Structure in “Mother Tongue” and “Everyday Use” Teacher Note: students should have read “Mother Tongue,” in the Collections Close Reader before the start of this lesson, and have read Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”before the 2nd half of the lesson. Teachers may assign these as homework or classwork, depending on the needs of the class. This lesson may be split over two class periods, depending on student needs.

Objective: Students will analyze structure meaning to compare/contrast Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” and Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” For this lesson, you'll perform annotations of Amy Tan's essay "Mother Tongue," and Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," focusing on how the writers structure their texts, and how the structure develop their themes.   Standards: RL 2, RL 3, RL 5 RI 2, RI 5 W1, W2, W3

Warmup/Motivation: Choose 1 Motivation! Choose one of the following situations: Out with friends on a weekend; at a sports game; at home with your family; in class with your teacher and classmates; out with your significant other: write a short dialogue in which you develop a conversation or conflict. (Share with class or seatmate) Take a few minutes to rewrite your dialogue in a different scenario– how does the language (the type of English used) change depending on setting or audience? What are the possible benefits and consequences of using different “Englishes”?

P/review (preview/Review) You should have read “Mother Tongue” and “Everyday Use” already for today’s class. First, we’ll focus deeply on “Mother Tongue” before we turn to Alice Walker’s story. With a classmate, write thesis statement that makes a claim about TWO OR MORE themes in Tan’s essay, and identifies rhetorical strategies she uses to develop her theme. Watch the first 11:09 of “The Danger of A Single Story” (Or read the annotated transcript) What would Adichie say about various moments in Tan’s essay? What would she say in response to your overall theme statements? What are the two themes Adichie develops in her talk? **Suggested responses to two themes in Adichie: that it is dangerous or simplistic to think about a problem in just one way; that thinking about a problem is an exercise in power; that power can limit thinking in dangerous or destructive ways, etc. **Teacher Note: if refresher is needed for rhetorical strategies, teacher can remind students of ethos, logos, pathos; other strategies as needed.

Re-Read “Mother Tongue Re-Read “Mother Tongue.” As you read, annotate its structure and its style. As, or after, you read “Mother Tongue,” complete the analysis on “Rhetorical Mode and Structure: Exemplification” Need a refresher on structure? Here’s A brief review of structure. Other questions for structure: how much time does the story cover? How many different events are in it? How much time does Tan spend on each event? And in what order has she organized events? Do details and syntax slow, or speed, the pace of the narrative? You could use ReadWriteThink’s Timeline to order events chronologically, and compare that to Tan’s decisions in the essay. In Tan’s essay, pay attention to places where she shifts her purpose. You might consider using TPCASTT or some other strategy for analyzing style “Mother Tongue” Available in Collections Close Reader and in online Student E-book. Student E-book includes audio version In addition to development of examples, students might identify 4 larger rhetorical purposes which structure the text: Lines 1-49, Tan introduces variety of “Englishes,” Lines 50-112 illustrate her mother’s “broken” English and contrast with Tan calling it her “mother tongue;” lines 113-169 show possible consequences of growing up with a particular kind of English, and lines 170-end signal Tan’s growing acceptance of all the Englishes she knows. **Teacher should ensure students have answered some of the “Other Questions for Structure” on this slide, about pacing and organization.

Tracing Multiple THemes Take a moment to review and revise your theme statements from earlier in the lesson Use the resource sheet “Tracing Two or More Themes in a Text” to analyze how these two themes affect each other. Resource sheet includes graphic organizer and a short writing task. Teachers may choose to grade the writing task if they wish; however, it is intended as a way for the students to practice developing analytic writing about MULTIPLE themes in a text (which is new to the 11th grade standard).

Next, re-read and skim your notes for “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker As you read, annotate how Walker structures and paces the story. Some questions to consider include: how much time does the story cover? How many different events are in it? How much time does Walker spend on each event? And in what order has she organized events? Annotate Walker’s choices in diction, syntax, and figurative language as well. In groups, create a chart or document in which you compare and contrast the structural choices the writers make in the two texts and how those choices help reinforce theme. Consider Google Docs, Padlet, old- fashioned chart paper, or more. Students should be prepared to share their last step with the class as a way for teacher to assess learning.

Brief summary At the bottom of your charts, write a theme statement that would incorporate BOTH texts. Write a statement that explains both similarities and differences in the structures and styles of the two texts. How does this related to last lesson? How are these texts both about the American dream? Teacher notes: Themes– students should identify intergenerational tensions in the texts, competing visions of “being ______-American,” ambivalence about and between characters. Structures and styles: Both rely on storytelling, however, Tan’s is mostly non-linear and reliant on examples; Walker’s is very linear; Tan’s covers years while Walker’s covers just an evening.

Assessment Options Option #1 Option #2 Option #3 LITERARY ANALYSIS Write an analysis essay in which you compare and contrast the choices that Tan and Walker make in structuring their works, and in elements of style such as figurative language, word choice, and/or syntax. Be sure to explain how these choices reinforce a common theme across the texts. If you need help writing a compare-contrast essay: Here’s a resource to help organizing it. Annotate your essay by marking your structural choices and transitions that signal your structure; by marking how you introduce and embed quotations and evidence; and by marking where you comment on the development of theme. CREATIVE WRITING AND CREATIVE RE-WRITING Write a paragraph narrating an event or sequence of events in chronological order (Fiction or Nonfiction are both acceptable) Rewrite it using a non-chronological order, being sure to maintain clarity and meaning. Highlight or annotate the transitions and phrases you used to control time and meaning. Which one is more effective and interesting? Justify your answer. PRACTICE EXEMPLIFICATION Generate an argumentative topic of your choosing Write an argument in which you develop at least two sustained examples to prove your thesis. Be sure to use the techniques you studied in Tan’s essay, including the use of dialogue, details, and commentary. Annotate your own transitions and your structure choices

Check your “I Can” Statements. Which skills, reasoning targets, and knowledge, have you developed through this lesson? On a scale of 1-5 (one is best), how comfortable are you with those “I- can” statements?

For the Next Lesson Read and annotate“The Genesis of the Tenement” by Jacob Riis in Collections, pages 383- 388 (or use your online version of Collections).   As you read , highlight any narrative/ commentary details in green.   As you read, highlight any statistical information (measurable or numerical information) in yellow. Homework Example: The wretched pile harbored no less that forty families, and the annual rate of deaths to the population was officially stated to be 75 in 1,000.