Dreaming in Cuban

Lesson 8
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ELA

Unit 5

11th Grade

Lesson 8 of 31

Objective


Define “epistolary” and explain the author’s purpose for including Celia’s letters.

Identify tone in Celia’s letters.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Dreaming in Cuban by Christina Garcia  pp. 49 – 55 — "Celia's Letters: 1935-1940"

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Target Task


Question 1

Short response: Garcia has chosen to narrate the novel through several different lenses. Explain, using evidence, how her choice to include epistolary sections influences the reader’s understanding of Celia.

Question 2

Which of the following best describes Celia’s overall tone in her letters to Gustavo?

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Key Questions


  • Who is the “narrator” of this section?
  • Who is the recipient of these letters? Why is this significant to Celia’s characterization and her tone?
  • Annotate for each experience in Celia’s life that she shares with Gustavo.
  • Who is “Felicia” in these letters? What happened to her? 
  • How does Celia feel about having a baby? Why?

Notes


  • Today’s letters are the only first person we get from Celia. They are more poetic than other accounts and focus on her experiences and her emotions firsthand. 
  • Students must pick up the detail of the naming of Celia’s baby after Felicia in today’s reading.
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Lesson 7

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Lesson 9

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