English 3-4 (World Literature)

St. Mary's College High School English 3-4 (World Literature) September English 3-4: World Literature Essential Questions: Why read literature? What makes a story interesting? What is World Literature (Weltliteratur)? The different forms of literature (Fiction, Poetry, Plays, Nonfiction) Key Literary Terms (Protagonist, Antagonist, Symbolism, Metaphor) The common themes are found in literature worldwide The elements of a short story/novel (conflict, character, theme, point of view, setting, pattern of action) Analysis of literature begins with identifying elements of a story and pulling apart those elements. Compare/Contrast is a form of analysis. Texts: Summer Reading Books Summarize a story or event succinctly and accurately Read a piece of work critically (analytically) and identify its plot elements Analyze a piece of literature and correctly identify its themes Take notes from a lecture using the Cornell Method of Note- Taking Write a paragraph using a topic sentence, elaboration sentences, & illustrations Performance Tasks: Paragraph-length summary of an event Break down a short story to identify the elements of literature in a concept map (theme, character, plot, structure, setting, point of view, language & style, irony) They Say, I Say Essay: How are Slam and She went By Gently similar? different? (Formative) Writing (Clarity) #1 To tighten wordy sentences, #2 Active verbs (p. 2-5) (Grammar) #10 To make subjects & verbs agree (p. 21-25) (Punctuation) #17 To use the Comma properly (p. 58) Quizzes on literary terms Quiz onsubject-verb Agreement Quiz on Comma Usage Quiz on She Went Gently By The Literature of Latin America Magical Realism Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Chronicle of a Death Foretold (1982) 1 of 15

Point of View: Journalistic Fiction The elements of a mystery Analysis of literature begins with identifying elements of a story and pulling apart those elements. Themes in Literature: "Sex, Power. Death. The rest are just sub-classifications." The role of Symbolism & Imagery in a novel A culture of machismo & "Honor" in a Colombian town in the early 1900s. Class & Power. Fate & Inevitability. Gender Roles & Sexual Hypocrisy. How an apparently obvious set of events can possess deep, disturbing truths. Summarize a story or event succinctly and accurately Read a piece of work critically (analytically) and identify its plot elements Annotate a text Analyze a piece of literature by studying its elements individually. Analyze a piece of literature by discovering & discussing its themes Take notes from a lecture Compose paragraphs using a topic sentence, context, evidence, commentary, and conclusion sentences Develop a thesis (response) to literature and support it with facts from Chronicle of a Death Foretold Support an assertion with evidence Write an essay using the MLA format Performance Tasks Personal Response Journals-- paragraph-length responses to chapters of Chronicle of a Death Foretold following paragraph format (topic sentence, context, evidence, commentary, and conclusion sentences) In-Class Free-Response Analysis Essay Major Essay #1: What is the key message Gabriel Garcia Marquez is communicating in his novel? Mechanics, Punctuation, Grammar Mechanics, Punctuation, Grammar Mechanics, Punctuation, Grammar The types of sentences in a complete paragraph Argumentation The MLA format of essays The Apostrophe (possessives and contractions) Compose paragraphs following the "Topic Sentence-Context- Evidence-Commentary- Concluding Sentence" format Use the MLA format for essays and compositions Use the apostrophe appropriately Quizzes (fact-based) on the novel Quizzes on the apostrophe (possessives and contractions) Classroom Discussions The Literature of Asia Dai Sijie, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2000) the philosophy, values, & workings of Communism and Capitalism China's Cultural Revolution Chairman Mao Zedong How do Communism, Socialism & Capitalism differ? Explain the differences between communism, socialism, & capitalism. Explain the structure of the social pyramid: elites, bourgeoisie, proletariat Explain what a revolution is. A Graphic Organizer depicting the characteristics of a socialist society and a capitalist society Personal Response Journal paragraphs 2 of 15

What does it mean to be "bourgeois" and "reactionary" in Mao's revolutionary China? The Study of Literature What is a "Canon of Literature"? The Western Canon The World Canon October Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie Summative Unit Questions 1. How do we establish a balance between individual human freedom and collective security and welfare? 2. What are the consequences of (political/economic/social/religious) revolution? 3. What are the different advantages and disadvantages of living in a liberal Western state and in a socialist/communist state? 4. When is education liberating, and when is it repressive? 5. What is a "Canon of Literature?" Brief history of the People s Republic of China & Mao Zedong s Cultural Revolution The differences between capitalism and socialism/communism, democracy and communism Key political & cultural terminology: Western cultural values, bourgeois, proletariat, re-education, propaganda. Summarize clearly in paragraph form (using the Topic-Context- Evidence-Commentary Paragraph format) Dai Sijie s opinion about the impact Mao Zedong s revolution had on China. Summarize in a 100-word paragraph the Chinese Revolution 1949-1976. Read a history text to understand the historical background of a novel. Analyze in classroom discussions Balzac & the Little Chinese Seamstress to discern the author s purpose and the author s message. Develop an argument (thesis) in a formal composition with supporting evidence in a 4-5 paragraph essay. Create a concept map/graphic organizer Summaries of others' ideas in paragraph-length compositions Analytical essay based on the novel's themes and its historical context. Structured classroom discussions Free-Response Essay Exam Quizzes Other Evidence (Formative) Informal Class Discussions Graphic Organizers (Venn diagrams, concept maps) Notebooks The Western Canon (including Honore Balzac & others) & the World Canon. Identify and interpret an author s and a character s Point of View. Understand and explain literary 3 of 15

techniques of IRONY and SYMBOLISM. Elements of a romantic love story and of a Realist novel. World literature: Origin Stories & Sacred Texts Essential Questions: How have humans sough to understand the meaning of their existence? What has been gained advantages by the written word? What is lost when oral traditions are written down? What does it mean that some sacred texts have been borrowed from older civilizations? Understandings: Origin Stories reflect ancient peoples attempts to explain the origin and purpose of human existence. Every civilization, every people, has its own origin stories which reflect their understanding of its place in the universe. Some sacred texts have been borrowed from older civilizations. The written word has provided humans with a record of its story, its values, its fears, and its aspirations. The Library is the repository of a culture. Example: Nineveh s Library. The Bible is valuable as literature, as historical source, and as sacred text. Selected Origin Stories from around the 4 of 15

world: Popol Vuh (Maya), The Bible: Genesis 1-3 (Creation and the Fall), Genesis 6-11; Ancient Literary Antecedents: Epic of Gilgamesh (the Flood Story) Sacred Texts: Confucius, The Analects; The Vedas of the Hindus: The Rig Veda; The Buddha; The Koran; Hebrew Scriptures, The New Testament.. Modernization TV, film, electronic media, internet-- has led to a homogenization of the world s stories. Periodization in Literature: Ancient, Medieval, European Renaissance & Enlightenment, Romanticism, Transcendentalism, Realism, Modernism, Post-Modernism, Magical Realism The Mystery of the World: Sacred Texts & Origin Stories World Literature: Origin Stories & Sacred Texts Essential Questions: How have humans sough to understand the meaning of their existence? What has been gained advantages by the written word? What is lost when oral traditions are written down? What does it mean that some sacred texts have been borrowed from older civilizations? 5 of 15

Understandings: Origin Stories reflect ancient peoples attempts to explain the origin and purpose of human existence. Every civilization, every people, has its own origin stories which reflect their understanding of its place in the universe. Some sacred texts have been borrowed from older civilizations. The written word has provided humans with a record of its story, its values, its fears, and its aspirations. The Library is the repository of a culture. Example: Nineveh s Library. The Bible is valuable as literature, as historical source, and as sacred text. Selected Origin Stories from around the world: Popol Vuh (Maya), The Bible: Genesis 1-3 (Creation and the Fall), Genesis 6-11; Ancient Literary Antecedents: Epic of Gilgamesh (the Flood Story) Sacred Texts: Confucius, The Analects; The Vedas of the Hindus: The Rig Veda; The Buddha; The Koran; Hebrew Scriptures, The New Testament.. Modernization TV, film, electronic media, internet-- has led to a homogenization of the world s stories. Periodization in Literature: Ancient, Medieval, European Renaissance & Enlightenment, Romanticism, Transcendentalism, Realism, Modernism, Post-Modernism, Magical Realism 6 of 15

The Mystery of the World: Sacred Texts & Origin Stories November Nationalism, Just War, and Terrorism: Israel & Palestine Essential Questions: What is the fairest solution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict? Is terrorism ever justifiable? Is there such a thing as a just war? Understandings: Nationalism The Zionist movement War has deep, sometimes devastating consequences for combatants and civilians, especially refugees One man s terrorist is another man s freedom fighter. History presents facts, while fiction can present truth. Historical fiction can communicate truths that address broad issues as well as personal ones Memoirs (nonfiction) provide insights by focusing on the experiences of average individuals. Summarize opposing viewpoints and present a convincing argument for either side of the argument. Analyze a novel s character using the both the story s plot and historical facts. Analyze issues using the PERSIAN approach (Political-Economic-Religious- Social-Intellectual-Artistic) Write notes summarizing information accurately Draw a concept map depicting an issue Write an argumentative essay using literary and historical evidence Performance Tasks: An argumentative Essay taking one side of three positions on the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Character analysis essay Concept Maps/Graphic Organizers depicting the two sides of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Essay exams on Dawn and Tasting the Sky Other Evidence: Reading Comprehension Quizzes Vocabulary Quizzes Punctuation Quizzes Cornell Method of Note-Taking Political conflicts like the Israeli- Palestinian conflict share common causes, 7 of 15

common responses and follow similar patterns. Reading Guides The history of the birth of Israel and the ensuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict Zionism The Palestinian Diaspora & Arab Nationalism Political conflicts like the Israeli- Palestinian conflict share common causes, common responses and follow similar patterns. Fiction can effectively communicate truth, sometimes more effectively than history/nonfiction How a memoir differs from an autobiography Character analysis Vocabulary Punctuation December The Importance of Homer: The Iliad and The Odyssey Essential Questions: Who was Homer? Why is Homer considered one of the most important writers in the history of the world? Why do teachers of Classics believe A formal education is impossible without reference to Homer s work? Recall key facts in Homer s works and Homer s importance to literature Identify elements of a story s plot Identify major themes (in Homer s Performance Tasks: Character Analysis essay: comparing Homer s characters to other characters in literature Analysis: identifying parallel plot lines in other great works of literature using 8 of 15

works) plot-line maps Understandings: Iliad & Odyssey are the most influential stories in Western Literature A formal education is impossible without reference to Homer s work. The ancient city of Troy existed. The Iliad is a story rooted in at least some historical fact. Explain key characters and their importance to the plot Unit exam on the themes, motifs, symbols, and characters in the Iliad & Odyssey Other Evidence: Concept Maps of themes & plot lines of Iliad and Odyssey Fact-Based Quizzes The Biography of Homer: the tradition of the Bard Classroom discussions/reflection Preparatory work for Essay (notes, outline, rough draft) Iliad & Odyssey s legacy in Western Literature: importance to history & literature Epic poetry as a literary form Geography of Greece, Asia Minor, & the eastern Mediterranean The story of the creation of Iliad and Odyssey Basic plots of Iliad & Odyssey Key characters in the Iliad: Achilles, Agamemnon, Hector, Paris, Helen, Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Athena, Aphrodite Key characters in the Odyssey: Odysseus (Ulysses), Penelope, Athena, Poseidon, Zeus Themes in the Iliad: Glory of War, Impermanence of Human Life Themes in the Odyssey: Cunning over Strength, the Danger of Temptation 9 of 15

January Ancient Rome & Shakespeare s Julius Caesar Essential Questions: How does Shakespeare develop his tragic heroic protagonist? How does tragic flaw lead to the character's demise? What are the differences between a productive and an unproductive epiphany? When is ambition a virtue? When is it a vice? How are trust and betrayal key components in an ambitious person s quest for power? Understandings: A man cannot become a hero until he sees the roots of his own downfall. Artisotle The importance of William Shakespeare to Western and World literature cannot be overstated. A tragic hero is a character (protagonist) who falls from great height; a flaw in the character of the protagonist brings the protagonist to ruin Politics (of Ancient Rome) are a mirror for contemporary readers to see their own government s political power struggles Shakespeare was a genius. Shakespeare s tragedies follow a Read and interpret the language of Shakespeare Analyze a key character in Julius Caesar Identify and explain main themes Identify, explain, and interpret key symbols and motifs Draw connections between political ambition as portrayed in Julius Caesar and as occurs in our world today Identify an example of a tragic hero in history using Shakespeare s tragic hero model as a template Performance Tasks Analysis exam (free-write) on characters, themes, motifs, and symbols in Julius Caesar Write an analytical essay about an actual tragic hero in history following Shakespeare s template Student visual & oral presentations on famous examples of ambition, rhetoric, power, fate & free will and the results of those qualities Other Evidence: Fact-based quizzes on Ancient Roman history; on plot and characters of Julius Caesar; on William Shakespeare; on Virgil, Cicero, Pliny the Younger Formative assignments: plot lines, graphic organizer for characters relationships 10 of 15

pattern that include key elements Ancient Rome s intellectual contributions have informed Western literature, philosophy, & politics for 2,000 years Formative: in-class discussions Formative: Spoken group performances of excerpts of Julius Caesar Biography and importance of William Shakespeare Background information to The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Stages of Shakespeare s tragic hero The major themes found in Julius Caesar Fate versus Free Will, Public Self vs Private Self, Misinterpretations & Misreadings, Inflexibility vs Compromise Importance of analyzing key characters in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Political Problems of the Roman Republic ca 60-44 BCE Politics of Ancient Rome served as a metaphor for Shakespeare to highlight Elizabethan England s own challenges of kingship The importance of Cicero and Virgil (The Aeneid) Pliny the Younger, The Eruption of Vesuvius The cultural and imperial dominance of Ancient Rome ( Pompeii: The Key to Roman Life, from Ten Discoveries That Rewrote History) February 11 of 15

Overview of Literary Epochs & Classic Works Essential Questions: How can each literary era be seen as a reaction to its immediate preceding era? What makes a literary work endure as a classic How does history affect literature? What is the rhetorical effect of satire? Why is the term Gothic associated with Romanticism? What makes a work Realist? What social & industrial changes inspired the advent of Modernism? Understandings: Identify elements of poetry-- Alliteration, Assonance, Rhythm, Rhyme, Onomatopoeia Explain the various literary eras in Western and Modern world Literature. Identify the key major works of World Literature and explain why they are considered classics. Taking notes (lecture and reading) following the Cornell Method Performance Tasks: Collage Encapsulating the Themes, Symbolism, Imagery, and Motifs in All Quiet on the western Front Short Free-response quizzes Free-response essay examination Creation of an original poem using poetic techniques Other Evidence: Literary works are categorized as belonging to particular historical eras Quizzes Cornell Method Notes The times affect literature, and literature reflects the times. The world s great works reflect groundbreaking approaches to literature as well as reveal eternal truths The European Dark Ages (476-1350) & Song of Roland, Chretien de Troyes - The Grail, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales Renaissance (1350 1650): Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy, The Inferno, Petrarch, Laura, Cervantes, Don Quixote Rationalism & the Age of Enlightenment, 1700-1800: John Milton, Paradise Los, Jonathan Swift - A Modest Proposal (satire) The Romantic Era, 1790-1850 Sounds of Poetry: Alliteration, Assonance, 12 of 15

Rhythm, Rhyme, Onomatopoeia Edgar Allen Poe, The Raven, Annabel Lee Realism, 1850-1914 The Short Story Form & Character Development: Anton Chekov, Vanka, Fyodor Dostyevsky, The Mysterious Visitor, from The Brothers Karamazov, Modernism, 1914-1945 Modernism & All Quiet on the Western Front Identify and analyze elements of modernist literature, poetry, art. Compose analytical essays in-class Develop a position and compose a written argument Apply (Transfer) principles of Modernism to identify and evaluate how those elements are manifested in different art forms. Performance Tasks: Essential Questions: What is Modernism? What characterizes Modernist literature? What forces created Modernism? Why was World War I so different from all wars that came before it? How did those factors contribute to the rise of Modernism? Collage: Themes, Symbols, Imagery, Motifs of All Quiet on the Western Front Analytical compositions (in-class) Argumentative Essay (in-class) Compose original free-verse poetry A Concept Map for Modernism How is All Quiet on the Western Front representative of Modernist literature? Understandings: Modernism was a distinct change in thought, behavior, and cultural production beginning sometime in the late nineteenth century and coming to full fruition sometime around the World War II, characterized by the reexamination of existence from every possible angle. A broad literary & cultural movement that spanned all of the arts & spilled into politics and philosophy. Its roots are in the rapidly changing technology of the late nineteenth century and in the theories of such late nineteenth-century 13 of 15

thinkers as Freud, Marx, Darwin, & Nietzsche. The movement s concerns were with the accelerating pace of society toward destruction and meaninglessness. The movement s concerns were with the accelerating pace of society toward destruction and meaninglessness. Open form and free verse are distinguishing characteristics of modernist poetry. The Jazz Age (1918-1929) an especially productive period of modernist literature immortalized by Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby, which describes the decadence and sexual freedom of the post-world War I generation. Modernism (1890 1945): the radical shift in aesthetic and cultural sensibilities evident in the art and literature of the post-world War I period. The Lost Generation --coined by Gertrude Stein--refers to those artists of the 1920s who had become disillusioned with America and lived as ex-patriates in Europe. The Roots of Modernism a reaction against Realism and a reflection of the rapid changes in modern society. Freud, Marx, Nietszche, Einstein. Modernist Art: new types of paints and other materials, in expressing feelings and ideas, in creating abstractions and fantasies, rather than representing what is real. Elements of Modernist Literature: radical experiments with form: poets like Pound and Eliot working in free verse, & novelists like Joyce, Woolf, & Stein experimenting with stream of consciousness & elaborate language games; Open form & free verse poetry. Major Modernist Writers & Poets: T. S. Elliot (The Waste Land), Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Virginia Woolf, and James Joyce (Finnegan s Wake, Ulysses). The experiences of soldiers on the Western Front of WWI by reading & studying Erich 14 of 15

Remarque s All Quiet on the Western Front 15 of 15