Vogel
Close Reading – “Living Like Weasels”
English III
Informative Essay
The Prompt
What is the meaning of Dillard’s title “Living Like Weasels”?
Some things to think about:
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Why has the author chosen this title?
What is the title’s significance to the essay?
How does the author describe how weasels live?
What comparisons to the weasel’s life and human’s life does the author make?
A well-written essay will have the following (an example essay is on the back):
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Three (3) pieces of textual evidence in quotation marks
Clearly explained connection between the evidence and how the evidence supports your
thoughts about the essays title
This essay is worth 50 points (see rubric below)
Points Awarded
50
40
30
20
10
Characteristics of Essay

Three (3) pieces of textual evidence in quotation marks with paragraph number in parentheses beside
evidence

Clearly explained connection between the evidence and how the evidence supports your thoughts
about the essay’s title

1-2 grammatical/conventions errors

Two (2) pieces of textual evidence in quotation marks with paragraph number in parentheses beside
evidence

Minimal explanation of connection between evidence and how the evidence supports your thoughts
about the essay’s title

3-5 grammatical/convention errors

Two (2) pieces of textual evidence without quotation marks or paragraph number in parentheses
beside evidence

Loosely explained connection between evidence and how the evidence supports your thoughts about
the essay’s title

6-8 grammatical/convention errors

One (1) piece of textual evidence in quotation marks with paragraph number in parentheses

Bare explanation of connection between evidence and how the evidence supports your thoughts about
the essay’s title

9-11 grammatical/convention errors
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One (1) or no piece of textual evidence

No explanation of connection between evidence and how the evidence supports your thoughts about
the essay’s title

12 or more grammatical/convention errors
If you have the required number of textual evidence but neglect to properly quote and cite, 3 points will be
deducted from your essay for each instance. Egregious errors in grammar will result in your grade being lowered to
the next point value!
Vogel
Close Reading – “Living Like Weasels”
English III
“A Sound of Thunder”
Imagine being offered a chance to travel sixty million years into the past to shoot a dinosaur.
Ray Bradbury’s short story, “A Sound of Thunder,” gives readers the opportunity to explore time travel
and its consequences. The title “A Sound of Thunder” literally and figuratively gives readers an idea of
what can happen in an instant changing the way humans react and the very way of life they are used to.
Bradbury’s exploration of time travel and its consequences begins as several overconfident men
travel to the time of dinosaurs to shoot “the most incredible monster in history” (pg. 73). The jungle is
literally alive with noises. The flapping wings of a pterodactyl, the gnawing sounds of insects and the
calling of ancient birds. The men are warned not to shoot until given a signal from the guides. Bradbury
builds suspense through his description of the jungle and the thoughts of Mr. Eckels.
In moments the jungle, once teeming with life, is silent. Then, “a sound of thunder” (pg. 76).
The enormous talons, sinewy muscles and sheer force of the Tyrannosaurus Rex break the silence of the
forest. His movements are literally like a sound of thunder echoing over the millions of years since
prehistoric times. Eckels, afraid of the monster dinosaur, flees looking for respite in the time machine.
His flight sets off ripples which will resonant throughout history.
Exhausted, disgusted and disappointed the men clamor back into the time machine. The
machine screams back to the future where nothing is as it was before. As Eckels leans over to check his
shoe, he finds that even the tiniest of insects can set off a ripple effect reverberating right through time.
As the safari leader reaches for his gun, “there was a sound of thunder” (pg. 81) symbolically signifying
the death of the future as it has been known.