New Story

Two Friends-guy de maupassant p546

Please read the question carefully.

1. Who are the main characters?

2. What do they decide to do?

3. Why 's their plan dangerous?


p548-549


4. Find examples of behavior from the two main characters that seem inappropriate under the circumstances, and that therefore create situational irony.

5. Discuss the details of this view and the mood it evokes. Then select two colors that would best express this mood.

"On the opposite bank they could see the village......but its leafless cherry trees and gray earth."



p550

6.What is ironic about the two men calmly fishing and discussing the nature of war while cannons fire above them?

7. What do you think will happen on the fishing trip?

8. Why is Morissot angry?

p551-552

9. A protagonist is the chief actor in a story and an antagonist frustrates or attempts to frustrate the protagonist's action. Who do you think the protagonists and antagonists are at this point in the story.

"And they began to argue......that would never be erased"

10. Who do you believe to be the protagonists and antagonists at  this point.

"ad rifles which they were pointing straight at the two friends."

11. Why does the Prussian officer want the password?

12. Predict whether the two men will trade the password for their lives and why or why not.

p553

13. Predict what is going to happen to the two men now.
"I'll gibe you one minute to make up your mind, .....and not two seconds more"

14. What would you do in this situation?

4/18

p658

1. Explain why Brille is respected by other people.

2. Explain how the conflict in the story is resolved.

3. In the third-person point of view, the narrator's values, actions, and thoughts come through clearly. Describe the values and personality of the narrator of this story.

4/12

p.656-657


1. "And the pain in his head brought a hard lump to [Brille's ] throat." What conclusions has Brille drawn about his own family and his children's behavior?

2. Evaluate the importance of cooperation among the prisoners. How can that same cooperation be applied to the family and ultimately to society?

3. What does the reader learn about Brille's background?

4. Why is he in prison?

5. How do Brille's political views affect his relations with the warder?

6. "But nothing in the regulations says I'm your servant.......Brille squinted up at him."

focus on details that indicate a change in power in the relationship between the two men.

7. "All throughout the tirade from his chief,.....but his nerve broke completely. "

What does the sentence"his nerve broke completely " mean?

4/7 Discussion questions

p654.
1. "Perhaps they want me to send a message.......his work span shouted:"

Examine Brille's thoughts and draw conclusions about his character.

2. Clarify what a political prisoner is. Imagine what kinds of "crimes" these ten men might have committed.
"It was composed of ten men.....all political prisoners."

3. "Look 'ere,..........Why don't you say Baas, hey?

Contrast the warder's words to Brille's thoughts and draw conclusions about his character.

4. What does the phrase "his mind traveled back " mean?

5. Why did Brille go into politics?

6. Examine this passage carefully to explain what "politics .....an orderd beautiful world" mean. Point out the description of Brille's chaotic home in the paragaraph above and his rueful comment in the paragraph after.