Language Arts 9 assignment
Due Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Mrs. Marston

Story element: character
Poems: The Lady of the Tomahawk; Lochinvar; The Emperor
Short Story: “The Necklace”

Choose one. Writing assignments must be handwritten and may be illustrated.
1. WRITE:
It is 1697. The Dustin family is living on land which Indians had called home. On March 15, Indians raided the homestead and captured the wife and mother, Hannah. As she left, she saw her house in flames, and her week-old baby violently killed. WRITE about Hannah.
(inspired by The Lady of the Tomahawk by Robert P. Tristam Coffin

2. WRITE: Using characters knight, bride, bridegroom, bride’s father, write an exciting tale with dash and vigor. Where did they go? Were they happy ever after? What happened to bridegroom? etc. (inspired by Lochinvar by Sir Walter Scott)

3. Illustrate the poem The Emperor by Tu Fu, translated from Chinese by E. Powys Mathers
Include: throne of new gold
shiny jewels
a sun surrounded by stars
grave Mandarins
open window
pavilion of porcelain
bright flower among leaves
hand held fan
perfumed air
face of the Emperor

4. WRITE: Remembering the short story “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, write in response to one or all of the following questions:
How do you feel about Matilde? Sorry?
In what way is Matilde different from her husband?
What is the symbolic meaning of the necklace when she wears it?
Describe how Matilde changes over the ten years.
How is the ending surprising / ironic?
In what ways is this story relevant today?

Writing tips:
Make the paragraph the unit of composition Use the active voice.
Put the statements in positive form. Use definite, specific, concrete language.
Omit needless words. Avoid a succession of loose sentences.
Express coordinate ideas in similar form. Keep related words together.
In summaries, keep to one tense. Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end.