Et tematiseret tekstanalyserings projekt.

Projektet gennemføres ved klassearbejde med teksten, idet kapitlerne: Book I, chaps. 1, 4, 5, 11 og 13; Book II, chaps. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10 og 12 samt Book III, chaps. 1, 2, 3, 14, 18 og epilogen læses intensivt og resten af bogen ekstensivt.

Samtidigt udarbejdes en skriftlig analyse af bogen og udvalgte supplerende og belysende temaer bearbejdes af nedenstående grupper, som endvidere skriver et kortfattet essay i opslagsvenlig form. Efter endt gruppearbejde vil grupperne fremlægge deres projekter samt omdele kopier af deres essays til hele klassen.

Gruppe A: Johan, Walther, Thomas B. & Kristina
Projekt:
 Juvenile justice
 The American Youth Prison System
 Youth 'gangs' and small time neighbourhood 'mob' organisations

Gruppe B: Gålle, Anja, Signe & Lærke
Projekt:
 Criminal Justice
 Norms and values of the neighbourhood in major cities ( USA)
 Characterization of the characters in "Sleepers"

Gruppe C: Eva, Winnie, Sanaz & Rikke
Projekt:
 A psychological 'before and after' profile of the boys.
 An analysis of their psychological development and what brought it about
 A psychological profile of the boys' tormentors in prison, the guards.

Gruppe D: Bolette, Bolette, Maria & Line
Projekt:
 The role of the Church in the neighbourhood
 The idea of 'punishment'
 Ethics of imprisonment and punishment

Gruppe E: Lone, Maj-Britt, Thorsen & Rose
Projekt:
 Environment and milieu
 Time and place
 Composition
 Genre
 Historical context

Questions to be put to the text:

Book I:

- Narrative technique used?
- Historical context - when/where?
- What was significant for the period?
- Literary techniques employed?

Chapters 1 & 2

- Social context?
- Describe the characters ( round & flat) and their family situations.
- Describe the neighbourhood ( The Hood )
- Discuss the authenticy of the novel ?
- How does the narrator protect the real persons form being recognized and what may his reason be for this protection?
- Relate some of the boys' pranks!
- Discuss the importance of 'friendship' in the Hood!
- Discuss the role of the Church!

Chapters 4 & 5

- Describe and discuss the codes of honour etc. of the Hood!
- Describe the local 'Boss'!
- Describe some of the flat characters in Hell's Kitchen!
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Chapters 11 & 13

- Describe some the important issues and historical/cultural events of the 60s!
- Relate 'the scam'!
- Describe the consequences of the scam and the way the Hood reacts to it!
- Discuss whether the accidental consequences of the scam warrant a criminal charge and severe punishment!
- Discuss the difference between the author's view of the vendor then and now as a grown up! Is this change of view due to maturity or to the accident and the punishment?
- Relate the handing down of the sentence!
- Describe Father Bobby's reaction!

Book II

Chapters 1, 2, and 3

- Relate and interpretate the poem from The Count of Monte Cristo!
- Describe the narrator's perception of being locked up in a cell!
- Give a preliminary characterization of the guards!
- Describe the guards' backgrounds and discuss their backgrounds as possible causes for their behaviour.
- Why do the guards need to keep the boys from forming friendships and alliances?
- Why do the guards need to keep the boys in a state of constant terror and fear?
- Relate the event on Lorenzo's 13th birthday!
- What may attract a pedophile to his victim?
- What may a rapist get out of a rape?
- How can sexual abuse be seen as a  tool to control prisoners?

Chapters 6, 7 and 8

- What is the purpose of the touch footbal game?
- What do the boys turn it into?
- Why is Rizzo important to the plan?
- How does the game turn out?
- How do the guards react to the game and why?

Chapters 10 & 12

- Relate the extreme humiliation that Lorenzo undergoes!
- What is point of having Lorenzo recite a prayer while raping him?
- What does the rosary mean to Lorenzo?
- How would you feel about God, having been raped with a prayer on your lips?
- How do you think black kids would feel about Martin Luther King's non-violence philosophy following a stay at Wilkinson's?
- Whom might they turn to?
- Relate Lorenzo's last night at Wilkinson's!
- Explain the final abuse in the light of his pending release!
 

Book III

Chapters 1, 2 and 3

- What has happened to Hell's Kitchen and why?
- What has happened to athe codes of the Hood?
- Who are the West Side Boys?
- Describe the 'burning' of Nokes!
- Describe John and Tommy!
- give a description of the friends' carreers and their lives as grown ups!
- How can Lorenzo and Michael remain friends with John and Tommy!
- How did the boys' stay in Wilkinson's affect Father Bobby and King Benny?
- Why is Michael interested in undertaking the prosecution of John and Tommy?
- What's the plan?
- What did Michael find out about each of the other guards?
- Link the boy's to their personal tormentors!

Chapters 14, 18, 22 and epilogue

- Describe Ferguson and his new life!
- How does Michael help O'Connor breaking Ferguson?
- What is the immediate consequence of Ferguson's testimony?
- Why does Father Bobby commit perjury on the witness stand?
- Why are Lorenzo's hope for his two friends' future low?
- Relate what became of the main characters!
- What does the title, "Sleepers" mean?
- Which literary technique is used for the epilogue?
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