Short Stories

Lesson 11
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ELA

Unit 6

9th Grade

Lesson 11 of 13

Objective


Explain how the author uses the story’s structure to convey theme.

Readings and Materials


  • Short Story: “Roselily” by Alice Walker 

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

Explain how the author uses the story’s structure, particularly the interspersed lines of wedding vows, to convey theme. Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

What to look for in student response:

She juxtaposes the marriage vows, which imply a happy occasion, with the tension present as Roselily prepares to marry a man who is essentially a stranger. This juxtaposition reveals the author’s message that our past and our experiences make us who we are, and that any attempt to discard our true identities will fail.

Key Questions


  • What is the author's purpose in including the story about the fourth child?
  • What does paragraph 9 reveal about the narrator's motivation for marrying this man?
  • "She presses her worried fingers into his palm. He is standing in front of her. In the crush of well-wishing people, he does not look back." What do we learn about her here? Him? Their marriage?
  • What is Roselily trying to escape by entering this marriage? What are her prospects for happiness? What specific diction does the author use to convey this tone?
  • What might be the author's message about identity? How do you know?

Notes


In order to write a response reflecting mastery, students need to understand the author's tone, the central conflict, and the theme of the story.

Next

Compare the authors' craft and the theme development of all three stories through discussion and writing.

Lesson 12
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Lesson Map

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