Ideas for student question-generation
- STOP AND WRITE- At the end of each chapter, the student should answer three questions: 1) What happened in the chapter? 2) What predictions do you have for the next chapter? 3) What question(s) did this chapter raise?
- CHARACTER WEB- As A moves from body to body, students can begin to group the people A inhabits by using a mind-map, grouping characters into areas of similarity. This would aid the students in developing questions such as what role gender plays in A's actions, whether certain people are more easily inhabited or not, and other analyses of minor characters.
- EVERYTHING THE SAME, BUT…- For the major characters in the book, the student could run a thought experiment by imagining what would change if the character were the same but for one aspect: Gender, race, socioeconomic level, etc. The student should be thorough in examining the ramifications of the change, developing questions where there is not an obvious answer.
Pre-Reading Discussion Questions:
· When you read the title, Every Day, what type of thoughts or conclusions come to mind?
· As you scan the novel (cover pictures, chapter titles, emails throughout out the book, reviews), what details can be collected to help you prepare for the reading?
· What makes a person a person? It is the body that we live in or your subconscious thoughts?
· Address a time when you fought for something or someone you loved. Was it worth it?
· Let’s create a scenario! One day, you wake up and you’ve been stripped away from all your physical features- gender, race, hair color, eye color, body shape- How do you define who you are as a person? Is there anything left that uniquely separates you from others? If so, what separates you from others?
· As you scan the novel (cover pictures, chapter titles, emails throughout out the book, reviews), what details can be collected to help you prepare for the reading?
· What makes a person a person? It is the body that we live in or your subconscious thoughts?
· Address a time when you fought for something or someone you loved. Was it worth it?
· Let’s create a scenario! One day, you wake up and you’ve been stripped away from all your physical features- gender, race, hair color, eye color, body shape- How do you define who you are as a person? Is there anything left that uniquely separates you from others? If so, what separates you from others?
instrustional_guide_to_pre_reading_.docx | |
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Reader Response questions:
· Has there been a time in your life that you had to give up something/someone you love because you knew it was for the best? Please explain.
· What would you do if you were in A’s shoes when it comes to being offered a permanent body? How tempted would you be to accept the offer?
· If you were the author, would you change the ending of this book? How would you change it? If you wouldn’t change it, explain why not.
· Which character do you most relate to, or is the most similar to you? Reflect on the many characters that A embodies (Justin, Rhiannon, Nathan, Kelsey, Amy Tran, Ashley, Alexander, Vic, Hugo, Leslie, Finn, James, Tom, etc.).
· Can you think of another title for the novel, Every Day, now that you have finished reading the book?
· Do you think it’s possible for A to not interfere at all with the lives he borrows, even though he claims he tries not to cause disruption? Please explain.
· Imagine you are creating a sequel to the book Every Day. Who would be your main characters? What would happen?
· Which character do you believe had the most growth by the end of the novel? Why?
· What would you do if you were in A’s shoes when it comes to being offered a permanent body? How tempted would you be to accept the offer?
· If you were the author, would you change the ending of this book? How would you change it? If you wouldn’t change it, explain why not.
· Which character do you most relate to, or is the most similar to you? Reflect on the many characters that A embodies (Justin, Rhiannon, Nathan, Kelsey, Amy Tran, Ashley, Alexander, Vic, Hugo, Leslie, Finn, James, Tom, etc.).
· Can you think of another title for the novel, Every Day, now that you have finished reading the book?
· Do you think it’s possible for A to not interfere at all with the lives he borrows, even though he claims he tries not to cause disruption? Please explain.
· Imagine you are creating a sequel to the book Every Day. Who would be your main characters? What would happen?
· Which character do you believe had the most growth by the end of the novel? Why?
Interpretive Community Questions:
Understanding the Central Person
What seems to drive A to do the things he does? Is it more a factor of his situation or more a factor of his inherent values?
Would you be friends with A? Why or why not? What do you share with A?
What do you think A's greatest strength is?
Exploring the World of Characters
Do any of the people A inhabit share a special connection with you?
Which of the people A meets seems the most mysterious? Which character seems the most "normal"?
What seems to drive A to do the things he does? Is it more a factor of his situation or more a factor of his inherent values?
Would you be friends with A? Why or why not? What do you share with A?
What do you think A's greatest strength is?
Exploring the World of Characters
Do any of the people A inhabit share a special connection with you?
Which of the people A meets seems the most mysterious? Which character seems the most "normal"?
instructional_guide_to_interpretive_community_.docx | |
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Critical synthesis questions:
Feminist:
If the author made A a female, instead of gender-less, how would that affect the outcome of the story?
How is Rhiannon represented in the novel? For instance, is she passive or assertive, dependent or independent, outspoken or quiet? Consider how she behaves with Justin, A, and her friends.
Formalist:
How does the order of A's adventures affect the plot? Are the events structured by increase of 'difficulty'?
What does starting at day 5994 do to the story line, and what is significant about the author starting here?
Deconstruction:
Do you believe A is a reliable narrator? Why or why not?
Does "A" represent the harsh reality of society by being in the bodies of troubled souls, such as Kelsea Cook?
Moral/Philosophical:
Is A a moral character? Does A justify their actions, can A justify them, why or why not?
What does it mean to have morals? Can A have morals if they are never the same person twice?
Queer:
By having A remain gender-less, is Levithan suggesting that gender is a social construction, why or why not?
Throughout the novel, there are several homosexual relationships described. Reflect on these relationships, and consider what this says about David Levithan's stance on same-sex relationships?
Gender:
Why is A's gender an issue for Rhiannon?
Does leaving A gender-less let the reader clearly evaluate A as a person? Why or why not?
Would your view as a reader change if A had a gender?
As A is the only character whose gender remains a mystery, does gender then hold any relevance to who we are as a person? Is gender a social construction/ is A's character suggesting one's gender does not define them as a person?
Marxism:
Does A's method of communication with Rhiannon suggest a certain preference for a higher social class?
Does A fulfill a role in society, or is A an example of a "social parasite"? How are A's different bodies grouped in regards to socioeconomic level? How many times does A "have a job" to do?
Freudian:
Freud had many theories based on sexual behaviors in human beings. One theory explained the human need and desire for sexual fulfillment. Seeing that A is a virgin in the novel, how would Freud assess A's sexual behaviors?
Consider Freud's theory on the three components of the human psyche: Id, Ego, and superego. Which of the three psyches does A embrace most often in the novel? Support your argument with textual evidence.
Jungian:
How is the story between Rhiannon and A an example of the archetype of the "Star-Crossed Lovers"? How does their narrative compare to Romeo and Juliet?
If the author made A a female, instead of gender-less, how would that affect the outcome of the story?
How is Rhiannon represented in the novel? For instance, is she passive or assertive, dependent or independent, outspoken or quiet? Consider how she behaves with Justin, A, and her friends.
Formalist:
How does the order of A's adventures affect the plot? Are the events structured by increase of 'difficulty'?
What does starting at day 5994 do to the story line, and what is significant about the author starting here?
Deconstruction:
Do you believe A is a reliable narrator? Why or why not?
Does "A" represent the harsh reality of society by being in the bodies of troubled souls, such as Kelsea Cook?
Moral/Philosophical:
Is A a moral character? Does A justify their actions, can A justify them, why or why not?
What does it mean to have morals? Can A have morals if they are never the same person twice?
Queer:
By having A remain gender-less, is Levithan suggesting that gender is a social construction, why or why not?
Throughout the novel, there are several homosexual relationships described. Reflect on these relationships, and consider what this says about David Levithan's stance on same-sex relationships?
Gender:
Why is A's gender an issue for Rhiannon?
Does leaving A gender-less let the reader clearly evaluate A as a person? Why or why not?
Would your view as a reader change if A had a gender?
As A is the only character whose gender remains a mystery, does gender then hold any relevance to who we are as a person? Is gender a social construction/ is A's character suggesting one's gender does not define them as a person?
Marxism:
Does A's method of communication with Rhiannon suggest a certain preference for a higher social class?
Does A fulfill a role in society, or is A an example of a "social parasite"? How are A's different bodies grouped in regards to socioeconomic level? How many times does A "have a job" to do?
Freudian:
Freud had many theories based on sexual behaviors in human beings. One theory explained the human need and desire for sexual fulfillment. Seeing that A is a virgin in the novel, how would Freud assess A's sexual behaviors?
Consider Freud's theory on the three components of the human psyche: Id, Ego, and superego. Which of the three psyches does A embrace most often in the novel? Support your argument with textual evidence.
Jungian:
How is the story between Rhiannon and A an example of the archetype of the "Star-Crossed Lovers"? How does their narrative compare to Romeo and Juliet?
instructors_guide_to_feminist_questions.docx | |
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instructors_guide_to_formalist_questions.docx | |
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instructors_guide_to_moral_questions.docx | |
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instructors_guide_to_deconstruction_questions.docx | |
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instructional_guide_to_queer_theory_questions.docx | |
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instructorguidetocriticalsynthesisqs-gender_thru_jungian.docx | |
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