Blog 6: The Scarlet Ibis

The Southern family [Doodle and "Brother" are a part of] believes in superstitions. Upon Doodle's birth, Aunt Nicey thinks the boy is holy because he was born in a caul, "Jesus's nightgown." Additionally, the mother of both boys does not think it will rain because she hadn't heard the call of a "rain frog." What other superstitions are shared in the story? How do you think they affect the developments in plot? Can you think of other superstitions you believe/ have heard others believe?

Blog 5: The Man Who Was Almost a Man

Answer the following questions for Richard Wright's short story, "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" in complete sentences, with as much detail as possible [this might mean a short paragraph]:

1. After reading the first paragraph, identify the narrator, the point of view, and the dialect.

2.What is Dave's mother's response when he asks her if he can buy a gun? How does he ask her?

3. What is Dave's reaction when pressed to tell the truth? What is the crowd's reaction when he tells? 

4. Think of the train as a symbol. What do you think it represents?

5. Is society better off without individuals like Dave? Should they celebrate his departure?

Blog 4: Lamb to the Slaughter

What were your thoughts about the ending of this short story? Could Mary Maloney get away with the same crime in today's current society? Why/why not? 

Your response to this blog should be two-three paragraphs [at least 5-6 sentences].

Blog 3: GAC & Cage Reading

The GAC words for this week are: aggressive, authentic, contradict, extravagant, flounder, hone, perceive, quirk, saunter, and summon.

Use four (4) of these vocabulary words in a one-paragraph response to your reading over the weekend. What portions of the story did you find compelling [moving] in Chapters 34-40? Challenge: Include a quotation from the text.

Blog 2: Holocaust Dictionary

Yesterday, we explored twenty-eight concepts that pertained to the Jewish Holocaust, and as a class, we constructed a dictionary of terms. 

Which of these twenty-eight entries were you most surprised that you had not heard of before? ...the least? [If you were not surprised, then write about the one you would like to find out more about.] Include the description of the concept [or definition] and your thoughts/feelings.

This entry may be one longer paragraph [at least 7-8 sentences].

Blog 1: Part I Reflection

Part I of Ruth Minsky Sender's The Cage explores the experiences Riva and her siblings have while living in the ghetto. Part II of the personal memoir will unveil her horrors in the camps.

What portion of Part I stood out to you in your reading? Provide a page number and short analysis of the excerpt.

Blog 16: News Report on Chapter Four

Pretend you are a Nazi journalist and you witness the events that occurred in Chapter Four of Ruth Minsky Sender's The Cage. Write a detailed news report [the type that would be printed in a German newspaper] on the incident(s) in your reading. Include specifics about the situation: dates, location, etc.

This posting should be approximately TWO paragraphs in length, (5-6 sentences in each paragraph). You should include one quotation from the text to support your story; this quotation can be used as a witness to the events that happened.

Be sure to stay true to journalistic writing! If you need help with this style, go here: How to Write a News Article.