“The Censors” - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

“The Censors”

Luisa ValenzuelaSlide2

HookSlide3

Journal Writing

What does it mean if something is censored?What is the purpose of censoring?

Do you think that censoring is an acceptable practice? Why or why not?

Have you ever been censored? If so, where, when, and about what?Slide4

Activity

What is censorship? What types of things get censored?http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxFIzGvoUCI

Do you think that some people or things are censored more than others? Why?

http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQpZp8Vn1tw

Do you think that censorship is overused?

http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLsyzRKs8bw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwQLyTdEGpc

Slide5

Irony

Irony: an outcome of events contrary to what was, or might have been, expected.

In other words, the opposite of what you expected or intended occurs.

For example, the government decided to put "Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics" labels on music albums to prevent impressionable children from buying certain

music (this is an example of censorship by the way).

The result was that children became more inclined to buy the black labeled albums because of it.

The opposite of what was intended occurred.

That is irony

.Slide6

Review

Situational Ironyhttp://

ed.ted.com/lessons/situational-irony-the-opposite-of-what-you-think-christopher-warner

Dramatic Irony

http://

ed.ted.com/lessons/in-on-a-secret-that-s-dramatic-irony-christopher-warner

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Tone

Tone: the speaker's, narrator's, or author’s

attitude towards the

subject in the piece of literature

In other words, how does the author, speaker, or narrator feel about the subject at hand?

Formal

Informal

Condescending

SarcasticPlayfulSeriousIronic Slide8

Tone Activity

What was the tone of “Tuesday Siesta?” Work with a partner to explore the text and determine what Marquez’s tone was towards the subject matter. Use your “Tone Word” handout to choose a word, and then in a well-written paragraph, defend your choice.Slide9

Biography

Born in Buenos Aires

Writer

in Residence at Columbia and New York

UniversitiesReceived

a Guggenheim scholarship and was a

Fulbright Fellow

P

ublished six novels and eight short story collections, which have been translated into various languages -- all into EnglishShe is studied in universities in the United States, England and AustraliaSlide10

Reading

Listen as I read “The Censors” to you

Identify the tone of the story

Identify any irony found in the story

Please annotate and mark important passages as I read.Slide11

Summary

The story centers on a young man named Juan, who takes a job with the government censorship office in order to intercept a letter he’d mailed to his friend, Mariana. Mariana had fled the country for Paris, and Juan knows that his letter may jeopardize her safety and his own. The plot turns ironic when Juan becomes so obsessed with his job that he ends up censoring his own letter, thereby incriminating himself and causing his own destruction.Slide12

Discussion & Questions

Working with your seat partner, respond to the questions on this and the following slides

What kind of environment does Juan live in? Specifically, what textual references can you quote that convey the sense of that environment?

Do you think that Juan’s concerns about Mariana are justified, or do you think Juan is being paranoid? Explain!

Explain why Juan applies for a job as a censor.

Explain why the Post Office’s Censorship Division accepts Juan as a candidate, despite the fact that they suspect ulterior motives.Slide13

Discussion and Questions

Describe the changes in behavior that Juan incurs after he starts his new job.

Explain the irony regarding Juan’s sharpened instincts for subversive messages in letters.

Juan’s obsession with being the “perfect censor” reaches ridiculous and exaggerated proportions. Analyze how the writer’s use of exaggeration suggests her purpose in writing this story.Slide14

Questions and Discussion

How is the line “he censored it without regret” an example of situational irony?

Explain what the writer means by referring to Juan as “one more victim of his devotion to his work”. What theme is suggested by this final phrase?

Write a thesis statement expressing the story’s theme and using three examples from the story to support your position. Start your thesis statement with:

Louisa Valenzuela’s “The Censors” explores… Slide15

Review: Define EACH term

PlotConflictTheme

Thesis

Characterization

Tone Satire Irony

Situational Irony

Dramatic IronySlide16

Conflict

An inherent incompatibility between the objectives of two or more characters or forces

Effect – creates tension and interest by adding doubt to the outcome

Literature is not limited to a single conflict

Types:

Internal

ExternalSlide17

Internal Conflict

Occurs within the character’s own mind

Types:

Man against Self – a struggle within the mind of the character

Character can be faced with choices, paths, his/her own nature, urges, etc. (Gollum/Smeagle

and Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde)Slide18

External Conflict

Occurs between a character and external forces

Types:

Man

against Man – characters are against each other, either in direct opposition or more subtly, such as a shared love interest (Mean Girls)

Man against Society – man stands against a man-made institution (government, slavery, etc.) (Total Recall)

Man against Nature – positions a character against an animal or a force of nature (The Grey)Slide19

Characterization

The way in which an author chooses to reveal a character to his/her reader/audience

Direct characterization – the author directly tells you

Indirect characterization – the reader must infer what type of person the character is based on clues within the story

Types of characters:

Protagonist – main character

Antagonist – anything/one who opposes the

protagonist

Flat character – not well-developedRound character – well-developedStatic character – stays the sameDynamic character – changes throughout the course of the storySlide20

Activity

You will be working in groups to analyze elements from the story we just read.

Each group will focus on a different element. These include: characters, conflict, humor, plot, and theme.

Each group will be given a handout to complete as you analyze your literary element.

You must cite examples from the story to support your assertions.Slide21

Activity

After each group has had about 30 minutes of group discussion time, each group will make a

presentation

of its findings to the class, while other students evaluate the presentations

.You will be graded on your group participation, your presentation, and your participation in the evaluation process.Slide22

Groups 1st

Block

Characters:

Conflict

:Plot:

Theme

:

Humor/Irony:Slide23

Groups 3rd

Block

Conflict

:

Nique

Characters: Joseph

Plot: Seth

Humor/Irony:

Ja’cquezTheme: GregorySlide24

Groups 4th

Block

Conflict

:

Demonte

, Jacob D, Chase, Victoria

Characters:

Jacob H.B., Christian,

Sabera, Dominick, Emmanuel G. Plot: Dante, Sam, Ty’Rell, Dominique, KelbiHumor/Irony:

Hayley, Simeon, Edrik, Morice, JourdanTheme: Aalyiah, Briana, Michael, Jared, Emmanuel M.Slide25

Presentations

As a group, come to the front and present your finding.Your presentation doesn’t need to be elaborate, but it does need to be thorough. Each member should contribute something.

Those of you in the audience should complete the evaluation form. Do not talk during another group’s presentation.Slide26

Exit Card

What does irony mean?Give an example of irony.

How does Valenzuela incorporate dark humor into her story “The Censors”?

Give

your exit card to me as you leave class.