Pre-reading exercise
Pair work
Imagine you are soldiers returning from war.
- What challenges might you face when returning home?
- How well can family and friends relate to your situation?
- How easy is it to get used to civilian life?
- Where might you seek help if you experience difficulties?
A Brief History of PTSD
1. Describe the incident involving General George S. Patton
- What does it say about how PTSD was perceived in World War II?
- What does it say about Patton himself?
2. List as many names for PTSD as you can find in the text.
3. Why has the same condition been given different names through history
4. How do the names reflect our growing understanding of the condition?
5. What is the difference between post traumatic stress and insanity?
6. List the symptoms of post traumatic stress and give examples from the text of these symptoms in action
7. Apart from the actual symptoms, another problem soldiers with PTSD-reated conditions seem to suffer just as much from a lack of recognition and understanding from their environment. Give examples of this from the text.
8. Describe the development in treatment of PTSD-related conditions through the various wars mentioned in the text.
9. Can the problem be avoided through pre-enlistment screening? Why/Why not?
10. What is post-Vietnam syndrome and why do the soldiers often not experience the symptoms until a while after returning home?
11. What challenges have the doctors faced when treating Vietnam War veterans?
12. What reactions to PTSD have we seen after the beginning of the Iraqi and Afghanistan wars?
13. Have we become better at recognising, avoiding and treating PTSD in the modern wars? Explain your answer.
14. What is the difference between Combat Stress Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?
15. What triggered Reverend Alan McLean’s suicide according to the text?
16. Why is this used as an example of PTSD?
Soldier’s Home
1. List the main challenges Krebs faces after having returned home.
2. To what extent does his hometown welcome Krebs home?
3. Do they show interest in his experiences at war?
4. Why might their reactions be frustrating for Krebs?
5. Krebs seems to have lost faith and lost his goal in life. Why might that be?
6. Explain the following quote, “Krebs acquired the nausea in regard to experience that is the result of untruth or exaggeration.”
7. Describe Krebs’ relationship to his father
8. Describe Krebs’ relationship to his mother
9. Describe Krebs’ relationship to his sister
10. Explain the following: “He did not want any consequences ever again.”
11. Krebs upsets his mother by stating 'I don't love anybody,' Why is he so detached?
A Perfect Day for Bananafish
Pair work – Comprehension questions
1. Lines 1 – 13. What are your first impressions of:
- The setting
- Murial
2. The telephone conversation
- Define/describe main topic of conversation
- What the mother is trying to say to Murial?
- What does Seymour (Murial’s husbond) call her?
- Who is Dr Sivelski and why did Murial’s father talk to him?
- What do you suppose the business with the trees might be?
2. The conversation between Sybil carpenter and Seymour Glass
- What are talking about?
- What are bananafish
- What might they symbolise for Seymour?
- What is your impression of Seymour at this point in the story?
- Is the conversation innocent, or are there any omens of things to come
3. The elevator scene
- Describe the incident in the elevator
- Why does Seymour react in this way?
4. The ending
- Why do you think Seymour commits suicide?
- Did you expect it, or did it come as a surprise?
J. D. Salinger
