Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Week 2 Discussion Question

Tree-ear must learn about his master Min from others. Min is also not telling him how to do things or giving him any direction. Tree-ear must watch and breathe in his work, but he never "hears a word from Min himself." Why is Min so hard on Tree-ear and why do you think he never gives him help on what he should be doing?

Make sure to write in complete sentences and use details from the story to support your answers. Type this in your 'blogging doc' first so you can make corrections if necessary. Make sure to edit and revise your answer before you post it.

26 comments:

  1. I think that Min is hard on Tree-ear because he had a son,and I think that he thinks that Tree-ear is replacing his son.I think that Min did not want to loose the memory of his son and replace it with Tree-ear.

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  2. I think Min is hard on Tree-ear because he is blocking him out. The reason I think he is blocking him out is because his son died and maybe Tree-ear reminds him of his son. Also maybe he does not help because he and his son used to do that together and it would make him feel sad.

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  3. I think Min is so hard on Tree-Ear because Min wants to impress the emissary show his pottery, but instead he know that Kang will get commissioned instead of him. Although Min was mean to Tree-Ear I think he was feeling a bit more respect toward Tree-Ear due to the fact that he helped him so much while making the pottery.But I was surprised when Min got so angry about his firing that he broke it.

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  4. Min is a very complicated man. I think Min is hard on Tree-ear because Min thinks he doesn’t need help with anything. He wanted to make Tree-ear miserable on the first few days by making him get the wood used for the kiln. I think that Min is just still grieving for the loss of his son and that is why he has become so strict and mean. Min might forget to tell Tree-ear what to do thinking he already knows it then get mad when Tree-ear doesn’t.I think that Min was surprised when Tree-ear said that he wanted to work for him. Tree-ear might be a reminder of what Min lost . Min might think that Tree-ear or any other boy looks like his lost son. Death can do almost anything to the people that were closest to the person or animal that died. There could be many other reasons that Min doesn’t tell Tree-ear things though. It could be to painful to tell Tree-ear about himself, because it could all end up being connected to the death of his son. Tree-ear finds out more than I think he needs to about the history of Min. Min could just be strict and mean for no reason too. Some people just do it because they were born with it. I also think that Min is hard on Tree-ear as a test. Min might want to find out more about Tree-ear and how hard he can work and do things well. At a certain point, if Min doesn’t like Tree-ear he could end the test and fire Tree-ear. If what Min is doing is a test, then I believe that he is passing it. Min is being a little Nicer to Tree-ear bit by bit. Min is hard to understand, but the way the book is turning out, I bet that there will be some more revealings about Min the potter. I can’t wait to read more about Min and find out why he is tough on Tree-ear. My best theory is that he is being hard on Tree-ear because of his son and now Min’s wife is having Tree-ear wear some of his sons clothes. Since Tree-ear is working for Min, Min will see him quite often so it might be hard on him. Min is hard to understand and hopefully, he won’t be as hard on Tree-ear anymore.

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    1. I totally agree that Min is a complicated man. We know not that much about him and that makes him very complex. Great job with giving more than one reason.

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  5. I think Min is so hard on Tree-ear and never helps him with work is because he always has his mind somewhere else. He must’ve been preparing for the emissary, so he was just super focused on his pottery. I also think Min might be distracted by another thought, like his son dying. I think Min might just be hurt so badly on the inside that he either gets distracted or does not want to communicate with anyone. Maybe everything reminds him of his son, so it hurts to speak of anything. Or, his son might not be causing this. He might’ve just been distracted by the emissary, but I think there’s a bigger reason for the harsh orders and distance from Tree-ear. I think Min is just hurt on the inside, but why? Will the answer be revealed soon? I think Tree-ear reminds Min of his son because when Min’s wife gave Tree-ear the coat, she said their son was about Tree-ear’s age when he died. Also, connecting with another book I read, something might’ve hurt MIn so badly that he’s been changed forever. But, since I think Tree-ear reminds Min of his son, I think Tree-ear might cause Min to come back to himself. I think Min is harsh on Tree-ear because one, the emissary was coming, and two, Min is reminded of his son because of Tree-ear, and he misses his son very badly. He might be thinking of his son so often that he’s almost believing Tree-ear was his son. Again, as I said, Min’s son might not be causing any of this. It could just be Min’s personality, but I highly doubt that. Something must’ve happened to him. Something so tragic, something so painful that Min has almost been separated from himself. I think this reason will soon be revealed. This is a wonderful book. I can’t wait to read more! (This is Hannah A.)

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  6. Tree-Ear is learning about Min from his wife. When it was cold out and Tree-Ear was heading towards Min’s house he knocked on the door and Min’s wife appeared. When she saw Tree-Ear cold and shivering she gave him a jacket with a very warm fleece. Tree-Ear wondered where it came from and she said it came from Min’s old child. Unfortunately their child died when he was around Tree-Ear’s age. Tree-Ear didn’t really know about that and thought that about Min as a parent that if couldn’t be. Min probably never gives Tree-Ear directions since he has went through a hard time having his kid die around the age of 12. Min is also so strict on Tree-Ear since the emissary was just here and was going for him or Kang, so the next time the emissary comes Min wants his pieces to be better than Kang’s pottery. Since Min is so busy working on the pottery and depressed from his childs death he could be reminded of his kid from Tree-Ear, so he never tells Tree-Ear what to do and also I think Min’s never actually present. It’s like his mind is always somewhere else.

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    1. I think that you are right. Min is still grieving from his loss, and with the emissary here, he is tense cause he could be chosen over Kang!

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    2. I agree I think Min’s wife is going to be a big part because she is kind to Tree-ear

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  7. I think that Min is so hard on Tree-ear because he doesn’t want to have feelings for him. I think that he had feelings for his son, who he lost, and he doesn’t want to go through the pain all again. He tries to think about Tree-ear as a worker and in order for him to do that, he needs to treat him sternly. If he treated him nicely and softly, he would start to develope feelings for Tree-ear, and is too afraid to try. I think that Min never helps Tree-ear because he wants to avoid that special contact, again, that he had for and with his son. He wants Tree-ear to develop and learn about hard work. In the book, Tree-ear wonders why Min will not help him. He is confused. But, after learning about Min and his wife’s past, he knows that Min sees Tree-ear as a son and doesn’t want that special connection.

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  8. I think Min is not giving complete directions to Tree-ear because he used to think that Tree-ear already knows about pottery and is an expert. I also thinks that he is seeing how long Tree-ear can go before getting upset about his orders. But, It is not always that. It may just be that Min is getting old and forgetting things.
    Tree-ear ¨never hears a word from Min himself¨ because he is frustrated and thinks that Tree-ear is just a minion or servant. He may think this because Tree-ear is an orphan and he is not paying Tree-ear.

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  9. I think Min is so hard on Tree-ear because he is mad at him for breaking the box so he wants to work Tree-ear into exhaustion, like when he told Tree ear to go all the way into the woods and fill up the cart without food or water, I also think Min wants Tree-ear to learn not to spy on people and not to break into people’s houses. And I think Min never gives Tree-ear help because he is mad at him for breaking in and breaking one of his masterpieces, an example of him not giving any help is when Tree-ear cut his hand. I also think he is not giving help because in the real world people won’t always help you, and maybe he wants to push Tree-ear because thats how Min was treated as a kid and Min wants Tree-ear to grow up to be like him.

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  10. Min is so hard on Tree-Ear because Min doesn't think much of Tree-Ear besides that Tree-Ear wants to work for him. For Example, when Tree-Ear asks to work for Min, he just says in a way, “Yes”. To Min, Tree-Ear is just like a little helper that he has to feed. Min just doesn't know Tree-Ear that well and doesn't think much of him, and that is why min is so hard on Tree-Ear.

    I think that Min never gives Tree-Ear help in what he should be doing because he thinks that since Tree-Ear watches Min, he knows everything about what jobs Min does and how he does them. Of course, Tree-Ear doesn’t know all the things and how to do them so he has to eavesdrop/overhear (on) Min so he can know. The text says that he never “hears a word from Min himself.” That means that he has to eavesdrop/overhear (on) Min and other people so he can no everything. Another reason is that the first impression that Min got from Tree-Ear was that he dropped the box (and in Min’s opinion) tried to steal it. Min never got a good first impression. That is why I think Min doesn't give Tree-Ear help on what he should be doing.

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    1. I agree I think Min said yes because maybe he is getting too old to do some of his work so he needed Tree-ear to do it for him

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  11. I think Min is not talking to Tree-ear because he might not really know him and he might know that Tree-ear is only working for Min’s money and he might not like that idea. I also think Min is not talking to Tree-ear he is just not social. I think Min is hard on Tree-ear because he might not like Tree-ear and might be plain old mean. Min is probably not telling Tree-ear what to do because he might have done it and didn’t like it so he might be amusing himself by watching someone else do it. He might even have a secret about him that he doesn’t want to tell him that might make him sad. Maybe Min knows that Tree-ear is sneaking food to his friend named Crane-man and he might be upset with that. Min may just simply not think much about Tree-ear and just want him to get some work done and pay him for his convenience and help.

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    1. Ethan, what do you mean by "Tree-ear is only working for Min’s money and he might not like that idea." because Min doesn't pay Tree-Ear. Do you mean like paying in the sense that Min is feeding Tree-Ear?

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  12. I think Min is so hard on Tree-ear because everytime he sees Tree-ear he sees his lost son, especially since Tree-ear started wearing his son’s clothes. I also think the same about Min’s wife except instead of approaching Tree-ear with anger and self-pity she approaches him with kindness and love, for he is the son she never got to teach past Tree-ears age. I know this because of evidence like “After a brief instant he opened his eyes and sniffed.’You took long enough,’ he said.So instead of praising Tree-ear, Min just dismisses the fact that Tree-ear did a good job and then he scolds him when he messes up. For example, “Keep the cart even, stupid boy.” Unlike Min’s wife who gave her son’s clothes to Tree-ear, a “lowly orphan” and says things like “Wear them in good health.”which is what she tells him after she gives him the clothes.That is why Min is so hard on Tree-ear and that is why he never helps him or specifies his instructions.

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  13. I disagree with that statement. I think that deep down inside, Min is a nice man. I think that he is not just a mean man. I think that his experience from the past brings him to what he is today. He is hard on Tree-ear because he has never had child experience and thinks he can handle it. But, I do agree that maybe Min is hiding something.

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  14. I think Min is hard on Tre-ear because he misses his old son. Tre-ear probaly reminds him of his son when he sees him and his son probaly used to help him work. Also when Tre-ear dropped the pot when Min saw him it wasn't exactly a great meeting.

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  15. Tree ear is having a hard time learning from others about Min. Tree ear must do a lot of guessing about what Min will do based off of other things min has done. For example when Tree ear drains clay no one tells him how many times to drain the clay he must guess what Min would do or when he collects shells no one tells him which shells are good to use or which ones are bad .Tree ear must guess what Min would do. However Min is not predictable so Tree ear still has a lot of rejected work. I think Min never helps Tree ear on what he is supposed to do because Min has small secrets here and there. If Tree ear finds out Min’s secrets Mins secrets would be ruined. Min is so hard on Tree ear because Min hopes Tree ear will grow up to be a good poter just not a good potter like Min.

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  16. Tree-ear doesn't learn much from others about Min because he never talks to other people so they wouldn't know much about him. The next thing is that sense Min doesn't talk to many people Tree-ear doesn't hear from Min himself at all about his work ,but Tree-ear already knows about most of Min's work because he used to watch Min work and kind of spy on him. also the reason I think Min is so hard on Tree-ear is because he is angry after his child passing away. Then the other reason that Min is so mean to Tree-ear is maybe because he has been building up anger from his previous fails in his life that make him mad like the time when he broke all of his pots because there were a bunch of brown spots on his pots.

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  17. Tree-ear doesn't learn much from others about Min because he never talks to other people so they wouldn't know much about him. The next thing is that sense Min doesn't talk to many people Tree-ear doesn't hear from Min himself at all about his work ,but Tree-ear already knows about most of Min's work because he used to watch Min work and kind of spy on him. also the reason I think Min is so hard on Tree-ear is because he is angry after his child passing away. Then the other reason that Min is so mean to Tree-ear is maybe because he has been building up anger from his previous fails in his life that make him mad like the time when he broke all of his pots because there were a bunch of brown spots on his pots.

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  18. I think that Min is so hard on Tree-ear because Min and his wife used to have a kid named Hyung-gu that died when he was Tree-ears age and when Min saw Tree-ear is Hyung-gu’s winter clothes I think he thought of Tree-ear kind of like Hyung-gu. Also, another reason I think that Min is hard on Tree-ear is because Min does not want Tree-ear to fail him. I think that Min never helps Tree-ear is because Min is an old man who needs to work and make the pots to show off to the emissary. Also if he works then he would be waiting time to make pottery.
    By Dana

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  19. Min never gives Tree-ear help because he always is focusing on making the pottery and preparing for anything that comes his way, like the emissary. He doesn’t help Tree-ear because he wants to be better than Kang, another potter. Min is hard on Tree-ear because he wants him to be as fast as he can. Min is always inside his house and his wife opens the door every time Tree-ear knocks. He wants to stay inside so its hard to get to know him.

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  20. I think that Min is going hard on Tree-ear because there is so much that he can’t do now that he is old. Also, he might be teaching Tree-ear that it is harder than you think to do pottery like when Tree-ear starts to scoop the clay it is very hard for him. And he might just miss his old son and he might get angry and he gets it out on Tree-ear. Or he’s just an old grump.

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  21. I think Min is being hard on Tree-ear because of the box, the masterpiece, and the bowl almost hitting his wife that they gave him food with. I think Tree-ear is getting exhausted from all of the work like when he had to go all the way to the woods to fill up a cart. I think Min is not helping Tree-ear with what he is supposed to do because Min might be thinking that he is not getting enough out of it. Min is a very complicated character and i think we will never understand his grumpiness.

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