Unit 10B: Analyzing Literary Texts Portfolio Guidelines & Rubric
Due in the Lesson 6 Dropbox on March 21st
Directions: For this portfolio, you will be analyzing 2 stories: “The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed” & “Don’t Count Your Chickens”. The first is a folktale, & the second is written in the style of a folktale. Your analysis should focus on the following essay prompt: What life lesson or important values do you think the younger brothers in the two stories help readers understand?
Portfolio Requirements:
Your essay must be at least 3 paragraphs.
Read the stories & choose a life lesson OR important value that you feel the readers should learn based on the younger brothers in BOTH stories. Find evidence in BOTH stories to support your thesis.
Answer the question, “How are the younger boys DIFFERENT from the older brothers in BOTH stories?” and find evidence from BOTH stories to support your answer.
Find TWO examples of how the authors’ use of plot events, language, and literary devices give BOTH stories meaning & show what the authors want the readers to learn (Author’s Message). Here is a link to a list of Literary Devices to help you determine what was used in the stories.
Your analysis must be submitted in MLA format & include a Works Cited Page for the 2 stories.
You must submit your analysis to the Paper Review Center & provide their feedback along with your updated analysis (showing that you utilized their feedback) in the dropbox. Click here to watch a video on how to submit to the Paper Review Center. Click here to read how to download their feedback.
You will be graded using the rubric on the next page (also linked here)
Resources to help you plan & draft your literary analysis:
“The Swallow and the Pumpkinseed” link- this story is also linked in the Connexus lessons
“Don’t Count Your Chickens” link- this story is also linked in the Connexus lessons
3 Paragraph Essay- This explains what should go in each of your 3 paragraphs for this essay.
Literary Analysis Outline- This walks you through organizing your essay & includes tips for introducing quotes/evidence
Example - This example is in MLA format & shows you what should go in each paragraph
What to include in the 3 Paragraphs of your Literary Analysis
Paragraph 1: Write an introductory paragraph that identifies the titles of BOTH texts and the names of the main characters. Tell what life lessons or important values the younger brothers in the two stories help the readers understand.
Paragraph 2: Explain how the qualities or values of the younger brothers in the stories are different from those of their older brothers. Use details from the stories to contrast the character traits and points of view of the younger brothers with those of their older brothers. You MUST cite details and examples from BOTH stories (text evidence) to support your ideas in this paragraph.
Paragraph 3: Explain what you think the authors want readers to learn from the younger brothers in the stories. Tell how the plot events and the authors’ use of literary devices help to support your ideas. End your paragraph with a sentence that restates the lesson or values that the characters in the stories convey to readers.
now do the portfilio for me chop chop lil bot