Approaches to Literature: Class Thirteen

Class Thirteen

Ralph Ellison’s “Battle Royale”

What is your initial reaction to this story?

Get into groups and begin to discuss this story

Who are the major Characters?

What is the Setting?

There are motifs in this story.

A motif is a recurring subject, theme, idea, ect.

What are some of the motifs in this story?
1
2
3
ect...

8) What is the speaker right about? What is the speaker wrong about?

9) Writing Assignment: For the next ten minutes, I want you to write in response to the following question: What is the meaning of “Grandfather’s Curse”? And, more importantly, do you think the Grandfather’s advice was particularly good?

Begin with this question: What can the MOTIF in this story tell us about Grandfather's curse?

10) How can an understanding of, and attention to, motif improve our understanding of a story?

Optional Lecture Videos:
Video 1