Advanced American Literature; Spring 2017

Elements of Fiction

Lens #1: McCarthyism/WitchTrial Film

Lens #2: Your 1950s/1960s era book club novel.

Part 1: Go over the elements of fiction. Discuss how we see these elements in popular stories from our lives (fairy tales, cartoons, Harry Potter, Star Wars, movies and shows we all know, books we read previous years in school, etc…).

Make up a silly flash fiction or 6 word fiction or texting fiction that uses lots of elements of fiction. 10 points

Part 2: Watch a film inspired by the concept of McCarthyism or in the “McCarthy” era of American Film.

Choices: The Majestic; Pleasantville; Rebel without a Cause; Blackboard Jungle; To Sir With Love.

TAKE NOTES AND SHARE: List the use of all elements of fiction in the film. How you take notes is student-choice. Be thorough. 60 points.

PART 3: World Café of your novel:

1. Break into small groups for your novel. Discuss the elements of fiction and make a list of examples of how your author used all the elements of fiction. Now, Choose an artifact each one of you can bring to explain that element of fiction. Agree to become the expert on that element of fiction. (For example, the person in charge of characterization brings a notebook and pen to represent Esther in The Bell Jar, the person in charge of plot in On the Road, brings a toy car, but he or she is also the expert of that element of fiction in the novel.

2. Everyone also brings their own representation (artifact) and notes for discussion on how the novel deals with McCarthyism, nonconformity, and/or “witch trials.”

3. Everyone brings one other artifact that can deal with one of the following, and you have notes for your presentation. OPTIONS: 1. How the book exposes a social issue or societal ill. 2. How the book relates to issues today. 3. How the book connects to other texts you’ve read or watched. 4. How the book dealt with the concept of the “American Dream/American Nightmare” 5. Your Choice—what do you want to discuss and why? What does it teach us about your book? 100 points. (60-notes and artifacts and 40-discussions)

Part 4: Take notes on other presentations.

1. List all the elements of fiction the other groups discussed and how the book connects to the McCarthyism unit and the concept of “witch trials.”

2. Reflect on this question: What book that I didn’t read sounded the most interesting to me and why? 3. One other thing: What else did you notice and what were your thoughts? 30 points