The+Simple+Gift





__Task One__ 1. What do you think of Billy’s choice? Explain. 2. What questions do you have for Billy?

3. Complete __ one __ of these:

Pretend you are Billy. Using the extra information, write a more revealing version of this event. Remember to choose your words carefully like Steven Herrick so that you can communicate a lot with very few words. OR  Retell the events so far through the perspective of his father.

__TASK 2__ “Dad came thundering out” (15) Why do you think Herrick selected ‘thundering’? What does it imply? What effect does it have on you as a reader?

Extension: Develop your response into an analytical paragraph.

Throughout his novel The Simple Gift, Steven Herrick employs imagery to….One example of this effective use of language occurs on page 15 when he describes… The word ‘thundering’ affects the reader by….thus causing them to imagine….

__ TASK 3 __ Identify the metaphor on page 20. Extension: create your own to describe the same event Why does Billy decide to read? (integrate a quotation to support you response) How is Irene different to the librarian back in Billy’s home town? What ‘simple gift’ does Irene give to Billy? Extension: identify the simile on page 28. What does it reveal? (write a paragraph that examines and explains the language selection)

(What do you know about their lives – family, experiences etc)  ||  ** Attitudes/Values ** (g. What do they value in others? Respect, honesty…? How do they feel about certain things such as school, wealth…)  ||
 * __ Task 1 __**
 * Complete a chart like the one below for Billy, Caitlin and Old Bill**
 * You must use quotes to support your interpretations of the characters.**
 * ** Background **


 * Key passages that may help you:**
 * **Caitlin (34-37,40-45,60-63, 68-69, 87-91,94, 106-108, 114-124)**
 * **Old Bill (58-59,72-73,76-77, 95-100, 111, 125,**
 * **Billy (2-32, 38,39, 48-57, 64-67, 70,74-75, 78-86, 92-93, 102-105, 109-110, )**

How have the characters changed? How have they influenced each other? Use these two prompts, and your notes from the charts you have completed, to write a detailed paragraph on each character.
 * __ Task Two __**

• Identify the simile on page 177. • Why is Caitlin crying? What does this reveal about the type of person she is? • Why were Old Bill’s words “ringing hollow in his head”? What has changed? • Analysis task: Why did Herrick use the word “hollow”? What does it infer? (Hint: in what ways was Old Bill’s life hollow? Why would he not listen to his own advice?) • Why is Caitlin now able to tell her parents about Billy? (190) • Why does Billy vow to return to visit his carriage? (196) • What are Billy’s plans for the future? • What are the “ghosts” of Old Bill’s house?