Independent Novel Study An American Novel

___ Step 1: Journal. Reflect briefly on the following topic: When you think about the culture of the United States, what comes to mind? If you were to explain what being American means to someone of a different culture, what would you say? Make a list below of things, ideas, customs, and beliefs that seem particularly American to you? Now, look at the handout provided with this unit. It lists some common characteristics of United States American culture. Choose one that you find interesting, and free write for two-three more minutes about it. ____ Step 2: What is defines An American Novel? This is more than just a novel that is written by a United States citizen that takes place in the U.S.A. A great American Novel not only illustrates and explores certain themes central to our Society, but it captures the conflict, the feel, the zeitgeist of a specific time period. Consider some of the themes below that arise often in novels, films, and stories of our culture: The American Dream The Development and Image of the Hero The Meaning of Freedom Individuality Death and How To Deal With It Religion and Faith The Power of One Human Relationship Liberty and Authority Community and Responsibility Challenge and Success Innocence and Experience Guilt Choices and Possibilities Friendship Family Love

Have you seen these before? Can you name a book, story, character, or film that addresses any of the above themes? Step 3: Choose an American novel from the list below to read for this assignment. As you read, focus on the character, setting, conflict, themes, and the culture of the novel. What about this novel makes it American Literature? As you choose passages for your dialectical journal, think about how they relate to those ideas on the hand out. * Any novels not included on this list need to be approved by your facilitator.* y The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1850 y The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane, 1895 y The Jungle, Upton Sinclaire, 1906 y The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925 y The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway, 1926 y A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway, 1929 y As I lay Dying, William Faulkner, 1930 y Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell, 1936 y Their eyes were watching god, Zora Neale Hurston, 1937 y Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck, 1937 y The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck, 1939

y The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Carson McCullers, 1940 y Native Son, Richard Wright, 1940 y All the Kings Men, Robert Penn Warren, 1946 y The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury, 1950 y Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, 1951 y On the Road, Jack Kerouac, 1951 y Fairenheit 451, Ray Bradbury, 1951 y Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison, 1953 y To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee, 1960 y Catch-22, Joseph Heller, 1961 y One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Ken Kesey, 1962 y The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath, 1963 y Slaughter House 5, Kurt Vonnegut, 1969 y I know why the caged bird sings, Maya Angelou, 1969 y Breakfast of Champions, Kurt Vonnegut, 1973 y Farewell to Manzanar, Jean Wakatsuki Houston, 1973 y Ceremony, Leslie Marmon Silko, 1977 y The Color Purple, Toni Morrison, 1982 y The Handmaids Tale, Margaret Atwood, 1985 y A Confederacy of Dunces, John Kennedy Toole, 1986 y Beloved, Toni Morrison , 1987 y The Things They Carried, Tim OBrien, 1990 y The Road, Cormack McCarthy, 2006

___ Step 2, Dialectical Journal/ Character Study Complete a Dialectical Journal for the novel you choose. Your final, typed dialectical journal should have a minimum of 7 entries, exploring and analyzing the characters, setting, and themes of the novel that seem particularly American. See the Dialectical Journal resource handout for more information. Go to Microsoft word and create a table (2 columns for passage/commentary, and a minimum of 15 rows.) Novel Title By Author Passage 1 Commentary 1 In this space, you will write the significant What is the context and significance or passage from the book (1st passage should importance of this passage? be from the beginning of the book; continue choosing passages as you read the This commentary should also provide a novel so we see a progression of your thread or transition between each passage. character through the book.) DO NOT explain what the passage says! Be sure to use quotation marks and use the Comment on how the passage gives us the MLA format to document page numbers at internal glimpse of his/her characters attitude, thinking, conflicts, how treated by the end of the passage (example: (24-25). others, etc.

___ Step 3, Writing Write an introduction to the novel; include the name of the novel and the author as well as a brief summary of the text. Include a thesis that justifies the passages you will present and what the passages evidence how this novel is A Great American Novel. Submission Checklist ___ Dialectical Journal (typed/printed in Microsoft word) ____ Introduction to novel

Example Dialectical Journal

The Awakening By Kate Chopin Passage Commentary You are burnt beyond recognition, he added, In this scene we are first introduced to Mrs. looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable Pontellier, the protagonist of The Awakening and piece of personal property which has suffered her relationship with her husband. She and Robert some damage. She help uh her hands, strong, Lebrune have just returned from the beach where 3

shapely hands, and surveyed them critically, drawing up her lawn sleeves above the wrists. Looking at them reminded her of her rings, which she had given to her husband before leaving for the beach. She silently reached out to him, and he, understanding, took the rings from his vest pocked and dropped them into her open palm. She slipped them upon her fingers; hen clasping her knees, she looked across at Robert and began to laugh. The rings sparkled upon her fingers. He sent back and answering smile, (3).

Mr. Pontellier is reclining. He seems annoyed by her and possessive. He looks at her as if shes property thats suffered some damage. The exchange between them is interesting, because they dont really talk to each other. Mrs. P examines the damage does she feel guilty? And then they have this silent exchange of passing the rings like hes putting his mark of ownership back on her. She doesnt seem really to mind maybe she just expects this of her marriage. The real exchange is between her and this other guy Robert. Theyre laughing and smiling together like they have a secret right in front of Mr. P! The rings sparkle, like a reminder that shes married, but it kind of adds to her attractiveness as well like when you want something you cant have. Ednas attitude is kind of lazy, unconscious, accepting. Shes not really worried about belonging to Mr. P, or of showing interest in someone else in front of him. She doesnt even seem conscious of this ownership or maybe not even of her feelings. In fact, none of the characters really seem self-aware. This description of Edna is really interesting. It focuses on her eyes, which dont seem particularly beautiful to me. Usually when we have a female main character, shes described as beautiful with deep blue piercing eyes or dark soulful eyes or something. Hers are just the same color of her hair. I think shes supposed to seem smart or critical she gazes at things and contemplates. But its vague too it doesnt say that she understands or what she thinks about. Its like she just looks at things and day dreams. Wow. So here, Edna is crying right after the argument she and Mr. P had when he came home from gambling. Mr. P was drunk, woke her up rudely, and started picking on her, telling her that she was a bad mother, and then he just fell asleep! So now shes awake, and sitting there, just crying. She doesnt even know why shes crying or why shes sad its indescribable, unfamiliar, vague, like a shadow, like a mist. The author is just hitting us over the head with how weird this is for Edna and how she doesnt know whats

Mrs. Pontelliers eyes were quick and bright; they were a yellowish brown, and about the color of her hair. She had a way of turning them swiftly upon an object and holding them there as if lost in some inward maze of contemplation or thought, (4)

An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish. It was like a shadow, like a mist passing across her souls summer day. It was strange and unfamiliar; it was a mood. She did not sit there inwardly upbraiding her husband, lamenting at Fate, which had directed her footsteps to the path which they had taken. She was just having a good cry all to herself, (8).

Edna Pontellier could not have told why, wishing to go to the beach with Robert, she should in the first place have declined, and in the second place have followed in obedience to one of the two contradictory impulses which impelled her. A certain light was beginning to dawn dimly within her, - the light which, showing the way, forbids it, (17).

wrong. This seems to contradict the description of her eyes we saw earlier. Isnt she supposed to be smart and to understand things with her special brown-gold eyes? But here she is unaware that she is unhappy with her husband and dismissing her feelings to a mood. Geez, this character is frustrating. Edna clearly likes Robert, and doesnt know she likes him. Maybe shes afraid, and thats why she didnt just go with him immediately, but she clearly wants to. Finally, shes starting to become self-aware, but like the text says, its kind of dim. Its interesting that the light thats showing the way, thats giving her understanding, is also forbidding it. Its like revealing the best part of a movie to someone and saying, dont watch. I guess that makes sense though, since shes already married. Shes not supposed to like another guy, so maybe its better that she doesnt realize it.