EQ: How does a short story become the inspiration for an Oscar-winning film?
1. Discussion of Age of Miracles/return books to library...study guides returned
http://www.wab.org/if-all-of-rochester-2015-pick-the-age-of-miracles-by-karen-thompson-walker/
Think, Pair, Share--Post
Questions to consider after reading The Age of Miracles.
1. As readers, why do you think we’re drawn to stories about the end of the world? What special pleasures do these kinds of narratives offer? And how do you think this element works in The Age of Miracles?
2. Julia is an only child. How does this fact affect who she is and how she sees the world? How would her experience of the slowing be different if she had a sibling? How would her experience of middle school be different?
3. How much do you think the slowing alters Julia’s experience of adolescence? If the slowing had never happened, in what ways would her childhood have been different? In what ways would it have been the same?
4. Julia’s parents’ marriage becomes increasingly strained over the course of the book. Why do you think they stay together? Do you think it’s the right choice? How much do you think Julia’s mother does or does not know about Sylvia?
5. Julia’s father tells several crucial lies. Discuss these lies and consider which ones, if any, are justified and which ones are not. Is lying ever the right thing to do? If so, when?
6. How would the book change if it were narrated by Julia’s mother? What if it were narrated by Julia’s father? Or her grandfather?
7. Why do you think Julia is so drawn to Seth? Why do you think he is drawn to her?
8. Did you identify more with the clock-timers or with the real-timers? Which would you be and why?
9. The slowing affects the whole planet, but the book is set in southern California. How does the setting affect the book? How important is it that the story takes place in California?
10. How do you feel about the way the book ends? What do you think lies ahead for Julia, for her parents and for the world?
11. The slowing throws the natural world into disarray. Plants and animals die and there are changes in the weather. Did this book make you think about the threats that face our own natural world? Do you think the book has something to say about climate change?
12. If you woke up tomorrow to the news that the rotation of the earth had significantly slowed, how do you think you would respond? What is the first thing you would do?
2. Birdman wins Best Picture
Go to library and take out Raymond Carver short stories
Read "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love"
https://susansink.wordpress.com/2014/11/22/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-birdman/
“And did you get what you wanted from this life, even so?”
“I did.”
“And what did you want?”
“To call myself beloved, to feel myself beloved on the earth.”
Readers are more drawn to apocalyptic stories because it keeps them guessing and wondering what will actually cause the apocalypse if it were to happen
ReplyDeleteJulia effect of being the only child eventually made her more careful since she didnt have the guidance through experiences. She usually goes into a situation blind and curious. Maybe she would share and need less attention.
The slowing will eventually cause her to be more mature and cautious to what is going on around her.
1. As readers I think we are drawn to stories about the end of the world because it gives us the freedom to imagine and fantasize the situation of the world ending if it eventually does happen.
ReplyDelete6. Perspectives always play a major role in stories. Details may vary as well as what the reader hears in the characters mind and we get a better feel for their emotions.
8. I would be more of a clock-timer because as it is I am already accustomed to when my body gets tired at night which happens in the span of 12 hours.
9. The slowing affects the world but the fact that it is set in California means that the days are already longer because of their warmer weather they do not have day light saving s like those cities that are up north in New York State.
11. The things that already affect the world, such as global warming, already concern those who care about their world. This is another reason why the book is spontaneous because, although it is science fiction, the things that happened in the novel are nothing short of impossible.
12. I would be pretty shocked but the first thing I would try and do is look into it and see why, scientifically, this is happening. A lot of things happen in the world and if you can’t do anything about it, the least you can do is have full knowledge on the situation; educate yourself.
1. I think we are drawn to stories about the end of the world because it excites us. It gives us a rush to read about the end of the world because everyone has their own ideas about how the world ends, and people want to read other people’s ideas. These kinds of narrative allow us to have a better understanding of the book. In The Age of Miracles, we are able to see and understand how Julia experiences The Slowing.
ReplyDelete2. Because Julia is an only child, her view is different than people with siblings. She only has to worry about taking care of herself and parents. If she had a sibling, I think Julia would be more worried about the slowing and how it affects her family. She would want to protect her siblings. Her experience of middle school would be different because she would have someone to go through it with, or if she had an older sibling, she could talk to them about her parent’s relationship and understanding The Slowing.
3. I think The Slowing dramatically affects her experience of adolescence. If it had never happened, then she would experience the regular parts of going through middle school. Because of the slowing, she has to deal with different school times and friends leaving. IT would have been the same because she still would have experienced crushes.
4. I think they stay together because of Julia. They want to show her that there is at least a little stability in her life. I think it’s the right choice at the time because I don’t think Julia could have handled The Slowing and her parents’ divorce. However, how her parents act around each other affects her too.
5. One lie he tells is at the beginning of the book when he doesn’t want to acknowledge The Slowing. It wasn’t the right thing to do because it confuses Julia even more. I don’t think lying is the right thing to do during this time because it just adds more confusion and uncertainty where it is not needed.
6. If the book was narrated by Julia’s mother, it would be different. The book’s tone would have more of a worried tone. I fit was narrated by her father, then we would get to know about his personal hidden life.
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ReplyDeleteKarla, Aleah, Grace, Allan and Radezia
ReplyDelete1.) We're drawn to stories that discuss the end of the world because it fascinates us with suspense and at the same time terrifies us. Society always has circulated rumors of when the world is supposedly going to end and that's why we get so sucked into the concept.
2.) Essentially Julia is dealing with the slowing alone, due to her parents and their separate issues and her bestfriend first moving, and then returning but not acknowledging her anymore. If she were to have had a sibling she would have had someone to confide in and probably wouldn't have been bullied as much.
3.) The slowing altered her adolescence greatly due to it affecting all of the people in her life. The slowing led to her parents separation, the distance between her and Hanna and her love interest Seth moving to Mexico.
4.) They stayed together for the simple fact of Julia, and they both wanted to be there for her during the slowing. We think that the mother was well aware of Sylvia due to how she questioned the father every time he came home from the "hospital". Also the mother wanted Julia to stop going over to Sylvia's house.
5.) None of his lies are justified. He might've lied thinking it was the right thing to do in the moment due to all of the chaos that was consumed in the slowing however, he should've sat down with Julia and her mother.
6.) The story wouldn't have been as effective if it came from the mindset of an adult due to how a kids mind is so imaginative and has different perspectives on life.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm so lost but what I adapted to was that American Sniper was a good movie. Even though I didn't see it, I know that its based off the CNN highlight a year and a half ago. Its really sad because he was a arrogant soilder who fought for our country but was very vain.
ReplyDeleteIf the story was narrated by the mother or anyone else, they would attempt to make themselves look more innocent or just for the things they've done.
ReplyDeleteThe books moral on climate change engages the reader so that they will know the consequences of pollution. I think that the author gave their own insight of what will happen if the planet were to endure a geological change in climate and weather. Like norstradamus if i speeled his name correctly attempted to warn the planet of the apocalypse.
ReplyDelete1. As readers, why do you think we’re drawn to stories about the end of the world? What special pleasures do these kinds of narratives offer? And how do you think this element works in The Age of Miracles?
ReplyDeleteWe are drawn to these novels because of how interesting the stories are and we feel there is a possibility that by reading these we can prepare.
2. Julia is an only child. How does this fact affect who she is and how she sees the world? How would her experience of the slowing be different if she had a sibling? How would her experience of middle school be different?
she starts seeing death consistently and it begins making her a little cynical. Julia begins to expect losing someone at any time.if she had a sibling then it probably would have been easier on her; she would have more confidence in middle school.
3. How much do you think the slowing alters Julia’s experience of adolescence? If the slowing had never happened, in what ways would her childhood have been different? In what ways would it have been the same?
It alters her friendships and the relationships surrounding her. Julia wouldn’t end up with the trust issues caused by the slowing. she might still have been an outcast without the slowing; then Seth might not have asked her to hang out and she might not have discovered her father cheating.
4. Julia’s parents’ marriage becomes increasingly strained over the course of the book. Why do you think they stay together? Do you think it’s the right choice? How much do you think Julia’s mother does or does not know about Sylvia?
I think that they had a compromise to try and make it work for Julia. yes I do think it was the right choice; when you love someone you hang on with both hands.
5. Julia’s father tells several crucial lies. Discuss these lies and consider which ones, if any, are justified and which ones are not. Is lying ever the right thing to do? If so, when?
lying is never "right," but also they're not always immoral. sometimes, like Julia's father, we lie about certain things to help another; the exception to the no lying rule.
Mitchell DuncanDonuts, Jacob Gilbert-Manhoney, Austin HammandCheese,
ReplyDelete1. Readers are drawn to stories about the end of the world because it makes us think about what we would do in that kind of situation. They throw us into an interesting world that couldn't exist, but at the same time make it seem possible.
2. Julia being an only child creates a sense of loneliness in the novel, especially since her parents aren't always there for her. If she had a sibling, she would have another person for her to be able to relate to. The fact that the earth is slowing down creates tension and terror in her environment, making every thing she does harder.
3. The slowing affects Julia's adolescence because it forces her to grow up faster and make hard decisions to get through her everyday life. If the slowing hadn't happened her life would have some sense of continuity and regular progression. If the slowing hadn't happen, she would still have a crush on Seth and she would still be friends with Hanna.
4. The slowing likely increases the sense of futility of human life and their actions. Human connections help ease the pain of the impending future, so it makes sense that Julia's parents stay together. Julia's mother most likely does now about Sylvia because she gets increasingly grumpy throughout the story.
5. When Julia's father hit a religious man, he lied to her mother that the man survived the accident. This lie was justified because he was protecting his family. Lying is typically the right thing to do when it comes to preventing greater consequences than what comes from telling the truth.
6. If it where narrated my any of Julia's relatives, the novel would have taken a more realistic and darker tone than Julia's side of the story.
1. As readers, why do you think we’re drawn to stories about the end of the world? What special pleasures do these kinds of narratives offer? And how do you think this element works in The Age of Miracles?
ReplyDelete-As Readers we are interested in reading about the end of the world because as individuals we don't typically think of these scenarios during everyday life. So reading about it opens up our imaginations to this world we couldn't even think of this particular narrative opens up our minds to these great ideas and strengthens our imagination.
2. Julia is an only child. How does this fact affect who she is and how she sees the world? How would her experience of the slowing be different if she had a sibling? How would her experience of middle school be different?
- Julia being an only child probably contributes to her being an outcast and not knowing how to communicate with people her own age. If Julia were to have a sibling while she was experiencing the slowing she would have probably had more worry than she does as a single child. So instead of being curious she would have been worried about protecting her brother/sister.
3. How much do you think the slowing alters Julia’s experience of adolescence? If the slowing had never happened, in what ways would her childhood have been different? In what ways would it have been the same?
-The slowing definitely increased the speed at which Julia experienced adolescence but I don't believe much would have changed. She would have still been an outcast because that was always her personality.
4. Julia’s parents’ marriage becomes increasingly strained over the course of the book. Why do you think they stay together? Do you think it’s the right choice? How much do you think Julia’s mother does or does not know about Sylvia?
-Julia's parents stay together because they can only rely on each other and need to keep a stable foundation for Julia. I think it was the right choice because at times like those you need a support system.
5. Julia’s father tells several crucial lies. Discuss these lies and consider which ones, if any, are justified and which ones are not. Is lying ever the right thing to do? If so, when?
-Sometimes lies are needed in order to keep going and sometimes they are unnecessary at some points Julia's father was just being selfish and not protecting his family although he felt he was right.
6. How would the book change if it were narrated by Julia’s mother? What if it were narrated by Julia’s father? Or her grandfather?
-The story would have probably been over exaggerated or over told if it were from the point of view of a relative so it was best that it came from Julia's point of view.