Superstitions
By: Mary La Chapelle
About the Author
Provide at least 5 facts about the author and identify how the story relates to their personl life, include an image
Mary La Chapelle was born on April 28, 1955 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is an American short-story writer, "Superstitions" being one of her short stories. She graduated from both the University of Minnesota and from Vermont College with an MFA. An MFA (Master of Fine Arts) is a graduate degree that usually needs 2-3 years of postgraduate study in a type of art, creative writing being the branch that Chapelle studied in. Mary La Chapelle now teaches at the Sarah Lawrence College in the writing course.
Provide at least 5 facts about the author and identify how the story relates to their personl life, include an image
Mary La Chapelle was born on April 28, 1955 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is an American short-story writer, "Superstitions" being one of her short stories. She graduated from both the University of Minnesota and from Vermont College with an MFA. An MFA (Master of Fine Arts) is a graduate degree that usually needs 2-3 years of postgraduate study in a type of art, creative writing being the branch that Chapelle studied in. Mary La Chapelle now teaches at the Sarah Lawrence College in the writing course.
Pre-Reading Reflections
Answer the following questions with complete sentences.
What does it mean to be superstitious? Give an example.
To be superstitious to me is be paranoid of something that can prove to be a good or bad result. An example of this are lucky numbers. People have their lucky numbers because they believe that it brings them good luck, like the number seven.
Do you consider yourself superstitious?
Sometimes, I do consider myself to be superstitious because I believe in a few superstitions.
If yes, what are some superstitions you have, and why do you think you have them?
A superstition I have is the lucky number, which is seven for me. I think seven is a lucky number because it is affiliated with God resting on the seventh day when he created the world.
Why do you think people develop superstitions?
I think that people develop superstitions sometimes when they are in desperate or hopeful, like in a football or basketball game, everyone claps in the same rhythm, believing and hoping that it could help their team win the game.
Answer the following questions with complete sentences.
What does it mean to be superstitious? Give an example.
To be superstitious to me is be paranoid of something that can prove to be a good or bad result. An example of this are lucky numbers. People have their lucky numbers because they believe that it brings them good luck, like the number seven.
Do you consider yourself superstitious?
Sometimes, I do consider myself to be superstitious because I believe in a few superstitions.
If yes, what are some superstitions you have, and why do you think you have them?
A superstition I have is the lucky number, which is seven for me. I think seven is a lucky number because it is affiliated with God resting on the seventh day when he created the world.
Why do you think people develop superstitions?
I think that people develop superstitions sometimes when they are in desperate or hopeful, like in a football or basketball game, everyone claps in the same rhythm, believing and hoping that it could help their team win the game.
Vocabulary
Define each term as it is used in the context of the story, provide a quote
Theorized: To predict; "He theorized that little kids who got in from the top and out from the top never had to make their beds." (p. 42)
Apprehensive: To be cautious or careful; "She was apprehensive as she brushed on toward the attic, because if she were to find it had been left open, it would be a bad sign that she couldn't change." (p. 42)
Compelled: To be obliged, sometimes to force someone; "It was something she had begun, and now she was compelled to continue." (p. 43)
Persistent: To do something continuously; "The sun was warm and persistent with promises to shine over everything by noon." (p. 54)
Precautious: Aware, vigilant; "She was aware of certain precautions, like not looking into the sun too long." (p. 54)
Perceived: Come to realize or understand, interpret something in a particular way; "After waiting for what she perceived as a stubborn enough amount of time, she stood up and following him." (p. 56)
Anguish: severe mental or physical pain or suffering; "Groggy, but conscious now, Jimmy cried like a wounded soldier, all anguish and failure in something he didn't understand. He cried like it was a new thing to cry." (p. 60)
Define each term as it is used in the context of the story, provide a quote
Theorized: To predict; "He theorized that little kids who got in from the top and out from the top never had to make their beds." (p. 42)
Apprehensive: To be cautious or careful; "She was apprehensive as she brushed on toward the attic, because if she were to find it had been left open, it would be a bad sign that she couldn't change." (p. 42)
Compelled: To be obliged, sometimes to force someone; "It was something she had begun, and now she was compelled to continue." (p. 43)
Persistent: To do something continuously; "The sun was warm and persistent with promises to shine over everything by noon." (p. 54)
Precautious: Aware, vigilant; "She was aware of certain precautions, like not looking into the sun too long." (p. 54)
Perceived: Come to realize or understand, interpret something in a particular way; "After waiting for what she perceived as a stubborn enough amount of time, she stood up and following him." (p. 56)
Anguish: severe mental or physical pain or suffering; "Groggy, but conscious now, Jimmy cried like a wounded soldier, all anguish and failure in something he didn't understand. He cried like it was a new thing to cry." (p. 60)
Contrasting Ideas
Provide at least 5 examples from the text to support each idea
Provide at least 5 examples from the text to support each idea
Frances feels strong
Frances feels strong when she is next to Jimmy, because she thinks that Jimmy gives her bravery "He had more life to risk than she had, and she stayed close to him for need of bravery." (p. 44) Frances feels strong when she goes on a walk with were hiking stick, because she knows its not a superstition and it's super useful to her. She is fond of it "Frances was fond of her stick; she liked its sanded softness. She thought, as she gripped the stick and walked with Jimmy out of the backyard, that the stick made being outside easier. It was not a superstition. Her stick was useful." (p. 54) Frances felt stronger than a moment ago when she changed her thought process from being negative to positive "This is the bad thing." No, I won't let it be. No, I won't let you do it." (p. 58) Frances felt stronger when she told Jimmy to hold on to the girder, right before he had his seizure. "Hold on to the bridge." Perhaps her words made him respond, or perhaps his own little body repsonded independently in that dawning moment before the seizure-that time between control and uncontroll." (p. 60 Frances felt strong when she was comforting Jimmy when he was crying after the girder. She felt she shouldn't cry because she was the older one. "She felt the dampness too, but she kept herself from crying because she was the older one. She was the one who knew how these things could happen." (p. 60) |
Frances feels helpless
Frances felt helpless when she found that attic, that signaled something bad was going to happen, and she couldn't change that "She was apprehensive as she brushed on toward the attic, because if she were to find it had been left open, it would be a bad sign that she couldn't change." (p. 42) She felt helpless when Jimmy had his seizure at the Bensons' back-porch "Frances looked down from the top step at her brother's closed eyes. She could see violent movement beneath the faint blue skin of his eyelids." (p. 45) She feels helpless when Jimmy has his mini-seizures every now and then, like when watching Tv or eating dinner "Jimmy didn't have any more big seizures. But once in a while he had a little one, and he would nod over his dinner plate." (p. 45) Frances felt helpless when she was explaining of her superstitions to her mother, but her mother misunderstood her "Frances looked down again at Jimmy's belt and felt the sadness of being misunderstood." (p. 52) She felt helpless when Jimmy wouldn't listen to her to not go on the bridge, and then he got stuck on the girder, suddenly also having a seizure. "No, I'm going to the bridge." The day wasn't going her way, though she wasn't sure what her way would be..."I don't want to go." (p. 56) |