Guidelines for preparing your questions to ask Professor Di Iorio on Wednesday

GUIDELINES FOR AUTHOR VISIT

- You and your fellow students will be leading class on Wednesday. My role will be the same as yours: to find out as much as possible about the novel we’ve just read. Since the responsibility to conduct an enriching class on Wednesday is on all of you, make sure you set aside plenty of time to think of your questions. Don’t leave it until the last minute.

- Compose at least three questions to ask Professor Di Iorio. There will be a “go-around”, so everyone will have a chance to speak. Chances are you will only get to ask one question but make sure you have 3 questions prepared because it is likely that someone else will ask one or more of your questions.

- Make sure you’re not asking a yes or no question. Rehearse the question in your mind in order to ascertain whether or not it will allow Professor Di Iorio to speak at length

- Make sure you’re not giving a speech, but rather, you’re asking an open-ended question. The question should work as an invitation for her to give a speech.

TYPES OF QUESTIONS TO ASK

1.  Choose a passage or section of the book that stood out to you while you were reading. Point the class to that passage and ask a specific analytical question.   EXAMPLE: (sections about ghosts on p.92) what’s the connection between Aurora and all the other Central Park ghosts?

1. Ask a specific question about the political, historical, socioeconomic issues that the novel hints at. There are many, many references to politics, history, socioeconomics in the novel. Topics include: economic situation of Puerto Rican immigrants, the history and economics of Spanish Harlem, the New York City workplace, encounters between white culture and Latino culture, the practice of Palo Monte in Puerto Rico and in New York, corruption on the island, female empowerment, female body image issues.

1.  Ask a question about the author’s specific choices for how to compose the novel. Make sure to not ask a question with a one word answer. Possible things to ask about: narrative point of view, temporal structure, tone, imagery, relationships between characters, relationship between the reader and the characters.    EXAMPLE: (39)  “Because you know, I ain’t stupid. I talk stupid sometimes because you can make a point better when people aren’t expecting much from you.” This makes me think about the style of the book’s narration, your choice to represent Fina’s thoughts in a voice that sounds “street.” What did you intend to be the effect of that? Can you say a little bit about your decisions that went into book’s narrative voice?

1. Ask a biographical question. This usually requires you to do some minor biographical research beforehand. Make sure to not ask a question with a one word answer.

If there are other specific questions you want to ask that don’t fall into these categories, please do so! Just make sure any question you prepare gives Professor Di Iorio room for a lengthy response.