Warm-Up Conflict and Symbolism in “The Medicine Bag”

[Pages:7]Warm-Up

Conflict and Symbolism in "The Medicine Bag"

?

Lesson How can an important person help you connect to your

Question heritage?

Lesson Goals

Read "The Medicine Bag" by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve.

Analyze

conflict

in the story.

Interpret the use

of dialogue to

reveal character.

Interpret the use of

symbolism

in a short story.

W2K

Words to Know

Fill in this table as you work through the lesson. You may also use the glossary to help you.

dialogue written conversation

conflict a struggle between opposing forces or characters

reveal symbol

to make known

a person, object, image, word, or event that takes on a meaning beyond its literal meaning

? Edgenuity, Inc.

1

Warm-Up

Conflict and Symbolism in "The Medicine Bag"

Heritage

How can people connect to their heritage? ? Photographs

? Food

? Special items ? Customs

? Traditions

? Edgenuity, Inc.

2

Instruction Conflict and Symbolism in

Part 1

"The Medicine Bag"

Slide

2

Conflict

Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces

or characters.

? Character vs. nature

? Character vs. character

? Character vs. society ? Character vs. self

Identifying Signs of Conflict

Underline words in the passage that describe the narrator's conflict with his grandfather.

We never showed our friends Grandpa's picture. Not that we were ashamed of him, but because we knew that the glamorous tales we told didn't go with the real thing. Our friends would have laughed at the picture because Grandpa wasn't tall and stately like TV Indians. His hair wasn't in braids but hung in stringy gray strands on his neck, and he was old. He was our great-grandfather, and he didn't live in a tepee, but all by himself in a part log, part tarpaper shack on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. So when Grandpa came to visit us, I was so ashamed and embarrassed I could've died.

?"The Medicine Bag," Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve

? Edgenuity, Inc.

3

Instruction Conflict and Symbolism in

Part 1

"The Medicine Bag"

Slide

5

Dialogue

Dialogue is written or oral conversation.

? Helps the reader connect with the story and varies the pace

? Provides indirect characterization and shows relationships and conflicts

Dialogue :

"What time do I have to be home tonight?" I asked my mother.

"8:30. And don't be late!" my mother replied.

Not dialogue :

When I asked my mother what time I had to be home, she told me 8:30 and not to be late.

Interpreting Dialogue

Underline the text in the excerpt that uses dialogue to describe the characters.

Grandpa laughed. "I would've known if anyone tried to take the boots off my feet. The money is what I've saved for a long time--a hundred dollars--for my funeral. But you take it now to buy groceries so that I won't be a burden to you while I am here."

"That won't be necessary, Grandpa," Dad said. "We are honored to have you with us and you will never be a burden. I am only sorry that we never thought to bring you home with us this summer and spare you the discomfort of a long trip."

?"The Medicine Bag," Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve

? Edgenuity, Inc.

4

Instruction Conflict and Symbolism in

Part 1

"The Medicine Bag"

Slide

7

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve (born 1933)

? Grew up on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota

? Was both white (from her father) and Lakota Sioux (from her mother)

? Taught English and served as a school counselor

? Authored several books about American Indians

? Edgenuity, Inc.

5

Instruction Conflict and Symbolism in

Part 2

"The Medicine Bag"

Slide

2

Symbolism

? Symbols help us understand stories on

more than one level .

? Symbols sometimes refer to something

outside the story that is familiar.

A symbol is a person, object, image, word, or event that takes on a

meaning beyond

its literal meaning.

? Symbols help us to understand the author's

message or themes in the story.

? Symbols can be physical things or phrases that refer to something else.

Symbols vs. Signs

Symbols have a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning .

? A flag ? Patriotism and pride

Signs are often confused

with symbols, but signs only have one meaning.

? Peace

? Edgenuity, Inc.

6

Summary

Conflict and Symbolism in "The Medicine Bag"

?

Lesson Question

How can an important person help you connect to your heritage?

Answer

An important person can share symbols and customs that help us connect to our heritage.

Use this space to write any questions or thoughts about this lesson.

? Edgenuity, Inc.

7

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download