Summer of the Mariposas
Who is the narrator of the novel?
Odilia
What is a theme?
A life lesson, message, or central idea the author wants the reader to learn.
Identify the device: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
Personification
What does RACES stand for?
R – Restate
A – Answer
C – Cite
E – Explain
S – Summarize
Name one reason authors use figurative language.
To create imagery, add emotion, or make writing more engaging/meaningful.
What discovery do the sisters make at the river that begins their journey?
A dead man's body
Is theme usually stated directly or indirectly in a story?
Indirectly (The reader must infer it.)
Identify the device: “Her backpack weighed a ton.”
Hyperbole
Which part of RACES includes a quote or evidence?
C -- Cite
What point of view uses “I,” “me,” and “my”?
First-person
Name one mythical or magical creature they encounter on their journey.
La Llorona, lechuzas (owl witches), nagual, chupacabras, Cecilia the ghost, etc.
What theme might a reader take from a story where a character learns from repeated mistakes?
People grow by learning from their mistakes.
Failure can lead to improvement.
Persistence leads to success.
What type of figurative language compares two things using like or as?
Simile
Where do in-text citations go: before or after the quotation?
After the quotation, inside the sentence before the period.
Which type of conflict is a character struggling against their own thoughts?
Internal conflict / Character vs. Self
How does the journey help Odilia grow as a leader? (Short explanation)
She becomes more confident, makes responsible decisions, protects her sisters, and learns to trust her instincts.
Explain the difference between a theme and a main idea.
Theme: the message about life.
Main idea: what the text is mostly about (summary focus).
Explain the difference between metaphor and personification.
Metaphor: compares two unlike things directly (“The classroom was a zoo”).
Personification: gives human qualities to nonhuman things (“The flowers danced”).
Write an example of an in-text citation using an author’s last name and page number.
"Cite" (Author LN #).
Turn this sentence into a stronger, more descriptive one: “The girl was sad.”
“Tears pooled in the girl’s eyes as her shoulders sank.”
“Her voice cracked as she tried not to cry.
Explain how the theme of family unity is shown through the sisters’ actions in the novel.
The sisters work together, protect each other, finish the quest as a team, and learn to appreciate one another’s strengths.
Create a theme statement for a story about overcoming fear to help a friend.
“True friendship means supporting others even when you are afraid.”
Rewrite this literal sentence using any type of figurative language: “The classroom was very noisy.”
“The classroom roared like a stadium.” (Simile)
“The classroom was a thunderstorm of noise.” (Metaphor)
“Noise exploded in the classroom.” (Hyperbole)
Explain what makes a strong explanation in the RACES paragraph format.
It connects the evidence to the answer, shows reasoning, explains significance, and proves the point clearly.
Write a mini-theme statement for your own life in one sentence.
“Hard work leads to achievement.”
“Growth comes from taking risks.”
“Kindness can change someone’s day.”