Agenda:
Handout: Age of Miracles Study guide
ACTIVITY: Choose two questions from The Author's Craft. Respond to each question on the blog as a posted comment. Be sure to use specific examples or quotes from the text to support your CLAIMS.
Cite text page numbers where applicable.
Each response should be at least a paragraph long one sentence will not get full credit).
Be thoughtful, perceptive, and insightful.
CONTINUE TO WORK ON SPECULATIVE FICTION STORY--DUE NEXT FRIDAY
HMWK: Read to Ch. 24 pg.186 for Tuesday
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Choose ONE of the following topics and discuss it in a well-developed essay. You may use your book to provide text-based details. Post yo...
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ReplyDelete#4. the novel would be different because we would look at the book from a different perspective, like a closer and younger view then just a narration.
ReplyDelete#7 ( speculative Questions ). if I woke up to the same news I wouldn't even know what to do at all, it would feel so weird and awkward.
Question #3: If the novel had been written from the perspective of an 11 year old it would be a lot different. The child would be able to describe their feelings in more description. The 11 year old would be able to describe their emotions in that moment. They would be able to detail every little thing, they would be a lot more childish and their mindset would be a lot different. Question 3 of Issues and Themes: Julia's friendship with Hanna is very evident that they are close friends. Julia's mother and father's relationship is evident that they are dysfunctional and stressed because of the slowing.
ReplyDeleteDo you relate more to the real-timers or the clock-timers?
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I feel each has it’s merits. Real-timers don’t want to live out of sync with the Earth, while clock-timers are refusing to accept that reality. Honestly, I think I would (at least in the beginning) be a clock-timer. I don’t take change in my life that well and would need some kind of rhythm, not a random, slowly growing, forty hour day. Eventually, though I would probably go on real time, as while reading the novel I feel great respect for the real-timers.
What portions or aspects of the writing did you find most artful and/or enjoyable to read?
I enjoy the fact of how the finish of almost every single chapter can leave you to really think about the problem at hand. For example, at the end of chapter seven it really gets you to sit there and think about the concept of time as we know it. “How quaint the old twenty-four-hour clock began to look to our eyes, how impossibly clean cut, with it’s twin sets of twelve, as neat as walnut shells. How had we believed, we wondered, in such simplistic things?” I don’t know, it’s always enjoyable to wrap things up in a nice little bow.
How does this book differ from other speculative narratives which you are familiar with?: The Age of Miracles is subtle and focuses more on the development of the characters than on the actual disaster that is occurring. Most other speculative fiction books I have read are very action packed and focused on solving the problem. The protagonists life changed drastically and they had to overcome huge challenges. This book is about everyday life and the slight changes that occur in it when disaster strikes around you. I find that in this book the most exciting parts often don’t even mention the slowing, but are an effect of it.
ReplyDeleteWhat defines a coming of age noel and how does The Age of Miracles fit that description?: I think that a coming of age novel is when a character is in the transition between childhood and maturity. The protagonist is unsure of who they want to be and struggling with new feelings that they don’t understand. The Age of Miracles is a coming of age novel because the main character, Julia, is maturing. She is developing new feelings towards Seth which she doesn’t know how to react to, her friends are changing and she doesn’t know how to change with them and she is stuck in a situation where she is dealing with mature fears but doesn’t know how to face them.
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ReplyDeleteQUESTION 4: How would the narration, or even the novel, have been different if the narration was told from the perspective of an 11 year old?
ReplyDeleteI think the narration would have been different if it had been told from the perspective of an 11 year old because although Julia does pay a close attention to detail, like for example, Julia in the 13 chapter Julia is focusing on her mother’s sickness and the disappearance of people, she’s really paying a close attention as to how the slowing is making her mother worried and sick. Younger kids seem to have a shorter attention span and only focus on things that fascinate them. If it had been told by an 11 year old, it would have been just like that. An 11 year would concentrate and spend most of their time focusing on the slowing. Kids often think up of worst case scenarios, so the 11 year old would think of the worst. The 11 year old would think about the slowing killing people, causing people to slip into insanity, and will think of people taking advantage of the slowing to do disastrous and horrid things.
QUESTION 5 : How would the novel have been different if the story had been told by Julia’s mother or father?
If the novel had been told from Julia’s mother and father perspective it would be different because they’re adults. If it was told by Julia’s father, he wouldn’t come off as frighten or as worried as Julia. In his perspective of the slowly, he’ll view it as something temporary and something that’ll fix itself over time. Julia’s father would probably narrate how the slowing has affected not only his family and the people that are around him, but how he feels about their reactions towards the slowing. I say this because in the book when everyone is freaking out about the slowly, Julia’s father is more calm about it and doesn’t seem worried. For example on page 87, Julia’s father says, “We’ll be fine.” And then on page 110 of the book, Julia states that her unlike herself and her mother, her father isn’t as worried as them. He’s able to go to sleep even though their nights are now mostly days and he’s able to adjust to the slowing. She even states how her father goes out to get gadgets for her mother to soothe her anxiety about the slowing.
Question 1: What are the multiple meanings of the title of the book?
ReplyDeleteThe title The Age Of Miracles indicates many
meaning such as sorrow and sadness.The title also relates to the high school that Julia goes to.They relate because all the teenagers are at the Age of a miracles , because their going through puberty and alot of changes.
Julia's mother, sickness, has many effects upon the people around her. In my point of view, I believed that she didn't actually have a "sickness", it was more of the thought playing tricks on her. The stress of the slowing was building up worries and stress that it was to much for her to take, since the situation was unusual. How is a person able to take information so quickly and one that is not familiar with and take it easily? I don't see how they can. Julia's mother was set in a position she didn't have control over. To the point where she has to go through out the days without her husband being there for her, and to the point where she gets in a car crash, hitting the man that was deliberately passing by.
ReplyDeleteThe title, The Age of Miracles, has many meanings, such as the fact that Julia, a 11 year old who is going through a 'slowing', is taking in what's going on around the community around her. She notices things that wasn't clearly identified for her, it was the 'slowing' that helped her realize the real world. Each extra minute that passes by, she has more time to see the world in a whole different point of view. As for others in the story, they sort of kept the same, they went with the regular time.
ReplyDeleteHow does the author inform the reader about the initial setting of the book?
On page 1 she told us how they were distracted by weather and war and that bombs were exploding in distant countries. That means that she was in a place of war. She told us that hurricanes come and go so it is somewhere that can get hurricanes.
What are the multiple meanings of the title of the book?
One meaning of the book is when you are going through high school. Going through high school means that you are getting older and changing how you think. Another meaning is that good things happen when you are changing and becoming mature.
1. How would the novel have been different if the story had been told by Julia's mother or father?
ReplyDeleteThe story would have been different because the adults have a way different view. Her father, for example is a lot more calm than many people in their neighborhood, Julia's mother, and even Julia. When Julia's parent's hear the news, her mom panics and makes a big deal and her father doesn't seem to be bothered by it. On page 14, Julia's mom says "You're acting like this isn't a big deal." and on page 15 she says "People are panicking..." This implies that if the story was in her mother's point of view, it would be a lot more frantic and we would be able to see everything that Julia's mom panics about.
2. What draws Julia and Seth together?
Aside from the fact that Julia has a crush on him, Seth and Julia are drawn together when he sticks up for her. On page 41, Daryl ridicules Julia for not wearing a bra. He lifts her shirt, leaving Julia embarrassed. On page 42 it says "Seth was the last one on the bus. He smiled a weak smile as he passed me... I saw something different, something worse: pity." This means that Seth sticks up for Julia because he felt bad for her. That was the first time they were "drawn together".
The Age Of Miracles story is set in the present day instead of the future cause important events are happening in the present time they are in. I think this story would affect older readers differently than younger readers because the book has more serious events that teens who are more matured can understand and relate too more than kids who are younger who read this book.
ReplyDeletehow did the author feel writing this book?
ReplyDeletewhat was the authors inspiration for this book?
ReplyDeletefrom the tone of this book the author was very interested and feeling in a way I would describe as powerful. and as writers we get our inspiration from everywhere.
ReplyDeleteQuestion #1
ReplyDeleteThe title, Age Of Miracles can have different meanings. One of them being middle school. Where kids begin to hit puberty and start maturing. When girls start growing body parts and guys grow facial hair. Another meaning for it could be how everyday that the earth doesn't completely stop is a miracle, making it the age of miracles. Everyday they go on with the fear of the earth fully stopping and massive catastrophes happening. Such as tsunamis and tornados. The end of the world itself. The title can be interpreted in many ways and these are a few.
Question #5
If the story had been told in the perspective of Julia's mom, i feel like it would have more of a panicking feeling to it. Her mother tends to panic a lot when the smallest of things started happening following the slowly. When the slowing itself had started she acted as if she had been at the edge of the cliff and could fall at any given moment. When she began getting sick the story might have ended up taking a more depressing tone.
1. How are the personalities of the various characters revealed through small details?
ReplyDeleteThe personalities of the various characters are revealed throughout the novel The Age of Miracles in small details. For example, hints to Seth's personality are subtle, but they give the readers a glimpse of what he is really like. On page 112 it says, "That's when Seth pulled Daryl's backpack right off of his shoulders and hurled it into the canyon in the same direction as the bird." This shows how Seth really cares about animals and sticking up for the little guy, but doesn't necessarily know how to show his frustration. Also, small details about Hanna show up throughout the novel. For example on page 99 it states, "'I know,' said Hanna, her cheeks a sudden red. She was smiling but trying not to smile.'And we were on the top bunk.'" This excerpt demonstrates how Hanna cares about boys and how she likes to show off to her friends. Also during that scene Hanna ignored Julia and talked more to her new friend. This shows how she doesn't really care about Julia anymore and she is quick to adapt to change.
2. How does the author inform the reader about the initial setting of the narrative?
ReplyDeleteThe author informs the reader about the initial setting of the narrative by talking about her daily life and fears. This gives the reader an idea about what time period and where they are. Just from the first chapter we know that it takes place in California and that it's in present day. On page 3 it says, "We were distracted back then by weather and war...Summer ended. A new school year began. The clocks ticked as usual." This also foreshadows that something might change the normal everyday life. By describing small things, the reader starts to wonder why the author is adding the detail and starts to analyze it deeper. Karen Thompson Walker does a good job with this in The Age of Miracles.
Question:36
ReplyDeleteI think that the authors motivations where to get the readers attention.Making them feel like their are in the book like their Julia .
Wesley k. Bruce Jr.
ReplyDelete9/22/17 AGE OF QUESTIONS!
Mrs. Gamszon
Question #6-
Personalities of many characters besides Julias are developed throughout the novel through their interactions with the main character Julia. One character who has been developed is Seth Moreno who has an emotionally deeper personality than previously thought. Seth says during an Eclipse “This might be it...What if this is how we die” and also asking the question “Do you ever wish you could be a hero”Another character who was thought to be Julia's best friend is Hannah who then is forced to move away and replaces Julia in a way. Julia says “We’d been friends for years but a new shyness shadowed over us” also telling her mom that “Hannah was always with Tracey these days” Those are just 2 characters who've personalities have been detailed.
Questions #11-
The are many parts of chapters in Age Of Miracles that put imagery into my head as to what the setting would look like and likewise for the making of a movie scene. Such as Julia saying “The main thing I remember about those afternoons at the field where the moments when the boys team would come jogging past our practice.we could hear the boys panting as they got close the synchronized click of their ceas on the asphalt. We could smell the sweat of their jerseys as they passed.” There are many very detailed scenes like that throughout the book the put visual images in my head.
where is the setting in the book?
ReplyDeletewho is the main character?
san Francisco California
Julie
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ReplyDeleteQ: HOW DOES THE AUTHOR INFORM THE READER ABOUT THE INITIAL SETTING OF THE NARRATIVE?
ReplyDeleteAns. : In the first paragraph of the third chapter Julia states “ We Californians….” and that gives us the idea that they live in California. The story also started when the slowing started happening .
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ReplyDelete