George R Stewart's 'Earth Abides'

Preceding the sharing of the text with students an explanation would occur as to why this particular text was being introduced. It would be stated that the text will be read primarily for enjoyment but also to use the opportunity to explore the themes, structure and features of different text genres. The title, cover and blurb would be used to encourage students to make predictions about the text and what it might be about (see appendix 1).

In the morosely reluctant passage, “The Rattler,” the author depicts a conflict between a man’s consciousness and his duty to kill the snake. With the detailed images of the scene, the reader comes to understand the man’s internal conflict. He must decide whether or not it is necessary to kill an innocent rattlesnake; however, when the obligation to protect others is greater than the life of the snake, the man has no other choice but to kill the snake. Throughout the passage, “The Rattler” brilliantly utilizes diction, detail, syntax and overall organization to convey his message.

When in times of danger, people must often take the actions they see best fit. In "The Rattler," the author depicts a vivid story of a man who has to make a difficult choice while facing a rattlesnake in the desert. Despite the man seeing a threat in the snake, it is him that becomes a threat to the other. By using the descriptions of the man, the snake and the specific setting, the author affects the reader by creating a sense of empathy for the narrator and sympathy for the snake. With such a connection, it adds a greater depth to the story for the reader to analyze.

This learning activity has the students looking more deeply into their chosen book using a more critical mind rather than just enjoying the book for its basic story line. It has them taking note of what is happening at each stage of the book and why these events are taking place, then taking this information they have gathered and developing a written report to convey their thoughts and ideas in the book along with developing the skills necessary to produce a piece of writing that is easy to read and understand for the reader. This activity also has a lot of hidden features to the task, such as using the correct grammar, development of sentence structure and use of creative thinking to make the piece interesting to the reader.

1) Review the elements of literature (pages) found in the contents page under "Elements of Literature"

In Wendell Berry’s chapter, The Body and the Earth, he discusses the connection between all earthly inhabitants, and its descent into misguided chaos by impact of time, evolution, and industry. He uses evidence from historical literature, religious mindset, the development of gender roles and consumerism of the 1950s, and how one defines love, marriage, and interconnectedness between what Berry calls “members of Creation.” His opinions of sexual monogamy and the importance of self-discovery via entrance into the “wilderness” are expressed clearly, but as the essay moves through each sub-chapter, his explanations become scattered and difficult to follow. For example, Berry’s ideas on religion and the relationship between body and soul as

1. READING OUTCOME: COMPREHENSION PROCESS WORK: Demonstrate your understanding of the novel by answering the following questions in your journal. Where possible support your ideas with references from the text. Include page numbers for future use.

The purpose of this assignment is to give you an opportunity to apply some of the critical reading strategies you have evaluated.

|In two or three well thought out sentences, summarize the major point of this reading. (Please be thorough. This will be very important to|

1 Summary: After listing the name of the book and author, summarize the book concisely in 500 “tight” words (no more than 2 pages). Prove that you comprehend the reading by writing a no-nonsense summary. The summary is not a commentary or listing of topics, but rather a heartfelt, condensed, insightful synopsis of the longer, more elaborate book. Cite the book in text at least once per paragraph, and include page numbers for direct quotations.

State three or four of the most important points from these readings in your own, succinct phrasing.

...And the Earth Did Not Devour Him is not a story of one character, but rather of a people. Rivera, much like in the Actos of El Teatro Campesino, basically uses a stock character. Although each story seemingly gives more detail and specificity to the character, it can also be interpreted as doing the exact opposite. In telling of the life of one, Rivera in turn reveals the lives of many. Even though specific details of each of their lives were obviously different, the core issues still remained; Chicanos needed change and they needed it immediately. One of the most noticeable techniques Rivera uses within his novel is the constant changing of the point-of-view. The novel is centered on an unnamed male protagonist, however, throughout the story the point-of-view ranges from that of a mother praying for her son unwillingly fighting in Vietnam to that of an omniscient narrator, capable of entering anyone’s heads. This often times seemed to be very random and even abrupt. However, it was through the sporadic sprinklings of changes in point-of-views that Rivera was able to not only showcase cultural struggles of the time, but also call for social change as well as reveal the confusion and uncertainty of the people themselves.

Reading Strategy Note: Unlike summary and paraphrase, which require close reading, for this discussion use the reading strategy of

Choose a significant passage (between one sentence and one paragraph) that reveals the book’s theme, or central message. Record the passage and page number, and explain how it relates to the theme.

* Do a first reading that uses underlining, annotation, and summary to make sure you understand what the writer is saying. Go back to any sections that need clarification.