San Francisco Stories - 6th Period
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MONDAY 5/6 - Crown of Dust Test
Crown of Dust Test - 6th Period
Please find the instructions for this essay on the playlist for this unit - they are the last step.
MAKE SURE YOU ARE ONLY USING THE 6TH PERIOD TOPICS! Here, for your convenience, are both 6th period topics:
Topic #1
Identity is not only who we believe ourselves to be, but who others believe us to be. It is what we say, how we say it, what we don’t say, when and about what we keep silent, what we do, and what we fail to do. Mary Vollmer uses those criteria to build her characters in the novel.
How is identity discussed in the novel? Think about the major characters, what they reveal, and what they hide.
Part I - Characters
Topic #2
The style in this novel is challenging for most readers. Style is something that can either seriously enhance a novel or ruin the reader’s experience of the content. In this topic, you will be evaluating the effectiveness of the techniques used by the author in Crown of Dust.
Part I - Narrative Techniques
There are several reasons for how difficult the novel is to read. Here are a few:
Part II - Narrative Difference
How do those challenges express San Francisco culture and history? How do those challenges express the spirit of the Gold Rush?
How would the novel have been different had it been told in a more conventional way? For example, if it was told from one perspective? How about if it had been told in a more chronological way?
In your conclusion, evaluate the effectiveness of the novel as a whole. Is it worth teaching in a class about San Francisco stories? How is it effective at telling a compelling story about love in 1840’s California?
Crown of Dust Test - 6th Period
Please find the instructions for this essay on the playlist for this unit - they are the last step.
MAKE SURE YOU ARE ONLY USING THE 6TH PERIOD TOPICS! Here, for your convenience, are both 6th period topics:
Topic #1
Identity is not only who we believe ourselves to be, but who others believe us to be. It is what we say, how we say it, what we don’t say, when and about what we keep silent, what we do, and what we fail to do. Mary Vollmer uses those criteria to build her characters in the novel.
How is identity discussed in the novel? Think about the major characters, what they reveal, and what they hide.
Part I - Characters
- Alex - when is she Alexandra and when is she “just Alex”? Who does she know and trust in Motherlode? Why? How does her past inform her identity, both as Alex and Alexandra? What secrets does she have, which do she reveal, and what is the significance of those revelations?
- Emaline - she is both Mother and Whore - when does she fill each of those roles? Which is she more often? Does she ever break out of those stereotypes? When/how? Who does she want to be? Who was she in a past life? What do her relationships with the other members of Motherlode tell you about her true identity?
- David - who is he, really? What do you learn about his past? What do you learn about who he is (you really have to look at his actions here, rather than his words)?
- Choose one more character and talk about their identity.
- In the novel, what is the author communicating about identity? How is the theme of identity developed in the novel?
Topic #2
The style in this novel is challenging for most readers. Style is something that can either seriously enhance a novel or ruin the reader’s experience of the content. In this topic, you will be evaluating the effectiveness of the techniques used by the author in Crown of Dust.
Part I - Narrative Techniques
There are several reasons for how difficult the novel is to read. Here are a few:
- a non-linear and non-chronological story
- a third-person, omniscient narrator with a shifting perspective
- one of the main characters being referred to as “he” and “she”
- different voices with lots of dialect/regionality
- lots of characters
- [use another example that you’ve found on your own]
Part II - Narrative Difference
How do those challenges express San Francisco culture and history? How do those challenges express the spirit of the Gold Rush?
How would the novel have been different had it been told in a more conventional way? For example, if it was told from one perspective? How about if it had been told in a more chronological way?
In your conclusion, evaluate the effectiveness of the novel as a whole. Is it worth teaching in a class about San Francisco stories? How is it effective at telling a compelling story about love in 1840’s California?
Create your own Playlist on MentorMob!
Current chapter of crown of dust
This is the MentorMob Playlist for the first unit. It can be accessed by the shortened link bit.ly/tmisfs1 or by clicking through below. It has all the assignments you will need for this course. You can also access them through Google Drive at this link.
Curious about what is due and when? Click here to be taken to the course blog. You can search by the tags on the side of the blog, or by date.
Curious about what is due and when? Click here to be taken to the course blog. You can search by the tags on the side of the blog, or by date.
Create your own Playlist on MentorMob!
Completing Assignments in This Course
Below is the Google Document creation form for your class. Anytime you have an assignment, fill out the form with the correct Assignment Title and your name/email address. Once you have filled out the form, check your email for a link to the document. It may take a minute or two to show up in your email. Please don't submit the form more than once per assignment.
The name of your first assignment is "Personal Introduction Letter" and is due before class on Thursday, 10 January.
The name of your first assignment is "Personal Introduction Letter" and is due before class on Thursday, 10 January.
