Some Teaching Suggestions
Posted March 15, 2007 at Teachnology
The story certainly seems more interesting and challenging for students if Ann is understood as an unreliable narrator. They can then appreciate the rich irony thoughout it, there is far more to analyze and discuss, and debate about the characters is not narrowed by a simple moralistic view of them.
Two general approaches can be taken, but for both of them the novel should probably to be divided into 4 parts for analysis: (1) Loomis' arrival and sickness; (2) his recovery and Ann's estrangement from him (until she returns to the cave); (3) Ann's refusal of any friendship and Loomis's extreme measures to force her return (until she kills Faro); and (4) the endgame (Ann's ploy to steal the suit, their last meeting, and Ann's departure).
TWO GENERAL APPROACHES
1) Make no mention of the idea that Ann is a biased narrator until the class has finished reading the story. All through the story, there should just be factual questions about Loomis and Ann, without explicitly directing students to question Ann's reliability. But the questions SHOULD draw attention to things that raise doubts about her reasoning, fairness, and objectivity. At the same time, the students should be trying to understand Loomis' reasoning and how he perhaps views Ann.
2) A second approach could be to explain the device of the unreliable narrator up front and ask students to constantly consider while they're reading whether Ann is this type of narrator. This should help students read more critically, since they will be skeptical of the narrator's viewpoint from the start and TRY CONSCIOUSLY to evaluate Ann's attitudes and judgments each step of the way. In addition, students could be prepared through studying one or two short stories with an unreliable narrator, such as Will Stanton's "Barney" and Charlotte Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper."
With either approach, a journal or log should be kept by students for making notes about the views and behavior of the two characters. With the first approach, there can be a third column for the student to note his/her opinions or evaluation of what happens. With the second approach, students would write in the third column whether or not the characters' ideas and behavior seem reasonable--especially Ann's interpretation of events and the character of Loomis. Also, notes about Loomis should indicate whether information about him is based on a quote, a factual description of what he does, or Ann's opinion about him.
If must of course be understand very clearly that Ann's views about Loomis should NOT be taken for granted as reliable or valid. We have to try to decide for ourselves whether she judges him fairly and correctly, if there is ambiguity about his thoughts and behavior, or if she seems clearly mistaken about him.
Also, students should evaluate Loomis' character in detail BEFORE they read about Ann's fears when he starts to get better, and definitely before they read the "attempted rape" scene. This way, their judgments about his behavior will NOT be clouded by what he later does or by what Ann fears. The first evaluations of Loomis thus provide a baseline against which Ann's and our later impressions about him can be measured. Ann's later judgments about him should be consistent with his behavior in the first part of the story.
Whichever way is chosen for studying the novel, I think it is essential that many questions are raised about Ann's reliability or objectivity as a narrator, and that students TRY to understand Loomis based on exactly what he says and does--not based on what Ann thinks about him. If students are allowed to read the story without doing this (i.e., uncritically), the authoritative voice of the narrator will very likely influence them to accept her view of everything without question--and they will end up, like many readers, merely hating Loomis like Ann does and claiming she should've simply killed him! Then the novel will be completely misinterpreted and its principal themes missed.
EXAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR PART 1
ABOUT ANN:
Why is she afraid when she sees Loomis approaching? Is her fear reasonable?
Is it reasonable for her to hide when he enters the valley? Would you do this?
Is it possible to judge a person's character by watching from a distance?
Why does she feel tempted to answer when Loomis calls out? Why doesn't she respond? Should she have answered him?
Why doesn't she stop Loomis from swimming in a dead stream?
Should she have done something? Is she responsible at all for the near-fatal radiation sickness that results?
When she cares for Loomis, is she still afraid of him? Why or why not?
If you were in her position, would you think of possibly marrying Loomis?
What do Ann's thoughts here suggest about her character and way of thinking as a 16-year-old?
ABOUT LOOMIS:
What can be deduced about Loomis' character based on what he says and does?
Consider:
- the way he calls out when he first enters the valley.
- his response when Ann says she should've stopped him from swimming.
- his attitude about having possibly fatal radiation poisoning.
- his manner with Ann while she cares for him.
How does Loomis seem to feel about Ann? What does he seem to think about their relationship? What does he seem to expect of her?
What does Loomis have nightmares about? What do the nightmares suggest about his character?
Why did he think it was necessary to kill Edward? Do you agree or not?
What was Edward's state of mind, and could he be trusted to return? What would you have done in Loomis' situation?
EXAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR PART 2
How does Loomis probably feel about Ann's piano playing? Why?
Why does Ann ask Loomis if he was ever married before?
Why was he expecting her to ask that question? What could he be thinking about Ann's intentions or feelings at this time?
Why does Loomis hold Ann's hand? What does this suggest about his feelings?
After she stumbles nervously and hits him, why does he remind her that she held his hand once before?
How does he seem to feel about what happens?
How can we explain why Loomis goes to Ann's room at night?
Is it reasonable for him to think she MIGHT accept him coming to her? (Are there any romantic stories in which a man and woman sleep together without explicitly discussing their relationship and intentions, and the man is correct to assume that the woman is equally interested?)
Is it possible Loomis knows that Ann is awake and waiting? How does it change our understanding of the situation if he knows she is awake?
Has she given him any signs of romantic interest in him?
Is there any reason he might decide to approach intimacy this way instead of discussing it first?
Why doesn't Ann tell Loomis right away to leave her room? Why does she wait for him to climb onto her bed?
What do you think would have happened if she had just told him to leave?
If Loomis knows that Ann is afraid of him and unwilling to sleep with him, WHY would he assume that he can force her to do it and that they could then continue to live together on good terms? Does such thinking fit with the character of a dispassionate scientist or with his calm manner earlier in facing his own possible death?
Two general approaches can be taken, but for both of them the novel should probably to be divided into 4 parts for analysis: (1) Loomis' arrival and sickness; (2) his recovery and Ann's estrangement from him (until she returns to the cave); (3) Ann's refusal of any friendship and Loomis's extreme measures to force her return (until she kills Faro); and (4) the endgame (Ann's ploy to steal the suit, their last meeting, and Ann's departure).
TWO GENERAL APPROACHES
1) Make no mention of the idea that Ann is a biased narrator until the class has finished reading the story. All through the story, there should just be factual questions about Loomis and Ann, without explicitly directing students to question Ann's reliability. But the questions SHOULD draw attention to things that raise doubts about her reasoning, fairness, and objectivity. At the same time, the students should be trying to understand Loomis' reasoning and how he perhaps views Ann.
2) A second approach could be to explain the device of the unreliable narrator up front and ask students to constantly consider while they're reading whether Ann is this type of narrator. This should help students read more critically, since they will be skeptical of the narrator's viewpoint from the start and TRY CONSCIOUSLY to evaluate Ann's attitudes and judgments each step of the way. In addition, students could be prepared through studying one or two short stories with an unreliable narrator, such as Will Stanton's "Barney" and Charlotte Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper."
With either approach, a journal or log should be kept by students for making notes about the views and behavior of the two characters. With the first approach, there can be a third column for the student to note his/her opinions or evaluation of what happens. With the second approach, students would write in the third column whether or not the characters' ideas and behavior seem reasonable--especially Ann's interpretation of events and the character of Loomis. Also, notes about Loomis should indicate whether information about him is based on a quote, a factual description of what he does, or Ann's opinion about him.
If must of course be understand very clearly that Ann's views about Loomis should NOT be taken for granted as reliable or valid. We have to try to decide for ourselves whether she judges him fairly and correctly, if there is ambiguity about his thoughts and behavior, or if she seems clearly mistaken about him.
Also, students should evaluate Loomis' character in detail BEFORE they read about Ann's fears when he starts to get better, and definitely before they read the "attempted rape" scene. This way, their judgments about his behavior will NOT be clouded by what he later does or by what Ann fears. The first evaluations of Loomis thus provide a baseline against which Ann's and our later impressions about him can be measured. Ann's later judgments about him should be consistent with his behavior in the first part of the story.
Whichever way is chosen for studying the novel, I think it is essential that many questions are raised about Ann's reliability or objectivity as a narrator, and that students TRY to understand Loomis based on exactly what he says and does--not based on what Ann thinks about him. If students are allowed to read the story without doing this (i.e., uncritically), the authoritative voice of the narrator will very likely influence them to accept her view of everything without question--and they will end up, like many readers, merely hating Loomis like Ann does and claiming she should've simply killed him! Then the novel will be completely misinterpreted and its principal themes missed.
EXAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR PART 1
ABOUT ANN:
Why is she afraid when she sees Loomis approaching? Is her fear reasonable?
Is it reasonable for her to hide when he enters the valley? Would you do this?
Is it possible to judge a person's character by watching from a distance?
Why does she feel tempted to answer when Loomis calls out? Why doesn't she respond? Should she have answered him?
Why doesn't she stop Loomis from swimming in a dead stream?
Should she have done something? Is she responsible at all for the near-fatal radiation sickness that results?
When she cares for Loomis, is she still afraid of him? Why or why not?
If you were in her position, would you think of possibly marrying Loomis?
What do Ann's thoughts here suggest about her character and way of thinking as a 16-year-old?
ABOUT LOOMIS:
What can be deduced about Loomis' character based on what he says and does?
Consider:
- the way he calls out when he first enters the valley.
- his response when Ann says she should've stopped him from swimming.
- his attitude about having possibly fatal radiation poisoning.
- his manner with Ann while she cares for him.
How does Loomis seem to feel about Ann? What does he seem to think about their relationship? What does he seem to expect of her?
What does Loomis have nightmares about? What do the nightmares suggest about his character?
Why did he think it was necessary to kill Edward? Do you agree or not?
What was Edward's state of mind, and could he be trusted to return? What would you have done in Loomis' situation?
EXAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR PART 2
How does Loomis probably feel about Ann's piano playing? Why?
Why does Ann ask Loomis if he was ever married before?
Why was he expecting her to ask that question? What could he be thinking about Ann's intentions or feelings at this time?
Why does Loomis hold Ann's hand? What does this suggest about his feelings?
After she stumbles nervously and hits him, why does he remind her that she held his hand once before?
How does he seem to feel about what happens?
How can we explain why Loomis goes to Ann's room at night?
Is it reasonable for him to think she MIGHT accept him coming to her? (Are there any romantic stories in which a man and woman sleep together without explicitly discussing their relationship and intentions, and the man is correct to assume that the woman is equally interested?)
Is it possible Loomis knows that Ann is awake and waiting? How does it change our understanding of the situation if he knows she is awake?
Has she given him any signs of romantic interest in him?
Is there any reason he might decide to approach intimacy this way instead of discussing it first?
Why doesn't Ann tell Loomis right away to leave her room? Why does she wait for him to climb onto her bed?
What do you think would have happened if she had just told him to leave?
If Loomis knows that Ann is afraid of him and unwilling to sleep with him, WHY would he assume that he can force her to do it and that they could then continue to live together on good terms? Does such thinking fit with the character of a dispassionate scientist or with his calm manner earlier in facing his own possible death?
About Map-making
Personally, I think it is a waste of students' time to find all the scattered descriptions in the story and piece them together to make a map--especially if efforts are spent on this rather than on the far more important issue of understanding Ann and Loomis. As a reading comprehension activity, a partially completed map could be provided with page references for answering questions about the locations of certain places or events. Then the students would only have to understand information on specified pages and fill in a given map. This would be more efficient while still requiring students to do some research. A map of Burden Valley is available here: http://zforzachariahanalysis.yolasite.com/burden-valley-maps.php.