What is a Good Samaritan?
- What is a Good Samaritan law? Although they differ from state to state, the Good Samaritan laws are in place to protect citizens from liability during rescues or rescue attempts. Fear of being sued for any mistake made during a reasonable rescue attempt can prevent bystanders from stepping forward. These laws only apply if the individual offering aid is acting out of kindness and not being paid for services rendered. Professional rescue personnel are expected to do their jobs correctly and must be accountable for mistakes.
In certain parts of the country, the Good Samaritan laws actually require citizens to aide individuals who need help. Any citizen who stands by and makes no attempt to assist a victim can be taken to court for failing to make a reasonable effort to help. - The Good Samaritan Law
- The Incredibles Movie Clip- Watch Scenes 1-4
- The Incredibles Good Samaritan Scene (Scene 5)
- Seinfeld Video Clip
- 911 Video
- Good Samaritan Law Video
- ASSIGNMENT : In a persuasive essay, explain why/why not Good Samaritan Laws are effective. Use examples from the films to support your position. OR In a persuasive essay, explain why/why not states should have a Good Samaritan Law. Use examples from the film to support your position.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Controversy Assignment
- "Light Out, Huck, They Still Want to Sivilize You" by Michiko Kakutani
- "Do Word Changes Alter 'Huckleberry Finn'" from Room for Debate New York Times
- "'Huckleberry Finn' and the N-Word Debate" CBS News
- "Is Huck Finn a Racist?" Peter Salwen
- "Controversy at Cherry Hill" PBS.Org
- "Safe Water Ahead" by Stephanie Dispatch
- Mark Twain and Slavery Information
- Early Criticism of Huck Finn
- On a separate piece of paper, respond to each question with about five sentences. Be sure to cite your sources using in-text citation. Then list the title(s) of the article(s) from which you obtained the information to answer the question. Sources should be listed in alphabetical order.
- Why is the teaching and reading of Huck Finn so controversial?
- How have the criticisms about the book changed over the years?
- How do these various criticisms reflect a changing America?
- What were Mark Twain’s views about racism and slavery?
- What are the reasons some people have for using the “sanitized” version of Huck Finn in schools?
- Why do teachers and scholars in the field of American Literature consider The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and important book for students to read and study?
- How does knowing about the history of the controversy make you feel about reading the book? (No article reference necessary.)
- Under what circumstances, if any, do you think a book should be taken off a school's reading list and/or out of its library? (No article reference necessary.)
"A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift
- Who was Jonathan Swift?
- Full text of "A Modest Proposal"
- Audio of "A Modest Proposal"
- Review Questions for "A Modest Proposal"
- What is Jonathan Swift proposing? Explain his proposal.
- How does he make his point? Why?
- Does he persuade you of the worth of his proposal?
- How would you have reacted to his proposal if you had lived in 1729?
- Define the genre satire. Cite examples of satire, and why "A Modest Proposal" fits the genre of satire.
- What is Jonathan Swift proposing? Explain his proposal.