Please write a thoughtful blog for each option below about your impressions of the book. All 3 due by end of Quarter 3.
OPTION 1-Reflect on some of the THEMES below in a detailed paragraph.
INDEPENDENCE- There are several times in the book when Maya asserts her independence. Explain 3 and explore how these moments are important to her overall development.
EDUCATION- What is the traditional concept of family? What is the more realistic definition of family? What are some other types of families that fall outside of the traditional concept that are explored in Cannery Row? Although the traditional families in Steinbeck's tale are few (one might think of Sam Malloy and Mrs. Malloy as traditional, except that they live in a boiler), there are numerous family relationships in the story. All of Cannery Row is an extended family. Each of its residents looks out for the others.
RACISM- What role does racism play in her life? What episodes of racism are most memorable to you? How does she react? How do these moments ultimately affect who she becomes?COMING OF AGE-What moment in her life do you think are most powerful in helping her to grow up into a strong woman? How does she feels about these times while in the midst of them? How about after? What events have helped to shape you? Are they similar?
OPTION #2- Ask others reading the book a QUESTION and respond to their questions.
OPTION #3-Share PASSAGES or QUOTES that inspire, move, horrify, frighten or please you. See if other feel similarly.
Please sign every post with full name, assigned English Block and date. Also save blog posts in Google docs.
Brianna Michaud
ReplyDelete3/23/10 M-1
Option 1: When Maya moved to live with her mother along with her brother for the first time. Maya learned a lot of things she she never learned in Arkansas. Whether it was from in school or what she learned on the streets and at home. When she was raped she stopped talking. At first people let her be thinking it was because of the rape but when it went past the time, they started to get mad at her and hit her for when she wouldn't respond. Maya was then sent back to Arkansas and she still wouldn't talk. During the time she wouldn't talk but, she would listen. It was like she became more open. It made her more observent. She was very upset during the time she was raped and the time after that she was still sad. But it made her stronger emotionally. When I went to Boston with my friend she, I had gotten a odd feeling about a guy, my friend was hanging out with. At first I thought I was just annoyed because she was kind of being snotty. But later that day she came back really sad and it was because of the guy she was hanging out with earlier. We both learned that we should trust a gut feeling. Now we both laugh at that point of time czuse are friendship became stronger and so did we.
Brianna Michaud
ReplyDeleteM-1 3/24/10
Option 2: Who are Basil Rathbone and Bette Davis?
"Anything that works against you can also work for you once you understand the Principle of Reverse." Mr. Red Leg. Is my favorite qoute because it is true and it's a interesting saying.
ReplyDeleteKrysteana Scribner
ReplyDeleteG4 English 3/25/10
Option 1:
I believe that one of the most memorable themes in this book comes from chapter 15, when Maya is visited by Mrs. Flowers and invited to her house to talk. This suprises Maya because she really had no connection with Mrs. Flowers, and couldn't understand why she would want to talk with her. Once in her formal school dress, Maya and Mrs. Flowers arrive at the house, the aroma of sweet vanilla meet's them at the door. As they sit, Mrs. Flowers offers Maya lemonade and cookies. Then, once settled, Mrs. Flowers tells Maya that she knows about her unwillingness to speak to others, and gives her a speech on communication." Now, no one is gonna make you talk-possibly no one can. But bear in mind, launguage is man's way of communicating with fellow man, and it is language alone that seperates him from the lower animals." (Page 98) This Quote has really inspired me to think a little more about the power of speech. I'd never really thought about it in this way, and it's brought apon a new light to my understanding in launguage. I believe this quote is so important, because it shows how straight forward Mrs. Flowers is with her speech and makes sure that Maya knows how important it is to speak how you feel as well. She then gives Maya a book of poetry, and expects her to memorize and read a particular one on there next visit. Mrs. Flowers is truly the one that brought Maya back to speaking again, and all around taught her many things about life and living it well.
Krysteana Scribner
ReplyDeleteG4 English 3/25/10
OPTION #3;
I know this is kind of a hard subject to bring up, but I really wanted to discuss chapter 12. In that chapter, Maya is raped by Mr. Freeman. At first he tells her not to scream, and if she does, he'll kill her. Also, he told her if she did tell, he'd kill Bailey. Frightened, she did as he told. After the incident, Maya passed out, and awoke in a tub to find Mr. Freeman wiping her down with water. He told her to act natural, but the pain and confusion of the rape left her tired, and in extreme pain. She tells no one, but instead let's Bailey and her mother believe she's sick. Although, by the end of this chapter, Maya's mother finds out the real reason as to why Maya is acting so different; her underwear.
Now, I talk about this not to make you feel awkward, but to bring to light how graphic this chapter really is. The details were at times, too much, but they gave me a better understanding of what was going on physically, and mentally inside Maya's head. The way she wrote this chapter almost had me believing I was watching from a distance, a helpless onlooker in the background. It's extremely gruesome and horrifying what happened to her, and I believe she is really brave to share this experience with the world.
Krysteana Scribner
ReplyDeleteG4 English 3/25/10
Option 2:
Does anybody happen to know the reason as to why Maya and her brother Bailey keep being sent back and fourth between their real mother, and their grandmother's house in Stamps? Also, I don't recall any real reason being given for them being sent to their grandmother's house the first time either...
Alyssa Milem
ReplyDeleteMarch 26, 2010
Option#1-Coming of Age
I think that point in Mayas life where I think that it represents her coming of age is when her mothers boyfriend rapes her because she would always talk about how the grown ups did "it" and then she finally got to experience it herself. Usually when you experience "it" that means you're grown up and mature enough to do something like that, maybe she wasn't at the right age of course to be doing something like that but it happened and I suppose that there was really nothing she could do about it because Mr. Freeman said that he would kill Bailey if she said anything to anybody and if she didn't let it happen. I feel bad for her that she couldn't tell and that she thought it was right because she felt comfortable when Mr. Freeman would hold her close to him before he would rape her, and with Maya not having a father figure growing up she didn't know what it felt like to be held and wanted, she she like it when Mr. Freeman would hold her the way he did. Also I thought that it was another way of her coming of age because she had to go to court and testify against him, and no normal 8 year old would usually have to go to court and testify for something, because usually an 8 year old shouldn't be doing anything that serious, so I thought that she was also coming of again then too. Also when the police officer came to her grandmothers house and reported that Mr. Freeman was pronounced dead in an alley way after he was found not guilty of raping her because she wouldn't talk in court. Those are some things that make me think that she is coming of age.
Alyssa Milem
ReplyDeleteMarch 26, 2010
Option#2-Question
Does anybody know why when Maya and Baileys father came to Stamps to take them back, their grandmother didn't refuse or put up any fuss about letting them go, and how come Maya didn't say that she didn't really want to go either?
Alyssa Milem
ReplyDeleteMarch 26, 2010
Option#3-Passage
"How can you claim to be my brother, and hate me? Is that Charity? How can you claim to be my sister, and despise me? Is that supposed to be Charity? How can you claim to be my friend and misuse and wrongfully abuse me? Is that Charity?"
Alyssa, Krysteana & Brianna: Thoughtful responses! This blog has a lot of feeling to it so far! Her visits to Mrs. Flowers is my favorite part of the book, and the rape so unspeakably horrible. Her telling it though is as you said so brave because it does ironically GIVE VOICE to the unspoken pain too many suffer alone. Nice work! Can you answer each others questions? ---Mrs Hall
ReplyDeleteKrysteana Scribner
ReplyDeleteG4 English 2/29/10
Alyssa;
I believe that Maya's grandmother didn't say anything because she believes in moving on, letting things go. She knew from the beginning that taking Maya and Bailey in would only be "temporary" anyways. She has a strong believe that life goes on, and she knew that Maya's father would come back at some point to get her and her brother Bailey. I think Maya doesn't try and tell her grandmother this because she is too deep in her thoughts and can't really decide if she wants to go or not. She doesn't wan't to shun her father away, yet I beieve that she already knows what her grandmother's going to say if she does tell her she want's to say.
MRS HALL GRADE UPDATE March 30th
ReplyDeleteBrianna-All three in.
Krysteana-All three in PLUS 1 BONUS
Alyssa-All three in.
Karlee Plante - g4
ReplyDeleteOption #1: Theme.
There is several different themes to this book, which is why it makes it so exordinary of what this girl went through.
The most memorial part of the book to me was at the very beginning when Maya watches her mother take critisism from young white girl trying to batter her down with words. But mama stands tall not letting what anyone says hurt her. Maya's at the door watching and starts crying and getting mad at her mama for not sticking up for herself. Maya didn't understand how you could let someone run all over you as those snobby girls did.
I believe this is a strong part of the book because it shows Maya's personality shining through her skin. It gives you a taste of how independent, and strong willed she is.
Karlee Plante - G4
ReplyDeleteOption 3: Quote.
"Like most children, I thought if I could face the worst danger voluntarily, and triumph, I would forever have power over it"
-CHAPTER 2.
Karlee Plante - G4
ReplyDeleteOption #2: Question & Answer.
Q: How many times did Maya move from her mothers to her grandmothers?
A:
Basil Rathbone is a popular British actor and Bette Davis is a popular American actress.