PBS
Jane Eyre and the Advent of First-Person Narratives
Charlotte Bronte is given credit for crafting what is considered the first of a long series of first-person narratives. Her Jane Eyre is not the usual beautiful, self-assured heroine, but rather has inspired the others, the misfits, the...
PBS
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Prepare first-time readers of Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God with a short video that provides information about how Hurston came to write the novel and how her use of free indirect discourse enriches the story and...
PBS
The Catcher in the Rye and First-Person Narrative
Testimonials for The Catcher in the Rye demonstrate the power of J.D. Salinger's story of a young man who wants to protect innocent children from the phonies in the adult world. Part of the Great American Read series, speakers urge...
PBS
American Masters Gatsby Chases the American Dream
What's so great about Gatsby? A teaching guide asks readers to consider whether Gatsby's quest represents the embodiment of the American Dream or a reflection of the American nightmare, a green light, or a valley of ashes.
PBS
American Masters Meet F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Gatsby
Introduce readers to the great Jay Gatsby with a short video from the American Masters series. Narrators analyze how Fitzgerald's choice of narrator and point of view create the dreamlike qualities and near-mythic status of Jay Gatsby.
PBS
A Separate Peace
Jenna and Barbara Bush, daughters of former President George W. Bush, and author Armistead Maupin share with viewers their reasons for selecting John Knowles' A Separate Peace as one of their favorite books.
PBS
The Importance of Chicano Representation in Bless Me, Ultima
The best books either enable readers to see themselves, their culture, and their way of life reflected in the story or to gain an understanding of a way of life different from their own. Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima is such a book....
Lit2Go
The Farmer and the Cranes
Actions are stronger than words, according to Aesop. Pupils read "The Farmer and the Cranes" in which a farmer takes action against the trespassing cranes in his wheat field. They then create a picture book to depict the events from the...