The Outsiders Theme

For this week's homework, please write a statement of theme from The Outsiders. Remeber, a theme is a lesson about life that we can all learn from the experiences of the characters in the novel, but it's not specific to the characters or the novel.

After your statement of theme, please write a paragraph describing why you state the theme as you do, using details from the text to support the theme.

Character Contrast

For this week's homework, you will select two characters from The Outsiders. You will write a contrast of these characters. Remember, contrast is how they are different. The contrast will be complete and will use specific details from the novel in a well-developed paragraph to show they ways you think the characters differ. Please do not rely on superficial differences, like: Ponyboy is 14 and Johnny is 16. Make sure the differences you use to develop your thinking is meaningful and insightful.

Character Comparison

For this week's homework, you will select two characters from The Outsiders. You will write a comparison of these characters. Remember, comparison is how they are alike. The comparison will be complete and will use specific details from the novel in a well-developed paragraph to show they ways you think the characters are alike.

Conflict

In a detailed paragraph, identify what you believe to be the primary conflict in The Outsiders, and use details from the text to elaborate on your ideas and support your position. Please use the formality, detail and elaboration that would be expected in the body paragraph of an essay.

Stargirl Conflict, Part 2

This week, you will write a paragraph defending the conflict opposite the one you chose last week. I am still looking for a well-developed paragraph (like we practiced together in class), but if you wrote about man vs. self as the conflict last week, you'll write about man vs. society this week, and vice versa.

If you need to, go back to last week's assignment to refresh your memory.

Stargirl Conflict

In Stargirl, two conflicts keep popping up: man vs. self and man vs. society. For your response this week, select one of the two following statements and defend why you think it is right.

The primary conflict in Stargirl is man vs. self.
OR
The primary conflict in Stargirl is man vs. society.

For your response, the statement that you choose should be the topic sentence for your paragraph. To develop your paragraph, give three main reasons why you selected the statement, and use details from the text to support each of your three main reasons.

Compare or Contrast

For this week's homework, you will either compare or contrast two of the short stories that we have read this year in class.

To compare means to highlight the similarities.

To contrast means to highlight the differences.

Make sure that you only compare or contrast - the choice is yours - but don't do both.

You may choose to compare or contrast:

A. "Seventh Grade" and "Thank You, Ma'm"
B. "Seventh Grade" and "Charles"
C. "Thank You, Ma'm" and "Charles"