"El Diablo de La Cienega" by Geoffrey Becker
About the Author, Geoffrey Becker
Click the link to be directed to Geoffrey Becker's website.
1. Geoffrey Becker was born in 1959 in the United States.
2. Geoffrey Becker is a short story writer and novelist.
3. He won the 1995 Drue Heinz Literature Prize for his short story "Dangerous Men".
4. He won the Nelson Algren award for his novel "Bluestown".
5. He won the NEA fellowship award.
Click the link to be directed to Geoffrey Becker's website.
1. Geoffrey Becker was born in 1959 in the United States.
2. Geoffrey Becker is a short story writer and novelist.
3. He won the 1995 Drue Heinz Literature Prize for his short story "Dangerous Men".
4. He won the Nelson Algren award for his novel "Bluestown".
5. He won the NEA fellowship award.
Pre-reading Reflection
I don't remember ever making a bet with a friend. Although, I recently made a bet with my dad, that by the time I turned 16 years old, if I were taller than him, he would give me money or something. After we made the bet, I felt confident in myself, because he is 5'6" and I am 5 feet. I have a talent that makes me special, and I am proud of it, because it is unique and unusual. Tahitian dancing, because a kid like me they call "haole" which means white or American, and I am the only fully American kid out there with my group. People don't expect kids like me to do things like this, but like my name, it is another thing that makes me special.
I don't remember ever making a bet with a friend. Although, I recently made a bet with my dad, that by the time I turned 16 years old, if I were taller than him, he would give me money or something. After we made the bet, I felt confident in myself, because he is 5'6" and I am 5 feet. I have a talent that makes me special, and I am proud of it, because it is unique and unusual. Tahitian dancing, because a kid like me they call "haole" which means white or American, and I am the only fully American kid out there with my group. People don't expect kids like me to do things like this, but like my name, it is another thing that makes me special.
Vocabulary in Context
Regimen: Routine. "He got up and went into the kitchen to make himself a cocktail, his name for the milk Nestle's Quik, and raw egg drink he'd invented as part of his personal training regimen." (Pg.49)
Ominous: Looming/shadowy. "In the darkness, the shapes of the wrecked cars were ominous, lurking monsters." (Pg.49)
Audible: Heard. "Even out here, the sound of his mother's hacking was clearly audible, the only disturbance in the night's solemn quiet." (Pg.50)
Economizing: Money-saving. "Victor didn't mention that for the past two months, as a part of an economizing measure, they'd been doing without a phone." (Pg.52)
Smattering: Uproar. "There was a smattering of applause." (Pg.59)
Convened: Gathered/met. "For a brief moment, the powers of the universe had convened in his fingertips." (Pg.62)
Regimen: Routine. "He got up and went into the kitchen to make himself a cocktail, his name for the milk Nestle's Quik, and raw egg drink he'd invented as part of his personal training regimen." (Pg.49)
Ominous: Looming/shadowy. "In the darkness, the shapes of the wrecked cars were ominous, lurking monsters." (Pg.49)
Audible: Heard. "Even out here, the sound of his mother's hacking was clearly audible, the only disturbance in the night's solemn quiet." (Pg.50)
Economizing: Money-saving. "Victor didn't mention that for the past two months, as a part of an economizing measure, they'd been doing without a phone." (Pg.52)
Smattering: Uproar. "There was a smattering of applause." (Pg.59)
Convened: Gathered/met. "For a brief moment, the powers of the universe had convened in his fingertips." (Pg.62)
Contrasting Ideas
Sure of Himself
1. When Victor is practicing and pretending he is making the winning shot for the Spurs. 2. Victor is both sure and unsure of himself when Money asks him if his name was Victor Garcia, because he said "sure...". (Pg.46) 3. When he makes the bet with Money. 4. When he decides to play "D-E-A-T-H" with Money in the bet. 5. When he stakes the entire game with an impossible shot, but he is also unsure about it. |
Unsure of Himself
1. When he is asked if his name was Victor Garcia, he was unsure of himself because he said "sure" and maybe he wasn't thinking straight. 2. He is unsure of himself and nervous when he asked "What are you, CIA?" because maybe he thought he was in trouble. 3. When Money signified that he wanted the ball, Victor was not sure he should give him the ball. 4. When Victor thinks to himself if Money were the devil, but it was too silly to sound real. 5. Victor is also unsure of himself when he takes the last shot, because it is impossible to make a shot twenty feet BEHIND the basket. |