Month: July 2010
Genre: Non-fiction Literature:
Book of the Month: The Same Kind of Different as Me
Authors: Ron Hall, Denver Moore, Lynn Vincent
Question source: http://www.litlovers.com/guide_same_kind_of_different.html
Discussion Questions:
2. Why does he agree to volunteer at the homeless shelter, and what is his initial reaction in doing so?
3. Talk about the trajectory of Denver Moore's life. What events have landed him in the homeless shelter?
4. Discuss the differences between his life and Ron Hall's. What is Denver's world view?
5. Talk about Deborah Hall? What inspires her life? What does she think of Denver Moore?
6. Eventually, Denver and Ron, two men who have lived vastly different lives, become close friends. What do the two see in one another? What draws them together?
7. What are the symbolic implications of the conversation about how white men fish, especially their catch-and-release method? What does that conversation say about each man, and what is the underlying message that Denver is trying to pass onto Ron?
8. What is the meaning of the book's title, "Same Kind of Difference as Me"? What does it refer to?
9. How do both men change by the end of the book? What do they learn from or teach each other?
10. This is a story about how hate and prejudice can be overcome by love and grace. How difficult is that achievement in most of our lives? What can this book teach us?
11. Does this book inspire you? If so, in what ways?
7 comments:
1. Ron Hall is completely self-absorbed, egotistical, and finds great satisfaction in power, wealth and material things.
2. He agrees to volunteer to make his wife happy. He doesn't seem too thrilled at the prospect of "being that close" to homeless people, but he sees how passionate Deborah is about the cause.
3. Denver had such a rough childhood, bouncing between several relatives, before having his own set up as a sharecropper. One day he decides to leave it all behind and take his chances trying to make it to California. He only makes it as far as Texas. Since he cannot read and has no money, it's hard for him to find a job and place to live. He ends up homeless.
4. Ron and Denver are at different ends of the spectrum as far as material wealth is concerned. Ron has a huge house, cars, a lucrative business, a ranch, etc. Denver is homeless with few possessions. Spiritually, Ron is saved at this point, and Denver is not. But, Ron still struggles with being around homeless people and poverty. Denver is a loner and keeps to himself. He helps others, but needs to survive on the streets, so he makes sure no one messes with him.
5. Deborah Hall is inspired by the Lord! She seemed very sweet and genuine to me. She dreamed of Denver before she even met him (and, yes I do believe this). She knew that God would use him in big ways.
To Questions:
1. In the beginning, Ron Hall was an average male seeking monetary success and fabricated happiness.
2. He agrees to volunteer at the homeless shelter to please his wife and mending his marriage by way of being interested and involved in things his wife loves.
3. After witnessing the tragic death of his grandmother, unfortunate encountering with prejudice boys, working thirty years in a cotton field and being just as poor as he started out, hopping on a train to Dallas and then to Fort worth Texas only to discover that being illiterate equates little prospects for an African American male. As a result of his misfortune, Denver had to learn how to survive being homeless. It wasn’t until the revival of a location that was home to many derelicts like his self were forced to take camp in another impoverished location or retreat to the Mission; and Denver chose the Mission.
4. The differences and parallelism between Ron Hall’s and Denver’s life starts from them being born into a blind society and ends with the relentlessness and compassion of one woman.
-Denver was born into poverty with an inherited future of share cropping. He was abandon by his young mother and father to live with his grandmother. Although homelessness was his life style, he was fond of the freedom from lack responsibility and commitment compared to 30 years of life as a field worker on a plantation of little benefits and plethora of responsibility. He met Deborah Hall and his life and perspective changed.
-Ron born into low middle class family with a dead beat alcoholic father. Ron lived most of his childhood on his grandfather’s plantation with his mother and grandfather. Ron went to an affordable college and grew to become fond of obtaining fortune by way art dealing. Ron met, befriended, dated and married Deborah Hall and after a mishap he submitted his self to understand Deborah’s passion for the homeless and later discovered a homeless man that changed his life and perspective.
5. Deborah Hall was a beautiful, stubborn, selfless and determined woman who found enjoyment servicing and reminding unfortunate people that they were god’s people and deserved to be loved regardless of their background, sins and misfortune.
6. Although different men, Denver and Ron realize they can learn a lot from the other despite their age and background. Ron is drawn to Denver’s loyalty and simple yet profound wisdom about things he had all figured out. Denver is drawn to Ron because unlike many in his past, Ron had trusted and shown interest in being a real friend to Denver.
7. The symbolic implications of the conversation about how white men fish, especially their catch-and-release method implies that a black man who don’t have many possessions in life will value, help, take pride in, and cherish a friend forever, where as a white man will acknowledge and relish a valued friend but once he becomes disinterested he will depart the friendship. The underlying message that Denver is trying to pass onto Ron is that he will be a loyal friend until death?
8. The book's title, "Same Kind of Difference as Me", refers to the parallelism of two men who navigate through life’s obstacles on two different roads.
9. In the end of the book both men change their approach and outlook on life. Ron learns to value his blessings, change his moral outlook about homelessness and whole heartedly befriend a man who he once stereotyped. Denver learns to trust and open his heart to people he had once also stereotyped.
10. Overcoming prejudice may be difficult to achieve in most of our lives because instinctively most people do not trust those unfamiliar to them. Prejudice is more of a defense mechanism. People typically approach life with caution and insight from their upbringing. It takes an opened minded person to question that cycle and a courageous one to break it. This book has taught me that you can always learn something of great value from someone you would least expect; so take into account a person’s character before prejudging them.
11. This book has inspired me to question why in such a powerful country (America) is there so many homeless and starving families? It has also inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and find a way to get more involved…like Deborah.
Tysheena - I never did come back to finish my comments on the remaining questions, but I enjoyed reading your responses. I especially like your answer to #10. I never thought of it like that before, but you are right. Overall, I didn't love the book as much as you did, but it was an interesting read. And, something I probably would not have read on my own. Thanks for the pick!
Thanks Jen! I'll be honest...When I first read question #10, I thought to myself..."Thats a good question and I don't know a definite answer" lol. So I tried to look at it from a fair standpoint. Prejudice is present all across the globe...but why? And so I concluded that it seems to be an unpleasant but natural characteristic of human behavior.
Did you not see how much Ron changed?
I am using this for my highschool reading class thanks :)
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