Name of Strategy: Exploring Setting: Constructing Character, Point of View, Atmosphere, and Theme
Source:
Filkins, Scott. "Exploring Setting: Constructing Character, Point of View, Atmosphere, and Theme." ReadWriteThink. International Reading Association. Thinkfinity, n.d. Web. 16 Mar 2010.
Standards:
• Subject: English
Grade(s): 9 - 12
Standard: English I: Strands: Oral Language, Written Language, and Other Media/Technology: Competency Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of various literary genres, concepts, elements, and terms.: 5.01 Read and analyze various literary works by:: explaining and interpreting archetypal characters, themes, settings.
• Subject: English
Grade(s): 9 - 12
Standard: English I: Strands: Oral Language, Written Language, and Other Media/Technology: Competency Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of various literary genres, concepts, elements, and terms.: 5.01 Read and analyze various literary works by:: explaining how the writer creates character, setting, motif, theme, and other elements.
Explain:
Pre-reading: I will provide students with a copy of the lyric for “The Town Is Lit,” from Toni Morrison’s song cycle Honey and Rue. Next I will guide the students through a reading of the text, asking them to focus on details related to setting.
Then I will ask the students to describe the atmosphere each setting establishes. Students should notice that the song contrasts two different settings. Next I will ask students to predict what music reflecting those settings should sound like.
After that I will play the song for the class, and ask students to share their impressions. Ask students to describe the music they heard and evaluate how effectively did music conveys the settings and atmospheres the text describes.
During Reading: Read the first three paragraphs of Poe’s story “Cask of Amontillado,” and ask students to clarify the narrator’s persona and his attitudes toward Fortunato.
Beginning with the sentence “It was about dusk . . . , ” I will ask students to identify the details Poe gives readers about the first setting of the story. Ask students what kind of atmosphere these details suggest.
During the remaining class time and for homework, have students continue reading the story, stopping frequently to record their observations about the language of the text and its effect on characters and conflict. They should complete this activity as homework.
I also want to remind students that while they are focusing on setting—and study of setting in this story is valuable—they should read for other elements such as character, conflict, and theme as well.
Post Reading: I will ask students to sketch or draw the two settings for the story. Their drawings do not need to be perfect; they are simply to represent the two settings of visually. After they finish their sketches, ask students to justify their choices.
Facilitate a discussion of the story by guiding students to note how integral setting is to Montresor’s method of duping Fortunato; how setting contributes to atmosphere; and how the surprise shift in setting—the events in the story took place 50 years prior to the narrator sharing the tale in the story—contributes to characterization and theme.
Analysis: I want to use this when teaching elements of writing such as understanding of characters within a story, point of view, and atmosphere. Understanding these three elements can help students have a better understanding of what they have read. They can then use these elements to improve their writing skills. Figuring out who the audience is and what point of view you will be writing in are always important and necessary to consider. Incorporating music is a way of helping students relate to piece of writing. They can use music they enjoy and make arguments of why it can relate to the story. It promotes critical thinking while allowing students to incorporate things of interest to them.