Analyzing a book with a journey to identity theme

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="21d005a0dvldtc.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Arial" >PT3 Readers are Leaders</FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FF6600" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>    |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PT3 Readers are Leaders"><U>home</U></A> | <A HREF="home54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Activity Room"><U>Training Room</U></A> |<A HREF="home.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reading Room"><U> Reading Room </U></A>| <A HREF="home54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Activity Room"><U>Activity Room</U></A></div> <div> <B>Analyzing a book with a journey to identity theme</B>   |   <A HREF="id99.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Writing activities"><U>Writing activities</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id87.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Using a conflict theme"><U>Using a conflict theme</U></A>   |   <A 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    To explore changes in a character's inner world or point of view.</div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFCC00" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Analyzing a book with a journey to identity theme</div> <div> <B>Analyzing a Book with a Journey Theme</B></div> <bR> <div>     <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Arial" > In a speech at the National Council of Teachers of English, author Lois Lowry said that the plot of an adolescent novel is usually a journey.  Sometimes the journey is from one distant place to another.  Sometimes it is just to new places in the neighborhood.  The external journey is always a mirror of  the inner journey to identity.  During the journey, a person discards things, habits, attitudes and values of childhood or of one stage of life and picks up new things, habits, attitudes and values.</FONT></div> <div>      Part of the inner journey usually involves developing a more complex worldview or a more adult way of seeing the world.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Activity:  The Suitcase </B></I></div> <bR> <div> 1.        At the beginning of the book, get a real suitcase or decorate a file folder or a box or a computer file to look like a suitcase.</div> <div> 2.        When the character begins the journey, put into the suitcase all of the things, qualities, attitudes, and values that the main character possesses at the beginning and takes on the journey.  Note the things that are left behind in order to begin the journey.</div> <div> 3.     After each incident or episode, show what the character has added or discarded.</div> <div> 4.     At the end, compare the possessions and the qualities of the character with those at the beginning of the book.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Activity:  The Map</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Make a map showing the character's journey.   At each point on the journey, draw, describe, or find a picture to represent the place or the people that presented a challenge to the character.   Note how the encounter changed the character.</div> <div> In a classroom, you can make a wall-size map using newsprint. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Activity:   Incident Chart</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Make a chart.  Along the left side show the identity possibilities considered by the main character.  Across the top, show the incidents in which the character makes major identity decisions.  Note which identities the character tried out in each situation.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Activity:   Journal or Discussion Topics</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Use the following discussion topics as you come to the appropriate part of the plot.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Exposition</B> (usually the first chapter)  How I am similar to and how I am different from the main character.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Rising action</B>:  (most of the book from the first chapter to the final crisis point.  The main character makes a series of choices which lead up to the crisis.)</div> <div>           a)   At each choice point, discuss the choice that you would have made and why.  Compare the choice you would have made with the choice made by the main character.</div> <div>           b)   At each choice point, give advice to the main character.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Climax and ending</B></div> <div>      a)    Do you think the ending was realistic?  Is this what would have happened in your world to a person who made these choices?</div> <div>      b)    Do you still agree with the advice you gave the main character?  Did your predictions come true?         </div> <bR> <bR> <div>        </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>