Fri. Nov. 8 The Painted Door

Today, I discussed Themes with you as well as Canadian themes (you recieved a handout. If you were not here, this is in your portfolio). I also gave you a handout on active reading (also in your portfolio). I then introduced the short story "The Painted Door" by Sinclair Ross.If you were not here on Friday and want to stay caught up, you can find this story by doing a good search (type "The Painted Door short story" into Google and click on the first or second PDF. Print it out and actively read it).

I have pasted an abridged version of active reading skills below that you are to use when reading this short story (agian, it is in your portfolio... this is here for those who are absent but want to be prepared for Tuesday).

Active Reading Steps

Any time you are given something to read that you are able to mark up, you need to. Let the tree die for a cause.
The steps below are to be used for all reading activities (you will have to tweak them if you are actively reading something that you can't mark up; instead of marking the book, you will have to jot the information on a separate sheet of paper).
These WILL work you your independent novel study.

1. Analyze the title (jot down one or two words beside it: this is a "before" reading activity.
2. Ub tge exposition, highlight the five Wa (who, what, where, when, why, how) as well as other details that seem relevant to understanding the story.
3. Paraphrase each paragraph or sequence of dialogue in one or two words (on the side of the paragraph if you can mark up the page; on a sheet of paper if it is a text you can't mark up).
4. Highlight (or write down) unknown words. Define them in your own words once you have looked them up.
5. Highlight literary terms (or write down); define the type of device used and then, if relevant, explain the literal meanining.
6. Once read, jot down all the possible topics/subjects of the text.
7. Once read, determine the theme of the story.
8. Once read, write down a three sentence overview of the story: In the (text type) (text title) by (author's name), we are introduced to (main character(s)) who (state what their struggle is).  Follow this one sentence up with two more that explain what happens at the beginning, middle and end - again, make it relevant.
9. Create five relevant questions that were n ot answered in the text but are important to understanding the story or the situation. The answers are not to be simple "yes/no" ones and the questions should be plausible.