" Explain this reflection of Anna's and relate it to her character. (Oates)
3. Describe your response to Gurov in Parts I and II, and discuss how your judgment of him changes in the last two parts of the story. (Chekov)
1. Which version did you like better? What's the point of retelling the story?
2. "What triumph, to love like this in any room, anywhere, risking even the craziest of accidents!" Explain this reflection of Anna's and relate it to her character. (Oates)
3. Describe your response to Gurov in Parts I and II, and discuss how your judgment of him changes in the last two parts of the story. (Chekov)
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
September 5-9
1. "Killings" by Dubus
a. Discuss the significance of the title. Why is "Killings" a more appropriate title than "Killers"?
b. How might "Killings" be considered a love story as well as a murder story?
2. "Young Goodman Brown" by Hawthorne
a. Discuss the symbolic value of the forest in the story. How are the descriptions of the forest contrasted with those of Salem village?
b. Near the end of the story, the narrator asks, "Had Goodman Brown fallen asleep in the forest and only dreamed a wild dream of a witch-meeting?" Was it a dream or did it actually happen? How does the answer to this question affect your reading of the story?
a. Discuss the significance of the title. Why is "Killings" a more appropriate title than "Killers"?
b. How might "Killings" be considered a love story as well as a murder story?
2. "Young Goodman Brown" by Hawthorne
a. Discuss the symbolic value of the forest in the story. How are the descriptions of the forest contrasted with those of Salem village?
b. Near the end of the story, the narrator asks, "Had Goodman Brown fallen asleep in the forest and only dreamed a wild dream of a witch-meeting?" Was it a dream or did it actually happen? How does the answer to this question affect your reading of the story?
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
August 29--September 2
Watership Down
1. Discuss the qualities of a good leader. Give real-life examples. What are some qualities of "bad" leaders? Examples?
2. If you could create your own form of government, how would you do it? What laws would you make? Customs? Holidays? Be creative!
1. Discuss the qualities of a good leader. Give real-life examples. What are some qualities of "bad" leaders? Examples?
2. If you could create your own form of government, how would you do it? What laws would you make? Customs? Holidays? Be creative!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Summer Reading Blog II Madame Bovary
Madame Bovary
1. What do you think would have made Madame Bovary happy with her life?
2. A "tragic" novel is one in which the protagonist is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a "tragic flaw," a moral weakness, or an inability to cope with difficult circumstances. Could the novel Madame Bovary be considered a tragic novel? Discuss.
3. How did the conservative social mores of the time play a role in the downfall of Madame Bovary?
4. If Madame Bovary were set in America in the 20th century, how would it be like the original novel? How would it be different?
5. How did Madame Bovary's romantic sentiment contribute to her life of discontent and ruin?
6. What is your opinion of how Flaubert treats the male characters? Do you think he portrays them realistically? Discuss.
1. What do you think would have made Madame Bovary happy with her life?
2. A "tragic" novel is one in which the protagonist is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a "tragic flaw," a moral weakness, or an inability to cope with difficult circumstances. Could the novel Madame Bovary be considered a tragic novel? Discuss.
3. How did the conservative social mores of the time play a role in the downfall of Madame Bovary?
4. If Madame Bovary were set in America in the 20th century, how would it be like the original novel? How would it be different?
5. How did Madame Bovary's romantic sentiment contribute to her life of discontent and ruin?
6. What is your opinion of how Flaubert treats the male characters? Do you think he portrays them realistically? Discuss.
Summer Reading Blog I 1984
1984
1. Compare and contrast the concepts of technological surveillance that Orwell envisioned in 1984 and the forms of technological surveillance used today.
2. Discuss the reasons why some people might not be bothered by the same alleged invasions of privacy that deeply concern other people. For example, why do some people take greater issue with employee drug testing than others do?
3. What would the U.S. Founding Fathers have said about some of the privacy-related issues that are being debated today?
4. Debate whether the impact of a privacy violation differs if the policy is implemented by a government or by a corporation. Does it matter who is invading your privacy?
5. Discuss the ways in which the news media may shape opinions regarding privacy issues. For example, what might be the effects of a nightly news feature that discusses economic losses due to employee drug use? What if it featured an employee who had a false positive drug test and was subsequently fired.
6. Explain the ways in which an Orwellian society, with a severe lack of personal privacy and freedom, could develop in both a communist and a capitialist society.
1. Compare and contrast the concepts of technological surveillance that Orwell envisioned in 1984 and the forms of technological surveillance used today.
2. Discuss the reasons why some people might not be bothered by the same alleged invasions of privacy that deeply concern other people. For example, why do some people take greater issue with employee drug testing than others do?
3. What would the U.S. Founding Fathers have said about some of the privacy-related issues that are being debated today?
4. Debate whether the impact of a privacy violation differs if the policy is implemented by a government or by a corporation. Does it matter who is invading your privacy?
5. Discuss the ways in which the news media may shape opinions regarding privacy issues. For example, what might be the effects of a nightly news feature that discusses economic losses due to employee drug use? What if it featured an employee who had a false positive drug test and was subsequently fired.
6. Explain the ways in which an Orwellian society, with a severe lack of personal privacy and freedom, could develop in both a communist and a capitialist society.
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