AGENDA:
Think, Pair, Share and post comments:
4. What role does religious faith
play in the story? How does it influence Jacob, Chase, and other
citizens of Friendship? Is their faith rewarded?
5. Jacob is a
veteran of the Civil War. How does his experience there affect the way
he behaves in the crisis in Friendship? How did the war change him?
6.
How would you describe the relationship between Jacob and Doc? How do
their different ideas about the world lead to different strategies for
handling the outbreak in Friendship?
7. How does Jacob’s relationship
with Marta affect his behavior in the outbreak? How do his priorities
as a father and husband conflict with his responsibility to the town?
Read excerpt on Salon page:
http://www.salon.com/1999/12/16/onan_2/
What makes this excerpt haunting and memorable? Look up the Biblical allusions.
What writing techniques does O'Nan use to create the tragic "horror" of this scene?
Continue working on Scholastic entries and second person short stories.
READING HMWK: Finish book for Friday
4. Religion plays a great role in A Prayer for the Dying in that it is a constant moral presence throughout the story. The olden post-Civil War time period and small town setting automatically gives religion a greater importance. Furthermore, in a crisis such as the mysterious disease that is hitting Friendship, religion is one of the few things the community can lean on. One of the best examples to compare Friendship is Europe during the Black Plague; during the height of the epidemic, there was a surge of religious following under the belief that God was punishing the people and the only way to stop it was to become more dedicated than ever to Him.
ReplyDelete5. It can be argued that the problems Jacob is having are a result of PTSD. For example, Jacob refuses to ride or be around horses because of when he needed to hide in a deceased horse in order to avoid being sighted by enemy soldiers. This is why Jacob is always riding a bike despite its disadvantages in certain situations, such as riding with Bitsi.
6. Jacob and Doc are the two most important figures in Friendship. They often have conflicting beliefs and ideas, but they always work it out for the betterment of the town as a whole; they do not let their disagreements get in the way of keeping the peace and the town’s orderly fashion.
7. As the crisis surfaces, Jacob relies on Marta more than ever as a guide and the one to keep his calm in the middle of this storm. Furthermore, the outbreak leads to the complete realization that Jacob cannot have all these jobs at once because they require different priorities. For example, as the town preacher it is required that Jacob puts his family before the job, but as the sheriff Jacob must prioritize the town over his family. IN other words, Jacob becomes overwhelmed with his many responsibilities and struggles to balance them alongside his job as a husband and father.
Salon Passage:
Everyone is aware of a mother’s protective instincts and never-ending love towards her child, and this is highlighted in Marta’s reaction to Amelia becoming ill. The reference to Abraham and Isaac, or the story of the Binding of Isaac, foreshadows the information that is revealed to the audience later on in the passage. O’Nan uses the universal tragedy of losing a child Bible to hint at what is to come and even compare the events in Friendship to those in the Bible.
4. Religious faith plays a large role in the story simply because Jacob is a preacher and this faith is close to his heart. At a time of disease and illness, like the one that ravages Friendship, people will put their faith in anything they can to remain optimistic, and in this case religion is something that is easy to fall back on. As a concept, belief systems are created to explain the unexplainable and give people comfort in times of distress. In Jacob’s case, his faith lifts him above all of the horror and allows him to keep a level head while the world around him deteriorates. Chase, as the leader of the colony, also uses faith in a way to keep his people’s spirits high and band together to fight this time of strife. The other citizens hang onto their religious beliefs to keep themselves grounded as their loved ones die. Their faith is not rewarded in the way they would like, because the disease only seems to be spreading with no sign of letting up.
ReplyDelete5. His experience during the war influences the way he approaches the crisis because warfare sort of desensitized him to violence and death, making him more cold when he is faced with the disease of Friendship. Surrounded by all of the conflict and intensity that war brings with it, Jacob had to depart from his more sensitive self in order to succeed in that profession. After having that experience, he can no longer treat people the same way. He still has a tender way of dealing with people, but because he has been in such a life threatening situation before, he can withstand more depression around him than he could before.
6. The relationship between Jacob and Doc is sort of a mix between professionalism and confidantes. They do work together and therefore have to have a certain mindset while they are together in order to carry out their tasks effectively, but they also have an understanding that they can confide in each other. Doc is more clear cut in his choices about how to deal with the outbreak, by keeping things quiet and simply going on with their days, caring to the sick. Jacob believes that the people should be informed of what is going on because that will make everyone united in the fight against it, while Doc believes that this would only amount to chaos.
7. Jacob’s relationship to Marta puts him in a difficult position because while he wants to be close to his wife during this time of strife and care for his children, his duty to the town takes away from his time with them. He must remain a public figure for the town to count on in times of distress and heed to all of their needs, but by doing this he cannot fulfill his home relationship. This creates a rift between Marta and Jacob, especially when Amelia becomes sick. Jacob has spread himself too thin and soon will not be able to carry out any of his responsibilities.
4. The role of religious faith is the hope of the people during this epidemic. It causes Jacob to hold this responsibility in guiding the people, and in turn have the people put their trust in him to make it right. However, this causes much discourse as the book continues on and there is no cure to be found in any immediate time.
ReplyDelete5. Jacob’s experience with the Civil War causes a bit of distance between him and the other citizens of Friendship. Especially in the scene where he wishes to examine the infested soldier’s corpse despite the Doc’s suggestions. He keeps his traumas in, as the leader of the town, and so he internalizes how he truly feels about the war, and only lets it slip out when he feels the responsibility crushing onto him, or certain cues that causes him to think about his past.
6. The relationship between Jacob and Doc is something akin to fellow members of the same beliefs, in a way. Both of them have huge responsibilities during this epidemic as both the sheriff/undertaker/preacher and the doctor. It’s in their hands on how fast they can solve this mystery or find a vaccine. And it is on their heads if they don’t make it in time. However, their ideas diverge with how they want to take care of it. Jacob wishes to examine the bodies to see if there’s crucial information hidden deep inside the rotting corpses. While Doc believes this is a dangerous situation to put one’s self in, and often tries to go against Jacob in his endeavors to examine every body, lest he get them both affected.
7. Jacob’s relationship with Marta causes his behavior to be sporadic. Because not only does he have to focus on his priorities for the town as a sheriff and an undertaker, but he has to focus his energy with his wife and daughter, and his want to protect them counters his priorities. Because there needs to be something of top priority, but as the figurehead of Friendship he must have the town in the forefront of his mind. This conflict creates Jacob’s internal strife as to what is most precious to him, and then he feels like shit because he can’t decide when it’s supposed to be obvious to what he must believe in.
The part of the excerpt that makes it memorable is the exchange between Marta and Jacob about Amelia's illness because it is one of the first events where Jacob must think about his family first before the town and his own responsibilities. Particularly, the scene itself is remnant to Abraham and Issac in that Abraham is ordered by God to kill his son, as Jacob is faced with the possibility that Amelia is infected. To lose a child is one of the worst tragedies to face, and O'Nan knows this—as he uses this scene in order to possibly foreshadow the future events and choices that Jacob must make in his town of Friendship.
4. Religion plays a large role throughout the story, affecting the actions and beliefs of the characters. As disaster strikes Friendship, the inhabitants are forced to look to faith as a means of comfort, trying to explain the sudden rise of death within the colony. Jacob is particularly devout, affecting his behavior dramatically. He puts the lives of others ahead of his own in hope to spare the many. Chase is very similar, being the reverend, trying to console the worried and preach togetherness in this time of struggle. The diphtheria epidemic will continue to ravage Friendship, and religion will most likely not do anything about it, as the disease has already claimed Jacob’s infant daughter Amelia.
ReplyDelete5. As a Civil War veteran, Jacob has become desensitized to death and violence, allowing him to effectively deal with the conflict in Friendship, up until the disease affects his family. He knows what must be done to preserve the colony, and he does it without hesitation, thinking that is what is best. He is generally less emotional when it comes to matters of life and death, though once the disease reaches his daughter and wife, he begins to unravel.
6. The relationship between Jacob and Doc is very professional and friendly, though it can be contentious due to their differences in beliefs. Jacob is a very religious man, believing that the public should know about the outbreak so they can properly deal with it, while the Doc believes that the disease is to be kept secret, as to not alarm the people of Friendship. If the disease was to expand into an extremely dangerous threat, the Doc was willing to tell and take necessary measures.
7. The relationship between Marta and Jacob is strained because though he wishes to be close to his wife and daughter, he must uphold his duties in the town and work against the disease. He is unable to be at home with his family, creating conflict between them which only increases when his daughter falls victim to diphtheria.
4. What role does religious faith play in the story? How does it influence Jacob, Chase, and other citizens of Friendship? Is their faith rewarded?
ReplyDeleteReligious faith is the source of hope for the people during the epidemic. In terms of influence, Jacob feels like he has a responsibility to guide the townspeople through this difficult time, and the townspeople put their faith in him.
5. Jacob is a veteran of the Civil War. How does his experience there affect the way he behaves in the crisis in Friendship? How did the war change him?
The Civil War causes Jacob to be a bit distant from the others citizens in Friendship, but, because he’s the leader of this town, he internalizes his struggles and trauma. He only lets his true feelings about the war show when he feels the responsibility of the town, in a way, crushing him.
6. How would you describe the relationship between Jacob and Doc? How do their different ideas about the world lead to different strategies for handling the outbreak in Friendship?
The relationship between Jacob and Doc is similar to that of fellow members of the same religion. They both have immense responsibility during the epidemic, but have conflicting ideas at times. They do not let these conflicting ideas get in the way of the betterment of Friendship, though.
7. How does Jacob’s relationship with Marta affect his behavior in the outbreak? How do his priorities as a father and husband conflict with his responsibility to the town?
As the epidemic comes about, Jacob relies on Marta immensely; Marta is the one who keeps him calm when everything feels a bit much. The outbreak also leads to the realization that Jacob cannot have all these jobs because they require different priorities. Jacob becomes overwhelmed with these responsibilities and it causes him to often prioritize the betterment of the town over the betterment of his familial relationship.
4. Religion gives the people in Prayer for the Dying a hope, they compare their lives with the bible. It gives them a light of hope in their lives in the midst of the chaos. In some ways their faith is rewarded but not always. People still get sick. He tries his hardest to be positive in his sermons but begins to question his faith. With the Black Plague closing in on the town Jacob now clings to his faith even more.
ReplyDelete5. Jacob’s experience in the Civil War helps him be more ready and to stay in some ways calm. Of course like most people who have gone into war he might have been changed for better and for worse.
6. Jacob and Doc seem to disagree on a lot of things. They butt heads but don’t let it get in the way of their business. They’re both like the leaders of the town after the outbreak.
7. He begins to put the town before his family which isn’t the best thing to do. His relationship with Marta can affect the outbreak in some ways that he loves her so much he may put the town before her but then sometimes it may be the other way around.
4) faith in religion is what keeps the people hoping to get better during the epidemic. Jacob is using the faith to lead the people in hopes for finding something that will save them.
ReplyDelete5) The war made Jacob not want to be close with anyone, he held in his emotions about everything and mostly focused on leading the town.
6) Jacob and Doc have a good friendship and lead well despite the fact they don't agree with each other. They try to push through their differences to help lead the town.
7) Jacob's relationship with Marta is also conflicting because he cares for Marta but at the same time he has to focus on leading the town and trying to get out of the epidemic.
ReplyDelete1. Faith plays a very important role in the story and to the development of Jacob’s character. Jacob states that it’s his calling from God to help these people. Jacob has these jobs and the need to help people because he made promises to God. Faith runs through everyone in the story because they are trying to have hope through the epidemic.
2.After the civil war Jacob has developed a hard shell. He distances himself from the situation at hand. Jacob has unknowingly stopped himself from feeling the depression and fear like everyone in the town. Jacob keeps his feeling inside.
3.Jacob and Doc are essential to the town of Friendship. Even though their ideas of how to handle things differ,they always find a way to deal with what is going on. Together they come up with a solution that benefits the town as a whole. Throughout the story they are seen confiding in each other.
4.Jacob struggles between being a father and husband or being a servant to the town. Jacob’s role in the town causes him to spend time away from his family. This causes a rift between Jacob and Marta. Jacob starts to treat his daughter being sick just like anyone else being sick, he starts to separate himself so he won’t get hurt.
4) Religion plays a role in Prayer for the Dying first in that Jacob himself is a preacher who holds religion in high regard and uses his religion as a moral guide. While death and disease rampage Friendship, Jacob and the people of the town are able to lean on religion as something they can fall back on. They use the religion as a source of optimism when they can’t find any more hope. Chase also uses religion in this way to keep the town in order and not turn on each other.
ReplyDelete5) Because Jacob served in the Civil War he is more used to the people he knows dying around him. As a result, he is able to handle the crisis hitting his town better than he would have before the war. Unfortunately, to be able to deal with hardships in this way, he had to give up some of his sensitivity that he used to have.
6) The relationship between Jacob and Doc, as two of the most important people in their town, is a mix of professionalism and confidant. They sometimes have conflicting ideas on how to deal with the town’s crisis, but try to work it out for the best of the town. Jacob believes that the town should know about the crisis so it can be dealt with, while Doc believes it should be kept secret.
7) His relationship with her is complicated because he misses his wife and wants to be close to her again, but his duty taking care of the town gets in the way by taking him away from his family. This gets worse when Amelia falls sick because Jacob doesn’t have enough time to deal with everything and it seems like he is pulling away from his family.
4)Faith plays a major role in prayer for dying. Jacob is a preacher and relies on religion and faith to get through rough times. these people will put their faith in anything at the time to remain normal.
ReplyDelete5)Jacob past is what makes him who he is today. he already served in the civil war and is use to people dying around him. this makes him able to handle what's going on is his town. In order for Jacob to remain stable he have to give up some of his old ways.
6)Jacob and Doc disagree on a lot of things, but have to fins a way to work It out for the rest of the town.
7)His relationship with his wife is strange because as much as he want to be close to his wife and his daughter he have to uphold his duties for the town and work against the disease.
4. Religion gives the people in Prayer for the Dying a hope, they compare their lives with the bible. It gives them a light of hope in their lives in the midst of the chaos. In some ways their faith is rewarded but not always. People still get sick. He tries his hardest to be positive in his sermons but begins to question his faith. With the Black Plague closing in on the town Jacob now clings to his faith even more.
ReplyDelete5. Jacob’s experience in the Civil War helps him be more ready and to stay in some ways calm. Of course like most people who have gone into war he might have been changed for better and for worse.
6. Jacob and Doc seem to disagree on a lot of things. They butt heads but don’t let it get in the way of their business. They’re both like the leaders of the town after the outbreak.
7. He begins to put the town before his family which isn’t the best thing to do. His relationship with Marta can affect the outbreak in some ways that he loves her so much he may put the town before her but then sometimes it may be the other way around.
4. Religion plays a role in Prayer for the Dying because Jacob is a preacher himself who takes religion very seriously. They use the bible as a guild for their way of living life. Jacob leads people to a “better” way of life using his religion as guild for this.
ReplyDelete5. The civil war causes Jacob to be distant from friendship. He becomes desensitized to death and violence. This helps him to easily deal with conflict, until a disease affects his family. Jacob is changed for the better and for the worse because he is able to easily able to deal with problems but he is also insensitive to certain situations.
6. although Doc and Jacob disagree on a lot of things they overall have a good friendship. Jacob is more religious and believes that families should know of disease but doc thinks disease should be kept secret so that it doesn’t alarm citizens. Although they have different opinions they still have a fairly stable relationship between each other,
7. The relation between Marta and Jacob is rocky. Jacob wishes to close to his daughter and wife but he believes in upholding his “duties” of the town and his God. This wanting to uphold these tasks take away from his daughter and wife causing strain on their relationship and their family.
Liana Caez
ReplyDeleteAlexis Jackson
4. Religion plays a huge role in Prayer for the Dying as Jacob is a preacher himself and tries to influence Friendship in these desperate times of need. The people try to use religion as an excuse to get through struggling times and the town eventually depend on God for reassurance. Jacob feels as if it is a calling to help serve the people faith during this epidemic.
5. Jacob approaches the situations as if he’s never been to war. He is very distant when reminded of the certain trauma’s he’s faced and tends to keep that to himself, although it’s an excruciating urge to react otherwise, but he thinks of the people and knows he must act with leadership rather than a soldier who’s been through war.
6. Jacob and Doc usually disagree with certain situations and make their opinions apparent during any disagreement they come to. Although it occurs often, they find ways to compromise their thoughts for the sake of Friendship and to have a leading influence to keep peace within the town.
7. Jacob fulfills his duties within the town and it becomes overwhelming when having to put your responsibilities as a father and husband aside for the responsibility for the people in town. With being a preacher and sheriff, etc., he became stressed with the thought of the outbreak and keeping his family safe, while also trying to take control of the town’s safety.
4) Faith and religion plays a huge role in the plot, throughout the novel as religion hugely impacts the characters’ actions, beliefs, and their own perspectives as well. The people of Friendship are forced to consider religion as their only hope after disaster strikes Friendship. Their faith gets them through hard times and during times of struggle. Jacob is especially devout as he is a preacher and this affects his behaviour and mentality drastically. Jacob is a very selfless person and put others’ lives in front of his own. Another character that is religious in Chase as, being a Reverend, he tries to consol the worried and preach to bring everyone together during times of struggle. As the diphtheria epidemic sweeps through Friendship many lives, including Jacob’s infant daughter Amelia, are lost, and religion won’t do anything to stop it, but at the very least, Religion gives the disaster-struck people of Friendship something to be hopeful about
ReplyDelete5) The war made Jacob not want to be close with anyone, he held in his emotions about everything and mostly focused on leading the town. The war made Jacob not want to be close with anyone, he held in his feelings about everything and focused mostly on leading the town. He became completely selfless.
6) Being one of the most important relationships, Doc and Jacob have surprisingly good relationship, even though they disagree with each other on a lot of topics. Their ideas of how to handle things differ, but they always find a way to deal with what is going on. Jacob thinks that the town should know about the crisis so it can be dealt with, while Doc thinks it should be kept secret.
7) Jacob has a conflicting relationship with Martha as he misses his wife and wants to be close to her again, but his duty taking care of the town gets in the way by taking him away from his family. He puts the town before his own family.