Name ________________________________ Period _____

Points Possible:
 Lucille Fletcher Biography RACE Response on
Canvas +28
 “The Hitchhiker” Comprehension
Questions____/136 (4 points for each question)
 Essay Rough Draft ____/14
 Essay +38 (on Canvas)
 Violet Lucille Fletcher was born March 28, 1912, in Brooklyn, New York. She
attended Bay Ridge High School where she was president of the honor society
and editor of the school newspaper. Fletcher dreamed of becoming a famous
author and created goals that included leadership and earning a college
degree. Because she loved public speaking, she joined the debate team where
she learned grace under pressure, and critical thinking skills.
In 1929, as an eleventh grader, she was declared the champion student orator
(speaker) at the regional competition sponsored by The New York Times at
The Town Hall in Washington, D.C.. Fletcher was the only female finalist in the
entire state of New York and received an all-expense paid trip to South
America, a gold medal, a cash prize of $1,000 (about $13,000 today) and an opportunity to compete for
the national championship. She placed third in the national competition where she was judged by five
justices of the United States Supreme Court.
After Fletcher graduated high school, she used her prize money to attend
Vassar College. She earned a Bachelor of Arts with honors in 1933 and took
her first job at CBS typing scripts for plays as well as reading them with other
writers. She loved it and decided she wanted to write plays as well.
Though television was invented in the 1920’s, most American households did not have TVs until the late
1950’s. Before then, families gathered around the radio to listen to their favorite plays. These plays
took the form of dramas, mysteries, or comedies. Actors on the radio station read their lines into a
microphone with dramatic flair. Background music help set the mood. Sound effects were an important
part of radio plays and were often produced in the radio studio. Sheet metal shaken up and down
replaced rolling thunder. A wooden match, broken close to a microphone, sounded like a baseball bat
striking a ball. Coconut halves clapped against wood imitated the sound of horses’ hooves.

One of Fletcher’s most famous radio plays was, “The Hitchhiker”. She got the idea for it after twice
seeing a strange-looking man (first on the Brooklyn Bridge and, again, on the Pulaski Skyway, New
Jersey) while driving to Hollywood with her then-husband, Bernard Herrmann.
“The Hitchhiker” is about a man who drove across the United
States and was shadowed by the same hitchhiker everywhere.
In 1941, it debuted (day-bued) on The Orson Welles Show. It
was so popular that it was revised as an episode of TV's The Twilight Zone in
1942 where Welles plays the part of Nan Adams.
Fletcher wrote more than twenty radio plays and two stage plays. She went on to write ten mystery
novels, her last in 1988. Her works were suspenseful, full of mystery and often terrifying. She received
the Edgar Allan Poe Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
Lucille died in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, on August 31, 2000, of a stroke at her home. She was 88 years
old.

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Log into Canvas and open RACE Response (Fletcher) to do this assignment. Using the RACE strategy and the 4Cs, cite TWO
details from the biography to support this statement: Lucille Fletcher is a celebrated American author. Follow the rubric and
sample response below to ensure you meet the requirements. +28 This is graded in Canvas.
FOLLOW THIS RECIPE
Restate the question

Answer the question

Cite information (quote)

Explain (how does your quote answer the

question?)

Cite information (quote)

Use a sentence starter from the citation list
above.

Explain (how does your quote answer the

question?)
Use a sentence starter from the explain list
above.

Conclusion statement (sum it up)

Example – Describe two characteristics that make Tracey Brown a celebrated American author.

Tracey Brown is a celebrated American author and there are two

characteristics that add to her success. The first characteristic is that she
spent years learning how to write. In paragraph three the author states,
“Brown took every writing class offered in high school and read over 100 novels
her senior year”. This explains how determined she was to learn the craft of
writing. The second characteristic of her success is that she did not give up.
According the passage, “Brown was rejected by six publishers, but that didn’t
stop her. Her seventh submission was picked up by Atlas Press in 2001 where
her novel, The Stranger, became a NY Times best seller. This proves that
determination is crucial when following one’s dreams. It’s clear after reading
this article that Tracey Brown’s success as one of America’s foremost writers
didn’t just happen by luck; she worked for it.

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 “The Hitchhiker”
Text Dependent
Directions: Complete the following
Questions
questions. Use the 4Cs in ALL
responses.

1. Explain what point of view “The Hitchhiker” is told AND how you know?

2. Read these lines and explain how the impact the story.
“I’ve got to speak quickly. At any minute the link may break. This may be the last thing I
ever tell on earth-the last night I ever see the stars” (94).

3. What can you infer Adams does for a living based on his destination?

5. There are examples of foreshadowing in this story. From the Tic Tac Toe chart, explain what
foreshadowing means.

 Thinking about what Ronald’s mom says to him, explain how this is foreshadowing. Include a
citation and page number from the text.

6. Explain the mood at the beginning of the play.

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7. From the Tic Tac Toe chart, explain what flashback means.

 Cite text from the story that proves that this story is a flashback (include a page number).

8. Describe the exposition so far:

 Cite text from the story that tells the reader where the story takes place (include a
page number).

 Describe the weather at the beginning of Ronald’s trip. How does this impact the text?

Who is the protagonist? ________________________________________

Who is the antagonist? _________________________________________

9. A conflict in literature is defined as any struggle between opposing forces. Usually, the
protagonist struggles against some other force. This type of conflict is what drives each and
every story. Without it, the story would have no point or purpose. At this point in the story,
determine the conflict:
(Circle the conflict)

Man vs Self (internal)

Man vs Man (external)

Man vs Society (external)

Man vs Nature (external)

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10. Answer these questions about Ronald’s encounter with the gas station attendant:

 Infer why Adams stops at the first gas station when his gas tank isn’t yet
empty.

 Why does Ronald ask the gas station attendant if it had been raining? Why is this detail
included?

 What is explicitly stated about why there aren’t hitchhikers on the turnpike?

11. There are many examples of figurative language in this story. From the Tic Tac Toe
chart, explain what figurative language is AND why authors use it:

 Determine what type of figurative language these examples are and WHY the author
included them:

“It was a bright shiny afternoon. The peaceful Ohio fields, brown with the autumn
stubble, lay dreaming in golden light…” (4).

“I was driving slowly, drinking it all in, when the road suddenly ended in a detour” (4).

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12. Irony is used in this story as well. From the Tic Tac Toe chart, explain what irony is and
WHY authors use it.

When Ronald sees the Hitchhiker when he is stopped at a detour in Ohio, the Hitchhiker
approaches his vehicle, “Goin’ to California?!” (4)? Cite textual evidence that supports that
his response is ironic.

13. Summarize Ronald’s encounter with the storekeeper. What is the purpose of this
encounter and how does it impact the text?

14. Imagery is used throughout this story. From the Tic Tac Toe chart, define imagery.

Explain why the following citation qualifies as imagery:

“A perfectly airless, dry day. The red clay of Oklahoma was baking under the southwestern
sun…yet there were spots of fresh rain on his shoulders” (6).

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15. Explain what Adams is doing and his motivation for his actions in the following line.
What are his actions in response to?
“He didn’t even look up at me. He was staring at the ground. I stepped on the gas hard, veering the
wheel sharply toward him. I could hear the train in the distance now, but I didn’t care” (6).

16. What does the word “beckoning” mean as using in the line “Now I knew that he was
beckoning— beckoning me to my death!” (6)?

17. Why do you think the hitchhiker might be beckoning Ronald to his death?

18. Infer why Adams does not want to be alone in his vehicle anymore based on the line, “I
only knew that from now on—I mustn’t let myself alone on the road for one minute” (6)?

19. What type of figurative language is this: “Uh, you mind if I take off my shoes? My feet are
killin' me” (6). ______________________

 What can you infer why the woman would say this?

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20. Explain why Adams asks the female hitchhiker about hitchhiking when he says “…I’ll bet
you get a good pick up on a fast car, if you did, you could get places faster than, say another
person in another car, couldn’t you?” (6).

21. What can you infer if the woman doesn’t see the hitchhiker, only Adams does?

22. As Ronald gets closer to California, why do you think he is seeing the hitchhiker more
frequently?

23. What type of figurative language is this?

“I had the feeling that if only I could speak to someone familiar, someone I loved, I could
pull myself together” (9). __________________________

 What does Ronald mean by this?

24. What can you infer Adams believes based on this line? “I’d read somewhere that love
could banish demons” (9).

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25. What does Ronald learn when he calls home AND how does this impact the story?

26. Symbolism is used in the story. From the Tic Tac Toe chart, explain what this means
and why the author uses it.

 Explain the symbolism in the line, “Your three minutes are up, sir” (9).

27. How does Adams react to the news about his life when he calls home and speaks to
Mrs. Whitney?

28. What does this line help the reader understand? “Somewhere I shall know-who he is-
and who I am” (9).

29.Cite textual evidence and page numbers of each time Ronald has slept in the story.
What might sleep symbolize?

30. What do you believe occurred on the Brooklyn Bridge? Explain your answer and cite
text evidence to support your answer

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31. Theme is an important part of every story. From the Tic Tac Toe chart, explain what theme is
AND why authors use it.

From these two themes, choose the one that you think best fits with this story. THEN, provide a
summary of why you chose this theme. Cite textual evidence to support your thinking.

 Seeing is believing.
 Death always claims what is rightfully his.

32. Now that you have read the story, reflect on the conflict you chose in the beginning. Explain
what you think the conflict is now AND why.

33. Now that you have read the story, what do you think the hitchhiker symbolizes? __________

34. Characterization is an important part of every story. From the Tic Tac Toe chart, explain what
characterization means AND why authors use it.

 Explain whether you think the protagonist is round or flat. CITE an example from the text or
explain.

 Next, explain whether the protagonist is static or dynamic. CITE an example from the text
or explain.
 Tic-Tac-Toe Writing Menu
1. Theme is defined as a main
idea or an underlying
meaning of a literary work,
which may be stated directly
or indirectly.
4. Flashback is an interruption
in a narrative that depicts
events that have already
occurred, either before the
present time or before the
time at which the narration
takes place. This device is
often used to give the reader
more background information
and details about specific
characters, events, plot
points, and so on.
7. Symbolism refers to the use
of an object, figure, event,
situation, or other idea in a
written work to represent
something else—typically a
broader message or deeper
meaning that differs from its
literal meaning.
The things used for
symbolism are called
"symbols," and they’ll often
appear multiple times
throughout a text, sometimes
changing in meaning as the
plot progresses.
2. Characterization is the
author’s creation and
development of the
protagonists and antagonists
in the story. Characters can be
described as round/flat &
static/dynamic.
5. Foreshadowing is when an
author indirectly hints at—
through things such as
dialogue, description, or
characters’ actions—what’s
to come later on in the story.
This device is often used to
introduce tension to a
narrative.
8. Exposition is the first stage
in the plot where most of the
background information is
introduced. This is where the
reader learns who the
protagonists & antagonists are,
where and when the story
takes place and if that’s
significant to the story, and the
conflict (man vs man/man vs
nature/man vs society/man vs
self).
3. Figurative Language which
is language that’s not meant to
be taken literally. Examples
are hyperbole, idiom,
personification, simile,
metaphor, etc.
6. Irony is when a statement is
used to express an opposite
meaning than the one literally
expressed by it. There are
three types of irony in
literature: verbal, dramatic,
and situational.
9. Imagery can be defined as
the author's attempt to create
a mental picture in the mind
of the reader by using the
five senses.
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First & Last Name

Period

Date

Literary Analysis

Disappointment

Often when we think of marriage, we think of old married couples who have been together what seems to

us as forever. If one spouse dies before the other, we expect the surviving spouse to be devastated and pass

away shortly after. This is not the case in the short story, "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin. By examining

Chopin’s crafting of three distinct literary elements, it will become clear how she uses them to captivate the

reader and provides a look into an often-unheard-of view of a fifty-year marriage.

The first element Chopin developed is the exposition. In this very short story, the reader learns who the

protagonists are, the conflict, and the setting. Because the scope and length of this story is limited, the reader

does not learn much about the setting. The story takes place in the late eighteen hundreds in one hour within the

elderly protagonist, Mrs. Louise Mallard’s home. There's more than one floor, because there's a staircase inside;

the internal doors have locks; and Mrs. Mallard has her own room. In that room, there's "a comfortable, roomy

armchair" (4), but we don't know what color it is, what material it's made of, or whether it matches the

wallpaper. The setting therefore is not a crucial element.

Just because little is known about the setting does not mean Chopin was sparse with character development.

Mrs. Mallard can be described as a dynamic, round character. This means she changes from the beginning to the

end and the reader knows the most about her. When the story begins, we learn that her husband has just died.

Mrs. Mallard describes her husband, Brently as, “always being nice to me and full of love” (11). Within the

hour this story unfolds, Mrs. Mallard goes from seeming to be sad on the outside to feeling relieved and free on

the inside. Chopin’s descriptions and details help bring this character to life.

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 Chopin’s expert crafting of the final element, figurative language, draws readers in and keeps them

thinking. One example she used well is imagery (an author's use of vivid and descriptive language). This device

helps the reader make connections to the protagonist. Upon learning of her husband's death, Mrs. Mallard

realizes that she is now free. “She feels her body come alive. Her pulse beats faster; her blood runs warmer; her

eyes brighten” (11). It is clear by this description what Mrs. Mallard has been feeling for many years. Another

literary device used is irony (the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the

literal meaning). Towards the end, Mrs. Mallard learns that her husband, Brently, still lives. This is not the irony

though. The disappointment and devastation of this realization cause her heart to fail. “When

the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease — of the joy that kills” (12). Only the reader is aware

that this is not the case.

"The Story of an Hour" provides a rare glimpse into long-lasting marriages that may appear to be happy on

the surface when, one or both spouses are actually miserable. Chopin’s skilled writing helped create a

believable setting and characters as well as the use of imagery and irony keep the reader’s interest piqued. Even

though we never really know the truth about couples who have been married for several decades, it’s always

easier to think they are still deeply in love.

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 “The Hitchhiker” Essay Outline +14
Write a five-paragraph essay in which you analyze three literary elements used in this short story and how Fletcher’s
crafting of them created an exciting read.

Introductory Paragraph
Hook: Explain a fact about the author or about this plot of this story.

INDENT

Link: Connect your hook to the story and the author. Use quotes around the short story title and capitalize the required
words.

Thesis Statement/Controlling Idea: This is what you will prove (select three choices from the Tic-Tac-Toe board.

Body Paragraph One:

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Body Paragraph 1
(1st PT) Define one of the literary elements that you are analyzing.
INDENT

Set up the scene and provide a quote from your chart including the page number in parenthesis: “It should look like
this” (3).

Explain how this selection from the story proves the first part of your thesis.

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Body Paragraph Two:
(2nd PT) Define the second literary element that you are analyzing.
INDENT

Set up the scene and provide a quote from your chart including the page number in parenthesis: “It should look like
this” (3).

Explain how this selection from the story proves the first part of your thesis.

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Body Paragraph Three:
(3rd PT) Define a final literary element that you are analyzing.
INDENT

Set up the scene and provide a quote from your chart including the page number in parenthesis: “It should look like
this” (3).

Explain how this selection from the story proves the first part of your thesis.

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Conclusion Paragraph
Restate the thesis using different words.
INDENT

Reflect on the link you created using different words.

Create a clincher that either reflects on the hook or leaves the reader thinking about what you wrote.

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ESSAY RUBRIC Follow this rubric exactly and check off the boxes to ensure you receive full
credit. Don’t forget to upload your finished essay to CANVAS!

Category Points ✓

Times New Roman 1

Double Spaced 1

Size 12 1

Name Block (Name, period, assignment title) 3

Your title (centered & capitalized) 2

Hook: question /statement / statistic/ anecdote 1

Link (author’s first/last name & title properly spelled, capitalized, and quoted) 3

Thesis Statement 1
Body 1: First literary element with definition 1
Quote with page number in parenthesis 2
Analysis 1
Body 2: Second literary element with definition 1
Quote with page number in parenthesis 2
Analysis 1
Body 3: Third form literary element with definition 1
Quote with page number in parenthesis 2
Analysis 1
Restated Thesis 1
Link Reflection: 1
Clincher: question /statement / statistic/ anecdote 1
The 4Cs were followed 4
5 Paragraphs (indentations) 5
Voice: 3rd person 1
Total 38

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