Unit 7C Extension Activities
Character Traits
Writing Prompt 1 (Argumentative):
Stake a claim arguing whether or not “Passage of an Iron Rod Through the Head” supports the contention that “Phineas should have been dead long before this.” Use evidence from the text to support your claim.
Writing Prompt 2 (Argumentative):
Compare and contrast the firsthand descriptions of Phineas’s condition in “Passage of an Iron Rod Through the Head” to “'Horrible Accident' in Vermont.” Argue which doctor’s description (Harlow’s or Fleischman’s) does a better job of convincing the reader that “Phineas should have been dead long before this.” Use evidence from both texts to support your claim.