Monday

 Please make sure your personal narratives are turned in. 

Today we will be starting a novel: Where the Crawdads Sing 

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is a stunning blend of coming-of-age story, murder mystery, and a deep exploration of solitude set against the backdrop of the North Carolina marshes. The novel follows Kya Clark, known as the "Marsh Girl," who endures a life of abandonment, isolation, and resilience while forging her own path in nature. As she grows up, her story unfolds alongside a gripping murder investigation that leads the community to scrutinize her as a prime suspect. This rich narrative not only highlights themes of loneliness, love, and survival but also poses profound questions about human connection and the impact of environment on identity. Its compelling prose and emotional depth have resonated with readers, making it a bestseller that invites reflection and discussion. 

Objectives: At the end of the book students will be able to

1) Outline the plot according the six elements of plot. Give at least three events for the rising action and falling action.
2) Be able to discuss the importance of the following characters:
Kya Clark

Tate Walker

Chase Andrews

Jumpin’ James Henry

Mabel Henry

Jodie Clark

Ma and Pa Clark

Sheriff Ed Jackson

Tom Milton

3) Be able to explain and give at least three examples of scenes that fit the following themes:

Survival and Self-Reliance

Isolation and Abandonment

Prejudice and Social Exclusion

Coming of Age

Nature as a Substitute for Human Society

4) List two foreshadows
5) List four allusions and discuss why these allusions are important to the book
6) List the point of view
7) List the setting
8) Who is the dynamic character(s)
9) Discuss the meaning of the following images/symbols

 

The Marsh and the Swamp

The Fire Tower

The Shell and Feather Collection

The Necklace

10) List and explain four metaphors and/or similes. What is being compared? What is important about the comparison?

11) Discuss how the book is a bildungsroman novel.
12) Discuss the meaning of the following motifs

Poetry and “Amanda Hamilton”

Animal Behavior

Literacy, Reading, Books

The Sound of the Screen Door Slapping

Footprints

 

13) List some situational, dramatic, and cosmic ironies

14) Be able to answer some of the essential questions in a short respons.

15) Discuss the relationships in this novel

16) Discuss the dual timeline and the trial

17) Be able to answer various study questions as we read

18) Discuss the meaning of the title 

19) Keep a reading journal for every two chapters of the book

 

Essential Questions:

To what extent are human morals dictated by culture versus nature?

Is an action fundamentally wrong if it is done entirely for self-preservation?
How does our physical environment shape who we become?

How does a community construct an "outsider," and what purpose does that serving?

What does it mean to be "civilized"?

How does literacy change a person's trajectory and power in the world?

Does true justice exist within the human legal system?