Choose one or two of the following prompts (from the Random House Website) and respond to it (them). Your response should be at least 300 words.
Respond by Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. (as usual)
1. When a man is offended by John calling him a Montagoonian because he comes from a town called Montague, John writes that the man had no right to be offended because that’s where he lived, and if he didn’t like it, that he should move.
Respond by Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. (as usual)
1. When a man is offended by John calling him a Montagoonian because he comes from a town called Montague, John writes that the man had no right to be offended because that’s where he lived, and if he didn’t like it, that he should move.
Questions: What do you think of John’s use of nicknames to refer to others? In the case of the man from Montague, do you agree with John, that he had no right to be offended? Should John have stopped calling the man a Montagoonian simply because he was offended, even if he disagreed with the logic? Why/ Why not?
2. John describes growing apart from and ultimately divorcing Little Bear, and his next marriage to Martha. John wonders whether or not he picked the best mate in Martha, and considers her other two sisters as potentially better alternatives.
Questions: What criteria should you use when choosing a boyfriend/girlfriend? What criteria should not be a factor in this process? Is it normal to have doubts about your mate? How should you deal with these doubts?
4. John writes about how he made peace with his parents during the writing of
Questions: What criteria should you use when choosing a boyfriend/girlfriend? What criteria should not be a factor in this process? Is it normal to have doubts about your mate? How should you deal with these doubts?
3. John uses the metaphor of a train to describe his life, equating himself to the “Little Engine That Could,”
a favorite story of his as a child. He used to imagine himself as that little engine, and carried the refrain with him: “I think I can, I think I can...” He shares that the competing voices he heard were difficult to ignore: “You’re a failure,” “You belong in prison,”etc. John attributes his success to hard work. Questions: Identify ways that John showed tenacity and perseverance in his life. What great things would you like to accomplish in your life?
a favorite story of his as a child. He used to imagine himself as that little engine, and carried the refrain with him: “I think I can, I think I can...” He shares that the competing voices he heard were difficult to ignore: “You’re a failure,” “You belong in prison,”etc. John attributes his success to hard work. Questions: Identify ways that John showed tenacity and perseverance in his life. What great things would you like to accomplish in your life?
4. John writes about how he made peace with his parents during the writing of
his book. John describes his last days with his father.
Questions: Describe John’s relationship with his father at different stages in John’s life. How did John’s reconciliation with his father affect his memory of events?
Questions: Describe John’s relationship with his father at different stages in John’s life. How did John’s reconciliation with his father affect his memory of events?
I think that John giving people nicknames is okay, with moderation. In the case of the man from Montague and the girl he called Chubster, I don’t think that it was okay for him to keep calling them those names. I think the man was right and John was wrong. Just because the logic didn’t make any sense to John, he was offending the man and he should have stopped. I think that although it would be considered talking behind his back, John could have called him a Montagoonian when not talking to him directly; he could have referred to him as a Montagoonian when talking to him about other people. In the case of Little Bear or Cubby, I think that since they were fine with being called such and understood that this was something John did to help himself, it was completely fine for John to call them by their nicknames.
ReplyDeleteWhen choosing a boyfriend/girlfriend, from a high school perspective, there are many things people take into consideration, some of which are more important than others. I think that the most important things that you should take into consideration is whether or not they make you happy and if they want you and only you. You should want a partner who is loyal and that you can trust. Things that a lot of people take into consideration that aren’t really that important are whether or not you’re pretty/handsome, whether you’re popular and whether or not you play sports. Having doubts I feel is a somewhat normal thing, especially in high school, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they should be there. If doubts should occur within a relationship, I think it’s right to consult your partner about them and have a discussion to figure out what to do about them.
Good post, Abby. I especially like what you said that "he was offending the man and he should have stopped." Regardless of whether we personally understand the reason they are offended, someone saying that they are offended should be enough.
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ReplyDeleteI think that the way that John Elder associates nicknames with different people is an interesting way for him to determine one person from another. however, if somebody is offended on how he names them, then he should also respect what they want and try to avoid using those nicknames around them. But for John Elder, it might be hard for him to do, considering that he has aspergers and that is one of the effects it has on him. I think the way John Elder uses nicknames to refer to others is a way for him to more easily be able to remember names. It would be easier if he is the one to come up with the names, rather than using names somebody else came up with. John Elder says, “I didn’t know it myself at the time, but for some reason I had a hard time with names, unless I made them up.”(23 Robinson).
ReplyDeleteI think the man from Montague has a right to be offended. however, he should keep it to himself, Just like how John Elder, if a nickname makes somebody uncomfortable or mad, he should keep the nickname to himself as best he can.
But I think that it would be hard for John Elder to not call the man from Montague Montagoonian just because the man didn’t like it. John Elder could keep the nickname to himself as best he can, but still that would be a lot of work for him and he would have to think every time before he spoke to that person. John elder says, “Names have been a source of difficulty for me as long as I can remember… In some cases, people object to my use of names, and they occasionally get angry.”(241 Robinson) John Elder realizes that people don’t like some of his nicknames, however, he has difficulty changing them, “ when I try to call the Chubster Martha, I choke on it.”(241 Robinson).
I think your last point about him changing someone's nickname and how that is hard for him is really true. In his case, I think it's a clear manifestation of his Asperger's. One other thing, just be sure to proofread, thoroughly.
DeleteJohn has shown much perseverance throughout the book in his home life and in his professional life. At home, he was determined to prank his little brother, whom he called Varmint. Sometimes he did not persevere through his parents fighting and ran off into the woods. However, he was determined to survive, whatever it took. When his father would hit him, he would try not to exacerbate the situation. He did what he needed to survive, and it worked.
ReplyDeleteWhen he started working with KISS, he knew failure was not an option. When other people started to doubt him, he had a list of things that he would tell himself. One that he used while working on the guitars was, "All the other guitars worked; this one will too." He also was determined that everything would be all right when he worked as an electrical engineer. "The other job came out fine; this one will too." He had confidence in himself and his ability to do things.
When he talked about living in "The Tent" or "The Dumpster", he doesn't elaborate on those times or how bad they were. This makes me think he always knew he would end up somewhere good. His life is like the train with perseverance, but less so when you see where his life has gone. On a train track, it has a destination, and it doesn't get sidetracked and go to different places. However, John Elder had no big objectives; he usually just went where the wind took him.
When John Elder looks back at his life as an adult, he really sees how determined and perseverant he was. He did sometimes struggle to provide for himself but he never resorted to drinking or doing drugs. "I'd always figured I'd be better off solving a problem as opposed to taking medication to forget I had a problem." John Elder loves to solve problems, and he uses them as reasons to work harder.
I like the line you referenced above---the line about "better off solving a problem as opposed to taking medication...."
DeleteIt makes a lot of sense, but is still harder for some to follow.
I think it helps John Elder to invent different nicknames for people. They are a little odd, and can be offensive, but they help him identify with that particular person. I think this makes perfect sense. If someone is close to you and you think a different name would better represent them you give them a nickname. Everyone does this. He also talks about how certain people who are close to him don’t need nicknames, and that also makes sense. He calls Martha, his second wife, Unit two because she is the middle child of three sisters. Literally calling her Unit two helps him understand where she is in her family structure, and helps him identify with her. I think it’s ok to come up with nicknames for people, to an extent. When John was younger he started calling his parents Stupid and Slave I don’t think that was ok.
ReplyDeleteI agree with John that when he called the man a Montagoonian he overreacted a little. It makes sense that a person from Montague would be a Montagoonian, just like how people from Canada are Canadians. However, I think after the man's reaction John should have tried to call him something else. Nicknames are fine, and often make sense, but if someone is going to get upset every time you talk to them, I think you should try to compromise. John’s logic for why you would give someone a nickname is sound, but the actual nicknames have to be appropriate. John should have listened to why the man was offended and found a compromise. Maybe he literally called him “the man from Montague”, if both parties were comfortable with this nickname. A nickname can help John identify with an individual, but I think he also needs to respect their feelings when naming them.
Good point about respecting someone's feelings. If they tell you that they are uncomfortable with something, you have to respect their feelings. Feelings are feelings and you can't argue with them.
DeleteInventing different names for people has been a popular topic throughout the book. John Elder did end up making his case at the end of the book and really explained in depth what the meaning behind the names he gave were. However, whether someone should agree with the names given, was something else all together. Personally, I respect John's choices in nicknaming to an extent. With his mind development, someones named classified what he thought of them and how their actions came off to be in a simple word. Names for parents such as "Slave" however seemed off until I started to think about it more and realized this was almost because of how his mother acted, being imprisoned by so many others that I can see why John Elder thought of the name. The one issue is with people he did not end up really knowing to the best of knowledge could be confused or offended by these names. When someone comes up to you and calls you something completely different then your name that sounds offensive, it would be something that takes you back for a second, and he does not really have an in depth reason for it, so it almost can feel just like a threat. Montagoonian however gave me a chuckle for the fact that John had a very good point, though I do think he should have stopped the name after a while to consider others feelings, we are given a name to the place we live. I am a Vermonter since I live in Vermont, so it is clear why someone could be given a name off the place they live, and its something society accepts to this day. This also brings me to the topic of how John really ended up categorizing people in his mind based on names and it is a valid way to do it yes, but really the huge thing in the end to consider is whether other people are comfortable with the names. Yes it may help you, but to others it can be hurtful. It is a very fine line when it comes to things like this in the book. Overall it was an amazing read however and John inspired me with his thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right about people associating people with where they live, and how it still goes on today. Good point. But, as you also point out, feelings are important and should be respected. One other thing, Porter, be sure to proofread thoroughly and watch for run-on sentences.
DeleteI am responding to the second prompt.
ReplyDeleteWhenever you choose to dedicate your time and morale to someone you should think about what kind of person you would want to be with first. What you find attractive is one thing and your partner’s way of communicating, and their personality, and that is what is important. Every healthy relationship should be balanced out by two people. If one person is more dominant than the other that’s fine, but if someone is being a total wreck in the relationship and creating fights then those people didn’t think it through. More importantly what I’m saying is that people have to pay attention to what’s on the inside of a person, and not really base their feelings on how they look on the outside.
Looks and other people’s opinions are something that can ruin your relationships easily. If you feel like you have to judge someone therefore to know they’re “right” for you, then you are going to end up either single, or left with an unhealthy relationship. When you start trusting a person you are interested in don’t try to think about all of the bad things about them, and all of their flaws. If you judge your own partner by their looks then it’s not going to go very well for you.
It is totally normal to have doubts in whoever you’re with. Especially if it’s your first partner and you don’t know necessarily what to do, so it’s a bit awkward, and you feel like you aren’t so great together after all. When John starts growing apart from Little Bear he realizes that his relationship is sort of dying, and to restore it to life; it would take both of them to work really hard so that they would have a healthy relationship. John also doubts himself when he marries Martha, and I feel like that’s just cold feet since he probably just didn’t know at the time what exactly he wanted in a mate.
Of course doubts aren’t necessarily healthy to have in everything your partner does, because that means you have trust issues. So to deal with your doubts you should always talk to your partner about how you feel. They would definitely help you with however you’re feeling and work it out.