English 12 Mrs. Ewan & Mrs. Mckemie (Modified by Mr. Keser)

English 12 Mrs. Ewan & Mrs. McKemie (modified by Mr. Keser) “The Stranger” Portfolio 2014 This is your chance to show me how clever you are. As we read “The Stranger” you are going to tantalize and intrigue me with your comprehension by completing the marvelous activities contained in this portfolio. 1. Cover Page – a page dedicated to the title of the story. It must have some kind of artwork that represents some idea or meaning from the story. 2. Text Combing (22 quotes) For each chapter, you will record two quotes and the page number that:

Indicates that Meursault lies L Indicates that Meursault tells the truth T refers to physical sensations P expresses emotion E

You must have a minimum of four quotes for each type of quote and you must give the page number from where you found the quote. The following are examples of how you should record your quotes and their labels

T = “I caught the two o’clock bus” (3). P = “On the back of my neck I could feel Marie’s heart beating softly” (20).

4. Character Analysis of Meursault Include the following: 4A. A page summarizing all personal biographical information available on Meursault. You must have a minimum of 15 bulleted items. HINT: Design this as though you were creating a detailed wanted list for the police.

4B. A character behavior graph with the following criteria: Y-axis EVENTS 1-10 (0 = most civilized 10 = most savage) X-axis CHAPTERS (one from each chapter of the book) that represents the character’s progression from civility to savagery and back. For each event that is plotted, there must be a corresponding quote that supports the plotted point.

Example (This is NOT an accurate charting of events in the story - so don’t just copy this down and think you can get away with it)

SAVAGE 10 x 9 x 8 x x 7 6 EVENTS 5 x x 4 3 x x x 2 1 x x CIVILIZED 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 CHAPTERS Chapter 1 Quote: “Maman died today…after the funeral, though, the case will be closed, and everything will have a more official feel to it.”

5. Essay Choose one of the topics below to compose an essay based on your reading. Criteria for the paper includes: 1-2 pages Typed Double-spaced 12 pt. font Indicate which of the essay choices you are discussing in your paper Quotes - minimum of four (highlighted)

Essay Choices - These may require some outside research Meursault 1. How does Meursault develop from a perfectly ordinary conformist into a dangerous rebel? Why is Meursault a rebel at the end of the novel or is he? 2. Discuss Camus’ idea of absurdity and how it applies to Meursault. 3. Describe Mersault’s behavior at the funeral, focusing on his impressions of the residents of the nursing home, the warden, and the doorkeeper. 4. Discuss the religious arguments of the magistrate and the chaplain and Meursault’s reactions. 5. Examine Mersault’s idea of happiness. 6. Discuss why Meursault declines the offer of a job in Paris. Explain the concept of “ambition” as it occurs in the novel. 7. Analyze Meursault’s feelings toward his mother, focusing on what their life was like when they lived together and the reasons he sent her to a nursing home. 8. At the trial, Meursault claimed he killed the Arab “because of the sun.” Discuss what he means and why you think he committed the murder. Other Characters 1. Discuss the role of the character Salamano in the novel. Compare Salamano’s relationship with his dog to Raymond’s relationship with his girlfriend. 2. Examine the significance of the robot woman who joins Meursault at the table at Celeste’s. 3. Discuss why Meursault’s lawyer remains nameless. Does he do his job adequately? 4. Analyze Marie’s reaction when Meursault tells her his mother has died. 5. Examine the ways the magistrate, the lawyer, and the chaplain play the “game” of society in the story. 6. Discuss Raymond Sintes’ “code of honor” and how it affects his relationship with Meursault. Literary Topics 1. Discuss the image of light and water in The Stranger. What is their significance? 2. Discuss how the setting affects events in The Stranger. Could the novel have been set anywhere, or does Algeria, and the Mediterranean culture in general, have a specific influence on the lives of the characters?

SCORING

1. Cover Page 25 2. Text Combing (22) two from each chapter 22@5 pts. ea. 110 3. Character Analysis of Meursault *one page summarizing biographical info on Meursault 25 *character behavior graph and quotes 50 4. Essay (1-2 pages) 50

TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE 260