Assignment Description: Throughout the semester, you'll complete formal responses to the readings. Responses must be two paragraphs in length. You must choose one of the approved topics for your response.
Here are the two possible topics for Response #1. YOU MUST WRITE ABOUT ONE OF THESE TOPICS.
1) In our society, most people believe that killing another person is wrong. There are certain circumstances, however, when we agree that it's "less wrong." In "Say You're One of Them," Monique's father kills Maman in order to save his children. Is this killing an example of a time when the "killing is wrong" rule might be bent? Why or Why not? Can Monique's father's actions even be considered a choice?
2)In literature, images and other sensory details often have both a literal and figurative meaning. When an object or event represents something else, we call it a symbol. Interpret the meaning of the following objects and actions. What does Mama's glittery dress symbolize (hint: what does it represent when it is clean? What does it represent when it is dirty?)? The narrator mentions several times that the roof on the house is going to cave in under the weight of the bodies. What does the roof symbolize (hint: what can you compare it to?)?
Each paragraph must contain:
- A topic sentence that clearly responds to one part of the question.
- At least three examples that show, explain or prove the topic sentence.
- A conclusion that recaps the topic sentence and leaves the reader with a "so what?" statement.
Throughout many storylines there are figurtive meanings that can be symbolic through a object or event. In the book Say Your One Of Them written be Uwem Akpan the author epitomize mamas dress for a symbol of trickory. This dress is suppopse to fool her younger children monique and her little brother into thinking that she is going to go on a fancy date. In the area that they are in is very dangerous and its at war. The tutsi versus the hutu. The dress was displayed as a glittery dress to show meaning of fancy and expensive so in that way the children can think that the parents are going to be out for a while. Mama knew she was going to be out for awhile that why she insisted to tell her stratedgy into getting out of certain situations. "If anyone ask, say your one of them"(327 Akpan). Mama knew what was going on around her and she was aware that they will be looking for her next. This was a very enigma time for monique because she didnt understand what was going on but she can infer that her mother was looking nice so everything should be okay. When mama comes back her dress is filthy and dirty from the hiding that she did from the hutu army. One can infer that mama had to go into the ground hide in bushes and dodge them as quickly as possible. "She acts dumb, bewitched, like a goat that the neighborhood children fed sorghum beer"(337 Akpan). This quote eximplfy that mama must be physically drained from the exhausting of running. Having to run and hide and see the other tutsi people die must have tramautized her. She must be weak and hungry with no energy left in her to be mobile.
ReplyDeleteThe auther seems to be forshadowing the house as a symbol of faith and hope for the tutsi people exsistance. The roof of the house is a example of the tutsi population, because they were dying by the dozen each and everyday. One can also infer the weight of the callapsel to be the burden of stress and fear and death that rise before them. "I cry with the ceiling people until my voice cracks and my tounge dries up"(351 Akpan). This quote is a great metaphor because the people in the celings are dead but the cause of there death is the rage of another humans hand which is sad and depressing. She cries along the dead because she fears as if she will be silently crying with them as well. She cries until she canot cry anymore, infact she cries until her tounge dries and and voice is gone like the dead people in the ceiling.
Overall the tutsi are in need of help and of the moment no one are hearing there roars of help. The tutsi people are becoming more antic with there stratedgy and having them respond to the hutu as saying you are one of them. It is a depressing factor knowing little children women and inncoent men life are being taken away because what they are. And being killed by merchenaries puts the topping on the cake of this horrible situtation.