Research and

On pages 209-10, read “How I Wrote ‘The Drummer Boy of Shiloh’”.

• Do you think Bradbury’s first draft of “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” was historically accurate? Why or why not?

• Why did Bradbury research facts that he did not use in the story?

In order to get theme, you must draw conclusions.

• What side of the Civil War are Joby and the general?

• Why does the general compare Joby cheek to what’s falling from the tree? What is Bradbury implying (to readers)?

• What imagery (mental movie) does Bradbury give readers in the last sentence (paragraph)? Remember imagery affects more than visual sense. Look at language choices.

• Get shelfie and file under “old” in yellow folder

• From your mailbox, pick up “How to Research for Historical Fiction: Balancing Fact and Fiction”.

• “Connotation: creating mood and conveying tone” Reading Assignment Due: March 3

In the April night, more than once, blossoms fell from the orchard trees and lit with rustling taps on the drumskin. At midnight a peach stone left miraculously on a branch through winter, flicked by a bird, fell swift and unseen, struck once, like panic, which jerked the boy upright. In silence he listened to his own heart ruffle away, away, at last gone from his ears and back in his chest again.

Connotative Word/phrase

Mood Created Tone Conveyed

page number

203

In the April night, more than once, blossoms fell from the orchard trees and lit with rustling taps on the drumskin. At midnight a peach stone left miraculously on a branch through winter, flicked by a bird, fell swift and unseen, struck once, like panic, which jerked the boy upright. In silence he listened to his own heart ruffle away, away, at last gone from his ears and back in his chest again.

Connotative Word/phrase

Mood Created Tone Conveyed

page number

Midnight, swift, unseen, panic

threatening sympathetic 203Miraculously, silence, ruffle away

calming hopeful 203

He lay next to it, his arm around it, feeling the tremor, the touch, the muted thunder as, all the rest of the April night in the year 1862, near the Tennessee River, not far from the Owl Creek, very close to the church named Shiloh, the peach blossoms fell on the drum.

Connotative Word/phrase

Mood Created Tone Conveyed

page number

208

He lay next to it, his arm around it, feeling the tremor, the touch, the muted thunder as, all the rest of the April night in the year 1862, near the Tennessee River, not far from the Owl Creek, very close to the church named Shiloh, the peach blossoms fell on the drum.

Connotative Word/phrase

Mood Created Tone Conveyed

page number

Tremor, muted thunder, peach blossoms

Fearful, Foreboding, Apprehensive,Sympathetic

208

“How to Research for Historical Fiction: Balancing Fact and Fiction”.

1. Preview text and make predictions.

2. While reading the text, compose a list of 5 tips(R/W Hb) the author gives for balancing fact and fiction when writing historical fiction.

“How to Research for Historical Fiction: Balancing Fact and Fiction”.

1. Research style of dress and characters’ names.2. Find out what streets, buildings, parks existed in the

particular setting while keeping track of basic information and being consistent.

3. Be accurate with dialect.4. Any information taken from internet sources should be

cross-checked.5. Personally visit location being written about.6. Libraries contain original documents, maps and books.7. Ask experts.

Using a chart may help you see that texts all have a common subject, the Civil War Battle of Shiloh, but their authors have different purposes and use different forms of writing.

Historical Data

“Drumbeats and Bullets”

“The Drummer Boy of Shiloh”

“How I Came to Write ‘The Drummer Boy of Shiloh’”

Fiction ornonfiction?

Author’spurpose

Method oforganization(structure)

Theme ormain idea

Historical Data “Drumbeats and Bullets”

“The Drummer Boy of Shiloh”

“How I Came to Write ‘The Drummer Boy of Shiloh’”

Fiction ornonfiction?

Nonfiction Nonfiction Fiction: made-up story(Tip: Is there dialogue?)

Nonfiction

Author’spurpose

To inform readers of historical detail and statistic

To give readers an idea of drummer boy’s ages and responsibilities

To give readers an idea of what it might have been like the night Battle of Shiloh

To share with readers how he was inspired to write the story and what he needed to do to improve it.

Method oforganization(structure)

1. time/place2. generals3. casualties

Explanations followed by primary sources (first hand accounts from journals and quotes from former drummer boys)

Begins with peach blossoms tapping on the drum. General gives Joby words of courage. Ends with peach blossoms tapping on the drum.

Begins with inspiration for story. He discusses how he realized he didn’t know much after reviewing draft. Then talks about how he had to conduct research to improve his story.

Theme ormain idea

The two-day Civil War Battle of Shiloh cost more that twenty thousand soldiers’ lives and failed to secure victory or territory for either side.

Drummer boys were the heartbeat of Civil War battles.

1. To face fear with courage and faith, everyone needs to feel connected to others, to feel pride in his/her purpose, and to believe that overcoming the problem is possible.2. Appearances may be deceiving; often that which seems least important may actually be immeasurably valuable.

An author must conduct research to create authentic details in a believable fictional story.

Historical Data “Drumbeats and Bullets”

“The Drummer Boy of Shiloh”

“How I Came to Write ‘The Drummer Boy of Shiloh’”

Fiction ornonfiction?

Nonfiction Nonfiction Fiction: made-up story(Tip: Is there dialogue?)

Nonfiction

Author’spurpose

To inform readers of historical detail and statistic

To give readers an idea of drummer boy’s ages and responsibilities

To give readers an idea of what it might have been like the night Battle of Shiloh

To share with readers how he was inspired to write the story and what he needed to do to improve it.

Method oforganization(structure=order of info)

1. time/place2. generals3. casualties

Explanations followed by primary sources (first hand accounts from journals and quotes from former drummer boys)

Begins with peach blossoms tapping on the drum. General gives Joby words of courage. Ends with peach blossoms tapping on the drum.

Begins with inspiration for story. He discusses how he realized he didn’t know much after reviewing draft. Then talks about how he had to conduct research to improve his story.

Theme ormain idea

The two-day Civil War Battle of Shiloh cost more that twenty thousand soldiers’ lives and failed to secure victory or territory for either side.

Drummer boys were the heartbeat of Civil War battles.

1. To face fear with courage and faith, everyone needs to feel connected to others, to feel pride in his/her purpose, and to believe that overcoming the problem is possible.2. Appearances may be deceiving; often that which seems least important may actually be immeasurably valuable.

An author must conduct research to create authentic details in a believable fictional story.

Step 1: Understand the “Writing Task”.

Step 2: Decide on your “position”.

Step 3: Gather evidence to support your position.

Is the story an accurate “reflection” of the historical record?

Historical Fact Historical Fiction

Setting Shiloh, TN: Church, Peach Orchard, April 1862

“…all the rest of the April night in the year 1862, near the Tennessee River, not far from the Owl Creek, very close to the church named Shiloh, the peach blossoms fell on the drum.”

Characters Drummer boys, Johnny Clem, General Johnson

Joby, the general

Events The two-day Civil War Battle of Shiloh cost more that twenty thousand soldiers’ lives and failed to secure victory or territory for either side.

night before the Battle of Shiloh

Intro-ThesisBased on historical facts, Bradbury’s story is a believable account of events the night before the Battle of Shiloh.

Support/Evidence from text1. Peach orchard in April/falling peach blossoms2. Given the outcome of the battle, fear among young

drummer boys is believable.

ConclusionRay Bradbury creates a believable account of the night before a bloody battle in The Drummer Boy of Shiloh.

Organize.

I SAY

..BEC

AUSE

IT S

AYS…

I SAY..BECAUSE IT SAYS…

I SAY..BECAUSE IT SAYS…

Intro-ThesisBased on historical facts, Bradbury’s story presents a believable portrait of a Civil War drummer boy.

Support/Evidence from text1. Joby’s age reflects a common age of Civil War drummer

boys.2. Given the outcome of the battle, fear among young

drummer boys is believable.

ConclusionRay Bradbury creates a believable portrait of a Civil War drummer boy in The Drummer Boy of Shiloh.

Organize.

I SAY

..BEC

AUSE

IT S

AYS…

I SAY..BECAUSE IT SAYS…

I SAY..BECAUSE IT SAYS…