Prose Analysis: Birthday Party by Katherine Brush | AP English Literature 2017-2018

Objectives: Students will be able to analyze the author’s purpose and express their understanding in a complex thesis based on a short story “Birthday Party” by Katherine Brush through examining how she uses literary devices to portray the character.

Key Ideas and Details:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2
Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.7
Analyze multiple interpretations of a story,

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2
Write explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

Differentiation: Extra support for vocabulary and literary analysis handout, multiple access points to the text, student grouping by skills, performances, and learning styles as reflected in the assessment data , graphic organizer, template, repetition, and scaffolded instruction

Text: short story Birthday Party

Materials: chart paper, markers, copies of the short story Birthday Party

Resources: lesson tool, rubric, the Method handout, Prose Analysis handout, AP CollegeBoard website

( 2 minutes) Do Now: Turn and talk to review the meaning of author’s purpose” . Consider the vital verbs we can use to describe the purpose.

[The author’s purpose is the reason he or she chose certain materials, describe characters in certain ways, choice of words, use of particular point of view etc. it’s the why behind the writing. Some verbs that may illustrate an author’s purpose include: Compare and Contrast, Criticize, Describe/Illustrate, Explain, Identify/List: Author wanted to tell the reader about an idea or series of ideas, Intensify or Suggest.]

( 6 minutes) Mini Lesson

Today we’ll analyze the author’s purpose in the short story ” Birthday Party” by examining the author’s use of tone, point of view, diction, sensory details and structure.

First, for me to know the author’s purpose, I’ll need to read and annotate the entire passage. I’ll also need to pay specific attention to her use of diction, point of view and sensory details.

During the reading process, I’ll identify 2-3 quotations that help me understand the author’s purpose. I’ll then examine either diction, or imagery, anonymity of the characters( use of pronouns not proper names) , syntax ,point of view, symbolism and irony used in each quotation and how the specific literary device helps reveal the author’s purpose.

For my annotation, I’ll use the Method of reading, looking for details that are repeated, contradictory or seemingly unfit in the context.

The description of the husband with ” a round, self-satisfied face” tells me the author wants the reader to regard the husband as a conceited and selfish man. As we read on, we realize the couple are in the restaurant because the wife has planned a surprise for her husband’s birthday( context). But the husband is very mad at the wife’s plan as “he was hotly embarrassed, and indignant at his wife for embarrassing him.” The word “hotly” and ” indignant” suggest the husband is not only embarrassed but extremely upset and may have even lost his temper at his wife, which makes the reader wonder why. Based on the negative diction used to describe the husband, the reader gains a sense the husband is insensitive and self-absorbed and even emotionally abusive to his wife. Brush seems to criticize men who take women for granted and treat them as if they had not emotions or could not fight back, which suggests men’s patriarchal attitude in the male-dominant 1940s America.

( 2 minutes) Guided Practice: Now I would like you select 1-2 quotations individually that demonstrate a specific author’s purpose and copy them down on a post-it. Use the method for your to gather details that may reveal the author’s deeper purpose:

( 17 minutes)Student Independent Practice

( 5 minutes)Once you have written done the quotations, on a post-it, pass your quotation clockwise to your table partner. When you receive your partner’s passage, read the quotation and explain in writing why your peer has chosen this quotation and make a quotation-specific claim.
( 5 minutes) Once you are done with writing the explanation, pass it to the next person at the table. Do the same.
Now pass it back to the original owner of the quotation.
( 3 minutes) Once you have received your quotation and responses back, take 1 minute each to share out your claims and why this passage helps you understand the author’s purpose. You may also like to comment on the responses received. Be sure to have a timer.
( 5 minutes) As a group,develop 2-3 claims and post them on the chart paper. Make sure your claims are based on the evidence you have discussed.
( 5 minutes) Synthesize the claims to form a complex thesis statement revealing the author’s purpose.( 5 minutes) using the lesson tool below provided by the teacher.

Guidelines and teacher model: How to Create an original and complex thesis statement through synthesizing smaller claims?

[Here are the possible claims students may generate based on the textual evidence they have analyzed and discussed in their groups-

The negative diction describes the husband to be crude, insensitive and more controlling
The empathetic diction portrays the wife to be caring ,submissive and voiceless
The only colorful imagery of the wife’s hat implies that the couple live such a mundane marital life and everything seems to be part a routine excerpt for the “gay hat” that is later used to conceal sadness;
The shift in point of view from 3rd person omniscient to the 2nd point of view shows the narrator’s emotional involvement , her sympathy for the wife;
The abrupt and fragmented syntax in a run on sentence in the last paragraph reveals the disconnection between the couple.

How do we combine the claims and make a thesis statement using a complex sentence?

Here is an example:

Through the use of empathetic diction, colorful imagery and shift in point of view, Bruch portrays a pitiful and grotesque marriage in 1950 America, thus criticizing the disconnection, inequality and cruelty exhibited in human relations in a patriarchal society and empathizing with those, in this case women, who are voiceless and powerless.

Using the sentence template:

Through the use of __________________________( specific literary devices), the author portrays__________________________________________( framing the story), thus revealing/ criticizing/upholding/condemning___________________________( the purpose).

( 2 minutes) Use the rubric to evaluate your thesis.

( 10 minutes) (Check for understanding: Gallery Walk-Peer and teacher review and evaluate the the thesis using the rubric and write comments on post-its.

( 3 minutes) Exit Slip: Revise the group’s thesis statement and hand it in.( 2 minutes)

Rubric for thesis statement:

Criteria/Scores	A	B	C-D	F
Originality	Insightful, original perspective	some originality	Cliche	Making no claim
Complexity	Seeing beyond the text and demonstrating complex understanding of the implied issue	Seeing between the text and demonstrating overall understanding of the implied issue	Remaining on the surface of the text and demonstrating a partial understanding of understanding of the implied issue	Demonstrating little understanding of the text
Literary Techniques	Use of three literary techniques and connecting them to the assertion	Use of 1-2 techniques and connecting them to the assertion	Use of 1-2 techniques and connecting them superficially to the assertion	Use of no literary technique or making no connection to the assertion
Language	Complex and abstract	Appropriate	relevant	literal
Grammar	Error free	Few errors	Some errors	incomprehensible

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Homework: Write an essay in which you show how Brush uses literary devices to achieve her purpose. ( View rubric provided by College Board page 4 and examples of the responses.

For each body paragraph you will:

Make a claim: State what purpose the technique serves( so what), i.e. Bush uses abrupt and fragmented syntax to create a sad but tense mood contrary to the occasion, a birthday party.
Provide two examples of a specific literary technique to illustrate the claim you have made. Explain why(analyze the evidence you have collected). Use direct quotations. Quote the entire line before zooming in for a specific word or phrase analysis.
Answer ” so what”.

Lesson Tools

Use the method for your to gather details that may reveal the author’s deeper purpose: ( 5 minutes)

The method -From the details you have gathered,

What repeats? diction, syntax or a symbol? Is it a particular imagery, idea or feeling? So what?
What goes with what ( strands) or what connections do you see among the details? So what?
What is opposed to what (binaries)? Point of view? SO WHAT?
What doesn’t fit? -> SO What?

Guidelines and teacher model: How to Create an original and complex thesis statement through synthesizing individual claims?

Here are some of the claims you may have developed generate based on the textual evidence you have analyzed and discussed in your group:

The negative diction describes the husband to be crude, insensitive and more controlling
The empathetic diction portrays the wife to be caring, submissive and voiceless
The only colorful imagery of the wife’s hat implies that the couple live such a mundane marital life and everything seems to be part a routine excerpt for the ”gay hat” that is later used to conceal sadness;
The shift in point of view from 3rd person omniscient to the 2nd point of view shows the narrator’s emotional involvement, her sympathy for the wife;
The abrupt and fragmented syntax in a run on sentence in the last paragraph reveals the disconnection between the couple.

How do we combine the claims and make a thesis statement using a complex sentence?

Here is an example:

Using the sentence template:

___________________________________________

Part II

Objectives: Students will be able to write an analysis of the short story “Birthday Party” and evaluate their own writing by using the College Board AP Rubric.

Agenda

Finish the 2nd round Socratic Seminar ( 10 minutes)
Complete the self evaluation and reflection( 7 minutes)
Complete the thesis statement ( 5 minutes)
Evaluate the thesis using the rubric ( 2 minutes)
Gallery Walk: Comment on 2 or two thesis statements and copy i that you like the best ( 10 minutes)
Write an analytical essay in 45 minutes.
Use the Prose Analysis rubric to evaluate your essay ( 5 minutes)
Hand in your Socratic Seminar Packet and Essay with rubric