How does that kind of surprise—when our expectations are subverted—work on us emotionally? Why do you think Le Guin chose not to tell us from the outset that the characters were wolves?

What will be an ideal response?



  • Our first reaction is probably one of pleasure at the cleverness of the trick, the way we might respond to an O. Henry story or an episode of The Twilight Zone, and admiration for the author who has entertained us by thinking it up. Then, we might think something along the lines of “Yes, it makes sense, when you consider it: wolves, and no doubt all sorts of other creatures, must have their own customs and beliefs, their own way of looking at the world.” From there, if we truly ponder the implications, we might begin thinking about how the notion that there are two sides to every argument also applies to racial and religious tensions, to sectarian and international conflicts. By allowing us to assume through much of the story that the characters are human, Le Guin makes us feel a sense of kinship with the speaker and identify with her values and her point of view. Having done so, we cannot then simply dismiss her as something alien and therefore unworthy of being respected or taken seriously.

Language Arts & World Languages

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Choose the letter (A, B, or C) that is followed by a sentence in which the underlined irregular verb is used correctly

a. He went last month; his brother goed with him. b. He went last month; his brother gone with him. c. He went last month; his brother went with him.

Language Arts & World Languages

Yo visito ______________________________ los sábados. (my friends)

Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).

Language Arts & World Languages

Señores, no ________ muy tarde por la noche.

a. salga b. sal c. salgan

Language Arts & World Languages

A run-on sentence is two or more complete sentences joined together without correct

connecting words or punctuation. Indicate whether the statement is true or false

Language Arts & World Languages