Note: If you were not in class for this group exercise, please complete it as a written exercise and turn it in as soon as you can.


Group work on Kurt Vonnegut's "Tom Edison's Shaggy Dog"

Break up into small groups (4-6). Delegate one or more members of your group to (1) prepare a summary of your group's discussion and (2) make a list of your group's members.

1. What is one of the things that Bullard does to enjoy life?  What does this tell us about him as a person? 

2. What is one of the things that the stranger does to enjoy life?  What does this tell us about him? 

3. What did Sparky do to enjoy life?  What does this tell us about him? 

4. Do you think there is a "moral to the story"--Why or why not? If your group found one (or more) what is it (or what are they)?

5. Why do you think Vonnegut wrote this story?


M. Kagan
PHL 403, Senior Seminar on Heroism and the Human Spirit
Le Moyne College, April, 2005

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