Substitute Assignment 10.10.16

Due at the End of Class -  

Please make sure you have thoroughly answered the questions. Remember to post on the blog (FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS).

We Will View Your Projects On Wednesday. You may leave them with Ms. Alfaro in ESSM if you have them with you today.

1. How is love presented throughout these (13 – 15) chapters? Refer to pages 306, 315, 319, 323, 336. What is it that Morrison wants us to think about?

2. Summarize the story of Solomon, as told by Mrs. Byrd. Now consider the last line of the story

on page 337: “For now he knew what Shalimar knew: If you surrendered to the air, you could ride

it.” What is the connection between Solomon’s story and the last line? Discuss the pronoun

shift. What does it mean to surrender? What is the air? What does it mean to “ride” it?

3. Trace one of the following motifs as it develops through the text: ginger, money/materialism, flying, peeing on someone, hunger, naming, colors (especially white and gold), roots -What is the significance of this motif in the novel? How do you know?-Why does Morrison include it? How does it add to our understanding?

Song of Solomon Discussion Board 2 - Period 7

Chapter 9

This chapter offers quite a lot and seems to raise just as many questions as it answers. We haven’t seen much of either of Milkman’s sisters until this chapter, but man, they do take over this chapter in a powerful way.  We also learn more about Pilate, and her ability to both play into stereotypical gender roles and transcend them.

Please take notes on your assigned character/questions.  List at least 2 quotations (short, proper citation format) with analysis in full sentences.  You MAY NOT REPEAT.  Read what everyone else assigned to your group wrote first, then try to add to what they wrote (with new evidence) or respond to a different question (with new evidence) for your character.  DO NOT try to answer all of the questions.

Females: Corinthians    

Males: Lena       

Anyone (guys or girls) who fits any of the following criteria: Pilate

Is left-handed

Is double-jointed

Listens to Country on a regular basis (at least 3 or more x a week)

1) Corinthians:

What were her/her parents’ expectations for her life?  Why aren’t they working out?  Why isn’t she married?  What are black, moving-into-middle-class men looking for in a wife?  Any of this remind you of Death of a Salesman?

How does Corinthians change, first, by working for Michael-Mary, and second, by taking up with Porter? 

Who is Henry Porter (what do we know about him from previous chapters)? 

How did you react to the scene of Corinthians throwing herself across Porter’s car?  Is this the act of a “doll-baby” or “grown up woman”?  Explain.

Significance /symbolism of the rose petals for Corinthians? 

What are Morrison’s overall messages in Corinthians’ story about love, about the life of women, about individuality?

2) Pilate:

How does Pilate transform herself in order to get Milkman and Guitar out of jail? Be specific.  What story does she tell?  How does this act demonstrate her understanding of her society?  Is she being weak or strong here?  Why?

Milkman says that this whole incident makes him feel “shame…stuck to his skin” (209-210).  Why?  Is this “shame” a step forward or a step back in his character development? (To what extent is he ashamed of himself, to what extent is he ashamed of his aunt?)

3) Magdalene called Lena:

How does Milkman dismiss/disrespect Lena in earlier chapters and/or leading into their conversation at the end of chapter 9? 

Why is Lena angry with Milkman (one specific action, and then more generally)? What does she mean by “there are all kinds of ways to pee on people?” (214)

How has sexism and stereotypical gender roles played out in this family, according to Lena?  How does Milkman’s statement that “I don’t carry no stick; I live and let live” (214) reveal his fundamental misunderstanding of how these gender roles function?

How is Lena’s attitude toward the roses significant?

What are Morrison’s overall messages about the life of women and the life of men that she is communicating through Lena’s story?

Song of Solomon Discussion Board 2 - Period 3

Chapter 9

This chapter offers quite a lot and seems to raise just as many questions as it answers. We haven’t seen much of either of Milkman’s sisters until this chapter, but man, they do take over this chapter in a powerful way.  We also learn more about Pilate, and her ability to both play into stereotypical gender roles and transcend them.

Please take notes on your assigned character/questions.  List at least 2 quotations (short, proper citation format) with analysis in full sentences.  You MAY NOT REPEAT.  Read what everyone else assigned to your group wrote first, then try to add to what they wrote (with new evidence) or respond to a different question (with new evidence) for your character.  DO NOT try to answer all of the questions.

Females: Corinthians    

Males: Lena       

Anyone (guys or girls) who fits any of the following criteria: Pilate

Is left-handed

Is double-jointed

Listens to Country on a regular basis (at least 3 or more x a week)

1) Corinthians:

What were her/her parents’ expectations for her life?  Why aren’t they working out?  Why isn’t she married?  What are black, moving-into-middle-class men looking for in a wife?  Any of this remind you of Death of a Salesman?

How does Corinthians change, first, by working for Michael-Mary, and second, by taking up with Porter? 

Who is Henry Porter (what do we know about him from previous chapters)? 

How did you react to the scene of Corinthians throwing herself across Porter’s car?  Is this the act of a “doll-baby” or “grown up woman”?  Explain.

Significance /symbolism of the rose petals for Corinthians? 

What are Morrison’s overall messages in Corinthians’ story about love, about the life of women, about individuality?

2) Pilate:

How does Pilate transform herself in order to get Milkman and Guitar out of jail? Be specific.  What story does she tell?  How does this act demonstrate her understanding of her society?  Is she being weak or strong here?  Why?

Milkman says that this whole incident makes him feel “shame…stuck to his skin” (209-210).  Why?  Is this “shame” a step forward or a step back in his character development? (To what extent is he ashamed of himself, to what extent is he ashamed of his aunt?)

3) Magdalene called Lena:

How does Milkman dismiss/disrespect Lena in earlier chapters and/or leading into their conversation at the end of chapter 9? 

Why is Lena angry with Milkman (one specific action, and then more generally)? What does she mean by “there are all kinds of ways to pee on people?” (214)

How has sexism and stereotypical gender roles played out in this family, according to Lena?  How does Milkman’s statement that “I don’t carry no stick; I live and let live” (214) reveal his fundamental misunderstanding of how these gender roles function?

How is Lena’s attitude toward the roses significant?

What are Morrison’s overall messages about the life of women and the life of men that she is communicating through Lena’s story?

Song of Solomon Discussion Board 2 - Period 2

Chapter 9

This chapter offers quite a lot and seems to raise just as many questions as it answers. We haven’t seen much of either of Milkman’s sisters until this chapter, but man, they do take over this chapter in a powerful way.  We also learn more about Pilate, and her ability to both play into stereotypical gender roles and transcend them.

Please take notes on your assigned character/questions.  List at least 2 quotations (short, proper citation format) with analysis in full sentences.  You MAY NOT REPEAT.  Read what everyone else assigned to your group wrote first, then try to add to what they wrote (with new evidence) or respond to a different question (with new evidence) for your character.  DO NOT try to answer all of the questions.

Females: Corinthians    

Males: Lena       

Anyone (guys or girls) who fits any of the following criteria: Pilate

Is left-handed

Is double-jointed

Listens to Country on a regular basis (at least 3 or more x a week)

Has visited Kansas (stayed at least one night)

1) Corinthians:

What were her/her parents’ expectations for her life?  Why aren’t they working out?  Why isn’t she married?  What are black, moving-into-middle-class men looking for in a wife?  Any of this remind you of Death of a Salesman?

How does Corinthians change, first, by working for Michael-Mary, and second, by taking up with Porter? 

Who is Henry Porter (what do we know about him from previous chapters)? 

How did you react to the scene of Corinthians throwing herself across Porter’s car?  Is this the act of a “doll-baby” or “grown up woman”?  Explain.

Significance /symbolism of the rose petals for Corinthians? 

What are Morrison’s overall messages in Corinthians’ story about love, about the life of women, about individuality?

2) Pilate:

How does Pilate transform herself in order to get Milkman and Guitar out of jail? Be specific.  What story does she tell?  How does this act demonstrate her understanding of her society?  Is she being weak or strong here?  Why?

Milkman says that this whole incident makes him feel “shame…stuck to his skin” (209-210).  Why?  Is this “shame” a step forward or a step back in his character development? (To what extent is he ashamed of himself, to what extent is he ashamed of his aunt?)

3) Magdalene called Lena:

How does Milkman dismiss/disrespect Lena in earlier chapters and/or leading into their conversation at the end of chapter 9? 

Why is Lena angry with Milkman (one specific action, and then more generally)? What does she mean by “there are all kinds of ways to pee on people?” (214)

How has sexism and stereotypical gender roles played out in this family, according to Lena?  How does Milkman’s statement that “I don’t carry no stick; I live and let live” (214) reveal his fundamental misunderstanding of how these gender roles function?

How is Lena’s attitude toward the roses significant?

What are Morrison’s overall messages about the life of women and the life of men that she is communicating through Lena’s story?

3rd Period - Extra Credit - Song of Solomon

Chapter 2

A. Please re-read chapter 2 (pages 31-55), and respond to any of the following:

At the end of the chapter, Macon Dead tells his son, “Pilate can’t teach you a thing you can use in this world.  Maybe the next, but not this one.  Let me tell you right now the one important thing you’ll ever need to know: Own things.  And let the things you own own other things.  Then you’ll own yourself and other people too” (55).

1) What do you make of Macon’s advice for Milkman?  Is it good advice?  Why?  Do you trust what Macon has to say about Pilate?  How is this idea of “owning things” potentially problematic?

2) To answer these questions, I’d like you to consider the contrast between Macon Dead’s personality, values, and relationship with the community (and family) and Pilate’s personality, values, and relationship with community.  What “lessons” do they each teach Milkman?  Has Milkman already learned something important from his first mature interaction with Pilate? What might he have learned then, had he been more self aware?

3) How does this resonate with you after a 2^nd reading?

Be thorough and complete in your response.

Song of Solomon Discussion Board 2 - Period 6

Chapter 9

This chapter offers quite a lot and seems to raise just as many questions as it answers. We haven’t seen much of either of Milkman’s sisters until this chapter, but man, they do take over this chapter in a powerful way.  We also learn more about Pilate, and her ability to both play into stereotypical gender roles and transcend them.

Please take notes on your assigned character/questions.  List at least 2 quotations (short, proper citation format) with analysis in full sentences.  You MAY NOT REPEAT.  Read what everyone else assigned to your group wrote first, then try to add to what they wrote (with new evidence) or respond to a different question (with new evidence) for your character.  DO NOT try to answer all of the questions.

Females: Corinthians    

Males: Lena       

Anyone (guys or girls) who fits any of the following criteria: Pilate

Is left-handed

Is double-jointed

Listens to Country on a regular basis (at least 3 or more x a week)

Has visited Kansas (stayed at least one night)

1) Corinthians:

What were her/her parents’ expectations for her life?  Why aren’t they working out?  Why isn’t she married?  What are black, moving-into-middle-class men looking for in a wife?  Any of this remind you of Death of a Salesman?

How does Corinthians change, first, by working for Michael-Mary, and second, by taking up with Porter? 

Who is Henry Porter (what do we know about him from previous chapters)? 

How did you react to the scene of Corinthians throwing herself across Porter’s car?  Is this the act of a “doll-baby” or “grown up woman”?  Explain.

Significance /symbolism of the rose petals for Corinthians? 

What are Morrison’s overall messages in Corinthians’ story about love, about the life of women, about individuality?

2) Pilate:

How does Pilate transform herself in order to get Milkman and Guitar out of jail? Be specific.  What story does she tell?  How does this act demonstrate her understanding of her society?  Is she being weak or strong here?  Why?

Milkman says that this whole incident makes him feel “shame…stuck to his skin” (209-210).  Why?  Is this “shame” a step forward or a step back in his character development? (To what extent is he ashamed of himself, to what extent is he ashamed of his aunt?)

3) Magdalene called Lena:

How does Milkman dismiss/disrespect Lena in earlier chapters and/or leading into their conversation at the end of chapter 9? 

Why is Lena angry with Milkman (one specific action, and then more generally)? What does she mean by “there are all kinds of ways to pee on people?” (214)

How has sexism and stereotypical gender roles played out in this family, according to Lena?  How does Milkman’s statement that “I don’t carry no stick; I live and let live” (214) reveal his fundamental misunderstanding of how these gender roles function?

How is Lena’s attitude toward the roses significant?

What are Morrison’s overall messages about the life of women and the life of men that she is communicating through Lena’s story?

Song of Solomon Discussion Board 1 - Period 3

Chapter 4

 

TAKE NOTE AND SELECT APPROPRIATELY

 

Hagar: Jan-April Birthdays

Pilate: May-August birthdays

Ruth: Sept. - Dec. Birthdays

For your assigned character in this section (Hagar, Pilate, Ruth), please answer the following question. Take note of AT LEAST one significant quotation (more is better).  You may refer to evidence in ch. 4 that relates to this question, if you wish.

What issues and themes does Morrison want to explore through the women of Song of Solomon?  What recurring motifs and images (concerning women) do you see?  How are they significant?  Do the stories/significant events of chapter 5 make you sympathize with your assigned character? Why or why not?Be complete and thorough in your response