Themes
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe’s classic literature novel, has the following theme(s):
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Task 1: Pretest time to complete task - ½ hour
Please complete the pretest BEFORE attempting ANY assignments. Please relax this will only test what you know at this point in time.
You are graded for doing it regardless of your score.
Task 2: Background 1 time to complete task - 1 hour
Watch the video of Chinua Achebe some of Nigeria’s history
Vocabulary: Define the following words and use them in an original sentence: amalgamation, colonialism, diaspora
Task 3: Background 2 time to complete task - 1 hour
Watch Nigeria’s Story and The British Viewpoint
In one ABC paragraph compare and contrast the two viewpoints.
Task 4: Things Fall Apart time to complete task - 10 hours
Free online text
Complete the study guide.
Task 5: Themes in modern non-fiction time to complete task - 1 hour
Read “Exile” by Julia Alvarez (pages 106-107 Supplemental Reading) Write a three-paragraph essay (ABC format) explaining the speaker’s
experience and emotions.
Task 6: Essay time to complete task - 3 hours
Essay must be typed and submitted using Google Docs, unless you receive other instructions. You MUST DOUBLE-SPACE AND LEFT-JUSTIFY
YOUR PAPER. You must complete the rubric handout and turn it in to have your essay graded. Essay must be at least 400 words and include
examples from the book. Please note that the grading of your essay may take 24 hours or more. Please be sure to view
Writing the Argumentative/Persuasive Essay for a complete understanding of what is involved in writing an informative essay.
Choose 1 essay topic:
Task 7: Music and Literature time to complete task - 1 hour (as you read)
Many contemporary songs are inspired by literature and share common ideas and themes. Pick a song or songs from the list below, which
share common ideas or themes from Things Fall Apart. Write 1 ABC paragraph explaining how the Things Fall Apart and your selected song
share a theme or idea. See Music and Literature Assignment.
List of songs for Things Fall Apart :
Go to:“Igbo Marriage Ceremony” Read the information then click on the wedding picture link at the bottom of the page. Using the
photographs and information about traditional Igbo weddings, write a paragraph comparing/contrasting to a typical wedding in Port Huron.
Task 9: Exam time to complete task - 1 hour
Must achieve a 70% or greater to pass.
Task 10: FIT/Grammar
Activities assigned on a daily basis.
Task 11: Contemporary Fiction time to complete task - 8 hours
Read Picture Bride or The Namesake or A Thousand Splendid Suns or And the Mountains Echoed or The Ghostway or another book on culture which has been
approved. Write a 200 word essay examining the cultural values expressed in the book of your choice.
You must increase your TABE score to receive credit for this section.
Task 12: Projects time to complete task - 6 hours
First Presentation: Prepare a presentation in which you discuss the themes from Things Fall Apart across literature, film, art, and music.
Second Presentation: Prepare a presentation, using a different tool than the one used in the first presentation, in which you discuss tradition and change across the pieces you have studied.
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe’s classic literature novel, has the following theme(s):
- Tradition vs. Change
- Fate vs. Free Will
- Language and Culture
- Masculinity
========================================================
Task 1: Pretest time to complete task - ½ hour
Please complete the pretest BEFORE attempting ANY assignments. Please relax this will only test what you know at this point in time.
You are graded for doing it regardless of your score.
Task 2: Background 1 time to complete task - 1 hour
Watch the video of Chinua Achebe some of Nigeria’s history
Vocabulary: Define the following words and use them in an original sentence: amalgamation, colonialism, diaspora
Task 3: Background 2 time to complete task - 1 hour
Watch Nigeria’s Story and The British Viewpoint
In one ABC paragraph compare and contrast the two viewpoints.
Task 4: Things Fall Apart time to complete task - 10 hours
Free online text
Complete the study guide.
Task 5: Themes in modern non-fiction time to complete task - 1 hour
Read “Exile” by Julia Alvarez (pages 106-107 Supplemental Reading) Write a three-paragraph essay (ABC format) explaining the speaker’s
experience and emotions.
Task 6: Essay time to complete task - 3 hours
Essay must be typed and submitted using Google Docs, unless you receive other instructions. You MUST DOUBLE-SPACE AND LEFT-JUSTIFY
YOUR PAPER. You must complete the rubric handout and turn it in to have your essay graded. Essay must be at least 400 words and include
examples from the book. Please note that the grading of your essay may take 24 hours or more. Please be sure to view
Writing the Argumentative/Persuasive Essay for a complete understanding of what is involved in writing an informative essay.
Choose 1 essay topic:
- Write an argumentative essay on the idea of tradition/change. Should a person be allowed to keep his/her traditions if they find themselves in a different culture? Use specific examples from the texts you read in this unit.
- Write an argumentative essay in which you take a stand on fate vs. free will. (Definitions: Free will is the idea that decisions control life and fate is the idea that events are inevitable and will happen no matter what.) Do you believe that our lives are controlled by fate or free will? Use specific examples from the texts you have written.
- Write an argumentative essay on whether a person should take on the culture and mores of the country to which they emigrate. Should the missionaries and foreign governments have been more tolerant of the Igbo people? Should Hana have kept her cultural ideals or changed them to match the American lifestyle? Use specific examples from the texts you read in this unit.
- Argumentative essays Graphic organizer to help write your essay.
Task 7: Music and Literature time to complete task - 1 hour (as you read)
Many contemporary songs are inspired by literature and share common ideas and themes. Pick a song or songs from the list below, which
share common ideas or themes from Things Fall Apart. Write 1 ABC paragraph explaining how the Things Fall Apart and your selected song
share a theme or idea. See Music and Literature Assignment.
List of songs for Things Fall Apart :
- “The Times They Are A-Changin’ ” sung by Joan Baez
- “Changes” by David Bowie
- “Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke
- “Changes” by Tupac Shakur
Go to:“Igbo Marriage Ceremony” Read the information then click on the wedding picture link at the bottom of the page. Using the
photographs and information about traditional Igbo weddings, write a paragraph comparing/contrasting to a typical wedding in Port Huron.
Task 9: Exam time to complete task - 1 hour
Must achieve a 70% or greater to pass.
Task 10: FIT/Grammar
Activities assigned on a daily basis.
Task 11: Contemporary Fiction time to complete task - 8 hours
Read Picture Bride or The Namesake or A Thousand Splendid Suns or And the Mountains Echoed or The Ghostway or another book on culture which has been
approved. Write a 200 word essay examining the cultural values expressed in the book of your choice.
You must increase your TABE score to receive credit for this section.
Task 12: Projects time to complete task - 6 hours
First Presentation: Prepare a presentation in which you discuss the themes from Things Fall Apart across literature, film, art, and music.
Second Presentation: Prepare a presentation, using a different tool than the one used in the first presentation, in which you discuss tradition and change across the pieces you have studied.