Biju John
In MYP Year 1, students are introduced to basic literary concepts, but not all of the terms I listed are typically covered at that level. The focus is generally on foundational concepts to help students begin understanding and analyzing literature. Here’s a more realistic list of concepts that are likely to be taught in MYP Year 1, along with their relevance:
Core Concepts Likely Taught in MYP Year 1:
- Plot
- Relevance: Understanding the sequence of events helps students follow and summarize stories.
- Example: Discussing the main events in “The Lion King.”
- Setting
- Relevance: Knowing the time and place helps students visualize the story’s world.
- Example: Describing the African savannah in “The Lion King.”
- Characters
- Relevance: Identifying main and supporting characters helps students understand roles and relationships.
- Example: Identifying Simba as the main character and Scar as the antagonist in “The Lion King.”
- Theme
- Relevance: Introducing the idea of a story’s message helps students think beyond the plot.
- Example: Discussing the theme of bravery in “The Lion King.”
- Conflict
- Relevance: Understanding conflicts helps students see the challenges characters face.
- Example: The conflict between Simba and Scar in “The Lion King.”
- Point of View
- Relevance: Recognizing different perspectives helps students understand how stories are told.
- Example: Noting the third-person point of view in “The Lion King.”
- Dialogue
- Relevance: Reading and analyzing dialogue helps students understand character interactions.
- Example: Analyzing a conversation between Simba and Mufasa.
- Imagery
- Relevance: Beginning to recognize descriptive language helps students visualize scenes.
- Example: Describing the colorful jungle in “The Jungle Book.”
Additional Concepts that Might Be Introduced:
- Simile
- Relevance: Simple comparisons help students understand figurative language.
- Example: “Her smile was as bright as the sun.”
- Metaphor
- Relevance: Introducing basic metaphors helps students see deeper meanings.
- Example: “The classroom was a zoo.”
- Personification
- Relevance: Giving human traits to objects can make descriptions more relatable.
- Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
- Mood
- Relevance: Understanding the atmosphere of a scene helps students connect emotionally.
- Example: The spooky mood in a ghost story.
Concepts Less Likely to Be Taught in MYP Year 1:
- Allegory, Motif, Irony, Foreshadowing, Flashback, Symbolism, Tone: These are more advanced concepts and might be introduced in later years as students’ analytical skills develop.
In MYP Year 1, the focus is on building a strong foundation in basic literary analysis. As students progress, they’ll encounter more complex concepts and learn to apply them to their reading and writing.
Basic Literary Concepts in “Holes”
“Holes” by Louis Sachar is a novel rich in literary elements, making it a great example for exploring basic literary concepts. Here’s how some of these concepts are applied in the novel:
1. Plot
- Definition: The sequence of events in a story.
- Application in “Holes”: The plot of “Holes” revolves around Stanley Yelnats, a boy who is wrongfully sent to a juvenile detention center called Camp Green Lake. The main events include Stanley’s time at the camp, the digging of holes, the discovery of a buried treasure, and the unraveling of a family curse. The novel’s plot is unique because it intertwines the past and present, gradually revealing the connections between the two.
2. Setting
- Definition: The time and place where a story takes place.
- Application in “Holes”: The primary setting of “Holes” is Camp Green Lake, a dry, desolate desert in Texas where boys are sent to dig holes as a form of punishment. The camp was once a lush, thriving town, which is revealed through flashbacks. The harshness of the desert environment plays a crucial role in the story, symbolizing the characters’ struggles.
3. Characters
- Definition: The people, animals, or beings in a story.
- Application in “Holes”: The main character is Stanley Yelnats, a boy who has been unlucky all his life due to a family curse. Other important characters include Zero (Hector Zeroni), a fellow camper and friend; Mr. Sir, one of the camp’s cruel overseers; and the Warden, who runs the camp with a hidden agenda. The backstory characters, such as Kissin’ Kate Barlow and Elya Yelnats, are also crucial to the narrative.
4. Theme
- Definition: The underlying message or main idea of a story.
- Application in “Holes”: The novel explores several themes, including fate and destiny, the impact of history on the present, friendship, and the idea of justice. The theme of fate is particularly strong, as the story suggests that the events of the past (the curse on Stanley’s great-great-grandfather) directly influence the present, and that breaking the curse requires correcting past wrongs.
5. Conflict
- Definition: A struggle between opposing forces, often driving the plot.
- Application in “Holes”: Several conflicts drive the story:
- Man vs. Society: Stanley’s battle against the unjust punishment and the corrupt authority figures at Camp Green Lake.
- Man vs. Nature: The boys’ struggle to survive in the harsh desert environment.
- Man vs. Man: The tension between Stanley and the camp’s authorities, as well as conflicts among the boys themselves.
- Man vs. Self: Stanley’s internal conflict as he grows from a timid, unlucky boy to someone who takes charge of his fate.
6. Point of View
- Definition: The perspective from which a story is told.
- Application in “Holes”: “Holes” is narrated in the third person omniscient point of view, allowing the reader to see the thoughts and feelings of various characters, as well as providing insights into the events of the past that affect the present-day narrative.
7. Narrator
- Definition: The person or voice telling the story.
- Application in “Holes”: The narrator in “Holes” is an omniscient third-person narrator, which means they have a full overview of all characters and events. This allows the narrator to shift between the story’s different timelines and provide background information that is crucial to understanding the connections between the characters and events.
8. Symbolism
- Definition: Using symbols to represent ideas or qualities.
- Application in “Holes”: The holes that the boys dig at Camp Green Lake symbolize the emptiness and futility of their punishment, but they also represent the search for truth and the unearthing of hidden secrets. The treasure buried at Camp Green Lake symbolizes the resolution of past wrongs and the redemption of Stanley’s family.
9. Foreshadowing
- Definition: Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.
- Application in “Holes”: Early in the novel, Stanley’s family curse and the story of Elya Yelnats foreshadow the eventual connection between Stanley and Zero (Hector Zeroni). The repeated references to Zero’s intelligence and his mysterious background foreshadow the revelation of his connection to Madame Zeroni, which is crucial to breaking the curse.
10. Flashback
- Definition: A scene set in a time earlier than the main story.
- Application in “Holes”: “Holes” frequently uses flashbacks to tell the stories of Stanley’s ancestors and other historical figures like Kissin’ Kate Barlow. These flashbacks are essential for understanding the events of the present and how they are influenced by the past.
11. Imagery
- Definition: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.
- Application in “Holes”: Sachar uses vivid imagery to describe the dry, barren landscape of Camp Green Lake, the intense heat, and the physical discomfort of the characters, helping readers to visualize the setting and feel the characters’ hardships.
12. Irony
- Definition: A contrast between expectation and reality.
- Application in “Holes”: One of the ironic elements in “Holes” is that the camp, which is supposed to be a place of punishment, becomes the site where Stanley discovers the treasure that ultimately leads to his family’s redemption. Additionally, the “curse” that has plagued Stanley’s family for generations is lifted not through a grand gesture, but through a simple act of friendship and kindness.
These concepts illustrate how “Holes” is constructed as a complex and engaging narrative, using various literary elements to weave together its multiple storylines and themes.
