Things Fall Apart Novel Study Big Questions About

Things Fall Apart Novel Study

Big Questions About Literature How does a character develop over the course of a story? How is a person or a character shaped by the conflicts that they experience? How does the point of view from which a story is told influence our understanding and judgment of a person, custom, or event?

Big Questions About Culture and Beliefs Under what conditions should one country or cultural group intervene in the affairs of another country or cultural group? How is a culture impacted when another country with different values and customs establishes a presence in that country? To what extent can cultures with contrasting customs and values coexist and thrive in the same area?

Key Skills and Concepts Literary Devices (Symbolism, Metaphor, Imagery, etc) Plot Structure (Recognize the way that the author constructed the plot and how this impacts readers’ understanding and emotional reactions to the story. ) Literary Analysis and Reading Comprehension (Understand characters and events in the story, make inferences, state a belief or opinion about something in the story, and support your claims with textual evidence and sound reasoning. )

Assessments (When We are Reading) Reading Quizzes Class Discussions SCRs/Short In-Class Essays Reading Comprehension and Analysis Questions

Summative Assessment Creative Writing Based on the Novel Visual Artwork Based on the Novel (accompanied by a 300 -400 word essay explaining how your artwork relates to the novel) Compare/Contrast Essay exploring the similarities differences between Igbo society and contemporary American society on a particular issue

The Title: Things Fall Apart Reference to the poem “The Second Coming” written by W. B. Yeats in 1919 A reaction to the destruction of WWI, a belief that European culture was crumbling, that civilization was reaching a historical turning point, and that the end of the world was coming soon Literary Device? What ideas does the author’s choice of title give you about the novel?

Plot Structure Review

Key Questions: Chapter 1 -3 CHARACTER: What do we learn about Okonkwo? How is Okonkwo different than his father? SETTING What can we learn about Igbo Society? What is valued in this society? What do we notice about customs/rituals in this society?

Assignment: Class Discussion Friday 10 Observations about Character or Setting Observation or Inference/Textual Evidence