Mr. Sorensen’s British

Literature Book Review

My Guarantee• A sincere effort that contains all the elements of a good book review will help your grade point average.

My Guarantee• A less than serious effort or an effort

based on plagiarism will result in killing your Grade Point Average.

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TheChoice is Yours!

Rubric: Grade ACover Page: includes Student Name, Class Period, Title

of Review, and DateText Pages: 2 pages of reviewThesis Statement Paragraph: includes purpose of the

essay, Title of book, and Author name.Review Body: 1 quote from the book showing great

idea, basic plotline review, and discussion of the novel’s theme or message.

Concluding Paragraph: Summary and your opinion of the book

Mechanics: No more than 2 grammar or spelling errors.

The Cover

A Review: To Sir With LoveSamantha Lynn Cribb

Mr. Sorensen’s English 8th PeriodOctober 17, 2011

The Thesis Paragraph

• Needs to introduce review• Include Title and author

• Example “To Sir With Love” is a novel by E.R.

Braithwaite that has stood the test of time for inspiring literature. In this review let us explore together the plot and important themes of this classic black literature.

Is this a good Thesis Paragraph?

The book The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks tells a story of a family of five in which the sister is killed brutally and raped. Therefore it leads her oldest brother Cole to want to find the killer as soon as possible so he and his family can bury his sister and put her murder in the past. While doing so he goes through many highs and lows in which Ruben and Cole feel like they’re in a world of their own in finding their sister, in which it seems like the people and the town is trying to hide the facts of the murder.

Fixed Thesis Paragraph

• The book “The Road of the Dead” by Kevin Brooks tells a story of a family of five in which the sister is killed brutally and raped. In this review let us explore together the plot and important themes of this tale of murder and rape.

Is this a good Thesis Paragraph?

How would you feel if you be torn between two lives and didn’t know which one you wanted to live. Eliza is fifteen years of age, she lives with her parents who are very strict on her. On the other hand she has a friend named Jo, who likes to hang out, mostly with boys, and is known for being easy. So, read Double Vision by Diana Hendry to learn about Eliza Bishop and her through the crisis of her life and became mature.

Fixed Thesis Paragraph 2

• How would you feel if you be torn between two lives and didn’t know which one you wanted to live? In “Double Vision” by Diana Hendry the character Eliza Bishop must navigate the task of growing up. In this review let us explore the plot and themes faced by Eliza Bishop.

The Body

• Needs to include basic plot outline• Needs to include one quote along with

explanation of importance to plot or theme.• Needs to include discussion of novel’s

themes.

Example of Body

• Braithwaite’s novel is autobiographical and starts with him taking a bus full of bovine cleaning women to a poor part of London. He goes to Greenslade school to become a teacher to a predominately poor white classroom of 46 students. On his first visit he sees that the class is rude and out of control. However, after 18 months of no employment he is anxious to take the job.

In talking to Headmaster Florian he is told that Greenslade is a special school for students with little or no hope of escaping poverty. He is told the school practices disciplined freedom where there is no detention or corporal punishment. Braithwaite meets several teachers who care for their charges. Grace Dale-Evens is the Domestic Science teacher and she takes Braithwaite under her wing and shows him the ropes. Clinty is the art teacher and she also cares greatly for her students and offers her help. However, a male teacher named Weston is very shabby and actually hates both the kids and his job. Weston likes to make “cute” racist remarks towards Braithwaite who is a black man.

In Chapters 4 and 5 the novel goes into a flashback on Braithwaite’s experiences during World War Two where he was in the RAF and people treated him with respect. However, after the war things did not go well for him. Braithwaite was highly educated in electrical engineering and after the war many companies were in need of engineers. He found that the British were as racists as the Americans, but covered their racism with good manners and disingenuous smiles.

The Quote! During his first interview he realizes that they were not

going to hire him because of his skin color. The interview committee admitted he had the educational requirements, but thought his color would cause multiple problems. The author states, “I had just been brought face to face with something I had either forgotten or completely ignored for more than six exciting years – my black face.” In this quote the author shows his pain and frustration at seeing racism ugly effects invade his life. After reading pages of his thoughts and walking in his shoes it is not hard to feel his anger and outrage. In spite of this ugliness Braithwaite manages to keep his respect and his natural belief in the goodness of man. Just before he runs out of money a strange old man in the park suggests he tries for a teaching job. And so that is how he became a teacher at Greenslade.

Themes and Great Ideas

• There are many themes that the author explores. Foremost is the theme of racism and prejudice. Time and time again we see the pain and righteous anger that racist Britians create within the author by their polite prejudice. Later we see the same prejudice exhibited by his students.

• A second theme is what it takes to be a modern day hero. Braithwaite shows he is the stuff of heroes. He never sinks to the level of those who wrong him. He teaches his students to rise above their anger and immaturity and to enter the world of adulthood.

The Conclusion

• Needs to summarize the story.• Must include your recommendation.

• Example: I found that “To Sir With Love” helped me understand the

social problems of both Braithwaite the black teacher and those of his poor white students. The author does a wonderful job humanizing his life to where you are forced to recognize his love, maturity, and courage. While he never claims to be a hero it is a label he nevertheless earns. It taught me to look at teachers in an entirely new light. In the end it is a story of hope and humanity. I highly recommend this book to both young and old.

Rubric : F Grade

• No Review turned in• Review Plagiarized

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