Please take your assigned seat

1. Please take your assigned seat

2. Someone once wrote… Take your pick To what extent are human beings at the mercy of the forces of nature? Do you find this poem haunting? Discuss. Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is passing through. Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by. - Christina Rossetti The novel “Who Has Seen the Wind” by Canadian W.O. Mitchell borrowed its title from this poem (written by an English poet). Discuss the universality of the wind. Does this remind you of a particular place? If so, describe it.

3. Paragraph response Tuesday, February 12 Write a formal two-paragraph response Compare Theme Such as human nature A literary device or element of the story Such as setting In two stories studied in this unit

4. Setting in “The Test” • Marion drives through “shady” suburban streets • She fails her test on abridge • SYMBOL of her situation • As far as the Inspector is concerned, Marion is trying to cross a bridge that “arches high” from the world of the black woman to the world of the white woman • “Proceed with caution, dangerous in slippery weather” • The sign seems to be warning! She has almost made it, endured the abuse • She must practise even more self-control • She is isolated • Away from Main Street with a racist • She is vulnerable to someone who is prepared to use his power

5. Characterization • Find two quotations for each of the categories of characterization • Groups • Marian • Inspector • Mrs. Ericson

6. The inspector Presented as “genial” “genial, middle-aged man who grinned broadly” Alone with Marian, uses insulting comments Derogatory terms such as “pickaninnies” His racism is explicit When Marian loses her temper, he loses his joviality in an instant

7. Mrs. Ericson “Oh I don’t think it’s that!” “They only want you to slip them a little something…” “It will be marvellous to have someone dependable....” “If only I could pay you half of what you’re worth…” “Oh, Marion, AGAIN?”

8. Mrs. Ericson Unwittingly patronising towards Marion Appears culpably unaware of what is happening around her Appears to be a rather silly, selfish, inefficient woman She is nervous about M’s driving she asks her if she remembered the documents she reminds her of her last failure She sees Marion as the ideal nanny and wants her to be able to drive so that she can use her Tries to deny the real reason for the failure – lack of morality

9. Commentary on human nature Marian should pass the driving test Story is designed to challenge our sense of fairness provoke anger and indignation make us reflect on the small, unnoticed acts of racism which still occur • When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. • - Viktor E. Frankl

10. The Lamp at Noon Sinclair Ross (1908-1996) Canadian banker and author Best known for his writing on life in the bitter depression years in the Canadian prairies Read to page 224 “At each blast of wind it shook, as if to topple and spin hurtling with the dust-reel into space.” (224) As you continue, note how the setting acts as a puppeteer, influencing the characters’ actions