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My Notes

Contemplating Confl ictingPerspectives

ACTIVITY

2.5

Learning Targets• Analyze conflicting perspectives of the novel and explain how the author uses

this technique to shape readers’ understanding of the story.

• Identify and analyze the importance of specific vocabulary to the story.

Before Reading1. Other than the protagonist, who are the most important characters so far in the

story? What do we know about each of these characters? Make a list of these characters and provide a brief description of each.

2. Which of these characters usually agree with each other? Which of these characters tend to disagree?

During Reading3. Conflict between people or between people and society is a result of conflicting

perspectives. Support this idea by identifying a topic that has created the most important conflict so far in the story and contrast two different perspectives about the topic.

Topic:

Character 1: Character 2:

Perspective: Perspective:

Textual Evidence (#): Textual Evidence (#):

LEARNING STRATEGIES:Shared Reading, Close Reading, Rereading, Questioning the Text, Note-taking, Discussion Groups

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ACTIVITY 2.5continued

4. Write questions for discussion based on the information you provided in the chart.

• Level 1 (literal, factual):

• Level 2 (interpretive):

5. Which characters are questioning society? How might that tie to theme?

6. Continue to add to your personal vocabulary list in your Reader/Writer Notebook. Identify, record, and define (in context) at least five new words. Choose one you think is important to understanding the character, setting, or conflict of the story. Explain why you chose that word.

After Reading7. In addition to creating differences in characters’ perspectives, authors create

differences between the perspectives of the characters and that of the reader. Support this idea by identifying a topic and comparing and contrasting a character’s perspective with your own perspective. This time, include the main reason for each perspective and provide evidence for each reason.

Topic:

Character’s Perspective: My Perspective:

Main Reason: Main Reason:

Textual Evidence (page #) Textual Evidence (page #)

WORD CONNECTIONS

AnalogiesThe order of words in an analogy is important. If the descriptor comes first in one pair, the descriptor should come first in the second pair. The descriptors should be parallel. Which of these analogies is parallel?a. gentle : Fiona :: Asher :

playfulb. gentle : Fiona :: playful :

AsherNow complete the following analogy with appropriate describing words. : Jonas :: : Giver

CONNECTIONSCONNECTIONS

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Unit 2 • The Challenge of Utopia 113

Language and Writer’s Craft: Choosing MoodRecall what you learned in the last unit about verbal mood:

• Indicative Mood: Verbs that indicate a fact or opinion. I am too ill to go to school today.

• Imperative Mood: Verbs that express a command or request. Go to school. Please get up and get dressed.

• Interrogative Mood: Verbs that ask a question. Are you going to school? Do you feel ill?

• Conditional Mood: Verbs that express something that hasn’t happened or something that can happen if a certain condition is met. I would have gone to school yesterday if I had felt well.

• Subjunctive Mood: Verbs that describe a state that is uncertain or contrary to fact. When using the verb “to be” in the subjunctive, always use were rather than was. I wish my cold were better today. If you were to go to school, what would you learn?

8. Which of the moods described above would be most suitable for a topic sentence? Identify the mood and then choose the most suitable topic sentence among the examples below.

• If Harrison and his mother were put in the same room, they would not be able to communicate.

• Arrest Harrison Bergeron immediately.

• Are Harrison and Hazel Bergeron really so different?

• Harrison and George Bergeron are father and son.

• If Harrison’s father were not handicapped, would he be like his son?

9. Which of the sentences might be a good hook for an introductory paragraph?

Check Your UnderstandingExpository Writing Prompt: Identify the perspectives of two different characters and show how the contrast between them highlights a conflict of the story. Be sure to:

• Create a topic sentence indicating the contrasting perspectives.

• Provide examples from the text and at least one direct quotation to support your ideas.

• Logically organize your ideas.

I am too ill to go to I am too ill to go to

Verbs that express a command or request. Verbs that express a command or request.

Are you going to school? Do you Are you going to school? Do you

Verbs that express something that hasn’t happened or Verbs that express something that hasn’t happened or I would have gone to I would have gone to

Verbs that describe a state that is uncertain or contrary to Verbs that describe a state that is uncertain or contrary to fact. When using the verb “to be” in the subjunctive, always use fact. When using the verb “to be” in the subjunctive, always use

was. I wish my cold were better today. If you were to go to school, what was. I wish my cold were better today. If you were to go to school, what

ACTIVITY 2.5continued

Contemplating Confl ictingPerspectives

My Notes

GRAMMAR USAGEMood

Mood is the form of the verb that shows the mode or manner in which a thought is expressed.

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