Next, I introduced the New Zealand author, Katherine Mansfield, and introduced the story, "The Doll's House".
Reading Strategy Number 1: Titles of stories are often strategic. They are an invitation to theme. We brainstormed all the possible things this title might suggest:
- idealism
- lack of freedom
- puppetry
- following the rules
- revealing secrets (Can see the entire house at one time)
- conformity (Everything is perfect and stifled)
- perfectionism
If you were absent, borrow the list from your partner.
Each student chose one of the options to search for in the story
1. Imagery
2. Similes
3. Personification
4. Dialogue
5. Symbols
6. Theme (attitudes toward society)
7. Point of View
8. Animal Imagery
If you were absent, pick one of the above before you begin to read so that you can find and explain the examples you discover.
Create a what ? / So What? chart.
Be prepared to present during tomorrow's class.
What? (Find examples, quotations, paraphrases, symbols, dialogue, etc)
List all your examples.
So what? (State what these details add to our understanding of the story. They may reveal how a character is treated. They may reveal the story's theme. They may add to the story's mood. They may offer satire (ridiculing some aspect of society through irony, sarcasm, understatement, wit or hyperbole).
Explain why you think your example is important and be sure to be able to connect your example to other examples in the story so that your case is stronger and clearer.
This exercise is good reading practice. It may be difficult but learning to read is worth the effort.
You will have ten minutes to confer with the other members in your group before you present.
If you are having trouble, call your homework buddy to discuss.
