Week of 12-6-10

1. Describe some of the many ways in which Bessie Mears, Bigger's girlfriend, is trapped in a life that is not of her own choosing (use concrete details).

2. Describe the way Bigger is hunted down after he has fled the Dalton home. How would this manhunt have been different if Bigger were white?

3. Mr. Dalton's private investigator, Mr. Britten, alternately expresses his hatred of African Americans and of Communists. After he interrogates Bigger, Bigger thinks to himself that "Mr. Britten was familiar to him; he had met a thousand Brittens in his life." What is it about Mr. Britten's thinking that makes him so easy for Bigger to understand, and how does Bigger intend to use Mr. Britten's prejudices to his own advantage?

Native Son 11/29

1. Compare and contrast Bigger's attitude toward the world around him and Mrs. Thomas'.

2. Mr. Dalton and Jan Erlone both profess to be friendly towards African Americans, yet they are hostile to each other. Compare and contrast their attitudes towards African Americans and explain their mutual hostility?

3. How is really fear to blame for the muder of Mary (this is a comprehensive question, be thoughtful and think of all aspects of fear that lead to the murder of Mary)?

Week of 11-14

1. At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to the Thomas family. Describe this family and the conditions in which they live? Be descriptive and use concrete details!

2, The title of Book One is Fear, how is this title symbolic and prophetic at the same time? What was Wright's intention with this title?

3. What initial event happens in the beginning of the novel that is clearly a foreshadowing of events to come?

4. How does Bigger feel about his home and its surroundings?

5. Who are Bigger's friends and what event takes place that creates a level of aggression with these friends?

6. Who are the Dalton's, and where and how do they live?

Native Son

1.       In the introduction, written by the author Richard Wright, Wright discusses at length the making of his protagonist, Bigger Thomas; he reflects on his childhood all the way up to his adulthood, and outlines specific examples of when he met a Bigger and the informing aspect of each incident. Please discuss the many Biggers that Wright experienced in the course of his life, and what did they ALL have in common. Please use concrete details to support your analysis.

2.       Analyze the following quote from the introduction to Native Son, written by Richard Wright:

From these items I drew my first political conclusions about Bigger: I felt that Bigger, an American product, a native son of this land, carried within him the potentialities of either Communism or Fascism. I don’t mean to say that the Negro boy I depicted in Native Son is either a Communist or a Fascist. He is not either. But he is product of a dislocated society; he is a dispossessed or disinherited man; he is all of this, and he lives amid the greatest possible plenty on earth and he is looking and feeling for a way out.

3.       What is at the heart of Bigger’s fears?

Gothic Literature Story

Directions: Each member of each blog group must write their own Gothic Literature short story using their understanding of the tenents of Gothic Literature. For this week only, you have to write and post your Gothic Literature stories for your members to read and discuss. Good Luck!

The Cask of Amontillado-Grigg, Ari, Allegra, Kuhen

Level 2
1. Why did Montresor want to kill Fortunado?
Level 3
1. Is it better to murder someone who is intoxicated or above the influence?

The Black Cat-Allegra

"Upon its head, with red extended mouth and solitary eye of fire, sat the hideous beast whose craft had seduced me into murder, and whose informing voice had consigned me into hangman. I had walled the monster up within the tomb!”

 

Grigg

"When added no doubt, to my hatred of the beast, was the discovery on the morning after I brought it home, that, like Pluto, it also had been dpreived of one of its eyes"

This is very ironic that both cats happen to been deprived of an eye.

Blog Questions week of 10-10

1. Discuss who could be the protagonist and antagonist in The Black Cat; explain your logic and reasoning for why? Please remember to use details and specifics from the story to support your response.

2. What Gothic Literature that we've read so far is your favorite, explain why? (The Raven, The Masque of the Red Death, The Minister's Black Veil, or The Black Cat)

3. What are some similarities between all the Gothic Literature stories we've read so far? Again, be specific and use details in your response.

Minister's Black Veil

Arianna Amini

"How strange," said a lady, "that a simple black veil, such as any woman might wear on her bonnet, should become such a terrible thing on Mr. Hooper's face!"

Allegra

"An unsought pathos came hand in hand with awe."

Grigg

"Swathed about his forehead, and hanging down over his face, so low as to be shaken by his breath, Mr. Hooper had on a black veil."

Week of September 27

1. What does the black veil represent?

2. What does the earth's black veil represent?

Allegra

"Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees-very gradually-I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself o the eye for ever."

Grigg-

"One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture-a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell on me my blood ran cold; and so by degrees- very gradullay- I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever." ("The Tell-Tale Heart" pg. 121)

Questions for week of Sept. 20th

1. Discuss who could be the villain (antagonist) in Tell-Tale Heart? Consider your many options for the villain and discuss your rationale for your final choice.

2. What is the narrators motivation in reciting the crime? Consider the details he provides as he recites the crime from the beginning to the end.

3. What is the ultimate irony in Tell-Tale Heart and how does it relate to the title of the story?

The Masque of the Red Death

1. Describe the internal and external workings of the Protagonist (Prince Prospero).

2. Why does Prince Prospero voluntarily isolate himself?

3. Who does Prince Prospero invite to his great fete?

4. Describe Prince Prospero's great fete and the physical description of each of the seven apartments (chambers).

5. Who is the villian and how does he represent the "repressed emotions" of Prince Prospero?