We started off where we left off in our 3-day lesson. What kind of conflict is expressed in this video from A League of Their Own?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dPUuzGqv_kWznv4sevVKy212099SWcPC/view
In class it was decided that there were both types of conflict in this one video.
External:
Person vs. person - Jimmy and Evelyn -
Jimmy was screaming at Evelyn about the way she played.
Society vs. person - The entire stadium and Jimmy -
At the end, the entire crowd was shouting against Jimmy
Internal: Evelyn-
Evelyn could not even answer the basic questions Jimmy was asking her.She was also crying.
Continue Reading “Harrison Bergeron” By Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (11-16)
Link to the book:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1grkNbIPK-JwbTo3jLwYZARpuzdo03dAI/edit
(11) The realization was blasted from his mind instantly by the sound of an automobile collision in his head. When George could open his eyes again, the photograph of Harrison was gone. A living, breathing Harrison filled the screen. Clanking, clownish, and huge, Harrison stood in the center of the studio. The knob of the uprooted studio door was still
in his hand. Ballerinas, technicians, musicians, and announcers cowered on their knees before him, expecting to die.
“I am the Emperor!” cried Harrison. “Do you hear? I am the Emperor! Everybody must do what I say at once!” He
stamped his foot and the studio shook.
“Even as I stand here—” he bellowed, “crippled, hobbled, sickened—I am a greater ruler than any man who ever
lived! Now watch me become what I can become!”
(12) Harrison tore the straps of his handicap harness like wet tissue paper, tore straps guaranteed to support five thousand pounds. Harrison’s scrap-iron handicaps crashed to the floor. Harrison thrust his thumbs under the bar of the pad that secured his head harness. The bar snapped like celery. Harrison smashed his headphones and spectacles against the
wall. He flung away his rubber-ball nose, revealed a man that would have awed Thor, the god of thunder.
“I shall now select my Empress!” he said, looking down on the cowering people. “Let the first woman who dares
rise to her feet, claim her mate and her throne!”
(13) A moment passed, and then a ballerina arose, swaying like a willow. Harrison plucked the mental handicap from her ear, snapped off her physical handicaps with marvelous delicacy. Last of all, he removed her mask.
She was blindingly beautiful.
“Now” said Harrison, taking her hand, “shall we show the people the meaning of the word dance? Music!” he
commanded.
The musicians scrambled back into their chairs, and Harrison stripped them of their handicaps, too. “Play your
best,” he told them, “and I'll make you barons and dukes and earls.”
(14) The music began. It was normal at first—cheap, silly, false. But Harrison snatched two musicians from their chairs, waved them like batons as he sang the music as he wanted it played. He slammed them back into their chairs. The music began again and was much improved. Harrison and his Empress merely listened to the music for a while—listened gravely, as though synchronizing their heartbeats with it. They shifted their weights to their toes. Harrison placed his big hands on the girl’s tiny waist, letting her sense the weightlessness that would soon be hers. And then, in
an explosion of joy and grace, into the air they sprang!
(15) Not only were the laws of the land abandoned, but the law of gravity and the laws of motion as well. They reeled, whirled, swiveled, flounced, capered, gamboled, and spun. They leaped like deer on the moon. The studio ceiling was thirty feet high, but each leap brought the dancers nearer to it. It became their obvious intention to kiss the ceiling.
They kissed it.
And then, neutralizing gravity with love and pure will, they remained suspended in air inches below the ceiling, and they kissed each other for a long, long time. It was then that Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, came into the studio with a double-barreled ten-gauge shotgun. She fired twice, and the Emperor and the Empress were
dead before they hit the floor.
(16) Diana Moon Glampers loaded the gun again. She aimed it at the musicians and told them they had ten seconds to get
their handicaps back on. It was then that the Bergerons’ television tube burned out.
Hazel turned to comment about the blackout to George. But George had gone out into the kitchen for a can of beer.
George came back in with the beer, paused while a handicap signal shook him up. And then he sat down again.
“You been crying?” he said to Hazel.
“Yup,” she said.
“What about?” he said.
“I forget,” she said. “Something real sad on television.”
“What was it?” he said.
“It’s all kind of mixed up in my mind,” said Hazel.
“Forget sad things,” said George.
“I always do,” said Hazel.
“That’s my girl,” said George. He winced. There was the sound of a riveting gun in his head.
“Gee—I could tell that one was a doozy,” said Hazel.
“You can say that again,” said George.
“Gee—” said Hazel, “I could tell that one was a doozy.”
Analysis:
Things that were noticed right after reading this was that Hazel forgot why she became so sad and just let it go. The author also uses the literary device, irony. The definition of irony is the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.
Aim:
How does Kurt Vonnugut Jr.s’ background and choice of literary devices provide greater insight and clarity to his work, “Harrison Bergeron”?
Do Now: Think /Pair/ Share
“Fitting in is sometimes viewed as a necessity. How can it become a handicap?
What can be done to prevent it from becoming one?
Answer:
“Fitting in can become a handicap when it is preventing you from accomplishing something, or when you lose yourself. It is important to keep your individuality.
We should also promote being different. Lasting friendships happen when everyone is able to be who they are comfortably in their friend groups. Sometimes we feel compelled to help or fix someone. This is not our job, nor is it in our control. It is important to know that the energy we use on “fixing” things out of our control is wasted. Still, there are things we can control- ourselves and who we are. We can control our emotions, work, and reactions.
Group/TeamWork:
How can you tell if this story fits the criteria of a Dystopian Story?
The story has the basic elements of people losing their individuality, oppression, and fear of the government.
How does the author use direct and indirect characterization and what do we learn as a result?
We can see direct characterization of Harrison because he is described as strong and capable. We can also see direct characterization of Hazel and George. Hazel was said to be less intelligent than George. There was also indirect characterization of Harrison. His actions showed that he was passionate about those with handicaps.
How does the author use satire throughout the story? What specifically is satirized?
The fact that the ballerina and Harrison were dancing and then they were suddenly shot down shows that the government is hopeless because every time someone rises up, they are immediately brought down.
Which theme(s) are most-evident throughout and why?
The themes are that equality can’t be achieved, and that an individual minority can’t take over the government
Are the handicaps used for symbolization? If so, how?
The handicaps show that equality is not Necessarily good and has consequences.
How does the author use dialect to reveal the specifics of his characters and their society?
The author uses dialect to show that Hazel is of poor intelligence, while George and Harrison are of higher intelligence.
The story is littered with Conflict. CHALLENGE: How many can your team accurately identify? You have “2” minutes!
1) George and himself
2) Hazel and himself
3) Harrison and society
4) Those who are handicapped and those without handicaps
5) George and hazel
6) Ballerina and handicap
7) Shooter and shooted
We finished by watching a little bit of the movie 2081 (Dir. Chander Tuttle, Año 2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GVHgpCnBmk
Reflection:
Many times the author uses internal and external to build a character in a story. One of the greatest conflicts teenagers face today is the need to fit in. This is where we need to discuss whether this can be a disadvantage. While fitting in can make people feel comfortable, it is stressful and causes you to loose your own identity. This leads us to the topic of equality. Equality is not necessarily a good thing. Being completely equal with everyone can cause many people with great abilities unknown to the world. Progress comes to a halt. Like the story of Harrison Bergeron suggests, it is important to be fair, not equal
No comments:
Post a Comment