• Are the characters convincing? Do they
come alive for you? How would you describe them — as sympathetic, likeable,
thoughtful, intelligent, innocent, naive, strong or weak? Something else?
• Do you identify with any characters? Are
you able to look at events in the book through their eyes — even if you don’t
like or approve of them?
• Are characters developed psychologically
and emotionally? Do you have access to their inner thoughts and motivations? Or
do you know them mostly through dialogue and action?
• Do any characters change or grow by the
end of the story? Do they come to view the world and their relationship to it
differently?
• Is the story plot-driven, moving briskly
from event to event? Or is it character-driven, moving more slowly, delving
into characters' inner-lives?
• What is the story’s central conflict—character
vs. character...vs. society...or vs. nature (external)? Or an emotional
struggle within the character (internal)? How does the conflict create tension?
• Is the plot chronological? Or does it
veer back and forth between past and present?
• Is the ending a surprise or
predictable? Does the end unfold naturally? Or is it forced, heavy handed,
or manipulative? Is the ending satisfying, or would you prefer a different
ending?
• Who tells the story—a character
(1st-person narrator)? Or an unidentified voice outside the story (3rd-person
narrator)? Does one person narrate—or are there shifting points of view?
• What does the narrator know? Is the
narrator privy to the inner-life of one or more of the characters...or none?
What does the narrator let you know?
• What about theme—the larger meanings
behind the work? What ideas does the author explore? What is he or
she trying to say?
• Symbols intensify meaning. Can you identify
any in the book—people, actions or objects that stand for something greater
than themselves?
· What
about irony—a different outcome, or reality, than expected. Irony mimics
real life: the opposite happens from what we desire or intend...unintended consequences.
· What
is distinctive about the author’s diction
(word choice)?
· What allusions give you insight into the
author’s culture/background?
In your Literature Circles,
you will be responsible for preparing information for each meeting according to
your role.
Discussion
Leader: Your job is to develop a list of questions you
think your group should discuss about the assigned section of the book. Use
your knowledge of levels of questions to create thought-provoking
literal, interpretive, and universal questions. Try to create questions that
encourage your group to consider many ideas. Help your group explore these
important ideas and share their reactions. You will be in charge of leading the
day’s discussion.
Diction
Detective: Your job is to carefully examine the diction
(word choice) in the assigned section. Search for words, phrases, and passages
that are especially descriptive, powerful, funny, thought-provoking,
surprising, or even confusing. List the words or phrases and explain why you
selected them. Then, write your thoughts about why the author might have
selected these words or phrases. What is the author trying to say? How does the
diction help the author achieve his or her purpose? What tone do the words
indicate?
Bridge
Builder: Your job is to build bridges between the
events of the book and other people, places, or events in school, the
community, or your own life. Look for connections between the text, yourself,
other texts, and the world. Also, make connections between what has happened
before and what might happen as the narrative continues. Look for the
characters’ internal and external conflicts and the ways that these conflicts
influence their actions.
Reporter: Your job is to identify and report on the key points of the
reading assignment. Make a list or write a summary that describes how the
writer develops the setting, plot, and characters in this section of the book.
Consider how characters interact, major events that occur, and shifts in the
setting or the mood that seem significant. Share your report at the beginning
of the group meeting to help your group focus on the key ideas presented in the
reading. Like that of a newspaper reporter, your report must be concise, yet
thorough.
Artist: Your job is to create an
illustration related to the reading. It can be a sketch, cartoon, diagram, flow
chart, or other depiction. You can choose to illustrate a scene, an idea, a
symbol, or a character. Show your illustration to the group without any
explanation. Ask each group member to respond, either by making a comment or
asking a question. After everyone has responded, you may explain your
illustration and answer any questions that have not been answered.
