Name: ______________________________________
ASSIGNMENT SHEET – CULMINATING ASSIGNMENT – RESPONSE
TO LITERATURE ESSAY
GRADE 8 COMMUNICATIONS – UNIT 4 CHAIN OF FIRE
YOUR OWN, ORIGINAL, GRAPHIC ORGANIZER DUE: ___Wed, Jan. 25th____
DRAFT #1 DUE: _____ Friday, Jan. 27th _______
DRAFT #2 DUE: _______Thurs, Feb. 2nd__________
FINAL DUE: ___ TBA ___________________ ________________________________
Length & font requirements: 2 pages typed, 12 font, times new roman, 1.5 spacing
PROMPT: Choose three literary elements of this novel to discuss: characterization, setting, plot, point of
view, conflict, theme, tone, or style. Define the three elements you have chosen and describe how
Beverley Naidoo used them. Analyze the relationships among and between the three literary elements you
have chosen. For instance, if you chose characterization, plot, and setting, you would explain how the
setting affects the plot and characters, how the plot affects the setting and characters, and how the
characters affect the plot and setting.
WHERE TO GO FOR HELP:
1. The class collection of significant moments and literary elements
2. Handouts that explain the various literary elements
3. Elements of Literature text that provides definitions of each literary element
4. R/W notebook entries that detail character development
5. R/W notebook entries of significant moments and the literary elements they are related to
6. R/W notebook WriteAbouts that dealt with the relationship between literary elements:
MAKE SURE THAT YOU INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
1.
2.
3.
4.
A hook/ lead
A thesis statement
A definition of each literary element (3 of them) that you will write about in the essay
An explanation of how Beverly Naidoo used each literary element (its importance to the novel,
etc.)
7. A clear explanation of how each chosen literary element affects the others.
8. A conclusion that summarizes your essay.
The Literary Elements:
Gather in a group:
 Make sure that everyone in the group is sure about each of these .
 Then EACH OF YOU put a definition on a piece of paper in the vocabulary
section of your binder with a simple definition of each. (If I have your binder,
hold on to the paper.)
 Create a poster for each of these, which includes the definition FROM THE
PURPLE PAGES in our Literature Book – around pages 860+.
 Assign one poster to each person.
Characterization (and techniques)
Setting
Point of view (and types)
Plot:
introduction, exposition, complications, climax,
resolution
Theme
Conflict (and types)
Tone
Style (see our handout)
Appendix 12
Student Sample
Culminating Assignment Unit 4
Grade 8
Add a quote or anecdote here as a hook.
The novel Chain of Fire is about a village and the people who live there during
the time of apartheid in South Africa. Beverley Naidoo, the author, created an emotional
story about a group of school students who organize a protest against the forced removals
demanded by the apartheid government. Naidoo’s use of literary elements contributes to
making the story compelling and exciting. Three literary elements had a strong impact on
this novel and all relate to and affect each other. They are setting, characterization and
plot.
As the overarching literary element in this novel, the dramatic setting sets the
stage for all the other literary elements. Setting is defined as the time, place, and
circumstances in which a narrative, drama, or film take place. In this novel the setting is
in South Africa during the time of apartheid. More specifically it is in a small village
called Bophelong. This setting relates to the plot of the story as well as to the
characterization. The setting basically sets up the whole story for everything that happens
and it all affects the characters. To think about the story being anywhere but in South
Africa during apartheid is very hard for the reader to imagine. It is difficult to imagine
that Naledi, the main female character in the book, would be as outspoken as she is if she
hadn’t been confronted with the problem of apartheid forcing her to move somewhere
that was not her home. Every character in the novel responds to apartheid in a particular
way and every character is changed by the existence of apartheid. Taolo, the friend who
encourages Naledi to take a stand, and his father, give their entire lives to fighting
apartheid. They both become strong leaders because of it. Setting also affects the plot.
In fact, the plot completely stems from the setting; both the historical ramifications of
apartheid and the village where the characters live. The existence of apartheid and forced
removals creates conflict and moves the plot forward.
A second strong literary element in this novel is plot. Plot is the series of events
that make up a narrative. It’s what happens in a short story, novel, or some other narrative
form. Most narratives start out with a basic situation. Then complications start to rise.
After that comes the climax, which is where all the complications get extremely exciting;
its also when the outcome is decided in one way or another. The resolution is when the
story comes to an end. The plot of Chain of Fire has twists and turns and as mentioned
earlier, arises from the historical setting. In the beginning the plot is immediately affected
by the setting because the main characters are faced with their first problem, they
discover that their entire village will be moved to government-defined homelands. Later
in the novel, an important plot event affects characterization, this is the incident when
Mr. Molada, the school headmaster, punishes Naledi for speaking out, “We are only
talking about our own lives! You shouldn’t stop us!” (p. 47) After Naledi is hit with a
cane, she seems more ready to stand up to apartheid, and she begins to develop into a
stronger young woman. Another example of the relationship between plot and
characterization is on page 103 when Naledi is attempting to fall asleep the night before
the march. She is tossing in her sleep and she feels badly about leaving her grandmother
to take part in the protest. She worried that they might not get home safely. Here we see a
more vulnerable Naledi. The events in the plot provide an opportunity for Naidoo to
reveal a more complex character.
As is becoming clear, characterization is an important literary element in this
novel and is closely tied to both plot and setting. Characterization is defined as the
description or portrayal of a person by the writer. It is how the characters grow and
develop throughout the narrative, such as Naledi becoming stronger, more mature, and
more outspoken in Chain of Fire. How an author uses characterization in a story is a very
important factor. Characters help form the story. If the characters are poorly described,
then the plot fails even if the setting is perfect. However, in this novel, the two main
characters, Naledi and Taolo, are richly developed and bring the events and setting to
life.. Earlier in this essay, the way the setting and plot affect characterization is explained.
It is more difficult to analyze the way characterization affects plot and setting. However,
the changes in Naledi do affect the things that happen in the novel. As she grows
stronger, she helps to organize the students and this is significant to one of the main
events of the plot, the student protest.
As my analysis of literary elements shows, setting, characterization, and plot are
important and interconnected elements to the novel, Chain of Fire. The elements form a
chain and without one the novel would fall apart.
Expand the conclusion to review some of your more interesting or important finds about
the interrelationship of the three literary elements in the novel, and in general.