Caught-ya

Complete Caught-yas 86 & 87. After rewriting the sentences, watch the videos below and make any corrections that you missed.

In case you missed it, here is 85 which we did in class.

CONTINUE reading The Chosen

Book 2 pages 79-172, chapters 5-12 

Answer THREE questions for EVERY chapter (18 questions total) from the given discussion questions. You can choose which questions you’d like to answer.

Chapter 5

1. What does Reuven mean when he says “there was newness everywhere?” Why do you think there is such a change in perspective leading back to the theme of this book?
2. How does the author use the power of description to emphasize this theme?
3. Describe Reuven’s transformation from his time in the hospital.

Chapter 6

1. Why does Reuven’s father answer Reuven’s questions about Danny by going back a long time in history?
2. What does the “silly baseball game” (pg. 93) mean to Reuven now? Does he really think it was silly?
3. Why does Danny need a friend so badly? Why should that friend be Reuven?
4. What do you think Reuven’s father was thinking at the very end of the chapter when he doesn’t finish his sentence?

Chapter 7

1. As Reuven falls asleep, he’s thinking about the color blue and eyes. What is the significance of comparing blue sky and blue eyes?
2. Why does Reb Saunders want to meet Reuven?
3. Explain why a community would follow Reb Saunders from Russia to New York.
4. Why do you think Danny’s neighborhood is in such a disarray?
5. How does Reuven feel as he enters the shul with Danny?
6. Why does Reb Saunders ask Reuven if he’s good at mathematics, and say “we will see?”
7. What is Reuven’s reaction to how Reb Saunders tests Danny? How about when Reb Saunders tests him? What is the relationship between the gematriya and the structure of the book itself?
8. Why does Reuven’s father say “it is a pity” that Reb Saunders lives in his own world, and so will Danny?
9. What is the meaning of the change of emotions in Reb Saunders speech?

Chapter 8

1. Why is Reuven considered a hero when he returns to school?
2. What is important about the way Danny reads? How is it reflective of his perspective?
3. Why do you think Danny is so interested in psychology?
4. Based on what Reuven’s father says at the bottom of page 143, why did Reb Saunders really want to meet Reuven?
5. Why do you think Danny feels uncomfortable discussing with Reuven the silence between him and his father? Why does Reb Saunders raise Danny in silence?
6. How does Reuven feel about the Talmud battle?
7. Why does Reb Saunders ask Danny to go make tea? What is the significance of his discussion with Reuven?

Chapter 9

1. Why does Reuven get so much enjoyment out of taking his final exams?
2. How does Reuven feel when he finds out Billy’s surgery is not successful? Why does he care so much? How do you know he feels that way?
3. Why do you think Reuven describes the incident with the spider and the fly in so much detail? What do you think they represent?

Chapter 10

1. Contrast Danny and Reuven’s reactions to reading material that is too difficult.
2. Why does Danny take a deep breath during the Talmud discussion in this chapter?
3. What do you think Danny learns about himself while studying Freud?
4. After the end of the summer, Reuven calls Danny. How does Danny feel about his summer break?
5. What might be the significance of how Danny is blinking when Reuven sees him again? How might this relate back to the motif of vision?

Chapter 11

1. How does Danny’s appearance reflect what he is reading of Freud? Why is it important that he never gets a chance to talk to Reuven about it?
2. Why do you think the author included so many tragedies in this chapter? Are there relationships between them?
3. What does Reuven’s father mean when he says “we cannot wait for God?” (pg. 162) How does this differ from what Reb Saunders thinks?
4. What is the importance of Roosevelt’s death to the American people?

Chapter 12

1. Why do you think Reb Saunders starts silently weeping at the dinner table?
2. Why can’t Danny stop reading Freud, even though it upsets him so much? What about Freud is so upsetting?
3. Why is Reuven’s father so concerned about the future of Europe? What is he hoping for?
4. What is the meaning of Reb Saunders’ explosion toward Reuven? How does Reuven feel about it?
5. Why is Danny’s brother’s health so important? How does it relate to the family dynasty?
6. What is happening with Danny’s eyes in this chapter?
7. How does Danny describe his feelings about his father? Are they consistent?

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.)