Assignment+Two+-+Fiction+Reading

First, take a few minutes to respond to your partner's posts from the last short story.

Next, on to assignment two...

Even though this is not a huge story (26 pages), I'm giving you an extra day because there is so much you can get out of it. It's a great read, and you may want to take your time and be very thoughtful as you read/reread. Please make sure that each response to each question is at least a paragraph long.

Answer every question inside each question as well.

“The Year of Getting to Know Us”, by Ethan Canin



1. Discuss the title and all the different ways it comes into play in this story. (ie, what does “know” mean? Who is “us”? How is it ironic?) Use examples to support your assertions. 2. Examine the moment when the father says, “You don’t have to get to know me, because one day you’re going to be me.” Why does this memory appear so late in the story? What does it mean? How does that line affect the main character? 3. How does the father’s particular ailment have extra resonance in this story? 4. List all the conflicts in the story--who has conflicts with whom? Regarding what? How do you know?

These answered questions need to be posted by Monday night at midnight.

Thanks!