RI.7.3. Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events).
RL.8.6. Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.
Step 1: Pick a Short Story to Read
From the list below, pick the short story that interests you the most!
In the short story “Seventh Grade” by Gary Soto, the protagonist, Victor has a crush on a girl named Teresa. Teresa was in Victor's French class. The main conflict was that Victor truly wanted to date Teresa, but he didn't know how to ask her.
Martin feels embarrassed when his aging Sioux grandfather shows up at his family’s home unannounced. Exhausted and sickly, Grandpa has come to pass a Sioux tradition on to Martin, causing Martin fear. Instead, Martin learns startling things about his grandfather he never knew, causing him to change his outlook profoundly.
This story centers around thirteen-year-old Terry and his father, who is suffering with post-traumatic stress syndrome from the Vietnam War. His father has become totally withdrawn, and very often his “eyes go away.” After he has a breakdown in public, Terry attempts to talk to him, and is surprised when his dad suddenly opens up about the killings he witnessed and the guilt that haunts him.
The Tell-Tale Heart is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe first published in 1843. It follows an unnamed, unreliable narrator who insists on his sanity after murdering an old man with a "vulture eye".
Step 2: Analyze the Story
For this summative, you are going to analyze the short story as well as the main complex character in it.
You can choose to do this in essay form or through Google Slides. I provided samples of both for you to check out!
As outlined in the standards above, here are the things you must do for this summative...
1. Identify the theme (moral/lesson to learn) of the short story, explain it, and provide textual support to prove your opinion 2. Identify who the protagonist and antagonist is in the story then explain how you know this (textual support) 3. Explain how the main character develops/changes from the beginning to the end of the story (textual support) 4. Explain how the main character influences the story (other characters, plot, theme, etc). 5. Identify the POV (points of view) in the story and how those characters "see" things.
Step 3: Submit
Once you are finished, upload and submit your summative in Google Classroom! Make sure you proof-read your work for errors before submitting.