Literary Elements Final Project

1. Setting Characters Conflict Theme Literary Elements Final Project Bobby Lehman, 5th grade, SES September 2012

2. Setting • At the beginning of Tiger Rising, the scene is described as dark and rainy. A lonely boy is waiting for the school bus. I got the feeling it was a small town, because he was standing on a dirt road in front of a meager motel, next to the woods he liked to wander in. I immediately felt sorry for this boy because of the vivid descriptions of him being alone. “He was way out in the woods, not really looking for anything. He was hoping he would get lost or eaten by a bear so he wouldn’t have to go to school ever again.” In ‘Spaghetti’, a short story we read during this unit, the setting is much the same. Gabriel is sitting on his front stoop waiting. Waiting for what? He wants some company. He is in front of a brick building that is crumbling at the corners, and is just waiting for someone to cheer him up. The similar settings in each of these stories makes me feel bad for the characters. I also envision both of them living in environments that are not ideal for them.

3. Picturing the Setting ‘Spaghetti’ setting Gabriel sat on the front stoop of the crumbled brick building. Tiger Rising Setting “It looked like it might rain. It had been raining every day for two weeks.”

4. Characters Both They are both angry and hurt • I noticed that even though they are different on the outside, Sistine and Rob have a lot in common. For example,…. Rob Sistine He avoids She fights Rob had a way of not thinking about things. He imagined himself as a suitcase…” Classwork: Insert quotes here “I hate the south, because the people in it are ignorant. I am not staying here in Lister; my father is coming to get me next week.” They have hope things will get better It had been 6 months since he and his father had moved from Jacksonville to Lister, and Rob had not cried once.” He caught sight of her pink dress. It looked all crumpled like a wadded up tissue. He saw her arms still going like mad.” “My dad is coming to get me, and I’ll get out of this stupid hick town.” He harbored a dim notion that the sign would bring him good luck.”

5. Conflict • I identified two major conflicts in Tiger Rising. • First, the battle between Rob and his Dad. I think that Dad blames Rob for the loss of his wife. How terrible, don’t you think? In chapter 2, it is described how Dad slaps Rob at the funeral for crying, so he has to keep all his feelings inside. Also, he is told to… • Second, Rob has a strong conflict within himself. He starts the book being tough, keeping all of his feelings and thoughts to himself in his invisible suitcase. As he learns to trust Sistine nad Willie May, though, he begins to release his feelings. It is at that point he becomes truly strong. He ….

6. Conflict In chapter 2, it is described how Dad slaps Rob at the funeral for crying, so he has to keep all his feelings inside. Also, in a flashback memory, Rob remembers his dad angry with him when his mom was teaching him to whittle. “ Don’t jiggle that bed. You’re mama’s in a lot of pain.” Rob vs. his dad: Because of dad’s actions, Rob feels responsible for his mom’s passing Rob vs. himself Classwork: What evidence and quotes can we add here?

7. Theme Speak your true feelings and you will be truly free. • The theme is important to the story because the reader can follow how Rob changes as the story goes on. Even though we don’t know if he becomes happy, you can assume he does because… Classwork: As a tribe, find evidence to support this theme. • Another book I noticed that same theme is….