Novel Study - The Pearl

1. Novel Study - The Pearl

2. Before we read… • Starter:What would you do if you won Lotto? In 3 sentences, list your top three choices. • Today: looking at issues related to the novel.

3. Before we read… Read the article “Winning Lotto – How it really feels”. Write the answers to the questions below in your folder. • Name the source of the information about Lotto winners. • List the different ways winners have chosen to use their winnings. • Of the options you have listed, which would you choose? Why?

4. Before we read… Focus Questions (discuss in groups of 2-3): • What are the positives and negatives of a big Lotto win? List two of each. • Rank each of the choices winners have made on a continuum – most generous to least generous. Discuss each ranking in your group. • Discuss the ‘advice’ ending the article. Is it valuable? How have past winners learnt this?

5. The Pearl – Timeline

6. Starter Name the language features: • “a pale wash of light” (p.17) • “corn-cakes” (p.19) Vocabulary (copy this definition): Avarice – greed, desire for wealth or material possessions.

7. Review of yesterday’s class • The idea of sudden wealth, and the positive and negative aspects of it, is a significant theme in The Pearl. • By investigating the idea of a big Lotto win, we are forming our own opinions and attitudes to sudden wealth.

8. Before we read… Activity: construct a personal diary, imagining that you have won $1 million in Lotto. Your diary should: • Include 5 entries (1 paragraph each), describing your thoughts, feelings and actions. • Include 2 entries before your win, and 3 after. These do not have to be five consecutive days.

9. Starter: • Parable – a folk tale or legend with a strong moral message. Often uses simple characters and symbolism. • If the Pearl is a parable (see p15), what do you think it’s message will be?

10. Achievement Standard AS90849 “Show understanding of specified aspect(s) of studied written texts, using supporting evidence.” • Understanding – Achieved level. • Convincing understanding – Merit level. • Perceptive understanding – Excellence level. 2 Credits – 200 word essay (externally examined)

11. Sample Question • Describe a positive or negative experience that happened to a character or individual in the text. Explain how the writer used the experience to help you understand that character or individual.

12. What do we need to know? • Positive or negative experiences – important events in the novel. • Characters – what they do, what they say, or what others say about them. • Quotes or examples - supporting evidence.

13. The Elements of a Text Narrative Setting Language Novel Study Symbol Character Theme

14. Use of Wikispaces • Do you use the internet regularly for schoolwork, at home or elsewhere? • Would you find it useful to have access to notes on The Pearl available online? • Should we use the wiki page?

15. Elements of The Pearl In studying The Pearl, we will focus on character, symbol, theme and narrative.

16. Characterisation in The Pearl • Starter: List three characters in the novel, and list 2-3 words you would associate with each. • We are learning to: explain how characters are developed in the novel.

17. Characterisation in The Pearl Activity: Gender is a stereotype in our society. We have certain ideas about what a man/woman should be. • What are some stereotypical qualities of a ‘man’? Work with your neighbour to list 10. Underline any that you think apply to Kino. (eg. Bravery, not showing emotion) • Juana is representative of women (femininity) in the novel. What are the stereotypical qualities of a woman? List 10, and underline those that apply to Juana.

18. Characterisation in The Pearl • Characters in The Pearl are simple, and they are symbolic. • Each character represents a theme in the novel, or a group of people in society. • For example, Kino is a man, and he represents masculinity in the novel. (Masculinity = characteristics associated with being male)

19. Homework • Tonight: Chapter One Reading and Questions. We will mark these at the beginning of the period. • For next Tuesday: Chapter Two Reading and Questions.

20. Characterisation in The Pearl Activity: Kino and Juana symbolise another main theme in the novel. What is it? Discuss with your neighbour, and agree on an idea. (Hint: think also of the doctor, and what he might symbolise).

21. Characterisation in The Pearl Starter (Picture Dictation): Follow the instructions below to draw the mystery picture. • Draw a long oval shape, approx 5 cm long. • At one end of the oval, draw thin crescent shapes 2cm long, curving towards each other, one on either side of the oval. • At the other end of the oval, draw a long crescent shape, 3cm long, curving in either direction. • On each side of the oval, draw 3 little legs.

22. Characterisation in The Pearl We are given information about characters in a text in three ways: • What they do. • What they say. • What others say about them. These three combine to form the process of characterisation (character development).

23. Characterisation in The Pearl • Describe a positive or negative experience that happened to a character or individual in the text. Explain how the writer used the experience to help you understand that character or individual. • Positive or negative experiences – important events in the novel. • Characters – what they do, what they say, or what others say about them. • Quotes or examples - supporting evidence.

24. Characterisation in The Pearl We will use the character of Juana, and the experience of the scorpion. • Brainstorm with your neighbour, things Juana, does, says, or are said about her that relate to the scorpion. • For each, describe what you learn.

25. Characterisation in The Pearl Achieved Exemplar: • Cut out the pieces, and put them in the correct order. • Glue the pieces onto refill, leaving space to add details to the two highlighted areas. • Complete the response by adding detail where required. • Plan an essay response to the same question, using the character of Kino and the negative experience of the scorpion sting. See Mr Hanson for advice.

26. Characterisation in The Pearl Starter: Is the finding of the pearl a positive or negative experience? Discuss this with your neighbour. Think back to our discussion of big Lotto winnings. We are learning to: craft an essay response (about the process of characterisation).

27. Characterisation in The Pearl 1. Complete the essay by using these words to fill in the gaps: • Surprising • Symbolic • Resolves • Stereotype • Resilience • Negative • Family • Understand • Complex • Experience 2. Underline and label the Point, Example, Explanation and Relevance in each paragraph. 3. Complete the sentence highlighted. Use the information in the paragraph to help. 4. What do we learn about Kino from the event of the scorpion?

28. Unpacking the Essay Introduction • Juana and the typical qualities of motherhood. Paragraph One • Point: Juana is strong. • Example: • Explanation: • Relevance: Paragraph Two • Point: • Example: • Explanation: • Relevance: Conclusion • Working backwards: write a plan for this completed essay. • Copy the template to the right onto half a page of refill. • For each bullet point, write one line to summarise each part of the paragraph. The first two have been done for you. • In each line of summary you write, underline the most important word (a keyword)

29. Characterisation in The Pearl • From the list below, choose two adjectives you could use to describe the character of the doctor, and add one of your own: caring responsible wealthy angry generous kind selfish greedy friendly unfriendly • If characters in The Pearl are symbolic, what does the doctor symbolise? Write 2-3 sentences to explain.

30. Unpacking the Essay • Working backwards: write a plan for this completed essay. • Copy the template to the right onto half a page of refill. • For each bullet point, write one line to summarise each part of the paragraph. The first two have been done for you. • In each line of summary you write, underline the most important word (a keyword) Introduction • Juana and the typical qualities of motherhood. Paragraph One • Point: Juana is strong. • Example: • Explanation: • Relevance: Paragraph Two • Point: • Example: • Explanation: • Relevance: Conclusion

31. Character Profile • Use the Facebook template to create a character profile for the character of Kino. • You should be able to fill in all of the boxes – if you are stuck, ask a neighbour or Mr Hanson. • Include sketches of Kino and his friends (other characters in the novel). • What do we know about Kino?

32. Characterisation in The Pearl Starter: Why is Kino unwilling to open the pearl? Discuss with your neighbour.

33. Characterisation in The Pearl • Character Log: Complete the activity on p.40, developing a record of the characters in the novel. Take a page for each character. As we read, you should aim to record: • 5 entries each for Kino and Juana. • 2 entries for supporting characters. This period: 2 entries for Kino, and 2 for Juana.

34. Characterisation in The Pearl • See your characters from another point of view. We know how Kino feels – imagine you are another fisher in another canoe – what are your thoughts when you hear Kino call, and what is your reaction?

35. The Pearl – Timeline

36. Setting the Scene We are learning to: • Explain the narrative structure of the novel. • Analyse the use of language features in the novel. Key Questions: • What has influenced the language of the novel? • Explain the origin of the pearl story.

37. Setting the Scene

38. Setting the Scene

39. Setting the Scene Activity: Read “Setting the Scene” (p7) and summarise the information presented. Use this format: Heading Key point 1 (underline a key word) Key point 2 (underline a key word) Key point 3 (underline a key word) Key point 4 (underline a key word) Key point 5 (underline a key word)

40. Setting the Scene Example: Setting the Scene • Steinbeck visits La Paz in 1940. • Hears the tale of a boy and a giant pearl. • Steinbeck grew up around Mexican immigrants. • His writing (about the natural world) reflects this. • He uses a simple style of story-telling.

41. Setting the Scene Try it yourself: Folk-story Style: • The raised-up feeling of a folk story.

42. Setting the Scene Key Questions (discuss with your neighbour): • What has influenced the language of the novel? • Explain the origin of the pearl story.

43. Symbolism in The Pearl “The pearls were accidents, and the finding of one was luck, a little pat on the back by god or the gods or both.” (p.34) • Pearls are a symbol of good fortune in many cultures. How many other good-luck symbols from around the world can you think of?

44. Symbolism in The Pearl We are learning to: • Explain how important themes in the novel are communicated. Essay Question (you are writing this one!) • Describe at least ONE idea that you thought was important in the text. • Explain how the writer made you think the idea was important.

45. Symbolism in The Pearl Group drawing activity: • On the surface of the pearl, draw the hopes, dreams and desires projected onto it by Kino and the other characters in the novel. • Around the pearl, sketch the characters and indicate which hopes and dreams are theirs. • Underneath your image, brainstorm words to describe the pearl and the idea it symbolises. • Add your information to the pearl on the whiteboard.

46. Symbolism in The Pearl Useful page references: p.41-42 p.43 p.44-45 p.46

47. Symbolism in The Pearl Kino projects his hopes and dreams onto the pearl. In the pearl he saw: • “Juana and Coyotito and himself…” (p.44) • “We will be married” (p.44) • “…he saw how they were dressed…” (p.44) • “Then to the lovely surface of the pearl came the little things Kino wanted…” (p.45)

48. Symbolism in The Pearl • In one sense, the pearl is simply a mirror: “it captured the light and refined it and gave it back in silver incandescence.” (p.37) • It could turn the wildest of dreams into reality; it is a symbol of hope and desire, and each character imagines a different opportunity with it.

49. Symbolism in The Pearl The pearl also reflects the desires and greed of others: • The doctor, the priest, and the pearl buyers all want the pearl for themselves.

50. Symbolism in The Pearl • In this way, Steinbeck uses the pearl as a symbol to explore the idea of choice – when faced with unlimited wealth and opportunity, what are the choices made? What are the consequences?