Welcome Back to a New Year!
Let's ease back into the school year...
First period--Meet in groups to discuss Bloodsucking Fiends and David Sedaris
BLOODSUCKING FIENDS - Book Guide Questions
From the AG's Web site:
Topics for Discussion
1. Jody is totally unprepared for being a vampire. How do you think you would react to waking up one day having been changed into a vampire? Would you try to live a normal life? Once you adjusted to being a vampire, do you think youd want to change back into a human being if the opportunity was offered?
2. Jody has obviously had a tough time with the men in her life; do you think this affects how she reacts to becoming a vampire? Was the way Jody thought about herself shaped by how men reacted to her? How did you feel when Jody started to come into her own as a vampire and enjoy her powers?
3. The Emperor seems genuinely concerned about the well-being of the residents of his city, despite the dire circumstances in which he lives. What does this say about mental illness? Do you think the Emperor went crazy from being homeless, or is he homeless because he is crazy? Is it possible that being crazy isnt always such a bad thing?
4. Toward the end of the book, it looks as if Jody may run off with the old vampire. Did you think that was a possibility? If she did it for the right reason (i.e., to save Tommy), how do you think that would have worked out?
5. At the end of the book, it seems that Jody has decided to turn Tommy into a vampire. Where does their life go from there? Will they stay together? Will they stay in San Francisco? If not, how do you handle travel as a vampire, short of owning a multi-million dollar yacht? Where would you send them?
Sedaris Fans--Go to Barnes and Noble website for David Sedaris info and reviews
Second period--Work on contest entries for Scholastic, Sokol, Gannon, or Lelia Tupper
(or any writing projects you may have)
As a group, we really enjoyed Me Talk Pretty One Day. David Sedaris is extremely satirical and emphasizes the flaws in people and common issues people face. He also emphasizes his flaws in a humorous way. These essays help the reader look at themselves in a new way when they realize the truth behind what he has written. David Sedaris is able to write about normal stuff in a new way that makes people examine something that the have always just taken for granted. Some of our favorite essay were Giant Dreams, Midget Abilities, Picka Pocketoni, Go Carolina and...well most of the rest of them. None of them stood out that strongly in our minds as a favorite because they all had funny parts. A few of them were a little too far out there that were less enjoyed by some because they took a risk as an essay and didn't strike a chord with everyone.
ReplyDeleteOverall we really enjoyed this book, and found David Sedaris to be a very good author. We would recommend this book to anyone with a sense of humor!
Bloodsucking Fiends: Lauren, Kadisha, Meredith, Amanda
ReplyDeleteWe discussed the fact that, while we were unsure whether we enjoyed the book or not, it was easy to read and held our interest.
It was an interesting twist on the typical vampire story and the spoof on an overdone story brought humor to the novel. However, there were several disturbing elements in the book, which took away from the likability of the novel.
Amane, Jonathan, Zach, Jerica, Nautica, Jamilah, Alicia
ReplyDelete1.Confused, because like it would probably all be a blur any way. I personally would test what I can do. Like do something I wouldn’t normally do. Something outrageous, and reckless. It would be weird to know that I burn in the sun. I wouldn’t try to live a normal life because I can’t even define normal. What is normality any way. No I wouldn’t want to be human again because human life is uninteresting and sucks.
2.She’s more active and craves it more that she is a vampire. Her sexual tension and need to not be alone, I think, increased as she realized that as a vampire, the only one, she really is alone. I don’t think her relationship status affected how she was shaped as a vampire. I think maybe if she made her self up to be a more lady like, like when she went shopping and bought the dress and did her make up and went to the club, that guys would not see her as a business woman with no feelings. I was proud when Jody began to accept what she was. Especially when she climbed the building and snuck in to her apartment where she found her boyfriend with a blonde woman. I feel like she took a turn she would live her life differently and be happy this time around.
3.That sometimes it could be a good thing if you end up meeting people as nice and caring as the emperor. That some people with mental illness have a goal to keep their minds off of their illness. I think he is homeless because he is crazy. Seeing himself as an emperor and some one with high power tells me that he was once some one of high social status. Being crazy isn’t always a bad thing because sometimes crazy people are happier then people who aren’t crazy.
4.I think that would have been the end of the story. I think it would be a cliché for Jody to run off with the other vampire just to save her love.
5.I think they will stay in San Francisco or go to Indiana and live the way Jody did when she got turned. They can each find a love buddy and drink their blood during intimacy. I think they will stay together because if a person loves someone enough to change the outcome and ‘normality’ of his life to be with some one it will last. They will have their bumps and mountains to climb but they will smooth it all out in the end. They always do.