Overview

Reading the first literary text give students practice using the strategies developed in the earlier lessons for detecting unreliable narrators and building arguments to support claims. They practice close reading, identifying cues for unreliability, comparing the character’s worldview to that of the author, and constructing literary arguments.TC_Bubble

Guiding Questions

  • If narrator is reliable, what might this suggest about human nature?
  • If narrator isn’t reliable, what might this suggest about human nature?
  • What does this story add to our understanding about human nature?

Texts/Materials

Activities

1. Instruct students to jot down some ideas in response to the following question:

  • Based on what you’ve seen and experienced, what is the single most important thing that people in a committed relationship must do?

Give students a few minutes to write down ideas and then ask them to share their ideas with the class. TC_Bubble

2. Tell students that they are going to read the fictional journal of a new husband. Instruct them to read the first two journal entries (October 2 and 5) and annotate the text focusing on three basic annotation categories: Questions I Have, Predictions, and Connections. In addition, give students the Character Map to begin filling out about the narrator. Once students finish, have them work with a partner and share out their annotations focusing on understanding characters and plot and on trying to figure out answers to questions they might have.

3. Give student the Hints From the Text worksheet and tell them to fill it out as they read. Instruct students to read the next two journal entries silently (October 7 and 11) and annotate. With a partner answer the following questions:

  • How does the narrator (Vasili) feel about his wife’s reaction to him beating her? How do you know? How would the narrator’s feelings affect the story he chooses to tell us? Do we believe the narrator’s version of what has happened so far? Why or why not?

Instruct students to refer to the list of cues/ strategies developed previously and posted in the classroom.TC_Bubble

4. Instruct students to read and annotate the next entry (October 15). Have a brief whole class discussion of what is happening in this entry. Remind them to continue filling out the Character Map and Hints from the Text as they read.

5. Instruct students to read and annotate final entry and answer the following questions with partner:

  • What reason does the narrator give for choosing to no longer beat his wife? Do you believe him? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

6. Instruct students to write a five paragraph essay on the unreliability of the narrator. Use the Argument structure template to guide students if needed. They should have have a main claim about the narrator’s unreliability as the thesis statement and then three supporting sub-claims, one for each body paragraph.They should make a claim explaining what the author is trying to say about human nature in the concluding paragraph. In addition, students should be given the opportunity to write a second draft of their essay after peer review.TC_Bubble

Assessment:

The following are means of assessing students during activities so instruction can be adjusted and differentiated according to students’ needs.

  • Text annotations
  • Answers to close reading questions
  • Character Map and Hints from the Text
  • Argument writing