The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
“I Am Writing Blindly”
Read the article by Roger Rosenblatt and answer the following questions on a notebook page.
1.Find a minimum of five new vocabulary words. Start a list that you can add to all semester.
2. What does Rosenblatt mean when he says, “We are a narrative species”? Are we a “narrative species”? Agree or disagree using examples from the story and your experience.
- What incidents of people writing stories in terrible situations does Rosenblatt mention?
- What does Rosenblatt believe about writing?
- According to Rosenblatt, in what ways does storytelling shape “nearly every human endeavor.”
- How does Jean-Dominique Bauby fit into Rosenblatt’s argument about storytelling?
- Why does Rosenblatt say writing is so important in America, in particular? Would the same be true in Canada or other countries?
- .“Communication is the soul and engine of democracy” according to Rosenblatt. Agree or disagree providing examples. Minimum 2 paragraphs
- How do you use writing and storytelling to live freely in your own life?
- Kolesnikov meant the phrase “I am writing blindly” literally. He was trapped inside a dark chamber of lost submarine. Rosenblatt says we are all “writing blindly.” He’s speaking figuratively. What do you think he means?
Mr. McLean's English 9 Blog 
We will come back to this article throughout the semester, so please keep your notebook organized.