The Namesake (219-291)

Answer 1 (just one) of the following questions:

1. Why only now, after everything that has happened to him, can Gogol begin to accept himself and desire to learn about his namesake?

2. This year we're going to read, write, and talk a lot about the American Dream - who defines it and who can achieve it. Which of our characters most fulfills the American Dream in your mind and why: (choose 1) Ashoke, Ashima, Gogol, Sonia, or Moushumi?

The Namesake (159-218)

Things continue to change for Gogol. What pieces of his identity has he lost? What has he gained? Does he have a clear sense of his own identity? What is a person's identity comprised (made up) of?

The Namesake (72-158)

Gogol changed his name to Nikhil and seems to have adopted a new lifestyle. Has his identity changed? He has three homes: one in the studio apartment by himself, one with Maxine, Gerald, and Lydia at their 5 story house in Chelsea, and one with his family at Pemberton Road. Where do you think he belongs most? Has he even found a place to belong?

The Namesake (1-71)

Props to Lissandra and Marta who completed all of three posts correctly and on time.

Reminders:

Sign your post with a name I will recognize as yours. If I don't know it's you, I can't give you credit.

Posting late is WAY better than not posting at all. Get on it. This is 10% of your grade.

Remind your friends, please.

If you delete your post, I can't read it and therefore can't give you credit.

Now, to the good stuff. Yes, The Namesake is longer than Fahrenheit 451. It's also less complicated and abstract. I read it on a 3 hour plane flight. No excuses.

Choose 1 (just one) of the following questions to answer:

1. Why did Ashoke choose to name his son Gogol? What significance does this name have for him, and how is that related to his son?

2. Discuss the symbolism of the grandmother's letter with the names getting lost, her death, and how both of these thing affect Ashima.

3. What is the significance of Sonia's name and how it evolved?

4. Symbolically, what is the significance of a pet name vs. a good name? What does it mean that Gogol only has one?

5. Explain the symbolism of the scene in the graveyard that helps Gogol finally make peace with his name.

Part III: Burning Bright

Authors use symbols to give their stories richness and depth, forcing readers to look for meaning below the surface. In this post, analyze the importance of one of the symbols in Fahrenheit 451. Explain the symbol and its significance to the novel. How does it relate to Montag and his journey? Why do you think Bradbury chose that symbol? What is Bradbury trying to help us understand about the novel and the world?

Symbols:

- Fahrenheit 451:

Things to think about: 451 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which paper burns. Bradbury originally titled the novel The Firemen. Why do you think he changed it?

Pages to start your search: 3, 8

- The Salamander:

Things to think about: Legends associate salamanders with being so cold blooded that they can live in fire and not get burned. They are also said to be able to spit poison and are indestructible. If their tail falls off, they can regrow it. Why are the firemen's lighters and fire engines in the shape of salamanders? How is the salamander and apt symbol for the firemen?

Pages to start your search: 6, 13, 19, 86, 104

- The Sieve and the Sand

Things to think about: Look at the story on page 78. Why did Bradbury choose this symbol as the title for Part II? How are Montag's past and present connected?

Page to start your search: 78

- The Phoenix

Things to think about: We see a phoenix at the beginning and end of the novel. How does this symbol evolve as Montag changes? (If you don't know the legend of the phoenix, google it.)

Pages to start your search: 6, 163-4

- Mirrors

Things to think about: Why are mirrors important? Who serves as a mirror in the novel? Pages to start your search: 4, 11, 154-5, 164

- "The Family"

Things to think about: What is the family? How does this symbol contribute to Bradbury's warning to his readers? Think about the historical context of the novel.

Pages to start your search: 20-21, 44, 48-52, 77, 159

- The Mechanical Hound

Things to think about: What do we typically associate with dogs? What do they usually symbolize? How is this hound different? What does that tell us about society?

Pages to start your search: 24 -27, 72, 120, 133-7, 144

Part II: The Sieve and the Sand

Montag and Faber team up to try to fix society by sabotaging the firehouses from the inside and reminding people about the power of books. In your post, respond to any of the following questions:

- According to Faber, why are books so powerful? Why are they more powerful than TV, even though everyone's living room walls have become 4 giant TV screens that are on 24 hours a day? How do we see the power of books and poetry as Montag confronts his wife's friends in the living room?

- In Montag's discussion with Faber and his conversations with Milred and her friends, we learn a lot about the problems in this futuristic American society. What are some of the problems in this society? What do you think Bradbury is trying to warn his (1950's American) society about?

- In the firehouse, Montag is caught between the two sides - literally hearing Capt. Beatty's voice in one ear and Faber's voice in the other. Which side do you think he'll ultimately choose? Why? Can he and Faber singlehandedly change society? Why is it so important to Montag that he not simply follow Faber's orders but rather make his own decisions?

Part I: The Hearth and the Salamander

Dayo texted me this morning to tell me that he has no clue what's going on in this book. (Major props, both for starting your summer reading and for reaching out for help when you need it.) I suspect that many of you are feeling similarly confused. My first suggestion? Read the back of the book. That's the publisher's way of cluing you into and hooking you into the book - like the previews at the movies.

Beyond that, here's the scoop. Ray Bradbury wrote this novel in the 1950's, as the Cold War and McCarthyism were starting and everything in America was getting modernized and standardized. The idea that Americans would all like in cookie cutter houses in the suburbs with white picket fences and happy smiling housewives who served TV dinners to a family glued to the TV screen (a new invention in the 50's) terrified Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451 shows what he imagines America would become around 2025 if people continued blindly trusting technology and the government.

Response #1: The fictional world of Fahrenheit 451 is called a dystopia. A dystopia is a nightmare world, the opposite of a utopia (paradise). Remember, in a nightmare, you recognize elements of your life, but your world is turned upside down and terrifying. What are ways that Guy Montag (our main character)'s world is a dystopia? How is the world that Bradbury created similar to real life but also like a nightmare? What evidence do you see of Bradbury's concerns about what will happen to American society?

Also think about our main characters. How does Guy Montag fit into his world? How does Clarisse fit in? How does Guy's wife Mildred fit in? What is the purpose of these two female characters?

Rules for the post: I asked you a lot of questions. Focus on one or two. Write at least 5 sentences, including one quote from the book that supports your argument.

Summer Reading Assignment

By now you should have your assignment and your books. I hope you're excited for some great reading!

Start with Fahrenheit 451. I'll be posting a question for each section, and you must comment on all 3 posts by July 31. (pgs 1-68, 71-110, and 113-179) If you have a good reason why you can't make that happen, email me.

(Note: "I want to read all the books in the last week of August to practice my speed reading skillz" is NOT a good reason. But nice try.)

For The Namesake, you'll have to comment on 4 posts (pgs 1-71, 72-158, 159-218, 219-291). Those must be completed by Friday August 27. Remember, your work here on this blog will be 10% of your Quarter 1 grade!

Happy Reading!