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Lesson 1 (from Chapter 1)

Objective

Chapter 1

Andrew, the narrator of the novel, is introduced in the first chapter. He is a successful businessman who returned to the small town where he grew up to attend his mother's funeral. This lesson will explore Andrew's complexity as a character.

Lesson

1) Class Discussion: The novel begins with a dream in which Andrew recalls being a teenager and the hot summer night his neighbor was killed. Discuss the importance of the dream as a way of understanding Andrew and his family's past. What does the class learn about Andrew's youth because of this dream? In what ways does the dream help Andrew remember his childhood? What kind of relationship did Andrew have with his parents? How would the class describe Andrew's personality?

2) Small Group Analysis: Form small groups and analyze how the author, Anita Shreve, effectively provides details about the main character, Andrew. What examples...

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