Big Question: What is the relationship between literature and place?
Focus Questions: How does literature shape or reflect society? How do the texts from this unit reflect the society or culture of the time?
Quarter 4-Classroom Instruction
1 extended, 3-5 short texts, 4-6 analysis, 1-2 narratives, 1 extended essay/research project
Extended Text: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Shorter Texts: “Introduction to Frankenstein” (P. 759-764), “In Memoriam, A. H. H.” (P. 960), “The Lady of Shalott” (P. 963), “Tears, Idle Tears” (P.969), “Ulysses” (P.970),
“My Last Duchess” (P.79), “Porphyria’s Lover” (P. 982), “Dover Beach” (P. 1042), “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (P.821-845),
Routine Writing-Text-­dependent questions, writing to text
Writing Topics:
Analysis: Does Victor Frankenstein take progress too far? Write an essay in which you analyze how Victor Frankenstein- his ambition, the results, and his fall- reflects the progress and decline present in Victorian England.
Analysis: Choose two poems from this unit. Write an essay in which you compare and contrast the speakers in these two poems. Consider the choices the poet made as to the speaker. Determine each speaker’s motivation and conflict. Draw inferences about the character of each speaker based on evidence from the poems. (P. 976)
Analysis: Many novels use multiple voices to highlight the effect of narrative point of view. Write an essay exploring how the narrative structure and differing points of view contribute to the effect of Frankenstein as a whole.
Analysis: Throughout Frankenstein, Shelley uses the weather to symbolize the mood of a situation or the experience of a character. Identify at least three specific examples of how the weather reflects the narrative and analyze the connection of each.
Analysis: Write an essay in which you analyze the development of two major themes in Frankenstein, including how the themes interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis. Discuss how Shelley’s use of specific stylistic elements contributes to the development of the themes. Cite specific textual evidence to support your claims.
Narrative: Ambition, education, family, knowledge, nature, and social class are all themes that are prevalent in Frankenstein. How are these themes related to you and your life?
In a narrative essay, describe how these themes shape and influence you.
Narrative: Write a dramatic monologue in which: A single speaker who is not the poet utters the speech that makes up the whole of the poem, in a specific situation at a critical moment. This person addresses and interacts with one or more other people, but we know of the auditor's presence only from clues in the poem. That is, this other person does not speak. The speaker must indirectly reveal something about himself or herself.
Narrative: Frankenstein’s monster describes when he was first brought to life and how he learned to speak, read, and write. Write about a time you experienced or learned something for the first time. First experiences are usually special and memorable. They may be funny, scary, or exciting. Describe the event and the emotions that you felt while experiencing it.
Assignments/Projects:
 Students will select one of the essays they have written during this nine weeks to extend, revise, edit, and publish.
 Students finalize writing assignments/research project
 Student presentation of essay/research (students report findings from their research project)