"Lather and Nothing Else"
Name at least one type of conflict that is in "Lather and Nothing Else". Explain your answer!
Character vs. Self
Character vs. Character
Character vs. Society
What is dramatic irony? Explain one way that it is used in "Lamb to the Slaughter".
Dramatic irony is when the audience knows something that a character doesn't. Examples include: "Find the murder weapon, and you've got the man"... "It must be right under our very noses", etc.
How is suspense created in the beginning of "No is Yes"?
1. The story starts with a question: Did the girl kill her father?
2. The story begins with a flashforward, making the reader wonder how we got to this point!
Name one thing that Rainsford and Zaroff have in common (BESIDES hunting).
What events caused Jack to be ashamed of his heritage and culture?
Mark bullying Jack for his "cheap chinese garbage" leads him to feel shame about his culture.
In "Lather and Nothing Else", has the barber ever seen Captain Torres before this incident? If so, explain!
Yes, the barber has seen Torres before, on the day that the Captain ordered the people to walk through the schoolyard and look at the four rebels that he killed, hanging there.
What was Mary's alibi in "Lamb to the Slaughter"?
Her alibi was that she could not have committed the murder because she was at the grocery store when it happened.
What is an ambiguous ending? What makes the ending of "No is Yes" an example of this?
Ambiguous Ending: A conclusion that leaves certain aspects of a story open to interpretation, without giving the audience a definitive answer.
The ending of this story does not give a definitive answer about whether Linda actually meant "no", or if she really meant "yes".
What type of conflict is present in the following quote:
"He struggled up to the surface and tried to cry out, but the wash from the speeding yacht slapped him in the face and the salt water in his open mouth made him gag and strangle."
Character vs. Nature
What is magical realism? Name an example of magical realism in "The Paper Menagerie" that a character besides Jack or his family witness.
A literary style where magical or fantastical elements are blended into a realistic setting with ordinary characters, and presented as a normal part of the world.
Example: When Jack's origami knocks down Mark's action figure.
Torres says he knows how difficult it is to kill someone, and so he didn't think the barber could do it.
Using the theme of manipulation or deception, make a connection between "Lamb to the Slaughter" and one other story that we read. Explain your thinking.
Possible Answers:
"No is Yes" (the experiment)
"The Most Dangerous Game" (Ship Trap Island)
"Lather and Nothing Else"
"Paper Menagerie" (the mother lied in her catalogue)
Dr. Scrape's theory is that "Nobody teaches children to talk. They just learn it by _________"Fill in the blank! If you don't know the exact word, then explain what you believe his theory is.
"Listening"
Where were Rainsford and his friend Whitney planning to go at the beginning of the story? What were they planning to do there?
They were headed to the Amazon (or Rio).
They were planning to hunt for jaguars.
How is food is used as a symbol in both "The Paper Menagerie" and in "Fish Cheeks". Explain what is represents!
Food is used a symbol for the characters' culture. In both, the characters are ashamed of the food their families are making. Amy sees the food as gross and weird. And Jack asks his mom to make more "American" food.
Using the theme of war, make a connection between "Lather and Nothing Else" and another story that we read this cycle! Explain your thinking.
Contestants can connect this story to "The Most Dangerous Game", or possibly "The Paper Menagerie".
DEBATE! Would Mary have gotten away with this crime if the story was exactly the same, except it took place in 2025? Why or Why not?
TAS judges the debates!
How are Dr. Scrape from "No is Yes" and General Zaroff from the "Most Dangerous Game" characterized in similar ways? Explain!
They are both using other people's lives for their own gain or experimentation. They both think that their guests will be impressed by their work. They are both violent. They are both isolated from the rest of the world.
Make a connection between "The Most Dangerous Game" and "The Paper Menagerie" using a theme or main idea. Explain your thinking.
Examples: "being trapped"
"changing perspective"
What does "Laohu" mean? Why did Jack's mom give him this specific animal?
It means "tiger". Jack was born in the year of the tiger.
DEBATE! Is violence ever the right choice? Why or why not? Reference "Lather and Nothing Else" at least once in your response!
TAS judge the debates!
Name one other story that was written by the author of "Lamb to the Slaughter"!
Any story written by Roald Dahl:
"Matilda" , "James and the Giant Peach", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", etc.
DEBATE! Is being taught incorrect information still considered education? Why or why not? You must reference "No is Yes" at least once in your answer.
TAS judge debates!
DEBATE! Do you think the ending of "The Most Dangerous Game" suggests that Rainsford will become a more violent person... or a less violent person? Explain!
TAS judge debates!
DEBATE! Should people have to assimilate into a new culture when they move to a new country? Why or why not?
TAS judge debates!