Literature

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• Leerjaar 3

Literature

What's literature?

What's the difference between literature and light-reading?  (literatuur en lectuur?)

What's your favourite?

Talk with your neighbour about:

- your favourite book ((why?)

- the book that made you think (about what?)

- Your least favourite book (why?)

Today

Introduction of book

Introduction of author

Introduction of protagonist

Reading the first pages

Tekst

How do we know what we know? How do we use our brains to interpret the world?

Question:

en.wikipedia.org

books-library.net

After having read chapter 6

- Writing style

- function of pictures

- character of Christopher

- Christopher's perception of the world

- coping mechanisms

For next class

Next week Friday is our next literature lesson.

You need to have finished reading then up to chapter 61 (page 15 E-book) 

Questions

1. How does the author create an intriguing character that the reader wants to learn more about?
2. What symptoms of Christopher's condition can the reader perceive?
3. What effect does this condition have on Christopher?
4. What coping mechanisms does Christopher show?
5. What do you think of Christopher's character?

Use a quote from the text to support your ideas.

How does the author create an intriguing character that the reader wants to learn more about?

What symptoms of Christopher's condition can the reader perceive?

What effect does this condition have on Christopher?

What coping mechanisms does Christopher show?

What do you think of Christopher's character?

For next class

Next week Thursday is our next literature lesson.

You need to have finished reading then up to chapter 179 (page 57 E-book) -> Investigation and discoveries!

Take notes on anything that strikes you!

www.google.com

Sherlock Holmes

For what reasons does Christopher like Sherlock Holmes?

Find at least three reasons.

What would be your personal definition of love?

Look at page 69.

What is Christopher's definition of love?

Is Christopher capable of loving someone?

Christopher's parents

What can you tell of their backgrounds?

What social class do you think they belong to? What clues are there?

Read the fragment from one of Christopher's mum's letters -->

"We had a lot of argumants like that. Because I often thought I couldn’t take any

more. And your father is really pacient but I’m not, I get cross, even though I don’t mean

too. And by the end we stopped talking to each other very much because we knew it

would always end up in an argumant and it would go nowere. And I felt realy lonley. "

Question

Autisme is in hoge mate erfelijk (80% is erfelijk bepaald). Zijn er aanwijzingen dat één of beide ouders ook kenmerken van (een vorm van) autisme hebben? Zo ja, wie? Onderbouw je antwoord met de SEXI -methode (zie volgende slide).

www.debatrix.com

The discovery – Chapters 149-173

What discoveries take place in these chapters?

The Journey Chapters 179-229

Next week Thursday is our next literature lesson.

You need to have finished reading then up to chapter 229 (page 93 E-book) -> The journey!

Take notes on anything that strikes you!

The Ending Chapters 229-233

After reading

Work in a group of four and discuss your topic, take notes and present your answer to the class.

Topic:

The title of the book 

Christopher's character 

The structure of the book

Language – Christopher’s voice 

Discussions

The title of the book

The title, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, is taken from a Sherlock Holmes story called ‘Silver Blaze’. In this story a valuable race-horse has been stolen from its stable. The police suspect either a band of gypsies who were camping nearby, or a stranger who visited the stable the day before. Sherlock Holmes disagrees with the police inspector who asks:

   

                                ‘Is there any other point to which you would draw my attention?’

                               ‘To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.’

                               ‘The dog did nothing in the night-time.’

                                ‘That was the curious incident,’ remarked Sherlock Holmes.

•   Can you work out why this might be an important clue in the story?  It is typical of Sherlock Holmes that he is the only person who realises the significance of this fact. This is because, like Christopher, he is very observant, and very logical.
• Why do you tink Mark Haddon might have chosen this title for the novel.
• Do you think it is a good title? Give some arguments for and against.
• Come up with an alternative title.

Christopher's character 1

Use the SEXI-methode when answering the following questions:

1. Is Christopher aware of his condition and the impact of it on his surroundings?
2. What are Christopher's five most dominant character traits?

Christopher's character 2

Use the SEXI-methode when answering the following questions:

1. Does Christopher show character development during the story?
2. Do you think Christopher to be a likeable character?

The structure of the book

The structure can be divided into five parts: the opening ( 2-53), the investigation (59-139), the discoveries (149-173), the journey (179-227) and the ending (229-233).

1. Do you think this structure is well-balanced (or do you think some parts were too long/short)
2. According to you: what was the climax in each of these parts?
3. What is your opinion of the ending of the story?

The CLIMAX of the story is when the CONFLICT of the PLOT is resolved. It is often the most exciting part of the story: when the hero saves the princess, discovers the buried treasure, or slays the dragon. Imagine when you read a story that you are climbing up a mountainside. The CLIMAX is the mountain peak.

Language - Christopher's voice

In an interview, Mark Haddon said:   "What I started with was the image of a dog with a gardening fork in it. Then I got Christopher’s toneless voice."

 This ‘toneless voice’ is typical of someone with Asperger Syndrome. In real life this means that the voice of someone with Asperger Syndrome can sound monotonous – in other words their feelings are not expressed in their voice. 

1. Find two examples in which this typical voice is used (so emotionless where you would expect emotions). Explain your choice.
2. Does Christopher never show any emotions in the story? Sustain your answer.

Discussions 1

Discuss the following topics and use the SEXI-method for your answers.

1. What do you think of Christopher's future: will he become a math professor or will he be always in social care?

2. What do you think of the book: Is it a funny story or a sad story?

Discussions 2

Discuss the following topics and use the SEXI-method for your answers.

3. What do you think of the book: Is it a book for adults, children or both?

4. Your opinion: should Christopher live with his father or mother?

Test preparation

- read the book

- take notes while reading

- pay attention to characters, story structure, writing style and plot.

- understand the SEXI-method (explanation in this Lesso-up).

-for further support: go to Sparknotes (next slide)

www.sparknotes.com