"Colter's Way" by Sebastian Junger
Interpretive Questions: Answer all questions in complete sentences, using quotes to support.
1.) Why does Junger end with the story he calls “my own version of Colter’s run”? (p. 182)
Junger ends the story like this because he wanted to relate the story to real life, like adventure is still alive nowadays.
2.) What does Junger mean when he says he has only been in one situation “where everything depended on me”? (p. 182)
Junger means that everything is depending on you, and it is a do or die situation.
3.) Why does Junger say, “I was on my own. Adventura – what must happen will happen”? (p. 183)
Junger says this because he is accepting the adventure, he is willing to accept life or death.
4.) After the chase, why does Junger feel he had come back to “a world of tremendous frivolity and innocence”? (p. 184)
Junger feels this way because he felt a safe feeling, where there is no danger.
5.) Why does Junger think, “I’ve just come back from some other places these people don’t even know exists”? (p. 184)
Junger thinks this because no one knows or even think that this kind of life exists.
6.) Why does Junger see putting yourself in a situation where no one is going to save you as “the oldest game in the world – and perhaps the most compelling”? (p. 182)
Junger sees this because this "Hunter and the Hunted" is the oldest survival game to play.
7.) Why does Junger say that “danger ceases to be interesting as soon as you have no choice in the matter”? (p. 180-181)
Junger says this because when you are being hunted, it is not interesting and scary.
8.) Why does Junger says that “threats to our safety and comfort have been so completely wiped out that we have to go out of our way to create them? (p. 181)
Junger says this because people in that kind of situation have to step out of their comfort zone to do things.
9.) Why does Junger says a roughneck or firefighter may die a heroic death, but Dan Osman did not?
Junger says this because people like that are remembered and appreciated for doing that.
10.) Why does Junger think that Osman’s free-soloing was “unspeakably brave”? (p. 182)
Junger thinks this because what he did was something no one would ever do.
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Implacably (p. 177)
Quote: "The area, now known as Montana, was blank wilderness, and the Blackfeet had been implacably hostile to white men ever since their first contract with Lewis and Clark several years earlier."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Not to be appeased.
Synonym: Mercilessly.
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): Implacably the football player ran over the linemen and laid out the quarterback.
2.) Trajectory (p. 179)
Quote: "Given the trajectory of Colter's life, one could say that the wilderness was good for him, kept him alive."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Flow
Synonym: Path
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): With precise timing and trajectory, the Wright Brothers invented the world's first airplane.
3.) Stint (p. 180)
Quote: "A hundred years after that, American soldiers at the end of their tours in Vietnam would realize they could not go back to civilian life and would volunteer for one more stint in hell."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Short time.
Synonym: Shift.
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): "It's your stint for the lifeguard tower", his boss said.
4.) Stymied (p. 181)
Quote: "About ten years ago a young rock climber named Dan Osman started free-soloing—climbing without a safety rope—on cliffs that had stymied some of the best climbers in the country."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Prevented
Synonym: Matched up with
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The two undefeated teams ended their game stymied with a triple overtime.
5.) Ludicrous (p. 182)
Quote: "It's a ludicrous comparison except for that the age that I was, the stakes seemed every bit as high."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Preposterous.
Synonym: Ridiculous.
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The new game we played during PE was ludicrous and crazy.
6.) Intervene (p. 183)
Quote: "I knew I couldn't afford to lose it; the man was too crazy, too determined, and there was no one around to intervene."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Get involved with
Synonym: Interrupt
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): It's never good ton be a bystander, but when you see bullying, you should intervene.
7.) Frivolity (p. 184)
Quote: "I felt as if I'd been someplace very far away and had come back to a world of tremendous frivolity and innocence.
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Easy Going
Synonym: Lazy
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): What I love about summer vacation is that you are free to frivolity.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when the author is convincing or unconvincing. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
1.) Why does Junger end with the story he calls “my own version of Colter’s run”? (p. 182)
Junger ends the story like this because he wanted to relate the story to real life, like adventure is still alive nowadays.
2.) What does Junger mean when he says he has only been in one situation “where everything depended on me”? (p. 182)
Junger means that everything is depending on you, and it is a do or die situation.
3.) Why does Junger say, “I was on my own. Adventura – what must happen will happen”? (p. 183)
Junger says this because he is accepting the adventure, he is willing to accept life or death.
4.) After the chase, why does Junger feel he had come back to “a world of tremendous frivolity and innocence”? (p. 184)
Junger feels this way because he felt a safe feeling, where there is no danger.
5.) Why does Junger think, “I’ve just come back from some other places these people don’t even know exists”? (p. 184)
Junger thinks this because no one knows or even think that this kind of life exists.
6.) Why does Junger see putting yourself in a situation where no one is going to save you as “the oldest game in the world – and perhaps the most compelling”? (p. 182)
Junger sees this because this "Hunter and the Hunted" is the oldest survival game to play.
7.) Why does Junger say that “danger ceases to be interesting as soon as you have no choice in the matter”? (p. 180-181)
Junger says this because when you are being hunted, it is not interesting and scary.
8.) Why does Junger says that “threats to our safety and comfort have been so completely wiped out that we have to go out of our way to create them? (p. 181)
Junger says this because people in that kind of situation have to step out of their comfort zone to do things.
9.) Why does Junger says a roughneck or firefighter may die a heroic death, but Dan Osman did not?
Junger says this because people like that are remembered and appreciated for doing that.
10.) Why does Junger think that Osman’s free-soloing was “unspeakably brave”? (p. 182)
Junger thinks this because what he did was something no one would ever do.
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Implacably (p. 177)
Quote: "The area, now known as Montana, was blank wilderness, and the Blackfeet had been implacably hostile to white men ever since their first contract with Lewis and Clark several years earlier."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Not to be appeased.
Synonym: Mercilessly.
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): Implacably the football player ran over the linemen and laid out the quarterback.
2.) Trajectory (p. 179)
Quote: "Given the trajectory of Colter's life, one could say that the wilderness was good for him, kept him alive."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Flow
Synonym: Path
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): With precise timing and trajectory, the Wright Brothers invented the world's first airplane.
3.) Stint (p. 180)
Quote: "A hundred years after that, American soldiers at the end of their tours in Vietnam would realize they could not go back to civilian life and would volunteer for one more stint in hell."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Short time.
Synonym: Shift.
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): "It's your stint for the lifeguard tower", his boss said.
4.) Stymied (p. 181)
Quote: "About ten years ago a young rock climber named Dan Osman started free-soloing—climbing without a safety rope—on cliffs that had stymied some of the best climbers in the country."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Prevented
Synonym: Matched up with
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The two undefeated teams ended their game stymied with a triple overtime.
5.) Ludicrous (p. 182)
Quote: "It's a ludicrous comparison except for that the age that I was, the stakes seemed every bit as high."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Preposterous.
Synonym: Ridiculous.
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The new game we played during PE was ludicrous and crazy.
6.) Intervene (p. 183)
Quote: "I knew I couldn't afford to lose it; the man was too crazy, too determined, and there was no one around to intervene."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Get involved with
Synonym: Interrupt
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): It's never good ton be a bystander, but when you see bullying, you should intervene.
7.) Frivolity (p. 184)
Quote: "I felt as if I'd been someplace very far away and had come back to a world of tremendous frivolity and innocence.
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Easy Going
Synonym: Lazy
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): What I love about summer vacation is that you are free to frivolity.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when the author is convincing or unconvincing. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Convincing
1. When the narrator ends the story saying that adventure could still be out there nowadays. 2. When the narrator claims that he had come back to a world of happiness, but also unconvincing in a way. 3. When the narrator says that no one knows the world of survival. 4. When the narrator says that putting yourself in his kind of situation is the oldest game in the books. 5. When the narrator says that when you are being hunted, it is not as interesting as it is when you see it happening to an animal on TV. |
Unconvincing
1. When the narrator claims that he had come back to a world of happiness, because in this world today, there are still people who are dangerous and not afraid to hurt each other. 2. When the narrator just gives up and accepts life OR death. 3. When the narrator says that even though firefighters and police officers die heroic deaths, Dan Osman did not. 4. When the narrator says that modern society leaves us "hopelessly underutilized". 5. When the narrator seems surprised by the man being so enraged after he and his friends threw snowballs at the man's car. |