AGENDA:
Work on short stories, collect images on padlet, and think, pair, share QUESTIONS 1-4 below. Post your responses as comments.
Discussion Questions
1. The setting of the Mississippi Delta is intrinsic to Mudbound. Discuss the ways in which the land functions as a character in the novel and how each of the other characters relates to it.
2. Mudbound is a chorus, told in six different voices. How do the changes in perspective affect your understanding of the story? Are all six voices equally sympathetic? Reliable? Pappy is the only main character who has no narrative voice. Why do you think the author chose not to let him speak?
3. Who gets to speak and who is silent or silenced is a central theme, the silencing of Ronsel being the most literal and brutal example. Discuss the ways in which this theme plays out for the other characters. For instance, how does Laura's silence about her unhappiness on the farm affect her and her marriage? What are the consequences of Jamie's inability to speak to his family about the horrors he experienced in the war? How does speaking or not speaking confer power or take it away?
4. The story is narrated by two farmers, two wives and mothers, and two soldiers. Compare and contrast the ways in which these parallel characters, black and white, view and experience the world.
5. What is the significance of the title? In what ways are each of the characters bound—by the land, by circumstance, by tradition, by the law, by their own limitations? How much of this binding is inescapable and how much is self-imposed? Which characters are most successful in freeing themselves from what binds them?
6. All the characters are products of their time and place, and instances of racism in the book run from Pappy’s outright bigotry to Laura’s more subtle prejudice. Would Laura have thought of herself as racist, and if not, why not? How do the racial views of Laura, Jamie, Henry, and Pappy affect your sympathy for them?
7. The novel deals with many thorny issues: racism, sexual politics, infidelity, war. The characters weigh in on these issues, but what about the author? Does she have a discernable perspective, and if so, how does she convey it?
8. We know very early in the book that something terrible is going to befall Ronsel. How does this sense of inevitability affect the story? Jamie makes Ronsel responsible for his own fate, saying "Maybe that's cowardly of me, making Ronsel's the trigger finger." Is it just cowardice, or is there some truth to what Jamie says? Where would you place the turning point for Ronsel? Who else is complicit in what happens to him, and why?
9. In reflecting on some of the more difficult moral choices made by the characters—Laura's decision to sleep with Jamie, Ronsel's decision to abandon Resl and return to America, Jamie's choice during the lynching scene, Florence's and Jamie's separate decisions to murder Pappy—what would you have done in those same situations? Is it even possible to know? Are there some moral positions that are absolute, or should we take into account things like time and place when making judgments?
10. How is the last chapter of Mudbound different from all the others? Why do you think the author chose to have Ronsel address you, the reader, directly? Do you believe he overcomes the formidable obstacles facing him and finds "something like happiness"? If so, why doesn't the author just say so explicitly? Would a less ambiguous ending have been more or less satisfying?
(Questions from author's website.)
HMWK" Read to pg. 93 for Friday
I don't have much to say about this video. It was nothing special, really. Just your standard inspirational video with uplifting music in the background and a few people talking about their dreams and aspirations. I don't think that it's usually fear holding people back from pursuing what they really want to do, but a variety of things. Circumstance, location, practicality, money, all of the more tangible things in life.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis video was really inspirational as it made sure that we do not allow anything to stop us from achieving our goals. For many people, it is fear. They are scared that things won't come out the way that they have always wanted it to be. They are scared that they will be judged by friends and family. Sometimes fear gets in the way of many things. Remember, we weren't born with fear. We didn't fear the dark, or spiders, or insects. It's all mental and we need to make sure that we set a positive mindset that will allow us to improve. Let go of fear and hang on to your dreams.
ReplyDeleteI think when you are really doing what you love and put your heart into it, you can achieve your goals. The most important thing is that you start a project and really believe in it. That doing it is not just for personal gratification, but for a greater purpose outside of your own desires. Sometimes wanting to do things for others is a great motivator. There will always be a fear of failing, but so, too, will be the wonderful feeling of accomplishment when the goal is reached.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to have a goal. The lack of goal-having prevents my goal from being a goal until I can have a goal that is more than just having a goal to have a goal.
ReplyDeleteJk, my goals are to go to college and meet Mel Gibson. Nothing's stopping the college yet but Gibson hasn't returned my phone call.
I really enjoyed this video because not only is it relatable but it also captures the truth of why people are afraid of pursuing their dreams in life whether it be their career or anything else. If you put your soul and everything you have into your passion in life, no matter what, you'll achieve it. There are a lot of people that have jobs that are either high-pay or well respected but they end up miserable for the rest of their life because it isn't truly what they want to do but fear overtook them.
ReplyDeleteI just want to be successful and live in Cali. The only thing stopping me is my lack of determination. Just like how I lack determination to make a longer blog post.
ReplyDeleteThat's deep
DeleteThe video wasn't as good as the one we watched last class. It was just an inspirational video you often see. Just says to follow your dreams and don't give up. That's just something you hear a lot.
ReplyDeleteI defiantly agree that fear is what holds most people back. People are afraid to fail so they never even try and see what happens. I think this is true for most kids when they begin deciding what they want to do as a career. The one man said that he would rather do something he loves and scrape by instead of doing something he hates and is boring. This is something that I'm always saying and what really gets me over the fear of trying because I don't want to spend the rest of my life coming home from a job I hate, even it means making a little less than everyone else.
ReplyDeleteWhat keeps me from reaching my goals would be many things, fear being a large factor. Fear to fail, fear of how everyone else will respond to my goals. But overall fear that I might not reach my goals no matter how hard I try because some goals are just unreachable and unrealistic. Most goals we create are just dreams that aren't meant to be obtained or even given a second thought they are just us wishing for something more, imagining having something better.
ReplyDeleteThe video explained that the main reason people don't achieve their goal is because of fear. People are scared that they will fail or that they are just not good enough. That is relatable. If you have this mindset that you can't achieve your goal or do something that's good for you, you won't achieve it. You are already setting up yourself up to fail. Instead of thinking that you can't do, think that you can and will do it. There is nothing better than completing your goal, becoming successful and being proud of yourself. The outcome is worth every step.
ReplyDeleteI think the video just says to chase your dreams and to strive to be better than average. It's important to make your dreams become reality and not to settle for less.
ReplyDeleteThe video was inspirational and my goals in life at the moment is to get top surgery which does cost a ton of money. It ranges from 5k to 10k and the one thing standing in the way is age and money. I have been looking for a job to get closer to my goal.
ReplyDeleteAs much as this video strives to be inspirational I'm not left feeling very motivated. Instead it made me think of the things that hold me down. However, how do I get passed that? I don't know. Striving for something that is of importance to you is never a simple task. The task is even more dreadful when you don't what exactly what that importance is.
ReplyDeleteThere was nothing really too the morning video... well at least noting you've not seen before I mean, its a basic motivational video with little to do with why you should be inspired instead show a few success stories and take out the nitty gritty. I know it's not the message to portray the actual way that people rise to success for living their dream or even chasing, instead it portrays it as a single small demon you need to flick out of the way so you can be like thees people. Otherwise the cinematography was mediocre but predictable, no risky shots, no way to covey emotion by what perspective there is.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part I agree with the video. Fear does seem to be the leading factor as to why people don't do what they want in life. I personally don't have a goal. The people in this video all seem to have such crazy goals. Even if I had a goal I probably wouldn't be able to achieve it!(DELIMAR)
ReplyDelete1. The Mississipi Delta flood greatly influences Jamie's childhood, scarring him. He gets very attached to his brother because he saved him from drowning. The setting is also a very racially insensitive area, leading to Ronsel's surprise when the Europeans treat him like any other person.
ReplyDelete2. The changing points of view offer different perspective and views of the story. Pappy, being considered an antagonist, does not get to tell his side due to being a villain.
3. The time and setting make Laura unable to express her unhappiness about her marriage without fear of ridicule. Jamie's inability to speak adds to his worry and concern for his family.
4. All of the characters view things in different ways. Ronsel seems numb to the horrors of the war, while Jamie can't stop focusing on it. As for the flood, Jamie sees it as a horrible tragedy while Henry doesn't think much of it.
This is from me and Justice
ReplyDelete1) The land controls all of the characters. The title is in reference to the mudslide which traps people and forces them to work together. Therefore, the land functions as a character itself by influencing and controlling the characters’ decisions.
2) Not all voices are equally sympathetic. Simply put, this early in the story Jamie and Laura have received more character development and seem more complex. Reliability will obviously be an issue when dealing with six different perspectives, but there’s nobody seems utterly unreliable yet. Pappy probably has no perspective because he’s the main antagonist and would most likely be completely unreliable.
3) Laura’s silence will build up and get the better of her. Jamie’s inability to speak about the war horrors is what is now known as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Those who can not speak their true feelings are unable to build strong relationships or reveal their true personality. Therefore, power is taken from them and they are weak.
4) The two soldiers are closer to each other than any other pairing of characters due to their war experiences. From the writing style, it appears that they will rely on each other for moral and emotional support throughout the book. The other pairings (mothers/wives and farmers) are close in experiences too, but their experiences weren’t getting shot at by Nazi’s. Obviously, the black characters view the world in a worse way than the white characters due to rampant racism and unequal opportunities.
Mariangelis and Delimar
ReplyDelete1. The Mississippi Delta is important because it's the most southern place on Earth which has a unique, racial, cultural, and economic history. This showing that pappy, as part of the KKK that hates African Americans, relates to the south, since in the south, there was more slavery. In the Delta, black farmers made up two-thirds of the independent farmers. This meaning that they had many slaves working in plantations including Ronsel, who worked for the white families.
2. They always say that there are a few sides to each story and it's because of the perspective. The reader would understand the story with all perspective and gets to understand how the character felt in the situation. Some characters are more sympathetic than others. Laura seems less sympathetic than others about the subject, because she was relieved that Pappy was gone. "wake his hateful father in the lean-to next door" (Jordan 12). '"Pappy's dead. He can't get mad at anyone ever again..." I was glad Henry wasn't there to hear the satisfaction in her voice.' Pappy wasn't allowed to speak to show the reader the view that everyone had on him because he was a racism man that hated everything.
3.The power of silence shows that the whites in the south were racists, not allowing the Blacks to speak up, just do the work they were commanded to do. Ronsel was not allowed to have a voice because they were told that they were to weak to do many things. Laura's silence showing that there is male dominance and that her only job is to be a housewife and a mom. Jamie had fear of water, but he can't explain to his family about his horrors during war because his family would judge him because they didn't even believe in Lindbergh. "But they lead me in circles and then disappeared snickering into the woods" (37). Not speaking, will not allow for the character's view to be shared with the reader so that the reader has compassion with him. Silence also has power as it gives the reader or other characters the ability to think and act.
4. Ronsel is not given the right to have a voice other than the white farmer because he is Black. He is told to use the back door and not use the same things that a white person uses because of his skin color. He is referred to as weak and unable to do many things. Whites are allowed to run the farms themselves and have more access to jobs. The women have to be under the submission of their husbands and obey them.
Raina & Emani
ReplyDelete1. Mississippi Delta's atmosphere of flooding and mud and in some ways gloom plays into the imagery of the setting, and like Kaneil says the flooding is a major aspect of Jamie's development.
2. The perspectives allow broader understanding of what's going on. Depending on the point of view some events are glossed over while another character stresses it. This technique allows a well rounded view.
3. Laura's inability to speak is in part of the time she lives in but also her own insecurities. Jamie seems to feel he needs to keep up a cheerful and positive image so he doesn't want to talk about his trauma he got during war to worry his family.
4. The vast differences allow for vast differences in opinions. The flood and war affected Jamie greatly while Ronsel in some ways just ignores it, and with the flood Henry it's done and over with and he has moved on.
1) The land influences pretty much all of the characters. The title represents the mudslide which always traps many people and which forces them to have to work together just to get free. So the land plays an important role it's what really brings the story together.
ReplyDelete2.) Because you are able to see different views of what happened, instead of one view of the story. Some characters show more of a emotion than the others do such as Laura, who seemed less sympathetic and instead seemed pleased with Pappy's death.
3.)It shows that male dominance was very much there during this time. That women were submissive so they could not have much to say none the less speak at all because at the time they were considered weaker there for making them not important enough to speak in the story. Jamie can't tell of his fear of water because his family would judge him making the reader sympathetic and more compassionate towards him and his silence.
4.)Ronsel does not get a voice because he is a black farmer which excludes him from certain things like using the front door because of his skin color.
Andrea & Genesis
ReplyDelete1) The land floods which leaves the characters isolated from the town. Jaime is the only one that is afraid of the water does not like to be around it at all.
2)The different perspectives show you why the characters do what they do. The story is told more in depth.
3)The women were limited in what they say. Ronsel didn't have a say in pretty much anything because of his race.
4)The story is told differently through different point's of views. The "white" side of the story talks more about family problems like Jaime's fears and Laura's inability to find love at first until she met Henry. The "black" side of the story talks about more serious problems like race, discrimination, and unfairness.
1) The setting seems to work as a character because it heavily impacts the characters, just as a person would. The area they are in affects the lives of all characters and changes their judgement in certain situations.
ReplyDelete2)Changes in perspective affect my understanding because it places me in characters shoes, it makes me see how the character feels about his/her experience. The characters go through great and bad times and it allows me to know how they deal with their situations. Since they are different characters they express themselves differently, which shows a different amount of sympathy. While the book does not show Pappy’s pov, we get a view of a very bitter, and pessimistic character. By not giving Pappy a storyline, we are able to view just other characters’ opinion and experiences with him and we get to see him as a more mysterious character in a way. Not giving Pappy a storyline makes readers wonder why he acts the way he does and why he is the way he is.
3)Keeping quite and bottling up emotions in serious situations can gravely affect relationships. Laura hated farm and was negligent on leaving her childhood home in the first place. Since Laura was upset, Henry’s joy killed her because while she was having a hard time adjusting to the rural and quiet environment, he was enjoying his land, his power and his overall new lifestyle. For her, not speaking gave her some sort of power over Henry’s attention. Henry’s goal seems to be to have a happy family and a productive farm, but it can’t be done with Laura’s mean mug at all times. Laura’s neglect on moving to the farm seems to tamper with her and henry’s relationship because it causes her to be more closed off and less open. Though it seems like Henry tries to make everything go her way since the only thing he wants more than a farmlife is a happy wife. Not has been both giving laura power yet taking it away. Giving her power because it causes Henry to place his attention on her well-being even more. But taking it away because not speaking takes her opinion away when Henry makes a very serious life decision.
4)Allowing the story to be narrated by two different families with very different ways of life gives people an insight on the life that each race lived in such a controlled time in the U.S. Since it was a time when segregation was legal and allowed, the Jackson family lived through an incredibly discriminated and humiliated time frame for blacks. Since they were black they were seen as less than a white family, therefore they were treated like trash. While the MaCallan family was treated with more respect and they were given respect by the Jackson family as well. The MaCallan family owns the land, and the Jackson family only works in it and depends on the MaCallan family. As for the army, Jamie is treated as a stronger and better soldier, while Ronsel is treated as a soldier that is not good enough to fight for his country. Black soldiers were treated as if they weren’t good enough to handle machines which is why they apparently only dug trenches. The Jackson family was treated as the lowest of the low even when they were civil with the MaCallan family.