Good job to those of you who participated in the last post. Note that I've changed the look of the blog and added some helpful links for you. I hope that the papers are going well.
For Monday by midnight, please submit your own two questions for "The Sky is Gray" and answer any two of your classmates' questions. In your answers, please provide specific evidence from the story.
Good luck.
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20 comments:
Questions-1)What was the purpose of the old couple in the story?
2)Why are the pimp and the little girl on the bus thrown into this story?
1. What was the significance of the narrator being cold throughout the story?
2. Why was the narrator so fixed on getting his mother a red coat, what does the coat symbolize?
Daniel 1. I think the couple was in the story because we needed to see how the narrator acted toward people helping him and his mother. He is angry at the woman because he knows she could have taken out the garbage herself. He says "I'm sure she could've carried them herself- maybe both of them at the same time." He clearly does not like to receive any help that he did not earn and he knows he did not earn it.
2. The little girl shows how much pride the narrator has and the way his mother acted when the pimp hit on her showed that she was not going to let anyone push her around even though she was a woman.
Response to Nikkoles questions
1)I think the significance of the narrator being cold throughout the story was the defining what kind of setting the story presented. The narrator describes his surroundings as rough and the disadvantages that the kid and mom go through. The narrator also elaborated on the help of his mother and how she cared for the kid.
2)The narrator was so fixed on getting a red coat because it represents a bond between him and his mother. The point of getting a red coat is because it was the narrators moms favorite color and the only color that would make sense.
1. Why do you think the preacher was so upset about the young man questioning God?
2. What do you think the theme of this story is? Why do you think that?
1) Why does the mother at the end of the story say that her son is a man after he endured all of this?
2)What is the significance of the red coat that the boy is going to make for his mother?
To Jeremy: I think that the preacher was so mad because he had no way of proving that God was real and there was no way the boy was going to convert.
To Nikkole: I think that the significance of the narrarator being cold throughout the story is supposed to be that this is his battle/struggle (metaphorically) in becoming a man.
1. Do you think that initiation is a reasonable theme for this story? How could it be and also are there any contradictions to this theme?
2. How does the mother and sons trip into town contribute to the conflict in the story?
To daniel:
1. The old couple in the story represented the resolution. They were white but did not act supierior to the blacks. They treated the protagonist and his mother with absolute kindness and also sympathized for them without degrading them.
To nikkole:
2. I think the narrator wanted to give his mom the red coat to show his appreciation for her. He feels that he cannot thank her in words but will be able to show her through actions. The coat symbolizes his grattitude for his mothers sacrifices and also his adulthood. If he is old enough to buy his mother a significant gift then it proves he truly is a man and can provide for his family.
My Questions:
1. Do you think the mom's perception of her son changed throughout the story?
2. Would you consider the narrator reliable?
Jordan1. I think the mom considers her son a man at the end of the story because throughout the story, he has proven that he can handle adversity and he has faced several challenges and overcome all of them.
1. I do think that initiation is a main theme throughout the story because the protagonist's maturity level changes from being immature to more mature throughout the story. He is being initiated into manhood and his mother is kind of the judge of this. In the beginning, the mother was not sure he was a man and by the end she considers him a man so this shows that he has been initiated into manhood.
Questions:
1)What do you think the theme of the story is?
2)Wht did the red coat play such a significant role?
In response to jeremy: 1)i believe the preacher was so mad because doesnt every preacher want the word of god to be put into their listeners heart, and when a kid comes along and questions the word of god, it tends to make even the most peaceful person mad.
2) i believe the theme of the story is initiation, because througjout the story he goes through, many trials and his mom see it, thus declaring him a man.
Questions
1.)would this story have been as interesting or would have it been more interesting had been it told from the mother's point of view?
2.did you think the author did a good job of showing what kind of character's he was trying to set up?
in response to jordans questions:
1.)the mother at the end of the story says that her son is a man because he had so much patience throughout the story and he had already been through so much so in a way it was like he was a man.
2.)the significance of the red coat that the boy is going to make for his mtoher is that he thinks that if he makes her a red coat instead of black it will make her happy and brighten her up.
1. The narrator talks very southern and very uneducated. Do you think that plays a signifigant role as far as character?
2. Why do you think the narrator and the little girl on the bus act the way they do toward each other?
response to jillian 2.
I think that the narrator is reliable to a certain extent. He tells everything exactly how he sees it so we know what he is thinking. But at the same time, we know he is very poor and uneducated so some of his perceptions could be slightly biased.
response to jenna 1.
The story would probably be very different if it was told from the mother's point of view because she is sort of negative. It would probably have a more sad feeling, whereas with the boy telling it, he seems positive.
response:
to Anthonie-
I also think that the theme of this story was initiation for pretty much the same reasons as you listed.
to Jenna-
I think that we would have been able to get more of the story because the mother is more mature and would have been more reliable. I think it would have been less interesting though because the mother didnt go through any changes.
Questions
Do you think the red coat symbolized smoething?
what do you view the theme as?
response
to jillian, I think the narrator is reliable but with some of the things going on his perception could be altered.
to lauren, I dont think the southern language plays a role maybe thats just because i may have missed some of the language.
Questions
1)- What does the boy mean by pool-doos?
2) Why did the Priest hit the boy reading the book?
Jeremy 2) I think the theme of the story is pride. the black lady and her son have alot of pride in who they are especially with the son always trying to be tuff and the mother never taking anything from nobody.
Jordon 2) The coat represents that the boy really is thankfull for his mother always helping him even though they have no money. he wants to make her the coat for winter to show his love for her.
Questions
1) why was the mother so stricket with her son?
2) why did the educated man question everything like the grass and the wind?
Anthonie 1) i belive the theme is love because thats all the son could think about was how disapointed his mother would be if he did this or that because he loved her so much.
Jenna 1) I think if it was told in the mothers point of view it would be just as interesting with mabey a some curse words. she seemed like a caring mom but was to stricket with her kids like when she beat him cause he wouldnt kill a bird that was not neccesary.
question 1) What do you think the author belives about God? Which side of the debate in the dentist office would he pick?
?2) What specific date was this set in?
answer to Jeremy Curtains ? #1- the preacher was so upset because he couldnt defend what he believed. He was intimidated and scared and reacted the only way he knew too- which was a stab at the stereotypical Christian.
answer to Jordan Kerrigans ?#1-
he was making his mom the red coat because he saw it as a sign of the upper class- the girl on the bus with whom he fell in love with wore it, acting like she was too good for the narrator.
question 1. Why did they go into the store to look at axe handles?
question 2. How did Monsieur Bayonne make the narrator's tooth feel better for a while?
To Megan: Poll-doos are a type of bird, because in the begining the narrator says "i'm wondering if you can eat pool-doos, i ain't too sure, 'cause i ain't never ate none, but i done ate owls and blackbirds, and i done ate redbirs too."
To Dillan: I think the educated man questions everything because he doesn't really trust anyone else or what they have to say, because he refers to how he wont believe something just because someone else tells him to, and how they only tell you things to be able to use you or hurt you. for example he said, "you believe in God because a man told you to believe in God. And why? To keep you ignorant so he can keep his feet on your neck."
1. Do you believe the educated boy from the dentist's office would view the elderly couple at the end of the story as a positive or negative force? Why or why not?
2. Do you believe the narrator's desperation to appeal to his mother's wishes when it comes to being tough is a good or bad thing? Why or why not?
Dillan: 2. The educated man questions everything such as grass and wind because he believes the "white man" has intentionally indoctrinated his people with concepts and institutions such as Christianity that have caused African Americans to willingly give up their rights. For instance, at the beginning of his tirade, he claims that the problem with "black people in this country today" is that they don't question anything enough.
Megan: 2. The priest hits the boy reading the book because he understandably believes some sort of line has been crossed when the boy says that even God should be questioned. Before the boy mentions God, the priest seems not hostile, but indifferent. After the boy says, "Question Him, too," the priest says, "Wait. Wait now!" which ultimately leads to the physical altercation.
Questions:
- Why did the narrators' mother emphasize on being a man so much?
- How does the time period affect the people's reaction to the man who did not believe in god?
Answers:
nikkole h. 2
-The narrator is so fixed on getting his mother a red coat because it reminds him of the coat the little girl was wearing on the bus. He calls the little girl "a lady". She loves the little girl and respects her- just like he does his mother.
jeremy curtin 1
- The preacher was so mad about the what the young boy was saying because he was different. Religion is emphasized in our culture and this young man did not believe in God. He was saying things like "why do you believe in God" and this frustrated the preacher. People never questioned him before- what right did this young man have to speak like that to him?
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