Making the Ordinary Extraordinary: Magical Realism in Latin American Literature

Observe and analyze paintings within the magical realism style.

Beach of Dangast with Flying Boat
American Gothic
Late Visitors to Pompeii
Self-Portrait...
Nighthawks
The Subway

Standards

RL.9-10.7SL.9-10.1SL.9-10.6

Analyze how the villagers' response to the drowned man reveals the symbolism of his character.

Collected Stories — "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World"

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4

Analyze how García Márquez uses characterization to convey a theme.

Collected Stories — "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings"

Standards

RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3

Analyze how characters and events develop Allende's theme about words/language.

The Stories of Eva Luna — Short Story: Two Words

Standards

RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3

Analyze how Cortázer uses diction and narrative perspective to establish an eerie mood.

“House Taken Over”

Standards

RL.9-10.4RL.9-10.5RL.9-10.6

Writing

Rewrite a scene from "House Taken Over" from the narrative point of view of Irene, maintaining characterization and mood.

“House Taken Over”

Standards

W.9-10.3

Analyze the effect the Book of Sand has on the narrator and the symbolism of his transformation.

“The Book of Sand”

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4RL.9-10.5

Analyze the diction and imagery Paz uses to describe the different stages of the narrator's relationship with the wave.

“My Life with the Wave”

Standards

L.9-10.5RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4

Analyze Bender's structural choices in "The Rememberer" and how those contribute to the meaning of the text.

“The Rememberer”

Standards

RL.9-10.5RL.9-10.6

Analyze how diction and narrative point of view reveals the central conflict within the story.

St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4RL.9-10.6

Analyze how the girls' experience at St. Lucy's serves as an allegory for assimilation.

St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves pp. 235–246

Standards

RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.4RL.9-10.5

Performance Task

Brainstorm ideas for a magical realism short story, and then plan out one idea fully using a graphic organizer.

Short stories from the unit
Narrative Writing: Magical Realism Short Story Rubric (G10, U4)

Performance Task

Draft a magical realism short story, focusing on opening the story in medias res and transitioning between scenes.

Narrative Writing: Magical Realism Short Story Rubric (G10, U4)

Standards

W.9-10.3W.9-10.3.aW.9-10.3.c

Performance Task

Revise your story draft to include imagery and dialogue.

Narrative Writing: Magical Realism Short Story Rubric (G10, U4)

Analyze the characterization of Santiago Nasar and the town as well as the structure of the opening chapter.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold pp. 1–24 — Chapter 1

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.5

Determine Gladwell's central ideas about memory in the podcast.

“Revisionist History: Free Brian Williams”
“Free Brian Williams”

Standards

RI.9-10.1RI.9-10.2SL.9-10.3

Analyze what the characterization of Bayardo, Angela, and the circumstances of their marriage reveal about honor in this society.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold pp. 25–47 — Chapter 2

Standards

RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3

Analyze how the Vicario brothers' actions and the community's response develop the ideas of honor and machismo.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold pp. 48–71 — Chapter 3

Standards

RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3

Analyze how the details and structure of Chapter 4 contribute to the theme of truth in the novel.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold pp. 72–95 — Chapter 4

Standards

RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.5

Analyze how the final chapter resolves conflicts in the novel and develops the theme of truth.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold pp. 96–120 — Chapter 5

Standards

RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.5

Socratic Seminar

Engage in a Socratic seminar considering the larger themes of guilt and blame in Chronicle of a Death Foretold, supporting arguments with strong textual evidence.