The Human Comedy; pgs. 120-148
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Introduction |
Ulysses and his friends encounter the dangers of age and libraries. |
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Mr. Ara |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. What did Auggie get out of the tree? Why is that important? Who does the author compare them to? What is this an allusion to? 2. What does Ara give his son first? Why? What does his boy really want? Why does Dad eat the rest of the orange and the apple? 3. What does the customer want? Why does he want it? Why might influenza mean to the nephew? Why does Ara react so angrily? 4. Complete the quote "I am unhappy,________________" Why is he unhappy? Why does he believe his son is unhappy? 5. How does Ulysses react to the scene in the story? How is he innocent? How is he ignorant? |
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Mrs. Macauley |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 6. Why didn't Homer talk to his mother? Why couldn't he talk? Why do you suppose his mother lets Homer work in his job? 7. Complete the quote: "Almost everything a man finds out_______ ______________." Explain this. How was this true for Adam? When did the people in Our Town find stuff out? 8. What is the difference between a good man, a foolish man and an evil man? How can they all be guiltless? Who are the good people in this book Who are the foolish ones? Who are the evil ones? |
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Lionel |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 9. Why do the boys chase Lionel away? Why does Mrs. Macauley say that they're all nice boys? |
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10. How does Homer describe Ulysses? Why does Ulysses like Marcus? What does Ulysses like in people? Do you think that is true of children in general? 11. Who does Ulysses take after? How is Mrs. Macauley lucky? How is she unlucky? |
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At the Public Library |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 12. What do the boys run into, on their way to the library? Why does Lionel's tone change? Does Death scare Lionel? Explain. 13. What does Lionel want in the library? Is the librarian foolish or evil?
Do you think Saroyan sides with the librarian? 14. What new thing did Ulysses learn?
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At the Parlor Lecture Club |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 15. What is Homer supposed to do with his telegram? What accent is "Pibity", instead of "Pea-body" What does that say about Californians view of that area of the country? 16. Who is Simms-Peabody? From the speakers tone, is she better or worse than the house- wives? Why does the speaker pause after the "coarse, native men" line? What is she implying? Why was Simms-Peabody always disguising herself? 17. Why does Homer have to deliver the letter while she is on stage? What do you suppose the telegram says? Who do you suppose sent it? 18. What embarrassing thing does she do? Why does it embarrass Homer What does he do with the money? Should Wilkinson be embarrassed? |
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At the Bethel Rooms |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 19. What do you suppose the Bethel Rooms are? What is in the letter Homer must mail? Why can't anyone know about it? 20. Why does Dolly give him cards? Why might soldiers be interested in this place? |
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Writing |
Think about the people you know in your life or the people you have read about in this book. In one well written paragraph, list and explain the fools, good men and evil men. |
The Human Comedy: pgs. 149-173
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Introduction |
Unfortunately, the cold hand of experience comes and catches Ulysses here. |
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Mr. Mechano |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. Does Ulysses identify Mr. Mechano as a machine? What does he identify him as (quote) 2. When everyone leaves him, what was the only thing around him? How many times has he run into this? What does Mr. Mechano become identified with? What does Ulysses shout as he goes home? Why? 3. What is Auggie doing? How is that symbolic? What does Ulysses do to him? Why? 4. How has Ulysses changed? 5. What did Mary and Bess spend all day doing? Why doesn't Homer want them to? 6. What does Ulysses find in the back yard? Why is that object important? |
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On the Train |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 7. Who is on the train? Where are they going? Why does Tobey think he is lucky? 8. How does Marcus think of his father? Why? What makes him great? 9. What is Tobey's past? How is he an "American"? 10. What song does Marcus sing to them? Why do they want to hear this song? What makes Marcus different than the rest of the soldiers? |
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Marcus |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 11. Why hasn't Homer read his brother's letter? What happened in Homer's dreams? Do you suppose that Ulysses may have had a similar dream? 12. Complete the quote: "If you see something you're sure is wrong____________________________" What does it mean? Why does Grogan feel so affectionate for Homer? |
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13. What other piece of advice does Grogan give him? Is that a good piece of advice? Explain. 14. What are the first things that Marcus says in his letter According to him, why does Marcus say this? Why else, do you suppose, does Marcus say this? 15. Why is Marcus ill-suited for war? Why is he going? 16. What duty is he giving Homer? Why does he write Homer's name? |
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At the Church |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 17. What happens to the passage of time at the beginning of this chapter? 18. At Church, who sits in front of Ulysses? What comparison gets made, again? 19. What reading does the Reverend Holly give? Why is that reading appropriate to this book? What literary term applies to this? |
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20. What vision does Ulysses see in the bald head? What is this alluding to? What is the prevailing emotion of this image? Is the lion at all like Blake's Tiger? 21. Describe Ulysses dream of Big Chris? Who is Big Chris supposed to be in the dream? 22. Who else, besides Ulysses, does Lionel offer the pamphlet to? Why is this inappropriate? How does the old guy react? Why? |
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Writing |
Suppose you had to write a letter as Marcus had to. Marcus wrote his letter as he went off to war, knowing that there was a good chance that he would either die or have to kill. What would you say in it? In one page, write this letter. |
The Human Comedy; pgs 174-192 (end)
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Introduction |
The ending brings the novel to a close with pain and affirmation. |
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The Lion in the Net |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 1. What is Auggie trying to make? How does his friend act? 2. The trap is supposed to be symbolic. What do you suppose it is symbolic of? Who are they going to trap? Running is symbolic in this novel. Explain. 3. What is the result of the net trap? |
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Spangler |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 4. From their talk at the beginning of the chapter, what change has come upon Diana? 5. How does Saroyan define Americans? |
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Ithaca |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 6. How do the first two soldiers react to being home? Why? What mistake do the families make? Why do they make that mistake? What point do you think the author is trying to make? |
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7. Who is the third soldier? |
The Horseshoe Pitchers
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The House |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. 11. What is Homer waiting for? How is death the same here as in Our Town? How is it different? Instead of sitting on a tombstone, what is a dead person doing here? 12. Who has Tobey become, partly? How has Saroyan foreshadowed this? 13. Why does Homer tear up the telegram? |
The Human Comedy; Wrap-up Questions
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Introduction |
At the end of the novel, many questions are left hanging. We will try to answer them |
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Questions |
Answer the following questions in a group. Write the answers on another sheet of paper. Most of these are effective topics for a five paragraph essay. • According to Saroyan, what makes you a man? • What is Saroyan's idea of immortality? What was Wilder's? How are they the same? • The city of Ithaca is meant to stand for America. How are they similar? • What is the narration of this novel? Why is that an effective narration? How is it similar to the Stage Manager in "Our Town"? • Are the people of Ithaca different from the people of Nantucket? Explain. • How would Women's Liberation have changed Ithaca? Explain. • How do three of the boys grow up in this novel? What does it mean to grow up? • How does the war affect Ithaca? • Why does the author use the allusions to the Greeks? • Does this novel believe in romantic love? Explain. |
Criticism Overview
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Introduction |
This novel has spawned a great deal of critical praise and scrutiny since it's publication in the forties. |
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Reading |
Read the following piece of criticism by Edward Hoagland and answer the questions. |
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Questions: Hoagland |
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper. • How does Saroyan write from joy in the Human Comedy? How isn't this true in the Human Comedy? • What is the ethnic streak that is in this novel? How does the Ancient History teacher show this? • What incredible leap of faith does Saroyan make in this novel? Is it successful? How does this optimism actualy show a very, very dark side? • What are two ways of laying your hand on your cheek? Which one does Saroyan prefer? |
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Criticism: Edmund Wilson |
Read the criticism that bgins with "Among the Earliest works..." and answer the following questions. |
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Questions: Wilson |
Answer the following questions fully. • What was Saroyan able to dismiss easily in his early novels, that he is not so easy to dismiss now? Where is Evil present in this novel? • How does Wilson describe Homer at the outset? What does the phrase "benvolence of the universe" mean? • How does Wilson describe the ending of the novel? Why does he feel the ending is this way? • What is Saroyan's description of "brotherliness"? What will that allow the serviceman to do? • How has the novel "lost buoyancy"? According to the critic, what is the effect of the speeches? How has Saroyan landed with both feet in the mush? Has he? Do you think the novel ends in sentimentality? • Define the phrase "mutual exclusiveness" Does Saroyan believe Good and Bad can coexist? Do they coexist in this novel? |
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The Human Comedy: Exam
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Introduction |
The following exam is meant to examine your knowledge and understanding of the book, as well as your ability to apply many of the concepts. |
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Definitions |
Define the following words: • Allusion: • Metaphor: |
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Example |
Give an example of the following literary techniques from the novel. • Allusion: • Metaphor: |
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Character Matching |
Match the characteristic on the right to the character on the left. e__ Homer a. Rescued Ulysses d__ Spangler b. Engaged to Marcus c__ Marcus c. Died in the war i__ Mrs. Macauley d. Ran the telegraph store b__ Mary e. 14 years old h__ Diana Steed f. Tries to stop Homer g__ Tobey g. Returns from war to home j__ Miss Hicks h. Probably pregnant f__ Coach Byfield i. Works in meat packing plant a__ Big Chris j. Taught Mr. Ek Ancient History |
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Object Identify |
Identify the following objects. If they have symbolic importance, please mention it. Pick ten. 1. An egg 2. 220 low hurdles 3. Ithaca 4. Unripe apricots 5. Cookies with raisins in 6. Messenger of Death 7. Mr. Mechano 8. The "Lift Them Off Their Feet" trap 9. Noses 10. Cactus candy 11. The Bethel rooms 12 A pistol 13. A harp |
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Quotes |
Read the following quotes and identify them. Pick 10. Identify means: • Who said them • What is the quote talking about or • Why is the quote important? 1. A good man will take pain out of things. A foolish man will not even notice it, except in himself."
2. "I am unhappy. But you must be happy."
3. "If I could ripen them for you to steal, I would..."
4. "Worm, rust and rot. I have no time for you."
5. 'Nothing interests me. The whole worlds gone crazy."
6. "You do love me, don't you." 7. "But don't you be angry at those other little boys. They're nice boys too." 8. "Papa, mama, Bess, Marcus, Homer."
9. "If you see something you're sure is wrong. Don't be sure." 10. "I am telling you this-Be grateful for yourself." 11. "I do not feel like a hero." 12. "Won't you please come in and let us show you around the house'? |
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Writing |
Write a well written paragraph that answers one of the following questions. Use the following procedure. |
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Action |
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1 |
Read the question |
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2 |
Freewrite or web quickly |
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3 |
Loosely Outline |
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4 |
Write the paragraph. |
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Topics |
Use the above procedure to answer one of these questions. • How is Homer different at the end of the novel? • What was Homer's most vivid dream? Explain • How is Ithaca like America? |
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Extra Credit |
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Feedback: The Human Comedy
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Introduction |
Feedback gives you the opportunity to comment on the work you have just studied and how you studied it. Your answers will affect how I teach The Human Comedy in the future. |
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The Work |
Answer the following questions by marking a number between 1- 10. 10 means you are extremely happy, while 1 means you are heavily bummed. • How well did you enjoy studying the book? ___ • Compared to other works you have studies, how hard was The Human Comedy? ___ • How important do you feel this play is to the Innocence ___ and Experience unit? |
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The unit |
Answer the following questions by marking a number between 1- 10. 10 means you are extremely happy, while 1 means you are heavily bummed. • How hard were the homeworks? ___ • How hard were the quizzes? ___ • How hard was the other work? ___ • How hard was the exam? ___ |
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Open ended Questions |
Answer these questions with a short phrase or sentence. • Did you use any other tools (video, Cliff notes, oral tapes) to help you understand this play? • What could I do to make this novel more interesting or accessible for students? • Did you do any of the challenges that relate to this novel? • Did you write any essays that relate to this novel? • What was your grade on the exam? |
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Other Thoughts |
Do you have other thoughts or concerns about the class or the work? If so, please put them right here. |
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