TITLE Hitch Hiker’s Guide to Literary Elements

LES
DURATION 2 class periods
LEARNING &
EVALUATION
TEXT(S) The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (p. 1-100)
SITUATION
MATERIALS The novel, work sheet handout, rubric handout

SUBJECT AREA English Language Arts

Secondary Year 1 (Gr. 7) Secondary Year 1 (Gr. 9)  Year 3 (Gr. 11)

LEVEL
Cycle One Cycle Two Year 2 (Gr. 10)
Year 2 (Gr. 8)

Students will be able to:

 Identify literary elements within the text.
 Define and understand Fragmentation.
 Find examples of fragmentation along with two other literary elements in the text.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
 Determine the ways in which literary elements communicate themes.
 Determine the ways in which literary elements add to a text and the reading experience as a
whole.

Secondary  Competency 1. Uses language/talk to communicate and to learn

SUBJECT-SPECIFIC
COMPETENCIES
Cycle Two  Competency 2. Reads and listens to written, spoken and media texts
 Competency 3. Produces texts for personal and social purposes
 Competency 1. Uses information Competency 6. Uses ICT
Competency 2. Solves problems Competency 7. Achieves his/her potential
CROSS-CURRICULAR  Competency 3. Exercises critical judgment
COMPETENCIES  Competency 8. Cooperates with others
Competency 4. Uses creativity Competency 9. Communicates appropriately
 Competency 5. Adopts effective work methods
Health and Well-Being Environmental Awareness / Media Literacy
BROAD AREA Consumer Rights and
OF LEARNING Personal and Responsibilities Citizenship and
Career Planning Community Life
CLASS PERIOD
& DURATION LESSON PLAN

CLASS # 1 LEARNING ACTIVITY 1: Discussion on Literary Elements and Introduction of new element:
Fragmentation. Explanation of worksheet and rubric.
20 Min.
Required Resources: Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy novel, Worksheet (Appendix 2), Rubric (Appendix 1)

Overview
 Quick Introduction of self. (Approx. 1 min.)
 Begin discussion of literary elements. (Approx. 10 min.)
 Introduce Fragmentation in relation to Absurdism. (Approx. 3 min.)
 Explanation of Work sheet and rubric (Approx. 5 min)
 Work Sheet (Remainder of class)

Development
Introduce self
Jump into discussion on literary elements right away.
Questions to facilitate Discussion:
 Who knows what a literary element is?
 What do they do?
 Can anyone give some examples? Explain definitions of those examples.
Gauge where students are. If they seem to know literary devices well move onto
Fragmentation. If they need a refresher, spend a little more time on the definitions.
Introduction of Fragmentation:
 Fragmentation is a literary element that is prominent in absurdist texts.
 The name directly explains what this device achieves in a text: It fragments it, breaks it
up.
 This element is employed for various reasons. The primary reason is to communicate a
loss of meaning and time ultimately causing confusion. Evident in absurdism in general.
 The plot and or dialogue in the text does not follow a linear plot structure. Rather, it
jumps all over the place.
Relate this concept to HG
 HG is heavily fragmented.
 The reader has no concept of space or time in the text. One minute you are on a planet,
the next minute you are 1 million lightyears away in a different universe.
 Fragmentation is evident in the narration of the novel as it is continuously broken up by
digressions. It is also evident in the dialogue of the main character. His words are
confusing and broken up throughout the text.
Introduction of Rubric
 For students to gauge what they should include in their answers.
 Must be handed in with worksheet.
Explanation of Worksheet See Appendix 2 (Approx. 5 min.)
 In Q.1 Students are asked to correctly identify literary elements evident in passages
pulled directly from the text.
 In Q. 2 Students are asked to identify and provide an instance of fragmentation within the
text and the reasons why the use of this is beneficial or not to the text.
 In Q. 3 Students are asked to choose and identify two literary elements within the text.
Students must provide the passage or page number (depending on the length) as well as
the ways in which this literary element lends itself to themes in the text.
  For instance, does X element help communicate major themes of absurdism? Does it
aide in constructing a certain tone within the text?
 Inform the students that once the work sheet is completed, they will choose a literary
element to informally present to the class. (See appendix. 3). This will be done the
following class.
Worksheet Con’t See Appendix 2 (Remainder of class)
 One sheet per student
 May use their text and may work in groups of three to four.
 The sheets must be completed individually.
 These questions will help students in a later class in which they will be asked to write a
response on the novel.
Wrap-Up
 Time to complete the work sheet will be extended into the next class. Small group
presentations will take place during this class. Sheets are due at the end of this class.

Multi-level Modifications
 If students finish early they can continue to locate and identify a third literary element.
This can be used in their in class response essay as students need to identify 2-3 literary
elements.

CLASS 2 LEARNING ACTIVITY 2: Work sheet and Presentations.

50 min. Required Resources: Work sheet (See Appendix 2), novel, presentation guideline (See Appendix
3).

Introduction
 Re-explanation of the worksheet if needed (Approx. 5 min)
 Time to work on worksheet (Approx. 35 min.)
 Presentations (Approx. 5-10 min).
 Presentations can continue into the beginning of the following class if needed.
Development
Working on Worksheet:
 At this point, the teacher(s) will be walking around touching base with students
answering any questions and ensuring students remain on task.
Presentations:
Hand out Presentation guideline sheet (see Appendix 3)
 Each group of 3 to 4 students will choose roles indicated on the handout.
 Presentation includes the following:
 The definition of element X.
 The passage in the novel that contains this element.
 How does this element relate to larger themes in the novel?
 How does this element effect the reading experience?
**Student will not be evaluated on presentations. The purpose of this activity is to share
ideas and promote discussion on the uses of literary elements in a text.
Wrap-Up
Have students hand in worksheets.
Multi-level Modifications
 If students finish early, they may help other classmates or create an outline for their
upcoming in class response essay concerning HG.
Appendix 1

Work Sheet Rubric

CATEGORY 4 EXCEEDS 3 MEETS 2 APPROACHES 1 ATTEMPTS SCORE

Literary /10
Element
Identification
Q.1
Fragmentation Correctly defines, Correctly defines, Student is able to Student vaguely /10
identifies, identifies, identify identifies
evaluates and evaluates and fragmentation in fragmentation.
analyses the use analyzes the use the novel. Provides evidence.
of fragmentation of fragmentation Provides evidence. Is lacking in
in a passage from from a passage in Begins to analysing and
the novel. the text. Relates demonstrate the evaluating its use
Determines the this technique ability to evaluate in regards to larger
effect it has on the larger themes in and analyse its use themes.
novel and the the novel. within the novel.
reader. Relates Relates
this technique to Fragmentation to
larger themes. larger themes in
Explains why the the novel.
author uses this
literary element.
Literary Student correctly Student correctly Student is able to Incorrectly /20
Elements defines, identifies, identifies, defines, identify and define identifies literary
and analyses the and analyses literary elements elements. Provides
use of literary literary elements and provides textual evidence.
elements within a and relates it to a textual evidence. Does not relate
text. Student theme in the Needs substantial literary element to
provides textual novel. Textual assistance in larger themes
evidence and evidence is evaluating and within the novel.
further relates provided. analysing use of
these elements to element. Has a
themes evident in difficult time
the novel. relating element to
Explains why the larger themes.
author uses this
literary element.
Spelling Writer makes Writer makes 4 or Writer makes 5 or Writer makes /4
almost no errors less grammar more errors in numerous errors in
in grammar and/or and/or spelling grammar and or grammar or
spelling that that do not spelling that spelling that
distract from the distract from the distract from the distract from the
content. content. content. content.

Final Grade: /44

Comments:
 Appendix 2

Hitch Hiker’s Guide to Literary Elements!

Question 1: Identify the literary element(s) evident in the following passages taken from Hitch
/10 Hiker’s guide to the Galaxy.
00
a) “On Wednesday night it had rained very heavily, the lane was wet and muddy, but the
Thursday morning sun was bright and clear as it shone on Arthur Dent’s house for what was
to be the last time” (9).

b) “Toothpaste on the brush –so. Scrub. Shaving mirror –pointing at the ceiling. He adjusted it.
[…] Kettle, plug, fridge, milk, coffee. Yawn” (9-10).

c) “ ‘None at all,’ said Mr. Prosser, and stormed nervously off wondering why his brain was
filled with a thousand hairy horsemen all shouting at him” (13).

d) “For a few seconds Ford seemed to ignore him, and stared into the sky like a rabbit trying to
get run over by a car. Then suddenly he squatted down beside Arthur” (16).

e) “Whatever it was raced across the sky in its monstrous yellowness, tore the sky apart with
mind-buggering noise and leapt off into the distance leaving the gaping air to shut behind it
with a bang that drove your ears six feet into your skull” (29).

f) All around the world city streets exploded with people, cars slewed into each other as the
noise fell on them and then rolled off like a tidal wave over hills and valleys, deserts and
oceans, seeming to flatten everything it hit” (29).

g) “They’ve got as much sex appeal as a road accident” (49).

h) Desperately he grabbed for the only bit of culture he knew offhand –he hummed the first bar
of Beethoven’s Fifth” (60).

i) “What the photon is it?” (95).

j) “Many had seen it as clinching proof that the whole of known creation had finally gone
bananas” (33).
 Question 2: Find an example of fragmentation within the text. Be sure to provide the page number.
Explain why it is fragmentation. Does this literary element lend itself to any themes discussed in
class? Feel free to come up with your own themes. How did this element effect your reading
experience?

Define Fragmentation:

/2

Page number:
Explain why this passage contains fragmentation:
/2

Which theme(s) does this element relates to in the novel?

/2

How does the element of fragmentation effect your reading experience? (2-3 sentences)

/4

Question 3: Find two literary elements in the text. Write down the passage if it is short. If not,
provide the page number.

/2 Literary Element 1:
Definition:
/2

Passage/Page #:
/2
 What theme(s) does this literary element relate to in the novel? Does this literary element help in
/4
communicating and emphasizing these themes? Explain why or why not.

Literary Element 2:
/2
Definition:
/2

Passage/Page #:
/2

What theme(s) does this literary element relate to in the novel? Does this literary element help in
communicating and emphasizing these themes? Explain why or why not.
/4

Forget Me Not’s

Foreshadowing Hyperbole Allusion Symbolism Cliché

Irony Connotation Conflict Allusion Alliteration
Imagery Allegory Pathos Conflict Juxtaposition
Flashback Fragmentation Simile Pathos Personification
Analogy Symbolism Metaphor Simile Idiom
Metaphor
Appendix 3

Small Group Presentation:

Choose one literary element (Q.3) to present to the class.

Your group is responsible for the following:

 Group Member 1: Defines the literary element. Provides a brief definition.

 Group Member 2: Reads out passage in which the literary element is found. Indicates page
number.
 Group Member 3: How does this element relate to larger themes in the novel?
 Group member 4: What does this element do in regards to the reading experience?