Yay! First comment! Level 2: Why did Ruth start crying when she got a call from Eddie Thompson? (McBride 211) Level 3: Put yourself in James' shoes. You know nothing about your mother's past. You go to the town where she grew up and ask people about her family (Shilsky). People living there are excited to meet Old Man Shilsky's grandson and surprised you're black. Everything your mother never told you about her past is suddenly and almost harshly revealed. How do you react? Why would you go? Would you be happy that you went?
I think I would have left and then regretted leaving. I think his experience at the water, thinking about the pain and suffering of his grandmother and the suffocating loneliness of the town in a way relieves him because he found part of himself,and where he came from. I might have a little resent towards my mom, and would wonder why she refused to tell me where she came from.
Ruth probably started crying when she got a call from Eddie Thompson because she was happy to talk to him again after so many years, and she was happy that someone from her hometown remembered her.
2nd comment :D Lvl 2: Analyze the following quote."That's why she gave me the passport. I've always held that to this day, that guilt, that I left Mameh, because all her life I was the one who translated for her and helped her around." (McBride 217) Why does Ruth believe that it was her responsibility to stay with Mameh until she died?
Lvl 3: Imagine if you were Tateh. One of your children is about to leave home on an expedition to New York and probably you would never see her again. This would mean one less employee at your store. Less people to help around to keep your business going. What would you have said to keep Ruth from leaving? Do you think the way Tateh tried to convince Ruth from leaving was partially effective? (McBride 215)
-Aissa @reagan in response to your level 3 question...
After Ruth left it was expected that she wouldn't hear from her family anymore. It's been quite a life for Ruth after she left Suffolk. She had her boyfriend, her mother passed, she converted to Christianity, had kids, her husband passed, kids were going off to college,... major life changes were going on constantly.Lots of time had passed. When she got the call from Eddie, it was a reconnection with her past. Though she left New York in hopes to escape it {her past} it was probably very difficult to forget it all and start a new life. To get the call from an old friend and just do a little bit of catching up meant alot to Ruth.
@Aissa in response to your level question: She thought it was her responsibility not only because she was the only form of love for mameh but also because she was a translator for her. Mameh depended on her and Ruth felt that she had let mameh down.
Jenna @ Zoe's Level 3: I think Ruth promised because she felt obligated too. On page 201 Ruth's sister asks her to stay, " Dee-Dee was so proud, and for her to ask me to stay... well, she meant it. " They weren't close as sisters but still to see a family member hurting like that made her think before leaving. Plus humans have a tendency of making empty promises to appease others, until realizing what a toll it would have on them.
Haley @Zoe's level 3 I would not have divorced Tateh. He would have been the only source of money and help and Mameh had no friends or family to help her in ways that he could. I would be very worried about what would happen to the kids. It would be a bad experience for all and it would have probably killed Mameh.
Level 2: On page 205 why do you believe Ruth finally tells James how to find Suffolk after avoiding it earlier? Why do you think she avoided telling him until now?
Level 3: Imagine if you were in Ruth's position. Would you leave your mother and go back to Dennis, or would you stay and care for your mother and the shop? Support your answer with evidence.
Level 2 - Infer how you think James was feeling when he was standing in the McDonald's realizing it was where his family's old store used to be. (McBride 206) " I was sitting right where her family's store used to be, 601 North Main Street. I left the food untouched and went outside and looked around." Level 3 - Imagine how you would feel if you were Ruth and you had to leave your family behind, only to find out a few days later she had died? (McBride 217) "She was gone. Gone. That's why you have to say all your "sorrys" and "I love yous" while a person is living, because tomorrow isn't promised."
level 2: Compare and contrast James's personality and view on racial identity from before he went and visited his mother's home town to when he left.
Level 3: Imagine that you are put into James's shoes and your whole life you wanted to know where you came from. How would you feel when you finally find out where you came from, and what you where looking for your entire life was right in front of you. -Grace
I would have been furious that one of my best free workers was leaving for New York and never going to come back. I would have caused her to stay be bring her mom and De-De into the conversation making her feel so guilty that she would stay. Tateh's way of trying to make Ruth stay sort of worked, because it did make her feel I little unsure if what her next step was right. -Grace
Level II: "When I first came to North Carolina and walked into her house, ,she said, 'I just hope you excuse me for looking at you so hard, because I've never had a white person in my house before , and I've never been this close to a white person before.'" Why do you think Aunt Candis said this? Level III: Why do you think James never showed Ruth the message from Aubrey Rubenstien?
@Annmarie in response to your level 2: I think Aunt Candis said that because it was true- with all the racial and religious segregation going on and whatnot. I don't think she didn't like it- she was just stating a fact
@aissa's level 3 - I think if I were Tateh I definitely wouldn't want her to leave. And based on the way the book portrays Tateh he would have wanted her to stay only to make him money without him having to do anything. (McBride 215) "'I'm telling you to stay,' he said. 'Here me? I need you to run the store. And your mother needs you.' I began to yell at him and we argued. Here he was having divorced Mameh and he was still using her against me." He was using Mameh against her to try to convince her to stay even though he was the one that didn't care about her even though she was the best wife she was capable of being. I think the was Tateh tried to convince her to stay was partially effective because it made Ruth feel bad about leaving Mameh behind but it also made her upset to see him using np them like this. If I was Tateh trying to convince her to stay I probably would have said something like "please stay, you were always a help to the store and I am sorry for the way I treated you." Because his character was the kind to try to make others feel bad.
These questions are in response to both sections. Section 137-193 Level 2 question: (McBride 147) "The men did not seem to be afraid of the police, no did they dislike them." Why do you think that the men at the corner were not afraid of the police? Level 3 question: Imagine that you were in James' shoes and you faked your report card and skipped school. Predict what would happen if your parents found out that you did those things.
Section 193-231 Level 2 question: Explain why Tateh married his "fat girlfriend" and divorced Mameh? Level 3 question: Predict what would happen if Ruth had stayed with her family instead of leaving them. How would that have affected the story?
section 137-197 response: @Jenna response to your level 2 question: I think that Ruth stayed with Rocky because he provided her with food and shelter. That was very good for her at that point because she didn't have much money or anything to support herself with. Anything at the time was good enough for her.
Section 193-231 response: @Haley answer to your level three question: Ruth's decision was justified because she has the freedom to go where she wants, and marry who she wants. Now the one part that she did mess up on was her promise to Dee Dee. Other than that, her decision was completely acceptable.
Yay! First comment!
ReplyDeleteLevel 2: Why did Ruth start crying when she got a call from Eddie Thompson? (McBride 211)
Level 3: Put yourself in James' shoes. You know nothing about your mother's past. You go to the town where she grew up and ask people about her family (Shilsky). People living there are excited to meet Old Man Shilsky's grandson and surprised you're black. Everything your mother never told you about her past is suddenly and almost harshly revealed. How do you react? Why would you go? Would you be happy that you went?
Have a great weekend!
@Reagan in response to your level 3 question
DeleteI think I would have left and then regretted leaving. I think his experience at the water, thinking about the pain and suffering of his grandmother and the suffocating loneliness of the town in a way relieves him because he found part of himself,and where he came from. I might have a little resent towards my mom, and would wonder why she refused to tell me where she came from.
Ruth probably started crying when she got a call from Eddie Thompson because she was happy to talk to him again after so many years, and she was happy that someone from her hometown remembered her.
Delete2nd comment :D
ReplyDeleteLvl 2: Analyze the following quote."That's why she gave me the passport. I've always held that to this day, that guilt, that I left Mameh, because all her life I was the one who translated for her and helped her around." (McBride 217) Why does Ruth believe that it was her responsibility to stay with Mameh until she died?
Lvl 3: Imagine if you were Tateh. One of your children is about to leave home on an expedition to New York and probably you would never see her again. This would mean one less employee at your store. Less people to help around to keep your business going. What would you have said to keep Ruth from leaving? Do you think the way Tateh tried to convince Ruth from leaving was partially effective? (McBride 215)
-Aissa @reagan in response to your level 3 question...
After Ruth left it was expected that she wouldn't hear from her family anymore. It's been quite a life for Ruth after she left Suffolk. She had her boyfriend, her mother passed, she converted to Christianity, had kids, her husband passed, kids were going off to college,... major life changes were going on constantly.Lots of time had passed. When she got the call from Eddie, it was a reconnection with her past. Though she left New York in hopes to escape it {her past} it was probably very difficult to forget it all and start a new life. To get the call from an old friend and just do a little bit of catching up meant alot to Ruth.
@Aissa in response to your level question: She thought it was her responsibility not only because she was the only form of love for mameh but also because she was a translator for her. Mameh depended on her and Ruth felt that she had let mameh down.
Delete3)Look back on page 201, why do you think Ruth promised to stay even though she probably knew she wouldn't?
ReplyDelete2)Put yourself in Mameh's shoes would you have divorced Tateh? Why or why not?
Jenna @ Zoe's Level 3:
DeleteI think Ruth promised because she felt obligated too. On page 201 Ruth's sister asks her to stay, " Dee-Dee was so proud, and for her to ask me to stay... well, she meant it. " They weren't close as sisters but still to see a family member hurting like that made her think before leaving. Plus humans have a tendency of making empty promises to appease others, until realizing what a toll it would have on them.
Haley @Zoe's level 3
DeleteI would not have divorced Tateh. He would have been the only source of money and help and Mameh had no friends or family to help her in ways that he could. I would be very worried about what would happen to the kids. It would be a bad experience for all and it would have probably killed Mameh.
Level 2: On page 205 why do you believe Ruth finally tells James how to find Suffolk after avoiding it earlier? Why do you think she avoided telling him until now?
ReplyDeleteLevel 3: Imagine if you were in Ruth's position. Would you leave your mother and go back to Dennis, or would you stay and care for your mother and the shop? Support your answer with evidence.
Level 2: Do you think that learning about his mothers struggle with racial identity will help Jame's with his own?
ReplyDeleteLevel 3: Defend Ruth's decision to leave her family. How was it justified? Use examples from the text.
-Haley
Level 2 - Infer how you think James was feeling when he was standing in the McDonald's realizing it was where his family's old store used to be. (McBride 206) " I was sitting right where her family's store used to be, 601 North Main Street. I left the food untouched and went outside and looked around."
ReplyDeleteLevel 3 - Imagine how you would feel if you were Ruth and you had to leave your family behind, only to find out a few days later she had died? (McBride 217) "She was gone. Gone. That's why you have to say all your "sorrys" and "I love yous" while a person is living, because tomorrow isn't promised."
-Ashlyn
level 2: Compare and contrast James's personality and view on racial identity from before he went and visited his mother's home town to when he left.
ReplyDeleteLevel 3: Imagine that you are put into James's shoes and your whole life you wanted to know where you came from. How would you feel when you finally find out where you came from, and what you where looking for your entire life was right in front of you.
-Grace
I would have been furious that one of my best free workers was leaving for New York and never going to come back. I would have caused her to stay be bring her mom and De-De into the conversation making her feel so guilty that she would stay. Tateh's way of trying to make Ruth stay sort of worked, because it did make her feel I little unsure if what her next step was right.
ReplyDelete-Grace
Sorry I forgot to write who it was into response to, it was in repose to Aissa's level 3 question
DeleteLevel II: "When I first came to North Carolina and walked into her house, ,she said, 'I just hope you excuse me for looking at you so hard, because I've never had a white person in my house before , and I've never been this close to a white person before.'" Why do you think Aunt Candis said this?
ReplyDeleteLevel III: Why do you think James never showed Ruth the message from Aubrey Rubenstien?
@Annmarie in response to your level 2:
DeleteI think Aunt Candis said that because it was true- with all the racial and religious segregation going on and whatnot. I don't think she didn't like it- she was just stating a fact
@aissa's level 3 - I think if I were Tateh I definitely wouldn't want her to leave. And based on the way the book portrays Tateh he would have wanted her to stay only to make him money without him having to do anything. (McBride 215) "'I'm telling you to stay,' he said. 'Here me? I need you to run the store. And your mother needs you.' I began to yell at him and we argued. Here he was having divorced Mameh and he was still using her against me." He was using Mameh against her to try to convince her to stay even though he was the one that didn't care about her even though she was the best wife she was capable of being. I think the was Tateh tried to convince her to stay was partially effective because it made Ruth feel bad about leaving Mameh behind but it also made her upset to see him using np them like this. If I was Tateh trying to convince her to stay I probably would have said something like "please stay, you were always a help to the store and I am sorry for the way I treated you." Because his character was the kind to try to make others feel bad.
ReplyDelete- Ashlyn
These questions are in response to both sections.
ReplyDeleteSection 137-193
Level 2 question: (McBride 147) "The men did not seem to be afraid of the police, no did they dislike them." Why do you think that the men at the corner were not afraid of the police?
Level 3 question: Imagine that you were in James' shoes and you faked your report card and skipped school. Predict what would happen if your parents found out that you did those things.
Section 193-231
Level 2 question: Explain why Tateh married his "fat girlfriend" and divorced Mameh?
Level 3 question: Predict what would happen if Ruth had stayed with her family instead of leaving them. How would that have affected the story?
section 137-197 response: @Jenna response to your level 2 question: I think that Ruth stayed with Rocky because he provided her with food and shelter. That was very good for her at that point because she didn't have much money or anything to support herself with. Anything at the time was good enough for her.
ReplyDeleteSection 193-231 response: @Haley answer to your level three question: Ruth's decision was justified because she has the freedom to go where she wants, and marry who she wants. Now the one part that she did mess up on was her promise to Dee Dee. Other than that, her decision was completely acceptable.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I meant to post that for the one that's due thursday, forget I posted that in the first place^
ReplyDelete-Hannah Blankenship