"The Ravine" HRW Collection 1, p.3
SAMPLE RESPONSES FROM CLASS DISCUSSION
TEST DATE: ____________________
Name:_______________
Period:______
Date:_______________
A. Critical Vocabulary (p.15) (words & definitions)
Word
Definition (found in the MARGIN of story pages- also in glossary p. R77 !)
gnarly
Has many knots and bumpy areas on its surface
rivulet
Small brook or stream of water
cascade
Falling, pouring, or rushing in stages, like a waterfall over steep rocks
precipice
An overhanging or extremely steep area of rock (like a cliff)
B. Language Conventions (p.16) (know the difference between dialect and Standard English). For practice, complete #1-5 p.16 in the space below:
p.16 Restated in Standard English
1
2
"What is up, Denise? How is it going?" asked Claire.
"I don't know," he mumbled
3
I will never ever go back to that sad old place again.
4
"Give me a break!" scoffed Tina. I saw you there with Jill, you liar!"
5
I was just hanging out with some friends at the mall. We weren't looking for any trouble. Do you know what I am saying?
C. Literary elements (use your notes & the definitions in the Glossary of Literary Terms; be able to recognize or provide examples of each for this particular story)
Definition
Example from "The Ravine"
CITE TEXT EVIDENCE FOR YOUR EXAMPLE
Theme
HINT: think about Vinny's "aha!" moment- think p. 12, lines 323-327 "At the same time the
A message about life or human nature
about what he has LEARNED about peer
peace was still there. He had no idea what it
that the writer shares with the reader
pressure and himself. Now, write a theme for
was. But he prayed it wouldn't leave him now,
the story:
prayed it wouldn't go away, would never go
away, because in there, in the place where the
It is important to be true to yourself and not fall peace was, it didn't matter what they thought."
victim to peer pressure.
Setting
The time and place of the action
Internal
conflict
A conflict that occurs within a
character's heart, mind, and thoughts.
(INSIDE conflict)
A jungle type area of Hawaii, near a waterfall,
on a Tuesday in July
Vinny struggles over whether to given in to
peer pressure and jump, even though he really
doesn't want to
p. 3: "it was a Tuesday in July." "Hawaiian
hillside" "a jungle thick with tangled trees"
(FIND & CITE TEXT EVIDENCE):
D. Characters: be familiar with the characters and with character traits we might use to describe them (especially Vinny & Starlene)
Name
Character traits (words that describe personality)
Vinny
Brave; a thinker
Starlene
Fearless; daredevil; risk-taker
Mo
Joe-Boy
E. Analyzing the text: REREAD the story (!), be familiar with the plot, review the selection questions & any notes, recall our class discussions on these topics:

How & why Vinnie changes (why does he go along with them when he doesn't really want to? to fit in, peer pressure, the things his dad said)
He finally has confidence in himself and is at peace making his own decision. He stops worrying about what others think.

Why Vinnie views the setting as he describes at the very end (think about how the way he describes the setting reflects the change in him) now that he is
at peace and happy with his decision, he can focus on the beauty that surrounds him and he no longer thinks of it as a place where a boy died

An explanation for why Starlene tells Vinny the legend of the goddess (hint: Could she be in denial about the boy's death? Would the legend be easier to
accept than the death of a young boy?) She would rather believe that than to have to accept the truth- young boy was really dead after all.