MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
House of the Spirits
Isabel Allende
Reading Schedule for The
House of the Spirits:
Chapter:
Chapter 1 – Rosa the
Beautiful
Due Date:
Thursday, Feb 7
Chapter 2 – The three
Marias
Tuesday, Feb 12
Chapter 3 – Clara the
Clairvoyant
Thursday, Feb 14
Chapter 4 - The Time of the
Spirits & Chapter 5 – The
Lovers
Tuesday, Feb 19
Chapter 6 – Revenge and
Chapter 7 – The Brothers
and Chapter 8 – The Count
Tuesday, Feb 21
Chapter 9 – Little Alba
Thursday, Feb 23
Chapter 10 – The Epoch of
Decline and Chapter 11 –
The Awakening
Tuesday, Feb 26
Chapter 12 – The
Conspiracy and Chapter
13 – The Terror
Thursday, Feb 28
Chapter 14 – The Hour of
Truth and Epilogue
Tuesday, Mar 5
HW/Focus for Discussion:
Pick out ten lines dealing
with characterization of
the following characters in
Allende’s first chapter:
Servero, Clara, Nivea,
Uncle Marcos, Esteban,
Rosa.
Find three literary devices
and articulate their
function in the text.
Begin a family tree with a
limb representing each
character and showing
their relationships.
When writing your found
poem, please focus on
capturing the tone of this
chapter.
Focus on the divisions
between
culture/civilization and
nature/barbarity. How
does magical realism
contribute to the themes?
Write a thesis for House of
the Spirits.
Focus on symbols/motifs
and what they represent.
Focus on the
characterization of Clara,
Blanca, and Alba and
what they represent
Focus on the victims in the
text. Include and explain
how each character is a
victim of something.
Focus on Esteban’s decline
and restoration and the
ways political commentary
and analysis trump plot
development
Focus on the cyclical
nature of the novel.
Finish proving your thesis.
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Assignments for The House of the Spirits:
 Actively read assigned chapters, complete homework, and
prepare for in-class discussions.
 Write the main ideas for each chapter and use three quotes to
support your claim, including an explanation of how the quotes
support the main idea.
 Notes on Isabel Allende, Majical Realism, and Political Climate in
Chile
 Notes on theme, symbol, and motif.
 Complete all Anchor Assignments related to The House of the Spirits.
Major Projects for The House of the Spirits:
Using your chapter notes, write an original poem that meets the following
requirements:
o Convey a summary of the novel.
o Begin with a statement (belonging to you, the author, or a character)
that introduces the ideas of the novel.
o End with a statement (belonging to you, the author, or a character)
that brings the poem to a conclusion.
o Use both Allende’s words as well as your own; you should flow
seamlessly between the two.
o Be consistent with the novel’s tone(s) and theme(s).
o In your poem, take a stand in some way about the text, the characters,
the theme(s).
o Timed Writing #1 and Timed Writing #2
o Literary Analysis in the Expository Mode
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Isabel Allende
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Political Climate Of Chile
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Literature Packet
Magical Realism
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Literature Packet
Family Tree
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Literature Packet
Theme
Topic:
The struggle between
classes
The Power of Women
Freedom vs.
confinement
Culture/civilization vs.
Nature/barbarity
Theme
Evidence from Text:
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Symbols & Motifs
Symbol/Motif:
Houses
Animals
Writing
Singing Birds
Support from text:
Significance (how does
it advance the author’s
purpose or themes?
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Supporting a Thesis Statement
Thesis:
Support from the text:
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter One
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Two
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Three
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Four
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Five
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Six
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Seven
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Eight
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Nine
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Ten
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Eleven
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Twelve
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Thirteen
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Chapter Fourteen
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)
MWL – Russell
Literature Packet
Epilogue
Main Idea:
Example (direct quote)
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Questions/Prep:
Clarifying Questions/comprehension
1.
2.
Deeper Inquiry/analysis questions
1.
2.
Homework/Notes:
Explanation (how does it support
the main idea?)