Recipe for Success

American Literature—Free Reading Project

Due Date: ______

“The recipe for perpetual ignorance is a very simple and effective one: Be satisfied with your opinion and content with you knowledge.” – Elbert Hubbard

Creating good literature, like creating good food, is part art and part science. Great food is a fine-tuned medley of the finest ingredients combine by a creative, skilled hand. Likewise, great literature is a delicate balance of imagination and effective literary and rhetorical devices.

DIRECTIONS: Analyze your free reading book and create the “recipe” by which the book is developed. Follow these steps:

  • Your recipe – be sure to include a snappy, groovy title – must include a minimum of seven (7) ingredients that are important to the development of your book. Refer to the attached ingredient list of literary and rhetorical devices.
  • Determine the proportions of each ingredient in your recipe. For example, you might decide your book has three parts mystery, one part foreshadowing, two parts alliteration, four parts dialogue, and two parts conflict. A minimum of two (2) parts (you can call them chunks, bags, pounds, globs, sprinkles, shakes, teaspoons, tons, etc.) is required for each ingredient.
  • For each ingredient, you must provide a proper MLA quote from your book equal to the number of parts. For example, if your recipe has three parts mystery, you must include three quotes that demonstrate mystery. Your quotes should follow this format: “Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx” (5).In addition, you must explain the significance of the quote – answer “so what?”
  • Include a picture. The picture must represent something significantfrom the book. You MUST hand-draw this picture; you are not expected to be a highly skilled artist, but your picture must be neat, well colored, and aesthetically appealing.
  • Your recipe must be neat, clearly labeled, complete, and typed.
  • Finally, you must present your recipe to the class. Projects that are not presented will be penalized.

Recipe for Success

Free Reading Project

Literary and Rhetorical Devices Ingredients List

(Don’t know some of these devices? Look them up!)

  • alliteration
  • allusion
  • anecdote
  • cause/effect
  • characterization
  • comparison/contrast
  • conflict
  • dialogue
  • diction
  • drama
  • figurative language
  • flashback
  • foreshadowing
  • heroism
  • humor/comedy/comic relief
  • imagery (sensory detail)
  • mood
  • motif
  • mystery
  • narration
  • poetry
  • point of view
  • repetition
  • romance
  • sarcasm
  • satire
  • setting
  • subplot
  • surprise ending
  • suspense/tension
  • symbol/symbolism
  • theme
  • tone
  • tragedy
  • other devices you found and can support with evidence

Recipe for Success

Free Reading Project

Brainstorming/Notes Chart

Ingredients and Proportions / Quotes of Support (MLA) / Directions for Recipe
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Name ______Date ______Hour ______

Book Title ______

Recipe for Success

Free Reading Project Rubric

  • Your recipe is titled and includes a minimum of five ingredients._____/10
  • Your recipe has a minimum of two parts for each ingredient._____/10
  • A proper MLA quote is included for each part._____/30
  • Your recipe includes a minimum of four clear and concise directions._____/10
  • A neat, appropriate, and appealing picture is included._____/10
  • An actual recipe that would fit your book is included._____/10
  • Your project is neat, complete, and TYPED._____/10
  • You presented your project (minus 20% if not)._____/10

TOTAL_____/100

______

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