Teil A

Aufgabenstellung

1. Leseverstehen

Sum up what happens to Nath at the pool.

(20%)

2. Analyse

Analyze how James's wish for his son to belong is conveyed in the text.

(40%)

3. Gestaltende Schreibaufgabe bzw. persönliche Stellungnahme

Choose ONE of the following:

3a)

Your class and a class at your U.S. partner school are doing an online project about intergenerational relationships in fiction. Write an article for the project website in which you assess to what extent the father-son relationship in the excerpt is similar to the relationship between Carl and Larry in Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter.
Your online partners are familiar with both the except and Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter.

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Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: Hier gehts zu den Summaries

3b)

Discuss whether the types of masculinity that the male characters in Gran Torino represent are acceptable.

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Schau doch in unsere Lektürehilfe!

Gran Torino: Hier gehts zu den Summaries

(40%)

Celeste Ng: Everything I Never Told You

In this excerpt from the novel Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng, James, a Chinese American college professor, goes to the pool with his son Nathan, called Nath.
The year is 1966.

Although James himself had been a swimmer in high school, he had never won a

trophy; he had gone home alone while the others piled into someone's car for celebra-

tory hamburgers and milkshakes. Now he suspected that Nath had the makings of a

swimmer, too: he was short, but he was wiry and strong. In last summer's swim class,

he had learned the front crawl and the dead-man's float; already he could swim under-

water all the way across the pool. In high school, James imagined, Nath would be the

star of the team, the collector of trophies, the anchorman in the relay. He would be the

one driving everyone to the diner - or wherever kids would go in the far-off 1970s after

meets.

That Saturday, when they got to the pool, the shallow end was full of children play-

ing Marco Polo; in the deep end, a pair of elderly men glided in laps. No space for

breaststroke lessons yet. James nudged his son. "Go in and play with the others until

the pool empties out."

"Do I have to?" Nath asked. [...] James, not attuned to the sensitivities of the play-

ground, was suddenly annoyed at his son's shyness, his reluctance. The confident

young man in his imagination dwindled to a nervous little boy: skinny, small, hunched

so deeply that his chest was concave. And though he would not admit it, Nath - legs

twisted, stacking the toes of one foot atop the other - reminded him of himself at that

age.

"We came here to swim," James said. "Mrs. Allen is watching your sister just so you

could learn the breaststroke, Nathan. Don't waste everyone's time." He tugged the

towel from his son's grasp and steered him firmly toward the water, hovering over him

until he slid in. Then he sat down on the vacant poolside bench, nudging aside dis-

carded flippers and goggles. Its good for him, James thought. He needs to learn how

to make friends.

Nath circled the girl who was it with the other children, bouncing on his toes to keep

his head above water. It took James a few minutes to recognize Jack, and when he

did, it was with a twinge of admiration. [...] He would be a nice friend for Nath, a good

role model. He imagined Nath and Jack inseparable, rigging a tire swing in the back-

yard, biking through the neighborhood. In his own school days, he'd been embarrassed

to ask classmates to his house, afraid that they'd recognize his mother from the lunch

line, or his father from mopping the hallway. They hadn't had a yard, anyway. Maybe

they would play pirates, Jack as the captain and Nath as the first mate. Sheriff and

deputy. Batman and Robin.

By the time James focused his attention back on the pool, Nath was It. But some-

thing was wrong. The other children glided away. Silently, stifling giggles, they hoisted

themselves out of the water and onto the tile surround. Eyes closed, Nath drifted all

alone in the middle of the pool, wading in small circles, feeling his way through the

water with his hands. James could hear him: Marco. Marco.

Polo, the others called back. They circled the shallow end, splashing the water with

their hands, and Nath moved from one side to the other, following the sounds of motion.

Marco. Marco. A plaintive note in his voice now.

It wasn't personal, James told himself. They'd been playing for who knows how

long; they were just tired of the game. They were just messing around. Nothing to do

with Nath.

Then an older girl - maybe ten or eleven - shouted, "Chink can't find China!" and

the other children laughed. A rock formed and sank in James's belly. In the pool, Nath

paused, arms outstretched on the surface of the water, uncertain how to proceed. One

hand opened and closed in silence.

On the sidelines, his father, too, was uncertain. Could he make the children get

back in the pool? Saying anything would draw attention to the trick. He could call his

son. It's time to go home, he might say. Then Nath would open his eyes and see noth-

ing but water all around him. The smell of chiorine began to bite at James's nostrils.

Then, on the far side of the pool, he saw the blur of a body sliding silently into the

water. A figure glided toward Nath, a sandy head broke the surface: Jack.

"Polo," Jack shouted. The sound echoed off the tiled walls: Polo. Polo. Polo. Giddy

with relief, Nath lunged, and Jack held still, treading water, waiting, until Nath caught

his shoulder. For a moment, James saw sheer joy on his son's face, the dark furrow of

frustration wiped away.

Then Nath opened his eyes, and the glow vanished. He saw the other kids squatting

around the pool, laughing now, the pool empty except for Jack in front of him. Jack

himself turned to Nath and grinned. To Nath, it was a taunt: Joke's on you. He shoved

Jack aside and ducked underwater, and when he reemerged at the edge, he climbed

straight out without shaking himself. He didn't even wipe the water from his eyes, just

let it stream over his face as he stalked toward the door, and because of this James

could not tell if he was crying. [...]

[P]art of him wanted to teil Nath that he knew: what it was like to be teased, what it

was like to never fit in. The other part of him wanted to shake his son, to slap him. To

shape him into something different. Later, when Nath was too slight for the football

team, too short for the basketball team, too clumsy for the baseball team, when he

seemed to prefer reading and poring over his atlas and peering through his telescope

to making friends, James would think back to this day in the swimming pool, this first

disappointment in his son, this first and most painful puncture in his fatherly dreams.

(997 words)

[Ng, Celeste: Everything I Never Told You. New York: Penguin Books 2014, pp. 87-92]

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Note:
Our solutions are listed in bullet points. In the examination, full marks can only be achieved by writing a continuous text.

While waiting for his breaststroke lesson to begin, Nath is at the swimming pool with his father.
James encourages Nath to join the kids and play Marco Polo, although Nath is shy.
Nath, who is shy and hesitant, plays along, only to become It when the other children quietly leave the pool.
An older girl mocks Nath with a racist remark, which triggers laughter from the other children.
Searching blindly, Nath is left alone and unsure in the pool.
When Jack re-enters the pool and shouts Polo, Nath is able to catch him.
Nath realises that the other children are making fun of him, feels humiliated, pushes Jack away and leaves the pool angrily.

In the extract, James' desire for his son Nath to belong is expressed through his actions, thoughts and reactions to Nath's experiences in the swimming pool. This narrative illustrates James' deep-seated desire for Nath to avoid the loneliness and marginalisation he himself has experienced.

Introduction

Narrative perspective
$\rightarrow$ story is presented through Jame's eyes
$\rightarrow$ third-person narrator with limited point of view
$\rightarrow$ unlining the thoughts and feelings of the father

Internal Monologue
$\rightarrow$ James' thoughts provide insight into his deep longings and frustrations.
$\rightarrow$ revealing his inner conflict and parental aspirations
$\rightarrow$ "Its good for him, James thought." (l.24)

Metaphors
$\rightarrow$ "rock" illustrates the immense impact of the girl's insult on James, conveying a heavy, sinking feeling of distress and helplessness: "A rock formed and sank in James's belly" (l. 47).

Main Body
Stylistic devices

James, reflecting on his own high school experience, projects his unfulfilled longings onto Nath, which is represented in flashbacks:
$\rightarrow$ "Although James himself had been a swimmer in high school, he had never won a trophy..." (l.1-3)
$\rightarrow$ "...he'd been embarrassed to ask classmates to his house, afraid that they'd recognize his mother from the lunch line, or his father from mopping the hallway." (l.30-32)
He imagines that Nath will not only take part in swimming, but will also rise above himself and become a central, admired figure in his peer group:
$\rightarrow$ "In high school, James imagined, Nath would be the star of the team, the collector of trophies, the anchorman in the relay. He would be the one driving everyone to the diner - or wherever kids would go in the far-off 1970s after meets." (l.6-9)
James' vision of Nath's future success in swimming and the social bonds it could create emphasises his desire for Nath to find belonging and acceptance.

James' aspirations for Nath

He has a negative perception of Nath's character and stature
$\rightarrow$ "suddenly annoyed at his son's shyness, his reluctance." (l.15)
Enumeration of adjectives with negative connotations
$\rightarrow$ "a nervous little boy: skinny, small " (l.16)
Parallelism highlights Nath's shortcomings in various sports and stresses James' deep disappointment and high expectations:
$\rightarrow$ "Later, when Nath was too slight for the football team, too short for the basketball team, too clumsy for the baseball team" (l.69-70)

Reality

James' reaction to Nath's humiliation is quite complex.
Comparing his son to Jack, whom he idolises:
$\rightarrow$ "it was with a twinge of admiration." (l.28)
He feels both empathy and frustration, reflecting his deep desire for Nath to succeed where he himself feels like a failure:
$\rightarrow$ "[P]art of him wanted to tell Nath that he knew: what it was like to be teased, what it was like to never fit in. The other part of him wanted to shake his son, to slap him. To shape him into something different." (l.67-69)

These dualities in James' reaction emphasise his inner struggle.
$\rightarrow$ wants to comfort Nath by sharing his own experiences with him
$\rightarrow$ also wants to push Nath to overcome his fears and fit in

Dealing with reality

James' desire for his son to belong is powerfully portrayed through his dreams, his frustrations and the painful reality of Nath's experiences.
The narrative illustrates how James projects his own past onto Nath, driven by a desire to protect him from similar pains of marginalisation.
However, the challenges Nath faces and James' reactions to them reveal the complexities and difficulties involved in trying to shape another's social destiny.

Conclusion

3a)

Comparing Father-Son Relationships

Title

In examining the father-son relationships in the extract from the novel Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng and in Tom Franklin's Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter we can identify both similarities and differences that reflect common themes of expectation, disappointment and the struggle for acceptance across generations.

Introduction

James and Nath
$\rightarrow$ relationship is viewed entirely from James' perspective
$\rightarrow$ deep insight into his motivations, hopes and past experiences
$\rightarrow$ allows readers to understand why James pushes Nath so hard to succeed and be accepted

Carl and Larry
$\rightarrow$ Larry's perspective, providing detailed insight into Larry's feelings of rejection and isolation
$\rightarrow$ limits the reader's understanding of Carl's motivations and makes Carl seem more distant and less sympathetic

Main Body
Different perspectives

James and Nath
$\rightarrow$ James does not engage with Nath as an equal dialogue partner
$\rightarrow$ he rather bosses Nath around with good intentions
$\rightarrow$ Nath is reluctant to listen, mirroring the tension and lack of mutual respect in their communication.

Carl and Larry
$\rightarrow$ Carl either ignores Larry or speaks to him disrespectfully.
$\rightarrow$ Larry pretends to please his father or avoids him whenever possible.

Communication

James and Nath
$\rightarrow$ James struggles to accept Nath, who does not fulfill his idea of a popular athlete.
$\rightarrow$ Despite his fears that Nath will repeat his own struggles, James occasionally shows empathy.

Carl and Larry
$\rightarrow$ Carl rejects Larry because he is not manly enough, except during Larry's date with Cindy.
$\rightarrow$ This strict rejection highlights Carl's deeper, more rooted rejection compared to James' conflicted feelings.

Acceptance of Sons

James and Nath
$\rightarrow$ tries to cope with his disappointment by trying to remould Nath through activities
$\rightarrow$ encouraging him to participate in group activities
$\rightarrow$ active effort by James to change Nath

Carl and Larry
$\rightarrow$ Carl constantly humiliates Larry in response to his disappointment.
$\rightarrow$ approach worsens Larry's feelings of insecurity and rejection

Dealing with disappointment

James and Nath
$\rightarrow$ Nath suffers from being bullied and made fun of by other children after his father pressures him into playing with the children.
$\rightarrow$ highlights the negative consequences of James' pressure and Nath's social problems

Carl and Larry
$\rightarrow$ Larry is subjected to more serious abuse and betrayal by his father.
$\rightarrow$ Abuse leadsd to deeper psychological scars and a deeper sense of isolation for Larry.

Impact of mistreatment

In conclusion, the father-son relationships in both stories illustrate the complexity of parental expectations and the desire for social acceptance.
Both James and Carl have high hopes for their sons, their approaches and responses to their sons' difficulties differ significantly.
Nevertheless, both relationships emphasise the universal challenges posed by intergenerational expectations.

Conclusion

3b)

In Gran Torino, different forms of masculinity are portrayed through the male characters. The novel explores themes of redemption, culture clash and generational differences, all connected through different expressions of what it means to be a man. Hereafter, the male characteristics are going to be analysed.

Introduction

Walt

shows aspects of traditional masculinity
$\rightarrow$ working hard, talking tough
$\rightarrow$ hiding emotions

acceptable
$\rightarrow$ qualities like working hard enables him to repair things
$\rightarrow$ being in charge of situations also helped him to take Thao under his wing, teaching him manual skills and self-confidence

not acceptable
$\rightarrow$ Thao is not allowed to define his own gender role
$\rightarrow$ takes the law into his own hands

Father Janovic

shows aspects of modern masculinity
$\rightarrow$ presented as highly acceptable, emphasising the importance of compassion and empathy
$\rightarrow$ patience and moral integrity
$\rightarrow$ focuses on human rather than gender issues

acceptable
$\rightarrow$ qualities and traits enable him to create a connection to Walt

Thao

shows aspects of undeveloped masculinity
$\rightarrow$ is expressed by insecurities and submissiveness
$\rightarrow$ obedient to female family members and his cousin's gang, dependent
$\rightarrow$ only later he becomes self-confident, mature, independent

acceptable
$\rightarrow$ his masculinity develops through positive leadership and self-discovery
$\rightarrow$ it is portrayed as more acceptable and admirable
$\rightarrow$ modern redefinition of masculinity that emphasises empathy and strength of character over physical dominance or emotional suppression

not acceptable
$\rightarrow$ he chooses to become a mere copy of Walt

Gangs

shows aspects of toxic masculinity
$\rightarrow$ identity marked by violence, intimidation and dominance
$\rightarrow$ assert their masculinity through aggressive and criminal behaviour, often using physical power to frighten and control others.

acceptable
$\rightarrow$ gangs might give disadvantaged youths a sense of belonging

not acceptable
$\rightarrow$ This form of masculinity is shown to be destructive and harmful, both to individuals and the broader community.
$\rightarrow$ criminal behaviour (theft, grave body harm, rape, murder)

Main Body

Gran Torino shows a spectrum of masculinities ranging from one extreme to the other.
suggests that masculinity should evolve towards empathy, moral strength and community, away from outdated notions
maculinity shouldn't be toxic and harmful $\rightarrow$ focus on the shift to a non-toxic range

Conclusion

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