We have slowly, somewhat methodically read Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game in class. Along the way, I have asked you many questions; I have asked you to discuss ideas with your partner, and I have directed you to reflect on the way the author has built several literary elements, especially plot and character.
I would like two posts that show reflection. In the first post, please consider why I have been so involved in the reading, why have I interrupted this suspenseful story so many times with my irksome questioning? What do you believe was my primary purpose?
In the second post, I would like you to consider what you learned by reading the story this way; for better or for worse. Please be specific and genuine.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think that you had us read the story very slowly because this is our first time reading a story in your class. You wanted us to truely understand the way things were going to happen during the short story unit, as well as reintroduce us to some familiar concepts, such as plot and setting.
ReplyDeleteBy reading the story this way, it made it easier to dig deep into the plot and characters of the story. Which also leads to better understanding. For example, we did some background research on the cossacks. This caused me to truly understand General Zaroff, and his disguised evilness. However, I also think that reading the story caused us to lose some of the suspense that was occurring in the story.
ReplyDeleteI think there were several reasons why you had us stop and reflect on the story so many times while we read it. You wanted us to analyze the plot and realize what just occurred, identify the irony and parts of a story (exposition, etc.), and help us recognize what we should be doing when we read other stories in the future.
ReplyDeleteI learned more than I ever thought I would by reading the story this way. I have never comprehended or analyzed stories well, which is probably why I don't read as much as I'd like to. However, stopping and making me answer the questions you asked showed me what I should be thinking as we read the story. I learned that there is much more to a story than what the text says, like the juxtaposition and irony with Zaroff and his lifestyle. I also learned the type of questions I should be asking myself about the story: Why this phrase, why this setting, why is there vagueness here, why does this occur? I learned to recognize simple rhetoric devices like similes and metaphors too. :)
ReplyDeleteMs. Gerber interrupted this suspensful story so many times, to give us clues on where literary device takes place throughout the story. Ms. Gerber's primary purpose was to help us students analyze the story better. For example, she told us specific details, such as the setting-how the setting can play as a character. Another example was that she explained the definition of a cossack to our class, in order to fill in some missing information in our minds when reading the story. I happened to like Ms. Gerber's interuptions throughtout the story, since it furthered my knowledge about The most Dangerous Game.
ReplyDelete-K.J
I learned that if a person reads the story this way, not only will it clarify the plot better, but it will also reveal hidden information within the story. Asking questions (just as Ms. Gerber did) during a story enables a person to think critically on the topic, whether it is the setting, characters, or plot. Critical thinking is essential for understanding a story in full-depth. I also learned that when reading a story, there is always a question I can ask that will later give me more information on the story. I will probably use this method of reading whenever I come accross a story.
ReplyDelete-K.J
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBefore even beginning to read The Most Dangerous Game, Ms. Gerber pointed out that her primary purpose for reading the story was to understand literary elements, focusing on the plot. At least I knew the intended purpose for once. Usually, I believe reading in class is a legal form of torture teachers use to get back at us for our minor annoyances. Anyway, her involvement throughout the reading was intended to ensure that we not only comprehended the story, but also understood how different literary elements were used to build the suspense of the well thought out plot she kept interrupting, I believe. On a broader spectrum, I believe that Ms. Gerber uses this story as a precedent for future reading. Not that this was an easy story to read and understand, but it allowed our class to learn the process of reading the short story actively.
ReplyDeleteMs. gerber stopped to ask us questions through out the story because it helps us comprehend and analyze the story. It is simple to just read and get the big picture out of it , but when Ms. gerber asked us a question, it let me take note of the smaller details that add to the stories plot, character, and setting. Also I think ms. gerber asked us questions to teach us how we can analyze a story ourselves by asking questions!
ReplyDelete-Ana S.
I think that you had us read the story very slowly because we need to know how important character builds up and to make sure that we are following through with the story. Since short stories build up fast, I think it was important that you asked us quiestions so that we could be able to follow along. I also think that you wanted us to make sure we know what that plot was and when the climax happened.
ReplyDelete~Kaley
I believe that you made us stop often and discuss as we read because this slow process allowed us to analyze, infer, and simply comprehend the story better. When we do Say/Mean/Matters, we are told to, "ANALYZE, DON'T SUMMARIZE." By stopping after almost every other paragraph, we clearly understood each small detail the author inserted. You wanted us to understand the many literary devices (irony, similes, metaphors) and interpret exactly why the author wrote them that way. Everything we discussed and inferred helped reinforce the elements of literature (specifically plot and character) and will help us comprehend as we read more short stories and novels.
ReplyDeleteBy stopping now and then for comprehension, I believe I took in the story much better than I normally would. I learned to question the authors reasoning for use with different literary devices. I realized to be somewhat more careful when reading, so not to miss small, but important, pieces of information such as the way Zaroff lived, or the nature of his people. However, I also learned that I don't need to worry about analyzing every line. The good thing about reading this way was that I could enjoy the story, and then hear what everyone else made of it. Different statements influenced my opinion on certain events throughout the story and overall, made reading the story easier and more enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI learned that you have to dig deep. You can't just assume during that sotry. You have to be able to know what the plot is and not be tricked by a 'fake' climax. I also learned that character is extremely iimportant in the story because they play a roll in the story. I also learned that a character can be built up by how it seems on the outside but on the inside, they can be different. Last, I learned a whole lot more when we stopped and asked questions because it really made me understand the story more.
ReplyDelete~Kaley
By constantly stopping the story and questioning us we are analyzing and making inferences without really realizes it. Basically we are doing a s/m/m. by reading the story outloud we are doing the say. the mean and matter are when you give us questions. you are making us read between the lines.
ReplyDeleteWihtout the questioning big chuncks of the story i kind of missed. If i had read the story on my own i would not have further looked into what a cossack was and by doing that i would not have fully gotten the meaning. by questioning us it made it easier for me to understand what it means to active read. in the future i will ask myself questions like the ones you gave me.I also learned more specifically how irony is used which i have never really understood.
ReplyDeleteWhen we first began reading the story, i did not think much of it. I was used to being dragged through an hour of reading dull stories in English class. However as Ms. Gerber began to question us about the story, i felt more involved and more interested in the story. I began to notice concepts and ideas I had completely disregarded before; which is depressing considering how they add so much more power and meaning to the stories. I learned that it is crucial to ask yourself questions through out your reading because if you do not, you will never fully be able to read a story. The main idea I learned by reading the story this way, is that the author always has hidden meanings in his stories and to find these grander aspects you must ask questions.
ReplyDeleteMs. Gerber interrupted the story so many times to ask us questions to make sure we were understanding what we were reading, and to show us stuff in the story that we did not see while reading it. Discussing with our partner helped me also because when it is just me reading a story, sometimes i get confused, but this gave me an opportunity to ask questions and understand better.
ReplyDeleteBy slowly reading, we were able to extract every bit of information the author intended the reader to appreciate. I don't think I have ever understood a story more. I learned that you can read and enjoy a story without actually comprehending it. If I had read "The Most Dangerous Game" on my own, I would have understood the plot and the characters. However, I would not have understood the relationship between the characters and plot, for example, the distinction between the primitive features of the jungle, and the high-class features of General Zaroff and his "palacial mansion." I also would not have put together the characters' motives and also the meanings of similes and metaphors, like when the author consistently compared Rainsford to an animal and Zaroff to a predator. By moving slowly, but surely through the story, I increased my comprehension tenfold.
ReplyDeleteReading stories this way helps me learn the different parts of stories, like plot and rising action and all that. It also helped me analyze the story by being able to ask questions and having other people there to help me understand. It also gave me other opinions other then my own about what would happen next, and why someone was acting a certain way or doing something.
ReplyDeleteI believe the main purpose of interupting the story was to go through the analysing process and focus on the elements of plot and character. However, I don't beleive the next short story will be read so slow because we should be able to recognize the elements of plot and character by ourselves.
ReplyDeleteMs. Gerber interupted the suspensful story The Hunger Games to ask us questions and tell us to discuss our opinions with a partner. I believe that she did this in order to make us think. She wanted us to better understand the story, and she wanted us to analyze and interpret what we just read. Ms. Gerber was showing us how to most effectively read a story, and how to best do it in the future.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading "The Most Dangerous Game," you stopped to ask us several questions so we could think beyond the words and actually analyze the short story. Instead of quickly reading through the story, we were able to understand what was going on more thoroughly. You actually explained the background information; something I wouldn't have had the patience to do otherwise. In addition, we took more time than usual to read "The Most Dangerous Game" because you wanted us to be able to recognize all the literary elements; something we were introduced to a while ago.
ReplyDeleteBy reading the story this way, I was able to read between the lines and actually learned about how to be an active reader. In middle school, I never used to ask myself questions, take notes, or use post-its; it was too much for me to handle. However, I've realized that it helps. Asking yourself questions helps the reader understand the story better, instead of quickly scanning through. Also, I learned that all literature isn't as insipid as I had originally thought. :D
ReplyDeleteBy reading the story this way I was able to better understand what was happening to the characters. I was given the chance to identify the different parts of a story like climax and rising action. Also, I was able to observe how the author used similies, metaphors, and other types of descriptive and visual phrases to reflect on what the character was feeling internally and what type of situation he or she was in. I recognized odd and out of place situations that the author wrote about. For example, Genral Zaroff was so civilized in the way he lived, yet so barbaric in the way he hunted human beings. Lastly, I learned from Ms Gerber that I can read through a story without having to worry about questions I need to answer. I can enjoy and understand a story before I need to worry about an attatched worksheet. :)
ReplyDeleteBy stopping repeatedly throughout the story, I have learned how to conduct the analyzing process and the basic elements of plot and character. I have learned that by stopping repeatedly, I forget some of the details of the story. Luckily, if we don't stop as much, I will forget less and better understand the story.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFirst Response.
ReplyDeleteI think Ms. Gerber wanted us to be so involved in the story because she wanted us to understand the meaning, learn active reading skills and for us to just make sure we got what was going on in the suspensful story. If the meaning is understood we can gain a greater knowledge of the backround, characters, and plot.
Second Response.
ReplyDeleteI liked the way we read the story. I really (taboo) did understand the story better. In 8th grade we did outlines and then read the story out loud together but that often left me with questions and a muddled mind. This way of reading made me analyze and think about what the heck was going on.
By reading the story this way, it realy helped me understand what was going on in the story, and why some of the characters did certain things that they did. I also found that by reading the story this way that it was easier to identify the plot formation of the story. Before this, I would miss some of the elements of plot when reading ,but now I can identify them all much easier.
ReplyDeleteReading the story this way really hepled me. It helped me to become more of an active reader. Reading it this way also helped me to understand the story much better than before. Analyzing the story like we did was great and I am thankful that we did this.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the story, you stopped to ask us questions basically so that we understand the story better. It really helped me get back on track when I was not fully understanding it, and by understanding it more I was able to enjoy the story the best I could. You also did this to put at practice our active reading skills, which I still have to develop.
ReplyDeleteFirst Post:
ReplyDeleteStopping while reading The Most Dangerous game helped me become more aware of what the author was trying to tell us readers. If it weren't for Ms. Gerber I would have missed the main purpose and the key points in the story.
Reading the story this way helped me in numerous ways. First of all, the questions and the active reading helped me understand the story better which made me enjoy the story more. Also, we analyzed all parts of a story such as plot and falling action which helped me understand the moral and get something out of the story. I enjoyed reading the story this way.
ReplyDeleteSecond Post:
ReplyDeleteWhat I learned for the better was simply to take others in consideration instead of yourself, as General Zaroff made the game only fun for him, scary for the "prey".
The worse was the appearance of someone is not the same as the personality inside. General was very groomed, yet he was intrigued by hunting humans, and killed them with his pack of dogs if they had a chance of escaping his "game".
I think Ms.Gerber interrupting the story so many times was important. Because this was our first story read in class, she wanted to teach us how to read properly. She wanted to teach us how to notice plot, the way to build charcter, and most importantly to analyxe the story. She taught us this so next time we can do it ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI think that Ms. gerber stopped us to ask quesions because it helped us look into the context of the story to see what the writer was doing. When I was just reading I didn't realaize the concept within the writing. Stopping and going over what I read really helped me to see how the author was setting the story up. It also helped me to idetfy the plot and setting. For example, stopping to discuss the plot helped me see how important the setting was to the story. I also think Ms. Gerber stopped while reading because it was the first short story we read. Now when we read another story we will know what to pay attention to and look for.
ReplyDeleteReading the story this way helped me learn many things. First, I lerned many literary terms and what they meant. For example, I had no idea what irony meant and I didnt know the difference between metaphors and similes. In reading this way, I understood the story better and can now recognize key points in a story.
ReplyDeletePost one:
ReplyDeleteMs Gerber interrupted us during the story plenty of times to make sure we were understanding what was going on. this was our first time reading a story together, so reading slower made us realize what you want us to listen for and analyze as we read along. When we were asked to turn to our partner and talk, it had made me stay on track and I dint loose focus one bit in such a suspenseful story.
Second Post:
ReplyDeleteReading the story more slower mad it much more helpful. I understood every key element to the story. After some stories I still have questions but I couldn't have understood a story any better than the "Most Dangerous Game." even though the suspense kept settling down as we stopped, the story turned out crystal clear. This way of reading the story has helped me analyze much better as we read along.
I believe that Ms. Gerber incessantly pestered us with questions throughout the reading of this this short story because she was trying to show us how Connell beautifully portrays the elements of plot. "The Most Dangerous Game" is a perfect example of exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement/resolution. Ms. Gerber wanted to teach us these elements by showing them to us in a well written fashion. I also think that she simply wanted us to comprehend what we were reading, as she said that that is a key area on which she wants to focus. Lastly, Ms. Gerber asked so many questions because she wanted to show us what active reading is all about, so that in the future we will be able to read a story, and use the active reading stategies she taught us to better understand the story.
ReplyDeleteWell, I waited long enough to do this that I can't be original at all, if I ever am. The main idea of questioning us was to help us get the idea of how to think about the story as we go through it, as opposed to just reading it a billion times like I typically fall back to do. It really did help to get those questions rolling around in my head.
ReplyDeleteStopping and analyzing the story through questions allowed me to view the story on a deeper level. It showed me that understanding background information about a setting or type of character can make a huge influence on how I comprehend a story in general. I also learned how many literary elements like irony and juxtaposition can play a huge role in the theme or main idea of a story. I think that using the active reading style that Ms. Gerber made us use was definitely helpful to my overall understanding of the theme of "The Most Dangerous Game." I will also try to implement this type of analysis into my own style of reading.
ReplyDeleteI think that Ms. Gerber stopped us during the story for many different reasons. I think she wanted to show us types of questions we should be asking ourselves, and how we should analyze the plot, characters, setting, and themes. Ms. Gerber also wants us to slow down and comprehend what we are reading and not just rush through it and have it mean nothing. When Ms. Gerber stopped and asked us questions, I began to notice all the small details that actually meant something throughout the story, which made it clearer and easier to follow.
ReplyDeleteUsually when I read a story i have several questions, but i never analyze them and when the story is over I am usually confused and have to back track. When reading this story, i felt i had a complete and thorough understanding of the story just by asking and ANWSERING a few questions. I learned to pay attention to the smaller details because they actually mean something, and aren't just there to fluff up the story. I learned to analyze characters, and learn about their lifetime personalities just by focusing in on details and hints.
ReplyDeleteMs. Gerber interrupted us during the story to make sure we knew what was going on. She wanted to make sure that we knew how to identify the Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action and Resolution of the story. She also showed us what questions we should focus on while reading the story to better understand it. At first I did not know what a Cossack was, but after Ms. Gerber explained what a Cossack was and what they do I understood why General Zaroff thought that his kind of hunting was fun. We also learned how the setting affects the characters in the story in many different ways.
ReplyDeleteI learned that analyzing the story can really help you understand it more. In most books that I read I do not analyze them which results in me not understanding what the story was about. After reading "The Most Dangerous Game" I felt that I really understood the story. I learned that asking questions and talking to other people about the story can help you understand the story even more.
ReplyDeleteDid you know that you can create short urls with Shortest and earn dollars from every visit to your shortened urls.
ReplyDelete