Stock Characters

Lennie is a stereotypical 'sidekick', he is big and sort of dumb, but very strong. Despite being stupid, he has good intentions.

George is a type of character seen in many stories with two friends as the main characters, as he is a small yet intelligent man.

They both form the stereotype duo group of small vs. large and smart vs. stupid. They are a preset group.

American Dream

John Steinbeck starts off the chapter by portraying two people who were average for their time, yet wish for a better future. He makes the characters want a barn to share, as well as many animals. They would live of the fat of the land, showing that they wouldn't need help from others, because they would be in a good enough social class.

Candy is the responsible one out of his pair, and his dog heavily relies on him to survive and simply get around.

In the latter pair, Lennie is like Candy's dog, in the sense that he is very dependent of George, because he is unable to act on his own.

Lennie and Candy's dog are both "non-important" and it is explained that they are easily replaceable.

George and Candy both feel that they have a responsibility to take care of their partner, no matter what is wrong with them, and accept their deaths reluctantly.

Mercy killings

King George V was given lethal doses of morphine and cocaine by his physician to speed up his death.

Action T4 was when the Nazis euthanized 70,000 handicapped people.

Jack Kevorkian was a doctor who offered assisted suicide to many people. It would have to be the only justifiable mercy killing because it was the only one with the consent of the person to be killed.

I personally think that Candy's dog should have been shot because he was suffering and couldn't move much anymore. His life was not a very active one.

Einstein Letter

Professor Einstein,

It has come to my attention that you have begun work on nuclear technologies, and have developed theories on how to weaponise uranium. I have speculated about the possibilities of such weapons, and the results are almost definitely negative.

The bombs that could be created would use up a large amount of energy, and would unleash it on not only soldiers, but the radius of damage would also extend to civilians.

While it is true that the Germans are conducting experiments similar to those performed by American scientists, they may not be anywhere near the weaponisation of such materials, and might simply be trying to use it as a source of energy.

Although it may seem dangerous and unethical, if any other group participating in this war successfully creates a weapon out of these rare earths, it could possibly destroy an entire country in a very short matter of time.

Therefore, I believe it to be beneficial in the long run to further our knowledge and develop new technologies with uranium.

Sincerely,

Mr. Marc Wofford

SSA Proposal

One of the three themes I am willing to explore is, and I don't know exactly how to phrase this, but why she wrote about this exhibit of the heart has to do with her own life when she was in psychiatric wards. Somehow I was thinking I could relate to the rest of her life as well, and her background, living in New Zealand. She doesn't seem to reflect much about her depressing and surprising past at first sight, and I would like to explore the similarities that are actually there.

Another thing that stood out to me, and might be worth exploring in depth, would be the scene in which the teacher is scared about the snake. During that whole time, the narrator doesn't explain much personal emotion. She does however describe the other peoples emotions very vividly, as if she was lost herself, but could understand others better than she could herself.

In the short text, she mentions a train that she has to catch, but instead of arriving early, she tries to fit in as many other activities as possible, before she goes. I was wondering whether it was because she was reluctant to ride the train, or really interested in the topics being displayed. I might want to research more about this topic if I am to do it, because I don't have a completely clear picture of what I should think of it.

Albert Einstein's Letter to Roosevelt

Immediate
Duty
Destroy
Permanent
Entrust
Compromise
Developments
Private persons
Cooperation
Attached

All of the words above mainly suggest secrecy and anonymity, as well as extreme ruin and progress.
Words like "entrust" and "compromise" suggest a plan of some sorts, especially when the word "private", as in  persons, is in the context. "Cooperation" also makes me think of plots and a battle in which more than one are needed.

What is the narrative of your game? Remember that narrative is not just the story, it is also the method used to tell that story.

The game "Dungeons and Dragons" is delivered in a very user friendly manner. It involves the reader/player in the game, meaning the plot can change depending on their actions. This helps the player make moral decisions within the game. The player actually wants to survive, partially because of the amount of time it takes to make a single character (3 hours), and the fact that they created the person, and therefore feel empathy for it.

What is “narrative”? How is it different from “story”?

Narrative is the manner in which the story is told and delivered to the reader. The way the author narrates should depend on what kind of audience they are trying to reach. Story is just the plot and the actual meaning of the story.

Who is the author of "The Legend Of Paper Plates?"

At first, it is easy to think that the author is the survivor of some tragedy, or a historian.
After a while, and having read the poem several times, you realize that the title of the story has a huge impact on your understanding of what is happening. After realizing this, my opinion is that the author is an ecologist.

What are four things that characterize fifth graders?

Depending on their maturity, they may like alliteration, as well as catchy tunes, which both go hand in hand.The puppet show idea itself would appeal to them, because they are on their way to growing up and gaining new tastes. 5th graders are also of the age where they like scary and thriller stories. They like good natured humor, not black humor.
They do not like squeaky voices as much as younger grades.
They can still laugh with ought feeling nervous about being the only one laughing, less peer pressure.

Write the Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution to “The Wife’s Story” as you imagine it.

He turned around, and looked at me. I could understand the now understand the smells he was picking up, and his odd behaviors. My children were awake, and I quickly told them to go back to bed.
My Husband had turned into a werewolf, and I could not face the truth. He quickly ran down the street, and everyone who saw him started running after him. A man tried to stand in his way. I never believed my husband could do this, but he killed him.
He kept on running down the street for what seemed like forever, until I heard a shot. He fell to the ground, dead.
I slowly crept up to his inanimate body, wanting to think I had been seeing things. No. I had seen the truth, and it shattered my heart.

What is the theme of Baldwin’s text? Give specific details that support your claim.

I think that the theme is "Survival" because in the story one woman bashes a man's face in because she wants to live and is egotistical, but then right after, two women believe in mutual survival, and save the same man. Also, one of the engineers comes to the top of the boat, tries to steal a life vest, and gets brained with a wrench. These show different ideas on how survival should happen.

What sets the tone for your U1:PE? Be specific. List at least three specific details.

The vocabulary I will use in the final copy will be of a certain lexile, which will engage the reader by being simple. I try to communicate and relate with the reader, such as the part when I talk about moving, as many people what it feels like to pack up and leave. I also try to explain what kind of a background I am coming from, so that they can understand my experiences better.

Research an instance of injustice, the act of an individual or group upon another individual or group. How did that make you feel (be specific and detailed)?

Pogroms
I've researched about pogroms before, and thought it would be appropriate for this topic.
It was very harsh treatment of the Jewish population in Russia by the Russian Empire at the time.
The first registered pogrom was in 1821, in Odessa. Many Jews were harassed, and then beat up, while many others were killed in the process of this rioting.
These events make me feel "oh not this stuff again," because it is just one more piece in the violent history behind the Jews and what they have been through. Reading the details and watching the paintings made about these incidents is shocking and disturbing, to the point where I do not want to read it anymore, or even think about it.
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005183
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0016_0_15895.html
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pogrom

Have you known anyone willing to experience pain for vanity’s sake? Did the outcome justify the means?

I have known people who have experienced pain for vanity, but it wasn't always worth it.
One easy example is tattoos. I know many people who have permanent tattoos, and they regret it after a few months, because it changes their position in society greatly, while the needle hurts a lot.
Another good example is when a girl will go out with someone they don't love, just so that they can brag to their friends about having a boyfriend. I've known many people who have done this, and they think its cool at the start, but end up being driven to tears.

What is the author's purpose?

The author of the short story "By Any Other Name" is not very direct in speech as to what she is trying to make the reader think, which makes it that much more interesting to read.
The author, throughout the story, describes different aspects of the clash of cultures, from a personal point of view, which could make her purpose something related to anti-racism or the wish for the world to be friends with itself.

What makes an incident in am individual's life worth retelling?

I had to think about this one for a while, because I couldn't choose an answer, and in the end, I believe that an incident can be worth retelling for moral education, so as to teach others about what is right or wrong. It can also help people learn from your mistakes. Sometimes though, another's memories simply help us get a new perspective on how we are compared to the world, and make us a bit less selfish.