Description Organizer 2 Novels by the Same Author AUTHOR: Name: Date: Hour: Novel One: Criteria Novel Two: 1. Main character traits 2. Setting - location 3. Setting time period 4. Genre 5. Theme 6. Author s most frequently used literary devices
Differences Top Hat Organizer Compare (Similarities) and Contrast (Differences) Name: Date: Hour: First Novel: Second Novel: AUTHOR: Similarities
EXAMPLES OF COMMON THEMES IN LITERATURE Character Traits afraid * angry * artistic * athletic *awesome beautiful * bold * bored * brave * brilliant * busy calm * careful * charming * cheerful * curious dishonest * disrespectful embarrassed *evil * exciting fair * fearful * foolish * friendly * fun * funny generous* gentle * giving * greedy * grouchy happy * helpful * honest imaginative * intelligent * jealous * kind lazy * lonely * loving * loyal * lucky mean * messy * nervous * nice * nosy polite * poor * proud * pretty * quick * quiet respectful * responsible * rude sad * selfish * serious * shy * silly * smart * sneaky spoiled * strict * stubborn * sweet * talented * terrified thankful * thoughtful * trusting * trustworthy unfriendly * unselfish * wacky * wild wise * wonderful * worried Theme = broad idea, message, or moral of the story T H E M E So, what s the big idea? It is not usually stated in words or said by the author. We can use the TEXT and INFER with our own thinking to figure out the theme. Overcoming challenges Believe in yourself Make good choices Treat others fairly Never give up Accept differences Good will triumph evil Value culture/tradition Family Friendship Teamwork Love Honesty Courage Kindness Compassion
Fictional Genres Fantasy = Stories that have an impossible element such as unicorns, magic, dragons, fairies,, vampires, and werewolves and super heroes. Talking animals, aliens, and make-believe is what this genre is all about. The main plot element contains something supernatural. Stories that are passed down from one group to another in history. This includes folktales, legends, fables, fairy tales, tall tales, and myths. Literary Devices Alliteration: repeating the same initial consonant sound in neighboring words Cold caribou cry constantly in Canada. Simile: comparing two unlike things by using the words like or as The clouds looked like cotton candy. Science Fiction = A type of fantasy fiction that uses science and/or technology as a main plot element. Highly advanced robots, time machines, and not yet developed weapons can be a part of this genre. Imagine a futuristic setting with unheard of computers and bionic humans. Realistic Fiction = A book that uses made up characters and events that could happen in real life. In fact, some of the events or characters may be real. The author s imagination is used to create a dramatic plot that is untrue, but could have actually taken place. Metaphor: comparing two unlike things by saying that one is the other The homework was a breeze. Idiom: a common phrase or combination of words that are not mean literally but have an understood figurative meaning You drive me up the wall. Personification: giving human nature or characteristics to animals or inanimate objects The tree danced in the wind. Action Adventure = There are many of the factors of realistic fiction with lots of action thrown in the mix. There is less drama and more adventure in this genre. Physical danger and lots of risk are common plot elements. Onomatopoeia = refers to sound words whose pronunciation to the actual sound/noise they represent BANG! Historical Fiction= A fictional story that takes place in a particular time period in the past. The setting can be real and the characters are normally based on traits found stereotypically in that time period. Think of westerns and war stories that have made up portions to make it fictional. Mystery= A suspenseful story about an event that is not solved until the end of the book. There is normally a problem to figure out and clues that lead the reader to the resolution. Think of detectives, crime scenarios, and lots of plot twists. Sarcasm a sharp, bitter, cutting remark that is insincere and sometimes meant to mean the opposite Hitler was an extremely compassionate man. Flashback = an interruption in the order of the story that takes the reader back to an earlier time and then returns to the chronological events Foreshadowing = to indicate, suggest, or hint at something, usually something unpleasant, that is going to happen
----------------------- Page 1----------------------- Comparison Paper Name Due 10/27/2014 Read two novels by the same author. Compare and contrast the two books. Find at least 3 things they have in common or 3 ways they re different. Use examples from the novel. Organize your paragraphs using the point-by-point strategy. Use this sheet as a brainstorm. Jot down the key ideas you ll include in each paragraph. Author Titles Opening 5 pts: 1-3 sentences. Mention the two titles and the author. State the general similarities and differences between the two novels. First Point of Comparison 25 pts. 2nd Point of Comparison - 25 pts. 3rd Point of Comparison 25 pts. Closing 10 pts.: 1-3 sentences. It should be similar to the introduction but using different words. Wrap up the entire comparison with synthesis or add a new twist. COPS 10 pts. /100 pts. No Promises in the Wind and Lottery Rose In the novels No Promises in the Wind and Lottery Rose by Irene Hunt there are some striking similarities. On the surface, these two novels seem distinct. One is a realistic fiction tale of an abused boy, and the other is a historical account of two brothers trying to make due during The Depression. However, a closer analysis of Hunt s literary techniques shows strong parallels between characters, plot, themes, and style in the two books. The main characters in each story are young boys who come from less than desirable circumstances. In No Promises in the Wind, Josh s family is suffering from the effects of The Depression; his father is out of a job, they have little food, and money is very tight. Georgie in Lottery Rose has a neglectful mother whose boyfriend is mean to him. Both characters are left to their own resources to improve their situation. Even though the circumstances in each story differ, the plots follow similar patterns. There s a dire problem like poverty or abuse. The main characters work to improve their situations. Josh runs away from home to try to find a job, and Georgie is sent to a convent where he is able to discover worthwhile characteristics about himself. The climaxes both revolve around a brother or surrogate brother dying. Then each character bonds with an adult figure. Josh repairs his relationship with his father, and Georgie bonds with Robin s mother whom he hopes will want to be his mother too. The theme or message about life Irene Hunt writes about in each story was similar: Be resilient in the face of great obstacles. As the main characters grew and changed, they broke the chains of poverty and abuse. Hunt s style of writing is also similar in both novels. She really focuses on the main characters feelings. The reader is sympathetic for their circumstances. I found myself rooting for Joshua to make it on his own, and for Georgie to find a parent who loved him. The sentence structure and text is mostly simple with occasional use of figurative language. What s itchin at you, Joshaway? he asked, laughing at me. Come on, let s get goin. This banjo s got a deep, low yearnin for something with a Dixieland beat. His fingers skittered over the strings as he spoke. The number of words per sentence rarely goes over ten, and most sentences follow the subjectverb pattern. The words are mainly simplistic with the exception of yearnin and skittered. I think simplicity in dialogue is essential in keeping with the limited education of the main characters. Irene Hunt slips in words like skittered though, which help me to really get a feel for what s happening. I can see his fingers moving quickly on the banjo strings. This is so much more vivid than if she s said, He began to play the banjo. With skittered I can see and hear how he s playing. With the exceptions of a few differences, it s almost as if Irene Hunt reworked the formula she used when writing Lottery Rose when she wrote No Promises in the Wind. She has authored many other books, and I m curious to know if the pattern holds true in those. Regardless, it is certain that, at least in these two novels, Hunt found the recipe for success.