ENG3U Summative
INDEPENDENT STUDY UNIT, EH?
PURPOSE:
To use the art of rhetoric to prove to your class that your novel is either
A) an excellent piece of literature or B) that it is a horrible piece of literature and to justify your decision thoroughly using specific rhetorical devices and literary details from your novel in the following format:
FORMAT: This unit will culminate in a formal speech of seven minutes in duration that includes an oral and a written component. You MUST include research material about your book from other sources. Follow the following format:
A You must create a convincing argument in speech form that persuades the class why they should OR should not read your book.
o You must use AT LEAST FIVE rhetorical devices and employ persuasive appeals of logic, ethics and emotion. You must Include a beginning, middle and end.
o Open with an interesting beginning – a quotation from someone in authority may be useful.
o Identify your book, author and thesis.
o You must Identify three supporting points and support those reasons with examples from your book.
o You must Incorporate literary elements, themes or concepts.
o You must Include at least three quotations.
o Conclude with a memorable ending.
o Be sure to utilize a visual aid – BUT NO AV is permitted.
o Be creative!
o Watch body language, posture, pacing, eye contact and diction.
All of these qualities will be evaluated.
B You will submit a written version of your speech, typed, double spaced, titled and properly cited which highlights and labels your 5 rhetorical devices, the elements of appeal used and the methods of development used, as well as the literary elements you have incorporated to prove your point in your speech.
C You must complete some background research in order to write your speech. Your final speech must include two secondary sources, properly cited at all times. These sources should include a critical look at the novel, (its themes, concepts, historical background, character development, etc) and may include a biography of the author’s life and/or a survey of the time period in which the novel is set or during which the novel was written.
BOOK SELECTION:
In grade eleven, the selection of novels is limited to Canadian novels. These books must have achieved literary acclaim – check for awards and literary reviews to justify your choice. The literature selected for independent study is to be a novel not used as high school course text material. Some recommended works are listed for you on the attached sheet. Any other book must have the teacher's approval.
READING + YOUR FOCUS:
To read for enjoyment, curl up on a couch somewhere and open the book; read quietly, with no distractions. If you are potentially a ‘slow’ reader, consider reading for maximum efficiency: read with post-it notes or paper and pencil beside you at all times. As you read, jot down quotations that strike you as interesting. As you read further, look for quotations that seem to refer to a repeating idea or theme (see some possible repetitive themes and ideas below). Remember to record the page number! As your read, compile a list of characters along with key quotations. Pay attention, as well, to passages that describe setting. Also, keep a dictionary close!
Ideas you could focus on to help you evaluate your novel:
Think about how one or more of these concepts is developed and portrayed in your novel through its characters, conflicts, setting and narration.
What is your novel saying about one or more of these concepts?
1. Peace, order, good government/political structures at what cost?
2. Isolation (cultural, gender-based, geographical, etc)
3. Conflicting cultures and/or duality/ The balance between individualism and collectivism
4. Seeking identity and feelings of inferiority
5. The effect of geography/respect for nature
6. The idea of survival (rather than success)
7. Attitudes of tolerance and acceptance
8. Gender expectations or restrictions
You should evaluate how well/convincingly/poorly these ideas/themes are portrayed through the characters, setting, narration, etc and use that to develop your thesis to persuade the class about the quality (or lack thereof) of your novel.
This unit will be worth 15% of the course mark, calculated as follows:
Merivale High School: Department of English
ENG3U – SUMMATIVE TASK - RECOMMENDED NOVELS
The novel you select MUST be written by a Canadian author and must have received critical acclaim – check to see that it has won awards or that it is reviewed in notable literary journals.
This list has been prepared by ENG3U teachers for students who have asked for suggestions, but there are many others which you might choose.
Adams Richards, David Mercy Among the Children
Anderson, Gil The Outlander
Anderson-Dargatz, Gail A Recipe for Bees
The Cure for Death by Lightning
Aquin, Hubert Next Episode
Atwood, Margaret The Handmaid’s Tale
The Edible Woman
Surfacing
Alias Grace
Oryx and Crake
Bemrose, John The Island Walkers
Cohen, Leonard Beautiful Losers
Crummey, Michael. River Thieves
The Wreckage
Galore
Callaghan, Morley More Joy in Heaven
Davidson, Andrew The Gargoyle
Davies, Robertson What’s Bred in the Bone
Dickner, Nicolas Nikolski
Findley, Timothy Not Wanted on the Voyage
The Wars
Famous Last Words
Francis, Brian Fruit
Gruen, Sara Water for Elephants
Elizabeth Hay Garbo Laughs
Highway, Thompson The Rez Sisters
Hill, Lawrence The Book of Negroes
Hopkinson Nalo The Brown Girl in the Ring
Humphreys, Helen The Lost Garden
Irani, Anosh The Song of Kahunsha
Itani, Frances Deafening
Remembering the Bones
Johnston, Wayne The Colony of Unrequited Dreams
The Custodian of Paradise
The Story of Bobby O’Malley
The Navigator of New York
Kay, Guy Gavriel Tigana
The Fionavar Tapestry (trilogy)
The Sarantine Mosaic (duology)
King ,Thomas Green Grass, Running Water
Kogawa, Joy Obasan + Itsuka
Lam, Vincent Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures
Laurence, Margaret A Jest of God
The Fire-Dwellers
A Bird in the House
The Diviners
MacDonald, Anne-Marie Fall on Your Knees
Macfarlane, David. The Danger Tree
The Way the Crow Flies
MacLennan, Hugh Barometer Rising
MacLeod, Alistair No Great Mischief
McKay, Ami The Birth House
Michaels, Anne Fugitive Pieces
Mistry, Rohinton Family Matters
A Fine Balance
Moodie, Susanna. Roughing It in the Bush
Morgan, Bernice Random Passage
Cloud of Bone
Munro, Alice. Who Do You Think You Are?
Lives of Girls and Women
Ondaatje, Michael The English Patient
In the Skin of a Lion
O’Neill, Heather Lullabies for Little Criminals
Proulx, Monique The Heart is an Involuntary Muscle
Quarrington, Paul King Leary
Ricci, Nino The Origin of Species
Lives of the Saints
Richler, Mordecai The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
Barney’s Version
Gabrielle Roy The Tin Flute
Children of my Heart
Sarsfield, Mairuth No Crystal Stair
Sheilds, Carol The Stone Diaries
Taylor, Timothy Stanley Park
Toews, Miriam A Complicated Kindness
Summer of my Amazing Luck
Urquhart, Jane Away
Vanderhaeghe, Guy The Englishman’s Boy
The Underpainter
The Last Crossing
Wiebe, Rudy The Temptations of Big Bear
The Scorched Wood People
ENG 3U Progress Check
Student ______
Book Title______
Author ______
# of pages______, of which I have read ______
Genre ______Style ______
Point of View:______
Setting: (time and place) ______
Main Character(s):______
Description of Protagonist (including pertinent aspects of physical nature, mental, emotional, social, philosophical etc…) ______
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Description of Antagonist:
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Supporting Character(s) ______
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Other Important or Relevant characters’ descriptions ______
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Main Conflict (so far) #1 ______
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#2
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#3______
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Themes (that I have noticed) include (so far) ______
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Example of diction that struck me as significant/unique/important: ______
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Questions or concerns I have about the novel (not the assignment) ______
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I intend to pursue secondary research in the areas of ______
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Any links to Canadian culture, history, identity etc? ______
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Any links to universal themes; not ‘stereotypical’ of Canadian literature? ______
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Areas that I might explore in my culminating essay :
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My immediate plans for the summative novel and task are : ______
My near-future plans are summative novel and task are:
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Date ______Signature______
Teacher’s comments ______
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Mark /5 (Knowledge) /5 (Application) /5 (T/I) /15 total
PROPOSAL:
For my summative essay and speech, I intend to explore the following topic (thematic concept):
1. Peace, order, good government/political structures at what cost?
2. Isolation (cultural, gender-based, geographical, etc)
3. Conflicting cultures and/or duality/ The balance between individualism and collectivism
4. Seeking identity and feelings of inferiority
5. The effect of geography/respect for nature
6. The idea of survival (rather than success)
7. Attitudes of tolerance and acceptance
8. Gender expectations or restrictions
9: Other:
______
I will prove that my novel is (amazing or terrible):
______
because:
______
______
______
My potential thesis is:
______
______
______
I intend to use the following literary elements to prove my thesis (characters, conflicts, setting and narration, etc): ______
I intend to use the following areas of my novel to support my choices of literary elements and develop my thematic concept:
______
The secondary sources I have researched so far have supplied me with the following information:
______Mark /10 (Thinking/Inquiry) /10 (Application) /20total
Organizational Chart for a formal Speech/Essay
(Use point form notes to help you organize your ideas.)
•introductory statement/hook______•thesis statement ______
• 3 key points (1) ______
(2) ______(3) ______
Rhetorical devices that will be used?
Appeals to be used?
Methods of development to be used?
First supporting idea:
Example 1A:
Explanation (Connect to thesis):
Rhetorical device(s) used?
Appeals to be used?
Methods of development to be used? / Second supporting idea:
Example 2A:
Explanation (Connect to thesis):
Rhetorical device(s) used?
Appeals to be used?
Methods of development to be used? / Third supporting idea:
Example 3A
Explanation (Connect to thesis):
Rhetorical device(s) used?
Appeals to be used?
Methods of development to be used?
:
Conclusion: (summarize thesis statement)
Refer to supporting idea(s):
Final statements:
Rhetorical device(s) used?
Appeals to be used?
Methods of development to be used?