De Anza College Speech Sounds Questions Discussion

You will be writing on this short story for your fourth paper, so please read it carefully and then complete the reading guide on it. (the files I have uploaded)

Although I haven’t written the fourth paper prompt yet, you will be writing on something related to the importance of language and communication in a functioning society, so you may want to read the short story looking for how the story puts forth that idea.

Also finsh the questions below

1. What did you think about this story? Did you like it? Was it hard to understand? Did it make you think of anything in a different way? (1 point)

2. What was the point of killing Obsidian as soon as he agrees to stay with Rye? Also, what is the point of his character whose life is so short? (1 point)

3. Due to the “illness,” the people in “Speech Sounds” have lost their ability to communicate: some cannot read, some cannot speak, etc. According to Butler, when people cannot communicate, what are the consequences? List at least three different consequences of such communication loss. (1 point)

4. In the intro to “Speech Sounds” Isaac Asimov writes that the story “manages to end with a ray of hope.” Do you agree with Asimov? Why or why not? (1 point)

5. Ask your classmates a thoughtful question about the story. (1 point)

6. Respond thoughtfully to a classmate’s question. (1 point)

7. If you have any ideas for prompt for your fourth paper on “Speech Sounds” and want to share them, please do!