22 UNIT 1 FICTION

Apply BackgroundYou need to apply two types of background to read a short story effectively. One type is the story’sliterary and historical context. Carefully read theBuild Background and Meet the Authorfeatures to get this kind of information. The othertype of background is the personal knowledge andexperience you bring to your reading.

Set PurposeReading a short story is very different from readingnonfiction. A short-story writer presents charactersand actions to say something about life. Use theSet Purpose feature to help you decide what youare trying to get out of the story.

Analyze LiteratureA short-story writer uses literary techniques, such as plot, characterization, and setting, to createmeaning. The Analyze Literature feature will drawyour attention to a key literary element in the story.

Use Reading SkillsBefore you read a short story, preview the text.• Skim the first few paragraphs and glance through

the story to figure out what it’s about and whothe main characters are.

• Examine any illustrations for clues about the story.• Identify a graphic organizer that will be helpful

in achieving your purpose for reading.

Use Strategies• Ask questions about things that seem unusual.• Visualize the story. Form pictures in your mind to

help you see the characters, actions, and settings.• Make predictions about what’s going to

happen next. As you read, gather more clues thatwill either confirm or change your prediction.

• Make inferences, or educated guesses, aboutwhat is not stated directly, but only hinted at.

• Determine the importance of details. Somedetails are significant because they give youinsights into characters, the theme, or mood.

Analyze Literature• What literary elements stand out? Are the

characters vivid and interesting? Is there a strong central conflict? As you read, consider how these elements affect your enjoyment andunderstanding of the story.

Make Connections• Notice where connections can be made between

the story and your life or the world outside thestory. What feelings or thoughts do you havewhile reading the story?

Find Meaning• Recall the important details of the story, such as

the sequence of events, characters’ names, settings,and other significant points. Use this informationas the basis for interpreting, or explaining, themeaning of the story.

Make Judgments• Analyze the text by examining significant details

and determining what they contribute to the overall meaning.

• Evaluate the text by making judgments abouthow the author creates meaning.

Analyze Literature• Review how the author’s use of literary elements

increased your understanding of the story. Forexample, did the author use figurative language?How did it help to shape the story’s meaning?

Extend• Go beyond the text by exploring the story’s ideas

through writing or other creative projects.

BEFORE READING

Fiction Reading Model

DURING READING

AFTER READING

Fiction Reading Model

24 UNIT 1 FICTION 25THE TELL-TALE HEART

Build BackgroundHistorical Context The narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” is a murdererwho—though showing clear signs of madness—protests that he is notinsane. When Edgar Allan Poe wrote this short story in the early 1840s,Americans were seriously debating for the first time the validity of theinsanity defense in cases of murder. Reader’s Context How does the effect of a sound depend on the circumstances under which it is heard? Imagine you are alone in a house at night and you hear the creak of a door opening. How does such asound affect your emotions?

Set PurposePreviewing the first paragraph of the story will show you that the narrator is telling his story to refute the charge that he is insane. Read to determine what he has done to be judged insane.

Analyze LiteraturePoint of View The vantage point from which a story is told is the point of view. If the story is told from the first-person point of view, the narrator (the person or character who tells the story) uses words such as I and we and is a part of or a witness to the action. As you read “The Tell-Tale Heart,” think about how using the first-personpoint of view influences both the way information is conveyed and themood, the feeling or emotion created by the story.

Use Reading SkillsUsing a graphic organizer canhelp you achieve your purposein reading. An inference is areasonable guess based on evi-dence. Create a chart to recordyour inferences about thewords and actions of the narra-tor. Put your evidence in thefirst column and your infer-ences in the second column.

Preview Vocabularycon•ceive (kən s�v�) v., form or developin the mind

sti•fle (st�� fəl) v., hold back; stop; smother

vex (veks�) v., bother; trouble

con•ceal•ment (kən s�l� mənt) n.,hiding.

au•dac•i•ty (� das� ə t�) n., boldcourage; daring

Meet the AuthorEdgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an Americanpoet, fiction writer, and literary critic. As a critic,Poe shaped the modern short story, arguing thatevery detail in a well-constructed narrative musthelp create a single effect on the reader. In his brilliant stories of psychological horror, such as“The Tell-Tale Heart,” Poe created vivid effects of suspense, dread, and terror.

Evidence

Narrator has

no motive for

murder except

fear of old man’s

“vulture eye.”

Inferences

Having no

motive

suggests

madness.

by Edgar Allan Poe

Point of View in FictionEach of these passages gives an account of thebirth of the main character of a work of fiction.Who is the narrator in the first passage? How doyou know? The vantage point from which a writerpresents the events and characters of a story iscalled the point of view.

First-Person Point of View In the passage from David Copperfield, the story is told from afirst-person point of view. In other words, thenarrator is a character in the story and describes theevents. You can tell that a story is told from a first-person point of view because the narrator uses suchpronouns as I and we. In a story told from the first-person point of view, the information must be limit-ed to what the character experiences or knows. Astory told in first-person point of view often has aheightened intensity, however, because the narratoris part of the events that he or she describes.

Third-Person Point of View In the passage from“Born Worker,” the story is told from a third-per-son point of view. In this case, the narrator is nota character. The third-person point of view is indi-cated by the narrator’s use of such pronouns as he,she, it, and they. If a story is told from a third per-son omniscient (“all-knowing”) point of view, thenarrator is able to relate everything about all thecharacters—their experiences, thoughts, and feel-ings. In a third-person limited point of view, how-ever, the narrator chiefly presents the perspective ofonly one character.

Understanding Point of View

“They said that José was bornwith a ring of dirt around his neck, with grime under his fingernails, and the skin calloused from the grainy twistof a shovel.”—GARY SOTO, “Born Worker”

“To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I recordthat I was born (as I have beeninformed and believe) on aFriday, at twelve o’clock atnight. It was remarked that theclock began to strike, and Ibegan to cry, simultaneously.”—CHARLES DICKENS, David Copperfield

What Is Point of View?Each of these photographs shows the same sub-ject—fly-fishing on a mountain stream. What ischiefly different about them is the point of view, theperspective from which the photograph was taken.Point of view is an important element in fiction aswell as photography.

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Literary ElementBEFORE READING

Apply the Model

DURING READING

AFTER READING

DURING READING

27THE TELL-TALE HEART26 UNIT 1 FICTION

by Edgar Allan Poe

The disease had sharpened my senses—not destroyed—not dulledthem. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things inthe heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then,am I mad? Hearken!1 and observe how healthily—how calmly I cantell you the whole story.

It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; butonce conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none.Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wrongedme. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. Ithink it was his eye! Yes, it was this! One of his eyes resembled that ofa vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell uponme, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees—very gradually—I madeup my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of theeye forever.

Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing.But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded—with what caution—with what foresight—with what dis-simulation2 I went to work! I was never kinder to the old man thanduring the whole week before I killed him. And every night, aboutmidnight, I turned the latch of his door and opened it—oh, so gently!And then, when I had made an opening sufficient for my head, I putin a dark lantern,3 all closed, closed, so that no light shone out, andthen I thrust in my head. Oh, you would have laughed to see howcunningly4 I thrust it in! I moved it slowly—very, very slowly, so that Imight not disturb the old man’s sleep. It took me an hour to place mywhole head within the opening so far that I could see him as he layupon his bed. Ha!—would a madman have been so wise as this? Andthen, when my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern cau-tiously—oh, so cautiously—cautiously (for the hinges creaked)—I

con•ceive (kən s�v�) v.,form or develop in the mind

Use StrategiesAsk Questions What is unusualabout the narrator’s motivation?

1. Hearken. Listen carefully2. dissimulation. Act of hiding; pretending3. dark lantern. A lantern with a single opening that can be closed to block the light4. cunningly. Skillfully or cleverly

BEFORE READING

Apply the Model

DURING READING

AFTER READING

29THE TELL-TALE HEART28 UNIT 1 FICTION

undid it just so much that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture eye.And this I did for seven long nights—every night just at midnight—but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do thework; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye. Andevery morning, when the day broke, I went boldly into the chamber,and spoke courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone,and inquiring how he had passed the night. So you see he would havebeen a very profound old man, indeed, to suspect that every night,just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept.

Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in open-ing the door. A watch's minute hand moves more quickly than didmine. Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own pow-ers—of my sagacity.5 I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph.To think that there I was, opening the door, little by little, and he noteven to dream of my secret deeds or thoughts. I fairly chuckled at theidea; and perhaps he heard me; for he moved on the bed suddenly, asif startled. Now you may think that I drew back—but no. His roomwas as black as pitch with the thick darkness, (for the shutters wereclose fastened, through fear of robbers,) and so I knew that he couldnot see the opening of the door, and I kept pushing it on steadily,steadily.

I had my head in, and was about to open the lantern, when mythumb slipped upon the tin fastening, and the old man sprang up inthe bed, crying out—“Who’s there?”

I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did notmove a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down. Hewas still sitting up in the bed listening;—just as I have done, nightafter night, hearkening to the deathwatches6 in the wall.

Presently I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was the groan ofmortal terror. It was not a groan of pain or of grief—oh, no!—it wasthe low stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul whenovercharged with awe. I knew the sound well. Many a night, just atmidnight, when all the world slept, it has welled up from my ownbosom, deepening, with its dreadful echo, the terrors that distractedme. I say I knew it well. I knew what the old man felt, and pitiedhim, although I chuckled at heart. I knew that he had been lyingawake ever since the first slight noise, when he had turned in the bed.

His fears had been ever since growing upon him. He had been tryingto fancy them causeless, but could not. He had been saying to him-self—“It is nothing but the wind in the chimney—it is only a mousecrossing the floor,” or “it is merely a cricket which has made a singlechirp.” Yes, he has been trying to comfort himself with these supposi-tions:7 but he had found all in vain. All in vain; because Death, inapproaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him, andenveloped the victim. And it was the mournful influence of theunperceived shadow that caused him to feel—although he neither sawnor heard—to feel the presence of my head within the room.

When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without hearinghim lie down, I resolved to open a little—a very, very little crevice inthe lantern. So I opened it—you cannot imagine how stealthily,8

stealthily—until, at length a single dim ray, like the thread of the spider, shot from out the crevice and fell upon the vulture eye.

It was open—wide, wide open—and I grew furious as I gazedupon it. I saw it with perfect distinctness—all a dull blue, with ahideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones; but Icould see nothing else of the old man's face or person: for I haddirected the ray as if by instinct, precisely upon the damned spot.

And now have I not told you that what you mistake for madnessis but over acuteness of the senses?—now, I say, there came to my earsa low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped incotton. I knew that sound well, too. It was the beating of the oldman’s heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulatesthe soldier into courage.

But even yet I refrained and kept still. I scarcely breathed. I heldthe lantern motionless. I tried how steadily I could maintain the rayupon the eye. Meantime the hellish tattoo of the heart increased. Itgrew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every instant. Theold man’s terror must have been extreme! It grew louder, I say, louderevery moment!—do you mark me well? I have told you that I amnervous: so I am. And now at the dead hour of the night, amid thedreadful silence of that old house, so strange a noise as this excitedme to uncontrollable terror. Yet, for some minutes longer I refrainedand stood still. But the beating grew louder, louder! I thought theheart must burst. And now a new anxiety seized me—the soundwould be heard by a neighbor! The old man’s hour had come! With

5. sagacity. Wisdom; intelligence6. deathwatches. Wood-boring beetles that make a tapping sound in the wood they invade.

According to folklore, they are thought to predict death.

7. supposition. A guessed possibility8. stealthily. Quietly

DURING READING

Analyze LiteraturePoint of View What does this suggest about the narrator’ssanity?

DURING READING

Make ConnectionsRespond How does this obser-vation affect your feelings aboutthe narrator?

DURING READING

DURING READING

Use StrategiesVisualize Picture this scene.What does it convey about thecharacter of the narrator?

Use StrategiesPredict Recall the title of thestory. At this point, what do youthink will be the outcome?

sti•fle (st�� fəl) v., holdback; stop; smother

MIRRORS &

31THE TELL-TALE HEART30 UNIT 1 FICTION

a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. Heshrieked once—once only. In an instant I dragged him to the floor,and pulled the heavy bed9 over him. I then smiled gaily, to find thedeed so far done. But, for many minutes, the heart beat on with amuffled sound. This, however, did not vex me; it would not be heardthrough the wall. At length it ceased. The old man was dead. Iremoved the bed and examined the corpse. Yes, he was stone, stonedead. I placed my hand upon the heart and held it there many min-utes. There was no pulsation. He was stone dead. His eye would trou-ble me no more.

If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when Idescribe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence. First of all Idismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.

I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, anddeposited all between the scantlings.10 I then replaced the boards socleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye—not even his—could havedetected any thing wrong. There was nothing to wash out—no stainof any kind—no blood-spot whatever. I had been too wary for that. Atub had caught all—ha! ha!

When I had made an end of these labors, it was four o’clock—stilldark as midnight. As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knock-ing at the street door. I went down to open it with a light heart,—forwhat had I now to fear? There entered three men, who introducedthemselves, with perfect suavity,11 as officers of the police. A shriekhad been heard by a neighbor during the night; suspicion of foul playhad been aroused; information had been lodged at the police office,and they (the officers) had been deputed to search the premises.

I smiled,—for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome.The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I men-tioned, was absent in the country. I took my visitors all over thehouse. I bade them search—search well. I led them, at length, to hischamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In theenthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, anddesired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in thewild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon thevery spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim.

The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them. I wassingularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chat-ted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale andwished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears:but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more dis-tinct:—it continued and became more distinct: I talked more freely toget rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definitiveness—until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.

No doubt I now grew very pale;—but I talked more fluently, andwith a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased—and what could Ido? It was a low, dull, quick sound—much such a sound as a watch makeswhen enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath—and yet the officersheard it not. I talked more quickly—more vehemently;12 but the noisesteadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key andwith violent gesticulations;13 but the noise steadily increased. Whywould they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavystrides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men—but thenoise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed—Iraved—I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, andgrated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continuallyincreased. It grew louder—louder—louder! And still the men chattedpleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? AlmightyGod!—no, no! They heard!—they suspected!—they knew!—they weremaking a mockery of my horror!—this I thought, and this I think. Butanything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerablethan this derision!14 I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! Ifelt that I must scream or die!—and now—again!—hark! louder!louder! louder! louder!

“Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tearup the planks!—here, here!—it is the beating of his hideous heart!”

If the narrator were tried for murder and you were a member of the jury,would you vote to acquit him by reason of insanity? What basis should courtsuse for an insanity defense?

12. vehemently. Violently; eagerly; forcefully13. gesticulations. Energetic gestures or movements14. derision. Contempt or ridicule

DURING READING

Use StrategiesDetermine the Importance of Details What is the function of these details?

9. bed. Mattress10. scantlings. Small beams or timbers11. suavity. Smoothness; gracefulness; politeness

DURING READING

Literary ElementPoint of View What does thenarrator have to fear?

vex (veks�) v., bother; trouble

con•ceal•ment(kən s�l� mənt) n., hiding

au•dac•i•ty (� das� ə t�) n.,bold courage; daring

32 UNIT 1 FICTION

Find Meaning1. (a) To whom is the narrator speaking? (b) Why

do you think the narrator gives this account of his crime?

2. (a) What motive does the narrator give for murdering the old man? (b) What does thismotive suggest about the narrator’s mental state?

3. (a) What sound does the narrator hear while heis talking to the police? (b) What do you thinkthe police see and hear while they are with him?What might they conclude from the visit?

Make Judgments4. (a) What characteristics of the narrator make

him seem sane? (b) What characteristics makehim seem insane?

5. (a) What do you think is the narrator’s mentalstate at the beginning of the story? (b) What ishis mental state at the end of the story?

6. Has the narrator changed? Has he remained thesame? Explain your answer.

7. (a) What overall effect do you think Poe was trying to create in “The Tell-Tale Heart”? (b) Howdoes he create this effect?

Analyze LiteratureHow does Poe’s use of a first-person point of viewaffect the way information is conveyed in “The Tell-Tale Heart”? How does this point of view affectthe mood created by the story? Use a chart to compare the differences between the effects of a first-person and a third-person narrator.

Extend Understanding

Writing OptionsCreative Writing Imagine that you are the narrator’s lawyer and that a trial is set for the murderof the old man. Write a letter advising your clienthow to plead (guilty, not guilty, not guilty by reasonof insanity). Try to persuade your client by explainingwhy your advice is the best possible course to take.

Critical Writing The American poet Walt Whitman,who was ten years younger than Poe, said that theolder writer was “among the electric lights of imaginative literature, brilliant and dazzling, butwith no heat.” Using “The Tell-Tale Heart” as evidence, write a paragraph in which you agree ordisagree with Whitman’s evaluation of Poe.

Collaborative LearningSpeaking and Listening With your classmates, putthe narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” on trial. Choosewho will take on the roles of defendant, defenseattorney(s), prosecuting attorney(s), judge, witnessesfor the defense, witnesses for the prosecution, bailiff,and members of the jury. Both the defense and theprosecution should take time to prepare their casesbefore presenting them to the jury for a verdict onthe narrator’s innocence or guilt.

Internet Research The Internet has many differentwebsites where you can find more information aboutthe life and works of Edgar Allan Poe, includingwebsites for literary societies and museums devotedto him. Use any major search engine, and enter suchsearch terms as Edgar Allan Poe and the titles of hisliterary works.

First-PersonNarrator

Third-PersonNarrator

How story conveysinformation

Mood created by the story

BEFORE READING

Apply the Model

DURING READING

AFTER READING

33LANGUAGE, GRAMMAR, AND STYLE

Language, Grammar, and Style

Using Commas in Sentences

Serial CommasIn “The Tell-Tale Heart,” the narrator says he does not kill the old man because of hatred, revenge,or greed.

In the sentence above, commas are used to separatethe words hatred, revenge, and greed. You shouldalways use commas to separate items in a series.Three or more words make a series.

EXAMPLE

Edgar Allan Poe wrote short stories, poetry, essays,and a novel.

It is not necessary to use commas if the items in theseries are linked by conjunctions.

EXAMPLE

Poe’s stories are dark and strange and eerie and often terrifying.

Commas with Direct QuotationsPoe’s narrator says, “Above all was my sense of hearing acute.”

In the sentence above, the writer directly quoteswhat the narrator says. Always use commas to setoff direct quotations.

EXAMPLE

Poe once observed, “There is distinct limit, as regards length, to all works of literary art—the limitof a single sitting.”

When a phrase interrupts the quotation, set off thesecond part with a comma too.

EXAMPLE

“Presently I heard a slight groan,” says Poe’s narrator,“and I knew it was the groan of mortal terror.”

Sentence ImprovementFor each of the following sentences, select theresponse that indicates the best revision.

1. Cunning fearfulness cruelty and arrogance are all part of the narrator’s character.A. Cunning, fearfulness, cruelty, and arrogance

are all part of the narrator’s character.B. Cunning fearfulness cruelty and arrogance,

are all part of the narrator’s character.C. Cunning fearfulness cruelty, and arrogance

are all part of the narrator’s character.D. no change

2. The narrator says that he foamed, and raved, and swore.A. The narrator says that he foamed, and raved

and swore.B. The narrator says that he foamed and raved

and swore.C. The narrator says that he foamed and raved,

and swore.D. no change

3. Poe often wrote about revenge, disease, deathand madness. A. Poe often wrote about revenge, disease, death,

and madness.B. Poe often wrote about revenge disease death

and madness.C. Poe often wrote about revenge disease death,

and madness.D. no change

4. “My head ached” Poe’s narrator says “and I fancied a ringing in my ears.” A. “My head ached” Poe’s narrator says, “and I

fancied a ringing in my ears.”B. “My head ached,” Poe’s narrator says “and I

fancied a ringing in my ears.”C. “My head ached,” Poe’s narrator says, “and I

fancied a ringing in my ears.”D. no change

46 UNIT 1 FICTION

Build BackgroundScientific Context Both Rudyard Kipling’s “Rikki-tikki-tavi” and Roald Dahl’s “The Green Mamba” present encounters with dangeroussnakes. Of the more than 2,700 species of snakes on Earth, about 375are poisonous, including the green mamba, the cobra, and the krait.

Reader’s Context Who is the most courageous person you’ve ever met?What do you think made them so brave?

Set PurposePreview Text Features Look at the illustrations on page 000 and page 000. What different feelings do you get from each image? As youread the story and autobiography, note how each work deals with thedifferent feelings aroused by the presence of danger.

Compare Literature:PersonificationPersonification is a figure ofspeech in which something nothuman is described as if itwere human. Use a chart likethis one to record the differentcharacteristics given to thesnakes in “Rikki-tikki-tavi” and“The Green Mamba.”

Preview Vocabularycul•ti•vate (kən s�v�) v., prepare forgrowing plants

cow•er (st�� fəl) v., shrink and tremble asfrom anger, threats, or blows

pro•vi•dence (veks�) n., valuable gist,godsend

for•lorn (kən s�l� mənt) adj., hiding.

man•ip•u•late (� das� ə t�) v., treator operate with the hands in a skillfulmanner

Meet the AuthorsRudyard Kipling (1865–1936) was born in India andcared for by a native nurse, who told him Indian leg-ends. “Rikki-tikki-tavi” is a story in one of his mostpopular works, The Jungle Book. Kipling’s short story isset in India during the last half of the nineteenth centu-ry, when it was still a British colony.

Roald Dahl (1916–1990) lived a life of adventure before becoming awriter. His first job involved traveling across what was then the

British colony of Tanganyika and is today the independ-ent country of Tanzania. During World War II, he was afighter pilot with the Royal Air Force until injuriesforced him to take a desk job in Washington, DC. “TheGreen Mamba,” an excerpt from Dahl’s autobiographyGoing Solo, takes place in Tanganyika.

“Rikki-tikki-

tavi”

Nag—wicked,

cold-hearted,

able to speak

“The Green

Mamba”

BEFORE READING

This is the story of the great war that Rikki-tikki-tavi fought single-handed, through thebath-rooms of the big bungalow in Segowleecantonment.1 Darzee, the tailorbird, helpedhim, and Chuchundra, the muskrat, whonever comes out into the middle of the floor,but always creeps round by the wall, gave himadvice; but Rikki-tikki did the real fighting.

He was a mongoose, rather like a little catin his fur and his tail, but quite like a weaselin his head and his habits. His eyes and theend of his restless nose were pink; he couldscratch himself anywhere he pleased, withany leg, front or back, that he chose to use;

he could fluff up his tail till it looked like abottle brush, and his war-cry, as he scuttled

through the long grass, was: “Rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk!”

One day, a high summer flood washedhim out of the burrow where he lived withhis father and mother, and carried him, kick-ing and clucking, down a roadside ditch. Hefound a little wisp of grass floating there, andclung to it till he lost his senses. When he

47COMPARING LITERATURE: RIKKI-TIKKI-TAVI

1. Segowlee cantonment. Living quarters for British troops inthe town of Segowlee in India

rikki-tikki-tavi

“It is the hardest thing in theworld to frighten a mongoose...”

A Short Story by Rudyard Kipling

The Green MambaAutobiography by Roald Dahl

A Short Story by Rudyard Kipling

rikki-tikki-tavi

Comparing Literature

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▲

h, those snakes! How I hated them!They were the only fearful things aboutTanganyika, and a newcomer very quicklylearnt to identify most of them and to knowwhich were deadly and which weresimply poisonous. Thekillers, apart from the blackmambas, were the greenmambas, the cobras, and thelittle puff adders that lookedvery much like small stickslying motionless in themidst of a dusty path, andso easy to step on.

One Sunday evening Iwas invited to go and have a sundowner1 atthe house of an Englishman called Fuller whoworked in the Customs office2 in Dar esSalaam. He lived with his wife and two smallchildren in a plain white wooden house thatstood alone some way back from the road ina rough grassy piece of ground with coconuttrees scattered about. I was walking across thegrass towards the house and was about twen-

ty yards away when I saw a large green snakeglow gliding straight up the veranda3 steps ofFuller’s house and in through the open frontdoor. The brilliant yellowy-green skin and its

great size made me certain it wasa green mamba, a creaturealmost as deadly as the blackmamba, and for a few secondsI was so startled and dumb-founded and horrified that Ifroze to the spot. Then I pullermyself together and ran roundto the back of the house shout-ing, “Mr Fuller! Mr Fuller!”

Mrs Fuller popped her headout of an upstairs window. “What on earth’sthe matter?” she said.

“You’ve got a large green mamba in yourfront room!” I shouted. “I saw it go up theveranda steps and right in through the door!”

The Green MambaAutobiography by Roald Dahl

52 UNIT 1 FICTION 53COMPARING LITERATURE: THE GREEN MAMBA

Find Meaning1. (a) In “Rikki-tikki-tavi,” what is the motto of the

mongoose family? (b) What does this motto tellyou about Rikki-tikki?

2. (a) What is the plan the Nag and Nagaina comeup with to regain the garden as their territory?(b) Why would the plan get rid of Rikki-tikki?

Make Judgments3. (a) What different battles does Rikki-tikki fight?

(b) In your opinion, in which of these battlesdoes the mongoose show the greatest courage?Explain your answer.

4. (a) How do the animals other than the snakesrespond to Rikki-tikki? How do the people in thehouse respond to him? (b) How do theseresponses help shape the effect created by thecharacter of the mongoose?

AFTER READING

out again.” And the red ants that live betweenthe grass stems heard him, and began totroop down one after another to see if he hadspoken the truth.

Rikki-tikki curled himself up in the grassand slept where he was—slept and slept till itwas late in the afternoon, for he had done ahard day’s work.

“Now,” he said, when he awoke, “I will goback to the house. Tell the Coppersmith,Darzee, and he will tell the garden thatNagaina is dead.”

The Coppersmith is a bird who makes anoise exactly like the beating of a little ham-mer on a copper pot; and the reason he isalways making it is because he is the towncrier to every Indian garden, and tells all thenews to everybody who cares to listen. AsRikki-tikki went up the path, he heard his“attention” notes like a tiny dinner gong; andthen the steady “Ding-dong-tock! Nag isdead—dong! Nagaina is dead! Ding-dong-tock!” That set all the birds in the gardensinging, and frogs croaking; for Nag and

Nagaina used to eat frogs as well as littlebirds.

When Rikki got to the house, Teddy andTeddy's mother (she still looked very white,for she had been fainting) and Teddy's fathercame out and almost cried over him; and thatnight he ate all that was given him till hecould eat no more, and went to bed onTeddy's shoulder, where Teddy's mother sawhim when she came to look late at night.

“He saved our lives and Teddy’s life,” shesaid to her husband. “Just think, he saved allour lives!”

Rikki-tikki woke up with a jump, for allthe mongooses are light sleepers.

“Oh, it’s you,” said he. “What are youbothering for? All the cobras are dead; and ifthey weren't, I’m here.”

Rikki-tikki had a right to be proud ofhimself; but he did not grow too proud, andhe kept that garden as a mongoose shouldkeep it, with tooth and jump and spring andbite, till never a cobra dared show its headinside the walls.

MIRRORS &Is Rikki-tikki-tavi “brave” in killing the snakes or is he just doing what a mon-goose does? Is courage more like an instinct we are born with or like a habitwe can learn?

“There’s a green

mamba in your

living room!”

Comparing Literature

O

1. sundowner. An evening refreshment2. Customs office. Government agency that controls taxes on

imports and exports3. veranda. Open-air porch, usually with a roof

▲

▲

MIRRORS &Who do you think shows more courage—the snake-man or Rikki-tikki-tavi? Howis their behavior in the presence of danger similar? How is it different?

and ready to strike again. “Keep still, mylovely,” the snake-man whispered. “Don’tmove now. Keep still. No one’s going to hurtyou.”

Then wham, the rubber prongs camedown right across the snake’s body, aboutmidway along its length, and pinned it to thefloor. All I could see was a green blur as thesnake thrashed around furiously in an effortto free itself. But the snake-man kept up thepressure on the prongs and the snake wastrapped.

What happens next? Iwondered. There was noway he could catch hold ofthat madly twisting flailinglength of green muscle withhis hands, and even if hecould have done so, thehead would surely haveflashed around and bittenhim in the face.

Holding the very end ofthe eight-foot pole, the snake-man began towork his way round the room until he was atthe tail end of the snake. Then, in spite of theflailing and the thrashing, he started pushingthe prongs forward along the snake’s bodytowards the head. Very very slowly he did it,pushing the rubber prongs forward over thesnake’s flailing body, keeping the snakepinned down all the time and pushing, push-ing, pushing the long wooden rod forwardmillimeter by millimeter. It was a fascinatingand frightening thing to watch, the little man

with white eyebrows and black hair carefullymanipulating his long implement and slidingthe fork ever so slowly along the length of thetwisting snake towards the head. The snake’sbody was thumping against the coconut mat-ting with such a noise that if you had beenupstairs you might have thought two big menwere wrestling on the floor.

Then at last the prongs were right behindthe head itself, pinning it down, and at thatpoint the snake-man reached forward withone gloved hand and grasped the snake very

firmly by the neck. He threwaway the pole. He took thesack off his shoulder with hisfree hand. He lifted the great,still twisting length of thedeadly green snake andpushed the head into thesack. Then he let go the headand bundled the rest of thecreature in and closed thesack. The sack started jump-

ing about as though there were fifty angryrats inside it, but the snake-man was nowtotally relaxed and he held the sack casuallyin one hand as if it contained no more than afew pounds of potatoes. He stooped andpicked up his pole from the floor, then heturned and looked towards the windowwhere we were peering in.

“Pity about the dog,” he said. “You’d bet-ter get it out of the way before the childrensee it.”

61COMPARING LITERATURE60 UNIT 1 FICTION

Compare LiteratureWhen a writer uses personification, he or shegives human intelligence, emotions, abilities, andother traits to non-human characters. Review thecharacteristics of the snakes in “Rikki-tikki-tavi” and“The Green Mamba” that you recorded in your chartto answer the following questions.

1. How does the author personify Karait, Nag, andNagaina in “Rikki-tikki-tavi”?

2. Does the author personify the snake in “TheGreen Mamba”? Explain your answer.

3. Which snakes—those in “Rikki-tikki-tavi” or thegreen mamba—do you find more frightening?Why do you feel this way?

Extend Understanding

Writing OptionsCreative Writing Imagine that the snake-man waswriting a letter describing the events in “Rikki-tikki-tavi.” Keep in mind the attitude towards snakes heshows in “The Green Mamba” in creating his versionof the story of Rikki-tikki’s battles with Karait, Nag,and Nagaina.

Critical Writing Write a brief essay comparing andcontrasting the settings, characters, and themes of“Rikki-tikki-tavi” and “The Green Mamba.” You mayorganize your essay either by examining all three ele-ments first in one work and then in the other, or bydiscussing each literary element in turn.

Collaborative LearningSpeaking and Listening Use “Rikki-tikki-tavi” and “The Green Mamba” as jumping-off points in adiscussion about what personal characteristics enableindividuals to perform well in a crisis. Keep a list ofsuch traits as you discuss them, and at the conclusionvote to determine which are the three most importantcharacteristics.

Internet Research Use the Internet to researchinformation for a comparison study of the westerngreen mamba (Dendroaspis viridis) and the kingcobra (Ophiophagus hannah). Using any majorsearch engine, enter such search terms as the snakes’common or scientific names. Find out facts abouttheir size, appearance, habitat, range, habits, and soon. Determine which of the two snakes represents agreater danger to human beings.

Find Meaning1. (a) In “The Green Mamba,” how does Mr. Fuller

respond to the news that the snake has enteredhis living room? (b) Based on his actions, howdo you think Mr. Fuller feels about the snake?

2. (a) How do the children and Mrs. Fuller respondwhen they realize the dog is still in the house?(b) What role does the dog play in the story?

3. (a) How does the snake-man talk to the snake?(b) What is the snake-man’s attitude toward thesnake?

Make Judgments4. (a) What words and phrases does the narrator

use to describe the green mamba and its actions?(b) What effect does he create with his descrip-tions of the snake?

5. (a) What words and phrases does the narratoruse to describe the snake-man and his actions?(b) What is the effect of his characterization ofthe snake-man?

AFTER READING

“The sack started

jumping about

as though there

were fifty angry

rats inside it...”

Comparing Literature▲

▲

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gfedcbaabcdefggfedcbaabcdefggfedcbaabcdefggfedcbaabcdefggfedcbaabcdefggfedcba

“Cold rice pudding for breakfast?”

Joan Aiken grew up telling stories. Born in Sussex, England,in 1924, she exchanged tales with her brother about imaginarylands. She was fascinated by

mysterious happenings and loved to read storiesby Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Edgar Allan

Poe, and Jane Austen. In “The Serial Garden,” she presents a new approach to a familiar themeof fantasy literature, the alternative world. Insteadof falling down a rabbit hole into Wonderlandlike Alice, young Mark Armitage gains entry to his fantasy world by assembling the cutouts onthe back of a box of breakfast cereal.

The SerialGarden

By Joan Aiken

INDEPENDENT READING

said Mark, look-ing at it with disfavor.

“Don’t be fussy,” said his mother. “You’rethe only one who’s complaining.” This wasunfair, for she and Mark were the only mem-bers of the family at table, Harriet havingdeveloped measles while staying with aschool friend, while Mr. Armitage had some-how managed to lock himself in the larder.Mrs. Armitage never had anything but toastand marmalade for breakfast anyway.

Mark went on scowling at the chilly-look-ing pudding. It had come straight out of thefridge which was not in the larder.

“If you don’t like it,” said Mrs. Armitage,“unless you want Daddy to pass you cornflakes through the larder ventilator, flake byflake, you’d better run down to Miss Prideand get a small packet of cereal. She opens ateight; Hickmans doesn’t open till nine. It’s nouse waiting till the blacksmith comes to letyour father out; I’m sure he won’t be here forhours yet.”

There came a gloomy banging from thedirection of the larder, just to remind themthat Mr. Armitage was alive and suffering inthere.

“You’re all right,” shouted Mark heartlesslyas he passed the larder door. “There’s nothing

69THE SERIAL GARDEN68 UNIT 1 FICTION

MIRRORS &

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“Oh, darling, you didn’t want it, did you?It was all dusty; I thought you’d finished withit. I’m afraid I’ve burned it in the furnace.Really you must try not to let this room getinto such a clutter; it’s perfectly disgraceful.Why, hullo, Mr. Johansen,” she added inembarrassment. “I didn’t see you; I’m afraidyou’ve called at the worst possible moment.But I’m sure you’ll understand how it is atspring-cleaning time.”

She rolled up her bundle of curtains,glancing worriedly at Mr. Johansen; he lookedrather odd, she thought. But he gave her histired, gentle smile and said, “Why, yes, Mrs.Armitage, I understand; I understand verywell. Come, Mark. We have no business here,you can see.”

Speechlessly, Mark followed him. Whatwas there to say?

“Never mind,” Mrs. Armitage called afterMark. “The Rice Nuts pack has a helicopteron it.”

Every week in The Times newspaper youwill see this advertisement:

BREKKFAST BRIKKSPACKETS.

£100 offered for any in good condition, whether empty or full.

So, if you have any, you know where tosend them.

But Mark is growing anxious; none havecome in yet, and every day Mr. Johansenseems a little thinner and more elderly.Besides, what will the princess be thinking?

Analyze and Extend1. What does Mark’s reaction to his discovery of the

garden suggest about his personality?2. What effect do the everyday settings of the story

have on the quality of realism created by its alter-nate world of the garden?

3. This story could have ended with Rudolf and theprincess living happily ever after in the garden.Do you think the story’s actual ending is strongeror weaker than a more typical “fairy-tale” ending?Explain.

Critical Writing One definition of fantasy is “theplausible impossible,” that is, it makes things thatactually couldn’t happen seem possible and real.

Fantasy writers accomplish this in different ways:some create seemingly logical explanations forimpossible events; others give their fantasy worlds asense of actuality with concrete details. Write a briefessay analyzing how Joan Aiken makes her alternateworld seem real.

Media Literacy & Collaborative LearningWorking with other students, create an advertisingjingle like the Brekkfast Brikks song. The jingleshould promote a food or product that is generallynot considered tasty or exciting. What descriptivewords or associations would you use to make theproduct more appealing to consumers?

What is your favorite alternative world in literature or films? What qualities of this world make it particularly appealing to you? Why do you think literaturethat depicts fantasy worlds—from Homer’s Odyssey to J. K. Rowling’s HarryPotter series—has such a widespread appeal?

78 UNIT 1 FICTION 79THE SERIAL GARDEN

INDEPENDENT READING

89WRITING WORKSHOP88 UNIT 1 FICTION

Writing WorkshopExpository Writing

Comparison-and-Contrast Essay

Reading and WritingIn this unit, you read a translation of a famoushaiku by the Japanese poet Basho. Here’s two more versions.

How are these three translations alike and different?To examine their similarities and differences involvesmaking comparisons and contrasts, one of the mostbasic types of thinking used in studying literature.Much of the critical writing you will do in your literature classes and on standardized tests will askyou to make comparisons and contrasts.

In this workshop you will learn how to write a comparison-and-contrast essay, a type of expository (or informational) writing that analyzesthe similarities and differences between two or more related subjects. Here’s how you might sum up the assignment for a comparison-and-contrastessay—what its goal is and how to go about it. This summary includes a writing rubric, a set of standards by which to judge whether your comparison-and-contrast essay is successful. You will use this rubric both in drafting and in revisingyour essay.

pondfrog

plop—JAMES KIRKUP

The old pondA frog jumped in,Kerplunk!—ALLAN GINSBERG

Assignment: Write a comparison-and-contrastessay in which I examine the similarities anddifferences between two subjects I choose.

Goal: Make an overall point about these twosubjects that will interest my audience.

Strategy: Present evidence for this point byorganizing details about my two subjects thatclearly show how they are alike and different.

Writing Rubric: My comparison-and-contrastessay should include the following:

• an introduction that sparks a reader’s interest• a thesis statement that presents my

overall point• a clear organizational pattern• transitions the indicate comparisons

and contrasts• an effective conclusion that restates

my thesis

What Great Writers DoOne interesting approach to the comparison-and-contrast essay is to show unexpected similarities between subjects that seem very different. What basic point is Lewis Thomas making about ants and humans?

“Ants are so much like human beings as to be an embarrassment. They farm fungi, raise aphids as livestock, launch armies into war, usechemical sprays to alarm and confuse enemies,capture slaves. The families of weaver antsengage in child labor, holding their larvae likeshuttles to spin out the spread that sews the leavestogether for their fungus gardens. They exchangeinformation ceaselessly. They do everything butwatch television.”

—LEWIS THOMAS, FROM Lives of a Cell

Choosing Your TopicIn everyday life, we are always comparing and contrasting things—people we know, products weown, movies we see. You have material all aroundyou. The point is to choose two subjects that willprovide an interesting comparison. When you areconsidering possible subjects, ask yourself if they fall into either of the following categories.

Apples and oranges? It is usually best to choosetwo subjects that are similar enough to make a fair comparison. Don’t choose subjects that are socompletely different in kind—such as a baseballteam and a coin collection—that any comparison is really a stretch.

Peas in a pod? On the other hand, choose subjectsthat are different enough to make an interestingcomparison. Don’t choose subjects that are so alikethat few people would be interested in their smalldifferences, such as two different outlets of the same fast-food restaurant chain.

Gathering DetailsOnce you have chosen two subjects that you thinkwill be interesting to compare and contrast, startorganizing details. One way to do this is to make a chart. Here’s a chart comparing and contrastingHarper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird with themovie based on it. It lists features and details fromboth the novel and the movie.

Deciding on Your PurposeWhen you have gathered details about your two subjects, review them to determine what the purposeof your comparison-and-contrast essay is. Decide the basic point you are trying to make. This purposeis expressed in your thesis statement. An essaycomparing and contrasting the book and movie versions of To Kill a Mockingbird might start withthe following thesis statement:

features novel movie

plot two major focuses on two

stories; several major stories;

minor ones ignores minor

plots

characters memorable very fine

characters performances

setting effective not filmed on

setting location; movie

set seems

authentic

theme importance of film expresses

understanding the same

theme

“My purpose is to show that a good novel can beturned into a good movie by being faithful to thebook’s plot, characters, setting, and theme.”

1. PREWRITING

91WRITING WORKSHOP90 UNIT 1 FICTION

Evaluating Your DraftYour goal in revising is to identify strengths andweaknesses in your draft and decide how to improveand correct it. You can evaluate your own writing.You can also work with a classmate, or peerreviewer. Exchange essays with this partner, evalu-ate each other’s work, and discuss ideas for revision.Whether you work alone or with a peer reviewer, usea writing rubric such as that on page 000.

Below are drafts of the introduction, one of the body paragraphs, and the conclusion of the essaycomparing and contrasting the novel and movie versions of To Kill a Mockingbird. The annotations on the right indicate the reasons for the changesmarked in the draft.

3. REVISING

Organizing IdeasOnce you have chosen your subjects, gathereddetails, and created your thesis statement, you nextneed to decide how you want to organize your ideas. There are two basic organizational patterns for acomparison-and-contrast essay. If you choose thesubject-by-subject (or block) method, you presentall the features of your first subject, then presentthose same features about the second subject. If youchoose the point-by-point method, you presenteach feature in turn, looking at the first subject, thenat the second subject. Here’s how these two organi-zational patterns look:

Putting Your Thoughts on PaperAny essay has three basic parts: an introduction, abody, and a conclusion. Create a plan for your com-parison-and-contrast essay, such as the one on theright comparing and contrasting the book and movieversions of To Kill a Mockingbird.

You might draft your essay straight through from thebeginning to the end. Some writers prefer to beginwith the body, however, leaving the introduction andconclusion until later. Whichever way you choose,your goal is to get all your ideas down on paperaccording to the plan you created. At the draftingstage, concentrate on content and organization, noton grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Focus onthese details in the revising and proofreading stage.

Making ConnectionsWhen drafting your essay, make connections byusing transitions, words and phrases that clearlyindicate comparisons and contrasts. Here are someexamples of different types of transitions that can be helpful in a comparison-and-contrast essay:

2. DRAFTING

Subject-by-subject

novel

plot

characters

setting

theme

movie

plot

characters

setting

theme

Introduction• Identify Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird

and the film based on it.

• Present my thesis statement.

Body• Write one paragraph dealing with each feature—

plot, character, setting, and theme.

• Compare and contrast the novel’s and film’s

handling of each feature.

Conclusion• Rephrase my thesis statement.

• Wrap up my essay.

Point-by-point

plot

novel

movie

characters

novel

movie

setting

novel

movie

theme

novel

movie

Transitions thatshow comparisons

alsoasbotheachin the same wayjustlikesimilarly

Transitions thatshow contrasts

althoughbuthoweverin contraston the other handwhereaswhileyet

IntroductionSome people think that no movie can be as good as the movieit is based on. Can any movie be as good as the book it is basedon? To answer this question, I will compare and contrastHarper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird and the 1962 film ver-sion. The movie’s music is very good too. My purpose is toshow that a movie can be as good as the novel it is based onby faithfully adapting the plot, characters, setting, and theme.

BodyHarper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird tells many stories,and all of them are very interesting, but her novel has two majorplots. The first is how three children, Scout and Jem Finch andtheir friend Dill Harris, try to find out about their strangeneighbor Boo Radley. The second plot is how Jem and Scout’sfather, the lawyer Atticus Finch, defends in court a falselyaccused black man named Tom Robinson. The Although themovie leaves out many of the less important stories, such asthe burning of Miss Maudie’s house, and it focuses clearly onthe two major plots.

ConclusionHarper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a very fine novel. The1962 film version is a very good movie. Although different insome details, the movie faithfully follows the novel’s plot,characters, setting, and theme. Seeing the film version of ToKill a Mockingbird is not the same experience as reading thenovel, but it is still a very satisfying experience. The movie is as good a film as the book is a novel. So read the book and seethe movie.

Reword opening sentences to sharpen point?

Delete a detail that is off the topic?

Correct the use of commasto set off interruptingphrase?

Add the transitional word although to signal a contrast?

Add sentences to parallel the introduction and provideclosure?

4. EDIT AND PROOFREAD

93WRITING WORKSHOP92 UNIT 1 FICTION

Focus: Transitions The effective use of transitional words and phrases is a key element in a successful comparison-and-con-trast essay. In revising your draft, add transitionswhere needed to point out similarities and differences:

“Harper Lee created very memorablecharacters in To Kill a Mockingbird. AtticusFinch and his children, Dill, Boo Radley,Tom Robinson, and the others stay in thereader’s memory. The In the same way, the actors who play these roles in themovie version create very memorableperformances.”

Focus: Using Commas In revising your draft, be aware of common punctua-tion errors, such as incorrect use of commas to setoff words or phrases that interrupt sentences. Usetwo commas if the word or phrase falls in the middleof the sentence:

“Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird tellsmany stories,and all of them are veryinteresting, but her novel has two majorplots.”

Use one comma if the word or phrase falls at thebeginning or end of the sentence:

“Lee even calls it a “tired old town,”almost like it was a person.”

ProofreadingQuality Control The purpose of proofreading is tocorrect errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.You can pick out and fix these errors as you evaluateand revise your essay, but take time to focus onthem during the proofreading stage. Use proofread-er’s marks to highlight any errors you find. (SeeLanguage Arts Handbook page 000 for a list ofproofreader’s symbols.)

Final DraftNeatness Counts Make the finished version ofyour essay appealing to read. Handwritten papersshould be neat and legible. If you are working on aword processor, double-space the lines of text anduse a readable font, or typeface. Whether you aresubmitting your work to your teacher or elsewhere,be sure to check about presentation guidelines.

What GreatWriters DoIn the last sentence,what does BruceCatton indicate by using the transitionalword each?

“So Grant and Lee were in complete contrast, representing two diametrically opposed elementsin American life. Grant was the modern manemerging; beyond him, ready to come on the stage,was the great age of steel and machinery, vitality.Lee might have ridden down from the age ofchivalry, lance in hand. Each man was the perfect champion of his cause, drawing both hisstrengths and his weaknesses from the people he led.”

—BRUCE CATTON, FROM “Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts”

Student Model

Provides details showingsimilarities and differences

Summarizes the comparisonand contrast

Restates the thesis

Read the Book or See the Movie?by Kathy Jeffers

Can movies really be as good as the stories they are based on?To answer this question, I will compare and contrast Harper Lee’snovel To Kill a Mockingbird and the 1962 film version. My purposeis to show that a good novel can be turned into a good movie bybeing faithful to the book’s plot, characters, setting, and theme.

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird tells many stories, and all ofthem are very interesting, but her novel has two major plots. Thefirst is how three children, Scout and Jem Finch and their friendDill Harris, try to find out about their strange neighbor BooRadley. The second plot is how Jem and Scout’s father, the lawyerAtticus Finch, defends in court a falsely accused black mannamed Tom Robinson. Although the movie leaves out many ofthe less important stories, such as the burning of Miss Maudie’shouse, it focuses clearly on the two major plots.

Harper Lee created very memorable characters in To Kill aMockingbird. Atticus Finch and his children, Dill, Boo Radley, TomRobinson, and the others stay in the reader’s memory. In the sameway, the actors who play these roles in the movie version createvery memorable performances.

The setting of Harper Lee’s novel, the small Alabama town ofMaycomb in the 1930s, is a very important part of the effect she creates in her book. The film version was not shot in Monroeville,Alabama, the town on which she based Maycomb. However, themovie set looks right for the place and the time in which the filmtakes place.

The theme of To Kill a Mockingbird is the importance of under-standing other people. In the novel, this theme is expressedthrough what the children learn about Boo Radley, Tom Robinson,and other people in Maycomb. Although it does not includemany of the stories in the novel, the film still makes a powerfulstatement about the importance of understanding someone.

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a very fine novel. The 1962 film version is a very good movie. Although different in somedetails, the movie faithfully follows the novel’s plot, characters, set-ting, and theme. Seeing the film version of To Kill a Mockingbird isnot the same experience as reading the novel, but it is still a verysatisfying experience. The movie is as good a film as the book is anovel. So read the book and see the movie.

Identifies the specific subjects to be comparedand contrasted

Presents the thesis statement

5. PUBLISH AND PRESENT