Rachel Lenkei English 4 Invisible Man In-class Essay

Thursday March 27, 2014

Enduring Understandings:
An individuals identity is shaped by how they think about themselves, how others see them, and how society influences these perspectives.

Essential Questions:
How does society influence the formation of a persons identity? How does an individual come to feel/is made to feel invisible? How do external factors influence ones identity development? What elements contribute to an individuals identity?

Objectives:
Students will be able to: Examine character development in a text Identify motifs and themes in a text Analyze patterns, trends, and common themes throughout a text Express analysis of the language, character development, and theme of text in written essay

Materials: Invisible Man texts Procedures: Individual Writing: Students will spend the class period responding to an essay prompt on the novel as their final assessment Essay prompts: In an interview in 1954, Ralph Ellison is asked, Would you say that the search for identity is primarily an American theme? He replies, It is the American theme. The nature of our society is such that we are prevented from knowing who we are. It is still a young society, and this is an integral part of its development. By the end of the novel, do you think that the narrator has finally developed a sense of identity, or is he still prevented from knowing who he is? Your essay should address three specific examples of the narrators identity development and your opinion on whether you think he has or has not found an identity at the end of the novel. In a book review for Invisible Man, critic R. W. B. Lewis stated, If there is an American fiction it is this - the adventures likely to befall a centerless individual en route through the flow and conflict of illusions toward some still undisclosed center. Can this statement be an adequate description of what makes a book the Great American Novel? Write an essay arguing for or against Invisible Man being labeled a Great American Novel. You must address the quote above, and support your opinion about Invisible Man with three specific examples from the novel. Invisible Man is made up of recurring patterns of themes, characters, motifs, and symbols. We have discussed many of these patterns, like blindness and vision, speeches, dolls and puppets. Choose one pattern that you have noticed throughout the novel and explain its significance to the structure of the novel and the narrator. You must identify and describe three specific examples of this patterns appearance in the novel and why it is important to the overall story and the narrator development.

Assessment: In-class essay writing Standards:

CC.1.4.11-12.D: Organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create whole; use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text;

Rachel Lenkei English 4 Invisible Man In-class Essay

Thursday March 27, 2014

provide a concluding statement or section that supports the information presented; include formatting when useful to aiding comprehension. CC.1.4.11-12.P: Create a smooth progression of experiences or events using a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome; provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. CC.1.3.11-12.B: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences and conclusions based on and related to an authors implicit and explicit assumptions and beliefs. CC.1.3.11-12.F: Evaluate how words and phrases shape meaning and tone in texts.