PLOT (correct J rules)
What is a diamond necklace?
This theme is present in BOTH "The Tiger's Heart" and "The Necklace."
A. Once someone achieves power and attention, it is hard to let it go.
B. People can go to extreme lengths to protect the illusion of power or wealth.
or another acceptable answer
THEME STATEMENT: "The Tiger's Heart" explores the idea that animals bring out the best in humans.
FICTION! Instead, the text shows a brutal relationship between humans and predator animals.
This tool makes Pepe the most powerful person in his village.
What is a rifle?
What theme from "The Necklace" can be proved using this piece of evidence?
"She thought for a moment, computing the cost, and also wondering what amount she could ask for without an immediate refusal and an alarmed exclamation from the thrifty clerk."
Potential Answer: Materialism can lead people to manipulate and harm others for their own benefit.
MAIN IDEA: "The Necklace" is about a woman who loves herself to the point of manipulating others, and she ends up suffering for it.
INFERENCE! While Mathilde does seem to be manipulative, the text doesn't state this explicitly. What might a better Main Idea be?
The setting of "The Necklace"
Where is 1800s Paris, France?
Find a piece of evidence that can support this main idea from "The Tiger's Heart:"
Being the only person in his village with a gun, Pepe is hired to kill a rampaging tiger. Despite using a machete, he covers the evidence to keep his power.
After covering the machete wounds with gunshots, Pepe barely felt any guilt because, "In his village, the man who owned a rifle must remain supreme" (Kjelgaard 6).
EVIDENCE: According to the passage, Mathilde feels like she should have been born into a rich family, in which she might have "silent antechambers hung with Oriental tapestries, lit from above by torches in bronze holders" (Maupassant 1).
FACT! In our introduction to "The Necklace," we see how much Mathilde envies the wealth of others.
Pepe kills the tiger by doing this
What is using a machete and then covering it up with a rifle?
Write a theme statement that explains Mathilde's attitude throughout the story.
Potential Answer: Greed and desire for a better life can lead people to bitterness and self-resentment.
THEME EVIDENCE: Juan Aria contributes to the theme of those with technology gaining power and self-importance by agreeing to give Pepe 800 pesos for killing the tiger and feeding it to the village.
FICTION! Juan Aria DOES hire Pepe to kill the tiger, but he pays him with 2 goat and 1 kid, not money. Additionally, the tiger serves no purpose for the village.
What is wealth/power?
Find evidence from EITHER STORY that best supports this statement:
Mathilde and Pepe are similar because they both want to keep power or status, and they would manipulate others to do so.
COMPARISON: "The Necklace" and "The Tiger's Heart" both feature characters who are driven by their love for others and a need to protect those dear to them, but Mathilde does not succeed, while Pepe does.
FICTION! How can we change this sentence to be accurate?