1. Looking back at the short story “Our Perfect Summer” by David Sedaris, why does the title seem to be inaccurate for what takes place that summer for David and his family? Please use textual evidence (quotes) to support your answer. (5 points)

2. One topic within the story is the idea of broken dreams. What theme can you identify regarding the topic of broken dreams within “Our Perfect Summer?” Please use textual evidence (quotes) to support your answer. (5 points)

3. Rudy Francisco is setting a tone within his poem “Complainers” for his readers. What tone do you think he sets? Why do you believe this is the tone he creates for his readers? Please use textual evidence (quotes) to support your answer. (5 points)

4. In his poem, Rudy Francisco says, “The human heart beats approximately 4,000 times per hour, and each pulse, each throb, each palpitation is a trophy engraved with the words, You are still alive. You are still alive. Act like it.’”

What do you believe Francisco is trying to explain to his readers with this quote? How is it significant to his overall purpose of the poem “Complainers?” (5 points)

1. The title seem inaccurate for what takes place for David and his family because it is misleading, in the sense that what actually happened is a complete opposite of what the title says.

2. The theme of empty promises and disappointments can be identified regarding broken dreams in "Our Perfect Summer.

3. Rudy Francisco sets the tone of showing his readers how to appreciate what they have in his poem Complainers.

4. With the quote "The human heart beats approximately 4,000 times per hour, and each pulse, each throb, each palpitation is a trophy engraved with the words, You are still alive. You are still alive. Act like it." Rudy Francisco is trying to explain to his readers that being alive is ultimately bigger than any problems people may have and to appreciate that fact.

Textual evidences for each question are provided in the explanation below.

Explanation:

1. The title of the short story "Our Perfect Summer" by David Sedaris is inaccurate for what takes place for David's family that summer because it is misleading, it makes the reader to immediately assume that it is a story full of fulfilled dreams with a happy ending, whereas the opposite is what happened.

David and his family started the summer believing that they were getting a new vacation home, an expectation destroyed by their unreliable father when he decided that "it might be wiser to buy some land, wait a few years and think about building a place of our own", in his words "I mean, lets be practical".

Evidence of this subsequent disappointment was hinted at: "what would ultimately last were these fifteen minutes on the coastal highway, but we didn't know that then."

2. The theme of broken promises and disappointments which ran throughout the story can be identified regarding the topic of broken dreams.

3. Rudy Francisco sets the tone of showing his readers how to appreciate what they have in his poem Complainers.

This is because he talked about real misfortunes that befell on some people like "David Striegl was punched in the mouth. By a kangaroo.", and yet they never complain and appreciated the fact that "I guess things could have been worse."

Then he contrasted these with people whose only problems are having a bad day or "the job you've been trying to quit for the past four years.", which are actually trivial issues that shouldn't exist.

He pointed out that people with real tragedies do not speak, "You see, when Evan lost his legs he was speechless. When my cousin was assaulted, she didn't speak for 48 hours.", and he sort of challenged those "blessed with tragedies so small it can fit on the tips of our tongues."

4. With the quote "The human heart beats approximately 4,000 times per hour, and each pulse, each throb, each palpitation is a trophy engraved with the words, You are still alive. You are still alive. Act like it." Rudy Francisco is trying to explain to his readers that being alive is ultimately bigger than any problems people may have and to appreciate that fact.

This is significant to his overall purpose of the poem in emphasizing that whatever trivial problem a person is facing there are worse things that could happen, death for example. He is telling his readers that being alive is a gift and should be enjoyed.

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