CLASS SEVEN: FICTION UNIT; Observation & Inference; "Where Are You Going" + "The Red Convertible"; Fiction Essay

1. FICTION UNIT
―THINK VIDEO‖: INFERENCE / OBSERVATION OF
CHARACTER –DRIVEN FICTION *plus*
FICTION: ―Where Are You, Where Have You Been‖&
―The Red Convertible‖ *finally*
FICTION ESSAY: 5 questions, 20 points each: DETAILS

2. ―THINK VIDEO‖: Link Between
Imagery & Language
Watch the following video segment: what can
we *infer* about this character?
List the images we observe: what do they
all have in common?
Tension, Normal everyday
tasks, symbolic, undercurrents point to
death, violence.

3. Character Example #2
Watch the segment from the movie ―Drunks‖ with
Spaulding Gray. Watch the clip: Answer the following
questions…
 Name of the character; why he is at the session?
 Where is he from? Does he belong at the meeting?
 What is his attitude towards the group?
 What problem might arise from this attitude?
Onto our next
example…

4. Character Example # 3
Joseph Conrad’s ―Heart of Francis Ford Coppola’s
Darkness‖ Excerpt ―Apocalypse Now‖
 Name / Occupation / Rank / His Expectations, Dreams?
 Coppola situated Conrad’s story into 1960’s Vietnam
 Is Willard a person we can trust?
Turn to page 92 :
―Where Are You Going‖

5. ―Where Are You Going, Where
Have You Been‖
Connie
Arnold Friend
―Where Are You Going‖: A typical Sunday morning for a
typical teenager … (?)

6. ―Where Are You Going, Where
Have You Been‖
Discuss Connie’s character; her age, attitudes, and
relationships with her family; mother, father, and sister June.
Arnold Friend: age, attitudes, and his ―smooth talk‖. What
does A. want? What makes Connie believe (or want to
believe) Arnold?
Discuss Arnold’s
tactics to
pressure Connie—
What does he say
he will do if she
refuses?

7. ―Where Are You Going, Where
Have You Been‖
Connie’s perception about Arnold becomes clearer, and his friend
Ellie as the conversation continues: Connie stands firm against
the men; ―Like hell I am!‖ she says: after this moment, why
does Connie eventually go with Arnold & Ellie? Do we know
what happens?
List the insights gained by this story: Connie is clearly a
victim of Friend & Ellie. What would have helped Connie
avoid or avert the consequences presented by these unsavory
characters?

8. ―The Red Convertible‖
(p. 135)
Lyman Lamartine and his brother Henry start out
carefree, and easy going; describe Lyman, and his unusual
traits ―for a Chippewa‖.
Describe the plot; Lyman and Henry live on the Indian
Reservation… describe the setting, and how it works in the
story?
The Red Convertible becomes a symbol for many things:
how does the car parallel the relationship, and more
specifically, Henry?

9. ―The Red Convertible‖
Indian
• Lyman Reservation • Vietnam War
• Henry • Road trip • Henry:
• Suzy, Alaska Before &
After
Red Henry’s
Convertible suicide
Lyman loses many important things: describe the
foreshadowing in Lyman’s statement at the beginning.

10. Fiction Essay
DUE: 7995—March 4 /
7766---March 16
Word-processed in Microsoft
Word, saved as .doc, submitted to
BlackBoard by the due date.
(Minimum 1000 words)
Answer questions completely, in
complete sentences. Include any
text that supports your essay.

11. “Peaches” (p.71)
Fiction Essay
1. “Peaches” is an ironic title, and a symbol of Rita, and Rita and Marc’s relationship.
Discuss why / how this symbol is used, the irony of it, how it symbolizes Rita, and how
“Peaches” are used to parallel Rita’s decision about the relationship with Marc?
2. List observations / inferences about Rita and Marc, comparing the compatibility,
personalities, and ideals of each character; what are the similarities, what are the
differences? What overall qualities of Marc doom the relationship?
“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” (p. 92)
3. Describe how Connie is a pretty typical teenager: her ideas about herself, her family, and
her place in the whole picture. Connie is particularly susceptible to Arnold Friend’s
intimidation; what does he say / do to intimidate Connie? Discuss the hard won insights
Connie has gained by the end of the story.
“The Red Convertible” (p. 135)
4. “The Red Convertible” is a symbol for the relationship between Lyman and Henry, and to
parallel Henry and his state of mind. Describe how the car is used to highlight both the
relationship, and Henry, before and after the war.
5. Describe the setting here, and how it frames the story; could the story have happened in any
other setting? Why, or why not? How do we see Lyman by the stories’ end? What changes has
he gone through?

12. GOOD LUCK ! I Hope every one
had a terrific Valentines’ Day…

13. … and shared a laugh or two. J