Marionettes, Inc. Lesson

Ray Bradbury

MARIONETTES, INC.

Fall 2008Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net

Ray Bradbury

1920-2012

“I know you've heard it a thousand times before. But it's true - hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice. If you don't love something, then don't do it.”

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SOME OF HIS BOOKS• Fahrenheit 451• The Martian Chronicles• Something Wicked This Way Comes• Dandelion Wine• The Sound of Thunder and Other Stories• Death Is a Lonely Business

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IDIOMATIC PHRASES

Crowd My Luck

being so overconfident as to diminish one’s luck or fortune

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IDIOMATIC PHRASES

Splitting Hairs

making miniscule differences between points of argument

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IDIOMATIC PHRASES

Knees Turned To Water

means weak, not solid, can’t stand up

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IDIOMATIC PHRASES

Marriage (or other thing) Hasn’t Been Roses

roses are positive

rose garden is considered a pleasant place- many idioms about roses

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Martina McBride

“Rose Garden”

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SONG EXCERPT

I beg your pardon,

I never promised you a rose garden.

Along with the sunshine,

There’s gotta be a little rain sometime…

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LITERARY TERMS: THEME

A main subject discussed or described in writing

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• Technology• Benefits• Detriments

• Relationships• Braling / Wife• Braling / Braling

2• Brailing 2 / Wife• Smith / Wife

SOME THEMES IN MARIONETTES, INC

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OTHER THEMES?

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MAIN IDEA?

• Technology has risks and costs• Nothing is free in life• Relationships are tough• Others?

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WHO?

• Braling• Smith• Braling 2• Braling’s Wife• Smith’s Wife

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WHEN / WHERE?

• Modern Era

• British city but could be any city

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WHAT / WHY?

• Both men unhappy in marriage

• Seek relief from technology

• Both situations end badly for the men

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•Why is Braling unhappy with his wife?•What does he want?•Why is Smith unhappy with his

wife?•What does he want?

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•What happens with Smith?

•What happens with Braling?

• Did the men get what they deserved?

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• How did the women end up? Better or worse?

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• How would you use a Marionette in your life??

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DISCUSSION ?S

Mr. Smith says “I’ll just slip eight thousand pounds out as a business venter… Nettie never need know” AND “What did she mean, taking their money like this?”

What do these two statements tell you about men and women’s roles and rights in the story?

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DISCUSSION ?S

• What happened to Mrs. Smith? Where did she go? Did she ever come home? What did Mr. Smith do?

• What happened to Mrs. Braling and Braling 2? Did she figure out he was a Marionette? Did she care?

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

Email Mrs. C

ccoleman@clmn.net

Visit Coleman’s Classroom

www.clmn.net