Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, and "Blindness: A Left-Handed Dissertation"

Chapter Thirteen

Select one of the ten lessons from "Guide Dog Wisdom" (page 173) and explain how it relates to events in your own life.

Chapter Fourteen 

Why did Hingson decide to begin sharing his 9/11 experiences? Has it helped others?

Blindness: A Left-Handed Dissertation

Evaluate Kenneth Jernigan's premise that blindness and left-handedness are both merely "annoyances." How does he structure his argument? Is he successful in persuading the reader that his assertion is true?  

Chapters Ten, Eleven, and Twelve

Chapter Ten

1. Do you agree with Kenneth Jernigan's definition of blindness? Why or why not?
2. Re-read Hingson's second paragraph on page 125 ("If there is just one message about blindness ..."). How has his life been spent living this philosophy?

Chapter Eleven

1. The opening of the chapter shifts the book's point of view dramatically, and these shifts continue throughout this section. Are these changes effective, or are they too jarring? Why?

Chapter Twelve

1. Evaluate the impact of 9/11 on Hingson's personal and professional life. How did the events of that morning change him?

Chapters Seven, Eight, and Nine

Chapter Seven

Hingson writes, "For blind people, emerging technology is changing the rules of the game, and the sky's the limit." Name some of these changes, and describe the role that Hingson has played in making them a reality.

Chapter Eight

Provide examples of how Hingson's blindness has been both a help and a hindrance in his professional career.  

Chapter Nine

Address the role of religion in the author's life. In what ways does the shepherd-and-sheep image have special significance to him? 

Chapters Four, Five and Six

Chapter Four

1. How did Hingson's childhood experiences prepare him for navigating the stairwell of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001?
2. Discuss how Hingson's life was shaped by his parents' attitude toward his blindness. 

Chapter Five

1. Hingson relates that he mastered geometry with the help of a dedicated teacher. Discuss the positive and negative aspects of his high school career.
2. What challenges might visually impaired students face at Alliance High School? How could these challenges be resolved? 

Chapter Six 

1. Is Hingson's passion for physics and technology surprising? Why or why not?
2. Explain the origins of Hingson's "Why not?" principle. 

Goodbye to a Hero, Foreword, Introduction, Chapters 1-3

1. Discuss your feelings about pets. Have you had one? If so, briefly detail the bond between you and your animal. If you haven't had a pet, would you want one? If so, what kind? 
2. Do you think it is a good idea for the author to reveal Roselle's fate in "Goodbye to a Hero" at the opening of the book? Why or why not?
3. Discuss how the Introduction whets your appetite to read on. If it doesn't pique your interest, what could the author(s) have done differently? 
4. How do specific details in the opening chapters (the number of steps, the temperatures inside the burning buildings, and so on) help -- or hinder -- the narrative? 
5. How does the decision to structure the opening chapters non-chronologically affect your reading? Is the decision a wise one?