THE THINGS THEY CARRIED
Tim O’Brien
            Our reading of The Things They Carried will serve as our culminating reading and AP review spring board. This text delves into many of the issues we have covered this year: American culture, values, writing style, and political traditions. O’Brien’s narrative chronicles a soldier’s experiences during the Vietnam War provides readers with an episodic, symbolic metanarrative. Enjoy this work for its poetic form, for its verisimilitude, and for its truth.
 
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
 
  1. How does this text embody and explore the major themes we have studied this year? 
  2. Where does O’Brien’s art rhetorically imply his political agenda?
 
READINGS
  • The Things They Carried                                            Tim O’Brien
 
ASSIGNMENTS
 


  • On Tuesday, 4/22, you should come to class with a copy of a passage that you feel implies a rhetorical message through its use of language.
  • Prepare a question with corresponding page number(s) for each of the focus areas. When possible, please reference a specific passage.
  • Quiz grade paideia on The Things They Carried on Thursday 4/24
  • Complete the “Test Your AP Savvy” handout. Due on 4/24.
 


 

TENATIVE SCHEDULE

 

Friday, April 11
  • Work on outlines
  • In-class reading
Homework:
Read The Things They Carried. Write a question for each of the focus areas listed on the back of this sheet. Continue work on “Test Your AP Savvy” sheet. Be sure to tag possible passages for close reading.
Tuesday, April 15  
  • In-class reading
Homework: 
“Test Your AP Savvy,” Focus questions, Tag passages for potential close reading
Thursday, April 17
  • “Regret to Inform You”
Homework:
Read The Things They Carried. Write a question for each of the focus areas listed on the back of this sheet. Continue work on “Test Your AP Savvy” sheet. Copy the passage you have chosen for focused reading. 
Tuesday, April 22
  • Revisit style analysis with isolated passage
    • Having a physical copy of your chosen passage is MANDATORY.
  • Multiple-choice work.
Homework:
Prepare for Paideia, Complete the at-home style analysis prompt and multiple-choice.
Thursday, April 24
  • Quiz Paideia
  • Review homework
Homework:
AP test prep, TBA

 
 
 

FOCUS AREAS

Create a discussion question for each of the following focus areas. Be sure that you are prepared to reference passages from the text during discussion. Discussion questions should focus on specific passages in the text when possible. Please reference the paideia grading rubric before the in-class discussion.
 

  1. O’Brien’s writing style
  2. Political discourse
  3. American attitudes, values, and culture
  4. Ambiguity—moral and epistemological
  5. Metafiction

 

GRADING GUIDELINES

An A performance will:
Support all generalizations with specific textual evidence. Synthesize the specific ideas in the ancillary readings with personal observations and evidence from the text. Present relevant, insightful, and “original” opinions. Respect other students’ opinions. Add to other students’ hypotheses with evidence from the text or packet. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the writings, the larger issues, by quoting texts or using specific textual references. Engage with other students by responding to previous comments. 
A B performance will:
Support generalizations with specific textual evidence. Synthesize the specific ideas in the ancillary readings with personal observations and the primary text. Present relevant and “original” opinions. Respect other students’ opinions. Add to other students’ hypotheses with evidence from the text. Have clearly read the novel and ancillary readings and seem to grasp the larger issues in the unit. May not be engaged with other students’ comments or may want to “back-track” some. The difference between an A and a B involves the amount of textual evidence and insightful commentary.
A C performance will:
Support generalizations with “moments” from the text. Attempt to incorporate the ancillary readings, but connections may be tenuous. Present relevant opinions. Respect other students’ opinions. Add to other students’ hypotheses with generalizations. Have clearly read the novel but may not be able to adequately connect the work to the larger issues in this course. May not be engaged with other students or may want to “free-style.” 
A D performance will:
Discuss the work generally. Make no attempt to incorporate the textual evidence. Present hackneyed opinions. Respect other students’ opinions. “Piggy-back” or “free-style” often during discussion. Overuse personal experience to compensate for a lack of understanding or preparation.

 


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