Books we have read
Ceremony By Silko: Ceremony is about a young World War 2 veteran Tayo. Tayo has lost almost everything. His brother/cousin has died from Malaria, his favorite uncle has died likely of overwork and dehydration. Tayo has lost most of his identity. He struggles to find who he is and his place in post-World War 2 America. Also Tayo struggles because he feels responsible for the drought that is happening to the Pueblo people. He struggles with Alcoholism and his lost friends. Eventually he goes to a healer who tells him that he has to create his own ceremony and forgive himself. Soon he meets Lazo and she teaches him about the old ways. And the world begins to be restored to order. In the end his he watches his friends destroy themselves and each other.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin: Pride and Prejudice is about four sisters in Victorian England. Jane the eldest meets her true love, Mr. Bingley at a Dance. They fall deeply in love. Eventually Mr. Darcy questions Jane’s love for Mr. Bingley and he breaks it off with her. Later Mr. Bingley and Jane reunite and get married. While all of this is going on Elizabeth the second child meets Mr. Darcy. She decides that he is rude because he refuses to dance with her or anyone else for that matter. Overtime Darcy and Elizabeth become closer and closer. At the end of the novel Darcy and Elizabeth get married. The third child Lydia lives with Mr. Wickham. In disgrace she runs off with him. It is a big disgrace for her to run off with him without being married. Soon Darcy pays Wickham off and he marries Lydia.
I think that if you are going to separate the books and plays you have to show a reason for doing so, such as comparing the aspects of a book to a play and how certain techniques are used differently and effect the work in different ways. I think the there is so much to Ceremony and Pride and Prejudice and so much to remember. You have summarize the stories well but make sure that you remember all the techniques and effects that went in to creating the story. Knowing those will go a long when when you have and open prompted in front of you.
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned before, I really don't find summaries on their own to be helpful in my preparation for the AP. And also as you yourself mentioned before in the essays synthesis, the AP board does not want us simply rewriting the entire story in the essay.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes these novels special? What themes and big ideas should we have picked up on? What are the things that will make us sound smart when we write an essay?
These are the things I wish you would have maybe picked up on.