Choice Two - Tracking Project
You will track one of the main motifs of the novel, keeping in mind that a motif is a recurring thematic element in an artistic or literary work. It denotes the recurrent presence of certain character types, objects, settings, or situations in diverse genres and periods of folklore and literature. Importantly, it is a recurrent device, phrase, pattern of imagery, or situation that deliberately connects a work with common patterns of existing thought.
You may
choose from (but are not limited to) the following motifs:
Conformity (vs. individualism)
Despair (vs. hope)
Manipulation
Compassion
Survival
Flight
Authority (and bureaucracy)
Heroism
Freedom
As you read the novel, pay special attention to the way your motif is developed. Jot down the sentences and page numbers where it is mentioned and write your ideas for the motifs meaning.
You will then make a Tracking Project about your motif. It should include:
A
thesis statement at the top a statement explaining the significance of
your motif. Your thesis statement will likely be a theme of the novel since a
theme--a controlling idea in a literary work--is often found as an abstract idea
that derives from the actions and dialogues of the characters, the use of
symbols and recurring images, and the manipulation of other literary devices.
Fifteen to twenty-five supporting passages from the story (your determination of the number of passages to present should be based on the length of the passages - i.e., many long passages: closer to the fifteen mark / many short passages: closer to the twenty-five mark) from the novel (with page numbers). These passages should cover the
range of the novel and should not be just from one section.
An
explanation accompanying each supporting passage which analyzes the
significance of each passage and its importance to the theme.
A
creative visual that is appropriate to your theme.
Please be prepared to present your project to the class, elaborating on the ways in which the passages support your thesis.