Connections: Spoiler Alert

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Do not read the first selection in the Connections section until you have finished the novel. It will ruin everything. I know that by telling you not to look, it will encourage that evil part of the human brain that wants to look even more when told not to look...but don't look.

I do, however, think it would be beneficial for you to read the second selection in the Connections section in the back, entitled "Class, Tradition, and Money." I think this article will help you understand some of the underlying issues in the novel that you might otherwise have found confusing.

Another note: I will be making comments and asking questions that pop into my brain concerning every chapter. This does not mean that you have to comment on every chapter. You must make five comments per section (as indicated on the sheet I gave you). You may make more, but you do not have to. You may also ignore what I have said and add your own thoughts on something that struck you, or you may respond to other comments from other students. Whatever the case, your comments should be about a paragraph in length. At the end of the summer, I should be able to look at the blog and see an insightful conversation about numerous topics related to the novel.