1. Donald Barthelme Page 972 2007 COS – 1; 1a
2010 COS – RL ; RL ; RL ; RL ; W ; W ; W ; Sl ; L ; L ; L ; L ; L
AHSGE – R.III.2; R.IV.2

2. Donald Barthelme
He was an experimenter in fiction and a true member of the avant-garde (leader in new and unconventional movements).
Sometimes known as a postmodernist, he is widely regarded as one of the ablest and most versatile American stylists – witty, adventurous, and profound

3. Literary Terms (p. 973)
Theme – the insight into human life that is communicated by a work as a whole.
The title of a story often suggest or supports the theme.

4. Quickwrite What does game mean to the following people: Child Athlete
Hunter

5. “Game” (p. 975) Describe the narrator and Shotwell’s behavior.
To what does “the bird flies” refer?
How long have the narrator and Shotwell been in the bunker?
What is the narrator’s rank?
Why does Shotwell stand at the console with his arms outstretched?
Why do you think the narrator has not been relieved in his duties?

6. Activity
Theme – One theme of the story focuses on responsibility – both personal and national. Another theme deals with the idea of control. Yet another theme is suggested by the story’s title. Select one of the themes. First state the theme in a complete sentence. Then identify how the author develops this theme. Be sure to state specific examples from the story.
Page 981 Vocabulary Development
Recognizing Synonyms 1-8