Stereotypes Of Canadians Dancing For The Devil 2

Stereotypes of Canadians
Is there a typical Canadian personality?
How are we influenced by stereotypes?

I. “Dance with the Devil” by Edward McCourt

Synopsis
The Reverend Dugald Cameron meets the devil face to face in old Raftery’s hut on the top of Dead Man’s Butte, wins the confrontation, and in the process cleans up the dis reputable town of Coyote Gullly.

As a class, we will read the short story and complete a short story analysis. The analysis will be a review for literary elements.

Title: _____________________________

_____________________________
Author: _____________________________

Description of Setting
Plot Summary
What is the initiating incident?
Rising Action: What are the complication(s)/obstacles?
What is the climax?
Falling Action and Denouement: How are the complication(s) resolved or addressed?
Are there additional techniques of plot used?

Mode

Conflict(s)

Theme(s)
One or two simple statements about human beings and life; avoid the use of clichés (i.e., the angst of adolescences, reality versus dreams, companionship is a salvation).

Characterization
Name
Description of Character and Character Personality
(Identify the Type of Character)
Textual Evidence

Literary Devices
What are some examples of literary devices used by the author?
Evidence from the text showing the literary device in action.
Commentary: What does the literary device show? Why does the author use it in his story?

Synthesis Question(s)

What indications can you find on pgs. 124-125 that may be a foreshadowing of the preacher’s discovery that Old Man Grainger is the devil?

Explain the significance and intent of the last sentence of the story. How is it ironical?

This story is based on one of the oldest themes in literature - the confrontation between man and the devil. Why do you think this theme of man versus the devil is such a well-used one? How does Edward McCourt give this old theme a distinctive Canadian twist?

II. “Where the World Began” by Margaret Laurence

Synopsis

In “Where the World Began,” Margaret Laurence describes her exuberant childhood memories of her small prairie hometown. However, she does not merely give descriptions of her childhood or the prairies; she uses her prairie hometown as an example to represent Canada and to express the extraordinary affection she has towards Canada.

Synthesis Question(s)

1. On what grounds does Laurence reject the stereotypical description of the prairies as “dull, bleak, flat, and uninteresting”?

2. What is revealed about small-town attitudes in Laurence’s description of the ton dump”? (Paragraph 8)

3. What connections does Laurence perceive between small town prairie life and Canadian life on the national scale? (Paragraph 14-15)
4. Lawrence believes Canadians are too modest. What evidence do you have of this? What role might our neighbour have with this characteristic?
5. What do you think she means by this quote, ‘”Scratch a Canadian and you find a phony pioneer,” I used to say to myself in warning.’