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Read Part 4 and Epilogue (pp. 227-249); Complete Student Packet Worksheets for Part 4 and Epilogue

Before beginning the lesson, prepare for a symbols game by cutting up the three-column Symbol Match-Up Game for each team or pair (as designated by the teacher). Divide the class into teams and tell students that they are to work with their team to match each picture with its literal and symbolic meaning. For example, if I presented a picture of a red traffic light, its literal (or factual) meaning is “red traffic light,” and its symbolic (or interpretative) meaning is “stop.” Students will work together to match each picture to its literal and symbolic meaning.

will explain that a symbol in a text is an image (of a person, place, or thing) that represents an idea or concept. For example, the “S” symbol literally means the man who flies in the cape (Superman), but it also represents the idea of heroism or bravery. I will explain that in a story, writers use symbols to represent important themes in the text. By using images, the author reminds the reader about the message of the book, or hints at the message of the book instead of telling the reader explicitly. For example, in Harry Potter, the scar on Harry’s forehead could be a symbol of evil. Every time his forehead hurts or appears in the story, the author is reminding the reader that Harry is in a battle of good vs. evil, but the author does not have to tell the reader, “Remember, one theme of this book is good vs. evil.”

To find symbols in a text, I will first look for a recurring image that seems important in the story. I will model looking back through Home of the Brave for a recurring image. I will identify the snow at the beginning of the novel (“the all-white world”) as a recurring image and continue listing examples of snow in the text. Note: See Identifying Symbols Example Charts for specific examples.

Next, I need to figure out what the image of snow might represent. To do this, I will think about the qualities or characteristics of snow. Snow means that it is winter. It means that the flowers and plants temporarily die. It is also cold, white, and occurs in the Northern part of the world.

Then, I will use the characteristics of the snow to make a connection to the text. I will think about how the characteristics of snow might affect the main character, Kek. He recently lost his brother and father in a war, and he is missing his mother. His skin color is black and he is from Africa (which is a hot place), so he contrasts with the white, cold, and Northern landscape.

Finally, I will explain the idea behind the image or what the symbol means. The snow might be a symbol of loss or death, since things die in the snow, for example the “not-dead trees” or the “dead grass that pokes through the unkind blanket of white,” and we know that Kek just lost his family. The snow could also be a symbol of alienation and feeling different, since Kek has many qualities that are the opposite of snow. I will explain symbols are open to interpretation, so snow could be a symbol for either of these ideas. When choosing an interpretation of a symbol, it is important to back it up with multiple examples of textual evidence.

Ask: "How can I identify and explain a symbol in a text?" Students should answer that you identify recurring images in the book, carefully recording where you find them, and then, you should think about what the recurring image might represent by examining the qualities or characteristics of that image and thinking about how that might be important to the characters in the story. Then, you can use that material to explain what the symbol means.

we will examine another symbol in Home of the Brave. We will brainstorm a list of some images from the book on chart paper, and we will select one that we think is a symbol in the story: Kek’s desk, Ganwar’s scars (gaar), cows, the piece of cloth from Kek’s mother’s dress, the TV, the washing machine, the bus, and the airplane. Note: Invite students to add to this list. We will look at the list of images that we have brainstormed and determine whether each image is a symbol by asking ourselves the following questions:
1) Is this image a recurring image in the text?
2) Is this image significant or just a minor detail? 
3) Could this image have an idea behind it or is it just literal?

We will determine, for example, that Kek’s school desk is not a symbol. It is not a recurring image in the text, and his excitement about his smooth desk is about having the desk itself, not the idea of the desk or of education. On the other hand, we will determine that the image of Ganwar’s scars occur several times in the book. These scars are significant because Kek is worried about not having them. We will note all the places in the text that the image of Ganwar’s scars occurs. Note: See Identifying Symbols Example Charts for specific examples.

Next, we are going to describe the scars and think about what they might mean. The scars are called gaar, and boys are given these marks by village elders on their face as teenagers in Sudan. Kek is sad that he won’t get the gaar, but Ganwar believes the gaar (and his severed hand) hold him back from assimilating into American culture.

Finally we will think about what the gaar symbolize. The gaar symbolize bravery and manhood. In the conversation that Ganwar has with Kek about being brave, Ganwar tells Kek that he doesn’t need scars to show that he is brave and that his actions have already proven his bravery. We can tell that both of them think of the scars as symbols of becoming strong men. We might also conclude that the gaar symbolize a connection to their culture. Without that mark, Kek is worried that that he will lose touch with his heritage. Ganwar believes the mark of his culture is an impediment to him, tying him to a past that he wants to forget.

will choose a symbol from the list of images on the Identifying Symbols Worksheet in your Student Packet. (See Student Packet page 31.) You will identify a symbol and explain what it means for the story.

will come together and share the symbols we identified in the book. Each student will have the chance to explain what their symbol means. We will discuss how the symbol helps us think about the themes in the book. Given our symbols, we will discuss the messages that the author shares with the readers of Home of the Brave.