Posted: July 2nd, 2015

What is the symbolism of the gull flying overhead at the end of the novel?

Russo chapter 1
Questions:

1.What do we learn about Jack’s parents and why is this important?

2.Why is Cape Cod so important in this book?

3.Why does Jack want to go back to Cape Cod?

4.What is Jack’s mom like?

5.How does the chapter end and what does it symbolize?

Russo chapter 2
•This chapter discusses Jack’s parents again.

•Questions:

1.How do each of Jack’s parents deal with their careers?

2.What do you make of his mom’s retirement speech?

3.What is Claudia like?

4.Why does Jack’s dad write Claudia’s dissertation?

5.What does it mean to say that Jack’s dad “was ruled by his pecker”?

6.What happens to Jack’s dad and Claudia at the end of this chapter?

Russo chapter 3
Jack is in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

There are two types of places that his parents think about living while they are on Cape Cod.

What are they?

What does Jack’s mom think of his wife Joy?

What does Joy think of Jack’s mom?

What do you think of how Jack’s dad died?

Who is Sid and what role does he play in Jack’s life?

On page 38 we are told about Joy. What did Jack find attractive about her?

Russo chapter 3 cont.
•What is the worry for Jack and Joy’s daughter about her parents?
•What is the Great Truro Accord?
•What are Joy’s parents, Harve and Jill, like?
•What was not a part of the Great Truro Accord?
•What gets into Joy at the end of this chapter?

Russo chapter 4
•Jack’s parents meet the Brownings at Cape Cod in the summer.
•Who are the Brownings and why do they matter?
•How does Jack feel about them?
•Why does he feel this way?
•What does this tells us about Jack’s parents?
•How do Jack’s parents feel about the Brownings?
•What does Jack admire in Peter Browning?
•How does Jack feel about Peter’s mom? Why?

chapter 5
•What does this chapter title mean? The answer is in chapter 7.
•How is Jack Griffin like his father?
•He says his parents “were born renters”. Why?
•What do learn about the places they rent in this chapter?
•How does Griffin feel about Joy’s parents?
•Where does Griffin get the money for his home?
•We are told in this chapter that Joy sees the big picture. What does this mean?
•What is the epiphany Griffen has when he sees the older couple at the bar?
•Why does Joy cry in the shower?

russo chapter 6
•Who is Sunny Kim and how does he feel about Laura?
•What is the wedding of Kelsey Apple like on the Cape?
•Why does Sunny use instant messages?
•What does Sunny do for a living?
•Describe the difference between Sunny Kim’s family and Laura’s family.
•Who is Tommy and what is his relationship to Jack Griffin and Joy?
•Who is Sunny looking at the end of this chapter and why?

russo chapter 7
•What happens at Laura’s friend’s wedding (Kelsey)?
•How are Rita and Harold?
•Describe them.
•Describe the two lesbian girls from Liverpool.
•Who is Sunny Kim and what is he like?
•What is Sunny Kim’s toast (smirt)?
•What does Jack’s mom want Jack to do (in this chapter)?
•Jack tells us about his mom: “She’d get just enough details right to make you doubt your own memory…” Why does he tell us this?
•Who is making love on the other side of the wall next to Jack?

chapter 8
•What is the relationship like between Tommy and Jack?
•Who is Sid and what happened to him?
•We are told, “Just this quickly last night’s magic, the sense of well-being it had engendered, evaporated.” Why does Jack feel this way?
•What do Jack and Joy fight about in this chapter?
•What bugs Joy about Jack?
•What do we find out about Tommy in this chapter?
•What is Jack’s mom’s attitude towards Joy?
•What does Russo have part of this chapter written as a screenplay?
•What happens when Jack goes to spread his father’s ashes?

chapter 9
•What is coastal Maine like?
•Jack’s mom is now dead. How does she still remain a character in the book then?
•Even after Tommy and Joy have an affair, Tommy remains a good friend to Joy. How so?
•How do each of Jack’s dead parents “talk” to him?
•Describe Joy’s dad Harve and her twin brothers.
•Why does Jack’s mom quote Thoreau?
•Laura visits Jack’s mom on her deathbed. Describe this scene.

chapter 9 cont.
•What does Jack’s mom tell Laura about her husband Andy?
•What does Jack’s mom tell Laura about Jack?
•Describe the twins, Jared and Jason.
•Describe Dot.
•Describe Harve.
•What word does Jack’s mom use to describe Laura?
•What is Jack’s mom’s morphine narrative?
•What happens to Harve at the end of this chapter?

chapter 10 •Why is Jack unconscious here?
•What do we learn about Joy’s parents in this chapter?
•What does the title of this chapter mean?
•Who is Jack with now in this chapter (not Joy)?

chapter 11 •Why is Jack unconscious here?
•What do we learn about Joy’s parents in this chapter?
•What does the title of this chapter mean?
•Who is Jack with now in this chapter (not Joy)?

chapter 11 cont.
•Why does Rita let Jack go back to his wife, Joy?
•Describe Jack’s car crash. Why is it important?
•What is the symbolism of the gull flying overhead at the end of the novel?

steinbeck
Two posts this week. 1. Steinbeck is known as a Social Realist writer. How does his novel show this? 2. What else did you learn from the video? Please write a few sentences in response to the topic here. Try to be specific. I would like to see students comment to each other as well.

Three Shots Post on: KEEP TO 3-5 sentences!
1. How does this story display Hemingway’s style?
This is how I want the post to look — “This story shows his minimalist style because we see when he says ______________________.”
You fill in the blank with EXACT WORDS from the video. Just jot down a few words from the video here.
2. How does this story show his THEMES?
Again use the same model as above — just point to some words in the story and then say why they show theme.
Chesnutt
In Chesnutt’s stories RACE plays a major role.
1. Post on how “The Passing of Grandison” has race as its theme.
2. Post on how “The Wife of his Youth” has race as its theme.
There is, of course, much more to these stories so feel free to comment on other than RACE as well in these stories.
The first story as also about the Trickster figure in African-American Lit. Do you see this in the story? How?
The second story has BOTH RACE and Gender issues. Feel free to comment on both.
READING: THAT OLD CAPE MAGIC BY RICHARD RUSSO 2009.
Three Shots by Hemingway