The Sixth Borough is a chapter (pages 79-85 of the Bulk-Pack Materials) in a book by the author, Jonathan Safran Foer. In this chapter, a father tells his son a bedtime story about how there used to be a sixth borough across the Hudson River from Manhattan. Central Park originated, becasue people wanted to save part of the sixth borough. They took ropes and chains and dragged Central Park from its former location, in the sixth borough, across the river to the spot where it is now. At the end of the story, the son exclaims to his father, "That story was really awesome."
DISCUSSION QUESTION EIGHT (PLEASE RESPOND):
Please answer the following two questions by locating and explaining POSSIBLE CENTERS OF MEANING IN THE TEXT:
1. What makes the father's story so awesome?
2. what point (about life or New York City) was the father trying to make to his son? Often, parents tell their children bedtime stories, and the children learn certain messages.
Remember four ways college students locate CENTERS OF MEANING:
1. Notice any changes in the form (size, shape, or appearance) of the text.
2. Notice the use of any purposeful literary elements or techniques.
3. Spot any allusions (references to any other works of literature or ideas from other people).
4. Focus hard on any exciting and pronounced dialogue.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
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7 comments:
What makes the father's story so awesome in this chapter of the Sixth Borough by Jonathan Safran Foer is that he uses such magical realism that is so astounding that even though you know it isnt real, it sounds and feels believable. The father is trying to make his son see that there are some things in life that cant be understood or seen, but although there are negative things that happen in our past, we must not forget them becuase they still made a part of our life .
i definitely agree with karen.magical realism is almost expressed throughout the whole short story. some stuff seem like it cant be real, but sounds possible to do as long as you have the right state of mind. but its one of those type of stories that you can learn from. It one of those types of stories that if you read carefully and stop lookin at it literally but rather figuratively, you can learn a valuable lesson from it. people always say forget the past, but what people dont realize is that your past can predict where you are at now as well as your future.
BY JEREL SEETRAM
I don't entirely agree with both Karen and Jerel, as when the son says "that story was really awesome" he doesn't necessarily mean the story as Karen would put it, but how the story was told. Anyone can say "oh, i invented staples" and no one would care, or believe it at that, but to tell the story with enthusiasm, and details, and the spark of your imagination, anything could be believable. That was one of the deeper meanings into the story, as the son deep down knew the story was surely unbelievable, but the father told it with such enthusiasm, and heart fullness that even the son felt it might have been true. The lesson told to his child was, that no matter how unlikely, if you show you believe in something, with such a passion, then it must be true.
Magical Realism could for sure be a theme in the story of the sixth borough. Somethings can be for real and some it's just plain dreams and imaginations. Another center of meaning could be visualization because most of the story has do with view and and thought which penetrates from the brain
I agree with charles completly in that magical realism is definatly the them and a center of meaning is visualization. I would like to elaberate in that the details the writer uses like when he talks about the more difficult it got for the jumper to jump each year. I also belive the author uses symbolism in the topic. I belive the "6th borough is a symbol for beliving in things that aren't in front of your eyes. Altogether I thing the author uses an array of tools to make the story easy to read and enjoyable
The only thing about the story I like is that the father has a great knowledge about the sixth borough.
I think the father was trying to teach his son about life how it has positive or negative things that happen in the past that affects us greatly in the present. I have notice the author changed some word in the text to italics. his indicates one of the center of meaning.
What makes this story so awesome is how the author used the events that are close to impossible, believable. He tought the reader and his son through hypotheticals that our past expieriences can be Used as an advantage, because they contribute to what we are today. That was the besic message he was trying to send by giving examples of a real situation but a different circumstance.
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