date
Dear Humanitas Parent / Guardian:
As a part of the assigned reading for our Consumerism and Technology unit,
your son / daughter will be reading the novel Breakfast of Champions by
Kurt Vonnegut. This novel is a satire. It makes fun of the values of middle
America. In doing this the novel may contain some material which may be
objectionable to some who read it. It is a novel for the mature reader.
Therefore, we, Mr. Bromley and Ms. Hayes, are requesting your permission for
your son / daughter to read this novel.
This novel has been a part of the Twelfth Grade Humanitas curriculum on Track
A since 1990. It is issued for several reasons. It shows how two characters,
Dwayne Hoover and Kilgore Trout, from two completely different backgrounds are
on a collision course. They both represent divergent ideas. One primary focus is
on the ecological destruction of our planet. This is demonstrated through
Trout's stories. Hoover, the other main character, represents corruption in big
business. It is important to learn about these two characters because they are
also a part of a WebQuest project in which your son / daughter will be involved.
Students will be asked to assume different roles to complete this project. The
end result of this project is their final exam for the Spring semester.
If you find Breakfast of Champions objectionable, two alternative
selections, one nonfiction and one fiction, are available. One is
Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey, and the other is White Noise by
Don DeLillo. While both of these books are well written, they will not provide
the complete experience of exposure to the satire present in Breakfast of
Champions that will show direct relevance to their project. Your
student will still be able to complete the WebQuest project but may be at a
disadvantage since all the roles must work together after examining the
different web sites. Knowing about the other roles is really needed to
work successfully on this project as well as obtain the most benefit from it.
Please complete the tear off below. It is necessary that you put a check mark
and signed for the book you want your son / daughter to read. Thank you very
much in advance for your interest and cooperation in your student's education.
Sincerely yours, _____Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey
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_____White Noise by Don DeLillo
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Ms. S. Hayes
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Student Name: ________________________________
_____ Breakfast of
Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
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