Quiz: A Separate Peace
- after Chapter Four
Reading Check (5 pts.)
1. Finny breaks a school record while Gene is watching. In what sport does he break the record?
2. When Finny calls Gene his "best pal," Gene responds by
a. telling Finny that he is his "best pal."
b. saying nothing.
c. changing the subject to a discussion about girls.
d. changing the subject to a discussion about the war.
3. T or F
Gene believes that Finny is intentionally trying to sabotage (ruin) his academics at one
point.
4. T or F
After Finny encourages Gene to study, Gene is relieved and happy that his friend is not
his rival.
5. T or F
Gene tries to save Finny from falling off the tree.
Close Reading of an Article
DIRECTIONS: In order to receive full credit, you need to have read and INTERACTED with the following text.
By INTERACTING WITH the text I mean that you have personalized it by marking your questions and reactions in
the margin next to the text. Some people think of this as having a dialogue or a conversation with the actual words
on the page. Things you should consider doing include:
* underlining or circling key ideas, quotes, statistics, or facts
* simplifying or summarizing big ideas in the margins
* asking questions or noting confusions
* circling unknown vocabulary
MOST IMPORTANTLY: Make connections to Gene's behavior in A Separate Peace
Focus Questions for Reading
How does the psychological concept of
"projection" apply to Gene's behavior in A
Separate Peace?
Reading Vocabulary
infidelity - unfaithfulness or disloyalty,
especially to a spouse
acquittal - a judgment given by a judge or jury
that somebody is not guilty of a charge
heinous - shockingly evil or wicked
compartmentalization - the process of mentally
dividing something into separate areas, categories, or
compartments - in psychology, the act of putting
different parts of one's life into mental boxes in order to
keep them separate
Psychological Projection
www.wikipedia.org
date of access = November 28th, 2012
According to Sigmund Freud, projection is a psychological defense
mechanism whereby one "projects" one's own undesirable thoughts,
motivations, desires, and feelings onto someone else. 'Emotions or
excitations which the ego tries to ward off are "split out" and then felt
as being outside the ego... perceived in another person'. It is a
common process. The related defense of 'projective identification'
differs from projection in that the impulse projected onto an external
object does not appear as something alien and distant from the ego
because the connection of the self with that projected impulse
continues'.
In one example of the process, a person might have thoughts of
infidelity with respect to a spouse or other partner. Instead of dealing
with these undesirable thoughts consciously, the subject unconsciously
projects these feelings onto the other person, and begins to think that
the other has thoughts of infidelity and that the other may be having an
affair. In this way, the subject may obtain 'acquittal by his conscience
- if he projects his own impulses to faithlessness on to the partner to
whom he owes faith'. In this sense, projection is related to denial,
arguably the only more primitive defense mechanism than projection,
which, like all defense mechanisms, provides a function whereby a
person can protect the conscious mind from a feeling that is otherwise
repulsive.
Projection can also be established as a means of obtaining or justifying
certain actions that would normally be found atrocious or heinous.
This often means projecting false accusations, information, etc., onto
an individual for the sole purpose of maintaining a self-created
illusion. One of the many problems with the process whereby
'something dangerous that is felt inside can be moved outside - a
process of "projection"' - is that as a result 'the projector may become
somewhat depleted and rendered limp in character, as he loses part of
his personality'.
Compartmentalization, splitting, and projection are argued to be
ways that the ego maintains the illusion that it is completely in control
at all times. Further, while engaged in projection, individuals can be
unable to access truthful memories, intentions, and experiences, even
about their own nature, as is common in deep trauma.
4 Mature thinking
is obvious. The student
interacted with the text
and made connections
to the novel. GOOD
EFFORT.
3 Some interaction
with the text. The
reader is struggling
to dig deep. ADEQUATE
EFFORT
0-2 Little evidence of thinking or interacting with
the text. Student relies on summary and
doesn't use many strategies.
WEAK EFFORT or INCOMPLETE.
Quote from article
Quote from article
Explain how it relates to Gene’s behavior
Explain how it relates to Gene’s behavior
Looking Back, Rereading, Answering Questions
DIRECTIONS: Circle the best answer to each of the questions below. Look back as often as
needed. Use process of elimination to help you make your choice.
1. Freud defined projection as
a. hiding your own unwanted thoughts, desires, and impulses.
b. acting out because someone has projected their anger or frustrations upon you.
c. taking your own unwanted thoughts, desires, or impulses and projecting them on to others.
d. allowing your own unwanted thoughts or desires to motivate you to commit violent acts.
2. One of the main points in the second paragraph ("In one example...") is that
a. a person may use projection in order to relieve a guilty conscience, such as when a spouse
who has feelings of infidelity begins to imagine that his/her partner actually longs to cheat.
b. a person may use projection in order to release his/her anger onto another person, such as when a
spouse gets angry because he suspects his/her partner may be cheating.
c. projection and denial are basically the same thing.
d. a person may use projection in order to justify cheating on his/her spouse.
3. The article suggests that people who commit evil actions may use projection
a. to relieve their stress and feelings of guilt.
b. to persuade people to follow them, as in the case of Adolph Hitler.
c. to justify their evil actions by projecting lies or false information onto the victim(s) of their actions
so they can maintain a self-created illusion that they are doing "right."
d. to justify their evil actions by living in an illusion that they are carrying out God's will.
4. The fourth paragraph ("Compartmentalization...") suggests that projection
a. is the only way that people can hide their unwanted desires.
b. is one of a few ways in which the ego is able to pretend like it is completely in control.
c. is the most important factor in determining whether or not a person acts in evil ways.
d. is the primary way in which people hide and distort memories and their true intentions.
5. The references to "defense mechanism[s]" near the end of paragraph three most nearly refer to
a. ways in which people avoid emotional distress, guilt, or threats to their self-esteem.
b. ways in which people protect themselves from physical threats.
c. ways in which people avoid feelings of anger or impulses to commit violent acts.
d. ways in which people protect themselves from going crazy.
6. Which of the following is NOT an example of projection:
a. A spouse who has feelings of infidelity begins to imagine that his/her partner actually longs
to cheat.
b. A KKK member who longs to commit violent actions against African-Americans may imagine
that all African-Americans are violent and want to harm him.
c. A prep school student who is hyper-competitive imagines that his best friend is also extremely
competitive and is out to sabotage his studies.
d. A victim of a crime views the world as a more dangerous place as a result of his/her experience.
Part Three: One-Paragraph Written Response
DIRECTIONS: On a lined sheet of paper, construct a one-paragraph, 140+ word response to
the following prompt:
Discuss how Gene's actions in Chapters 1-4 relate to the psychological concept of "projection."
GUIDELINES FOR RESPONSE:
1. Clear topic sentence
2. Leads into and smoothly blends at least two quotations from the article
3. Connects each quoted example from the article to a paraphrased example from the novel
4. Uses transitional phrases to help smoothly connect ideas
5. Ends with a logical concluding sentence
6. 140+ words, neat and legible
Sample Response
Jonathan Coleman's article "Is Technology Making Us Intimate Strangers" expresses modern-day
concerns about sensory overload and a lack of quiet time to think and reflect; these fears perfectly mirror
the theme of Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." In Coleman's editorial, he
talks about living in modern day America, a place that is always "on the move, utterly self-absorbed,
multitasking, busy, busy, busy" (1). This perpetual sense of motion is disturbing to ponder. When do
people get the chance to just relax and consider their lives? How can they when every second seems
filled with blinking screens, buzzing cell phones, and blaring I-pods? Just as people in our world may be
overwhelmed by technology, the speaker of Frost’s poem is frustrated by the hustle and bustle of life and
feels the need to recharge his batteries by stopping to observe nature in the midst of a snow storm. Like
Coleman, the speaker of the poem just needs an escape. Additionally, Coleman’s article suggests that
people are distracted from the most important things in life by technology. For instance, Coleman finds
himself "reach[ing] for his cell phone" in the midst of reading a story to his 6-year old daughter, an act
that causes her to innocently shout out, "Daddy, don't!" (2). The traveler in Frost's poem would have
understood the little girl's frustration. What good is living if life is simply a to-do list? Clearly, Frost's
poem and Coleman's editorial both highlight the human need to take a break from the rigors of life in
order to rest, recuperate, and reflect.
Self-Editing Checklist
I've read through my paragraph, stopping and correcting anything that sounds wordy, awkward, or
redundant.
My paragraph begins with a clear topic sentence that responds to the prompt.
I have led into and smoothly blended at least two quotations from the article.
I have thoroughly explained how each quotation from the article relates to a paraphrased example
from A Separate Peace.
My paragraph ends with a logical concluding sentence which sums things up
I've capitalized and properly formatted the article title and the book title.
"Psychological Projection"
A Separate Peace
I have used logical, appropriate transitions in my response.
My response is at least 140+ words in length. I've written my word count at the bottom of the
paragraph.
It may sound simple, but I've made sure to capitalize the first word in each sentence.
Each sentence has a complete thought. NO SENTENCE FRAGMENTS.
Sentences are separated by appropriate punctuation. NO RUN-ONS.
Grading Rubric
8-7
The writer makes meaningful,
insightful, and logical connections
between the work of literature and
the article.
6-5
4-3
The writer makes logical
connections between the work of
literature and the article.
The writer attempts to make
connections between the work of
literature and the article.
Appropriate examples are used.
Examples are used.
Connections are explained
Connections may not be explained
logically.
Apt, specific examples are used.
Connections are explained in detail.
May include minor misconceptions.
No misconceptions.
May include misconceptions.
0-2
Grit Grade: Attention to Detail
The writer either weakly explains how
each example from the article connects
to an example from the literature or
explains only one connection between
the article and the literature.
+2 =
May include misconceptions.
+1 =
Quotations are blended smoothly into the paragraph. Few if any
surface errors. It's obvious that the student took his/her time and edited the
response with care and attention to detail. The response meets length /
organizational requirements.
The writer attempts to blend two quotations smoothly into the
paragraph but makes some mistakes. Some surface errors are distracting.
The response meets length / organizational requirements.
+0 =
The writer doesn't lead into blend quotations into the paragraph.
Errors are distracting. Work is sloppy / difficult to read.
SCORE = _____ / 10