The works of Eudora Welty challenge the abilities of the oral reader who wishes to interpret them properly. Her novel, "Losing Battles," requires careful attention to the narrative point of view as a guide to its various dimensions of meaning. The narrative shifts through the consciousnesses of various characters of four generations in a rural…

An effective teaching method, the technique of changing crucial characteristics of a literary work and presenting students with unsuitable alternatives leads the students to their own discovery of the artistic appropriateness of the original. Examples may be seen in each of three representative areas of English: (1) poetry--substitute words to…

This study analyzed how authors of selected books present their main character with regard to his personal development problems, how he resolves them, and what happens to his personal development in the process. On the basis of which Newbery Medal Award books were best suited for a study of how the main character develops, "Up A Road…

A study that joined the fields of young adult literature and vision impairment explored the questions: How are characters who have visual impairment presented by young adult books?; and How do readers respond to those characters? Only a few books were found (13) that feature characters with visual impairments, and the portrayal of characters…

Special issue dedicated to studies on contemporary Spanish American literature. (DS)

Suggests the importance of George Orwell's "1984" for today's students and recommends specific analytic and descriptive writing activities to develop critical reading skills. (MM)

Discovers that there are few books about gay families and that they are very hard to find. Reviews 11 books which deal with gay parents and their children. (MG)

Asserts that certain traits and factors, such as persistence through failure and a tolerance for frustration, help children overcome life's problems. Analyzes 30 award-winning children's books from 1928 to 1987 and 14 "children's favorites" to determine if these books contain characters and plots that display resiliency. (MM)

The unreliability of first impressions and subjective judgments is the subject of both Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" and Lionel Trilling's "Of This Time, Of That Place"; consequently, the works are worthwhile parallel studies for high school students. Austen, by means of irony and subtle characterization, dramatizes the…

Considering the plethora of annotation which accompanies John Milton's poetry, a plan of the structure of "Paradise Lost" is offered as an aid to comprehension for undergraduate students and as a teaching guide for college teachers. The poem is divided into three parts of four books each for pedagogical purposes, and major themes and…

The main section of this 10th-grade teaching unit on Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" consists primarily of sample dialogue, between the teacher and students, which attempts to lead the students to think critically about values. Other sections list questions on the novel, major events of the plot, and page references for descriptions…

Clarifies the three forms--compensatory, justificatory, and transformational--that feminist criticism usually takes and, in particular, how it applies to Shakespeare studies. Examines some women's roles in Shakespeare's plays and the effect of feminist criticism on interpretations of these characters. (JC)

Includes annotated bibliographies of young adult books written in the 1980s by Black authors. Selections intended to interest Black teenagers represent both historical and contemporary realistic fiction. (NKA)

Based on Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand that active readers interpret a novel (its characters, plot, setting, and theme) in different ways; and the great literature can be and has been adapted in many ways over time. The main activity of the lesson involves students…

Analyzes two scientific journal articles from a reader-response perspective. Elaborates the rhetorical nature of scientific discourse and demonstrates that even within the constraints of the journal articles, scientists have considerable freedom to exercise choices. Explicates how writers use cues to direct readers into fictional roles. (MG)