Your task will be to write a response for any of the following three tasks. Please note the criteria for what makes a good post .
Secondly, you must critically comment on two other people's posts. Please do not just put "I like this or I agree . . . "; rather, "I agree/disagree with ****'s post because . . . . " or "To elaborate on ******'s point . . . . "
Choose one of the following tasks:
- Pretend you are writing a description of Maycomb for a travel magazine of the 1930s. Describe the town in detail.
- The townspeople of Maycomb have some fears and superstitions about the Radley Place. Describe these fears and superstitions.
- The students in the class show some prejudice against Miss Caroline when she tells the class she is from Winston County, Alabama. Explain this prejudice.
Reminder: What makes a good post•Concise with a specific focus
•Shares thoughts, ideas, or opinions
•Opening grabs the reader's attention while introducing the point of the comment.
•Specific details support information in the comment
•Has a "So What?", theme, lesson, or specific point that attracts the readers' attention
•Demonstrates detailed understanding of the task/topic
•Positive tone engages the reader
•Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization is correct
The townspeople of Maycomb have some fears and superstitions about the Radley Place. Describe these fears and superstitions:
ReplyDeleteDoes Boo Radley actually eat squirrels and kill neighborhood animals? Is he actually as horrible and grotesque as described or is it all possibly just a story to entertain and old tired town with nothing better to do than gossip? The people of Maycomb’s fears and suspicions about the Radley Place are very biased and one-sided. Many of their ideas of what occurs and the tales of what Boo does at night are told by some people who were known to gossip a fair amount, and also by some that might over exaggerate the truth to make their story more interesting or entertaining. These fears the people have might just be fear itself. How they describe the Radley’s is almost a pure entity of fear. Many of these people might not have even seen the occurrences involving the Radley’s and so they must take the words of others which can over time be stretched and changed to become a new story altogether. I personally think maybe Mr. Radley was probably a grumpy old man yes, but did anyone ever bother to ask him why he was so cold all the time? Maybe he had clinical depression that could possibly hereditary which would explain the overall lack of joy or emotion presented by the family. Boo almost certainly has a mental issue that after being kept in solitude without being able to develop social skills he has probably lost all ability to communicate “normally” with others. This would also explain his going out at night, probably out of shyness and not knowing how to approach others or be in their company. I think maybe the people of Maycomb should try to embrace the Radley’s and instead of avoiding them entirely, try to include them in various community activities as opposed to fearing and judging them.
-Jonathan Grandfield
The Radley Household
ReplyDeleteIn recent years, the people of Maycomb County have voiced fear and concerns surrounding the Radley house and its inhabitants. The misconceptions and rumours have been fueled by a lack of information on the family and their seclusion, peculiar for Maycomb residents. The main fears center around Mr. Radley and the treatment of his son Arthur. When Arthur ‘disappeared’ in a sense, the townspeople thought he had in some way been harmed or mistreated by his father. While this may be true, there is little to no evidence of such behavior. Mr. Radley goes to town each morning, but other than that he has no contact with anyone and doesn’t strike people as a warm, genuine person. Being such a small, slow town, there really isn’t much to do in Maycomb, and gossip is prevalent in the town. As to the treatment of Arthur ‘Boo’ Radley, I believe Mr. Radley is cruel and unjust in his keeping Boo in the house. However, I don’t think he has seriously harmed him physically like the townspeople say. If this were the case, surely Boo would have found a way to escape by now.
Zoe Bradshaw
The town of Maycomb fears the Radley Place greatly and has many different superstitions about it. The Radley Place seems to be fascinating but also terrifying to most of the neighborhood. The kids of the neighborhood have an idea that horrible things go on inside the house, and if you walk too slowly in front of it, horrible things will happen to you as well. Even though no one really knows what exactly happens inside the Radley Place, superstitions and stereotypes have taken over and made everyone believe that those things aren’t good. People have come to believe that a malevolent phantom lives inside this house that will hurt you if you go near or disturb the house. I think that there really isn’t anything wrong with the Radley Place or the people that live in it, and that people have just been too quick to assume and create superstitions. Maybe the person that lives in the house is just really shy and no one has taken time to get to know them or be friendly to them, therefore they will never know if the residents of the house is actually what they think.
ReplyDelete-Callum Shandley
Well, obviously when Miss Caroline said she was from Winston County there was a lot of tension in the room. I think the reason behind this is because people from Winston County believe that they are better than everyone else, and think that they are even higher in social rating. So, when she realized that an African-American might be smarter than some of the Caucasian students in the room, she just could not stand by and seem like a weaker person. I also think that people from Winston County might be a little stricter or even meaner in a sort, so when the children figured this out they got a little fidgety and un-sure of their teacher.
ReplyDeleteNicole Gibson
The town’s people have some fears and superstitions about the Radley Place because the family is a lot different than the regular families of Maycomb. The Radley family kept to themselves, Mrs. Radley would not be seen visiting her neighbors like many wives did. On Sundays the doors and shutters of the Radley house would be closed and uninviting to the neighbors. Some people would not even walk past the Radley Place for fear that Mr. Radley would come out. The house was droopy and dead compared to others. The concerned families were right to have some fears about the Radley Place because Boo Radley made some excitement in the small quiet town of Maycomb, Alabama.
ReplyDeleteDevon Kitching
ReplyDeleteThe People of Maycomb fear the Radley place greatly. They believe they are anti-social and outcasts. They never talk to anyone and always have their doors closed all the time witch goes against a town tradition. They fear the son particularly because he is rumored to be a ghost and supposedly eats squirrels and cats. He also has blood stained hands. The children never dare go near the house fearing the son, Boo would comer and snatch them up. The Radley house is in desperate condition and is in need of repair. This gives it a haunted look furthering the Ghost suspicions
There have been many superstitions about the Radley’s place. Many people, especially those of colour are afraid to walk on the sidewalk right in front of the house. The Radley’s house is definitely mysterious. The house has been described as being very “sick and droopy”. The house is very dark, and something just isn’t right about it. It looks desolate, isolated, and ominous. The house kind of reminds me of the house from monster house, as if the Radley house is a monster itself. That’s how the people of Maycomb see it. It makes you wonder what’s inside the house. What the true history of the family and the house is. Forget the rumors. What could have possibly happened to make people so afraid of going near the place? It was rumored that a “phantom” lived in the house. People said that the “phantom” would sneak outside when it was pitch black and peek into people’s windows. A while back, the town was terrorized be several gruesome events. What were theses gruesome events? People found pets, chickens and such completely mutilated. Although the culprit drowned himself, the people of Maycomb wonder if “Crazy Addie” was really the man that had done those terrible things.
ReplyDelete-Lindsay Slevan
Cameron Johnston - Option three: Miss Caroline;
ReplyDeleteThe class consists of seven year olds, a very vulnerable age in my opinion. They take in everything their parents say, and usually miss-interpret it. When Miss Caroline tells the class that she is from North Alabama, Winston County, they judge her based on the things their parents have told them; "North Alabama is full of liquor interests, big mules, steel companies, Republicans, professors and other people of no background," so they make a snap assumption that everyone from there is like that. So when she informs them of her prior place of living, they wonder if she too has the same qualities indigenous to her region.
I agree with Zoe's comment because i think that not enough information was gathered and too many people are making assumptions about the Radley's without asking about it.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Callum's comment that it sounds more like a neighborhood tale to keep children in their houses at night and to keep them in line.
Topic 2, "The Radley Place"
ReplyDeleteThe people of Maycomb have superstitions about the Radley Place because none of them have actually gotten to know any of the Radleys. They all just let their imaginations run wild at the thought of the house and people because of the way they seem. One fear people have about the Radleys is that there is a "malevolent phantom" that lives in the house and commits small crimes and intrusions at nighttime. Another thing is that African-American people won't walk directly in front of the house. Whether that's due to a community superstition or the fear of racism, we don't know. Though the children were required to be polite outwardly to the Radleys, they would not eat nuts from their trees or enter the property willingly; meaning toys that strayed into the residence were pretty much lost forever. No one in the neighbourhood would go and visit the house, and the children thought there were numerous ways they could wind up dead because of the Radleys. All this adds up to a very antisocial family who really have nothing to do with anyone. People believe what they want to believe, and the mysterious group in the Radley house did nothing to sway the community's opinion of them. Personally, I think they are fine people and they just don't want anyone to bug them. Surely Arthur "Boo" Radley isn't the horrible monster kids think him to be, just a shut-in man who really needs to get out the house. I'm really hoping at some point the townspeople of Maycomb get a better understanding of the Radley Place.
Mitch Meek
ReplyDeleteIt is very evident that the townspeople of Maycomb fear the Radley place because of the Radlies son, Boo. From a young age Boo was thought as different, hanging out with the wrong crowd, they were hooligans. Boo was threatened to be put in jail, but lucky for him his father had got him out. All of this was known by the public, but when he started to grow up he turned very strange. It was rumored that he had ate squirrels and cats and he had blood stained hands, this was enough to fear all the townspeople of the Radley place for sure. On top of this the house they live in looks like a haunted house the all know of, dark and scary
I like megans comment because it was very descriptive
ReplyDeleteI think Lindsay Slevan did a good job of describing the Radley House myth by using quitations and her person oppinion.
ReplyDeleteALSO JONATHAN.... i agree with Jon that the reality of the Radley Place is that no one really knows that all these superstitions are true and their probably not all they make out to be.
-Big Papa Callum ;D
I think Cameron did a good job summerizing the third point. I didn't chose that one because I didn't know what to write for it, so I think he did well.
ReplyDelete-Rachel
I liked Cam's comment because it summed up the house and what happens it in very well.
ReplyDeleteIf you’re looking for a slow-paced, laidback town to vacation in, Maycomb County in Alabama is the place for you. The locals in this old town have a relaxed feel to them and no one is ever in a hurry. In the town square you will always be greeted by smiling faces and people willing to help. There is absolutely nothing to fear while visiting this quaint southern town. The weather in Maycomb can vary from rain, to sweltering heat. In fact, it can get so hot that people bathe 3 times a day just to stay cool enough, and the flies harass farm animals such as mules and horses. If you like a hot climate and friendly small town people, Maycomb is the vacation spot for you!
ReplyDelete-Lauren McCallum
I picked Zoe's comment because i think that there was not enough information, and there were too many people making hypothesies and not just manning up and asking the family.
ReplyDeleteI also chose Callum's comment that it sounds more like a scary story to keep the chilren in their houses and not gallavanting on the streets at night.
When entering Maycomb, Alabama you will be greeted with friendly smiles and welcoming gifts. It is a very peaceful town filled with happy people. Maycomb is a very quiet town where one would take long strolls and housewives would bike to the town market for groceries. This little southern town is twenty miles east of Finch’s Landing. This town is very old in age and in style. This is a description many people would agree to. However, to the little population of non-racist people, this town is cold. Most of the people in this so-called ‘peaceful’ town are known as racists. They discriminate and segregate against African-Americans. They make African-Americans feel less important than the ground underneath their feet. I personally am not a racist and welcome different races with open arms, but if you are a racist you will fit in nicely. Maycomb is a town for racists, most southern towns are. So, if you are not racist like me, I’d stick to the north.
ReplyDeleteThe students in the class show some prejudice when Miss Caroline tells them she is from Winston County, Alabama. Their prejudice date back to a time in the 1860’s where the North part of America (i.e. New England) and the Southern part of America were all one comprised with an allegiance with the English monarchy, which didn’t allow slavery. The South didn’t accept that, due to their need of laborers for their plantations however the North didn’t see why they needed slaves and thought of it as rather barbaric. So, basically, the South and the North broke up into two different parts of one country where slavery was acceptable in one area, and in the North it was considered immoral conduct.
ReplyDeleteAlabama, being part of the South, was pro Slavery, however one tiny entity within Alabama concurred with the North about being anti-slavery. Winston County.
The students, I assumed had heard of this, as well as other towns from someone’s gossip, and thought of anyone from Winston County as stuck up, conceded and unhappy with where they are. They feel a betrayal from their fellow Southern state. That’s how they see Miss Caroline.
The townspeople of Maycomb County, Alabama fear the eerie Radley Place. The county has came up with multiple superstitions that centre around the old decrepit building and most have o do with either a phantom or Boo Radley, the son of the creepy owners of the Radley Place. One of the largest superstitions of the Radley Place is that there is a malevolent Phantom haunting the residence that was blamed for any inconspicuous events that occurred around town, such as petty crimes and azaleas freezing from his supposed breath. Another superstition was that their son Boo Radley went deranged after almost being charged by the town and then being locked up inside the Radley House with his parents, now, in the time that the book is being told, Boo is much older and much more deranged, he now eats cats and squirrels, wanders the town during the night, and watches people through the windows, some townsfolk even said that he had tried breaking in to their homes. The house itself wouldn’t be so creepy if it hadn’t been left to rot and age, if it was well taken care of it seems as if it would be nice. Once the Radley’s moved in, the superstitions arose because of the fact that they kept themselves so secluded from the rest of the town, and once the superstitions arose no one dared go near the residence. “A Negro would not pass the Radley place at night, he would cut across to the sidewalk opposite and whistle as he walked. The Maycomb school grounds adjoined the back of the Radley lot; from the Radley chickenyard tall pecan trees shook their fruit into the schoolyard, but the nuts lay untouched by the children: Radley pecans would kill you. A baseball hit into the Radley yard was a lost ball and no questions asked.” This quote from the book shows that many people made relations between the Radley Place and hazards and death.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Megan's comment that the Radley family are victims of discrimination simply because they are different.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Cameron's comment that young children are susceptible to racism and probably have the ideas of their parents, not their own.
The townspeople of Maycomb have some fears and superstitions about the Radley Place. Describe these fears and superstitions:
ReplyDeleteThe townspeople of maycomb have some fears and superstition about the Radley’s place because the Radley Place is rather scary looking. There are oak trees covering their house, which make it look dark. A malevolent phantom lives in the house. The townspeople had said that when the moon is down at night he comes out and looks through people’s windows. A Negro never passed the Radley’s place at night. If there ever is a small crime in the town it is usually his doing. The Radleys Place was kind of like it is shutdown. The house didn’t have any screen doors. The shutters and the doors were always closed on weekdays and Sundays. This is why people fear the Radley’s house and have superstitions.
The Radley’s don’t act like the normal townspeople: they are awkward and unsocial, and don’t get out much to go to church or do town activities. I think the people are a little to judgmental and don’t have a lot of information to hate the them. A lot of the fears that people have for the house and the family are built on old myths passed down from generations.
ReplyDeleteI liked Jons and Rachels description of the house because they were both very discriptive and well written :)
ReplyDeleteI liked Lauren's comment because she did a really good job describing the town and making it sound like a fun place to vacation :)
ReplyDelete-Rachel
I like Jon's comment because it made me think about Boo and the Radelys in a different way than I normaly would have.
ReplyDeletePretend you are writing a description of Maycomb for a travel magazine of the 1930s. Describe the town in detail;
ReplyDeleteAs you enter the peaceful town of Maycomb, Alabama be prepared to be surprised. Sure there’s a shiny exterior and a peaceful interior to the town, but deep inside its all just a ploy with a couple deceiving little smiles and a black hole of denial. The people are cold and standoffish. I mean sure, on my trip I had met people who weren’t racist, and who treated me right, like a person all the same to them instead of a man with darker skin. It was the stony exterior to the grocery store, the way I was tripped and “nudged” by the people on the streets, the men and children calling me out. “Get off our streets” they would say. Calling me a ‘Pitch-dark negro’. When I was told of this town I walked in expecting a convivial, back-slapping almost jolly welcome that I’ve gotten in my travels before, instead it was nothing of the sort. As my all around opinion, the frostbitten people, harsh welcome, cold sly sinister smiles, rude hand gestures, and the dark demeanor of the town is enough to keep me out for life.
I think that Jon's posts was well worded and that what he said was very true.
ReplyDeleteI also think that Callum's post was well done!
-Linds
I agree with Zoe, i do not think Mr.Radley is really harming Boo.
ReplyDeleteI like Mitch's comment and i think that Boo is strange.
I liked Zoe's and Megan's comments
ReplyDeleteI agree with devons post because it is very informative of the topic! Great job
ReplyDeleteMitch
I chose to respond to Rachels comment because it summarizes the Radley house very well.
ReplyDeleteAnd the second responce I chose to do is on Cameron's Post because I thought I described the situation with the teacher quite well.
I agree with meagans post because it was great piece of writing!
ReplyDeleteMitch
♫ Very Superstitious ♫
ReplyDeleteThe Townspeople of Maycomb have many superstitions as well as mixed beliefs about what goes on behind closed doors inside the Radley Place. As the book is based in the late 1930's - early 40's, it's reasonable to believe that people were skeptical being as in this set time period most of the population was quite incredulous to what was going on, turning their backs to the harshness of discrimination because that was just everyday life.
According to the Maycomb legend, Mr. Radley inhabited The Radley Place, being the meanest man to exist. Not one person would address him unless he were to address them first. They also believed that he bought cotton, meaning he was racist as the African-American slaves were the one who were forced to pick the cotton. Alongside Mr. Radley lived a malevolent phantom, Boo Radley. He stabbed his parents in the leg with scissors and this frightened the townspeople. Mr. Radley was advised to keep Boo out of sight entirely. How was he kept out of sight? Many believe he was chained down in the basement, being fed simply bread and water. They described him as about 61/2 feet tall, he fed on raw squirrels and cats he could come across, causing his hands toi be permanently blood stained. He had a long scar across his face, with yellow rotten teeth.
I don't believe that is really what Boo looks like, nor do I think he's evil. I think people like to make assumptions about things they are curious about or don't understand entirely. Who is one to judge another who they've never met or gotten to know? I think it's possible that Boo may have some mental disorders or a disability of some kind but he certainly isn't a monster, and he obviously does not eat raw animals. As for Mr. Radley, I think his a desperately sad man. He overcompensates with his overwhelming cruelty to those around him when really he's reaching out for someone to help him. They may not succeed, but at least someone could try.
(topic 3) The students in the class show some prejudice against Miss Caroline when she tells the class she is from Winston County, Alabama. Explain this prejudice:
ReplyDeleteThe children knew that Winston County seceded from Alabama, and Northern Alabama was full of Liquor Interests, Big Mules, steel companies, Republicans, professors and other persons of no background. This information was most likely told to them by their parents, and it seems that everyone in Maycomb County is rather opinionated about everything, whether it’s about having ancestors on either side of the Battle of Hastings or what family you are from. Because of this, it is no surprise that hearing that Miss Caroline is from Winston County makes the children show some prejudice towards her.
I found Sophia's post interesting because I was expecting people to approach that topic from a positive angle as to promote the town, but it was well done!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jon's post because he sort of took the Radley's side about the superstitions and opposed to what they said in the book making it seem like they were horrible people.
The Radleys place is different from others. Tt is feared by many because of the son Boo Radley.The family is very different, very anti-social, and people get scared even just going near the place. Some people (coloured) take a different route just to avoid the place. They act like the house should come right out of a scary movie and is haunted. The people dont know alot about the Radleys but the judge them as if they were victims of some sort.
ReplyDeleteMarisa Livingstone
i agree with Megans post because yes the Radleys are different but they shouldnt be descriminated.
ReplyDeletei also agree with Zoes's post because the town people dont know enough about the Radleys to be judging them and discriminating them.
Marisa Livingstone
The Radely house is a very mysterious and unknown place, because of this many rumours have spread across the town about what's inside. They say that Boo Radley, the Radley's son eats squirrels for dinner. So because they don't know much about them they make up all these crazy stories about them.
ReplyDeleteI like Rowans comment because she explained it very well.
ReplyDeleteI like the way Tyler showed the point of view of the people of Maycomb and then his point of view.
Whatever your strengths or weaknesses, you are no better and no worse than anybody else" -- Hososcope
ReplyDeleteI think this really means, “ Weather your black or white your strengths and weaknesses, are no better than anybody else.”
Some examples in the book are when Attitus is talking to bob ewell and bob starts bashing black people even though a white person has no superior over a black person.
“You can never really know a person until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”-Hannibal Lecter/Atticus Finch
ReplyDeleteThis quote is used the same way as “walk a mile in his shoes” and it basically means that you can’t judge, either positively or negatively, a person without actually knowing what they have been through or go through. Someone could have a reason for what they do or why they do it, or the characteristics that they have could be a result of something that happened to them. Atticus uses this only once but he could have used it multiple times the way Scout and Jem form their opinions so quickly. He used it to stop the way his kids were talking about Mr. Walter Cunningham and how he lives a hard life and he has reasons for not taking anything as little as a dime, or why he pays Atticus with food and crops instead of money. He could have used it for Calpurnia, or Heck Tate or even Tom Robinson because they all have reasons for being the way they are, and his kids might not understand that without his help. Hannibal Lecter used it in an even different sense, and he suggested to literally step into someone’s skin to find a wanted serial killer.
Brady Lockwood
· "Whatever your strengths or weaknesses, you are no better and no worse than anybody else" – Horoscope
ReplyDeleteI think that this quote really explains that no matter what you are good at or not good at you are equal. Also, it relates to the book To Kill A Mockingbird because it could relate to the ‘difference’ of race and how they are no different.
For instance the people of Maycomb are mainly racist against each other, but the truth is they are no different besides what’s on the outside.
I also think Jem is starting to think he is the man of the house and is trying to take control over Scout. Just because he is older that doesn’t mean he is a better person or better at everyone else.
- Brooke Mousley
You can never really know a person until you climb into his skin and walk around in it" -- Hannibal Lecter/Atticus Finch
ReplyDeleteI think this quote is really important to this story because I think it could relate to Boo Radley. People always talk about him and think otherwise about Boo. No one really knows him. So you have to get to know him before you can say stuff about him.
i like Jon's and Rachels because it is written really well.
ReplyDeleteThe townspeople of Maycomb have some fears and superstitions about the Radley Place. Describe these fears and superstitions
ReplyDeletemost people are afraid of the radley place becuase it is a very creepy dark house. the Radleys are never seen. most people in the town try to avoid it so they take a different route. the Radleys are very quiet people and are very uninviting un like everyone else in the town
i agree with mostly everyone becuase everyone describes the town and the family very well.
ReplyDelete