Caught-ya

Complete Caught-yas 83 & 84. After rewriting the sentences, watch the videos below and make any corrections that you missed.

In case you missed it, here is 82 which we did in class.

REVISE your To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

Look over the comments we’ve given you on your paper. Revise your paper. Get a revised copy to your writing mentor and go over the paper with them. Look over the comments THEY’VE given you, and then revise your paper one last time. You’ll be turning in your FINAL final draft on Thursday, October 27th – this upcoming Thursday.

BEFORE you start reading The Chosen…

Watch these videos. If you’d like more, both of these videos have “sequels.” There is a Bim Bam video about the Birth of Modern Judaism which is also about 5 minutes long. And there is also another Hanging with Hasidics video that takes you inside a Hasidic home (I have not watched that one). That video is about 13 minutes long. If you don’t have time for all FOUR videos, just watch these two.

Additionally, read this article… THIS ONE RIGHT HERE. 😉 It describes the differences between Hasidic Jews and other Orthodox Jews. It does NOT describe the difference between Hasidic Judaism and modern Judaism.

NOW… you may begin reading The Chosen

Book 1 pages 1- 78, chapters 1-4 

Complete HALF (12) of the given discussion questions. You can choose which questions you’d like to answer.

Chapter 1

1. Why does Reuven attribute so much significance to the baseball game?
2. What do you think Davey Cantor represents in the book, as he keeps repeating “you’ll see?”
3. Why does Reuven describe Danny Saunders in so much detail?
4. Why does Reuven feel that his whole life has led him to this ball game and his future life will depend on its outcome?
5. What is the meaning behind Danny’s strange grin?

Chapter 2

1. When the doctor asks Reuven, “can you see the light?” Reuven answers, “it’s a little blurred.” Based on the motif of vision, what might this symbolize?
2. Why do you think Billy and Mr. Savo are on either side of Reuven in the hospital? What do you think they represent in the story?
3. Why does Reuven introduce himself as Robert to Billy and Mr. Savo?
4. How do you think Reuven’s injury affects his father’s health?
5. When Reuven talks about the concept of blindness, what might the author be trying to convey?

Chapter 3

1. Why do you think the author brings the radio into the story?
2. Why does Danny return after Reuven dismissed him at first from the hospital?
3. Why did Danny want to kill Reuven in the ball game? What does Reuven represent?
4. When Danny recites the Talmud, why do you think it is described as “cold and mechanical?”
5. Why did Danny have to convince his father to play in that baseball game?
6. Consider the quote, “words distort what a person really feels in his heart.” What do you think of this?
7. What do you think “talking in silence” means to Danny?
8. What can you infer about Danny’s feelings about his religion based on his body language?
9. What do you think “crazy world, cockeyed” (pg. 49) means? Why might it be important?

Chapter 4

1. Explain what Reuven’s father means when he says “ ‘No one knows he is fortunate until he becomes unfortunate. That is the way the world is.’” (pg. 62)
2. What do you think of the quote “people are not always what they seem to be?” (pg. 63) Is it true? How does that relate to Reuven’s father wanting Reuven to make Danny his friend?
3. How does Danny’s analogy of ants to people relate to the mission of obeying God?
4. Why did Reuven’s father not tell Reuven that he had been meeting Danny in the library? Why is Reuven’s father suggesting books for Danny to read?
5. Thinking back to the motif of vision, why is it so important that Reuven’s eyesight will recover? Contrast that to what happened to Mr. Savo. How does this also relate to things being out of focus, and objects being crystal clear?

BEGIN THINKING about your NEXT Essay

You will be required to write an essay on one (or more) of the books we have read in class so far. You may pick one of TWO questions to choose from that focus on The Chosen OR you can write your own question/come up with your own thesis for any of the following or combination of novels: Animal Farm, To Kill a Mockingbird, Silas Marner, or The Chosen. We will spend time during the next few weeks to help you create theses and look for literary devices you can use in your paper. In the meantime, here are the three essay question options to choose from:

• In The Chosen, every character, event, action, and idea seems to have a parallel, an opposite, or a complement. Identify several such relationships, and explain how those parallels support a theme of the novel.
• Throughout the novel, Potok uses imagery of eyes, glasses, and other items associated with vision and perception. What do these images symbolize? Discuss several examples and show how they support a theme of the novel.
• Create your OWN essay question derived from ANY of the books we have read in class so far using the following formula: In the novel (title), (author) uses (literary device) and (literary device) to show (theme). You are free to be creative and modify the thesis structure slightly. However, if you choose this option, you will need to have your thesis approved by either Sister Mock or Sister Nelson BEFORE you start writing, preferably by November 3.

(The essay will be officially assigned on November 10th and be due on November 17th.)