UNIT 2

LENGUA IV
WRITING
FOR
LITERATURE

PROF:
AMANDA
ELLEN
GERKE

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because, without courage, you can’t
practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing
consistently without courage.”
-Maya Angelou

“At one and the same time, therefore, society is everything and society is nothing. Society is
the most powerful concoction in the world and society has no existence whatsoever.”
-Virginia Woolf

Department of English Studies: Faculty of Philology

 Essay Writing: The Body Paragraphs

1. Body Paragraphs and Outlines

Once we have created our thesis statement: claim, reason, evidence, we develop our body
paragraphs in the order in which we have presented them. The body paragraphs should
contain mini-claims and should be able to stand alone in their structure and in what they
address according the point of departure that the thesis statement has presented.

In order to practice this, we are going to look at another short story, “The Giant Wisteria” by
Charlotte Perkins Gilman. We will also look more in depth at dissecting and analysing short
stories in order to find more concrete ways in which we may present claims and stand within
a position.

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 Literary Analysis: The Short Story

1. When analyzing a short story, we generally consider the following aspects:

a) Plot: The events and thoughts that make up the general structure of the story:
introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, ending.
b) Setting: refers to the location of a story or novel in terms of place, time, social
environment, and physical environment.
c) Characters: the people (or animals, other) in a story. The term characterization
refers to people's outward appearance and behaviour and also their inner emotional,
intellectual, and moral qualities.
d) Point of view: the perspective from which a story is told. The author creates a
narrator to tell the story. It is through the narrator's perspective (through the
narrator's eyes and mind) that readers learn what is happening in a story.
e) Imagery refers to the collection of images in a work of fiction: the mental pictures
created by the author's words. Writers use concrete images to go beyond physical
description in order to express feelings and states of mind. Most images are created
through words that appeal to the reader's five senses.
f) Symbolism: A symbol is something that represents something else. It is an image of
an event or a physical object (a thing, person, or place) that is used to represent
something nonphysical such as an idea, a value, or an emotion. Authors use symbols
to suggest meaning. A heart, for example, symbolises love. One symbol may suggest
more than one meaning.
g) Figurative language can be a word or a phrase that that changes the usual meanings
of the words in order to compare, emphasize, clarify or add a new or fresh spin.
When you describe something by comparing it to something else, you’re usually
using figurative language! Here are some common types of figurative language:
Metaphor, simile, Hyperbole, Personification, Onomatopoeia
h) Tone refers to the author's attitude or position toward the action, characters,
narrator, subject, and even readers of the story. To determine the tone of a story, the
reader must examine the language the author uses and decide what effect the
author's choice of words has.
i) Irony refers to the unexpected difference or lack of agreement between appearance
and truth or between expectation and reality. Irony is apparent when an author uses
language to create a deliberate contrast between appearance (what seems to be
true) and truth (what is true), or between expectation (what was hoped for) and
reality (what actually happens). Often readers know or understand something that a
character in a story does not.
j) Theme: a truth that a story reveals. A theme is rarely directly stated by the author.
Instead, the reader must discover the theme by questioning and examining the
meaning from details in the story. Usually themes deal with general areas of human
experience, for example: the nature of humanity or society, the relationship of
human beings to the environment, or the question of moral responsibility.

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 The Giant Wisteria by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

A) Watch and Read “The Giant Wisteria” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (Also available on
Studium): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzvNUCNSZkI

B) Briefly answer the following questions about the following areas of the short story

1. Briefly describe or summarize of the plot of the story: What is the story about? What
are the main events in the story, and how are they related to each other? Are the main
events of the story arranged chronologically, or are they arranged in another way?
2. What is the place, time and social environment of the story or sub-timelines? How are
these significant for each other?
3. Who are the characters of the story and how do their stories intertwine? Who are the
protagonists, who are the antagonists and what are the differences in the way in which
they approach life, society and belief systems?
4. What kind of imagery is used in the story? What are the elements that are present
throughout both timelines? Would you consider the Wisteria vine a character or a
symbol? What does the vine symbolize or represent?
5. Is there any figurative language, or foreshadowing either through spoken or
visualization?
6. How would you describe the tone of the story(ies)? What do you think the author is
trying to communicate in her writing?
7. What light is thrown on the story by its title, if any? Did you enjoy the story? Why or
why not? Which characters do you identify with and why?

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 SOCIAL CONNECTION: The Feminine Spirituality

A) Pre-task: In groups, discuss the following questions before watching a video:

1. What role does religion play on gender and sexuality? What would you say are “men’s
roles and duties, and are women’s roles and duties in the various spaces we occupy?
2. Do you think these have changed at all over the years? In which ways? What are the
ways in which gender norms, roles, and stereotypes are changing?

B) Video: Watch the vide: “Beliefs in Society: Feminism and Religion” and answer the
questions that follow: https://www.tutor2u.net/sociology/reference/sociology-
feminist-views-on-the-role-of-religions

1. What was the reason that the speaker gave for the higher level of participation in
religion in women compared to men? Do you think this is a fair assessment?
2. The video has stated that many World Religions reinforce the subordination of
women through doctrine and organization […] and are compensated for their
suffering on Earth later in the Afterlife, which explains their affiliation and the
attraction. Do you agree or disagree with this and can you give examples of this?
3. What is the difference between religion and spirituality and why is this powerful for
women? What does the video communicate when it is stated that Spirituality is an
alternative for women to harness their own potential?

SOCIAL CONNECTION: The Unnatural Mother

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Watch the video: “Motherhood: Addressing the Single Mom Stigma”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNvUCu6veBc and answer the following questions.

1. The first speaker states that single moms are the dredge of the United States. Do you
think that is the same in Spain? If you were married to a millionaire, would you
divorce them if you had children?
2. Lisa says she is better off being a single mother because she has three fathers
partnering with her parenting as a divorcee and that being divorced makes
parenting “better”. Do you agree with her? How do you think this is for her kids?
3. The third speaker stated that she hadn’t decided to be a mom, but that she really
needed to hear a lot of people in her life that gave her a lot of warnings. It sounds like
she was taken advantage of in a lot of situations. What does she mean when she says
it doesn’t need to be here choice? She is saying that those complaints and criticisms
might help people. What does she mean by that?
4. Has anyone ever spoken from the man’s perspective in these videos? Why do you
think that is?

SOCIAL CONNECTION: The Body Keeps the Score

Pre-task
1. Do you know anything about trauma? How would you define it? How many different
kinds of trauma are there?
2. Do you think trauma reflects anything about a person’s “timeline”? Could you think of
any way that trauma could be reflected in “The Giant Wistaria”?

Video: How the Body Keeps the Score https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTefkqYQz8g,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrOBHyDRS-c

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Post-task: In groups discuss the following questions
1. What kind of trauma is “generational trauma”? What kind of trauma is patriarchal
trauma?
2. Trauma robs you of the feeling that you are in charge of yourself. How can you relate
to this? Have you had any traumas in your life?
3. Can you make any connections with the physical or symbolic aspects of Gilman’s
story that relate to trauma, and/or the fact that women are those who experience the
intuitive understandings of what lies in the house?

Research Connection

A) Turn to our reading, Rudd “The Torn Voice”, and answer the following questions:
1. How does Rudd “set the stage” or open her frame in her article?
2. What is her thesis statement? What elements does her thesis statement include?
3. What is her first main argument and how does she support this?
4. On page 71, Rudd states “In both “The Giant Wistaria” and “An Unnatural
Mother” to independent views of one situation inhabit the text, and neither
finally routs the other. […] the eightieth-century story remains incomplete.
Instead, following the pattern of a good gothic tale, Gilman leaves her readers
with a sense of unresolved mystery.” What do you think this may reflect on
Gilman’s “hidden” message in her story and how could you present this in your
own essay?
5. On which page of the article do we find out that Gilman herself was called an
“Unnatural Mother” and how do you think this influences her writing?
6. On pg. 80, Rudd mentions the Wistaria vine and the patriarchal implications of
the symbol. Can you think of a way to include her work in your own ideas about
what the vine in the story might mean?
7. What does Rudd refer to when she mentions the “real” ghosts in the Giant
Wistaria”? How could you use this as a jumping off point in your own essay?
8. Can you think of a thesis statement for an essay on the Giant Wistaria?

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 More on Writing: Body Paragraphs

In a research report, you make a claim, back it with reasons based on evidence, acknowledge
and respond to other views, and sometimes explain your principles of reasoning.

When critically forming an argument, you want to ask yourself:

1. What do you claim?

2. What reasons support that claim?
3. What evidence supports those reasons?
4. Do you acknowledge this alternative/complication/objection, and how do you
respond?
5. What principle (warrant) justifies connecting your reasons to your claim?

TV violence can have harmful phycological effects on children claim 1 because those
exposed to lots of it tend to adopt the values of what they see. reason 1 supporting claim 1/claim 2
supported by reason 2 Their constant exposure to violent images makes them unable to

distinguish fantasy from reality. reason 2 supporting reason 1/claim 2 Smith (1997) found that
children ages 5-9 who watched more than three hours of violent television a day
were 25 percent more likely to say that most of what they saw on television was
“really happening”. evidence supporting reason 2 It is conceivable, of course, that children who
tend to watch greater amounts of violent entertainment already have violent values,
acknowledgment but Jones (1989) found that children with no predisposition to violence

were just as attracted to violent entertainment as those with a history of violence.

response

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Group Names:

A) In groups, create an introductory paragraph to an essay on the Giant Wistaria including

a coherent thesis statement.

B) Create a body paragraph building an argument about a talking point you find interesting
making a claim, backing this up by reasons and evidence. The evidence should both be
contextual (from the short story itself) as well as scholarly evidence you find in your
article we read on the story and/or another one you wish to use. Use what you started
with in WWI and try and build upon it. If you have time, try and expand this to two
paragraphs.

Article citation:

Thesis Statement:

Body Paragraph:

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 Use of English

Warm Up:

Use of English: (Units 54-55 & 58-59)

Participle Clauses with Adverbial Meaning

A) We can use present participle (-ing) and past participle (-ed) clauses with an adverbial
meaning (expressing a relation of place, time, circumstance, manner, cause, degree) to give
information about timing, causes and results of events described.

Timing:
When she opened her eyes, the baby began to cry.
Opening her eyes, the baby began to cry.

Causes:
Because he faced a bill for $10,000, John has taken an extra job.
Faced with a bill for $10,000, John has taken an extra job.

Results:
The fruit was expensive because it was imported.
The fruit was expensive, having been imported.

B) The implied subject of a participle clause (not directly mentioned) is usually the same as
the subject of the main clause:

Arriving at the party, we saw Ruth standing alone.

When we arrived at the party, we saw Ruth standing alone.

However, sometimes the implied subject is not referred to in the main clause.

Having wanted to drive a train all his life, this was an opportunity not to be missed.

C) When we use not in a participle clause it usually comes before the participle.

I didn’t want to go out that night, so I made an excuse.

Not wishing to go out that night, I made an excuse.

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However, it can follow the participle, depending on the part of the sentences affected by not
(the part you are negating).

Pretending not to see Charlie and his new girlfriend, I looked down at my phone for a while.

Participle Clauses with Adverbial Meaning (2)

A) We can use prepositions (after, before, besides, by, in, on, since, through, while, with and
without) with a present participle (-ing) clause win an adverbial meaning as well.

Although I understand her problem, I don’t know how I can help.

While understanding her problem, I don’t know how I can help.

Because I spent so much money on the car, I can’t afford a holiday.

After spending so much money on the car, I can’t afford a holiday.

Before it was changed last year, the speed limit was 70 kph.
Before being changed last year, the speed limit was 70 kph.

B) by, in, on + -ing

By = the method or means used

By working hard, she passed her maths exams.

On = when

On returning from Beijing, he wrote to the Chinese embassy.

In = cause

In choosing Marco, the People’s Party has moved to the left.

C) With -ing; without -ing

With + ing introduces a reason for something in the main clause but is fairly informal.

Because Louise lives in Spain, we don’t see her very often.

With Louise living in Spain, we don’t see her very often.

Often, without + ing has a similar meaning to “although” or “unless”

Although I didn’t mean to, I seem to have offended her.

Without meaning to, I seem to have offended her.

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 Unless I see the photo, I can’t judge how good it is.
Without seeing the photo, I can’t judge how good it is.

Writing Activities:

Look at these sentences taken from “The Story of an Hour” and rewrite them according to
the adverbial meanings (you may have to change the syntax to make the new sentences
grammatical)

Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break
her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.

She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to
accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden wild abandonment in her sister’s
arms.

When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips: “free,
free, free!”

He had been far from the scene of accident, and did not even know there had been one.

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