Talking about the Ideas
1. How about that Tanya?
2. Seen any good movies recently?
3. Would you like to share that with the whole class?
Things to Do
1. Divide into groups and assign different individuals to role-play (a) Shana; (b) Zed; (c) Mohammed; (d)
Fluffer Stout; (e) Mother Theresa, Jacques Cousteau, Carlos Castañeda, or another celebrity who would die during
the 1990s; (f) any character from The Simpsons or another animated TV show; (g) someone else. Have each person
analyze, from his or her character's peculiar perspective, the cultural messages in the text about drugs or
luncheon meat. Everyone then imagine the scene in which "Tanya"/Vieuchanger confronts her ex-husband in
Casablanca, assuming that is her true destination. Meanwhile it's a long boat ride. Raise your hand if you have
to use the bathroom.
2. Write an email message to one of the groups or organizations represented in the narrative (Hormel Foods, the
Findhorn community, the CIA, the British Board of Trade, etc.). Do not make any reference to the author or
publisher of this work. Introduce yourself by telling your most embarrassing or memorable moment involving
herbal tea, commercial advertising stunts like that allegedly performed by "Tanya," or animal fecal matter. For
this exercise you are trying to break down communication barriers between individual consumers and impersonal
bureaucracies or cultural icons. You really want to get to know somebody in the organization, you're not just a
random fruitcake or fraternity prankster.
at 
on 
