! Point of View in Arcadia

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1 Point of View in Arcadia Concept: Point of View Primary Subject Area: English Secondary Subject Areas: Common Core Standards Addressed: Common Core Standards Grades 9-10 Grades Key Ideas and Details Key Ideas and Details o Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text. o Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says as well as inferences drawn from the text. Craft and Structure o Analyze how an author s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise. o Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone). o Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. o Analyze the impact of the author s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed. Craft and Structure o Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. o Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, understatement). Arcadia: Common Core Standards 1

2 Lesson Plan Point of View in Arcadia Overview: Students will learn about different types of point of view and identify the one used in Arcadia, as well as discuss possible reasons for Lauren Groff s decision to write from this point of view. Objectives: Students will be able to: Define different literary points of view and narration styles Identify moments in the text where it is clear that the story is being told through Bit s perspective Address issues of the mystic or surreal in the text in relation to Bit s point of view Warm-Up Activity: Ask the students to write down important moments they have experienced in their life. Encourage students to be as unrestricted as they want with this exercise. After completing this exercise, tell them to imagine that they are now adults looking at this writing in front of them some ten to twenty years later. Would the adult you narrate or write or imagine things differently from the present you? Have students get in groups of 3 or 4 and share what they ve written. Ask them to discuss how the novel is affected by Bit s being a child in Arcadia and an adult in New York. (This activity can be altered depending on how much of the book the students have been instructed to read.) Finally, open up a larger discussion of what kind of narrator Bit is, and through what point of view his story is told. Possible prompts could consist of his reliability, his perspective as a child, his relationships with his parents and other characters, and what sort of information the reader is given. Materials: Copy of Arcadia Identifying Narrative Worksheet Other Resources: Key Vocabulary Terms Discussion Questions Definitions Chart Point of View Website and Resources Arcadia: Lesson Plan 2

3 Point of View in Arcadia Short Lecture & Partner Activities: Lesson Plan Lead a short lecture on different kinds of point of view and narration styles. Depending on the students ability and knowledge level, use additional worksheets and website as a resource to activities on point of view. In a discussion, ask students to identify point of view in Arcadia. Ask students to find examples in the text supporting this fact and identify where the world is being viewed through Bit s eyes. Some examples could be: o He saw the old man turn beautiful. He wonders at the worry on his parents faces (8). o The women forget about him [ ] Hannah s voice goes muffled when she says, want out. She makes a sound that doesn t seem human. Bit watches her legs worriedly, afraid she is sick (55). o What s going on? Bit says. He bites a hangnail, calming with the taste of blood. His parents look at him. Handsome Abe, Hannah golden with her early tan. We should keep him out of it, Abe, she says. He s still a kid, he just turned fourteen last week. She takes Bit s hand from his mouth, kisses it, and holds it to keep him from chewing (89). Guide the conversation towards a discussion of a reliable narrator. Explain what this means if instruction is necessary, and ask students whether or not they think Bit as a child is a reliable narrator. Use the moments of text in which Bit speaks of surreal or unnatural events, and have students classify these moments as real magic, figurative language, or Bit s unreliability as a narrator. Use attached chart if needed. o When he is very still and breathes with her and drifts off to sleep in her wake, he sees pieces of her dreams: a gray street that Bit has never seen, a tree with coppery bark, a fountain under oaks draped in dusk, a huge black bird with its beak cracked to a red tongue (45). o Then Jincy s mother heaved herself up into the air and flew away (45). o It is the witch, the one he has dreamed of. But she is not ugly: her hair is a soft white with a black streak, and she has roses in her cheeks (67). o When Hannah dreamed, the dream was so vivid it entered him (72). o Yet Bit sees it clearly when he looks at them: even in the darkness, the empty space that keeps the one form the other, the thing the size of a fist, a heart, a loaf, a rose; the size of his sister he ll never see (77). Arcadia: Lesson Plan 3

4 Point of View in Arcadia Discussion Wrap-Up: Lesson Plan Wrap up the conversation about perspective and point of view by instructing students to stay alert when reading the rest of the book as to whether or not either of these things changes. End with a writing activity if possible. Writing Activities/Evaluations: Analytical: In 7-8 sentences, explain why Bit s point of view is effective for the story. What does his point of view add or take away from the reader s experience? How would it be different if Arcadia were told by a different narrator and/or point of view? Creative: Choose a passage from Arcadia and rewrite it using a different point of view or character. Then, in 2-3 sentences explain what the differences are and how they affect the part of the story that is being told. Arcadia: Lesson Plan 4

5 Discussion & Comprehension Questions Point of View in Arcadia He keeps his deepest belief tight to him: that people are good and want to be good, if only you give them a chance (98): Is this belief true? Does this differ in Arcadia? Do you think Bit being a child has anything to do with this statement? What a relief it would be to live always among family. To be among people who all look like you, think like you, behave like you, have the same God to love and fear, a God angry enough to smite and loving enough to give, a God with an ear big enough to hold the secrets you whisper into it, who lets you empty yourself and walk back into your life, infinitely lighter. He feels a loss for something he s never known (160): Do you agree with Bit? Would this be a relief? What sorts of disadvantages would also be associated with this community different from his own? What do you think is the best point of view for a coming of age story? What are the effects of an unreliable narrator? Arcadia: Discussion & Comprehension Questions 5

6 Arcadia: Key Vocabulary 6 Key Vocabulary Point of View in Arcadia Word: Definition: Kibbutzim A community settlement, usually agrarian based, that is organized under collectivist principles: found in Israel. Grimace A facial expression, often ugly or contorted, that indicates disapproval or pain. Ujjayi A type of pranayama breathing technique that develops awareness through drawing air in through both nostrils. Fomenting Instigating or stirring up. Incomprehensible Not able to be understood. Glean To collect gradually and bit by bit; extract (information) from various sources. Blight Something that impairs growth, withers hopes and ambitions, or impeded progress and prosperity. Hegemony Leadership or dominance, esp. by one country or social group. Delinquency Minor crime, esp. that committed by young people; neglect of one s duty.

7 Arcadia: Text References 7 Text References Point of View in Arcadia (Page 8): He saw the old man turn beautiful. He wonders at the worry on his parents faces. (Page 55): The women forget about him [ ] Hannah s voice goes muffled when she says, want out. She makes a sound that doesn t seem human. Bit watches her legs worriedly, afraid she is sick. (Page 89): What s going on? Bit says. He bites a hangnail, calming with the taste of blood. His parents look at him. Handsome Abe, Hannah golden with her early tan. We should keep him out of it, Abe, she says. He s still a kid, he just turned fourteen last week. She takes Bit s hand from his mouth, kisses it, and holds it to keep him from chewing. (Page 45): When he is very still and breathes with her and drifts off to sleep in her wake, he sees pieces of her dreams: a gray street that Bit has never seen, a tree with coppery bark, a fountain under oaks draped in dusk, a huge black bird with its beak cracked to a red tongue. (Page 45): Then Jincy s mother heaved herself up into the air and flew away. (Page 67): It is the witch, the one he has dreamed of. But she is not ugly: her hair is a soft white with a black streak, and she has roses in her cheeks. (Page 72): When Hannah dreamed, the dream was so vivid it entered him. (Page 77): Yet Bit sees it clearly when he looks at them: even in the darkness, the empty space that keeps the one form the other, the thing the size of a fist, a heart, a loaf, a rose; the size of his sister he ll never see.

8 Arcadia: Class Handout Title Field: Class Handout Name: Identifying Narrative Perspective Name: Directions: Read the following passages, UNDERLINE, CIRCLE, OR HIGHLIGHT WHEN THE NARRATOR TELLS US A CHARACTER S THOUGHTS OR FEELINGS and determine the narrative perspective, then explain how you were able to identify the point of view. If you need help, you may ask your teacher or a classmate. Narrative Perspective (point of view): first-person, second-person, third-person objective, third-person limited, third-person omniscient. 1. She went to her best friend s house to study. When she got there, she started to wonder how big her best friend s dog Jasper had gotten. They went outside and rode their bikes for 20 minutes, went back to the house to study, ate dinner, and then she went back home. 2. Do you love candy? I asked my friend Roxis. I always make friends with other people. 3. One day Tina went to the movies. She went to see Epic Movie. Tina thought she should purchase a plate of nachos, a pop, and a box of candy, but her friend thought she shouldn t. Tina purchased the food anyway. 4. First, you will need to wash your hands and gather all of your materials. Once you ve done that, follow all of the directions in your cookbook. Put your crispy treats in your oven and cook for While your treats cook you might want to clean your working place. When you take the treats out of the oven, pour the honey and lemon sauce on immediately. Once the treats are cooled, you and your friends can enjoy. 5. Timmy Turner was rushing to get to school because he was going on a field trip. Timmy felt so happy and excited that he was going on his first field trip of the year. Timmy thought that everything was going to go good that day. 6. She went to her best friend s house to study. When she got there, they rode their bikes for 20 minutes, went back to the house to study, ate dinner, and then went back home. 7. Some dark night Shelly said, I hate squirrels, but really she loved them. Carol said, They smell, but really, she loved them too. Both of them thought that squirrels were pretty cute.

9 Arcadia: Class Handout Title Field: Class Handout Name: 8. When I went to the store, I witnessed a girl crying on the street and I took a closer look and saw it was my friend. I walked to where she was and asked her what was wrong. She said, Family problems. Being a good friend, I told her to call me later if she wanted to talk about it. 9. Emma never seemed to reach her goal. She knew that her cookies were good but she could never raise the 500 dollars to enter the contest. None of the other contestants even looked her way. 10. Emma thought and she thought: How can I make people notice me? Then, Emma s two twin nieces ran in the kitchen and asked Emma to make a batch of cookies for their class. She did, and the next day at the bake sale, lots of children and parents were buying her cookies. Lots of people were thinking about her cookies and how good they were. All the other years Emma would go home with over 200 cookies left, but that year she went home with none, all thanks to her nieces. 11. Maggie Wetherfield was walking to Jessica s house for a sleepover when she noticed Allen following her. She started to walk a little faster. When she heard him calling her name, she stopped. He came running to her and asked if she had tonight s homework. She replied, We have to do math pages seven through nine, numbers one through twenty-four. 12. To Make French Toast: First you will take out a skillet to cook and turn the stove on low. Second, you will melt the butter in the pan and stir it with a spatula. Third, you will beat the eggs. Fourth, lay the bread, white or wheat, on both sides in the eggs. Fifth, sit the bread on top of butter for 30 seconds and then turn over. Now you have a slice of French toast. Repeat. 13. She went to her best friend s house to study. When she got there, she started to wonder how big her best friend s dog Jasper had gotten. They went outside and rode their bikes for twenty minutes. When they went back to study, her best friend, Sam, wondered when her legs would stop hurting. They ate dinner after studying and then she went home. 14. Jessie had felt sad all day. Jessie thought and thought about his situation and he thought to himself, I need to get myself together. Next thing you know, Maria came in the door and asked what was wrong. He told her. Maria frowned. She felt as if she were being abandoned by everyone. 15. How to Properly Clean Your Disc: First, you buy a CD buffer from your neighborhood Gamestop store. If you want to clean your CD for free instead, get a Q-tip or soft cloth. Use alcohol or window cleaner and wipe up and down applying light pressure as needed.

10 Arcadia: Class Handout Title Field: Class Handout Name: Definitions (to be used in context with lesson) Reliable narrator Surreal Magic Figurative language The reliability of a narrator depends on the fictional truth s/he presents. The more truthful the point of view is, the more reliable the character. Unreliable narrators are often children, mentally unstable, or part of an author s creative decision to blur reality and imagination. Surreal moments in literature are dreamlike occurrences; anything bizarre, unreal, fantastic, and usually not able to be explained (and not needing to be explained.) In terms of this lesson and book, magic here can be used as a prompt to a conversation about the creative choices in the book. Magic is not indeed part of the narrative, but sometimes it seems as though it is. Simile, metaphor, hyperbole, etc. It is important for students to distinguish between figurative language that uses magical or surreal moments and narration describing surreal moments.

11 Arcadia: Supplementary Materials Chart Title Field: Supplementary Materials Chart Category of Resource Worksheet Description of Resource Point of View worksheet Potential Educational Uses of Resource Students can use the examples to identify first-person, secondperson, third-person objective, third-person limited, and third-person omniscient. Link to Resource Website Activities, PowerPoints and worksheets on point of view Teachers can find different worksheets, presentations or examples of point of view to help students get more practice.