What does it take to survive a crisis?
- When things get incredibly tough, who or what do you lean on?
- Is survival only about physical safety, or is it emotional too?
- How much does a person's mindset matter when facing danger?
- Resilience: Finding the inner strength to keep going when giving up is easier.
- Support Systems: Finding at least one person—a teacher, a neighbor, a friend—who offers help.
- Imagination & Hope: Escaping into books, daydreams, or plans for a better future to mentally survive a bad situation.
Sources of Strength
When people are in dangerous or painful situations, they need ways to cope. Think about items, activities, or safe spaces from when you were younger.
- What "comfort items" brought you happiness?
- Where could you go to feel safe?
- Listening to favorite music to block out the world.
- Reading books to escape into a different reality.
- Holding onto a special photograph or keepsake.
Does Everyone Have a Chance?
Look at the title: A Chance in the World. Does everyone start life with the exact same opportunities to be successful?
- Why might someone say Yes?
- Why might someone say No?
YES: Libraries, public schools, and hard work can open doors for anyone.
NO: Poverty, unfair rules, or an unsafe home life can create massive roadblocks that are hard to overcome.
How to Analyze Literary Nonfiction
Literary nonfiction tells a true story (factual information, memoirs, autobiographies) but uses the creative tools usually found in poetry and fiction to make it interesting.
While reading, look for these elements:
- Figurative Language: Similes and metaphors that create powerful images.
- Sensory Details: Words that appeal to your five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).
- Poetic Descriptions: Writing that goes beyond just stating simple facts.
- Author’s Reflections: When the author pauses the story to tell you what the experience meant to them.
Analyze the Author's Perspective
An author's perspective is their unique point of view—a combination of their ideas, values, feelings, and beliefs. We figure out their perspective by looking closely at their diction (word choice) and the details they choose to share.
| Clues to Author's Perspective | Examples from A Chance in the World |
|---|---|
| Language (diction) | "monsters" used to describe the Robinsons |
| Details the author includes |
|
| Direct statements about the author's feelings and beliefs |
|
Comprehension Check
Select an answer to get instant feedback.
1. What is the primary purpose of literary nonfiction?
2. Which of the following best defines "diction"?
3. Similes and metaphors are examples of what literary device?
4. What does an "author's perspective" consist of?
5. In the reading chart, what word did the author use to describe the Robinsons, revealing his perspective?
6. If an author describes the "sharp, biting cold of the wind" and the "smell of damp earth," they are using:
7. The essential question of this lesson asks what it takes to survive a...
8. What is the purpose of an "author's reflection" in a memoir?
9. A childhood "comfort item" (like a special blanket or book) serves as a source of:
10. Memoir and autobiography are examples of what genre?