Designing activities &
Questions on Arms and the
Man & Of Studies
Important literary concepts should be
read
The Basics
• Plot
• Setting
• Narration/point of
view
• Characterization
• Symbol
• Metaphor
• Genre
• Irony/ambiguity
Other key concepts
• Historical context
• Social, political,
economic
contexts
• Ideology
• Various critical
orientations
• Literary theory
Three (3) Approaches to literary study
1. LANGUAGE-BASED: concentrates on the
grammatical, lexical and discourse categories of
English to make aesthetic judgments of the text
2. LITERATURE AS CONTENT: concentrates on the history
and characteristics of literary movements; the social,
political, and historical background to a text; literary
genres and rhetorical devices
3. LITERATURE FOR PERSONAL ENRICHMENT: draws from
the students’personal experiences, feelings, and
opinions
Five (5) BASIC LITERARY THEORIES
Literature is studied as a product
of its setting: the time and place
where it exists – its social, historical
and cultural contexts
The work and the world it imitates
The author is the sole source of
meaning – literature is a very
private expression of the writer’s
feelings, imagination, inspiration,
and intension
The work in relation to its author
Reading is a collaboration among
the writer, the text, and the reader
who receives the message and
enriches it with his/her own
experiences, thoughts, and beliefs.
The work and its readers
(READER-RESPONSE)
literature belongs to
a continuum: it is
influenced by earlier
works and, in turn,
influences later works
The work in relation to other works
of literature (LITERARY TRADITION)
A literary work has its own merit and
significance and reflects the
elements of a literary genre, literary
devices, and style
The work as an entity in itself
(TEXTUAL ANALYSIS)
Focuses of Textual Analysis:
• Elements of the literary texts: setting,
characters, plot, conflict, point of view,
theme, persona, images, etc.
• Literary devices: symbol, metaphor,
simile, analogy, irony, foreshadowing,
alliteration, sarcasm, oxymoron,
metonymy
• Literary style: form, structure, magic
realism, poetic schema, satire, parody,
epistolary, gothic, picaresque, romantic.
Methods in Teaching Literature
Lecture Methods
Discussion Methods
Public Speaking Methods
Audio-Visual Methods
Project Methods
Creative Writing Methods
Class Activities
in Teaching Literature
 1. Ice breaking session,
 2. showing and telling,
 3. assigning a student to play the role of the author,
 4. compiling authentic materials about the author,

5. pair work,
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6. buzz group,
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7. group work,

8. memorizing,

9. interpretive reading (Debate, panel forum),

10. using slides
11. transparencies, film, VCD, DVD,
12. scrapbook dramatization,
13. assignment,
14. final paper
15. journal writing,
16. closure writing,
17. team writing,
18. writing workshop
19. Creative Conversation, Speech Bubbles, or Thought Bubbles
20. Interactive Sessions:
Home works
1. For extending student thinking about ideas, events, or
characters in the book.
2. For promoting connections between the book and
real life or between one book and another.
Reading Activities
Grand conversations – students are
encouraged to think, feel, respond to
ideas, issues, events, and characters in
a book. They are invited to express their
opinions, and their opinions are valued,
Personal involvement with the ideas
contained in the book is encouraged,
and individual interpretations are
permissible as long as they are
supported with data from the text.
Reading Activities
Understanding Background
knowledge
Comprehension of the objects,
events, and relationships described
in a text.
Reading Activities
Promoting HOTS
HOTS- Higher Order Thinking Skills
HOTS include synthesizing, analyzing, reasoning,
comprehending, application, and evaluation.
Reading Activities
Studying in group
Allowing multiculturalism, if any
Pre-reading Questions: Arms
and the man
1.
What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase, Arms and the man
2.
If any one of your friends calls you anti-romantic, what does he/she mean
you will think.
3.
Does the phrase, the play mean the sports only?
4.
How do you define love?
5.
Can you define love in 5 words?
6.
How romantic are you?
7.
How can you be sure that you love someone?
8.
Do you love someone?
9.
Do you think destiny real?
10. What’s your opinion about an ideal relationship?
11. How can a man win you?
12. How can a woman win you?
13. Do you think that celebrating valentine’s day is corny?
14. What’s the best relationship advice that someone has ever given you?
15. What’s the best moment in your relationship so far?
16. What are your biggest fear about relationship?
Pre-reading Questions: Arms
and the man
17. What are the responsibilities of a man /
woman?
18. What are your life goals?
19. How important is money in your life?
20. What movie or TV show do you love the
most?
21. How would you describe your relationship
with family and friends?
Pre-reading Questions: Arms
and the man
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Do you want to become a soldier?
Would you volunteer to become a soldier?
Why does your country have an army?
Which army would you join if you had to?
Which job would you like to have in the army?
Is having an army a waste of money in your country?
What are some of the jobs that soldiers do?
Would you fight for another country other than your own?
How can countries prevent conflicts when other nations are not
trying to bring peace?
Do you think women should be soldiers?
Have you been in the military?
Do you know of any countries where military service is
compulsory?
Do many young people in your country join the army? Why/why
not?
Do you know anyone who is in the army or who has been? Tell
me about him/her.
What do you think of people whose job is in the army?
Do you think soldiers are well paid?
If you were a soldier who had just been sent to fight in a war,
what would you include in your luggage?
What do you think soldiers away from home miss the most?
What do you think soldiers find the most difficult to get used to?
Pre-reading Questions: Arms
and the man
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What do you think is the average age for soldiers in the
world?
Why do you think people want to become soldiers?
What should countries do to prevent conflict when other
nations in the world are not trying to bring peace?
Is war necessary?
Has anyone in your family ever fought in a war?
Does war have any positive consequences for mankind?
If war could be eliminated entirely, would there still be a use
for armies?
Do you have a problem with women fighting in wars? Why or
why not?
What are your feelings towards the military?
What kind of person makes an ideal soldier?
What causes countries to engage in a war?
What cause would you fight/die for?
Do you think it is morally wrong to kill?
How could people resolve conflicts instead of through war?
What do you understand by the phrase "might is right”?
Pre-reading Questions: Arms
and the man
. Can you think of a war that you believe was justified?
. What is a hero?
. If your brother satirizes your romantic notion, will you be
bothered?
. How will you react to a handsome young man who is realistic
rather than being too romantic?
. If you were Raina, the play’s heroine, would you love Bluntschli
who is realistic rather than being too romantic?
. “Setting” is a very common word a number of people casually
use in their conversation. Are you familiar with it?
. Have you heard about the concept of higher love? What do
you think it should be?
. Could you say anything about war and masculinity?
. Will you marry a person who is a romantic fool, or a person full
of romanticism?
Pre-reading Questions: Arms
and the man
. Should a soldier carry a lot of arms with him, or it is alright if he
carries chocolates/cookies in his pockets too.
. Explain the quote "nine soldiers out of ten were born fools."
. Will you interested to find the meaning of idealism and realism?
. Differentiate a hero and a heroic person.
. Do you know the phrase, a sense of humour? What’s it?
. Will you marry a person who you love, or a person who loves
you?
. Can you say anything about love and war in terms of idealism
and realism?
Pre-reading Questions: Arms
and the man
. What do you think about socialism or social reality?
. By upper-class society, what do you understand?
. Have you heard about “chocolate cream soldier”?
. Are you optimist or pessimist?
. What are the consequences of the war?
Pre-reading Questions: Of
Studies
. What does “Of Studies” mean?
. Describe the role studies play in an individual’s daily life.
. What do you know about the application of knowledge in
practical life?
. How will you explain that studies give delight, ornament one’s
life and improve one’s ability?
. learned and well-read men can execute plans effectively,
manage their daily affairs with expertise and lead a healthy and
stable life. Do you agree? If yes, could you explain?
. Share your opinion on “reading makes a full man; conference
leads to a ready man while writing makes an exact man”.
Can you find any demerits of study?
Pre-reading Questions: Of
Studies
. What are the the benefits of studies?
. What are the benefits of reading good books?
. Should you choose wisely before studying any book to
enhance your knowledge about the world around? Why?
. From reading books to writing papers, study plays a vital role in
a man’s life. Can you explain in your own words?
. Would you care about finding the meanings of pithy, terse, and
epigrammatic.
Post-reading Questions: Arms
and the man
1. Write a short note on Shaw's treatment of war and love in “Arms and the man”.
2. Justify the title of the play, “Arms and the man”
OR
Do you think that the title of play is apt?
3. Do you agree after reading “Arms and the man” that Shaw is the Satirist and the
reformer?
OR
Write a note on Shaw as a dramatic satirist with special reference to “Arms and the man”
4. “Arms and the man” has always been one of the most popular dramas of George Bernard
Shaw.” Elucidate.
5. “Arms and the man” makes us laugh and think”-discuss this statement.
OR
Describe in your own words Shaw’s contribution to the art of comedy.
6. Describe the role of Bluntschli as the mouthpiece of Shaw.
OR
Give a short appreciation of the character of Bluntschli.
Post-reading Questions: Arms
and the man
7. Sketch briefly the plot of “Arms and the man”.
8. Write a short note on wit and humour in “Arms and the man”
9. Explain the sub-title “Anti-Romantic Comedy” given to “Arms and the man”
OR
“Bernard Shaw stood against the conventional values of romanticism and sentimentalism”.
Explain the statement taking examples from the play, Arms and the man.”
OR
10. “Arms and the man” is a play which is built not on pathos, but on bathos” – elaborate the
point.
OR
Write a note on the technique of “Arms and the man.”
11. Comment on the comic elements in “Arms and the man”.
12. Shaw uses his plays as a means to expose men’s hollow pretensions and restore their
intellectual courage. Discuss the statement with reference to “Arms and the man”.
13. Comment on “Arms and the man” as a play of ideas.
Post-reading Questions: Of
Studies
1. What type of essay is “Of Studies” by Francis Bacon? Discuss.
2. What are the main benefits of study in the essay “Of Studies”
by Francis Bacon?
3. What does Bacon mean “Studies serve for delight” in his essay
“Of Studies”?
4. What does Bacon mean “Studies serve for ornament” in his
essay “Of Studies”?
5. What does Bacon mean “Studies serve for ability” in his essay
“Of Studies”?
6. What is the chief use of studies for delight according to Francis
Bacon in his essay “Of Studies”?
Post-reading Questions: Of
Studies
7. What is the chief use of studies for ability according
to Francis Bacon in his essay “Of Studies”?
8. What is Bacon’s view about to spend too much of time in
studies?
9. What is Bacon’s view about “too much use of studies for
ornament” in his essay “Of Studies”?
10. What is Bacon’s view about to make judgment wholly by
their rules (learnt from study) in his essay “Of Studies“?
11. What does Bacon say about natural abilities of a man in
his essay “Of Studies”?
12. What is the attitude of a crafty man about studies,
according to Bacon in his essay “Of Studies”?
Post-reading Questions: Of
Studies
13. What is the attitude of a simple man about studies,
according to Bacon in his essay “Of Studies”?
14. What is the attitude of a wise man about studies,
according to Bacon in his essay “Of Studies”?
15. What does Bacon mean of “Some books are to be tasted,
others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and
digested” in the essay “Of Studies”?
16. What is bacon’s view about “Some books also may be
read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others” in
the essay “Of Studies”?
17. What are the distilled books, according to the Bacon in
his essay “Of Studies”?
Post-reading Questions: Of
Studies
18. What reading, conference and writing made a
man according to Bacon in his essay “Of Studies”?
19. What a man needs to possess if a man writes little,
conference little and read little according to Bacon in his
essay “Of Studies”?
20. According to Bacon what are the benefits of studying
history, poetry, mathematics, natural philosophy, morality,
logic and rhetoric in the essay “Of Studies”?
21. According to Bacon the exercise of bowling is good
for which disease as mentioned in his essay “Of Studies”?
22. According to Bacon the exercise of shooting is good
for which disease as mentioned in his essay “Of Studies”?
Post-reading Questions: Of
Studies
23. According to Bacon the exercises of gentle walking
and riding are good for which diseases as mentioned in
his essay “Of Studies”?
24. If a man’s wit be wandering what Bacon suggest to
do, in the essay “Of Studies”?
25. Account for the great appeal of Bacon’s esssays.
26. Comment on the aphoristic style of Bacon, illustrating
your answer from the essays you have read.
27. “Bacon is more a man of the world than a philosopher
in his essays.” Do you agree? Illustrate your answer.
28. To what extent is Bacon a moralist in his essays?
29. “Bacon’s essays are merely intellectual exercises; his
heart is not in them.” Do you agree with such a criticism?
30. What do you understand by the term Renaissance?
Bring out the influence of the Renaissance on Bacon with
special reference to “Of Studies”.
Post-reading Questions: Of
Studies
30. Attempt a critical examination of the ideas in Bacon’s
essay, “Of Studies”, and add a note on his style.
31. How far would you agree with Bacon’s claim that his
essays come home to men’s business and bossoms?
32. Comment on the main literary characteristics of
Bacon’s essay with reference to the ones that you have
read.
33. With reference to his “Of Studies”, show that Bacon is
a master of balanced thoughts and pithy language.
Selected PPTs: Arms and the
man
10 TOP QUOTES
1. “It proves that all our ideas were real after all”
2. “It is our duty to live as long as we can.”
3. “Soldiering, my dear madam, is the coward’s art of attacking mercilessly
when you are strong, and keeping out of harm’s way when you are weak.”
4. “I think we two have found the higher love.”
5. “. . . now I’ve found out that whatever clay I’m made of, you’re made of
the same.”
6.
“When you strike that noble attitude and speak in that thrilling voice, I
admire you; but I find it impossible to believe a single word you say.”
7. “When you set up your shop you will only be everybody’s servant instead
of somebody’s servant.”
8.
“Act as if you expected to have your own way, not as if you expected to
be ordered about.”
9. “I will not be a coward and a trifler. If I choose to love you, I
dare marry you, in spite of all Bulgaria.”
10. 10. “The world is not such an innocent place as we used to
think, Petkoff.”