Descriptive Writing

Directions: There are several paintings and photos below. For each picture, you will be asked to write at least one paragraph following the prompts. Your writing needs to be exceptionally descriptive. Remember to appeal to the five sense, to use figurative language, to have fun with words, and to show and not tell. Do not use the list of weak words below.

Weak Words
1. Just
2. Very
3. Really
4. Said
5. Amazing
6. Awesome
7. Happy
8. Sad
9. Stuff
10. Things
11. Got
12. Big
13. Small
14. Pretty
15. Ugly

#1.

Write a paragraph that describes what is happening in the this painting.

•What is the setting?

•Who are the characters? What is the relationship between the characters? If this were a story, who would the main characters be?

•What would the plot of this story be? Is this pictures of the beginning, middle, or end?

#2. 

Write a paragraph that describes what is happening in the this photograph. 

•What is the setting? 

•Who are the characters? What is the relationship between the characters? If this were a story, who would the main characters be? 

•What would the plot of this story be? Is this pictures of the beginning, middle, or end?

#3

 Write a paragraph that describes what is happening in the this phtograph. 

•What is the setting? 

•Who are the characters? What is the relationship between the characters? If this were a story, who would the main characters be? 

•What would the plot of this story be? Is this pictures of the beginning, middle, or end?
If you finish the descriptive writing assignment, work on any of the grammar exercises here. 

Journal Entry #5

Journal Entry #5
Although Night is a memoir, parts of it have been embellished. If you were to write a memoir, what parts of your own life would you embellish? Why?

Night Chap. 5 Discussion Questions

Night: Discussion Questions Chapter 5

Directions: With a partner(s), discuss these questions thoroughly. After an ample discussion, write down your answer. Your answers should be complete sentences.

1.    On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, over 10,000 Jews gather for prayers. Describe Eliezer’s thoughts as the prayer is recited. How does he twist the words of the recitation?

2.    Yom Kippur was the Day of Atonement—a day when the followers of God as a way to make reparations for their sins. Describe why Eliezer does not fast.

3.    Wiesel writes that “[t]he SS offered us a beautiful present for the new year.” What is the irony of this statement? What was the “beautiful” present?

4.    What advice does the head of Wiesel’s block give the men to get through the selection? Why does the head of the block give advice at all?

5.    Why does the head of the block attempt to assure the ten that were selected to stay in the camp that they would be fine? Once again, honestly does not seem like the best option.

6.    What was Eliezer’s inheritance from his father? How does the use of the word “inheritance” in the chapter compare to how most people use this word. Give another example of how a common word is used differently in Night because of the speaker’s experiences.

7.    When the reader is first introduced to Akiba Drumer, he is a deeply religious many; what has happened to Drumer? What did he ask for from his friends at the end of his life? Did they give it to him? Why or why not?

8.    It is difficult to trust anyone in Buna—one of Eliezer’s close friend threatened his life over a golden tooth. Why does Eliezer trust the doctor in the infirmary?

9.    Eliezer and his father decide to evacuate with the rest of the camp instead of remaining in the infirmary. Placed in the same situation (not knowing that the infirmary would be liberated two days later), what decision would you have made?

10.  The last section of this chapter begins, “At six o’clock the bell rang. The death knell. The funeral. The procession was beginnings its march.”
Describe the figurative language being used here. What is the speaker foreshadowing?

Night Bell-ringer and Journal Entry #3

April 28, 2014

Bell-ringer: You do not have to write the sentences or the definition for each word. Instead, create your own sentences using the underlined words. Each sentence should be at least ten words long.

1.     The dentist needed to extract the infected tooth before replacing it with a gold facsimile.

2.     The sanctity of God is frequently questioned when bad things happen to good people.

3.     Your persistent defiance to authority has not gone unnoticed.

4.     At the 10 year anniversary, the former students reminisced on the good days from high school.

5.     Willful stupidity makes Mr. Spivy absolutely livid.  

Journal Entry #3
Write a response to one of the following prompts. This should be kept separate from your bell-ringers.

Option #1: Eliezer poses a profound question: “How was it possible that men, women, and children were being burned and that the world kept silent?” If confronted with this question, how would you answer?

Option #2: Elie tells a lie to his relative, Stein, because he believed it was more helpful to lie than to cause Stein pain with the truth. Is lying ever acceptable? How does one judge when a lie is beneficial? Give an example from your own experience.

 

NIGHT Chap. 2 & 3 Questions

Night: Chapters 2 and 3 Discussion Questions

1.       Describe the conditions in the cattle car. Your description should appeal to all five senses: sight, smell, hear, taste, and touch.

2.       “The train stopped in […] small town on the Czechoslovakian border. […] We realized then that we were not staying in Hungary. Our eyes opened. Too late.” Night, pg. 23
What does Elie mean when he says that their eyes opened? Where did they hope they would be going?

3.       Describe Mrs. Schächter. Describe the progression of treatment towards her by the other Jews. Was their treatment of her justifiable? Describe her son. How does he change?

4.       Do you believe Mrs. Schächter was insane, having a vision of what was to come, or hallucinating? Could there be another explanation?

5.       Describe Elie’s description of being separated from his mother and sisters. Why do you think he only mentions Tzipora by name? He had two other sisters.

6.       On page 31, Elie describes the younger Jews rallying support for a revolt. Who puts an end to these thoughts? Why did they not go through with the idea?

7.       Why does Elie’s father tell his son he wished he had gone with his mother? What would have happened to Elie had he gone with his mother?

8.       Give a description of Elie’s first day in Auschwitz.

9.       Why did Elie lie to Stein? Was his lie justifiable? When did Stein stop visiting?

10.   Elie talks about how his faith and his God were killed the first night in Auschwitz. Even still, he prays, sings hymns, and discusses his faith. How can he talk about losing his faith and still act like he has not lost it?

NIGHT Chap. 1 Questions and Journal Prompts

Night: Chapter 1 Discussion Questions

1.       Try to picture Elie’s childhood. How is his childhood like yours and how is it different?

2.       Why do you believe Wiesel began his story with Moishe the Beadle?

3.       Compare and contrast Moishe before and after his deportation.

4.       What part does religion play in the community? In Elie’s life?

5.       Describe the progression of oppression of the Jews in Sighet. How did they react each time?

6.       Describe Elie’s father. Why do you believe he refused to leave Sighet?

7.       At the bottom of page 12, Wiesel writes “The story he had interrupted would remain unfinished.” How could this be interpreted symbolically to mean more than just the story?

8.       How did the Jews adapt to the ghettos?

9.       Why do you believe no one (except for one) was told where the Jews were being deported?

10.   Describe the significance of the transports being in cattle cars.

Journal Entry #2 (keep separate from your bell-ringers)

Directions: Write about one of the prompts below. No stated minimum; write as much as you can. The topics are open-ended, so you will have the freedom to interpret the topic individually. You may do one of the topics from before (the one you have not done) or the new topic.

Option A—Like any relationship, Elie Wiesel’s relationship with God is fluid—frequently changing. What are your honest thoughts on a higher power? Do not simply regurgitate what you have learned from your parents or church—write about your honest thoughts.

Option B—Hope and fear are two of the strongest forces in this world. A leader can manipulate followers by using these two forces. People have acted in remarkable ways because of fear and/or hope. Of the two, which do you think is more powerful?

Option C—Like any teenager, the speaker’s relationships with each of his parents are complex.

Choose one of your parents and discuss the complexity of your relationship with him/her. Maybe the expectations that are set for you are too high; perhaps this parent is absent or uninvolved with your life. Hopefully, there are some positive aspects of the relationship.