Preparing For In Class Essay

Preparing for In-class Essay Test comparing "This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona" to Smoke Signals WORTH 50 POINTS Next Wednesday, Dec. 10, you will write an essay in class comparing the short story and the film. This is a test situation in which you will have only the block period to write a complete essay. Therefore, you should prepare for this essay by doing the following things: 1. Re-read the short story and make notes on it in the margins and on note cards 2. Highlight and make notes on your copy of the short story 3. Create an outline of the essay you will write in class YOU MUST COMPLETE THE ABOVE THREE ACTIVITIES AND HAND THEM IN WITH YOUR ESSAY ON WEDNESDAY IN ORDER TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT

What should you compare? As you look for similarities and differences between these two pieces, think about how they compare in terms of: • Plot • Characters • Theme For instance, in the film, Thomas’s mother and father die in a fire when he is a baby, and Victor’s father saved him from the fire. However, in the short story, this does not happen. What is the effect of this change? Also, in the short story, Victor and Thomas take a flight to Phoenix, but in the film, they ride a bus. What difference does this change in plot make? One similarity between the two pieces is the focus on fathers and their importance in our lives. Think about what a major message or theme might be concerning fathers and compare the pieces.