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My Top 3 |
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1. Irony: The difference between what appears to be and what truly is
2. Simile: A comparison of objects using ‘like’ or ‘as’
3. Metaphor: A comparison of one object with another and ascribing to the first object one or more attributes of the second
4. Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds
5. Foreshadowing: The presentation of material in a work in such a way that later events are prepared for
6. Conflict: The struggle that grows out of two opposing forces
External:
Civil War – p.28 conflict introduced by Wilse Grahm of Kaintuck – gives Southern perspective
Internal:
Bill Creighton – internal conflict – Bill leaves home to fight for the south – The day is comin’ when I’ve got to fight, and I won’t fight fer arrogance and big money angst the southern farmer. I won’t do it. p. 45
7. Plot: The story line
8. Point of View: The vantage point from which an author presents a story
9. Setting: The environment in which a story takes place
10. Theme: A central idea the author believes in and wants to get across to his readers
Rifles
Coming of Age – effect of outside events upon a child growing up – eg. Jeff discovers war is not what he expected at all.
At the beginning war is a lark, war is an adventure made for men, unafraid, unbelieving that others would not be excited about entering the battle, feels excitement, Disappointed that his company was not selected to enter the battle immediately with the skirmishers
After he experiences a real battle he feels… miserable, envious, shocked, sobered, bitter
Overcoming prejudices – discovering you can’t judge a book by its cover (Things aren’t what they seem – First Eternal Truth)
Eg. Jeff discovers that there are bushwhackers on both sides
Jeff discovers that not all Indians are bush Indians – the Washburns
Jeff discovers the southerners wading in the river at midnight are just like him.
Aprils
Coming of Age – effect of outside events upon a child growing up — Jethro
Futility of aggression - war
Fight against injustice
Mob mentality –
11. Hyperbole: An exaggeration to make a point
12. Characterization: The development of a fictitious character through a character’s actions, words, thoughts and feelings, appearance, another character’s words or thoughts about the character, and the author’s opinion of the character.
* Flat: A character constructed around a single idea or quality; a stereotypical
character
* Round: A character sufficiently complex to be able to surprise the reader
without losing credibility; a realistic character.
* Static: A character that most likely does not change during the story.
* Dynamic: A character who develops or changes as a result of the action of
the plot.
Rifles
Jefferson Davis Bussey is dynamic and round
Captn Clardy is static and flat
Aprils
Jethro Creighton is dynamic and round – Jethro starts off wanting the war and not understanding Lincoln’s hesitation to make up their minds about the war.
p. 18 Fer one thing I was wondern’ why Abe Lincoln can’t make up his mind about war. I wonder—is he like Pa? Is he so aginst hevin’ on people’s hands that he’s afeared to start a war?
Ellen stopped her work and stood for a moment without speaking, her rough brown hands resting on the handle of the hoe.
He’s like a man standin’ where two roads meet, Jeth, she said finally, and one road is as dark and fearsome as the other; there ain’t a choice between the two, and yet a choice had to be made. She shook her head. May the Lord help him, she whispered. May the Lord guide his hand.
13. Allusion: A figure of speech that makes brief reference to a historical or literary event, or object.
Rifles
Aprils
p.7 Once we git these planted and a soft rain comes, we’ll hev a crop to make people up north call us ‘Egypt’ fer sure. – Genesis story of Joseph’s 7 years of plenty
14. Personification: A figure that endows animals, ideas, abstractions, and inanimate objects with human form.
15. Negative Turn: When a turn for the worse happens to the protagonist in the plot’s story. (Used to bring suspense to the story)
16. Positive Turn: When turn for the better happens to the protagonist in the plot’s story line.
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Plot Line:
Exposition: Introduced to the Bussey family and discover the story is set during the Civil War
Inciting Incident: Bushwhackers attack the Bussey farm
Rising Action:
Jeff’s confrontations with Clardy
His meeting Lucy Washburn
Battle of Prairie Grove – gets a medal
His friend Jimmy Lear dies – Prays for him to meet Jesus
March to Van Buren – Jeff confronts Clardy for stomping rebel soldier
Jeff sees dying slave – dying man’s wish to see a Union soldier
Jeff helps Washburn ladies again – salts cow
Rescuing Lucy from Northern soldiers’ pestering
Rescuing Lee Washburn’s executed body
His becoming a scout
Falling into a rebel Watie unit while on scouting mission
Genres:
Propaganda p. 126 – Remember that the enemy you engage has no feeling of mercy or kindness toward you. His ranks are made up of Pin Indians, free Negroes, Southern Tories, Kansas Jayhawkers and hired Dutch cutthroats.
How-to – p. 133-134 — How to fire a musket
Know the Three Eternal truths.
1.Things and People are not what they seem.
2.There is a battle going on.
3.In the battle, you have a crucial role to play.
Know Communication statements.
1.Communication always has consequences.
2.Communication always has eternal consequences.
Know the Everything has a place and everything in its place saying
Know the You don’t know what you have until you lose it saying
Know the Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence saying
Know the Bible in a nutshell sentence.
God working in history to restore relationships with people like us.
Be prepared to rate this novel on a scale of one to ten – one being I couldn’t stand this book and ten being I would recommend this book to everyone! Be prepared to back up your rating.
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