9/22/15—9/25/15 AIM: How do we
write an effective synthesis essay?
DO NOW: Vocabulary Books!!! If you don’t have you
money, get you book by next Friday.
HW: Complete pages one and two of the “ Tone, Diction
and Syntax” packet. Read the rest.
“THE” ESSAY TASK (Tuesday): I will post this today.
Choose at least two key passages from the novel which
reveal Steinbeck’s contempt for the doctor and those of his
class, and at least two passages which reveal his sympathy
towards Kino and the plight of his people. Explain how
Steinbeck’s choice of words conveys his attitude toward
each group. Be specific as to the techniques used to create
tone.
*** You will be allowed to use your book for this task.***
*** Kindle people must see me.***
What must go into a body paragraph?
• Details from the text – the more specific, the
better—get to the heart of the piece of text
• Connections between the details and the task
(thesis, your main point(s), the central idea of
your essay, your claim---it all means the same
thing. This is the thinking, the ANALYSIS.
• The ratio of details to analysis should be about
THREE analysis sentences for every ONE detail.
–Detail : Analysis is 1:3
How do you make a good sound
body paragraph?
• When you hear someone speak, or when you
read someone’s writing, what is it that makes it
sound communication? What makes it easy to
listen to or read?
• Fluency -how clear and yet eloquent the
language is
• Voice - how unique and human sounding the
language is
• How do we make this happen?
How do you make a sound body paragraph?
• Every sentence has a purpose. Every sentence is
deliberate. You should feel like you are crafting
something when you write.
• Structure: A sound body paragraph is building
toward a purpose (main point or overall thesis).
• Every sentence is connected. Transitions are the
glue that bind a paragraph together. They stitch
together the fabric of your speaking and writing.
• Richness of language: diction is not just a tool for
famous authors, and sentence structure should be
as varied as the brush strokes on a fine piece of art.
Don’t forget to avoid these items:
•
•
•
•
•
“In this essay, I will…” or “My theme is…”
“Text speak” 4 UR SA 2 B dun <3 ):-(
“blah, blah, blah…in many ways”
Should
Rambling –
– If you don’t know why a sentence is in there, you can
guarantee that I won’t know, either. Dump it.
– Redundancy – don’t repeat yourself, or be repetitive or
say the same thing over and over, or be redundant, again
• If it doesn’t sound good when you say, it won’t
sound good when you write it.
• Too much text, not enough explanation
How should we apply this to
The Pearl?
Tone
Essays
Consider the task:
• Choose at least two key passages from the
novel which reveal Steinbeck’s contempt for
the doctor and those of his class, and
• Two passages which reveal his sympathy
towards Kino and the plight of his people.
• Explain how Steinbeck’s choice of words
conveys his attitude toward each group
• Be specific as to the techniques used to create
tone.
Tone
• The author’s attitude toward a subject or a
character.
– It is often revealed by the author’s choice of
words and use of imagery and diction.
Diction - refers to a writer's
word choice
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something
else, you are using figurative language. Any language that goes
beyond the literal meaning of words in order to furnish new effects
or fresh insights into an idea or a subject. The most common
figures of speech are simile, metaphor, and alliteration.
Imagery -
language that appeals to the senses.
The forming of mental images, figures, or likenesses of things. It is
also the use of language to represent actions, persons, objects, and
ideas descriptively. This means encompassing the senses also,
rather than just forming a mental picture. The word is from the
Latin imago, meaning “to image,” and imitari, meaning “to
imitate.”
Contempt
• The feeling of a person toward someone or
something he considers worthless or beneath
notice; scorn.
Contemptuous Tone: Doctor
via Diction/Imagery, 1
• John Steinbeck’s contempt for the doctor is visible
through his tone in the novel. He describes the doctor
with words that contain a negative connotation. There
were “puffy little hammocks” beneath his eyes and “his
voice was growing hoarse with the fat that pressed on
his throat.”
– Through his description, the author’s contempt and dislike is
present. Then the doctor’s conversation with his servant
clearly shows Steinbeck’s dislike of this character. The doctor
states that he is too superior to care for “little Indians”.
– By such negative wording, it shows that John Steinbeck had a
dislike for the doctor.
Contemptuous Tone: Doctor
via Diction, 4
• Steinbeck looks down on the doctor because of his greed.
We can tell this because Steinbeck writes, “I am a doctor
not a veterinary.”
– This shows that the doctor thinks of the poor social class as
some kind of animal.
• The doctor stated “I, I alone in the world am supposed to
work for nothing and I am tired of it. See if he has any
money!”
– This proves to us that all the doctor cared about was money and
not the life of a poor innocent child.
– The tone here is selfishness. The doctor did not care if the baby
were to die. He cared if he got money. That is how Steinbeck
showed contempt for the doctor.
Contemptuous Tone: Doctor
via Imagery
– The doctor is drinking a cup of hot chocolate;
crumbling a sweet biscuit in his fingers; putting the
delicate china cup down and then letting his anger
show.
• Indicates his avarice and appetite for the “rich” things in
life
• Contrasts sharply with the breakfast of Kino and Juana
Contemptuous Tone: Pearl Buyers
via Imagery, 1
• Steinbeck describes the dealer’s eyes as being cruel
and like a hawk’s eyes… [We can conclude, from this
comparison, that John Steinbeck sees the Pearl Buyer
as a predator, which makes Kino his prey.]
• When Kino is trying to sell the pearl, Steinbeck
compares the pearl buyers to certain animals. “He
felt the creeping of fate, the circling wolves, the
hover of vultures” (50). Through this comparison,
Steinbeck compares the pearl buyers to wolves
circling prey and vultures getting ready to pick at the
remains. Clearly, Steinbeck does not view these
characters in a good light.
Contemptuous Tone: Pearl Buyers
via Imagery, 2
• He writes about the pearl buyers, “in little offices sat
the men who bought pearls from the fishers…” In this
passage, he also uses words that have a negative
connotation to describe them. He states that “their
eyes squinted and their fingertips burned,” symbolizing
the greed that each pearl buyer had to gain what Kino
had found. Steinbeck also uses this passage to show the
personalities of their class, and that they had attempted
to cheat Kino of his pearl by having a strategy meeting
so that Kino would sell his pearl for a ridiculously low
price. This passage shows that men of this class will do
whatever it takes for money.
Sympathy
• A sharing of, or the ability to share, another
person’s mental state, emotions, etc.,
especially pity or compassion felt for
another’s trouble, suffering, etc.
Sympathetic Tone
via Imagery, 1
• When it comes to the poor Indians of La Paz, Steinbeck shows a
great amount of sympathy. They are very poor people and do not
have many luxuries at all. Steinbeck describes that pathetic little
breakfast that Kino eats every day. “Kino squatted by the fire pit
and rolled a hot corn cake and dipped it in sauce and ate it” (4).
– He describes in detail how a corn cake, sauce, and pulque was the only
breakfast Kino had ever known.
– This is me, your teacher, working from the above information:
• Yet, the reader knows that Kino is satisfied with his life and his meager (by our
standards) breakfast because in the background plays the song of the family,
which symbolizes peace, happiness, and stability
• This breakfast directly contrasts with the next meal we see: that of the doctor.
Even though he is surrounded by fine things, like china and silver trays and
drinks chocolate for breakfast, he is dissatisfied with his life and dreams of
returning to France where people are “civilized”.
Sympathetic Tone
via Imagery, 2
• Steinbeck consequently writes with residual
sympathy for Kino and his kin. When Kino goes to
the doctor to heal his son, he does so with little
hope. Steinbeck describes that the doctor’s race
had oppressed Kino’s race for “400 years”.
• When the doctor does not come to see them, Juana
looked up at Kino having the “coldness of a lioness”
in her eyes (7). He as well describes the music of the
family as having a “steely tone”. This is a subtle
instance of Steinbeck’s sympathy.
Sympathetic Tone
via Diction/Imagery, 3
• Steinbeck conveys sympathy for Kino most perceivably
when he describes the “public shaming” of Kino. “A
wave of shame went over the procession.” [The people
disperse]. Likely Steinbeck mentions the dissipation of
the crowd to emphasize the extent of the shame.
Steinbeck then states that Kino, “struck the gate” of the
doctor’s home with a “crushing blow” (17). Steinbeck
artfully captures Kino’s disheartenment and the ensuing
rage…emphasizing the sadness of the entire episode.
Sympathetic Tone
via Diction/Imagery, 4
• Some things to consider:
– Kino’s connection to nature/environment changes as
his contact with the pearl and those willing to kill for it
continues (loss of boat, house, son/ committing murder)
– The return of Juana and Kino after the death of their
son, carrying their baby wrapped in his blanket, walking
to the ocean, side by side. All hope is lost…
– This is me, your teacher, again: Notice the doctor and
the pearl buyers have no names, whereas Kino, Juana,
Juan Thomas, and Appolonia do. The oppressors are
identified by what they do, not who they are.
Therefore…
Imagery
•
Juxtaposition of
–
–
–
•
living quarters of doctor and Kino
breakfast of doctor and Kino
of thoughts about what more money could do
What feelings do these contrasts evoke in the
reader? What tone is the author using to create
these feelings? How does this tone indicate the
author’s contempt or sympathy?
9/17/14
AIM: How does Steinbeck employ
symbolism and aural imagery?
Do Now: What songs and symbols appear in The Pearl?
HW:
1.“THE” ESSAY TASK (Friday):
Choose at least two key passages from the novel which reveal Steinbeck’s
contempt for the doctor and those of his class, and at least Two passages
which reveal his sympathy towards Kino and the plight of his people. Explain
how Steinbeck’s choice of words conveys his attitude toward each group. Be
specific as to the techniques used to create tone.
*** You will be allowed to use your book for this task.***
*** Kindle people must see me.***
In groups: Make a list of songs and
symbols in The Pearl.
• Share your list of symbols. Be sure to:
– Explain what each symbol represents.
– Explain Steinbeck’s purpose for employing each of
these symbols. How do they illustrate some of the
greater (central) ideas we have been discussing?
– How might these symbols connect to ideas and
images outside of the novel?
• Share your list of songs.
– What is the purpose of each song?
– Why do you think Steinbeck decided to use music
(aural imagery) in this story?
Friday September 19,2014
Aim: To write the essay on The Pearl.
Do Now: Copy Aim/HW Any questions?
HW: Bring $12.00 for a Vocabulary Book. We will
go to the library on Monday to get them.
Spelling test in two weeks.
In groups: Make a list of songs and
symbols in The Pearl.
• Share your list of symbols. Be sure to:
– Explain what each symbol represents.
– Explain Steinbeck’s purpose for employing each of
these symbols. How do they illustrate some of the
greater (central) ideas we have been discussing?
– How might these symbols connect to ideas and
images outside of the novel?
• Share your list of songs.
– What is the purpose of each song?
– Why do you think Steinbeck decided to use music
(aural imagery) in this story?
In groups: Make a list of songs and
symbols in The Pearl.
• Share your list of symbols. Be sure to:
– Explain what each symbol represents.
– Explain Steinbeck’s purpose for employing each of
these symbols. How do they illustrate some of the
greater (central) ideas we have been discussing?
– How might these symbols connect to ideas and
images outside of the novel?
• Share your list of songs.
– What is the purpose of each song?
– Why do you think Steinbeck decided to use music
(aural imagery) in this story?
In groups: Make a list of songs and
symbols in The Pearl.
• Share your list of symbols. Be sure to:
– Explain what each symbol represents.
– Explain Steinbeck’s purpose for employing each of
these symbols. How do they illustrate some of the
greater (central) ideas we have been discussing?
– How might these symbols connect to ideas and
images outside of the novel?
• Share your list of songs.
– What is the purpose of each song?
– Why do you think Steinbeck decided to use music
(aural imagery) in this story?
In groups: Make a list of songs and
symbols in The Pearl.
• Share your list of symbols. Be sure to:
– Explain what each symbol represents.
– Explain Steinbeck’s purpose for employing each of
these symbols. How do they illustrate some of the
greater (central) ideas we have been discussing?
– How might these symbols connect to ideas and
images outside of the novel?
• Share your list of songs.
– What is the purpose of each song?
– Why do you think Steinbeck decided to use music
(aural imagery) in this story?
In groups: Make a list of songs and
symbols in The Pearl.
• Share your list of symbols. Be sure to:
– Explain what each symbol represents.
– Explain Steinbeck’s purpose for employing each of
these symbols. How do they illustrate some of the
greater (central) ideas we have been discussing?
– How might these symbols connect to ideas and
images outside of the novel?
• Share your list of songs.
– What is the purpose of each song?
– Why do you think Steinbeck decided to use music
(aural imagery) in this story?
In groups: Make a list of songs and
symbols in The Pearl.
• Share your list of symbols. Be sure to:
– Explain what each symbol represents.
– Explain Steinbeck’s purpose for employing each of
these symbols. How do they illustrate some of the
greater (central) ideas we have been discussing?
– How might these symbols connect to ideas and
images outside of the novel?
• Share your list of songs.
– What is the purpose of each song?
– Why do you think Steinbeck decided to use music
(aural imagery) in this story?