The Lives of Soldiers - part 1

Well we were supposed to watch part of Sergeant York and listen to a chapter from Johnny Got His Gun today, but between the power outage and bad copying, it didn't happen.

Instead, we wrote for a while about days we have off from school: Pulaski day, Veteran's Day, and Memorial Day.

• Why do we have these days? 
• Is there a difference between what is supposed to happen and what actually does happen? 
• What do you do on those days, and why?
• How does our country thank and honor people who have served in the military?

Then, we remembered the soldiers we watched head off to serve in WWI, remembering their optimism and excitement. We also read about the terrible carnage they witnessed.

Lastly, we read Ernest Hemingway's "Soldier's Home." We explored what this story says about Krebs, the young man who served in the army, and what his life was like when he returned home. We also discussed what is happening in his town, and how they do not greet him as a hero. We also discussed the changed nature of his relationship with his mother.

For homework, you read part 1 of another Hemingway story, "Big Two-Hearted River"

(you read either the handout or the version posted in the calendar)