English 2F - Children's Lit
Response #10 -A Wrinkle in Time
Purpose: To analyze the elements of fantasy, to identify the potential responses of children to the book, to explore the question of how fantasy affects children psychologically, emotionally and soacially.
Directions:
| Note: The responses are intended to be a way for you to explore ideas that you might later wish to refine in a paper or a discussion. I will not censor these responses in any way, nor will I grade them on content or grammar (though, like the seminars, they must be coherent and display some measure of critical thinking about the question at hand). You do not have to answer all the questions, nor do you have to confine yourself to these questions. You can write as much as you want, as long as you meet the minimum length requirements for the assignment |
1. Read Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time.
2. Review the material on fantasy from Module 6.
3. Choose one of the questions below and write a 1-2 page response. Include quotes from the book to back up your ideas.
- How does L'Engle portray the battle between good and evil? How is evil characterized? How is good characterized? What do you think she is suggesting about the nature of good and evil?
- In "The Real Reason Children Love Fantasy", author Gopnik suggests that "children may have such an affinity for the imaginary just because they are so single-mindedly devoted to finding the truth". What 'truths' does L'Engle present to her audience in this book? Do you think the fantasy premise allows children more freedom to search for 'truth'? Why or why not?
- What role does community play in the lives of the characters, particularly Meg? How does she define 'community' and how does her attitude about belonging to a community change over the course of the book?
- Discuss the theme of identity in the book. Give a few examples of characters claiming their identities over the course of the book. How do they retain their individuality while at the same time claiming affiliation with a group?
4. Submit your response to the assignments chamber, either as an attachment, or a cut-and-paste.
5. Extra Credit Option: Post your response to the extra credit forums, "Response #10 - A Wrinkle in Time" . You will receive extra credit if you post your response and respond to at least one other student's posting. |