E4: The Story of India (nr)

The Story of India (2007)—Explores the history of India from the major religions, to its influence on other cultures, to its colonization and independence.

Discussion Questions

• What are the two religions "born" in India? What do you know about them?
• What three products dominated trade with India? How do you know?
• Who is credited with helping the people of India gain their independence? How do you know?
• What do the greatest thinkers of India have in common? Explain.
• What did the film maker expect the viewers to already know?
• What was Ghandi's ultimate goal? Why didn't it work out (think Pakistan)?
• How did India's history with the Greeks, the Romans, and the Huns affect their reaction to British rule (rebellions)?

E2: Jabberwocky/Mimsy Were The Borogoves/The Last Mimsy

"Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll (1871)
Remember, three sentence minimum for answers.

1. What is "Jabberwocky" really about?
2. What is a vorpal blade?
3. Try to describe the following creatures: jubjub birds, bandersnatches, jabberwocks. Where did your descriptions come from?
4. What does beamish describe?
5. What do Wonderland and Underland represent?  

"Mimsy Were The Borogoves" by Lewis Padgett (1943)

• What issues were families facing in 1940's America? How do you know?
• What are three differences between Victorian England and 1940's America (besides one is England and one is America)? Explain.
• What are three differences between 1940's America and 21st century America? Explain.
• After reading the story:
• Where is the box of toys from? How do you know?
• What is the purpose of the toys? How do you know?
• Why couldn't Alice, Lewis Carroll, or the parents figure out how to really use the toys? How do you know?
• What is the story really about? How do you know?

Clips from The Last Mimzy (2007)

• How does this movie mirror "Mimsy Were the Borogoves"? Explain.
• How do the filmmakers make the story cheesier (exaggerate the dangers and differences)? Explain.
• How do the filmmakers make the story more "dangerous"? Explain.
• If "Jabberwocky" is a warning about what's behind a pretty package and "Mimsy Were the Borogoves" is about the dangers of conformity, what is the warning in "The Last Mimzy"?

E4: Hillsborough

30 for 30: Hillsborough (2013)—In the news on April 15, 1989, one of the lead stories was about a riot in a soccer stadium that killed nearly 100 people; originally, the deaths were blamed on rowdy fans. The truth is a little different.

Discussion Questions:

• Why did it take 25 years between the events in Hillsborough and a documentary about it? Best Guess (amend your answer after the movie)
• Why do these deaths matter? Explain.
• Were the deaths in Hillsborough preventable? How?
• Who was ultimately responsible for how wrong things went? Explain.
• What was the purpose of this film? How do you know?
• Should the film maker have used more graphic imagery? Explain.
• Can you think of any other situations where families have had to fight so hard or wait so long for justice/compensation? Explain.
• What impact on sport stadiums and crowd control worldwide are evident based on the events of Hillsborough? Explain.

E4: Hawaiian Documentary

30 for 30: Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau (2013)—follows the life of lifeguard, surfer, and adventurer Eddie Aikua who disappeared at sea in 1978

Discussion Questions:

• What does it take to be a hero? Explain.
• How do you inspire others? Good or Bad.
• Who inspires you? How?
• What qualities made others listen to Eddie Aikau?
• Why did people latch on to the tagline "Eddie Would Go"? How does it represent part of Eddie Aikau's legacy?
• What made Eddie Aikau insist on becoming the first North Shore lifeguard? What did it say about him as a person?
• Why did the film maker choose to "re-enact" certain events? What impact did that have on the way you reacted to the film?
• What was the purpose of this film? How do you know?

E2: Flowers for Algernon

Daniel Keyes: Flowers for Algernon (1959)

• Pre-reading
• What is it like to have a learning disability? (Guess if you don't know)
• Why is it wrong to make fun of someone who does not understand he or she is being made fun of?
• Is it better to know how to figure things out/know how to find information or to have good grades? Explain.
• Progress Reports 1-4
• How does Charlie's work ethic and willingness to learn help him become part of the experiment? What makes Charlie different from other people who are severely handicapped in some way?
• Progress Reports 5-10 (through April 20)
• Are the people at the factory really Charlie's friends? How do you know?
• Do you think hypnopedia (sleep learning) really works? Explain fully.
• What does Miss Kinnian figure out from reading Charlie's Progress Reports? Why do you think she doesn't explain it to Charlie?
• Progress Reports 11 and 12 (through April 30) 
• What events make Charlie start to distrust the people around him?
• Did Burt (the guy who gives the Rorshach Test) give Charlie the same instructions each time? Explain your reasoning.
• Why do the people at the factory really want Charlie gone? How do you know?
• Progress Reports 12 and 13 (through June 30)
• How has the operation made Charlie's life just as lonely/lonelier? Why are other people scared of him (factory workers/the doctors/Miss Kinnian)?
• Why is Charlie so upset with himself after the incident with the dishwasher? What does Charlie remember/learn about himself through this?
• In what ways is Charlie connected to Algernon? What's the foreshadowing?
• After finishing the novella, answer the following questions:
• How does the knowledge he will lose his intelligence affect Charlie? How does the actual loss affect Charlie
• Why does Charlie leave?

E2: The Star (1897) and The Star (1955)

As always, answer each question with a paragraph (answer, example, explanation, connection).

"The Star" by H.G. Wells (1897)

• If you knew the earth was to be hit by an "extintion-level asteroid" within the next six months, how would you live your life? Explain.
• After reading: How important is humanity in the universe? Explain.

"The Star" by Arthur C. Clarke (1955) 

• Can a belief in the accuracy of science and a belief in a god exist together? Explain.
• What message of H.G. Wells did Arthur C. Clarke disagree with? Explain.

E2: Reason (1941)

"Reason" by Isaac Asimov (1941)
Clips:

• Three Laws
• Trask
• Origin of Cylons (Caprica) and Coming Home (BSG)
• H+ #13 and H+ #1

Pre-reading Discussion [write a paragraph on one or all of the following]:

• What are common fears about technology? How do Asimov's "Three Laws" try to address those fears?
• Why do people need something to believe in?
• Why are technology and religion seemingly at odds?
• Why do people fear religion? Technology? How does religion start?

Post-reading Paragraphs:

• Why does Asimov use Islam as the template for QT-1's robotic religion? Explain.
• Do QT-1's views on humanity make sense in the context of its world? Explain.
• What fears about technology does "Reason" address? Explain.

E4: Blackfish

Blackfish (2013)—The story of Tilikum, a Killer Whale, kept in captivity who was responsible for at least three deaths

Discussion Questions:

• What are the benefits of keeping various types of animals in captivity?
• What are the down sides of keeping various animals in captivity?
• What is our responsibility to the animals we share the world with?
• How could captive animals be treated more humanely and still provide profit for the businesses that own them?
• What further training do "animal trainers" need to better work with their charges?
• Why shouldn't "wild" animals be treated the same way as "domestic" animals?
• Try to connect the ideas from the documentary (especially breeding in captivity) to the Siberian experiment in domesticating foxes (that National Geographic article we discussed at the beginning of the semester).

E4: How To Die In Oregon

NOTE: This is by far the most controversial of our documentaries. Students who are dealing with grief or potential grief are excused from these assignments. The purpose of watching and discussing each documentary is to make students think about how information is used, shared, and manipulated. Beyond these documentaries, how is the information you are taking in being managed (by addition or omission)?

Pre-Watching Questions

• Should terminally ill people have the ability to choose to end their lives early? Explain.
• What is the difference between Euthanasia and Death with Dignity? Explain.
• Why won't other states enact this law? Explain. 

Discussion Questions

• How has your understanding of terminal illnesses, their management and care, changed after watching How to Die in Oregon?
• How has your understanding of the Death With Dignity law changed after watching How to Die in Oregon?
• What impact did the opening scene have? How did it set the tone for the film? Explain.
• How does Cody Curtis' journey affect the viewers? Why do you think she was she the primary subject of the film?
• What elements are similar to the other documentaries?

E2: The Sandman Paragraphs (all)

"The Sandman" by E.T.A. Hoffman (1817)

• What are the monsters under your bed? What are you afraid of?
• After reading pgs 214-224: What kind of mythical creature is the Sandman? Why does everyone fear him?
• After reading pgs 224-233: How is Klara clearly smarter than Nathaniel? How is she more prepared for the world (even though she's an "uneducated" woman)?
• After reading pgs. 233-240: Why does Nathaniel fall for Olympia? What is wrong with her?
• When finished: What was "The Sandman" really about? Explain with examples.

E4: Google Me Discussion Questions

As always, you are welcome to write a paragraph analyzing the film instead of following the questions.

Pre:

• What kind of lives do you think people with your name have?
• How likely is it that you would be related to others with your name?
• What is Man's purpose?

Post:

• How is Google Me a passion project (what is a passion project)?
• What is Jim Killeen seeking to understand? Does he succeed?
• Were you surprised by which Jim Killeens were related?
• How did this differ from the other documentaries?
• What elements are similar to the other documentaries?

E2: Leaf by Niggle

Pre-reading Paragraph: Why do you get up in the morning? (If your folks/guardians weren't pushing you out of bed)

Read "Leaf by Niggle"

Post-reading Paragraphs:

• Who is Niggle? What is his journey? Why is he going on it?
• What is the story really about? How do you know?

E2: The Sandman

Notes: The Romantic Era
After the Industrial Revolution, questioning the existence of God, and generations of logical thinking people were ready for a little magic—They focused on what was possible in the universe; two movements within this period

• Light—nothing was inherently evil, original naturalists 
• Dark—evil was in everything, but can be influenced by outside elements

Common Romantic Tropes:

• Naive Hero: always a young man who has been sheltered and has an overactive imagination; he always has a best friend and his love interests are the best friend's sister/cousin and the mad scientist's daughter
• The Rational Love Interest: the girl who's left at home and is clearly smarter than anyone else even if she hides it
• The Best Friend: the voice of reason and rationality; tries to talk the NH down from whatever wackiness he has latched onto
• The Mad Scientist: a possibly harmless old man; a possibly dangerous old man; possibly the demon/devil; always has a "daughter"
• The Daughter: rarely speaks, hidden from the world, the perfect distraction/temptation for NH; rarely human (the only person who can't figure it out is NH)

Pre-reading Paragraph: What are the monsters under your bed? What do you fear?

Read "The Sandman"

Nathaniel to Lothar/Klara to Nathaniel Paragraph: What is the Sandman? Why is Nathaniel obsessed with him?

Post-reading Paragraphs: 

• Where does evil come from? 
• What is the story really about? How do you know?