All Over but the Shoutin'

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. How does poverty affect a person’s dreams for their life? How can it shape their worldviews, behaviors, and/or personal goals?    

Teaching Suggestion: This question directly relates to the Discussion/Analysis Prompt in the After Reading Section. Bragg’s upbringing is marked by profound Poverty. His father, an alcoholic and violent abuser, is frequently absent, and his mother works a series of strenuous jobs to help the family make ends meet in their poor, rural Alabama home. Since this is a sensitive question and students may have their own experiences with poverty, it may be prudent to encourage written responses rather than calling on students in class.

• This article from Bellarmine Magazine explores the persistent problem of poverty in Appalachia. 

2. How can violent experiences, such as going off to war, impact a person’s attitudes or beliefs? How might the effect of these experiences manifest in a person’s daily life?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question prepares students for the themes of Fighting and Violence and War and Damaged Lives. Bragg’s father’s life is forever changed when he goes to fight in the Korean War and experiences killing other humans—both from a distance and in terrifying hand-to-hand combat. Later, Bragg himself experiences the effects of violence and war firsthand in Haiti and in riots in Miami. Students may benefit from exploring the articles below, or similar resources on the challenges veterans face, prior to answering the prompt.

• This article from the University of California San Francisco explains how veterans often suffer psychologically after killing others in combat. 
• This article from the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress discusses how veterans’ posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can cause conflicts within families.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

How do stories about real-life experiences change or influence societal views? What should journalists consider when reporting on sensitive topics or tense situations? Would you travel into a dangerous place to understand why people were fighting? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt orients students to the idea of reporting on the most private and painful moments of a person’s life so that others can read about them and learn from the experience. Throughout All Over but the Shoutin’, Bragg finds himself in the position of sharing vulnerable truths about his subjects. He also reports from areas of intense conflict, war, and violence. To encourage student engagement and discussion, it may be helpful to ideate with students and create a list of the tense, real-life experiences journalists report on.

• This source from the International Center for Journalists covers ethical and practical tips for journalists reporting from dangerous parts of the world.