Episode 6 - Babylon

After watching Babylon we talked about the idea of living in exile and searching for someplace to call home.

Pick one of the following characters:
     - Don - Peggy - Roger - Rachel -

Think about that person's life, including his or her personal and professional roles. Describe the kind of life you think the character would actually like to lead (his or her fantasy).

Episode 5 - 5G

1. What are the different types of lies in Don't life?
2. Why do you think Don tells these lies? 
• What does he hope to achieve? 
• What does he think the outcome will be?
3. How does Don's lying affect the people around him, namely:
• Betty?
• Peggy?
• Adam?

Info on the WPA

Last class, someone asked about the WPA style (used in the advertisements for the Bethlehem Steel company).

I found out that WPA stands for the Works Progress Administration - here's the wikipedia article!

Episode 4 - Pete's World

Nobody seems to like Pete Campbell - but last episode we got to see a more personal side to his character and understand some of the challenges he's facing.

1. How do Pete's work life and personal life spill over and affect one another?
2. Do you sympathize with his character?
3. How would you describe the relationship between Pete and Trudy?
4. Does Pete's frustration have to do with gender, power, or something else?

Episode 4 - New Amsterdam

What is going on between Betty and Glen (Helen Bishop's son)? 

• Do you think their relationship is cute or uncomfortable? Why?  
• Do you think it’s okay for Betty to give Glen a lock of her hair? What would you do if you were in her shoes?

Helen Bishop

We met the neighborhood divorcée, Helen Bishop, in the last episode. What's your opinion about the following questions:

• In what ways is Helen different from the other ladies in her neighborhood?
• Why do the housewives treat her so passive-aggressively?
• What is it about her status as a single lady that threatens the wives so much?

Episode 3 - Marriage of Figaro

In this episode we saw many representations of marriages. Pick a few characters and compare and contrast their attitudes toward marriage. What does that institution mean to them?

Medical Ethics - Scenario 1

Thanks to the students who have checked out the blog and started replying!

For the rest of you, maybe you'd like some questions that are a little more focused. So here goes! The following are a series of hypothetical situations about deciding on medical treatment for family members. I would like to you to pick one of the scenarios and decide what you would do if you were facing the same situation.

Scenario 1) 

Your mother is starting to develop Alzheimer’s and often forgets where she’s going, what task she’s working on, and sometimes where she lives. She does NOT want to enter an assisted living home but she lives in another city hours away from you and needs constant attention.

Medical Ethics - Scenario 2

Scenario 2) 
Your husband suffers from a very serious heart condition but won’t take his medicines because the side effects are unpleasant and sometimes physically uncomfortable for him. Without the medicines, the fragile state of his heart makes him susceptible to heart failure at any moment.

Medical Ethics - Scenario 3

Scenario 3)

Your son is getting into trouble at school at least once a week for serious classroom disciplinary problems. The school officials tell you he has a hyperactivity disorder, and that to stay in his class he must be medicated. He has always been a rambunctious, energetic, creative person, but since he started taking the pills his personality seems to have changed completely and now he seems almost like a stranger to you.

medical ethics

In episode 2 we saw the rather uncomfortable level of power that Don has over his family's access to health care. Do you think it's ever okay to decide on the medical treatment that a family member receives?

• If not, explain why. 

• If yes, in what situations or circumstances?

Questions from Episode 2

Hi Students,

I hope you've been enjoying our viewings of Mad Men, and that at the very least, they're proving thought-provoking, or giving you some questions about US history and culture.

Here are a few questions to reflect on and respond to episode 2, Ladies Room:

1) What makes the the Ladies Room a significant or sacred place? What do we see happening there, specifically in terms of Peggy's character development?

2) What challenges are Peggy and Betty facing in this episode? Do you think that young women face the same pressures and fears today?