Question #1: The book format was transcripts of audio files,
with dates when they were recorded. The question asked how we felt about the
format when reading this novel. The transcription of the audio files was supposedly written by the main
character, who was dyslexic. An example of how audio files that tell the story
were “transcribed” is that the name that should have sounded like “Miss Iles”
looked on the printed page like the word, “missiles”. Numerous words were twisted like this. Joyce said it took her a
while to get the connection between the written format and the probable sound and
words behind the transcripts. Carla said she didn’t notice a problem about it.
Ken said it slowed him down at first. We discussed some codes and cryptography
we had seen and/or solved in the past.
Question #4 asked why Miss Iles, the Remedial English
teacher for approximately 7th or 8th grade, was important
to Steven, the main character. Lydia answered that the teacher was central to
what Steven thought happened in the story. Lydia also mentioned how sad
Steven’s childhood was and that Miss Iles was one of Steven’s supportive
teachers and one of few people who were concerned with Steven’s welfare.
Here, Carla introduced ideas that incorporated the end of
the book. She said that there were three stories in the book: the story Steven thought happened, the story
the other kids from the English class thought had happened, and then there was
the story Miss Iles told at the end of the book.
Cindy added that Steven was also hoping Miss Iles could help
him get his grown son back to being interested in him. Cindy thought Steven made up
the story and wrote the transcripts of supposed audio files to get his son
interested in spending time with him.
Dennis said he could believe all three versions of the
Twyford Code story. Carla agreed, saying that at the end of the book,
Miss Iles said that all three
versions of the story could have been true.
The book followed a complex series of events and then shed
doubt on the entire story by introducing the idea that Steven had created the
whole story, complete with transcripts of supposed audio files, from his
imagination. Cindy asked us to discuss whether we were disappointed by the
book’s ending. Joyce felt manipulated. She said the book made the reader follow
along and try to put the pieces together to find some fitting resolution, so
when it turned out that the story was not real even in the book, the reader was
likely to feel disappointed. Cindy wanted it to be real. Operation Fish was a real
secret transfer of British gold over the ocean to store it safely in Canada
during World War II, so, since the symbolism of artistic renditions of fish was incorporated into the story, Cindy felt better about the hoax aspect of The Twyford
Code.
Question #9 listed a sentence from the book. By putting
together the first letter of each word in the sentence, one would get the
question, “Would you look for treasure?” We talked about the code and the
treasure in the story.
The book helped us create a stimulating discussion. I
thought it was a good meeting of minds!
I used an audio recording of the meeting to help me write
this blog post. The final sentence on the recording was me saying that I wanted
to get a photo of all of us. Then, I guess I forgot to get a photo! Maybe next
time!
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