trepanation

[Bonnie Surfus (ENG)]

Who'da thought I could make a lesson out of trepanation?  Least of all, 
me.  I was doing an e-mail demo in my narration and description class, 
and we happened to read that bit about trepanation. ONe girl left (oops.)

Later, one student was giving a book review of CHRONICLE OF A DEATH 
FORETOLD, and happened to read a passage about the status of the 
body--"They gave us back a competely different body.  Half of the cranium 
had been destroyed by the trepanation, and the lady-killer face that 
death had preserved ended up having lost its identity" (Chronicle 88).

What a funky coincidence.  Naturally, many students said "hey," or some 
such, happy to know what "trepanation" means.  And no, I did not tell 
that that I'd planned it all along.  I don't think the student knew what 
it meant before reading about it tonight.  The line just happened to 
otherwise support her argument.  

Wow.  That was great.  A-and now, if that girl comes back and complains, 
I can say it was with pedagogical intent that I exposed students to that 
particular horror.  NO, I'm kidding.

Still, it WAS great.

Bonnie