The Book Without Words – Period 3 Discussion Area
PERIOD 3 Discussion Area – In this area you are to discuss all of the Discussion Questions posted.
- Discussion Question #1 is CLOSED.
- Discussion Question #2 is OPEN.
Consider what the discussion question is. Be sure to address the question.
STEP 1 – UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.
STEP 2 – ADDRESS THE QUESTION (50%). (Question in the answer, your answer, details to support your answer)
- Give us your entire thought process.
- Give us details from the text to prove you know what you’re talking about. Otherwise, who knows what you’re basing your thoughts on?
- Your details do not have to be direct word-for-word quotes (mainly because you do not have the books at home).
- STILL, give us a clear idea of what thing(s)from the book you are basing your answer on. You can paraphrase, in other words.
- Please address the topic of your choice in as much detail as possible. The more detail you give us, the better we will understand your thought process, AND the better we will be able to argue/discuss with you.
- You see, if you give us your entire thought, we can see if there is anything wrong with it – any faulty logic going on there. We are in this discussion to sharpen our wits and gain the ability to think better than we ever have.
STEP 3 – Post a response to classmates (50%).
- Option #1 – If you agree with someone’s answer . . .
. . . Then explain what you agree with – be specific. And extend or expand on the thought you are agreeing with by backing your comment up with details from the text, from your own life, whatever is appropriate. You could agree with someone and support your agreement with other more, unused descriptive details from the book, other books, or your own life. Get it?- Option #2 – If you disagree with someone’s answer . . . . . . Then justify your disagreement by taking a stance backed up by your own details from the text.
RESPONSE TO MATT AND CRYSTAL
I totally agree with you.I dont know why but its true so many people find it easier to face death than to face their problems. Obviously Sybil is one of the many. I really dont get it though I mean how can you walk out of a door not knowing whats ont he other side of the door your walking out of.
Alfric said that his father used to enjoy telling his children, “The shorter the sermon, the longer the truth,” in Chapter 3 section 11. In other words the truth is strong within itself it needs not anytyhing extra. I can really actually relate to this quote. My uncle is also my pastor. Every other unday when he gets up to give a message he’s up there for the longest trying to get his message across to the congregation. He has to learn that his only job is to tell the truth and let the truth take it from there. Whenever he tries to take it farther than he’s capable, thats when he starts to lose the attention of most of the congregation. So next Sunday I’ve got to let him know about that quote. Those few words truly have a big meaning.
When Sybil says,“it’s not death I fear… but my life”, she means that death doesn’t scare her, because her life was never worth it in the first place.Think about it, if you were a slave, wouldn’t you just want to die and be in a better place?I would rather be dead than a seervant so i think sybil feels the same way.
response to jessica :] you took the words out my mouth..haha,I agree with you because Sybils life is awful and just putting myself in her shoes, well i would want the same.”/
-Quote A
The quote,“it’s not death I fear… but my life” stated by Sybil means is that,she does not fear death more then life.To begin with,she is a poor orphan who is a worthless servant to Thorston.Secondly,she goes through things in her life that she would rather die than live.With all these challenges that she has to handle,she seems to not want to take another breath ,and she’s fearful of her own life because of situations that have happened or are going to happen.To sum it all up,death would be so much better to her than living and dealing with all theses problems.
-Responding to Erik V (:
I totally disagree with you,i believe that she fears all of the obstacles in her life and being a worthless servant to Thorston.Fearing something does not really mean that it has to be “someone” or “people”,it could be the craziness going on in your life.For ex.Some people fear loosing their house,if they know they dont have enough money to pay the bill one month.
-quote a (:
The quote, “it’s not death I fear… but my life,” stated by Sybil means that she does not fear death because her life is worse than death. First of all, she is poor and is a worthless servant. Second of all, she is going through obstacles that come between life and death. With all these conflicts in her life, she may not want to live it anymore, and she’s fearful for what might happen to her next. To her, death seems easier than the life she lives.
-response to Joel D (:
I agree that some people are fearful of their own life becuase things happen that he/she may not want to happen, and it’s uncontrollable. Some use death as an escape because to them, it’s better than the life they have, but this is a very selfish way to handle problems in the real world.
Response to Deanna L.
I agree with you on the fact that the more a person sins the more there conscience becomes. They don’t get heavier physically but they get heavier mentally. After you do one sin, it leads to another. And eventually guilt builds up inside of you, to the point where you can’t handle it all.
Deanna L.
Period 3.
Quote Discussion Question.
* Quote B “the more one sins the heavier one gets,” says Damian figuratively in Chapter 3 Section 11.
I believe this quote means that the more one does wrong (sins), the more heavier they become inside. By this I mean that not physically they become bigger, but on the inside; their conscience. They began to at some point feel bad about what they’ve done and the decissions they’ve made. It begins gnawing at their heart almost to the point where they can’t take it anymore. A good example would be the main character in the “Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe. He became so infuriated and unhappy with his horrible decision, he turned himself in. When Damian says this quote, he’s referring to Thorston and his weight while they are carrying him downstairs to his mock-grave. He says that because Thorston has such a heavy burden in his conscience which lead him to be excruciatingly heavy for a small man.
Response to Erik V.:
I totally and completely disagree with you. Although I didn’t choose this quote I’m pretty sure it means that she’s not afraid of dying, for she already knows how she may possible die, but rather what will happen at the moment, what Thorston will do. She’s knows that her death may be soon but she’s ready to find a way to change that, which is what she may be afraid of.
Quote A: Sybil says “It is not death I fear… but my life”
When Sybil said this, she was trying to show that she is not happy with the way she is living. Master Thorstan doesn’t show her any respect and without the gold, she will end up with nothing. Sybil is afraid of life itself, because all she has witnessed of life is being a poor girl. I believe Sybil feels that her death is the only way to escape her misery. Even though Sybil appears to be a strong girl, this quote shows a weak side of her. Since her life seems to be going bad, she wants to give up.
Matt W
Period 3
Response to Erik V
I think that your right Erik because she seems to dislike being afraid more than she does dying.
(c) Avi delivers a crisp clear undrestanding of how the characters deal with conflicts by, giving exact details of when they are in situations where they are forced to argue amongst each other. for example sybil has to decide wether to give master thorston the stones and die or give the stones to the monk and leave master thorston to die. she also has to deal with odo always putting her down.
response to (matt) i would have to agree with matt on how there are internal and external conflicts.the characters deal with problems about themselves and others. she deals with odp putting her down, deciding wether to let masterthorston to live avd problems within herself.
Quote A “It is not my death I fear . . . but my life,” says Sybil
What Sybil means is that she that her true fear is her life not her death. She is called a nobody or nothing in life by Odo. She is homeless girl whose parents have died. She is a servant for master Thorston who could possibly take her life for his own wealth for his greed. When Master Thorston comes back again it is like Odo and Sybil said ” If we stay we won’t be any better off in Master’s hands” after witnessing Damian cruel fate. She has to decide whether to leave and go to the monk where she can be hanged by the reeve once she sets foot outside or stay and await what cruel fate awaits her and Odo when Thorston returns.
response to Crytal R.
i agree with you because Sybil’s life is really two diverged roads where she can’t win at all. Just like your example whether she can trust brother Wilfred or not when he could easily turn on her. What move can she make when Bashcroft is waiting to hang her or await Thorston’s twisted thought of mine.
Quote A “It is not my death I fear . . . but my life,” says Sybil in Chapter 3 Section 9.this can be applied to real life because people are sometimes afraid of their own life such as people knowing when their death is or if a certain serious illness comes in. I can also connect this to when people are afraid to face their own fate and consequences. Examples: people afraid to go to jail for their own wrongs.
response to
Leana J.
I agree because sybil fears that if she dosent get the gold she’ll end up poor on the streets and then dead.its kinda like a all or nothing gamble with her conflict of the gold.
RESPONDING TO ALEEYAH…
i agree with you. to me damian ment that thorston was heavy because the sins that he did made his soul heavy.
Quote C.
To me when Alfric says “the shorter the sermon, the longer the truth,” I think he means that if someone has too much to say, the person has put too much of their own ideas into the persons life or the person, leaving little truth so the person seems like they have accomplished more in life.
Quote A: Sybil says “It is not death I fear… but my life”
What she means is that she would rather die than live with fear. She fears that she will go to jail with the gold affair. Also, she fears that nobody will be her friend because Odo and Damian keep calling her a “nobody”. She also fears her life is in danger because Thorston steals her life for his own gain.
MY RESPONSE TO LEANA & VICTORIA
I disagree with you both because I think Sybil is quite a brave girl for a lonely orphan. She is willing to do anything to somewhat “operate” the book without words. Sybil ventures out to places without Thorston for example Mistress Weeblys’ shop. So this proves that she is not really afraid of life,death,and even Thorston himself young or old.
QUOTE B
During the burial of Thosrston Damian noticed how heavy Thorston was then Damian commented that, “the more one sins the heavier one gets”. In other words, Damian is justifiing the consequences of sinning means that there are alot of heavy burdens upon you. Also that since he sinned he became heavier when dead than alive.
Quote A-”It is not my death I fear…but my life.” says Sybil in Chapter 3 Section 9.
When Sybil said this, she means that living in fear is worse than death. There was/is a chance that Sybil will not have a home or protection if she survives this ordeal with the stones. If that were to happen, she would lose what little she has, leaving her confused about life and herself. She would also be fearful that she may not have food or clothes or a place to sleep when needed. With death, there is peace and closure for her. But, if she lives with nothing, she would be worrying and scared constantly, dealing with hardships no thirteen year old should have to deal with. That is what she means when she says this. I cannot connect it to myself, but I can connect it to people in life who live in poverty or poor situations. They fear for themselves and their families when they don’t have the food they need, or any of the simple necessities that are required to survive. Some may steal, while others may commit suicide because death is a relief from their harsh reality.
Response to Emma W:
I completely agree with what you said about Sybil wanting to be worth something to people. Living in fear and poverty will make people think poorly of her, and they’ll see her as a nobody. If people think of her poorly when she still has a house and food but is a servant, you can simply imagine what people would think when they saw her as a street beggar!