Part A Synthesize and evaluate your thoughts and response. Researching and preparing for a discussion helps to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency
of a collaborative discussion. To start forming your response, write down your initial thoughts on your chosen topic.
Here are some questions you can consider when formulating your thesis:
1. How did historical events affect American literature? (Sample question: How did the Civil War affect American Literature?)
2. How did the Civil War transform American literature?
3. Does literature affect history?
4. What events were affected by literature?
5. How does history affect current pieces of writing? Or does it only affect literature from the same period?

1, 4, and 5 are all conflicts

21 balloons is the story of professor william sherman's travels.

in 1883, he set off from san francisco for a balloon ride over the pacific and was found a month later floating with 21 balloons in the atlantic ocean. this seemed an astounding feat and everyone wanted to know what had happened.    

professor sherman was loyal, however, and said he would tell his tale first to the western american explorers club in san francisco, of which he was a member. this built up suspense for several chapters before he began to tell of the wonders of his adventures and the amazing island of krakatoa, an island which had just been blown up by a volcano.  

the residents of krakatoa are all millionaires who live under a "gourmet government" of their own devising. we get to see all the incredible adventures that creative people with unlimited resources would create according to the author.