10B Week 9 Discussion

[David, Teacher]

The ELA Regents, which you'll take in about 14 months (in January of 2015), has a number of different kinds of questions on it. One of the questions is called a "critical lens" question.

The critical lens question asks you discuss two pieces of literature from the particular perspective of a statement that is provided to you as the "critical lens." The critical lens statement will generally be an open-ended quote from a book that can be interpreted in many different ways.

We'd like you to consider this critical lens:

"The test of a courageous person is the ability to bear defeat without losing heart."

Use your current independent reading book AND Fahrenheit 451 to consider the critical lens above. In your response, be sure to do three things:

1. Summarize the quote in your own words
2. Formulate a thesis that connects this quote to your independent reading book and F451
3. Provide support that explains how the critical lens quote relates to each book by including evidence from each book.

[Emmanuelthomas]

I think the quote is saying that in order to be courageous you have to be able to with stand hardships and defeat with out losing fate and heart. I feel that the given statement is a true statement because in the book Cirque Du Freak the main character Darren Shan had to face the hardship of living his family and best friend behind just so he could become a vampire even tho he did not want to. Another example is in the book Fahrenheit 451 Guy Montag went throw so many defeats getting his wife left him and he had to go on the run but in the end he showed that reading was not a bad thing.

[Omar]

"The test of a courageous person is the ability to bear defeat without losing heart." i think this quote means that if your a trooper and you will never back down in what you do, you will gain more justice. In the book "I Am Zlatan," Zlatan had to do everything by him self. he had to do home work by him self, he had to go to places by him self. it was a real struggle for Zlatan, but thats why he never gave up and he wasn't scared of what other people would think of him. Now hes living his dream by becoming one of the best soccer players in the world. On the other hand, in the book Fahrenheit 451, Montag faced so many hardships with his wife and he stood up to what he believed. He proved to people that books weren't bad.

[Charles]

David,

"The test of a courageous person is the ability to bear defeat without losing heart."

It is funny that you bring up this quote, because it has such a strong connection to my book; To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The book contrasts the childhood innocence we all once had with the perspective one grows into as an adult. Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are not mentally prepared for the challenges they face, and are annihilated. Despite Tom’s conviction, Jem’s faith in justice and humanity is badly damaged. The most mature character of the book is Atticus Finch. He does not break.

In Fahrenheit 451 Montag eventually sees the giant monster which at one point seems insurmountable... the structure of the Fireman. We see throughout 451 that Montag goes through so much, but he perseveres. That is the meaning of the quote. To be beaten down without having your character broken.

[Freddy]

"The test of a courageous person is the ability to bear defeat without losing heart."

What I think this quote is trying to say is that if you are brave enough to go and do it than if you lose its not a problem to get back up and try again. In my book pop its exactly like that. Marcus was so afriad to try out for the football team. He had the courage and the guts to do so but as the book goes on he gets hurts really bad. He dosnt quit after he trains and gets his body back to were it used to be but even better.that quote basically described my book in one sentence.

[Emily]

I think this quote means that a brave doesn't get upset about losing or about difficulties happening. This relates to my book, Out of My Mind , by Sharon M. Draper because Melody has Cerebral Palsy, which most people think would make life harder. Melody doesn't let the disease ruin her life.

The quotes related to Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury because Montag had his house burn down, which is a hard thing in his life. Then, instead of giving up, he goes to the lake where people memorize their books.

[Erica]

I think that in this quote it means wheater your brave or not you don't have to get upset for little things and even if its bad as it is you don't have the right to act like now you act. In the book that i am reading called I was a Teenage Fairy By: Francesca Lia Block reminds me of Barbie which is the main character is trying to remind herself that she was a fairy as well and that she was brave to go through all the syntums in order of being a fairy because of the way that she was acting and becoming made her realize that she was being brave all about it.

[Joey]

I have to say that this quote is saying that you don't worry about anything and just to do what your heart tells you to do. Like its saying that no matter what you will do whatever you have to do to get something done. Connecting this to the book that I am reading Mocking Jay by Suzanne Collins it is like where Katniss has to go forth and face the capitol head on without worrying about anything.

[Miriam]

the quote is saying follow yourself and dont worry about whats in other peoples heads. My book can relate to this cause one of the twins is dead and the dead one (emma) is trying to follow what shes thinking but she cant.

[Nicolas]

The quote "The test of a courageous person is the ability to bear defeat without losing heart." means that those who are truly brave will struggle on in the face of defeat. I believe that this is shown in book: Fahrenheit 451 and my first book read for this semester, Star Trek the Next Generation: Gulliver's Fugitives. In Farenheit 451, Montag is forced to burn down his home as well as his books, being told that he is now under arrest. He still continues to fight once his ally Faber is threatened. He is now homeless and a wanted fugitive but he still keeps going. In Gullivers Fugitives, Troi is the only member of her away team to escape the government of the planet Rampart. She is outnumbered and the best way to survive would be to hide out for the rest of her life, instead she still attempts to save her friends with a group of rebels who are outnumbered and the odds are against them. Fahrenheit 451 Gullivers Fugitives

[David]

I think the quote test of a courageous person is the ability to bear defeat without losing heart means that you although bad things happen you know that you are actually courageous when you don't stop and continue what you were doing. This connects to the diary of a wimpy kid because even after riley broke his arm he didn't let that stop him from doing what he loved. In fahrenhieght 451 Montag's job is to burn books but that doesn't stop him from reading them.

[Chelsea]

1) I think the quote is saying that a person who really tries might fail sometimes but they don't lose hope.
2) My thesis connecting the quote to my independent reading book (The Unwritten Rule) and Fahrenheit 451 is that both of the main characters lose hope and give up at first, which is the opposite of what the quote tells us.
3) The both should have followed their heart and pleased themselves instead of giving up and pleasing others. For example, in The Unwritten Rule, Sarah knows she has strong feelings for Ryan, but instead of following her heart and taking chances, she just lets her friend Briana take him. In Fahrenheit 451 the main character knows burning books is wrong, but still he does it anyway to please his wife and because that is what his town is known for, so everyone thinks the same and no one is allowed to have their own opinions.