For all of you reading Straight Man, I decided to post my questions early.
1) Hanks mom has him go into the basement for a box of memorbelia and on the top of the box he finds his old dog collar. Why do you think the author brought this item back into Hank's life? Foreshadowing? Symbolism?
2) During this section of reading Lily, Jacob Rose and Hank's Mom and Charles Purtty all go out of town. Do you think there was a significance to this particular group going out of town? Do you think it led up to the event in Ch. 11? Explain.
3) In the locker room Tony is talking about fornication and Hank doesn't join in. Later on Tony says to Hank don't you wish you were single and good looking. How do you think Hank feels toward Tony? Is he jealous? Give examples.
4) Hank is constanly excusing himself or just sneaking to pee and the author goes into detail about the trouble he has peeing. What is the significance of this?
1. I think the dog collar is a way to remind the reader of the prologue and to keep the story together, especially during the scene with his mother. He also refers to his class about writing a lot, especially about character development, and I think bringing back the dog collar was a way to remind you of the relationship between his mother and father now that his father is coming back to town.
2. I didn't read much into this event, and at this point I don't remember the details, so I'm skipping this question. (Man, I wish I could've answered like that in college!)
3. I think Hank misses some of the young lust that him and his wife used to have. He refers to it several times. Now with him imagining his wife in other men's arms, coupled with other signs that he's aging, I'm wondering if he's afraid he can't satisfy his wife anymore.
4. Speaking of signs that he's aging... I think his worries about a stone and his reluctance to get it looked at shows the way he approaches most of his problems: Maybe if he ignores it, it will just go away. Or maybe even more accurate, if he learns to live with the problem being there, he'll never really have to do anything else about it. Which would explain why his colleagues act the way they do.
2) I think these are all the people that hold him accountable or that he feels a responsibility to and w/ them out of town he sort of "misbehaves."
3) Good call Mz I didn't get the part about him satisfing his wife. Although he doesn't come out and say this, his lack of joining into the locker room "fornication" and the way he ignores the oyster eating bit leads me to believe he could care less for Tony take on women. I also think he doesn't support Tony's way of life because he brings up the example of how Tony was passed by for full professor.
4) I see what you mean about him having to put up w/ it the way he puts up w/ his colleges, Mz. But it was mentioned that the kidney stone was for his father retrobution for his affairs. And now Hank is only thinking about such things but he wonders if this is why he is getting the stone. I didn't see any significance to his leaving to pee - but I thought I might have missed something.
Confuzzed, how far are you into the book? What have you thought about it so far? Have you got the the goose part? What do you think is going to happen?
I am through chapeter 15. I didn't really pick it up this weekend. I have been slacking. Speaking of slacking, has anyone heard from professor Dylan on these matters?
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Stop trying to be what you see. Be what you ought to be.
My apologies to my dedicated and gifted students, your professor will have more time tomorrow to spend with you. I have had an uncooperative schedule the last few days. But stay the course and study hard....gold stars to all who have kept the ship afloat in my absence.
That was directed at Dylan who has been posting numbers and words but not anything on the book. I'm through 18 - Shall we plan on 24 for Monday? Dylan or not? After that we can finish the book. Sound good to everyone?
