“... it occurs to me that this is what it means to be a feminist. Not a humanist or an equalist or whatever. But a feminist. It’s not a bad word. After today it might be my favorite word. Because really all it is is girls supporting each other and wanting to be treated like human beings in a world that’s always finding ways to tell them they’re not.”
― Jennifer Mathieu, Moxie
Moxie, by Jennifer Mathieu: Chapter 16
Tie grammar to power: You see, “The truth was hidden” hits differently from “They hid the truth.”
Grammar Focus: Passive Voice (Present, Past, Modal + Passive). Who does what—and why does it matter? When is it powerful to hide the doer in a sentence? When is it dangerous?
Who is the most active character in this chapter? Who is silenced? What is the difference in focus?
I will show you two different sentences from the chapter:
“Mitchell’s locker is already covered in stickers.”
“I covered Mitchell’s locker in stickers.”
Let's have a look at these examples from Chapter 16:
- “Zines and stickers have been distributed throughout all the girls’ bathrooms.” (Present perfect passive)
- “Mitchell’s locker is already covered.” (Present passive)
- “She was goosed around the waist.” (Past passive: use sensitively)
YOUR TASK 1: find 5 passive sentences in Chapter 16 and rewrite them in active voice, identifying who the agent is (even if it's not explicitly mentioned in the original). I will give you an example:
Passive: “Mitchell’s locker is covered in stickers.”
Active: “Vivian covered Mitchell’s locker in stickers.”
YOUR TASK 2: Passive Investigations, Turning activism into action
“Mitchell Wilson gets to read that he’s an asshole ten times today.”
What’s the focus here? who did it, or what happened to him?
Write a Brief News Report: You must write a passive-voice news report of the events in Chapter 16 and/or 17: Try to use a stylistic, press-style writing.
“Stickers were seen on over 50 lockers.”
“A sticker was placed on Principal Wilson’s truck.”
“Girls were encouraged to resist.”
ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
| Skill | Excellent | Good | Needs Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grammar accuracy | Accurate use of passive in multiple tenses | Mostly accurate | Frequent errors |
| Creative use of examples | Original, connected to theme | Reasonable attempt | Minimal creativity |
| Thematic understanding | Strong grasp of agency/passivity themes | Basic grasp | Misunderstands or misapplies |
| Participation | Fully engaged in discussions and debates | Some engagement | Limited participation |
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