Signposts of Literature Reading Strategy: Contrasts & Contradictions

Name: ______

Signposts of Literature Reading Strategy: Contrasts & Contradictions

“Button, Button” by Richard Matheson

Author Richard Matheson was born in 1926 in New Jerseyto Norwegian immigrants. Matheson's parents divorced when he was 8 years old, and he was raised by his mother in Brooklyn, New York. Around the same time, he saw his first piece of work—a poem—published in theBrooklyn Eagle. It was also during his childhood that Matheson saw the filmDracula, which made the boy think, "If one vampire is scary, what if the whole world is full of vampires?" according to the Archive of American Television. His interest in writing and reading continued to grow as he got older. After graduating from Brooklyn Technical High School, he joined the U.S. Army and served in Europe during World War II (this experience would later provide the inspiration for his novelThe Beardless Warrior). After serving in the military, in 1949, he earned his B.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Not long after, he relocated to California.

While in California, Matheson began trying to establish himself as an author. Readers appreciated Matheson's knack for creating unexplainable scenarios in conventional environments. Hecontinued to write, but it wasn't enough to support him financially, in 1954, Matheson had to work at the Douglas Aircraft plant in Santa Monica. The novel I Am Legendwas so popular that it was made into a film, entitledThe Incredible Shrinking Man. A number of film adaptations stemming from Matheson's stories followed, includingSteven Spielberg's What Dreams May Come(1998). Matheson also wrote several memorable pieces for television, specifically for the sci-fi seriesThe Twilight Zone(1959). He worked with Rod Serling to write more than a dozen episodes for the series. Matheson died on June 23, 2013, in Calabasas, California, of natural causes. Though he may not have been as well known as other sci-fi writers, several prominent authors have praised Matheson for his innovative and unique form of storytelling. Well-known horror and fantasy storyteller Stephen King has credited Matheson as the author who influenced him the most as a writer.

(COMPLETE BOX ON BOTTOM,PG 4 BEFORE reading the text and completing the chart.)

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Recent studies in reading haveidentified 6 “signposts” that alert readers to significantmoments in a work of literature and encourage students to read closely. Learning first to spot thesesignposts and then to question them enables readers to explore the text, any text, finding evidence to supporttheir interpretations. In short, these close reading strategies will help students to notice and note. The 6 Signposts will help create attentive readers who look closely at a text, interpret it responsibly, andreflect on what it means in their lives. It should help them become responsive, rigorous, independentreaders. Learning first to spot these signposts and then to question them, enables readers to explore the text, any text, finding evidence to support their interpretations.

CONTRASTS & CONTRADICTIONSis oneof the six signposts that help students see patterns in literature is. When a character does something that contrastswith what you’d expect or contradicts his earlieracts or statements,STOP and ask, “Why is thecharacter doing that?” The answer will helpthe reader make predictions and draw inferencesabout the plot and conflict.

Practice: “Button, Button” by Richard Matheson (handout)

Pre-Read: What are characteristics of Dystopian literature? – “Fahrenheit 415”

While Reading: Look for ways a character acts that:

... are contradictory (opposite or different) to how the character has acted in the past.

… contrast with how you would act in that situation.

… reveal a difference among characters (a way that this character is different from another).

Ask: “…Why did the character act (or feel) this way?