Namesake overview and assignments

The Namesake Overview

Reading Schedule

Chapter	Due Date
1	January 12th
2	January 14th
3 and 4	January 19th
5	January 21st
6	January 25th
7	January 27th
8	January 31st
9	February 2nd
Finish book	February 4th

You will have periodic quizzes throughout the reading of the novel. Be prepared.

Literary Analysis Journal
Each night, you are responsible for choosing ONE term from the list below, and completing a journal entry on that lit term (see the directions below). Ideally, you will address ALL terms by the end of your reading of The Namesake, but if you feel compelled to repeat a term, that is acceptable. 20 points per entry.

Please note: At least once during our Namesake unit, you will be called on to present your journal to the class. You will not be given advanced notice of the day you will present. This will be worth 20 participation points.

1. Tone/Shifts – the writer’s attitude toward the topic; identify the writer’s tone and any shifts in tone that occur; words that describe an author’s tone might include critical, angry, sympathetic, sarcastic, satirical, etc.
2. Style – anything a writer does which distinguishes him or her from other writers; identify elements of the writer’s style of writing, what makes him or her unique, this can include elements like diction, syntax, use or lack of dialogue, etc.
3. Theme – the main idea or message of a literary work; state a theme for the work using a complete, general statement
4. Setting – the time and place of the story’s action; identify the place and time of the action, note any shifts in setting as well
5. Writer’s Intention – what the writer intended to convey to the reader; identify the writer’s purpose
6. Conflict(s) – a struggle between two opposing forces; identify ALL conflicts including internal (man vs. himself) and external (man vs. man, man vs. society, man vs. nature)
7. Point of View/Shifts – the vantage point from which the story is told; identify the point of view of the work, first person, third person, and any shifts in point of view
8 .Mood/Shifts – the feeling or atmosphere that the work gives off; identify the atmosphere or mood of the work, including any shifts in mood
9. Characterization Methods – the method a writer uses to familiarize the reader with the characters in a work; identify the methods of characterization the writer uses, including behavior, speech, physical description, thoughts and feelings, thoughts and feelings of other characters toward the main character
10. Title’s Significance – identify how the title relates to the work...consider foreshadowing if applicable

Journal Directions

                First, identify the term you are examining.
   

Second, provide evidence from the reading. Include excerpts in quotation marks.
   

Third, discuss the use of this literary device. What is the impact of its use? What was the author’s intent? This is the analysis of the text.

Term	Example (1-3 sentence quote with quote intro and text note)	Analysis (This should be lengthy and substantial. Impress me!)
Tone	Lahiri’s tone is clearly observed when Gogol wants to change his name, and “he is aware, with a twinge of sadness, that this is the last time in his life that he will hear that name in an official context” (Lahiri 101).	Her tone is empathetic here. There are clear autobiographical undertones in the way that Gogol is struggling with assimilation....Explain explain explain!

A nice rule of thumb: Ask yourself, ''What strikes me about this quote? What is the author trying to do here?" NOT what is the plot, but what ideas/concepts are being presented and HOW does the author do this? Avoid general comments like, "The diction is nice and flows smoothly" (ack!) Work to make your responses specific and relevant to your chosen quote. USE THE QUOTE!!!

Please note: This is an AP class. If you write one or two sentences of analysis, you are not doing your job. Step it up, folks.

Essay Prompts
You will write essays on BOTH of these prompts. Please keep track of quotes you can use to respond to these prompts, either with post-it notes or a running list in your binder.

2010, Form B. “You can leave home all you want, but home will never leave you.” —Sonsyrea Tate Sonsyrea Tate’s statement suggests that “home” may be conceived of as a dwelling, a place, or a state of mind. It may have positive or negative associations, but in either case, it may have a considerable influence on an individual. Choose a novel or play in which a central character leaves home yet finds that home remains significant. Write a well-developed essay in which you analyze the importance of “home” to this character and the reasons for its continuing influence. Explain how the character’s idea of home illuminates the larger meaning of the work. Do not merely summarize the plot.

2003, Form B. Novels and plays often depict characters caught between colliding cultures -- national, regional, ethnic, religious, institutional. Such collisions can call a character's sense of identity into question. Select a novel or play in which a character responds to such a cultural collision. Then write a well-organized essay in which you describe the character's response and explain its relevance to the work as a whole.