agenda | 24 june 2009

Agenda

• Attendance Quiz
• Group Presentation on "Chrysanthemums"
• Group Presentation on "The Girls in their Summer Dresses"
  

Discussion Questions for "Chrysanthemums"

• Why does the pot fixer man throw away the flower after he leaves, and is his character trustworthy?
• Is Elisa flirting with the strange man, and if so why?
• In certain parts of the world chrysanthemums are a symbol of death and mourning, but usually in our country they are cheerful and positive, relate this to the story.
• Why does Elisa bring up the fights again at the end of the story?
  
• The description of the setting at the beginning foreshadows the stranger’s visit, what else do you notice about it?
• Henry is a quiet character, but still significant. What is he representative of?
• Why is Elisa so enthralled with the flowers, what are they symbolic/representative of?
• How and why does the man use Elisa’s vulnerability to his advantage?
  
• What was the impact of finding the seeds on the road to Elisa?
  
• What is the universal message in The Chrysanthemums?
• At the beginning of the short story Elisa was a portrayed as strong, what can you draw from the end of the story when she was “crying weakly”?
• What are the major conflicts in the story?
  

Discussion Questions for "The Girls in their Summer Dresses"

• How does the author use the setting to help develop the story? (time and place) Would the story be different if the author changed the time period? How so? Give an example of how a change of location would change the story.
• What are your impressions of Frances and how do you feel about her role in the relationship?
• Do you think the conflict causing Michael and Frances' relationship problems is more man v. man, man v. self, or man v. society? Do you see a conflict of man v. nature within the story and if yes, where?
• What other characters help to develop the story, e.g. the Stevenson's, the dancer, the Japanese waiter? How do they help to develop the main characters? How do they help to develop the plot?
• How and where does the author use irony in the story? What types of irony does he use?
• As the characters develop, who do you feel the author sympathizes with most, Michael or Frances? Explain your answer.
• Why do you think Shaw picked the title "The Girls in their Summer Dresses?" Why not another title and what does this say about the women who wear summer dresses, or even the dresses themselves?
• Think of another possible title and how this would affect the story.

Homework due 6/25

• Read "Anna on the Neck" and "The Lady with the Dog"
• Blog in response to one of the discussion questions