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Lesson 2

We will closely reread one of two narrative essays by Mark Twain, in order to study how his narrative voice is used in stories with a more distinct message or theme. In reading teams, we will analyze and discuss “Corn-Pone Opinions” or “The War Prayer,” and develop an interpretive claim about the central message of either essay, which we will share in a comparative jigsaw discussion.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I identify and analyze the central theme in a narrative essay and its relationship to Twain’s perspective and narrative voice?

  • Can I form and support an interpretive claim about Twain’s view of human nature, as represented in the two narrative essays?

Texts

Core

  • Unit Reader
    • “Corn-Pone Opinions,” excerpt from Europe and Elsewhere, Mark Twain, Public Domain, 1901
    • “Mother Tongue,” Amy Tan, Threepenny Review, Reprinted by permission from Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency., 1990
    • “The War Prayer,” excerpt from Europe and Elsewhere, Mark Twain, Public Domain, 1923

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Discuss – Read – Write

We will form reading teams to further examine the two Twain essays and develop a claim and text-specific question about the essay we study.

In an opening class discussion, share the observations and comparative claims you developed after reading "Corn-Pone Opinions" and "The War Prayer," noting the two essays’ similarities and differences.

Per your teacher’s instructions, join an expert group for one of the two Twain essays. Then consider the following text-specific questions as you reread, annotate, and discuss the essay you have chosen.

  1. What is the narrative point of view in the essay? What details suggest the narrator’s perspective in telling the story?

  2. What seems to be the perspective and view of the world held by the narrator of the essay?

  3. What seems to be the central thesis or claim of the essay? How is this claim presented and developed (directly or indirectly)?

  4. How is the story at the center of the essay used to communicate a message?

  5. In what ways does the essay ring true in our world today? What are some current issues or human behaviors that either exemplify or contradict the views suggested in the essay?

Following your group’s discussion, develop an interpretive claim and a new text-specific question about the essay, which you will individually present in a jigsaw.

Activity 2: Discuss – Present

We will share interpretive claims and new text-specific questions with other groups of students, some of whom studied “Corn Pone Opinions” and some of whom studied “The War Prayer.”

Per your teacher’s direction, join a new home group composed of students from all expert groups, half of whom studied "Corn-Pone Opinions" and half of whom studied "The War Prayer."

Present your reading team's question-based analysis of the essay you examined, your claim, and the new text-specific question you developed.

In your home group, use the claims and questions to guide a comparative discussion of the two essays, and develop some conclusions about Twain's perspective on human nature.

Report to the class what your discussion team has concluded.

Activity 3: Write

We will write a claim about Mark Twain’s views of human nature, as communicated in his narrative essays.

Step 1

Individually, form a claim about Mark Twain’s perspective on human nature, as communicated in his two narrative essays.

  1. Based on evidence from "Corn-Pone Opinions" and "The War Prayer," how would you characterize Mark Twain’s view of human nature?

Write down your claim in your Learning Log.

Step 2

Read your claim and ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Is the claim clearly stated?

  2. Does the claim communicate your opinion or conclusion about the topic?

  3. Is the claim based on evidence that you gathered from the text?

  4. Is the claim specific to the topic, original, and can it be supported by evidence?

If you answered "No" to any of the questions, think about how you might revise your claim.

Activity 4: Read

For homework, we will read “Mother Tongue,” A contemporary personal narrative from Amy Tan, and consider text-specific questions.

For homework, independently read "Mother Tongue," a contemporary narrative essay from Amy Tan, considering these text-specific questions, writing down your thoughts in your Learning Log:

  1. What seems to be the author's attitude or point of view?

  2. How does the author's choice of words reveal her perspective? Provide specific examples from the text.

  3. In her essay, Amy Tan expresses multiple views of her mother and her use of the English language—views that have shifted over time. What are two contrasting views presented by Tan, and what language and examples does she use to characterize her mother's English?

  4. Early in her essay, Amy Tan says that she spends "a great deal of my time thinking about the power of language" and that as a writer she uses "all the Englishes I grew up with." How does she characterize and describe the various "Englishes" she has learned, especially her mother tongue? (para. 6)

  5. What does she suggest is a final measure of her success as a writer, and why might this be important to her?

Write new or interesting words you encounter in your Vocabulary Journal. Write down any mentor sentences that stand out to you as interesting or that represent a strong example of a particular concept you have learned in your Mentor Sentence Journal.