Unit 2 Inside out & Back Again and the Outsiders

English 8 1

Unit 2 – Inside Out & Back Again and The Outsiders Compare and Contrast Essay: Characters’ Journeys

Assignment Overview: Now that you have completed novels Inside Out & Back Again and The Outsiders, you will show an understanding of the journeys endured by major characters Ha and Ponyboy.

Focusing Points: 1) Your essay will identify and analyze Ha’s and Ponyboy’s emotional journeys. You should consider the internal and external conflicts that affect the directions in which their journeys go.

2) Following the identification of Ha’s and Ponyboy’s individual journeys, you will show the similarities between the two characters’ journeys.

3) Additionally, your essay should demonstrate your knowledge of character development, conflict, and plot.

Compare and Contrast Writing Process Checklist: 1) Introduction: Review the “Six Traits of Good Writing,” Study Compare and Contrast Essay Model, Discuss Compare and Contrast Essay Format 2) Pre-Writing: Brainstorming Sheet (Graphic Organizer) 3) Drafting 4) Editing & Revision (includes Peer Editing and editing marks) 5) Publishing (typed – 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, double-spaced; Cover Page – title, your name, period #, teacher’s name; minimum of one and a half pages and maximum of three pages; Works Cited page – MLA format)

Important Dates: o Brainstorming & Evidence Based Claims sheets Due On: ______

o Rough Draft Due On: ______English 8 2

o Peer Editing On: ______

o Final Copy Due On: ______1) Introduction of Essay & Review of Writing Process: What is the WRITING PURPOSE of a Compare and Contrast Essay? (circle one) Expository Narrative Persuasive Descriptive

* Your essay is meant to explain and inform the reader of the characters’ journeys. *

Review: The Six Traits of Good Writing (from Unit 1)

TRAIT 1 = Ideas TRAIT 4 = Word Choice TRAIT 2 = Organization TRAIT 5 = Sentence Fluency TRAIT 3 = Voice TRAIT 6 = Conventions

Goals, Audience, Tone: Goal: Reason for writing

1) Why am I writing? I am writing to identify and analyze journeys that Ha and Ponyboy go on.

2) What do I want my writing to do? I want my writing to expose (or show) the emotional journey that each character goes on and the similarities between their two journeys.

3) How do I want my readers to react? I want my readers to feel…

Identifying goals can help you focus your writing!

Audience: These are the people with whom you will share your writing

1a) Who is my audience? 1b) What do they already know about my subject?

2a) What do I want them to know?

3a) What details might they find most interesting? English 8 3

Tone: As you consider your audience, also think about the kind of language you will use to present your ideas.

Model Compare & Contrast Essay: Note: This essay contains only TWO examples of textual evidence per body paragraph and focuses on one aspect of each character’s journey per book.

Life is a journey full of surprising events that brings joy and pleasure, as well as fear and pain. The novels Inside Out & Back Again, by Thanhha Lai, and The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton, convey the trials and tribulations in fighting to survive in a life full of fear and pain. In the novel of prose called Inside Out & Back Again, Mother, the parent of the main character, Ha, faces personal and historic challenges: raising her children alone during the Vietnam War. Johnny, a supporting character in The Outsiders, faces the challenge of surviving in a parentless household, being unofficially adopted by high school dropout friends, and having best friends who are members of the greaser gang. Mother and Johnny come from different places and events in the world, but both endure emotional turmoil as they try to continue on for their families.

First, Ha’s mother, Mother, in Inside Out & Back Again, embarks on a journey of survival as a single mother in South Vietnam, during the Vietnam War. War has changed Mother from successful and relaxed to uncertain and worried. Her husband, her children’s father, has been missing for several years, and the war has forced Mother to work miscellaneous, inconsistent jobs only to put a little bit of food on the table. In “Missing in Action,” Ha writes, “Father left home on a navy mission on this day nine years ago when I was almost one. He was captured on Route 1 an hour south of the city by moped. That’s all we know” (Lai 12). Mother misses Father terribly, unable to cope with the unknowingness of how he vanished. Father’s disappearance puts stress on Mother to care for the entire family. This causes Mother’s life journey to be consumed by deep sadness. The emptiness Mother feels in her heart is realized by her daughter, Ha, in “Birthday Wishes.” Ha writes how Father’s reappearance could change Mother’s daily depression: “Mostly I wish Father would appear in our doorway and make Mother’s lips curl upward, lifting them from a permanent frown of worries” (Lai 31). Father’s absence has set a permanent tone of misery in Mother’s demeanor. The family lives in constant despair, having only one parent working. Mother’s journey is an emotional one composed of accepting the loss of her husband and sustaining the lives of her children in war-torn country.

Next, The Outsiders’ Johnny faces many conflicts throughout his journey to survive the pressures of gang life and violence around him. Johnny knows that a life in the greaser gang is a English 8 4 dangerous life of uncertainty and violence, but it also provides a family that he does not otherwise have. For instance, in Chapter 8, Ponyboy reflects on Johnny’s impact on their gang, “We couldn’t get along without him. We needed Johnny as much as he needed the gang. And for the same reason” (Hinton 121). The love and loyalty Ponyboy and the other greasers have for Johnny demonstrates the emotional journey that was Johnny’s life and the life of a greaser. Johnny needed the Greasers – their strength, boldness, and stubbornness – to feel that he was a part of a family, loved, and protected. As a result of finding family in the greaser gang, Johnny faces fear: “Sixteen years on the streets and you can learn a lot. But all the wrong things, not the things you want to learn. Sixteen years on the streets and you see a lot. But all the wrong sights, not the sights you want to see,” says Ponyboy of Johnny’s untimely death (Hinton 122). Survival was a constant struggle for Johnny, a young man without a loving family to go home to and riddled with anger, resentment, and confusion. A life of fights and robberies taught Johnny how to be street smart, emotionally stoic, and physically quick, but could not protect him from the death. Consequently, the journey of a greaser is colorful, unpredictable, and scary.

When compared, Ha’s mother and Johnny endure love and loss in their journeys. Both Mother and Johnny have a need for family. Although Johnny’s family is through friendship, not blood, it is equally as loyal to him as Mother’s children are loyal to Mother. Johnny’s greaser family reminds Johnny that people care for him, giving him a purpose in life. In The Outsiders, Johnny laments to Ponyboy, “I ain’t got nobody,” to which Ponyboy replies, “Shoot, you got the whole gang. . . I mean, golly, Johnny, you got the whole gang” (Hinton 51). Although Johnny feels he does not have the closeness of blood relatives looking out for him, Ponyboy argues that the entire greaser gang looks after Johnny like family; no greaser is alone. Similarly, in Inside Out & Back Again, Mother’s journey is long, exhausting, and upsetting, but her family gives her a purpose to survive. For example, Ha writes about her mother’s hard work to keep her family thriving during wartime, “Come with us or we’ll all stay. . . Come with us so Father will be proud. . . Who can go against a mother who has become gaunt like bark from raising four children alone?” (Lai 52-54). Mother puts her emotions over Father’s disappearance aside, making her sole purpose in life to provide safety and the possibility of a future for her children. Mother sacrifices her memories of her husband and life in Vietnam to protect her children from war. In her sacrifice, she teaches her children the value of respecting Father’s memory and the importance of keeping family together. Likewise, the greasers protect each other from their social war with the Socs and their personal wars with the lack of supportive, loving parents.

Influential characters, like Mother in Inside Out & Back Again and Johnny in The Outsiders, demonstrate the emotional toll of yearning to survive during a time of political or social unrest. Loss and war force Mother to focus her energy on finding ways for her and her children to persevere, despite the implication of leaving behind the memory of Father and home in Vietnam. The unfortunate upbringing in a broken home makes Johnny desperate for a English 8 5 family, eager to risk his life for the greaser gang. These sacrifices illustrate the respect and honor the characters have for their loved ones during a journey of survival.

Works Cited

Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders (New York: Penguin Group, 1967).

Lai, Thanhha. Inside Out & Back Again (New York: Harper, 2011). English 8 6

Name: ______Date: ______Period #: _____ 2) Pre-Writing: Brainstorming Graphic Organizer Directions: Label one circle Ha and another circle Ponyboy. Label the overlapping center portion as Both, and then list important details from each character’s journey. English 8 7

3) Drafting:

Essay Format

Cover Page – Title (centered); Your Name, Period #, Teacher’s Name (bottom, right-aligned)

Essay – 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, double-spaced; 2-3 pages

Introduction :  Hook  Introduce Titles, Authors, & a connection between the major characters (Ha and Ponyboy; Inside Out & Back Again, The Outsiders)  Brief background Information on the gist of each character’s journey  Thesis Statement (also known as the Claim) – Example: Ha and Ponyboy come from different time periods and places, but both endure emotional turmoil as they try to overcome adversity.

Body 1:  Transition into Topic Sentence – Connect Thesis Statement to Ha, in Inside Out & Back Again.  3 examples of Textual Evidence that demonstrate Ha’s journey (Include Parenthetical References) o Before each Textual Evidence, you must provide a context leading into the example. o After each Textual Evidence, you must ANALYZE the significance or importance of the quote in proving the type of journey Ha endured.  Conclusion Sentence

Body 2:  Transition into Topic Sentence – Connect Thesis Statement to Ponyboy, in The Outsider. English 8 8

 3 examples of Textual Evidence that demonstrate Ponyboy’s journey (Include Parenthetical References) o Before each Textual Evidence, you must provide a context leading into the example. o After each Textual Evidence, you must ANALYZE the significance or importance of the quote in proving the type of journey Ponyboy endured.  Conclusion Sentence

Body 3:  Transition into Topic Sentence – What is similar between the two journeys?  4 examples of Textual Evidence that prove there are 2 SIMILARITIES between Ha’s and Ponyboy’s journeys – 1 similarity: support with 1 textual evidence from Inside Out & Back Again and 1 textual evidence from The Outsiders; 1 more similarity: support with 1 textual evidence from Inside Out & Back Again and 1 textual evidence from The Outsiders (Include Parenthetical References) o Before each Textual Evidence, you must provide a context leading into the example. o After each Textual Evidence, you must ANALYZE the significance or importance of the quote in proving the similarity between the two journeys.  Conclusion Sentence

Conclusion :  Restate Thesis Statement  Summarize Ha’s journey – 1 sentence  Summarize Ponyboy’s journey – 1 sentence  Make a final statement that shows a major common theme or experience between Ha and Ponyboy

Last Page –MLA Formatted Works Cited page (alphabetical order, by author’s last name):

Author’s Last Name, Author’s First Name. Title. (State of Publication: Publisher, Year Published).

** Common Transitions: First, next, most important, similarly, in contrast, therefore, on the other hand; subsequently, consequently; As a result, for that reason, because, since

** “No-No” WORDS FOR FORMAL WRITING Me This paper is about… English 8 9

I Here is some information on…

You Don’t you want to read about…

In this paragraph I will… I hope you enjoyed my paper…

Let’s read on to find out… I tried to tell you…

My paper is about… And that was my paper…

My story is about…. The End

Let me tell you about…. As you can see, http://efmswrites.pbworks.com/w/page/47268866/8th%20Grade%20Compare%20and%20Contrast

At this point, you have studied the criteria of a thorough Compare and Contrast Essay. Now, use this packet + textual evidence from the novels to compose a Rough Draft (double spaced, hand-written).

Happy writing!

4) Editing & Revision: “No-No” WORDS FOR FORMAL WRITING: First, read over your essay with no writing utensil in your hand. Next, re-read your essay; circle any of these words – if you find them in your paper – and make sure to change them for the final copy! Me This paper is about…

I Here is some information on…

You Don’t you want to read about…

In this paragraph I will… I hope you enjoyed my paper…

Let’s read on to find out… I tried to tell you…

My paper is about… And that was my paper…

My story is about…. The End English 8 10

Let me tell you about…. We http://efmswrites.pbworks.com/w/page/47268866/8th%20Grade%20Compare%20and%20Contrast

Name: ______Name of Peer Editor: ______

English 8, Period #: ______Date: ______

EDITING CHECKLIST FOR COMPARE/CONTRAST PAPER

Directions: Draw a check in the box, if the question you’re answering should be a “yes.” Leave the box blank, if the writer has not completed the direction. Carefully follow additional editing directions in each box.

Editing Questions

Introductory Paragraph

1. Do I have a strong HOOK that captures the reader’s attention? If not, indicate how the writer can improve on it:

2. Do I name the two novels’ TITLES, AUTHORS, & CHARACTERS to be discussed?

3. Do I provide BACKGROUND INFORMATION on the characters?

4. Do I have a THESIS STATEMENT? Underline it. Body ¶ # 1 English 8 11

5. Have I started my paragraph with a topic sentence that clearly states and identifies the specific topic to be addressed in this body paragraph, and is it relevant to the thesis? 6. Do I have three points with proof (quotes) to back up the topic and make significant points of comparison? Have I properly quoted & cited? 7. When I make points of comparison, do I use a variety of transitional words?

8. Have I analyzed each example and quote? Are my ideas organized within the paragraph so that the reader understands the importance of each point? Body ¶ # 2

9. Have I started my paragraph with a topic sentence that clearly states and identifies the specific topic to be addressed in this body paragraph and the focus of the paragraph, and is it relevant to the thesis? 10. Do I have three points with proof (quotes) back up the topic and make significant points of comparison? Have I properly quoted & cited? 11. When I make points of comparison, do I use a variety of transitional words?

12. Have I analyzed each example and quote? Are my ideas organized within the paragraph so that the reader understands the importance of each point? Body ¶ # 3

13. Have I started my paragraph with a topic sentence that clearly states and identifies the specific topic to be addressed in this body paragraph – to make a comparison/show similarities between both characters’ journeys? 14. Do I have two points of comparison with two quotes to back up each point (1 quote per book, per point = 4 quotes total)? Have I properly quoted & cited? 15. When I make points of comparison, do I use a variety of transitional words?

16. Have I stressed the ideas of central importance first? Are my ideas organized within the paragraph so that the reader understands the points of comparison I am trying to make? Concluding Paragraph

17. Have I restated the thesis statement?

18. Have I restated the three topics/sub-categories mentioned in my thesis?

19. Do I bring closure to the reader by summing up my points and offering a final perspective on my topics? Mechanics

20. Have I avoided using the “No-No Words” (i.e. I, my, Here is some information…)?

21. Are titles properly punctuated?

22. Do all sentences and quotes have correct end marks & punctuation?

23. Are there spelling errors? Highlight or circle them! Works Cited

24. Does the Works Cited page follow MLA Format?