English 3M

Students, please email me your final copies of "Success" and "Where I'm From" by Friday at the latest. My email address is [email protected]

If you need to make up the Short Stories test, tomorrow is the absolute last chance you will have to make it up. You must complete the test tomorrow if you want to earn any points.

Here are some more resources to help you write your expository papers for English A. Check out these powerpoint presentations Mr. Gian put together! https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B34pbF4s60KgcmYzM1BuaTNuelE&usp=sharing

English Resources

Here are the discussion questions for "Berry" and "Mom Luby and the Social Worker":

Directions: In your notebook, respond to the following prompts in order to respond to “Berry” and “Mom Luby and the Social Worker”. Keep in mind that questions with multiple parts require answers with multiple answers.

Discussion Questions for “Berry”
1. Why do you think that Hughes chose to describe the results of Mrs. Osborn’s telegram to Jersey as “dark ones” (160)? What other meanings could “dark” have in light of one of the themes of this story?

2. Why does Hughes repeat “Dr Renfield, Dr. Ren….” and “left her. Left her. Left her” (161)? What point of view is he expressing through this repetition and what does he mean to say by it? Is the entire story told from Mrs. Osborne’s perspective? Who tells the story?

3. Compare and contrast Milberry and the crippled children he spends time with. How are they similar, how are they different? Why is this significant? How could the children’s condition be considered a symbol for Milberry’s situation? What happens to the wheelchair and how is this a symbol for Milberry’s position at the camp?

4. What about the children’s age and Milberry’s social status because of his race and dialect is ironic considering their mutual ability to enjoy life and work hard despite hardship? What do you think Hughes is trying to say?

5. What besides the color of his skin was Milberry mistreated for? Use examples from the text to provide evidence for your response (163).

6. If the child was not hurt at the end of the story, why is Milberry dismissed? What motivation do you think Dr. Renfield had in dismissing Milberry? If Milberry were so helpful with the crippled children, why would Mrs. Osborne agree with Dr. Renfield that Milberry should be dismissed?

Discussion Questions for “Mom Luby and the Social Worker”
1. What lie did Mom Luby intend to tell the agents at the Welfare office? Why? How is this incident a representation of Mom Luby’s behavior towards “the system” in general?

2. When the social worker knocks at the door, Mom Luby is afraid that it is the police. Why is she so worried about the police coming if the police are supposed to protect the public? How is Mom Luby, and much of society’s, opinion of the police ironic given the fact that police officers are meant to protect and provide for the public, not threaten and cause fear for the public?

3. How is humor used in “Mom Luby and the Social Worker”? What is humorous, and why is this significant? What is the author, Hunter, trying to prove by making Mom Luby so humorously more effective than the social worker?

4. Describe the social worker. What does she represent in society? Describe Mom Luby. What could she represent in society? How are these two characters juxtaposed and what does this argue about society?

5. What is ironic about Mom Luby’s social status and her success when compared to the social worker’s social status and success?