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Lesson 1 (from Chapter 1)

Objective

Chapter 1

The narrative style shifts between Buddy's first-person and an anonymous third-person perspective. This reflects Frank Lewis's description of Buddy's jazz style and adds a musical quality to the reader's experience of this book. Ondaatje's irregular punctuation also obscures the line between dream and reality. In this lesson, discuss the effect of the narrative and writing styles.

Lesson

1) Data Collection: Ask the students to collect some moments where Ondaatje's writing style and the narrative perspectives are irregular. Why is this "irregular"?

2) Groups: Split the class into two groups. Ask one to focus on style and the other on narration. Ask each group to examine their assignments in relation to Lewis's analysis of Buddy's music. How does this aspect of style reflect Lewis's view? Ask the groups to present.

3) Class Discussion: What effect does Ondaatje's style carry? How is the text musical itself? How are we glimpsing...

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