We played games in the living room. You made jewelry. The scarf grew longer and longer. We went for a walk in the park. We didn’t talk about what was on top of us. What was pinning us down like a ceiling. When you fell asleep with your head on my lap, I turned on the television.
I lowered the volume until it was silent. The same pictures over and over. Planes going into buildings. Bodies falling. People waving shirts out of high windows. Planes going into buildings. Bodies falling.
Understand
1. What did Oskar’s grandmother spend the afternoon of 11 September 2011 doing? 2. Oskar’s mother made posters. What was the purpose of this task? 3. What do we learn about the narrator’s relationship with Oskar’s grandfather?
Explore
1. Oskar’s grandmother says that she felt sick to think that ‘Forty years of loving someone becomes staples and tape.’ What do you think she means by this?
2. Imagine you are Oskar’s grandmother, sitting with your grandson asleep on your lap. Describe the thoughts that are running through your mind as you watch television.
Create
1. Imagine you are in New York when the attack took place. People are panicking and the city is in chaos. Write a paragraph in which you describe the scene using imagery and vivid descriptions.
2. Imagine you are the Mayor of New York. Write the speech you would deliver to the American people to help them through this sad time. Your speech should discuss the importance of protecting people’s freedom.
