09 December 2008

Gamma Rays response #1 - How do these two things go together

This response is due before class starts Friday, Dec. 12

To prepare us for our reading of The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, we spent some time talking about gamma rays and radiation and the different types of dysfunctional families. For your reference, the information brief on gamma rays can be found here and the information on dysfunctional families is here. Based on what you know of both and from what you've gleaned from the play so far, I'd like you to consider the following question: In what ways are the two seemingly unrelated topics - gamma rays & dysfunctional families - related? Where are there similarities that might help us better understand some of the significant ideas from the play? In what ways, might the author use these two ideas in his play to help explore a deeper understanding of a truth about life?

Remember, to earn full credit, your response must be between 150 and 200 words and conform to standard written English. Use full sentences, spell out your words correctly and include proper punctuation. By the way, this posting is 187 words.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gamma rays and dysfunctional families by definition are not similar, however in theory both are dependent on very similar things. Gamma rays are formed when the nucleus of an atom can not be held together. A nucleus of an atom is like the parents of a family. If this epicenter of a family can not hold together then the family can not function normally, problems can occur and damage a child for life. With Gamma rays, these rays are unstable because of this nucleus issue, almost as if it has trouble functioning. There is always an underlying cause to dysfunctional families, there is always a center to the problem, just like the center of the instability of a gamma ray is the nucleus.

Margaret P.5

Anonymous said...

At the beginning of the lesson I saw absolutely no correlation between something that the sun produces, and a dysfunctional family- until we started to get into it. When really researching both dysfunctional families and Gamma Rays, I saw a huge correlation. Gamma Radiation is based greatly on the dependence of the success of the ray, forming at the nucleus. It needs an ideal ratio of neutrons to protons to function. You see this in the home as well. I believe success of a child or family, too, starts at the nucleolus, or with the parent figure in that home. I think it would be safe to say- I see dysfunctionality to be contagious, in the sense that if it starts at the nucleolus of a home it can quickly spread and start disturbing others life making, slowly deteriorating the functionality of that life.

Gregg
P 5

Anonymous said...

Gamma rays don't have anything in common when you think about it at first, but further thought will show that they both rely on a leader to remain stable. When that leader breaks down a gamma ray is formed and a dysfunctional family is formed.

Kevin S.
P.6

Anonymous said...

Gamma Rays and Dysfunctional Families are different, but they are the same because they both can break apart. When a family isn't strong enough it becomes unstable just like a gamma ray.

Ian F.
P.5

Anonymous said...

Gamma rays and dysfunctional families don’t seem to have anything in common when first spit out the words together. Gamma rays are a relation to Science and dysfunctional families are a relation to cycology. You have to dig deeper for them to actually relate. For instance, both Gamma rays and dysfunctional families are able to split apart once this occurs they either die off or take forever to put back together. They also rely on a leader to become stable. Once the leader take off everything starts falling apart and dies off. For Families once the parents (leaders) walk out that door and are too busy for the kids, the kids will slip from the family slowly and start their own life away from their family, but still remain in the house. For Gamma rays, once that leader leaves they won’t have long on surviving and soon later dies off.

chris
p-6

Anonymous said...

Gamma rays are made up of radioactive atoms, like a family is made up of individual members. In a gamma ray if the binding energy is not strong enough to hold the nucleus of an atom together, the atom is said to be unstable. This is just like if a family is not getting enough support from one another, then it can result in problems and issues that make the family fall apart. Also in a gamma ray, atoms with unstable nuclei are constantly changing as a result of the imbalance of energy within the nucleus. This is also like when a member in the family becomes unstable, this can cause an inbalence in all the family members and how well they get along with that member. A family needs to also have a nucleus. The nucleus is like the parents. The parents need to be good role models in order for their children to be stable. If the parents are alcoholics or abuse their children, that will cause the family to fall apart as well. A gamma ray needs a strong nucleus to hold the atom together and a family need a strong bind between the parents as well.

Taylor period 2

Anonymous said...

Gamma rays and dysfunctional families seem like they have nothing to do with each other. Yet, they do in a very similar way. Gamma rays are electromagnetic radiation. Gamma rays are the product of radioactive atoms. Whenever the energy of an atom is not strong enough the atom becomes unstable. Atoms with nuclei that are not stable change a lot. In a dysfunctional family, when the "nucleus" of the family, or the parents, are not strong enough to control a family correctly then the family becomes unstable. There are many reasons for this including abusive, over controlling, under controlling, or drug addicted parents. When this occurs, the people in the family seem too dramatically change just like an unstable atom would. In the end, the atom will disintegrate or transform just like a child will end up doing, by either having to grow up quicker or even worse, like dying. This is why gamma rays and dysfunctional families are so alike. It is weird how science and social life can be so similar.
-Dan P5

Anonymous said...

Gamma Rays and Dysfunctional families are similar because they both cause problems. Gamma Rays destroy the cell wall and break the family apart. Some similarities are like Gamma Rays, they happen when the nucleus and he atom can't stay together. So it's like dysfunctional families that cannot stay together. They are broken up by the problems in the family between the members. Sometimes one can fix the problems and other times one cannot. Some ways the author might use these two ideas to understand the truth about life is by relating the two because they both can be destroyed.


Jill per 6

Anonymous said...

There are a couple ways that gamma rays and dysfunctional families are similar. For one they have instability in common and they need structure. In the play the mother is taking her frustrations out on Tillie who loves science. That's how the author uses the subject to relate to life. Tillie is only really happy when shes involved in a science project or experiment. The explanation of these experiments are probably going to have a deeper meaning to relate to the characters.

katrina
period 2

Anonymous said...

Even though these two topics are very different, they are also the same in a way. Gamma Rays are possible unstable and can be a very bad thing. If a family is unstable, it is likely for it to be a very bad thing. In the play, the mother seems to be making all of the problems. If both of these things are unstable, then, like gamma rays, the family will break up.


Randy p2

Anonymous said...

It seems that these two things have nothing in common, but if you think about it and think beyond literal they actually are very similar. Gamma Rays and Dysfunctional families both have certain things holding them together, and if broken, can make them fall apart. Gamma Rays are unstable and rely on other parts to help them grow and stay alive, or else they fall apart. Dysfuctional families are like this in the way that they can fall apart too and are fragile. If families dont have the essentials to keep it together then like the gamma rays they will get destroyed. This will help us in the play because its about a dysfunctional family. One of the girls tillie in the play is very smart and intrested in atoms and science. Maybe this will come together with the dysfuctional family and make a difference in the way this family thinks.

Anonymous said...

^ Kristy period 6 . sorry.

Anonymous said...

in the play they are brought together by how tilie loves science and how her family is disfunctional. her family is always arguing and the mother and the other sister are a lot alike and argue. tilie is always doing things with science and her family annoys her about it.

Andrew p5

Anonymous said...

One way disfunctional families and Gamma Rays are the same is that they both need structure to say together. As you can see in the play the family doesnt have much structure because the mother is a bit unstanbable and doesnt want the best for her children and keeps Tillie home from school.Also gamma rays have very short wavelengths which can be compared to disfunctioal families because they cant spend lots of time together with out maybe getting in an agrument or something of that nature. Lastly they are the same is that they both have trouble binding to things, gamma rays cant bind to the nuclues soemtimes and families have a hard time staying together with out breaking apart and leaving eachother. They are different because not all disfunction families have childen like Tillie that are into science. Also gamma rays dont have family memebers like , a mom and daughters. In the play the author may use analgies or relate things to science so the reader or listener can get a better idea of what he is trying to say and decribe.



roryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Anonymous said...

Gamma rays and dysfunctional families are similar in some ways. Since gamma rays are kind of like the nucleus of the atom that can't hold itself together. A dysfunctional family is a family where they can't get along and there are a lot of problems going on. So if gamma rays are the nucleus of the atom that can't hold itself together, then that would mean the nucleus would be the parents. If the parents can't control their children, there are going to be problems. If the parents are messed up, the whole family is going to be messed up. Everything the parents do, effects the lives of their children. In this new play that we are reading, Tillie is like the outcast. Her mother and her sister are so much alike and it seems like don't even like her. Tillie loves school and she loves science. But she has a dysfunctional family and that effects her whole entire life.



michaelaaaaaa :]
p. 6

Anonymous said...

Dysfunctional families and gamma rays are similar because they both need stability in their structure. With out and even ratio of neutrons and protons, an isotope of an element may be unstable. In dysfunctional families, if they don't have parents that are positive and caring, it effects the child and their everyday life on unhealthy ways. Tillie in the play loves science and looks forward to doing her science projects, but her mother yells at her when she is in a bad mood, which is most of the time. Her mother's negativity will effect Tillie and the science class she is so into will have to do with gamma rays relating to her family.

Period 6
Fardin

Anonymous said...

I think gama rays and dysfunctional families are related is that they both have negaitive or can have negative outcomes. Gama rays are similar to families because the center or nucleaus cant be held together and when a family is dysfunctional there is nothing keeping it in a strong bond. I think the author might use these ideas to find a deeper meaning by showing that everyfamily needs somone like a parent usally, who cares and keepps everyone in line and without somone that cares you cant have a family.


Jessica B. Period 5

Anonymous said...

Well a cell is a leaving organism and if not protected of gammy rays they can get damage. Like a cell a familly if a miny working organ that if one part gets damage then the hole cell/family gets damage. And a Dysfunctional familie is a family that was has problems within each member in the family. And to keep the cell/ family together and healthy you will have to protect each member won't work. A family needs to communicate with in each other so that they will mantain contact in touch of any problem. And have to fallow some types of orders in which the there is respect in each member of the family. The same thing is with a cell each organ in the cell needs to have some kind of communication so if there is a problem it can be solve. Also each organ is the cell needs to have a job so every body is equall. Inconclution a gamma ray distroys a cell and a Dysdunctional family is a family with problems which make them have many things in common.

Carla p6

Anonymous said...

Gamma rays and dysfunctional families can be very much compared to each other. Gamma rays are not strong they can be very unstable and it compares right to dysfunctional families because they can ignore one a another or the mom or dad doesnt get along wih the kids and make the kids the way the are and how they act. They both need stablity to hold them together and they also need a lot of support. In the play we are reading the mother takes everything out on her daughter Tillie and it seems like Tillie is the mother more than her mom is. She makes her stay home from school and do all of the work that she is suppose to do and Tillie would rather go to school than stay home and do all of those things for her mother, and thats not normal for a kid to feel like that. Gamma rays need protons and neutrons to be stable and you need a mother daugher etc. to be stable in a family.

brianaaaaa (:
period 2

Anonymous said...

I think gamma rays and dysfunctional families are related is that they both have negaitive or can have negative outcomes. Gamma rays are similar to families because the center or nucleaus cant be held together when a family is dysfunctional and when no one is caring. Like when Tillie loves to do science and her mom yells at her for it when she's in a bad mood. So when her mom does that it sends off bad things which makes the family more dysfunciontal because her mom had to make a big deal out of nothing.
tessaaaaaa
p-1

Anonymous said...

The two objects of Gamma Rays and Disfunctional Families are somewhat unrelated topics in the obvious point of view, but under the surface the two actually have a lot of points in common. such as the more of the two you have in your life them bigger problems can be possible to occur. and another would be that if a problem happens or is with the center of the family or the nucleus of the gamma ray then everything else will most likely go wrong as a follow up result with the problem at the center.

Michelle Elizabeth Pe. 5 :)

Anonymous said...

At the beggining of this new reading section in English, I found myself looking at the title of this play and wondering how it can possibly make any sence. After reading about Gamma Ray and Dysfunctional family more in depth, i found that they do have some similarities in the book itself. By deffinition from the text, Gamma rays are formed when an atom can no longer be held and splits. I can easily relate this to dysfunctional families because same families that are dysfunctional do end up splittiing. There are many things that can cause a family to not function properly, such as a death in the family, an illness of a family member, substance abuse, etc. And it often leaves the child of the family to act as the adult role. This can better help us understand this play in many ways. The gamma rays and marigolds can be one of Tillies science exparements, and though the exparement itself is not conceved as anything significant, it indeed is because maybe her science exparement is telling the story of a dysfunctional family all along and how certian things can effectthe relationships within the family. (Just a prediction)

-Tom- Period 2

Anonymous said...

Gamma Rays seem to have nothing in commen with Disfunctional Families. Although in class while discussing it i found that there are at least a few simmilarities. In a gamma ray there is a nucleus and that is the sorce of the cell. In the gamma rays and if something goes wrong with that then the whole cell can not function properly at all. That's the same thing with disfunctional families if one member has something wrong it can effect the whole family. For example if the father lost his job then the whole family would go into poverty untillsomeone could find another job.

Raquel Period 5.

Anonymous said...

Gamma rays and dysfunctional families are not alike because gamma rays if there is a death in the family if might take them two months to get over it. In dysfunctional families if there is a death in the familie they wont get over it. Like in the book that we are reading The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon-Marigolds. The family is a dysfunctional family because the mother could care less about her daughter Tillie. She doesn't care if Tillie does not go to school. The author used these two ideas in his play because every family has there ups and downs.

Michele C. P.5

Anonymous said...

These are both different because one has to dell with science and the other with familys. Gramma rays are from radioactive and dysfunctional family has to deal with the people unside the family. In the same sence they are boht the same because they both deal with inside. The gramma rays goes inside and can sometimes hurt you. Where as dysfunctional family has to do with the parents which is the heart of their family. These are two things you wouldn't think will be related but they are. they love to act inside of you then outside. The authors might use it to show how many thing can happen inside family and yourself. He/she ight use it to show that life happen to have many things that will mess up your life. Both of these things will mess up your life forever. You need not to take in alot of gamma rays and not to have a dysfunctional family that will take control of your life.

jovanny p.5

Anonymous said...

gamma rays and disfuctional families are alike. That is becuae dysfunctional families are mostly because of the parents not doing there job in supporting the children and keeping the family together. Gamma rays are formed when the nucleus of an atom can not be held together. the dysfunctional family is like the nucleus when the parents don't treat the kids the way they should.

Leanne P.
period 5

Anonymous said...

Gama rays are kul and fun i think. These two things are kinda the same as in gama rays burn out the nuclease in the cell and families can also be burned out by being disfuctional. So there!

Anonymous said...

the one with out the name right next to this one is Nick Lepper
period 6
Mr Miller

Anonymous said...

Gamma rays and dysfunctional families seem to have nothing in common at first glance. However, looking deeper at the meanings they are closely related. Gamma rays are created by radioactive atoms. The nucleus is too unstable to hold the atom together. The atoms can spontaneously give off radioactive decay, which are extremely harmful. Dysfunctional families usually start with the parents. Parents are in charge of the family in the same way that the nucleus is in charge of the atom. My opinion, all the dysfunction starts at the source of the learning and care in the family, the parents. The atoms with gamma rays can emit radioactive decay. In a family, the trauma can spill over and affect anyone who is too closely involved. It could cause emotional hurt and pain just as the radioactive decay negatively affects surrounding things. Both emit trouble and sickness. The similarity that they both start at the control center for the family or atom may help us to understand the play. In the play, Tillie’s family was most certainly dysfunctional. Both her and her sister seemed troubled and strange. This similarity may show that it started with their mother Beatrice because kids are reflections of their parents. The controlling parents in the family or nucleus in the atom are the cause of the resulting damage. The author may be using these two ideas to demonstrate that children truly are reflections of their parents. The center of the cell or family controls the behavior of the rest of the cell; as it deteriorates so does the rest. The author also maybe trying to demonstrate the point that no one is perfect. Gamma rays and dysfunctional families in the story are most certainly no where near perfection. In conclusion, looking beyond the literal, gamma rays are remarkably similar to dysfunctional families.

Ella Period 6

Unknown said...

Gamma rays and dysfunctional familys are different but the same. Both gamma rays and dysfunctional families can break apart. If the nucleus can have atoms break off if bond isnt strong enough. Same goes witht the families. If the bond between the parents and the child weakend then they can break apart.

Lucas

Anonymous said...

Dysfunctional families and gamma rays have a few things in common if u take a good look. Gamma rays are made of radioactive atoms that cannot be controled by its nucleus. Most dysfuncitonal families start off with the parents. The parents are usually ones with extremely tough childhoods or stressful lives. Either way it cause them to not function proporly and not proporly deal with problems. Gamma rays break apart eventually when the bond between them is weakened. The same goes for families if the bond between the child and parent then the family will eventuall break apart.
Josh per.5

Anonymous said...

Gamma rays and dysfunctional families can be related because each can be a disaster. Gamma rays can disinigrate an aton while problems in a family can ruin their bond. In this play, gamma rays relate to Tillie's family because her mother, Beatrice, doesn't really do much and basically is the problem in the family. She thinks she knows what "best" for her kids by keeping them out of school, and she doesn't even pay much attention to them. The author might use these ideas in the play to help readers understand that a dysfuctional family can pull the family further apart each second, while a gamma ray disinagrates an atom as its waves go through it.

Jess
Period 6