Reading Analysis 2 (City of Thieves)

Guidelines for Reading Analysis – City of Thieves by David Benioff

Sign-up for a set of chapters from City of Thieves. Be sure to make a note of the presentation date and chapter numbers you signed up for.

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Chapter and page numbers                                                      Presentation date

           

Read the chapters you will be analyzing carefully. If possible, read them twice. You will be presenting your analysis in class along with two to four of your classmates. The class will be counting on you to be on top of the chapters you are covering, so please be prepared!

To prepare your written analysis, answer the questions below for the chapters you are covering.

You may submit your analysis typed or neatly handwritten. Please double-space!

1.     Summarize the plot – the events that occur in your chapters. Keep your summary brief – two-pages maximum (double-spaced)! (15 points)

2.     Throughout the novel, Lev reveals more and more about his family and his past. What do we learn about Lev’s family and past life in these chapters. How do Lev’s past experiences explain or impact his thinking and behavior in these chapters? (5 points)

3.     In this novel, the characters are dealing with shockingly harsh conditions because of the siege of the city and the war in general. Sometimes these conditions lead to behavior that would be unthinkable in times of relative peace and prosperity such as our own. Identify and explain a few wartime conditions and practices that are depicted and/or referenced in this section. (5 points)

4.    Under normal circumstances, Soviet society and the operations of the Soviet government are very different from what we are accustomed to in the U.S. Sometimes the book explicitly discusses these differences and sometimes we can only infer the. Based on your reading of these chapters, identify a few ways that Soviet society and/or the Soviet government differ from American society and the American government. (5 points)

5.    What are the themes (the central idea or ideas) that the chapters explore? Remember, a theme is more than a topic (e.g. love, death, family, etc.). Think of a theme as a general observation or truth that is revealed about a topic, such as “Love makes us behave irrationally.” Briefly explain how each theme is realized (1-2 sentences per theme). (5 points)

6.    Choose a significant quote. Explain what you think it means and why you think it is significant. (5 points)

This assignment (written analysis + presentation) is worth 40 points, with a 5-point bonus for those who present their analyses on the first day. You will be graded primarily on the quality of your written analysis, although outstanding presentations will be rewarded. You will not be penalized for giving a poor presentation, but you must present your analysis! No written analyses will be accepted without a presentation. If you are absent or unprepared on the day your presentation is scheduled, you will receive a zero for the assignment with no possibility of making it up.