Narrative and Black Workmen
Questions about Purpose
1. How do Dubus's father's instructions to the foreman--"Make a man out of him"--reveal the narrator's purpose?
It reveals that fooling around like little boys do, won’t make you a man. You must work hard and long to grow into a man.
2. How is the narrator's admission that he lived a "dual life" revealed in the story?
Dubus always came home to his Mother and sister doing the same thing everyday. There is not much excitement for him at home.
Questions about Audience
3. How does Dubus's characterization of himself as sensitive and shy help establish his connection with his readers? The reader connects with Dubus about being shy or sensitive. But working hard will make you stronger.
4. How does his description of and friendship with the black workmen help him evoke a response from his audience? It shows that once you start to warm up to people, you build a friendship.
5. As the reader of this text, what reaction did you have to the contrast between the narrator's life and the workers lives? Was it the reaction you think Dubus was trying to achieve? Why or why not? The narrator doesn’t want to work. He wants to go play with his friends and talk about girls. The workers want to work so their families are able to have food on the table.
Questions about Strategies
6. How does Dubus pace his first day at work to reveal the intensity of his efforts? Which part of the narrative has a different pace? His first day was rough. He was working so hard, he made himself sick. It showed that his efforts were great and that he didn’t want to make a bad impression on the first day of work.
7. How do his speculations about what would have happened if he had gone home to lunch help clarify the purpose of his narrative? 8. "Digging" begins with a focus on character. This choice impacts the development of the narrative arc. Why is the opening focus on character necessary and what might have happened if Dubus opened with setting or
1. How do Dubus's father's instructions to the foreman--"Make a man out of him"--reveal the narrator's purpose?
It reveals that fooling around like little boys do, won’t make you a man. You must work hard and long to grow into a man.
2. How is the narrator's admission that he lived a "dual life" revealed in the story?
Dubus always came home to his Mother and sister doing the same thing everyday. There is not much excitement for him at home.
Questions about Audience
3. How does Dubus's characterization of himself as sensitive and shy help establish his connection with his readers? The reader connects with Dubus about being shy or sensitive. But working hard will make you stronger.
4. How does his description of and friendship with the black workmen help him evoke a response from his audience? It shows that once you start to warm up to people, you build a friendship.
5. As the reader of this text, what reaction did you have to the contrast between the narrator's life and the workers lives? Was it the reaction you think Dubus was trying to achieve? Why or why not? The narrator doesn’t want to work. He wants to go play with his friends and talk about girls. The workers want to work so their families are able to have food on the table.
Questions about Strategies
6. How does Dubus pace his first day at work to reveal the intensity of his efforts? Which part of the narrative has a different pace? His first day was rough. He was working so hard, he made himself sick. It showed that his efforts were great and that he didn’t want to make a bad impression on the first day of work.
7. How do his speculations about what would have happened if he had gone home to lunch help clarify the purpose of his narrative? 8. "Digging" begins with a focus on character. This choice impacts the development of the narrative arc. Why is the opening focus on character necessary and what might have happened if Dubus opened with setting or