Blog

This week, you will be introduced to Plot and Character and learn to analyze how writers use these elements to develop their stories. You will do this by reading “Gryphon” by Charles Baxter and “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin.
PLOT: Here is a video with a very basic explanation of PLOT. I am also including my own notes on Plot.
Once you have reviewed the above video and links, read James Baldwin’s ” Sonny’s Blues “; reading the background on Harlem Renaissance will also help with your understanding of what motivates Sonny and the narrator to behave the way they do. For additional background, review the details of this period on history.com and learn about the role of Jazz music in the Harlem Renaissance as well as in the story.
CHARACTER: Review the Character Reference Guide and Reading for Character notes. Then read Charles Baxter’s ” Gryphon ” (Link). s. (Also you may want to read his interview as a way to gain more insight into the meanings and themes in the story.)
Complete the following activities after you have done the assigned readings:
Reading Response Journal: post a response to ONE of the assigned stories from this week.
Critical Reading Questions: you have to have read the background on the Plot and Character (see links above) to answer these questions on the stories. To earn full credit, you are to include at least FOUR vocabulary words (two for each literary element) from the background reading on plot and character in your answe

rs). You can access the Vocabulary words links below.
The Critical Reading Questions are
Answer TWO Questions on “Sonny’s Blues” to submit to dropbox below; Include evidence from the text in your answer as well as TWO vocabulary words on plot.
The story does not follow a simple “timeline,” it jumps in time and place. Do you feel this to be effective? Why or why not?
Why does the narrator have a conflict or a strained relationship with Sonny?
What do we learn about the narrator and/or Sonny from the flashbacks in the story?
Answer TWO questions from “Gryphon”. You are to read the character reference guide. Include at least TWO vocabulary words or ideas on the character in your response
In Classical mythology, a gryphon (also spelled griffin) is a monster that has the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. Why is this story called “Gryphon”?
What is Miss Ferenczi’s character type? Explain your answer. (see reference guide above for character definitions)
Why does the narrator defend Miss Ferenczi, first in his argument with Carl Whiteside and later on the playground? What does his attitude toward Miss Ferenczi reveal about his character?
So we need 4 questions from the CRQ that is right above and You must include FOUR vocabulary words which I will link down below
There are two stories Plot and Gryphon I will attach both of them and some other pieces
The other page will be Reading Response Journal (RRJ) I will attach the RRJ GUIDELINES AS WELL