Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Killing Mr. Griffin Study guide 10-12

CHAPTER TEN

1. How do Mark’s aunt and uncle feel about him?
He is never home, they hardly see him anyways
2. Why do you suppose Mark’s mother has a nervous breakdown and says she never wants
to see her son again?
She gets so upset that her husband died and she turns it around and takes it out on Mark


3. What does David’s grandmother remember about the day before that upsets David?

That he gave her jell and sat with her, He said he wasn’t’ hungry when grandma asked, then she falls asleep

4. In the conversation with his grandmother, what mistakes does David make that may hurt
his alibi?
By telling her that she had fallen asleep


5. Why does Lt. Baca ask Mrs. Griffin if there is trouble in their marriage?

To see if he might have just left and would not come back

6. What does Mrs. Griffin say that convinces Lt. Baca to begin searching for Brian?
That Mr. Griffin had told her before he left that he loved her , She told Lt. Baca that he would never run away because that’s not him, that he was excited for the baby.
CHAPTER ELEVEN

1. Why isn’t Susan surprised to hear her name over the loudspeaker?
Because she knows she is going to get caught, that she was the last person to see him and she knows she had done wrong

2. Compare Susan’s attitude toward her family at the beginning of the story with her attitude
now.
From the start she doesn’t want to be part of it and now she feels bad and wants to report it and help


3. Why does Susan agree to Mark’s lie?
Because she doesn’t want to get in trouble

4. Why does Mark want her to lie?
Cause it will lead the cops away from them for awhile

5. Do you think Mark really believes everything will be all right? Why?
Yes because he thinks his plan is flawless, that there is a woman involved so the will just let the case go.

CHAPTER TWELVE

1. What is the real reason Betsy says nasty things about Susan?
Because the night before she was crying over David being helpless and she didn’t like him pampering her.

2. Find an example of allusion in this chapter.

3. Briefly describe Mark’s mood during the burial. Jeff? David? Betsy?
Jeff, David, and Betsy felt nervous

4. Why does David recite the Lord’s prayer?
Because it brought comfort of what the pastor said in the pulpit
5. Why does Mark keep Mr. Griffin’s credit cards?
So that someone will steal it
6. Why does Mark tell them to leave the car unlocked with the keys in the ignition?

7. What mistakes do the four make burying Mr. Griffin?

8. What is the implied but not stated reason that the policeman recognizes Betsy at the
airport?
He recognize her because he was the same officers that stopped her the first time
S-10

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Killing Mr. Griffin Study Guide 1

CHAPTER ONE
1. Briefly identify the children in the McConnell family.
Mom, dad, Susan, Craig, Melvynne and Francis


2. What does Susan mean by “someday”?

That she hopes that what she is saying will come true.

3. Who is David Ruggles? How does Susan feel about him?
He is the president of the senior class; Susan likes him and thinks he is cute.


4. Several other students of Room 117 are introduced. Briefly identify them.

Jeff is shy
Betsy the popular cheerleader girl

5. In the classroom scene, what emphasizes Susan’s feelings of being an outsider?

That no one really talked to her the first two minutes of class they only talk to her if they need help for homework

6. Two teachers are introduced. Briefly identify them.

Mr. Griffin very hard to impress, strict
Dolly Lewis she is lose happy easy and a little slow

7. Mr. Griffin is very strict and stern with the students. Do you think these qualities make
him a good teacher? Briefly explain your answer.
No I don’t, I think you need to be semi understanding some kids just might give and drop out if you’re not.


8. An allusion is when a writer refers to a person, place, poem, book, or movie that the
reader, is expected to recognize. Find an example of allusion in this chapter.

When Susan compares herself to the dying female in Hamlet

9. In what ways does Susan think she and the dying female in Hamlet are similar?


Could barely make it out the news of the cars like bind came out half blinded
10. A metaphor is a comparison of two things that are basically unlike, in order to create a
sharp picture. In this first chapter find the metaphor involving a bird that helps the author
define how Susan is feeling about her life.
Dropped like a feather sounded stove to the showed below


11. Jeff says, “That Griffin’s the sort of guy you’d like to kill.” Why doesn’t Susan think he is serious?
Because you wouldn’t think you would actually do just because Mr. Griffin is difficult


12. Frequently, objects which seem inconsequential when first mentioned become an
important part of the plot later. In the last six paragraphs do you notice any object that might be foreshadowed?
Jeff said that Mr. Griffin is the type of guy you would like to kill

CHAPTER TWO
1. Why does Mark say the following? “Jeff’s done a neat job of lining us up for a mass flunkout.”

That he has flunked so much it that he played it

2. Explain Mark’s special dislike of Mr. Griffin.

He is being the type of teacher that’s not giving his students a chance

3. “Jeff had seen that look before, and it always meant something.” What look does Jeff see? What does Jeff think it means?
Jeff saw that mark was going with his plan to kidnap him, His face looked like he had incredible plan


4. Why do Jeff and Betsy go along with Mark’s plan to kidnap Mr. Griffin?

He tells his friend that they can’t get in trouble because seniors had done it last year as a prank they could use that as there excuse that it was l just a prank.

5. Why does Mark believe Dave will go along with the plan?
Because if Dave is a good kid and looks innocent so nobody will think he would have something to do with it.

6. What does Mark know about Susan that makes him think she will be their decoy?
Because if Dave is in it Susan will do it, she has a mager crush on Dave and will do anything to be with him


7. A flashback is a scene that interrupts the ongoing action to show an event that happens earlier. Briefly describe the flashback in this chapter. Explain why the author chooses to
include it.
When mark kills a cat behind the school, I think he puts this flashback in the book to show that Mark is a little twisted and disturbing



8. What is implied, but never stated, about Mark’s “transformation”?
That it has come from the thoughts of killing animals to people.
CHAPTER THREE
1. The members of David’s family are introduced. Briefly identify them.
Grandma was the type to use someone to get what she want so she won’t have to get up, his mother that works all the time trying to make ends meet


2. Why does David think he needs a good education?
Because he has to prove to his family that he can do it. His family puts a lot of pressure on him because he will have to take care of them


3. Find the metaphor in this chapter that helps illustrate the emptiness of David’s life.
That he might help kidnap Mr. Griffin because he wants to get in to a get college and because he wants to a get college and support his family


4. Support or refute the following statement:
David goes along with Mark because he dislikes Mr. Griffin and needs better English
grade to get into law school.
I support this


CHAPTER FOUR
1. Why are Saturday’s special for Susan?
Saturdays are special because she doesn’t have to get up early and doesn’t have to worry about school and gets to be herself


2. Find a quotation in the chapter that illustrates the idea that Susan feels a part of the picnic
group.
“It’s such a neat day out”


3. Who is Lana?
Its marks ex girlfriend


4. How does Susan feel about Mark before the picnic?
She feels a little nervous but glad that she is going out with him though


!!!!5. A symbol is an object, person, or place that has a meaning in itself and that also stands
for something larger than itself. How may the eyeglasses be a symbol in this chapter?



6. Foreshadowing is also used to create interest and build suspense. Since this is a mystery
story, there are many examples of foreshadowing. Find an example of foreshadowing in
this chapter that lets the reader know Susan is going to have problems.
Never Susan thought, never in all the time to come will I ever be as happy as I am right now, and she was right

CHAPTER FIVE
1. How does the author illustrate Kathy Griffin’s stubborn personality?
That she doesn’t care that she is pregnant she will do her morning routine. She won’t let her husband do it.



2. Briefly explain Mr. Griffin’s reason for leaving Stanford to teach high school.
Because he thought that the kids came there not knowing how to write.



3. What does Mr. Griffin think about Susan?
He thinks she is a great writer but she is a little sloppy with her punctuation and that she his best student and doesn’t want to tell her this because he doesn’t want her to get lazy.


4. Why is Kathy Griffin upset by her husband’s description of Dolly?
Because she thought maybe he thought this about her


5. How does her husband make her feel better?
He tells her no you’re not you’re my wife your Kathy


6. Why does Mrs. Griffin want Brian to compliment Susan on her writing?
Because she thinks that it won’t make the as though she isn’t good enough and that she is a good she is talented and bright


7. Find an example of foreshadowing in this chapter.
When Kathy is talking to him about being lass strict and to be real it seems he might change.


8. Why do you suppose the pills are mentioned again? Why does the author bother
mentioning his tie?
Because she wants to start up conversation and doesn’t want him to leave she has a bad feeling.
9. We learn that Mrs. Griffin is pregnant. How does she hope having a child will change her husband? Why might the author have added the pregnancy into the story.
She hopes it will change him by making him more sensitive with teenagers and be more real with them. The author probably added that in there to show that he might have a chance in change

CHAPTER SIX

1. What little things go wrong with the kidnapping?

With David’s alibi?
His grandma is asleep

With Betsy’s alibi?
She got pulled over by the cops

2. In what way does Mr. Griffin earn the respect of his kidnappers?
Because he was stubborn

3. Why is Susan especially upset about her part in the kidnapping?
Because she doesn’t want Mr. Griffin to get hurt and she heard him scream run before he get kidnapped


4. Why does Betsy say the following to Susan? “Honestly, I don’t understand you.”
Because she doesn’t want to Mr. Griffin in pain and being in this situation , and didn’t want to be apart of it anymore
CHAPTER SEVEN
1. What do Mr. Griffin and Mark have in common?
They don’t change their mind on anything

2. Find a flashback in this chapter. What important facts about Mark do we learn?
Landon steals a paper and gives it to mark and Mr. Griffin was going to eposes them for cheating

3. What mistake(s) does Betsy make with the police officer?
She told the officer it was her boyfriend’s car and gets a ticket and tells the officer her dad’s name

4. Why do you think Betsy participates in the kidnapping?
Because she wants to be with him and wants him to think she is cute

5. Why do you suppose the incident with Shauna Berman is included?
To show that Betsy was the one everyone liked, that no one wanted to be on her bad side.

6. Who finds the container of pills? Where?
Betsy on the way up to the mountain.

7. How does Mr. Griffin’s tie appear here?
Perfectly knotted


8. What does Mr. Griffin think of his kidnappers?
That they are childish and sick


9. What question does David ask him?
How does it feel to be on the ground and beg

10. Who wants to let Mr. Griffin go? Why don’t they?
David and Jeff, because Betsy and mark don’t want to they want to make him bed

CHAPTER EIGHT

1. Explain, with examples from the story, how David begins to see Susan as a real person.
He sees her as a real person when he sees her crying and goes to pick her up, seeing that she cares

2. Why does David doubt that Mark and Jeff are going to release Mr. Griffin after the game?
Because they will be tired and hungry and end up putting it off till tomorrow

3. How does David know Mr. Griffin is dead?
Because he is not answering his eyes are open and he is not moving

4. What is the implied but never stated cause of Mr. Griffin’s death?
He suffocated or didn’t get his pills

CHAPTER NINE

1. Betsy and Susan both have fathers to turn to for help. Why do you suppose Susan Wants?
To go to her father for help, but Betsy doesn’t suggest going to her father?

cause she trusts her father

2. What two things does Mark say that they need to do to be safe?
get rid of the body and the car

3. How does Mark convince Susan they need to bury the body?
that he will take care of everything that she will not have to do it

4. How does Mark’s father die?

in a fire
5. What does David’s father have to do with his decision to go along with Mark’s plan to bury the body?
they want to play it off as though Mr.Griffin left like David's dad

6. Why does Mark comfort Susan?
So she won't feel bad and so she won't tell her dad.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Five dollars in the lunch line

If someone dropped five dollars in front of you in the lunch room what would you do? Would you take or tap them on the shoulder and give it back. With some people it depends on who the person is.
With me I think you should just give it back, I mean if someone stole from you wouldn’t you want them to give it back to you? I understand yeah its money and you might need it but coming to think about would you be able to look at that person again would you be able to live with yourself.
I can understand fair lay and if that person had stolen from you at one point and time but it still doesn’t make it right. Five dollars is five dollars you could probably make that cleaning your room or doing some chores around the house. What if that was someone lunch money And they couldn’t get food that day cause you didn’t give it back , would you feel bad. Stealing is not the right thing to do just have respect for yourself and the other people around you and give it back.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The Vocabulary for The Black Cat, by Edgar Allan Poe

Vocabulary Definitions

1. Solicit: (V) -to seek for (something) by earnest or respectful request, formal application, etc.
Sentence: Marley was soliciting for his cell phone.
Synonym: Desire
Antonym: Reject







2. Mad: (Adj) -mentally disturbed; deranged; insane; demented.
Sentence: After many years of the man being abused the man became mad.
Synonym: crazed
Antonym: sane







3. Succinct: (Adj) -expressed in few words; concise; terse.
Sentence: He succinct his sadness in a different manner.
Synonym: brief
Antonym: Length






4. Phantasm: (N) -an illusory likeness of something.
Sentence: His Phantasm of him flying was crazy.
Synonym: dream
Antonym: fact






5. Docile: (Adj) -easily managed or handled.
Sentence: She had to baby sit for two hours it was docile.
Synonym: laid-back
Antonym: inflexible






6. Disposition: (N) -the predominant or prevailing tendency of one's spirits; natural mental and emotional outlook or mood; characteristic attitude.
Sentence: Rachael’s disposition was very unpleasant .
Synonym: Ordering
Antonym: disarrangement






7. Sagacious: (Adj) -having or showing keen discernment, and sound judgment.
Sentence: Mallory is very Sagacious and bright.
Synonym: clever
Antonym: idiotic






8. Paltry: (Adj) -lacking in importance or worth; trivial.
Sentence: Kelly felt paltry not important and sad.
Synonym: unimportance
Antnoym: important






9. Gossamer: (N) -something delicate, light, or flimsy.
Sentence: The feather was gossamer.
Synonym: Airy
Antonym: Coarse







10. Fidelity: (N) -faithfulness to obligations, duties, or observances.
Senteence: Cole had fidelity in his beliefs and family.
Synonym: Faith
Antonym: faithfulnesses








11. Procure: (V) -to get by special effort; obtain or acquire.
Sentence: Anna can’t procure anything.
Synonym: obtain
Antonym: give away






12. Allusion: (N) -the act of alluding; indirect reference:
Sentence: When Lindsey was in the desert she had an allusion of water.
Synonym: suggestions
Antonym: reality






13. Intemperance: (N) -excessive use of alcoholic beverages.
Sentence: Johnny intemperance when he drink scares his family.
Synonym: animalism
Antonym: temperance






14. Maltreat: (V) -to treat in a rough or cruel way; abuse.
Sentence: abuse
Antonym: love






15. Scruple: (N) -a moral or ethical consideration or standard that acts as a restraining force or inhibits certain actions.
Sentence : Mr. Infante scruple are can be impossible but funny.
Synonym: demur
Antonym: ignorance






16. Malevolence: (N) -ill will; malice; hatred.
Sentence: Megan had a malevolence to love her cat.
Synonym: evil
Antonym: goodwill






17. Atrocity: (N) -the quality of being extremely or shockingly wicked, cruel, or brutal.
Sentence: Shelby was very atrocity to Bob.
Synonym: Cruel
Antonym: good behavior






18. Debauch: (N) -a period of wanton self-indulgence, an excessive party which includes consumption of alcohol.
Sentence: Liza debauches Lisa to start drinking.
Synonym: carousal
Antonym: sadness






19. Sentiment: (N) -a mental feeling; emotion.
Sentence: Maggie’s sentiment feelings were deep and painful.
Synonym: feeling
Antonym: ill will






20. Remorse: (N) -deep and painful regret for wrongdoing.
Sentence: Larry did something with remorse and dratted every minute of it.
Synonym: wrong doing
Antonym: happiness


Black cat discussion Questions

1. Discuss the significance: There is something in the unselfish and self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of man.”
When saying this he is starting that he shows emotion to some things and doesn’t to others.
2. How does the description of the cat as “sagacious” contribute to the meaning of the story?
It’s is describing on how he feels about the cat and his cat.
3. What is the significance of the cat’s name, Pluto?
It was his favorite pet and playmate. God of the under world
4. What is the significance of the narrator’s change of disposition from docile and tender to “…more moody, more irritable and regardless of the feelings of others”?
That the character has changed from the way he was at the start, that he now really has no feelings for anything.
5. Why did the narrator initially restrain himself from maltreating the cat while maltreating the other animals?
He kept himself from maltreating the cat because he loved the cat he didn’t want to hurt it but he, but he didn’t really care for the others.
6. Why does he eventually mistreat the cat?
He eventually starts maltreating his cat because his illness and madness over comes him
7. Describe the narrator’s feelings after abusing the cat. What is the significance?
A feeble and equivocal feeling
8. How does the narrator define “perverseness? Do you agree with his definition? Do you agree that it is human nature?
It is one of the primary impulses of the human heart, yes I agree with definition but I don’t think that it is human nature to hurt something
9. Significance: [I] hung it because I knew that it had loved me, and because I felt it had given me no reason for offence; because I knew that in doing so I was committing a sin.”
That he didn’t love him and that he wanted to commit a sin.

10. Discuss the significance of the fire. How does the narrator explain the phenomenon he discovers after the fire? What does the phenomenon symbolize?
That someone had cut down the cat and thrown him into the wall for miss treating his cat.
11. What is significant about the new cat and his markings? What does the cat symbolize?
The new cat resembled Pluto with one eye; the only difference was that he had a large white spot on his chest that looks like swallows. It was second chance
12. Discuss: “And now was I indeed wretched beyond the wretchedness of mere Humanity. And a brute beast to work out for me – whose fellow I had contemptuously destroyed – a brute beast to work out for me – for me a man, fashioned in the image of the High God – so much of insufferable woe!”
He is talking about how he killed something he once loved
13. Why is it significant that this cat will not leave the narrator alone?
That the cat was trying to torment him by loving him, and it did what Pluto use to do.
14. How does the fact that the narrator kills his wife instead of the cat add to the meaning of the story?
He feels proud that could hide the body that without anybody finding out where the body is hidden. He killed her because she tried to stop him from killing the cat.
15. What is significant about the narrator’s method of disposing of the body?
He hides it in the wall of the caller till the police find it
16. Discuss the significance, “I made no doubt that I could readily displace the bricks at this point, insert the corpse, and wall the whole thing up as before, so that no eye could detect anything suspicious.
The police couldn’t find his wives dead body. He is so proud that no one could find her . He ends up showing them where she is.
17. Why is the narrator able to sleep well after he conceals the body?
It didn’t bother him, the cat was gone and he doesn’t have to worry about it
18. Significance: “Once again I breathed as a free man.”
He thinks he is invincible
19. Why does the narrator feel triumphant when the police arrive?
He thinks his work is so good nobody could find him.
20. Discuss the syntax and punctuation in the following: “No sooner had the reverberation of my blows sunk into silence, than I was answered by a voice from within the tomb! – by a cry, at first muffled and broken, like the sobbing of a child, and then quickly swelling into a one long, loud, and continuous scream, utterly anomalous and inhuman – a howl a wailing shriek, half of horror and half of triumph, such as might have arisen only out of hell, conjointly from the throats of the dammed in their agony and of the demons that exult in damnation!”
Progression of the screaming
21. How do you explain the ending? Discuss the symbolism.
You will get found. You can’t hide everything you do

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Are all humans evil??

I think man is neither good nor evil, I think it really depends on who you are and what you do for society. How you take care of the people around you and how you care for yourself.
The reason for me to believe this is because you could care about others and the people in your life. Someone who actually works to make the world a better place and bring peace and unite people, a person that goes around helping the homeless. The person that want to help the helpless and protect the weak and young, the person that get his or her happiness not from greediness or money but just from giving a helping hand. They could have had a bad day and just turned around not take it out on others.
Unfortunately there are people in this world who don’t act this way that get there joy from putting people down, making people bad to make them feel better. Even some times hurting or killing things to have the happiness that they don’t usually get. This is reality and I would call these people the evil ones. They may have not chosen to be this way they could have been raised this way or even abused in child hood. By maltreating other objects this makes them as if they were at home.
In my personal opinion that no one is perfect and that everyone has done something evil at one point and time. Though I think if you try your hardest to be your best then you’re not what you call evil. That people can change their ways and try to improve.