Literature 1.1 Introduction

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• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Literature 1

Leerlingbespreking.nl

Road Map

English literature - Lesson 1.2

The Elephant in the Village of the Blind

Your songtexts

Lesson goal

At the end of this class you can define the literary aspects in the story 'The Elephant in the Village of the Blind' and can describe your opinion of it in some detail. 

You have  been introduced to the art of scanning a poem and can define a poem's rhyme scheme.

To Literature

or not to Literature?

The Elephant in the Village of the Blind

traditional Indian story

During reading

Pay attention to:

1. the five stages of a story

2. Narrator

3. Characters

4. Setting

5. Literary language

6. Explicit and implicit meaning

Each student will be given a number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. 

Depending on their number they will have to focus on either the five stages of a story, the narrator, the characters, the setting, the use of literary language, the explicit and implicit meaning of the story. 

Now, read the story with the group while students focus on the assignments they have been given. They could take notes while reading. 

Discuss afterwards. 

Five stages of a story

Introduction

Rising action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

Introduction: the traveller comes to the village of the blind to sell his wares

Rising action: he has brought an elephant and the villagers do not know what it is.

Climax: every one has a different opinion

Falling action: all the parts could be combined for the full picture of what constitutes an elephant. 

Resolution: if they buy something the traveller will return with the elephant as it is also good at carrying things. 

Narrator

Part of the story or not?

Tense

First, second, third person

What perspective does the narrator provide?

Tense: past tense

'Once' 

Third person narrator, omniscient

Characters

Protagonist

Antagonist

Roles of other characters

Expectations 

Various villagers: old woman, elders, young woman with children, a young girl, a boy.

Traveller

Passive elephant

Setting

Where and when does the story take place?

Is there more than one context in  the story?

Is the story linear or are there flash backs and flash forwards?

Linear story, takes place in the village of the Blind in the mountains, very isolated village. Only one context. 

Literary language

Style: simple or complex language?

Figures of speech, symbols

Tone or mood in the story

Descriptive language. They all discuss the elephant as if they know the truth = this is visible in the statements the villagers make (An elephant is....) . Others are more careful and use similes: 'like a leather fan', 'like a dry plowed field' 

Normal sentences length, some direct speech. 

Whole tale is basically a metaphor for how to deal with different perspectives and opinons as it can 'enhance your experience of a work of literature and your skill in responding to new works'. 

Meaning

Explicit meaning: 

the meaning of the story as you read it on the page, the litteral meaning.

Implicit meaning:

the meaning that is implied and not stated directly, the 'message between the lines'. 

Post-reading

Write your first entry in your reading diary

Do

Analyse the lyrics (one chorus and one verse) of the song you brought to class.

• rhyme scheme 
• figurative language
• Is it literature? Why/ why not?

add it to your diary

Rhyme

repetition of the terminal sounds of a word 

end rhyme: last words of two or more sentences rhyme

internal rhyme: a word within a line rhymes with another word in the same or following line. 

eye rhyme: the words don't rhyme actually but they look like they do. 

slant rhyme: only the final consonant sounds rhyme but the vowels do not. 

Lewis Capaldi - Pointless

I bring her coffee in the morning                          She brings me inner peace

I take her out to fancy restaurants                       She takes the sadness out of me

I make her cards on her birthday                          She makes me a better man

I take her water when she's thirsty                      She takes me as I am

I love it when her mind wanders                           And she loves it when I stay at home

I know when she's lost and she knows when I feel alone  

From all my airs and graces                                    To the little things I do

Everything is pointless without you                   Of all the dreams I'm chasing

There's only one I choose                                        Everything is pointless without you

iambic

mostly eye rhyme

Bob Dylan

(1941 - now)

Periods of British Literature

Renaissance = also called 'Early Modern Period'

No homework

On Friday: Mission 10