Writing Situation:  You have just heard Edwards’ sermon for the first time.  Afterwards, you are given the opportunity to write a letter of response to the minister.

 

Directions:  Write a letter to Edwards regarding your thoughts/feelings toward his sermon.  Discuss at least 3 of the following questions.  How did his use of imagery affect the way you received his message? Do you think he was justified in delivering it the way that he did?  Is there anything wrong with what he wrote?  How do you think people will respond?  Is there something that he could have done differently to be more appealing to the audience?  Think about his use of persuasive techniques and whether or not they are effective.  Use quotations from the text to support your assertions.

 

Essay Prep for Letter to Jonathan Edwards

1. Brainstorm: Think about the Edwards’ sermon.  Jot down the first feelings that come to your mind (anger, fear, joy, etc.).  Jot down your overall impression (and why you have that impression) after reading it.

 

2. Find at least 3 examples of vivid imagery in Edwards’ sermon.  Write them down, noting the page number from the text.

 

3. Find at least 2 examples from the sermon that you completely agree or disagree with; write them down and note the page number.

 

4. Find at least 2 quotes by which others might be especially affected (look for lines that are powerful or overly negative, etc.).  Write them down and note the page numbers

 

5. Find at least 2 examples of Edwards’ use of persuasive technique (appeal to logic, appeal to emotion, appeal to ethics).

 

6. Jot down how Edwards might have delivered his sermon differently.  Think about how you would have delivered it and why.

 

7. Answer all the questions presented in the prompt; develop a working thesis

 

8. Develop a Works Cited page using the textbook and any other sources you plan to use.  See example at bottom of page.

 

In-Text Citation Example:

I disagree, Mr. Edwards, that God is a God whose “anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering” (“Sinners”, 154).

 

Works Cited:

 

Edwards, Jonathan. “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The Language of Literature. Evanston: McDougal Littell, 2003. 153-156. Print

The Standards:

 

ELACC11-12RI1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

 

ELACC11-12RI6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.

 

ELACC11-12W9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

1. Apply grades 11–12 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning [e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court Case majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., TheFederalist, presidential addresses]”).

 

 

 

Trickster Tales

• A folk tale about an animal or person who engages in trickery, magic, and sometimes violence.
• Native American trickster tales usually conveyed some kind of moral.
• Usually few characters (two – three) which are personified animals.
• The problem is characterized by repetitive actions (usually threes) that take place when a stronger character attempts to take advantage of a weaker character.
• In the solution of this type of story, the weaker character plays a trick. The solution is short and to the point.
• The story may teach a lesson.
• The story may explain why something occurs.

Origin Myths

—What is a myth? The word itself comes from the Greek “mythos” which originally meant “speech” or “discourse”

A myth is a traditional story that deals with goddesses, gods, heroes, and/or supernatural forces. A myth may explain a belief, a custom, or a force of nature.

—Essentials of a Creation Myth (S.E.E.D.S.)

—Show what is important to the tribe (corn, animals, rituals, etc.)- CULTURAL DETAILS!!!

—Explain the “creation” of things or the beginnings of rituals

—Explain who or what did the creating

—Describe what existed before the “creation”

—State the place and people of origin

WRITING ASSIGNMENT

—ELACC11-12W3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

—After reading a Native American creation myth, students will write their own mythical accounts of creation. They will use details from the regions in which they were born and from their ancestral heritage to create a story. Students should include the use of several narrative techniques, including dialogue and sensory details, to further the development of their stories.
They should address at least two of the following ideas:
*the creation of the universe (coming from something or from nothing)
*the existence of evils and death
*the creation of (wo)men and their companions
*the relationship between man and his/her creator
* the life cycle

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Click here to listen.

Click here for a link to the short story “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” by Nathanial Hawthorne.

 

Read the short story “The Devil and Tom Walker”, then complete the packet.