1. Write a Paragraph…
Describe what does Tim O’Brien (The Narrator) thinks of the Vietnam Conflict.
Remember every good paragraph contains:
An Hypothesis (Topic sentence) Be as exact as possible. “He doesn’t like it” is too vague.
Evidence in the form of a quotation.
What you must see or think or know about the evidence to understand the topic sentence is true.

2. What can we discover about the story through the Archetype?
Get back with your groups from the previous class.
Discuss the details for the Quest for “The River, the Bass and Sheila Mant…”
Let’s discuss Mentors. As a group discuss Elroy, is he a true or a false mentor.
After this go over them and the characteristics. Remind them that Questers need to know themselves and need to grow internally.

3. Themes in Literature 2 Theories
The theme in a Quest is most likely contained in the “Real Purpose of the Journey” the Self Discovery which only takes place when a person is put in unfamiliar surroundings.
According to this, what is the self discovery in “On the Rainy River?”
Theme is the central insight about life in a work of literature. A theme is not the same as the subject of topic of a work, which can usually be expressed in a word or phrase: ambition, alienation, regret. You should be able to state the theme of a story in a sentence or two that gives a generalization about life…
[However] most themes are implied—that is, a reader must determine the theme based on details given in the story…
(World Lit, 803)

4. Theme of “…Rainy River”
Discuss both the revelation and “O’Brian” has about himself at the end and the following passage and hypothesis as a table what the theme of the story might be. Don’t forget to discuss the actions of Elroy Berdahl in coming to your conclusions.
“The man who opened the door that day is the hero of my life. How do I say this without sounding sappy? Blurt it out—the man saved me. He offered exactly what I needed, without questions, without any words at all. He took me in. He was there at the critical time—a silent, watchful presence. Six days later, when it ended, I was unable to find a proper way to thank him, and I never have, and so, if nothing else, this story represents a small gesture of gratitude twenty years overdue” (Textbook, 1007).
I don’t believe his conclusions. Berdahl, let him see what it would be.