Censorship, Truth & Happiness in Fahrenheit 451

Lesson 5
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ELA

Unit 7

10th Grade

Lesson 5 of 20

Objective


Identify the rhetorical situation in “I Am Very Real.” 

Analyze how Vonnegut appeals to ethos and uses tone and repetition to convey his message on censorship.

Readings and Materials


  • Letter: “I am Very Real” by Kurt Vonnegut 

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

How does Vonnegut appeal to ethos and use tone and repetition to convey his message on censorship?

Sample Response

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Key Thinking


Annotation Focus

Rereading #1: What is the rhetorical situation? In other words, what lines in the text reveal the rhetorical situation including the exigence, purpose, audience, and context?

Rereading #2: What lines in which Vonnegut appeals to ethos and uses repetition seem particularly interesting and noteworthy? What lines best reveal Vonnegut’s tone? 

Scaffolding Questions

Who is the intended audience of Vonnegut’s letter? How do you know? 

What does the word “exploit” mean as it is used in paragraph 4? What is the cumulative impact of this word choice on the meaning in this paragraph?

In the text, Vonnegut repeats the phrase “I am very real.” What is the function or effect of this repetition on the overall piece?

According to Vonnegut, what lesson does the burning of books teach? 

What do you think Vonnegut means when he says that he is a “real person”? Why does he work so hard to establish this point?

What is the main point Vonnegut is making in this letter? Do you agree with him? Or with the decision made by the principal? Or both/neither? Explain.

Discourse Questions

What is Vonnegut’s tone in this essay? Does Vonnegut’s tone match the rhetorical situation? Why or why not? 

According to Vonnegut, what does being American mean? Do you agree with his opinion? Why or why not?

Do you agree with Vonnegut when he says the burning of books is un–American? Why or why not?

Homework


  • Read and annotate Section 1 of Fahrenheit 451 by Lesson 8. 
    • Annotation Focus: What are your first impressions of the society that Montag lives in? In what ways is it similar to, but more extreme than, our society? 
  • Track evidence for this unit’s Free Response Question using a SAY, MATTER, MEAN chart.

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Standards


  • LO 1.2B — Explain how the rhetorical features of an argument contribute to its effect and meaning.
  • RI.9-10.6 — Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.

Supporting Standards

LO 1.2A
LO 1.4A
LO 2.3A
LO 5.1A
LO 5.1B
RI.9-10.1
RI.9-10.2
SL.9-10.1
W.9-10.2.a

Next

Formulate and share unique arguments about censorship and cancel culture. 

Support arguments with strong and thorough textual evidence in a Summative Socratic Seminar.

Lesson 6
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