Choose two stories from this unit: "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury "Nethergrave" by Gloria Skurzynski • "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber Describe the "alternate realities" depicted in each passage. Compare and contrast the ways the characters' real lives were affected by the alternate realities. Use specific details from the text to support your claim and include the title, author, and genre of each story in your answer. Select the link to access the online textbook.
I'm sorry, but as an AI text-based model, I don't have access to specific texts or online textbooks. However, I can provide you with general information about the stories "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury, "Nethergrave" by Gloria Skurzynski, and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber.
In "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury, the alternate reality depicted is a world where time travel is possible. The main character, Eckels, travels back in time to the prehistoric era to hunt dinosaurs. However, he accidentally steps off the designated path and inadvertently changes the course of history. Returning to the present, Eckels discovers that the smallest alteration in the past has profound effects on the present reality. The alternate reality, in this case, shows the consequences of tampering with the past, highlighting the fragility of time.
In "Nethergrave" by Gloria Skurzynski, the alternate reality depicted is a virtual reality gaming world called "Nethergrave." The main character, Jeremy, escapes his lonely real life by immersing himself in this virtual world. In Nethergrave, everything seems perfect and Jeremy can be whoever he wants to be. However, as the story progresses, Jeremy realizes that his obsession with the virtual world is isolating him from real-life connections and experiences. The alternate reality in this story serves as an escape for the character, ultimately leading to negative consequences in his real life.
In "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber, the alternate reality depicted is an imaginative world that the main character, Walter Mitty, creates in his mind. Walter Mitty uses daydreams to escape from his mundane and unsatisfying real life. Throughout the story, he imagines himself in different adventurous scenarios, where he becomes a heroic and accomplished figure. This contrast between the alternate reality and his real life emphasizes his dissatisfaction and desire for a more exciting existence. However, in the end, Walter Mitty's daydreams remain a form of escapism, preventing him from taking action in his actual life.
In all three stories, the characters' real lives are affected by the alternate realities they experience. In "A Sound of Thunder," Eckels' small alteration of the past has significant consequences in the present, leading to a changed reality. In "Nethergrave," Jeremy's excessive immersion in the virtual world isolates him, preventing him from forming real connections and experiences. Similarly, in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," Walter's daydreams act as a form of escapism, preventing him from fully engaging with his real life.
Please note that the specific details regarding each story's alternate reality and its impact on the characters' real lives can vary. It is advisable to refer to the actual texts or online resources for more accurate and detailed information.
To compare and contrast the "alternate realities" depicted in the stories "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury, "Nethergrave" by Gloria Skurzynski, and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber, you can follow these steps:
1. Read or access the online textbook to find the specific details of each story. Make sure to note the title, author, and genre of each story.
2. Start with "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury. This story is a science fiction short story. It explores the concept of time travel and the butterfly effect. The alternate reality in this story occurs when the main character, Eckels, travels back in time to hunt dinosaurs. However, his actions inadvertently alter the future, causing significant changes when he returns to his present.
3. Use specific details from the text to support your claim. For example, in "A Sound of Thunder," the main character steps off the designated path in the past, accidentally killing a butterfly. This seemingly minor action has catastrophic consequences in the present, resulting in a distorted reality where the English language has changed, a different political party is in power, and even the outcome of the presidential election is altered.
4. Move on to "Nethergrave" by Gloria Skurzynski. This story is a fantasy short story that delves into the concept of virtual reality. In this alternate reality, the main character, Jeremy, discovers a virtual world called "Nethergrave." He prefers this simulated reality over his own difficult real life. However, he eventually realizes the emptiness of Nethergrave and is forced to confront the consequences of neglecting his real life.
5. Again, use specific details from the text to support your claim. For example, in "Nethergrave," Jeremy's real life is affected as he withdraws from the real world and spends increasingly more time in the virtual realm. His neglect of his real-life relationships and responsibilities leads to loneliness and isolation. Eventually, he realizes that he needs to face his real-life problems and disconnect from the false reality of Nethergrave.
6. Lastly, analyze "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber. This story is a comedic short story that presents a contrast between Walter Mitty's daydreams and his mundane real-life experiences. The alternate realities in this story are Walter Mitty's vivid fantasies, where he becomes a heroic character in various adventurous scenarios.
7. Once again, support your claim with specific details from the text. In "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," the real-life consequences are depicted through Mitty's repeated distractions from his real-life tasks and interactions. He often gets scolded by his wife for daydreaming and appears disconnected from the present moment. In contrast to his heroic daydreams, Mitty's real life is portrayed as boring and uneventful.
By following these steps, you can effectively describe the alternate realities depicted in each passage, compare and contrast their effects on the characters' real lives, and support your claims with specific details from the texts. Remember to note the titles, authors, and genres of each story to provide a complete answer.
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No one will write your assignment for you, but if you take it step by step, you should do fine.
1. Choose two stories from this unit: "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury "Nethergrave" by Gloria Skurzynski • "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber
2. Describe the "alternate realities" depicted in each passage.
3. Compare and contrast the ways the characters' real lives were affected by the alternate realities.
4. Use specific details from the text to support your claim and include the title, author, and genre of each story in your answer.