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College English Composition: Help and Review22 chapters | 311 lessons | 2 flashcard sets
The Duel by O. Henry Activities
Instructor:
Tara Schofield
Want your students to really connect with ''The Duel'' and O. Henry as a writer? Use the activities presented in this lesson to give your students a greater appreciation for O. Henry's work and his special form of writing.
Activities
O. Henry is a famous author who has written numerous stories prominent in U.S. literature. As your students read O. Henry's The Duel, incorporating the activities below will help inspire students to understand the story and the author. They will gain a greater understanding of using figurative language while also gaining a greater appreciation for the story.
Use the activities in this lesson to enhance students' experience with The Duel. The activities are divided into two categories: Language and The Duel. These two sections offer activities that support a deeper understanding of the special way O. Henry wrote.
Language
• The Duel demonstrates effective use of figurative language. Encourage students to find examples of various types of figurative language in the story. For instance, your students might identify the sentence, 'It has the poorest millionaires, the littlest great men, the haughtiest beggars, the plainest beauties, the lowest skyscrapers, the dolefulest pleasures of any town I ever saw.' As an example of paradox. Ask your students to go through the story and provide examples of simile, alliteration, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, metaphor, paradox, understatement and personification. You can take this activity one step further by having students explain how each example from the story represents the specified form of figurative language. Discuss how figurative language was helpful in The Duel.
• After your students have selected their examples of figurative language, ask them to write the statements from the book on a piece of paper. They will then trade with other students and work in groups to review the selections from the story and determine what type of figurative language is used. This gives a chance to share ideas, consider various types of language, and learn how figurative language is used in The Duel.
The Duel
- Encourage students to learn more about The Duel. In a mural format, ask them to create an artistic rendering of the story's events. They can draw upon their understanding of The Duel and how it affected them. In this way, students may include their personal opinions and thoughts about the story.
- Have students consider the two main characters, William and Jack. Jack notices many changes in William after spending some time in New York City. Ask students to describe several ways William changed. Have them describe five ways they might change if they had to relocate and adapt to a different way of life.
- Divide the class into groups of 4-6 students and ask them to act out a scene from the story. They will need to consider the script, the setting, props and costumes to portray the life of the characters and events in the story. The story provides a perfect opportunity for students to take a starting point and pivot off in a new direction based on their own ideas, attitudes, and opinions. Encourage them to expand upon the plot by creating an alternate story line. One student should be assigned the role of narrator, introducing the story and preparing the audience. The other students can share elements of the story as a single presenter or as a group.
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Lesson
19 in chapter 16 of the course:
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