1. How does the village girl respond to her family’s death?
Slide 4 - Open question
2. Give one detail about the lake itself. ("Speaking of Courage")
Slide 5 - Open question
3. On what date does Norman Bowker drive around the lake?
Slide 6 - Open question
4. Norman Bowker imagines driving past Sally Gustafson’s house and impressing her with what skill?
Slide 7 - Open question
5. What is the topic of conversation in his imagined conversation with his father?
Slide 8 - Open question
6. Describe Kiowa’s death.
Slide 9 - Open question
7. Describe the encounter with the carhop at the drive-in.
Slide 10 - Open question
8. What does Norman Bowker do at the end of his drive around the lake?
Slide 11 - Open question
1. Make a list of all the people and objects that are described as being repeatedly seen during Bowker's lapping of the lake.
2. Do you feel that any of them hold significance outside of the chapter? What significance is that?
Slide 12 - Slide
"Speaking of Courage"
How do you consider the lake? How is it connected to the war?
What day of the year is it?
Why does he keep driving around the lake?
Why did the author choose to include the scene at the drive in? What is being explored in that scene?
How does the very end of the story replicate the war?
Why does he take a sip of the disgusting water?
Slide 13 - Slide
1. Why is Norman unable to relate to anyone at home? More importantly, why does he not even try?
2. O’Brien describes the experiences of Norman Bowker after he returned from fighting in Vietnam. What point does this chapter make about veterans’ lives after the war?
3. “The Things They Carried” and “Speaking of Courage” are the only two stories written in the third person. Why are these stories set apart in this manner? What does O’Brien achieve by doing so?
You must use quotes in your answers.
Slide 14 - Slide
Step in, step out, step back
Step In: What do you think this person might feel, believe, know, or experience?
Step Out: What would you like or need to learn to understand this person’s perspective better?
Step Back: What do you notice about your own perspective and what it takes to take