Skip to Main Content

Section 4: Section Diagnostic

Part 1:

The Book of Unknown Americans has several themes woven together in the text. Identify a theme in the novel and compare the theme to a theme in another text you have studied in the unit. Write an expository response that answers the following questions:

  1. What is a theme in the novel, and how is it similar to a theme in one of the other texts in this unit?

  2. What literary elements and narrative techniques did the authors use to convey the themes?

You may select from the following list for your comparison text:

  • “The Wanderers” by Guadalupe Nettel

  • “Immigrants in Our Own Land” by Jimmy Santiago Baca

  • “My Mother Never Worked” by Bonnie Smith-Yackel

  • “Sixty-Nine Cents,” excerpt from Little Failure: A Memoir by Gary Shteyngart

Part 2

Using “Sixty-Nine Cents” as a springboard, write a short original narrative inspired by the protagonist from the memoir. Follow these guidelines:

  • The short original narrative should take place at a restaurant.

  • You should introduce a new character.

  • The conflict should be clear and allow for resolution.

  • Ensure that your writing has an opening sentence and a conclusion sentence that frames the narrative.

  • Convey an implied theme.