Assignment: Theme Map

ELA 10-A (H) (Tri 2)
2022-03-02T17:40:27Z

Due: Mar 7, 2022 by 11:59pm

Congratulations on finishing your novel :) Instead of a final essay for On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, you will be creating a theme map.

Step 1: Working by yourself? Or in a group of up to three?

Step 2: You’ll choose a theme from the story. Some suggestions:

How violence is passed down from within families (consider both Little Dog and Trevor and their families; consider the "war and beauty" discussion we had yesterday)

Depictions of masculinity and what it means to be a man (consider how all men of the novel: Little Dog, Trevor, their fathers, Paul, even side characters like the soldiers eating monkey brains are expected to behave as men and how this affects them)

The immigrant experience (consider how Little Dog and his family deal with their displacement from Vietnam and their uncertain place in America, consider the migrant workers at the tobacco farm and the immigrant women in the nail salon)

Anything else you want to focus on!

Step 3: Collect quotes that relate to your theme; write analysis

Work on your own or with a group of up to 3 people - for each person in the group, you need TWO quotes and analysis of them

Your analysis should explain how the quote develops the theme. Basically, what is the quote saying about the theme AND how does it build on what other quotes have said about it (how is it bringing new information or a new perspective).

Step 4: Create a poster that tracks how Vuong developed the theme throughout the story

Write the theme at the top or in the center

Draw a little trail or road across the page

Line up your quotes along the road to show how they build on one another to develop the theme (this might be chronologically, but it doesn't have to be)

Write out quotes and analysis neatly and label who wrote which part (this will affect grading - you'll get a grade for your part)

As a group choose 1 image per group member that relates to the theme to draw out. This could be a symbolic image like the buffalo running off the cliff or the kitchen table in the section we read yesterday. This could also be just an image that you just associate with your theme (maybe the paper bag of coins with the masculinity theme, or the turbulence on the airplane with the cycle of violence. Now that I type this, those are pretty symbolic too... what I mean is, you don't need to explain the symbolism, though you can for extra credit).

Congratulations on finishing your novel :) Instead of a final essay for On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, you will be creating a theme map.

Step 1: Working by yourself? Or in a group of up to three?

Step 2: You’ll choose a theme from the story. Some suggestions:

How violence is passed down from within families (consider both Little Dog and Trevor and their families; consider the "war and beauty" discussion we had yesterday)

Depictions of masculinity and what it means to be a man (consider how all men of the novel: Little Dog, Trevor, their fathers, Paul, even side characters like the soldiers eating monkey brains are expected to behave as men and how this affects them)

The immigrant experience (consider how Little Dog and his family deal with their displacement from Vietnam and their uncertain place in America, consider the migrant workers at the tobacco farm and the immigrant women in the nail salon)

Anything else you want to focus on!

Step 3: Collect quotes that relate to your theme; write analysis

Work on your own or with a group of up to 3 people - for each person in the group, you need TWO quotes and analysis of them

Your analysis should explain how the quote develops the theme. Basically, what is the quote saying about the theme AND how does it build on what other quotes have said about it (how is it bringing new information or a new perspective).

Step 4: Create a poster that tracks how Vuong developed the theme throughout the story

Write the theme at the top or in the center

Draw a little trail or road across the page

Line up your quotes along the road to show how they build on one another to develop the theme (this might be chronologically, but it doesn't have to be)

Write out quotes and analysis neatly and label who wrote which part (this will affect grading - you'll get a grade for your part)

As a group choose 1 image per group member that relates to the theme to draw out. This could be a symbolic image like the buffalo running off the cliff or the kitchen table in the section we read yesterday. This could also be just an image that you just associate with your theme (maybe the paper bag of coins with the masculinity theme, or the turbulence on the airplane with the cycle of violence. Now that I type this, those are pretty symbolic too... what I mean is, you don't need to explain the symbolism, though you can for extra credit).