“the black eye of the month club” by sherman alexieby sherman alexie enh 111
TRANSCRIPT
“The Black Eye of the Month Club”
By Sherman Alexie
ENH 111
On a piece of notebook paper complete the following journal prompt in 6-8 sentences. . .
How do internal and
external expectations
shape our lives?
What do you think these images are trying to communicate?
1
2
(This is a photo of a couple with seven days of
their own garbage.)
3
4
The Knotted Gun, Turtle Bay, New York, USA
5
“Coleman,” a hyperrealistic pencil
drawing of an old man by 16-year-old
artist Shania McDonagh.
6
7
Peru National Award: “Smiles in the Cemetery” by Milko Torres Ramirez, Peru, 1st place, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards
8
9
10
As we read through this short story, highlight examples that you see that emphasize the
character’s: isolation (IS), loss (L), hopes (H), and identity (I).
Be sure you label in the margin what you are highlighting!
“The Black Eye of the Month Club”
Go back to your notebook paper . . .
Answer the following questions:
1. Identify the obstacles that the narrator endured and analyze their effect(s) on him. You can list the obstacles and then discuss the effect(s).
2. Identify the narrator’s methods of coping, and explain why you think he is able to persevere.
3. Finally, find one example for any four of the following voice techniques/devices:
Dark HumorIronyHyperbole (deliberate exaggeration)Rhetorical QuestionsIntentional Sentence Fragments
For Homework – A Remix“The power of hope is limitless. If we can still dream, then we can imagine ourselves out of even the darkest situation.”
1. You are going to create a ten line free response to the above quote. Create a response from the voice of the character as if he (the narrator) was giving advice to another Native American boy that is in his same situation.
2. Using the four categories that we highlighted on our text (loss, identity, hope, and isolation) select 20 words to use. You cannot change the tense, you can only use a word once from your highlighted list. You can add 15 words of your own. Your piece should be on your notebook paper – and it can have no more than 35 words. If you want to type this so you can move around the words – feel free.
3. Remember you are mingling your words with your narrator’s words to create a message of hope. Be creative. Be thoughtful. Focus on your use of word choice and your message. Think of this as a linguistic puzzle.