SETTING and MOOD

MEMORIZE THESE DEFINITIONS!

SETTING
Time and place in a story

MOOD
The feeling created by the writer’s use of details and language in a story

Describe the SETTING of The Giver. Remember to include the time and place. Be specific in your description, using clues from the text and class discussions.

What is the MOOD of The Giver? (How does it make you feel overall ?)

Post your answers in your blog. Entitle it "Setting and Mood".

When you are done proceed to the POINT OF VIEW ASSIGNMENT.

POINT OF VIEW

MEMORIZE THIS DEFINITION!

POINT OF VIEW
Vantage point from which a story is told

Types of Point of View:

1. First Person – The narrator uses the first-person pronoun I and is a character in the story. We hear and see what the narrator hears and sees. We may have to interpret what the narrator says, because a first-person narrator may or may not be objective, honest, or perceptive.
   
2. Third-Person Limited – The narrator, who plays no part in the story, zooms in on the thoughts and feelings of one character.
3. Third-Person Omniscient – Omniscient means, “all knowing”. The narrator plays no part in the story but can tell us what all the characters are thinking and feeling as well as what is happening in other places.

From which point of view is the story of The Giver told? From whose perspective is it told?

How would the story be different if it were told from one of the other points of view?

Proceed to the THEME ASSIGNMENT.

THEME

MEMORIZE THIS DEFINITION!

THEME
The central idea or insight revealed by a work of literature.

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Most of the time, themes are implied. In other words, the author rarely comes out and says, “The theme of this story is …” As a reader you must use clues from the text to discover what the work’s meaning is.

Two Important Clues to Determine Theme:
1. The way the main character has changed
2. The way the conflict has been resolved

You should note that there is no single correct way to express a theme. Many stories have multiple themes, and others have ambiguous themes, open for interpretation (even opposing ideas some times).

The theme is what the writer wants the reader to discover about the subject.

To find a theme many times all you have to do is ask -- what did the main character learn throughout the course of this story? Many times that is how the author reveals the theme.

What is the theme of The Giver? Make sure that you express the theme in at least one COMPLETE SENTENCE.

Proceed to the TONE ASSIGNMENT.

TONE

MEMORIZE THIS DEFINITION!

TONE
The attitude a writer takes toward the reader, a subject, or a character
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As a reader, you must infer the tone of a story or poem. In other words, you must use clues from the writer’s choice of words and details the writer includes to decipher the tone.

What is the overall tone of The Giver? (What is the attitude conveyed through the language the writer used, and the events and actions of characters described in the story?)

Proceed to the IRONY ASSIGNMENT.

IRONY

MEMORIZE THIS DEFINITION!

IRONY
Contrast or discrepancy between what is expected and what actually happens.
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Three Types of Irony

1. Verbal Irony – a speaker says one thing, but means another.

2. Situational Irony – when what actually happens is the opposite of what is expected to happen.

3. Dramatic Irony – when the reader or audience knows something important that a character does not know.

Find at least one example of irony in The Giver. What type of irony did you find?

Proceed to the WRAP-UP ASSIGNMENT.

THE GIVER WRAP-UP

The Giver ends ambiguously. In other words there are many interpretations of what happened to Jonas and Gabriel. Think about your own interpretation of the end of the story.

Now that you've explored the Elements of Fiction through The Giver, leave me a comment under this post. In your comment, tell me what you think happened to Jonas and Gabriel.

You will be taking a UNIT FINAL very soon. (See Mrs. M. for an exact date as it will depend upon class progress on this project.)

Assignment #5

Complete the following activities in your own blog. Feel free to visit other students' blogs and make comments on their posts.

1. Answer the following questions:

• Explain the relationships in the book. For example, what kind of relationship do Jonas and his parents have?
  
• Is it the same type of relationship you have with your parents or guardians? Please explain!
  
• Which type of relationship is better? Explain.
• How important is choice to you? Explain.
• What are some small choices you must make every day?
• What is one big choice you've made during your life?
• Would you prefer that some choices were made for you or do you like making all of your own decisions? Please explain!
• Are rules important? If so, why? If not, why not?
• What are rules you follow at home?
• What some rules you follow at school?
• Which rules make sense?
• Which rules do you feel are pointless? Why?

2. Take a stand.
Decide which side of the debate you feel most compelled to defend.

SIDE A -- A world full of diversity is better than a world where everyone is the same.

SIDE B -- A world of sameness would be a better place to live, rather than how we live now.

Take a stance and argue your side of the debate on your own blog. You should start out with a statement such as,

"I believe the world should be full of people of all kinds."

OR

"I believe the world would be better off if everyone were exactly the same."

Make sure you support your argument with a paragraph of at least five sentences.

3. Take a survey.

Copy and paste these statements into your own blog, then indicate if you believe they are true or false statements.

Answer TRUE or FALSE to these statements:

__________ 1. An ideal community would not have any hunger or starvation.

__________ 2. An ideal community would not have any jealousy or competition.

__________ 3. An ideal community would not have any unemployment.

__________ 4. All children should have equal possessions and privileges at a certain age, regardless of the status of their families.

__________ 5. Families are much closer when they share their feelings.

__________ 6. Life would be better and easier if we did not carry bad memories in our heads.

__________ 7. Overpopulation is such a problem that families should not be allowed to have more than two children.

__________ 8. There is no real need to learn about world history.

__________ 9. There is no real need to learn about one’s own family’s history.

__________10. One’s job or occupation in life should be a careful match of one’s interests, talents, and skills.

Be prepared to explain your answers to the class!

These survey questions were borrowed from the following site: Tallmania

4. Complete the vocabulary from page 21 in your Giver Packets.

5. Post a comment under this post AFTER you've COMPLETED 1 - 4!