The+Fatalist-Sample

Vocabulary Builder: James
Share 10 words from the story, their definitions, and why they are important to the story (do they signify something important about the theme, characters, setting, etc?)
 * 1) fatalism: a doctrine that events are fixed in advance so that human beings are powerless to change them . Benjamin believes in fatalism and shares his belief with his new town. One of the themes of the story is that human's lives are ruled by fatalism, so they cannot affect the events that happen to them.
 * 2) preordained: to decree or ordain in advance
 * 3) synagogue: the house of worship and communal center of a Jewish congregation
 * 4) sacred:
 * 5) vow:
 * 6) braggart:
 * 7) gruesome:
 * 8) danger:
 * 9) seethe:
 * 10) disembarked:

Image Finder: Melissa
Find 5 images that help explain the story. Why are these images so important? Give the source website (where you found the image).
 * The train is so important to the story because it is the main source of suspense. As they wait for the train to arrive, Heyele and the others get more and more worried for Benjamin. http://www.free-desktop-backgrounds.net/Train-wallpapers/Railroad-train-pictures/Old-train-on-railway.html

Character Tracker: Fred
Choose 5 character traits to explain about the characters in the story. Give evidence from the story to prove your point.


 * arrogant**: The Fatalist is arrogant because he assumes that his beliefs are correct and that nothing can happen to him because his fate is to live and marry Heyele. He is so sure of himself that he makes them move back from the tracks. He says, "If you try to force me back at the last minute, the game is over."
 * fortunate**: The Fatalist is fortunate that the train stopped in time. He could have died standing in front of an oncoming train. He almost did, because "the train came to a halt no more than a yard from the Fatalist."
 * terrified:** Heyele was terrified watching the scene. She grabbed on to the secretary for support and cried, but "it was more than a cry, it was like the howling of a beast."
 * unsteady:** The secretary is unsteady telling the story of the Fatalist. He says, "I can hardly talk about it. It chokes me," and has to stop the story with the near-death account.
 * curious:** The narrator is curious when he hears the nickname "Benjamin Fatalist." He feels that it is an odd nickname and asks the secretary to tell him the story about Benjamin.

Extender: Amy
Find 4 different connections from the story. They can be from literature, history, mythology, pop culture, real life, etc. You may connect to an event or a character from the story. media type="youtube" key="Fyuo3Z5ZTX4?version=3" height="252" width="448"
 * When Benjamin waits in front of the oncoming train, it is similar to the scene in __Footloose__ when Ariel stands in front of the train. She takes a lot of stupid chances because she thinks that nothing bad will happen to her and that she has nothing to lose. Perhaps she is also a fatalist.
 * The idea of fate as the ultimate decision-maker in people's lives is similar to __Romeo and Juliet__. They are destined to be enemies--the prologue calls them "star-crossed lovers," so when they fall in love, there can be no happy ending. Benjamin believes that he and Heyele are destined to be together, and because of this, he believes nothing bad can happen to him.
 * Throughout history, people have been looking at the predictions of Nostradamus to explain important events. Benjamin also believes that events are predetermined, and made a prediction of his own that ended up coming true: marrying Heyele.
 * "You Belong with Me" is a song explains that the two friends are fated to be together. This could be Benjamin and Heyele's song, but he would be singing it to her instead of the other way aroundmedia type="youtube" key="VuNIsY6JdUw?version=3" height="252" width="448"

=Costa's Questions:= Each person in your group should compose 3 questions (1 from each level of Costa's Levels of Inquiry).

Melissa's Questions

 * 1) ====What is the Fatalist's real name?====
 * 2) What kind of marriage did the Fatalist and Heyele have?
 * 3) Why would someone become a Fatalist?

James' Questions:
 * 1) When did the Fatalist move into town?
 * 2) Does Heyele believe in fate?
 * 3) Compare Benjamin Fatalist to Romeo Montague. How are their beliefs similar?