The Giver - CQE

Jane Yolen, the narrator, shows the importance of a special memory when she describes it in vivid detail. The narrator and her father were about to enter the woods when she describes just how cold it was: “I could feel the cold, as if someone’s icy hand was palm-down on my back. And my nose and tops of my cheeks felt hot and cold” (10). This shows that the narrator remembered exactly how it felt on the walk. She uses sensory details describing the memory as if she can remember every moment and sensation.

TOPIC SENTENCE Your topic sentence will do one of the following: 1. Show what choice was made for people in the community sheet and why the community thought that was a good thing to do to create the “Utopia.” (Choice –) 2. Show that rules were created for this community to create sameness, and sometimes the rules were broken.(Rules sheet) 3. Keeping a certain memory from the community was either a positive or negative thing. (Memory)

Be clear and firm! Stay away from “I” statements. Come right out and state what you’re going to prove!

Jane Yolen shows the importance of a special memory by describing it in vivid details. I’m going to show you that Jane Yolen describes a vivid memory in her life. What is the difference between these two topic sentences?

Look at your tracking sheet. Read through each entry. Choose the ONE entry that you think best proves the point you will in your topic sentence. Go ahead…look now…I’ll wait…

Write your topic sentence. It should prove something beyond just a literal fact you can find in the book. It should prove something, without using I statements! Any volunteers to share?

Go back to the entry you created on your tracking sheet…the one you picked for your topic sentence… Read the quote you chose as your evidence. Is this the best quote to prove the point you made in your topic sentence? REMEMBER: a quote doesn’t have to be something a character said. Your quote can be narration. If so, write it on your organizer. If not, find a new one to put on your organizer. BE SURE TO INCLUDE THE PAGE NUMBER!

Time for the context! Assume the reader of this CQE paragraph has NOT read The Giver. Once you’ve picked out the BEST quote, go back to that part of the story and clearly state what’s going on in the story at that time. You need to keep this short and sweet! Use the kiss method: Keep it simple, sister!

EXPLANATION: Tip: Don’t simply restate your topic. That’s boring and insults the reader. Think of another way to say what you’re proving.

Take a look: Topic sentence: Jane Yolen, the narrator, shows the importance of a special memory when she describes it in vivid detail. Conclusion: This shows that the narrator remembered exactly how it felt on the walk. She uses sensory details describing the memory as if she can remember every moment and sensation.

When you actually write your paragraph, you will need to introduce the quote (create a transition) in some way so we know who was saying it. NO: I could feel the cold, as if someone’s icy hand was palm-down on my back. And my nose and tops of my cheeks felt hot and cold” (10) ). (Who is talking? There is no transition.) YES: The narrator and her father were about to enter the woods when she describes just how cold it was: “I could feel the cold, as if someone’s icy hand was palm-down on my back. And my nose and tops of my cheeks felt hot and cold” (10).