#10 - "Sympathy or Empathy?..."

Explain the difference between sympathy and empathy.  Tell about a time when you displayed each.

#9 - Character Judgement...

At the end of the novella, do you sympathize with Dr. Jekyll?  Do you feel sorry for him?  Is he still a likable character?  Or do you say, "Good Riddance!"  He gets what he deserves?  What are the reasons for your opinion of Dr. Jekyll?  What might you have done had you been in Dr. Jekyll's situation? 

#8 - It's Bigger than You...

Often we find ourselves in a position where doing the wrong thing would greatly benefit us.  Tell about a time when you a) did the right thing and in doing so sacrificed something you wanted or b) did the wrong thing and benefitted from it.  Which is easier?  Why?

#7 - Jekyll & Hyde

How, when, where, or why have you heard these names in the past?  Most of us have run across them in some form, but few are familiar with the actual story.  From cartoons to Broadway to a particular Manhattan restaurant, Jekyll & Hyde has emerged as a cultural icon both here and in its native United Kingdom.  Why might this be the case?

#6 - Lord of the Flies

Well, what'd you think?  Lord of the Flies remains a staple in our high school curriculum.  Should it still be taught?  The novel has appeared recently in pop culture, including on TV in The Simpsons and Two and a Half Men.  It is also reflected in Lost and Survivor.  Watch the following clip; would it be as funny had you not read or been familiar with the book?  What is the goal of allusion in a piece of writing, including a TV script?  Why do you think the writers included it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3HdsmCUzlk

#5 - Where the Sidewalk Ends...

Please share your views on the activity of reading.  So many of us enjoyed reading as a child only to lose that love of books as we grew older.  What happened?  Do you still like to read?  What do you read?  Where do you read?  What is your favorite book ever?  Author?  If you don't like to read, please offer reasons why.

#4 - Essays! Ugh!

As you finish up your essay on the short stories we have read in class, please comment on your writing process.  What did you have the most trouble with?  What aspects of writing essays are you most comfortable with after all these years?  Remember--if you don't feel a little stressed, you're probably not doing it the right way :-)

#3 - Setting Off on a New Adventure...

If you had to choose one, in which of the three societies we have read about ("Harrison Bergeron", "Searching for Summer", or "By the Waters of Babylon") would you want to live.  Why?  What are the advantages of that society over the other two?  What would you be sacrificing?

#2 - Searching for...

If life on earth as we know it were to end, but you survived, what three non-living items would you choose to keep as civilization looked to rebuild itself?  Why these things?

#1 - Back to the Future...

Please discuss where you hope to be in one year, eight years, and twenty years. Include goals and aspirations, career plans, hopes, or dreams.