Fiction Reading Model Fiction Reading Model

Fiction Reading Model
BEFORE READING
Apply Background
Analyze Literature
You need to apply two types of background to
read a short story effectively. One type is the story’s
literary and historical context. Carefully read the
Build Background and Meet the Author
features to get this kind of information. The other
type of background is the personal knowledge and
experience you bring to your reading.
A short-story writer uses literary techniques, such
as plot, characterization, and setting, to create
meaning. The Analyze Literature feature will draw
your attention to a key literary element in the story.
Set Purpose
Reading a short story is very different from reading
nonfiction. A short-story writer presents characters
and actions to say something about life. Use the
Set Purpose feature to help you decide what you
are trying to get out of the story.
Use Reading Skills
Before you read a short story, preview the text.
• Skim the first few paragraphs and glance through
the story to figure out what it’s about and who
the main characters are.
• Examine any illustrations for clues about the story.
• Identify a graphic organizer that will be helpful
in achieving your purpose for reading.
DURING READING
Use Strategies
Analyze Literature
• Ask questions about things that seem unusual.
• Visualize the story. Form pictures in your mind to
help you see the characters, actions, and settings.
• Make predictions about what’s going to
happen next. As you read, gather more clues that
will either confirm or change your prediction.
• Make inferences, or educated guesses, about
what is not stated directly, but only hinted at.
• Determine the importance of details. Some
details are significant because they give you
insights into characters, the theme, or mood.
• What literary elements stand out? Are the
characters vivid and interesting? Is there a
strong central conflict? As you read, consider
how these elements affect your enjoyment and
understanding of the story.
Make Connections
• Notice where connections can be made between
the story and your life or the world outside the
story. What feelings or thoughts do you have
while reading the story?
AFTER READING
Find Meaning
• Recall the important details of the story, such as
the sequence of events, characters’ names, settings,
and other significant points. Use this information
as the basis for interpreting, or explaining, the
meaning of the story.
Make Judgments
• Analyze the text by examining significant details
and determining what they contribute to the
overall meaning.
22
UNIT 1 FICTION
• Evaluate the text by making judgments about
how the author creates meaning.
Analyze Literature
• Review how the author’s use of literary elements
increased your understanding of the story. For
example, did the author use figurative language?
How did it help to shape the story’s meaning?
Extend
• Go beyond the text by exploring the story’s ideas
through writing or other creative projects.
Literary Element
Apply the Model
BEFORE READING
Understanding Point of View
DURING READING
AFTER READING
What Is Point of View?
Each of these photographs shows the same subject—fly-fishing on a mountain stream. What is
chiefly different about them is the point of view, the
perspective from which the photograph was taken.
Point of view is an important element in fiction as
well as photography.
by Edgar Allan Poe
▲
▲
Point of View in Fiction
Each of these passages gives an account of the
birth of the main character of a work of fiction.
Who is the narrator in the first passage? How do
you know? The vantage point from which a writer
presents the events and characters of a story is
called the point of view.
Third-Person Point of View In the passage from
“Born Worker,” the story is told from a third-person point of view. In this case, the narrator is not
a character. The third-person point of view is indicated by the narrator’s use of such pronouns as he,
she, it, and they. If a story is told from a third person omniscient (“all-knowing”) point of view, the
narrator is able to relate everything about all the
characters—their experiences, thoughts, and feelings. In a third-person limited point of view, however, the narrator chiefly presents the perspective of
only one character.
UNIT 1 FICTION
Historical Context The narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” is a murderer
who—though showing clear signs of madness—protests that he is not
insane. When Edgar Allan Poe wrote this short story in the early 1840s,
Americans were seriously debating for the first time the validity of the
insanity defense in cases of murder.
Reader’s Context How does the effect of a sound depend on the
circumstances under which it is heard? Imagine you are alone in a house
at night and you hear the creak of a door opening. How does such a
sound affect your emotions?
Using a graphic organizer can
help you achieve your purpose
in reading. An inference is a
reasonable guess based on evidence. Create a chart to record
your inferences about the
words and actions of the narrator. Put your evidence in the
first column and your inferences in the second column.
Previewing the first paragraph of the story will show you that the
narrator is telling his story to refute the charge that he is insane. Read
to determine what he has done to be judged insane.
“To begin my life with the
beginning of my life, I record
that I was born (as I have been
informed and believe) on a
Friday, at twelve o’clock at
night. It was remarked that the
clock began to strike, and I
began to cry, simultaneously.”
—CHARLES DICKENS,
Analyze Literature
Point of View The vantage point from which a story is told is
the point of view. If the story is told from the first-person point of
view, the narrator (the person or character who tells the story) uses
words such as I and we and is a part of or a witness to the action.
As you read “The Tell-Tale Heart,” think about how using the first-person
point of view influences both the way information is conveyed and the
mood, the feeling or emotion created by the story.
“They said that José was born
with a ring of dirt around
his neck, with grime under
his fingernails, and the skin
calloused from the grainy twist
of a shovel.”
Evidence
Inferences
Narrator has
no motive for
murder except
fear of old man’s
“vulture eye.”
Having no
motive
suggests
madness.
Preview Vocabulary
con•ceive (kən sv) v., form or develop
in the mind
David Copperfield
▲
—GARY SOTO,
24
Use Reading Skills
Set Purpose
▲
First-Person Point of View In the passage
from David Copperfield, the story is told from a
first-person point of view. In other words, the
narrator is a character in the story and describes the
events. You can tell that a story is told from a firstperson point of view because the narrator uses such
pronouns as I and we. In a story told from the firstperson point of view, the information must be limited to what the character experiences or knows. A
story told in first-person point of view often has a
heightened intensity, however, because the narrator
is part of the events that he or she describes.
Build Background
sti•fle (st fəl) v., hold back; stop;
smother
Meet the Author
Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American
poet, fiction writer, and literary critic. As a critic,
Poe shaped the modern short story, arguing that
every detail in a well-constructed narrative must
help create a single effect on the reader. In his
brilliant stories of psychological horror, such as
“The Tell-Tale Heart,” Poe created vivid effects
of suspense, dread, and terror.
vex (veks) v., bother; trouble
con•ceal•ment (kən sl mənt) n.,
hiding.
au•dac•i•ty ( das ə t) n., bold
courage; daring
“Born Worker”
THE TELL-TALE HEART
25
Apply the Model
BEFORE READING
DURING READING
AFTER READING
by Edgar Allan Poe
The disease had sharpened my senses—not destroyed—not dulled
them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in
the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then,
am I mad? Hearken!1 and observe how healthily—how calmly I can
tell you the whole story.
It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but
once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none.
Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged
me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I
think it was his eye! Yes, it was this! One of his eyes resembled that of
a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon
me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees—very gradually—I made
up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the
eye forever.
Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing.
But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I
proceeded—with what caution—with what foresight—with what dissimulation2 I went to work! I was never kinder to the old man than
during the whole week before I killed him. And every night, about
midnight, I turned the latch of his door and opened it—oh, so gently!
And then, when I had made an opening sufficient for my head, I put
in a dark lantern,3 all closed, closed, so that no light shone out, and
then I thrust in my head. Oh, you would have laughed to see how
cunningly 4 I thrust it in! I moved it slowly—very, very slowly, so that I
might not disturb the old man’s sleep. It took me an hour to place my
whole head within the opening so far that I could see him as he lay
upon his bed. Ha!—would a madman have been so wise as this? And
then, when my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern cautiously—oh, so cautiously—cautiously (for the hinges creaked)—I
1.
2.
3.
4.
26
UNIT 1 FICTION
con•ceive (kən sv) v.,
form or develop in the mind
DURING READING
Use Strategies
Ask Questions What is unusual
about the narrator’s motivation?
Hearken. Listen carefully
dissimulation. Act of hiding; pretending
dark lantern. A lantern with a single opening that can be closed to block the light
cunningly. Skillfully or cleverly
THE TELL-TALE HEART
27
DURING READING
Analyze Literature
Point of View What does
this suggest about the narrator’s
sanity?
sti•fle (st fəl) v., hold
back; stop; smother
DURING READING
Make Connections
Respond How does this observation affect your feelings about
the narrator?
undid it just so much that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture eye.
And this I did for seven long nights—every night just at midnight—
but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the
work; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye. And
every morning, when the day broke, I went boldly into the chamber,
and spoke courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone,
and inquiring how he had passed the night. So you see he would have
been a very profound old man, indeed, to suspect that every night,
just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept.
Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watch's minute hand moves more quickly than did
mine. Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers—of my sagacity.5 I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph.
To think that there I was, opening the door, little by little, and he not
even to dream of my secret deeds or thoughts. I fairly chuckled at the
idea; and perhaps he heard me; for he moved on the bed suddenly, as
if startled. Now you may think that I drew back—but no. His room
was as black as pitch with the thick darkness, (for the shutters were
close fastened, through fear of robbers,) and so I knew that he could
not see the opening of the door, and I kept pushing it on steadily,
steadily.
I had my head in, and was about to open the lantern, when my
thumb slipped upon the tin fastening, and the old man sprang up in
the bed, crying out—“Who’s there?”
I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not
move a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down. He
was still sitting up in the bed listening;—just as I have done, night
after night, hearkening to the deathwatches6 in the wall.
Presently I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was the groan of
mortal terror. It was not a groan of pain or of grief—oh, no!—it was
the low stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when
overcharged with awe. I knew the sound well. Many a night, just at
midnight, when all the world slept, it has welled up from my own
bosom, deepening, with its dreadful echo, the terrors that distracted
me. I say I knew it well. I knew what the old man felt, and pitied
him, although I chuckled at heart. I knew that he had been lying
awake ever since the first slight noise, when he had turned in the bed.
5. sagacity. Wisdom; intelligence
6. deathwatches. Wood-boring beetles that make a tapping sound in the wood they invade.
According to folklore, they are thought to predict death.
28
UNIT 1 FICTION
His fears had been ever since growing upon him. He had been trying
to fancy them causeless, but could not. He had been saying to himself—“It is nothing but the wind in the chimney—it is only a mouse
crossing the floor,” or “it is merely a cricket which has made a single
chirp.” Yes, he has been trying to comfort himself with these suppositions:7 but he had found all in vain. All in vain; because Death, in
approaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him, and
enveloped the victim. And it was the mournful influence of the
unperceived shadow that caused him to feel—although he neither saw
nor heard—to feel the presence of my head within the room.
When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without hearing
him lie down, I resolved to open a little—a very, very little crevice in
the lantern. So I opened it—you cannot imagine how stealthily,8
stealthily—until, at length a single dim ray, like the thread of the
spider, shot from out the crevice and fell upon the vulture eye.
It was open—wide, wide open—and I grew furious as I gazed
upon it. I saw it with perfect distinctness—all a dull blue, with a
hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones; but I
could see nothing else of the old man's face or person: for I had
directed the ray as if by instinct, precisely upon the damned spot.
And now have I not told you that what you mistake for madness
is but over acuteness of the senses?—now, I say, there came to my ears
a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in
cotton. I knew that sound well, too. It was the beating of the old
man’s heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates
the soldier into courage.
But even yet I refrained and kept still. I scarcely breathed. I held
the lantern motionless. I tried how steadily I could maintain the ray
upon the eye. Meantime the hellish tattoo of the heart increased. It
grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every instant. The
old man’s terror must have been extreme! It grew louder, I say, louder
every moment!—do you mark me well? I have told you that I am
nervous: so I am. And now at the dead hour of the night, amid the
dreadful silence of that old house, so strange a noise as this excited
me to uncontrollable terror. Yet, for some minutes longer I refrained
and stood still. But the beating grew louder, louder! I thought the
heart must burst. And now a new anxiety seized me—the sound
would be heard by a neighbor! The old man’s hour had come! With
DURING READING
Use Strategies
Visualize Picture this scene.
What does it convey about the
character of the narrator?
DURING READING
Use Strategies
Predict Recall the title of the
story. At this point, what do you
think will be the outcome?
7. supposition. A guessed possibility
8. stealthily. Quietly
THE TELL-TALE HEART
29
vex (veks) v., bother; trouble
con•ceal•ment
(kən sl mənt) n., hiding
DURING READING
Literary Element
Point of View What does the
narrator have to fear?
au•dac•i•ty ( das ə t) n.,
bold courage; daring
a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He
shrieked once—once only. In an instant I dragged him to the floor,
and pulled the heavy bed9 over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the
deed so far done. But, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a
muffled sound. This, however, did not vex me; it would not be heard
through the wall. At length it ceased. The old man was dead. I
removed the bed and examined the corpse. Yes, he was stone, stone
dead. I placed my hand upon the heart and held it there many minutes. There was no pulsation. He was stone dead. His eye would trouble me no more.
If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I
describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.
The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence. First of all I
dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.
I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and
deposited all between the scantlings.10 I then replaced the boards so
cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye—not even his—could have
detected any thing wrong. There was nothing to wash out—no stain
of any kind—no blood-spot whatever. I had been too wary for that. A
tub had caught all—ha! ha!
When I had made an end of these labors, it was four o’clock—still
dark as midnight. As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street door. I went down to open it with a light heart,—for
what had I now to fear? There entered three men, who introduced
themselves, with perfect suavity,11 as officers of the police. A shriek
had been heard by a neighbor during the night; suspicion of foul play
had been aroused; information had been lodged at the police office,
and they (the officers) had been deputed to search the premises.
I smiled,—for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome.
The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country. I took my visitors all over the
house. I bade them search—search well. I led them, at length, to his
chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the
enthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, and
desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the
wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon the
very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim.
9. bed. Mattress
10. scantlings. Small beams or timbers
11. suavity. Smoothness; gracefulness; politeness
30
UNIT 1 FICTION
The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them. I was
singularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and
wished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears:
but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct:—it continued and became more distinct: I talked more freely to
get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definitiveness—
until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.
No doubt I now grew very pale;—but I talked more fluently, and
with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased—and what could I
do? It was a low, dull, quick sound—much such a sound as a watch makes
when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath—and yet the officers
heard it not. I talked more quickly—more vehemently;12 but the noise
steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and
with violent gesticulations;13 but the noise steadily increased. Why
would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy
strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men—but the
noise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed—I
raved—I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and
grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually
increased. It grew louder—louder—louder! And still the men chatted
pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty
God!—no, no! They heard!—they suspected!—they knew!—they were
making a mockery of my horror!—this I thought, and this I think. But
anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable
than this derision!14 I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I
felt that I must scream or die!—and now—again!—hark! louder!
louder! louder! louder!
“Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tear
up the planks!—here, here!—it is the beating of his hideous heart!”
DURING READING
Use Strategies
Determine the Importance
of Details What is the function
of these details?
MIRRORS &
If the narrator were tried for murder and you were a member of the jury,
would you vote to acquit him by reason of insanity? What basis should courts
use for an insanity defense?
12. vehemently. Violently; eagerly; forcefully
13. gesticulations. Energetic gestures or movements
14. derision. Contempt or ridicule
THE TELL-TALE HEART
31
Apply the Model
Language, Grammar, and Style
BEFORE READING
DURING READING
Using Commas in Sentences
AFTER READING
Find Meaning
Make Judgments
1. (a) To whom is the narrator speaking? (b) Why
do you think the narrator gives this account of
his crime?
2. (a) What motive does the narrator give for
murdering the old man? (b) What does this
motive suggest about the narrator’s mental state?
3. (a) What sound does the narrator hear while he
is talking to the police? (b) What do you think
the police see and hear while they are with him?
What might they conclude from the visit?
4. (a) What characteristics of the narrator make
him seem sane? (b) What characteristics make
him seem insane?
5. (a) What do you think is the narrator’s mental
state at the beginning of the story? (b) What is
his mental state at the end of the story?
6. Has the narrator changed? Has he remained the
same? Explain your answer.
7. (a) What overall effect do you think Poe was
trying to create in “The Tell-Tale Heart”? (b) How
does he create this effect?
First-Person
Narrator
Analyze Literature
How does Poe’s use of a first-person point of view
affect the way information is conveyed in “The
Tell-Tale Heart”? How does this point of view affect
the mood created by the story? Use a chart to
compare the differences between the effects of
a first-person and a third-person narrator.
Extend Understanding
Writing Options
Creative Writing Imagine that you are the
narrator’s lawyer and that a trial is set for the murder
of the old man. Write a letter advising your client
how to plead (guilty, not guilty, not guilty by reason
of insanity). Try to persuade your client by explaining
why your advice is the best possible course to take.
Critical Writing The American poet Walt Whitman,
who was ten years younger than Poe, said that the
older writer was “among the electric lights of
imaginative literature, brilliant and dazzling, but
with no heat.” Using “The Tell-Tale Heart” as
evidence, write a paragraph in which you agree or
disagree with Whitman’s evaluation of Poe.
32
UNIT 1 FICTION
Third-Person
Narrator
How story conveys
information
Mood created by
the story
Collaborative Learning
Speaking and Listening With your classmates, put
the narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” on trial. Choose
who will take on the roles of defendant, defense
attorney(s), prosecuting attorney(s), judge, witnesses
for the defense, witnesses for the prosecution, bailiff,
and members of the jury. Both the defense and the
prosecution should take time to prepare their cases
before presenting them to the jury for a verdict on
the narrator’s innocence or guilt.
Internet Research The Internet has many different
websites where you can find more information about
the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe, including
websites for literary societies and museums devoted
to him. Use any major search engine, and enter such
search terms as Edgar Allan Poe and the titles of his
literary works.
Serial Commas
Sentence Improvement
In “The Tell-Tale Heart,” the narrator says he
does not kill the old man because of hatred, revenge,
or greed.
For each of the following sentences, select the
response that indicates the best revision.
In the sentence above, commas are used to separate
the words hatred, revenge, and greed. You should
always use commas to separate items in a series.
Three or more words make a series.
EXAMPLE
Edgar Allan Poe wrote short stories, poetry, essays,
and a novel.
It is not necessary to use commas if the items in the
series are linked by conjunctions.
EXAMPLE
Poe’s stories are dark and strange and eerie and
often terrifying.
Commas with Direct Quotations
Poe’s narrator says, “Above all was my sense of
hearing acute.”
In the sentence above, the writer directly quotes
what the narrator says. Always use commas to set
off direct quotations.
EXAMPLE
Poe once observed, “There is distinct limit, as
regards length, to all works of literary art—the limit
of a single sitting.”
When a phrase interrupts the quotation, set off the
second part with a comma too.
EXAMPLE
“Presently I heard a slight groan,” says Poe’s narrator,
“and I knew it was the groan of mortal terror.”
1. Cunning fearfulness cruelty and arrogance are
all part of the narrator’s character.
A. Cunning, fearfulness, cruelty, and arrogance
are all part of the narrator’s character.
B. Cunning fearfulness cruelty and arrogance,
are all part of the narrator’s character.
C. Cunning fearfulness cruelty, and arrogance
are all part of the narrator’s character.
D. no change
2. The narrator says that he foamed, and raved,
and swore.
A. The narrator says that he foamed, and raved
and swore.
B. The narrator says that he foamed and raved
and swore.
C. The narrator says that he foamed and raved,
and swore.
D. no change
3. Poe often wrote about revenge, disease, death
and madness.
A. Poe often wrote about revenge, disease, death,
and madness.
B. Poe often wrote about revenge disease death
and madness.
C. Poe often wrote about revenge disease death,
and madness.
D. no change
4. “My head ached” Poe’s narrator says “and I
fancied a ringing in my ears.”
A. “My head ached” Poe’s narrator says, “and I
fancied a ringing in my ears.”
B. “My head ached,” Poe’s narrator says “and I
fancied a ringing in my ears.”
C. “My head ached,” Poe’s narrator says, “and I
fancied a ringing in my ears.”
D. no change
LANGUAGE, GRAMMAR, AND STYLE
33
▲
▲
Comparing Literature
rikki-tikki-tavi
A Short Story by Rudyard Kipling
▲
▲
The Green Mamba
Autobiography by Roald Dahl
BEFORE READING
Compare Literature:
Personification
Personification is a figure of
speech in which something not
human is described as if it
were human. Use a chart like
this one to record the different
characteristics given to the
snakes in “Rikki-tikki-tavi” and
“The Green Mamba.”
“Rikki-tikkitavi”
“The Green
Mamba”
Nag—wicked,
cold-hearted,
able to speak
Preview Vocabulary
cul•ti•vate (kən sv) v., prepare for
growing plants
cow•er (st fəl) v., shrink and tremble as
from anger, threats, or blows
pro•vi•dence (veks) n., valuable gist,
godsend
for•lorn (kən sl mənt) adj., hiding.
man•ip•u•late ( das ə t) v., treat
or operate with the hands in a skillful
manner
46
UNIT 1 FICTION
Build Background
Scientific Context Both Rudyard Kipling’s “Rikki-tikki-tavi” and
Roald Dahl’s “The Green Mamba” present encounters with dangerous
snakes. Of the more than 2,700 species of snakes on Earth, about 375
are poisonous, including the green mamba, the cobra, and the krait.
Reader’s Context Who is the most courageous person you’ve ever met?
What do you think made them so brave?
Set Purpose
Preview Text Features Look at the illustrations on page 000 and
page 000. What different feelings do you get from each image? As you
read the story and autobiography, note how each work deals with the
different feelings aroused by the presence of danger.
Meet the Authors
Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936) was born in India and
cared for by a native nurse, who told him Indian legends. “Rikki-tikki-tavi” is a story in one of his most
popular works, The Jungle Book. Kipling’s short story is
set in India during the last half of the nineteenth century, when it was still a British colony.
Roald Dahl (1916–1990) lived a life of adventure before becoming a
writer. His first job involved traveling across what was then the
British colony of Tanganyika and is today the independent country of Tanzania. During World War II, he was a
fighter pilot with the Royal Air Force until injuries
forced him to take a desk job in Washington, DC. “The
Green Mamba,” an excerpt from Dahl’s autobiography
Going Solo, takes place in Tanganyika.
rikki-tikki-tavi
A Short Story by Rudyard Kipling
This is the story of the great war that Rikkitikki-tavi fought single-handed, through the
bath-rooms of the big bungalow in Segowlee
cantonment.1 Darzee, the tailorbird, helped
him, and Chuchundra, the muskrat, who
never comes out into the middle of the floor,
but always creeps round by the wall, gave him
advice; but Rikki-tikki did the real fighting.
He was a mongoose, rather like a little cat
in his fur and his tail, but quite like a weasel
in his head and his habits. His eyes and the
end of his restless nose were pink; he could
scratch himself anywhere he pleased, with
any leg, front or back, that he chose to use;
1. Segowlee cantonment. Living quarters for British troops in
the town of Segowlee in India
he could fluff up his tail till it looked like a
bottle brush, and his war-cry, as he scuttled
“It is the hardest thing in the
world to frighten a mongoose...”
through the long grass, was: “Rikk-tikk-tikkitikki-tchk!”
One day, a high summer flood washed
him out of the burrow where he lived with
his father and mother, and carried him, kicking and clucking, down a roadside ditch. He
found a little wisp of grass floating there, and
clung to it till he lost his senses. When he
COMPARING LITERATURE: RIKKI-TIKKI-TAVI
47
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Comparing Literature
out again.” And the red ants that live between
the grass stems heard him, and began to
troop down one after another to see if he had
spoken the truth.
Rikki-tikki curled himself up in the grass
and slept where he was—slept and slept till it
was late in the afternoon, for he had done a
hard day’s work.
“Now,” he said, when he awoke, “I will go
back to the house. Tell the Coppersmith,
Darzee, and he will tell the garden that
Nagaina is dead.”
The Coppersmith is a bird who makes a
noise exactly like the beating of a little hammer on a copper pot; and the reason he is
always making it is because he is the town
crier to every Indian garden, and tells all the
news to everybody who cares to listen. As
Rikki-tikki went up the path, he heard his
“attention” notes like a tiny dinner gong; and
then the steady “Ding-dong-tock! Nag is
dead—dong! Nagaina is dead! Ding-dongtock!” That set all the birds in the garden
singing, and frogs croaking; for Nag and
Nagaina used to eat frogs as well as little
birds.
When Rikki got to the house, Teddy and
Teddy's mother (she still looked very white,
for she had been fainting) and Teddy's father
came out and almost cried over him; and that
night he ate all that was given him till he
could eat no more, and went to bed on
Teddy's shoulder, where Teddy's mother saw
him when she came to look late at night.
“He saved our lives and Teddy’s life,” she
said to her husband. “Just think, he saved all
our lives!”
Rikki-tikki woke up with a jump, for all
the mongooses are light sleepers.
“Oh, it’s you,” said he. “What are you
bothering for? All the cobras are dead; and if
they weren't, I’m here.”
Rikki-tikki had a right to be proud of
himself; but he did not grow too proud, and
he kept that garden as a mongoose should
keep it, with tooth and jump and spring and
bite, till never a cobra dared show its head
inside the walls.
MIRRORS &
Is Rikki-tikki-tavi “brave” in killing the snakes or is he just doing what a mongoose does? Is courage more like an instinct we are born with or like a habit
we can learn?
AFTER READING
Find Meaning
Make Judgments
1. (a) In “Rikki-tikki-tavi,” what is the motto of the
mongoose family? (b) What does this motto tell
you about Rikki-tikki?
2. (a) What is the plan the Nag and Nagaina come
up with to regain the garden as their territory?
(b) Why would the plan get rid of Rikki-tikki?
3. (a) What different battles does Rikki-tikki fight?
(b) In your opinion, in which of these battles
does the mongoose show the greatest courage?
Explain your answer.
4. (a) How do the animals other than the snakes
respond to Rikki-tikki? How do the people in the
house respond to him? (b) How do these
responses help shape the effect created by the
character of the mongoose?
52
UNIT 1 FICTION
The Green Mamba
O
Autobiography by Roald Dahl
ty yards away when I saw a large green snake
h, those snakes! How I hated them!
glow gliding straight up the veranda3 steps of
They were the only fearful things about
Fuller’s house and in through the open front
Tanganyika, and a newcomer very quickly
door. The brilliant yellowy-green skin and its
learnt to identify most of them and to know
great size made me certain it was
which were deadly and which were
a green mamba, a creature
simply poisonous. The
almost as deadly as the black
killers, apart from the black
mamba, and for a few seconds
mambas, were the green
“There’s
a
green
I was so startled and dumbmambas, the cobras, and the
founded
and horrified that I
little puff adders that looked
mamba in your froze to the
spot. Then I puller
very much like small sticks
myself together and ran round
lying motionless in the
living room!”
to the back of the house shoutmidst of a dusty path, and
ing, “Mr Fuller! Mr Fuller!”
so easy to step on.
Mrs Fuller popped her head
One Sunday evening I
1
out of an upstairs window. “What on earth’s
was invited to go and have a sundowner at
the house of an Englishman called Fuller who the matter?” she said.
“You’ve got a large green mamba in your
worked in the Customs office 2 in Dar es
Salaam. He lived with his wife and two small front room!” I shouted. “I saw it go up the
veranda steps and right in through the door!”
children in a plain white wooden house that
stood alone some way back from the road in
1. sundowner. An evening refreshment
a rough grassy piece of ground with coconut
2. Customs office. Government agency that controls taxes on
imports and exports
trees scattered about. I was walking across the
3. veranda. Open-air porch, usually with a roof
grass towards the house and was about twenCOMPARING LITERATURE: THE GREEN MAMBA
53
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▲
Comparing Literature
with white eyebrows and black hair carefully
and ready to strike again. “Keep still, my
manipulating his long implement and sliding
lovely,” the snake-man whispered. “Don’t
the fork ever so slowly along the length of the
move now. Keep still. No one’s going to hurt
twisting snake towards the head. The snake’s
you.”
body was thumping against the coconut matThen wham, the rubber prongs came
ting with such a noise that if you had been
down right across the snake’s body, about
midway along its length, and pinned it to the upstairs you might have thought two big men
were wrestling on the floor.
floor. All I could see was a green blur as the
Then at last the prongs were right behind
snake thrashed around furiously in an effort
the head itself, pinning it down, and at that
to free itself. But the snake-man kept up the
point the snake-man reached forward with
pressure on the prongs and the snake was
one gloved hand and grasped the snake very
trapped.
firmly by the neck. He threw
What happens next? I
away the pole. He took the
wondered. There was no
“The
sack
started
sack off his shoulder with his
way he could catch hold of
free hand. He lifted the great,
that madly twisting flailing
jumping about
still twisting length of the
length of green muscle with
deadly green snake and
his hands, and even if he
as though there
pushed the head into the
could have done so, the
were
fifty
angry
sack. Then he let go the head
head would surely have
and bundled the rest of the
flashed around and bitten
rats inside it...”
creature in and closed the
him in the face.
sack. The sack started jumpHolding the very end of
ing about as though there were fifty angry
the eight-foot pole, the snake-man began to
work his way round the room until he was at rats inside it, but the snake-man was now
the tail end of the snake. Then, in spite of the totally relaxed and he held the sack casually
flailing and the thrashing, he started pushing in one hand as if it contained no more than a
few pounds of potatoes. He stooped and
the prongs forward along the snake’s body
picked up his pole from the floor, then he
towards the head. Very very slowly he did it,
turned and looked towards the window
pushing the rubber prongs forward over the
where we were peering in.
snake’s flailing body, keeping the snake
“Pity about the dog,” he said. “You’d betpinned down all the time and pushing, pushter get it out of the way before the children
ing, pushing the long wooden rod forward
see it.”
millimeter by millimeter. It was a fascinating
and frightening thing to watch, the little man
MIRRORS &
Who do you think shows more courage—the snake-man or Rikki-tikki-tavi? How
is their behavior in the presence of danger similar? How is it different?
60
UNIT 1 FICTION
AFTER READING
Find Meaning
Make Judgments
1. (a) In “The Green Mamba,” how does Mr. Fuller
respond to the news that the snake has entered
his living room? (b) Based on his actions, how
do you think Mr. Fuller feels about the snake?
2. (a) How do the children and Mrs. Fuller respond
when they realize the dog is still in the house?
(b) What role does the dog play in the story?
3. (a) How does the snake-man talk to the snake?
(b) What is the snake-man’s attitude toward the
snake?
4. (a) What words and phrases does the narrator
use to describe the green mamba and its actions?
(b) What effect does he create with his descriptions of the snake?
5. (a) What words and phrases does the narrator
use to describe the snake-man and his actions?
(b) What is the effect of his characterization of
the snake-man?
Compare Literature
When a writer uses personification, he or she
gives human intelligence, emotions, abilities, and
other traits to non-human characters. Review the
characteristics of the snakes in “Rikki-tikki-tavi” and
“The Green Mamba” that you recorded in your chart
to answer the following questions.
1. How does the author personify Karait, Nag, and
Nagaina in “Rikki-tikki-tavi”?
2. Does the author personify the snake in “The
Green Mamba”? Explain your answer.
3. Which snakes—those in “Rikki-tikki-tavi” or the
green mamba—do you find more frightening?
Why do you feel this way?
Extend Understanding
Collaborative Learning
Writing Options
Creative Writing Imagine that the snake-man was
writing a letter describing the events in “Rikki-tikkitavi.” Keep in mind the attitude towards snakes he
shows in “The Green Mamba” in creating his version
of the story of Rikki-tikki’s battles with Karait, Nag,
and Nagaina.
Critical Writing Write a brief essay comparing and
contrasting the settings, characters, and themes of
“Rikki-tikki-tavi” and “The Green Mamba.” You may
organize your essay either by examining all three elements first in one work and then in the other, or by
discussing each literary element in turn.
Speaking and Listening Use “Rikki-tikki-tavi”
and “The Green Mamba” as jumping-off points in a
discussion about what personal characteristics enable
individuals to perform well in a crisis. Keep a list of
such traits as you discuss them, and at the conclusion
vote to determine which are the three most important
characteristics.
Internet Research Use the Internet to research
information for a comparison study of the western
green mamba (Dendroaspis viridis) and the king
cobra (Ophiophagus hannah). Using any major
search engine, enter such search terms as the snakes’
common or scientific names. Find out facts about
their size, appearance, habitat, range, habits, and so
on. Determine which of the two snakes represents a
greater danger to human beings.
COMPARING LITERATURE
61
INDEPENDENT READING
“Cold rice pudding
for breakfast?”
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By Joan Aiken
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The Serial
Garden
Joan Aiken grew up telling
stories. Born in Sussex, England,
in 1924, she exchanged tales
with her brother about imaginary
lands. She was fascinated by
mysterious happenings and loved to read stories
by Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Edgar Allan
68
UNIT 1 FICTION
said Mark, looking at it with disfavor.
“Don’t be fussy,” said his mother. “You’re
the only one who’s complaining.” This was
unfair, for she and Mark were the only members of the family at table, Harriet having
developed measles while staying with a
school friend, while Mr. Armitage had somehow managed to lock himself in the larder.
Mrs. Armitage never had anything but toast
and marmalade for breakfast anyway.
Mark went on scowling at the chilly-looking pudding. It had come straight out of the
fridge which was not in the larder.
“If you don’t like it,” said Mrs. Armitage,
“unless you want Daddy to pass you corn
flakes through the larder ventilator, flake by
flake, you’d better run down to Miss Pride
and get a small packet of cereal. She opens at
eight; Hickmans doesn’t open till nine. It’s no
use waiting till the blacksmith comes to let
your father out; I’m sure he won’t be here for
hours yet.”
There came a gloomy banging from the
direction of the larder, just to remind them
that Mr. Armitage was alive and suffering in
there.
“You’re all right,” shouted Mark heartlessly
as he passed the larder door. “There’s nothing
Poe, and Jane Austen. In “The Serial Garden,”
she presents a new approach to a familiar theme
of fantasy literature, the alternative world. Instead
of falling down a rabbit hole into Wonderland
like Alice, young Mark Armitage gains entry to
his fantasy world by assembling the cutouts on
the back of a box of breakfast cereal.
THE SERIAL GARDEN
69
INDEPENDENT READING
“Oh, darling, you didn’t want it, did you?
It was all dusty; I thought you’d finished with
it. I’m afraid I’ve burned it in the furnace.
Really you must try not to let this room get
into such a clutter; it’s perfectly disgraceful.
Why, hullo, Mr. Johansen,” she added in
embarrassment. “I didn’t see you; I’m afraid
you’ve called at the worst possible moment.
But I’m sure you’ll understand how it is at
spring-cleaning time.”
She rolled up her bundle of curtains,
glancing worriedly at Mr. Johansen; he looked
rather odd, she thought. But he gave her his
tired, gentle smile and said, “Why, yes, Mrs.
Armitage, I understand; I understand very
well. Come, Mark. We have no business here,
you can see.”
Speechlessly, Mark followed him. What
was there to say?
“Never mind,” Mrs. Armitage called after
Mark. “The Rice Nuts pack has a helicopter
on it.”
Every week in The Times newspaper you
will see this advertisement:
BREKKFAST BRIKKS
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PACKETS.
£100 offered for any in good condition,
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whether empty or full.
So, if you have any, you know where to
send them.
But Mark is growing anxious; none have
come in yet, and every day Mr. Johansen
seems a little thinner and more elderly.
Besides, what will the princess be thinking?
MIRRORS &
What is your favorite alternative world in literature or films? What qualities
of this world make it particularly appealing to you? Why do you think literature
that depicts fantasy worlds—from Homer’s Odyssey to J. K. Rowling’s Harry
Potter series—has such a widespread appeal?
Analyze and Extend
1. What does Mark’s reaction to his discovery of the
garden suggest about his personality?
2. What effect do the everyday settings of the story
have on the quality of realism created by its alternate world of the garden?
3. This story could have ended with Rudolf and the
princess living happily ever after in the garden.
Do you think the story’s actual ending is stronger
or weaker than a more typical “fairy-tale” ending?
Explain.
Critical Writing One definition of fantasy is “the
plausible impossible,” that is, it makes things that
actually couldn’t happen seem possible and real.
78
UNIT 1 FICTION
Fantasy writers accomplish this in different ways:
some create seemingly logical explanations for
impossible events; others give their fantasy worlds a
sense of actuality with concrete details. Write a brief
essay analyzing how Joan Aiken makes her alternate
world seem real.
Media Literacy & Collaborative Learning
Working with other students, create an advertising
jingle like the Brekkfast Brikks song. The jingle
should promote a food or product that is generally
not considered tasty or exciting. What descriptive
words or associations would you use to make the
product more appealing to consumers?
THE SERIAL GARDEN
79
Writing Workshop
Expository Writing
Comparison-andContrast Essay
Reading and Writing
In this unit, you read a translation of a famous
haiku by the Japanese poet Basho. Here’s two
more versions.
pond
frog
plop
The old pond
A frog jumped in,
Kerplunk!
—JAMES KIRKUP
—ALL AN GINSBERG
How are these three translations alike and different?
To examine their similarities and differences involves
making comparisons and contrasts, one of the most
basic types of thinking used in studying literature.
Much of the critical writing you will do in your
literature classes and on standardized tests will ask
you to make comparisons and contrasts.
In this workshop you will learn how to write a
comparison-and-contrast essay, a type of
expository (or informational) writing that analyzes
the similarities and differences between two or
more related subjects. Here’s how you might sum
up the assignment for a comparison-and-contrast
essay—what its goal is and how to go about it.
This summary includes a writing rubric, a set
of standards by which to judge whether your
comparison-and-contrast essay is successful. You
will use this rubric both in drafting and in revising
your essay.
1. PREWRITING
Assignment: Write a comparison-and-contrast
essay in which I examine the similarities and
differences between two subjects I choose.
Goal: Make an overall point about these two
subjects that will interest my audience.
Strategy: Present evidence for this point by
organizing details about my two subjects that
clearly show how they are alike and different.
Writing Rubric: My comparison-and-contrast
essay should include the following:
• an introduction that sparks a reader’s interest
• a thesis statement that presents my
overall point
• a clear organizational pattern
• transitions the indicate comparisons
and contrasts
• an effective conclusion that restates
my thesis
What Great Writers Do
One interesting approach to the
comparison-and-contrast essay is
to show unexpected similarities
between subjects that seem very
different. What basic point is
Lewis Thomas making about
ants and humans?
“Ants are so much like human beings as to be
an embarrassment. They farm fungi, raise
aphids as livestock, launch armies into war, use
chemical sprays to alarm and confuse enemies,
capture slaves. The families of weaver ants
engage in child labor, holding their larvae like
shuttles to spin out the spread that sews the leaves
together for their fungus gardens. They exchange
information ceaselessly. They do everything but
watch television.”
—LEWIS THOMAS, FROM
88
UNIT 1 FICTION
Choosing Your Topic
Gathering Details
In everyday life, we are always comparing and
contrasting things—people we know, products we
own, movies we see. You have material all around
you. The point is to choose two subjects that will
provide an interesting comparison. When you are
considering possible subjects, ask yourself if they
fall into either of the following categories.
Once you have chosen two subjects that you think
will be interesting to compare and contrast, start
organizing details. One way to do this is to make
a chart. Here’s a chart comparing and contrasting
Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird with the
movie based on it. It lists features and details from
both the novel and the movie.
Apples and oranges? It is usually best to choose
two subjects that are similar enough to make a
fair comparison. Don’t choose subjects that are so
completely different in kind—such as a baseball
team and a coin collection—that any comparison
is really a stretch.
features
novel
movie
plot
two major
stories; several
minor ones
focuses on two
major stories;
ignores minor
plots
characters
memorable
characters
very fine
performances
setting
effective
setting
not filmed on
location; movie
set seems
authentic
theme
importance of
understanding
film expresses
the same
theme
Deciding on Your Purpose
Peas in a pod? On the other hand, choose subjects
that are different enough to make an interesting
comparison. Don’t choose subjects that are so alike
that few people would be interested in their small
differences, such as two different outlets of the
same fast-food restaurant chain.
When you have gathered details about your two
subjects, review them to determine what the purpose
of your comparison-and-contrast essay is. Decide
the basic point you are trying to make. This purpose
is expressed in your thesis statement. An essay
comparing and contrasting the book and movie
versions of To Kill a Mockingbird might start with
the following thesis statement:
“My purpose is to show that a good novel can be
turned into a good movie by being faithful to the
book’s plot, characters, setting, and theme.”
Lives of a Cell
WRITING WORKSHOP
89
2. DRAFTING
Organizing Ideas
Once you have chosen your subjects, gathered
details, and created your thesis statement, you next
need to decide how you want to organize your ideas.
There are two basic organizational patterns for a
comparison-and-contrast essay. If you choose the
subject-by-subject (or block) method, you present
all the features of your first subject, then present
those same features about the second subject. If you
choose the point-by-point method, you present
each feature in turn, looking at the first subject, then
at the second subject. Here’s how these two organizational patterns look:
3. REVISING
Subject-by-subject Point-by-point
novel
plot
characters
setting
theme
movie
plot
characters
setting
theme
plot
novel
movie
characters
novel
movie
setting
novel
movie
theme
novel
movie
Putting Your Thoughts on Paper
Any essay has three basic parts: an introduction, a
body, and a conclusion. Create a plan for your comparison-and-contrast essay, such as the one on the
right comparing and contrasting the book and movie
versions of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Introduction
•
•
Making Connections
When drafting your essay, make connections by
using transitions, words and phrases that clearly
indicate comparisons and contrasts. Here are some
examples of different types of transitions that can
be helpful in a comparison-and-contrast essay:
90
UNIT 1 FICTION
Your goal in revising is to identify strengths and
weaknesses in your draft and decide how to improve
and correct it. You can evaluate your own writing.
You can also work with a classmate, or peer
reviewer. Exchange essays with this partner, evaluate each other’s work, and discuss ideas for revision.
Whether you work alone or with a peer reviewer, use
a writing rubric such as that on page 000.
Below are drafts of the introduction, one of the
body paragraphs, and the conclusion of the essay
comparing and contrasting the novel and movie
versions of To Kill a Mockingbird. The annotations
on the right indicate the reasons for the changes
marked in the draft.
Introduction
Some people think that no movie can be as good as the movie
it is based on. Can any movie be as good as the book it is based
on? To answer this question, I will compare and contrast
Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird and the 1962 film version. The movie’s music is very good too. My purpose is to
show that a movie can be as good as the novel it is based on
by faithfully adapting the plot, characters, setting, and theme.
Reword opening sentences
to sharpen point?
Delete a detail that is off
the topic?
Body
•
You might draft your essay straight through from the
beginning to the end. Some writers prefer to begin
with the body, however, leaving the introduction and
conclusion until later. Whichever way you choose,
your goal is to get all your ideas down on paper
according to the plan you created. At the drafting
stage, concentrate on content and organization, not
on grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Focus on
these details in the revising and proofreading stage.
Identify Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird
and the film based on it.
Present my thesis statement.
Evaluating Your Draft
•
Write one paragraph dealing with each feature—
plot, character, setting, and theme.
Compare and contrast the novel’s and film’s
handling of each feature.
Conclusion
•
•
Rephrase my thesis statement.
Wrap up my essay.
Transitions that
show comparisons
Transitions that
show contrasts
also
as
both
each
in the same way
just
like
similarly
although
but
however
in contrast
on the other hand
whereas
while
yet
Body
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird tells many stories, and all
of them are very interesting, but her novel has two major
plots. The first is how three children, Scout and Jem Finch and
their friend Dill Harris, try to find out about their strange
neighbor Boo Radley. The second plot is how Jem and Scout’s
father, the lawyer Atticus Finch, defends in court a falsely
accused black man named Tom Robinson. The Although the
movie leaves out many of the less important stories, such as
the burning of Miss Maudie’s house, and it focuses clearly on
the two major plots.
Conclusion
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a very fine novel. The
1962 film version is a very good movie. Although different in
some details, the movie faithfully follows the novel’s plot,
characters, setting, and theme. Seeing the film version of To
Kill a Mockingbird is not the same experience as reading the
novel, but it is still a very satisfying experience. The movie is
as good a film as the book is a novel. So read the book and see
the movie.
Correct the use of commas
to set off interrupting
phrase?
Add the transitional
word although to signal
a contrast?
Add sentences to parallel
the introduction and provide
closure?
WRITING WORKSHOP
91
Student Model
4. EDIT AND PROOFREAD
Focus: Transitions
Focus: Using Commas
The effective use of transitional words and phrases
is a key element in a successful comparison-and-contrast essay. In revising your draft, add transitions
where needed to point out similarities and differences:
In revising your draft, be aware of common punctuation errors, such as incorrect use of commas to set
off words or phrases that interrupt sentences. Use
two commas if the word or phrase falls in the middle
of the sentence:
“Harper Lee created very memorable
characters in To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus
Finch and his children, Dill, Boo Radley,
Tom Robinson, and the others stay in the
reader’s memory. The In the same way,
the actors who play these roles in the
movie version create very memorable
performances.”
“Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird tells
many stories, and all of them are very
interesting, but her novel has two major
plots.”
Use one comma if the word or phrase falls at the
beginning or end of the sentence:
“Lee even calls it a “tired old town,”
almost like it was a person.”
Proofreading
What Great
Writers Do
In the last sentence,
what does Bruce
Catton indicate by
using the transitional
word each?
“So Grant and Lee were in complete contrast,
representing two diametrically opposed elements
in American life. Grant was the modern man
emerging; beyond him, ready to come on the stage,
was the great age of steel and machinery, vitality.
Lee might have ridden down from the age of
chivalry, lance in hand. Each man was the
perfect champion of his cause, drawing both his
strengths and his weaknesses from the people
he led.”
—BRUCE CATTON, FROM
92
Quality Control The purpose of proofreading is to
correct errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
You can pick out and fix these errors as you evaluate
and revise your essay, but take time to focus on
them during the proofreading stage. Use proofreader’s marks to highlight any errors you find. (See
Language Arts Handbook page 000 for a list of
proofreader’s symbols.)
5. PUBLISH AND PRESENT
Final Draft
Neatness Counts Make the finished version of
your essay appealing to read. Handwritten papers
should be neat and legible. If you are working on a
word processor, double-space the lines of text and
use a readable font, or typeface. Whether you are
submitting your work to your teacher or elsewhere,
be sure to check about presentation guidelines.
Read the Book or See the Movie?
by Kathy Jeffers
Can movies really be as good as the stories they are based on?
To answer this question, I will compare and contrast Harper Lee’s
novel To Kill a Mockingbird and the 1962 film version. My purpose
is to show that a good novel can be turned into a good movie by
being faithful to the book’s plot, characters, setting, and theme.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird tells many stories, and all of
them are very interesting, but her novel has two major plots. The
first is how three children, Scout and Jem Finch and their friend
Dill Harris, try to find out about their strange neighbor Boo
Radley. The second plot is how Jem and Scout’s father, the lawyer
Atticus Finch, defends in court a falsely accused black man
named Tom Robinson. Although the movie leaves out many of
the less important stories, such as the burning of Miss Maudie’s
house, it focuses clearly on the two major plots.
Harper Lee created very memorable characters in To Kill a
Mockingbird. Atticus Finch and his children, Dill, Boo Radley, Tom
Robinson, and the others stay in the reader’s memory. In the same
way, the actors who play these roles in the movie version create
very memorable performances.
The setting of Harper Lee’s novel, the small Alabama town of
Maycomb in the 1930s, is a very important part of the effect she
creates in her book. The film version was not shot in Monroeville,
Alabama, the town on which she based Maycomb. However, the
movie set looks right for the place and the time in which the film
takes place.
The theme of To Kill a Mockingbird is the importance of understanding other people. In the novel, this theme is expressed
through what the children learn about Boo Radley, Tom Robinson,
and other people in Maycomb. Although it does not include
many of the stories in the novel, the film still makes a powerful
statement about the importance of understanding someone.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a very fine novel. The
1962 film version is a very good movie. Although different in some
details, the movie faithfully follows the novel’s plot, characters, setting, and theme. Seeing the film version of To Kill a Mockingbird is
not the same experience as reading the novel, but it is still a very
satisfying experience. The movie is as good a film as the book is a
novel. So read the book and see the movie.
Identifies the specific
subjects to be compared
and contrasted
Presents the thesis
statement
Provides details showing
similarities and differences
Summarizes the comparison
and contrast
Restates the thesis
“Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts”
UNIT 1 FICTION
WRITING WORKSHOP
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