Independent Short Story Questions for Analysis



ENG4U Independent Study Unit

Stage A: Knowledge of Novel

Instructions

Read through these questions before beginning to read your novel. Keep track of where you find evidence to answer these questions. Colour coded stickies are highly recommended!!

Use specific examples from the text to support your answers for ALL the questions.

Please answer your questions directly in this document (cut and paste as necessary from other documents, if required). Remember to save your file often!

The final page of this document comprises a rubric. Please ensure that the rubric is included as the final page of your electronically uploaded document.

Questions for Analysis

1. Does the story involve an epiphany or moment of insight, revelation, or self-realization for the protagonist – or perhaps for the reader? How does the moment of realization contribute to the resolution of the work and/or the development of the protagonist?

2. At what point is the tension highest? How has the author built this tension? Where is it going?

3. Is the protagonist a round or a flat character? If round, what changes are evident? What do the changes demonstrate? If flat, what is the author’s purpose in creating this character this way?

4. What is the predominant point of view in this story? What are the advantages/disadvantages of this point of view?

5. What is a central theme of the story? Express it in a single declarative sentence. Provide some direct quotations and discuss how they help to develop the theme.

6. What is the significance of the title? Choose two (2) passages to support your answer. Show how the author has indicated its relevance within the story.

7. Describe the setting (time and place). How does the setting support the theme(s) of the text?

8. Give your ideas about the main characters(s). Include what you like or dislike about the characters and why they deserve praise or criticism. Does the author intend for you to like/dislike them? How do you know?

9. Cite five (5) of your favourite phrases/sentences from the novel and explain why you like them. What do they demonstrate about the author’s writing style?

10. Is the author of the literature making connections between the literary work and real-life? What is the work of literature saying about humanity, the world, and/or some event? What perspective is being offered? Do you agree with it?

11. What kind(s) of conflict do you see in the work of literature? How is the author developing this conflict?

12. Choose a significant event in the novel’s plot. What are the motives for one or more of the characters’ actions? How are they expressed by the author? Do you see any changes in the characters’ actions, motivations, and/or interactions through the course of the novel?

13. Chose a passage from the work that uses imagery. Explain how the images support your understanding of theme or character.

14. Provide an example of a symbol in the novel. What is the purpose of the symbol for understanding the novel’s themes?

15. Choose a significant event in the novel’s plot. What is the atmosphere? How is it being created and what purpose is it serving to advance plot, character or theme?

You will be marked according to the following rubric. Please make sure to include the rubric as the final page of your uploaded document.

| |0-49% |50-59% |60-69% |70-79% |80-89% |90-100% |

|Criteria & Categories |Insufficient |Poor |Fair |Good |Excellent |Outstanding |

| | |Level 1 |Level 2 |Level 3 |Level 4 |Level 4+ |

|Knowledge/Understanding: |demonstrates insufficient |demonstrates limited |- demonstrates some |demonstrates considerable |- demonstrates thorough |demonstrates outstanding |

|The extent to which the student |knowledge and understanding of the|knowledge and |knowledge and |knowledge and |knowledge and |knowledge and |

|understands information, ideas, concepts |content of the text(s) and does |understanding of the |understanding of the |understanding of the |understanding of the |understanding of the |

|and the themes of the text(s) under study,|not explain ideas/theme(s) |content of the text(s) and|content of the text(s) and|content of the text(s) and|content of the text(s) and|content of the text(s) and|

|and the relationships between ideas, |coherently. |explains partially the |explains adequately the |articulates well the |clarifies excellently the |clarifies exceptionally |

|concepts, and themes. | |idea(s)/ theme(s). |idea(s)/theme(s). |idea(s)/ theme(s). |idea(s)/theme(s). |well |

|Critical Thinking and Inquiry: |-offers incomplete, vague, and or |-offers limited analysis |-offers a somewhat |-offers an effective |.-offers a highly |.-offers a strong, nuanced|

|The extent to which the student offers an |incoherent interpretation of the |and some interpretation, |effective analysis and |analysis and |effective analysis and |interpret-ation of rich |

|effective interpretation and analysis of |text, does not support ideas with |but needs more analysis of|interpretation of passages|interpretation of passages|interpretation of passages|passages from the text and|

|the text’s representation of an idea by |relevant details and quotations, |specific passages and/or |from the text, but could |from the text and reaches |from the text and reaches |reaches a sophist-icated |

|supporting points with relevant details |and draws limited or no |has difficulty drawing a |provide more analysis of |a strong conclusion |an excellent conclusion |conclusion |

|and quotations from the text, and |conclusions. |significant conclusion. |specific passages, and | | | |

|explaining the meaning of the details and | | |reaches a conclusion | | | |

|quotations. | | | | | | |

|Communication: |-focus of ¶ is unclear, and |-ideas are sometimes |-ideas are somewhat |-ideas are mainly |-ideas are consistently |ideas are expressed with |

|The extent to which the topic sentence is |tone/style are informal. |expressed clearly and |clearly and logically |expressed clearly and |expressed logically and |remarkable concision, |

|a sufficiently challenging argument, |-serious difficulty with most |logically. |expressed. |logically. |clearly. |clarity, and logic. |

|supported and developed through analysis |areas: vocabulary, conciseness, |-focus of ¶ is unclear, |-focus of ¶ is |- focus of ¶ is mostly |-focus of ¶ is consistent,|-focus of ¶ is consistent |

|of evidence, leading to a refined argument|idiom, verb tense, sentence |and tone/style are mostly |inconsistently maintained,|consistent, and tone/style|and tone/style are formal.|and refined, and |

|in a concluding sentence. |structure, and punctuation. |informal. |and tone/style are mostly |are adequately formal. | |tone/style are formal and |

|The extent to which the writing is | |-problematic level of |formal. |-occasional difficulty |-no consistent or |polished. |

|concise, uses present tense consistently, | |difficulty with several |-some level of difficulty |with vocabulary, |recurring errors; strong |sophisticated vocabulary, |

|accurate punctuation, clear pronoun | |areas: vocabulary, |with vocabulary, |conciseness, idiom, verb |vocabulary, concise |concise and artful |

|reference, formal, academic tone/style. | |conciseness, idiom, verb |conciseness, idiom, verb |tense, sentence structure,|expression; consistent use|expression, consistent use|

| | |tense, sentence structure,|tense, sentence structure,|and punctuation, |of present tense, accurate|of present tense, accurate|

| | |and punctuation. |and punctuation | |punctuation |punctuation |

|Application: |-provides little or no analysis of|-shows some awareness of |-provides a little |-provides some detailed |-consistently provides |-demonstrates an |

|The extent to which the student applies an|elements of style/form. |elements of style/form, |analysis of one or two |analysis of elements of |detailed analysis of |outstanding appreciation |

|understanding of the ways formal and |-makes few or no effective |but has difficulty |elements of style/form, |style/form, and how they |several elements of |textual elements of |

|stylistic elements convey ideas/themes to |connections within the text. |articulating how they |and how they convey ideas.|convey ideas. |style/form, and how they |style/form convey ideas. |

|the familiar or new context of the text | |convey ideas. | |-makes effective |convey ideas. |-makes excellent and not |

|under study. | |-attempts to make |-makes some connections |connections within the |- makes excellent |immediately apparent |

|The extent to which the student makes | |connections within the |within the text, but the |text, showing an idea. |connections within the |connections within the |

|effective connections within the text, | |text, but has difficulty |explanation of the links | |text, showing the |text, teasing out the |

|building links between passages dealing | |building links between |may not be consistently | |development of an idea. |development of a |

|with the same topic | |passages |clear | | |challenging idea. |

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