How did you react to the novel? Why? Be very specific and provide examples from the novel.
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Here is the questions we will be discussing in the groups. So you have to answer these questions !!! There are 2 parts of questions, both of the parts must be answered !!! And you have to answer the questions in a way were I also can discuss it with the rest of the group. You can se the example down below and get some inspiration.. Part 1 1. Characters Pick one of the main characters of the novel who you consider to be your favorite. Discuss their importance and provide examples to support your claims. 2. Themes What is/are the main theme/s of the novel according to you? How important is/are the theme/s and where, in the novel, do we find evidence for it? 3. Time and setting Does the setting have an effect on the story? If so, how? If not, why not? Provide clear examples. 4. The author’s purpose What do you think was the author’s purpose in writing this novel? Part 2 **Personal response** 1. How did you react to the novel? Why? Be very specific and provide examples from the novel. 2. Refer to two scenes in the novel that made a deep impression on you. Develop your answer and provide clear examples. Here will put some examples of how the questions could be answered :- Part 1 1. Characters Pick one of the main characters of the novel who you consider to be your favorite. Discuss their importance and provide examples to support your claims. Example: One of my favorite characters in the novel is the mother. After her husband is taken away by the FBI, she is left alone to take care of her children. This is where her strength comes in. She is always there for her kids, being able to comfort them but also reprimand when necessary. She is the glue that holds the family together. One example of her comforting her children is when she calls the girl “baby” (maybe I am wrong here). This clearly displays her love and affection for the girl. It is also remarkable that she keeps the family together. In my opinion, Otsuka also wanted to show the importance of a strong female figure. She does not need her husband to take care of the family. However, after a few years in the camps, she is afraid that her husband will not recognize her. In my opinion, this highlights the importance of family togetherness because we are always stronger together. 2. Themes What is/are the main theme/s of the novel according to you? How important is/are the theme/s and where, in the novel, do we find evidence for it? Example: Racism is definitely one of the themes that I was able to identify right away. From the beginning of the novel, we understand that the family is not wanted. All the signs, the people around them, and finally the evacuation order signifies the racism at the time. Along with being hated, the family is deprived of their identity, which is another very important theme. Having no names and later getting an identification number is clearly Otsuka’s way of showing the identity not being there anymore. Once model citizens are now forced to live in places suited for animals, with Tanforan racetrack being a symbol representing the deprivation of humanity. 3. Time and setting Does the setting have an effect on the story? If so, how? If not, why not? Provide clear examples. Example: I personally view the setting as being a complement to the rest of the novel. It was not important to me but I do appreciate all the details that Otsuka chose to include. As a reader, I was able to experience the story without needing to wonder about the surroundings. Locations are described in a lot of detail and this is clearly highlighted in the following extract, as Otsuka is able to use many adjectives and descriptions to paint a vivid picture: “The train moved slowly inland. Somewhere along the western edge of upper Nevada it passed a lone white house with a lawn and two tall cottonwood trees with a hammock between them gently swaying in the breeze. A small dog lay sleeping on its side in the shade of the trees. A man in a straw hat was trimming hedges. The hedges were very round. They were perfect green spheres.” (Chapter 2, The Train) 4. The author’s purpose What do you think was the author’s purpose in writing this novel? Example: The author wanted to show that………….. Furthermore, the novel came a long time after the events that took place during WWII but it still remains fresh. It is a lesson that Otsuka wants us to learn. Outcomes and results of war can be so devastating for generations to come. The family in the novel comes home but their home doesn’t look the same and their, once normal, lives have to start over. 5. Writing style Comment on the author’s writing style. Did you like it? Why? Why not? Example: Difficult/Easy to read??? Too many difficult words. Far too many descriptions and adjectives??? Part 2 **Personal response** 1. How did you react to the novel? Why? Be very specific and provide examples from the novel. After reading the novel, I gained a better understanding of the historical events that took place in the USA during WWII. The novel is able to incorporate mostly accurate events using believable characters and real-life places. What I liked about the novel is Otsuka’s ability to keep the characters depersonalized, excluding their names, whilst maintaining a very emotional family story. I also enjoyed the fact that all characters experience different emotions and that, as a reader, I was able to follow their stories and further understand the internal struggles they faced. Furthermore, I highly enjoyed the final chapter of the novel because it highlights the bitterness of a man wrongly accused. The final chapter is even more personal than the others are and the language is completely different. The sarcastic and, at times, aggressive tone comes as a bit of a shock but this is fully understandable considering that the father has been through an ordeal that has left its mark on him. Moreover, I enjoyed the clever use of symbols and various themes. What I learned is that racism is always dangerous and that the military should not be allowed to make decisions that could potentially hurt people. Otsuka was able to cleverly present a story of 120 000 Japanese Americans and highlight the flaws of war and conflict. ….. 2. Refer to two scenes in the novel that made a deep impression on you. Develop your answer and provide clear examples. The scene that made a deep impression on me is when the family returns home. The conflicting emotions of slight happiness mixed with a fear of the unknown really made me think about the consequences of war. The family returns but they are no longer individuals. They must struggle to regain their individuality and their voices along with the material possessions they have lost. Their home is empty but so are they. The family has finally gained freedom but it comes at a price that is definitely too high. The boy and the girl have to deal with being labeled the enemy, a label that the camp managed to instill into them. Normal life is a thing of the past but they have to work hard to regain it. The excerpt/extract below clearly highlights the impact of the internment on the children. “The boy and the girl tell themselves nothing has changed, that the war had been an interruption and they can move on now. They decide to listen to the music everyone listens to, dress like everyone else, and change their names to sound more like everyone else’s names so that they will never be mistaken for the enemy again.” One additional scene that I really enjoyed is….. You can find the book and read it on this link https://epubreader.1bestlink.net/?state=%7B%22ids%22:%5B%221QI4GTElxvwsCKjNBWJf3dOrCE6cOxPx4%22%5D,%22action%22:%22open%22,%22userId%22:%22106577018800316914811%22,%22resourceKeys%22:%7B%7D%7D You have to read the novel so you can be able to answhkzer all the questions !!!