Name_________Fraya Ortiz_______________ Period________2R___________ Date_____________1/17/21____________________

The Nonexistent Knight – PICSS-TTT Analysis

Each category of the PICSS-TTT requires a minimum of three references (unless otherwise indicated) found in separate locations throughout the
novel. Not everything of significance happens in a few chapters – prove to me that you appreciate how the author has created this novel.

Plot - What are some plot points that taught the reader about: character(s), setting, theme? What did that plot point teach? What was the inciting
incident? What question(s) did the inciting incident pose? How was the inciting incident resolved?
Plot Point Text (quote/summary and page number) Purpose
Shows something and or teaches something
about:
 character
 setting/culture
 lesson/moral
One important plot point that I think really “At the foot of an oak tree, scattered over This teaches us how the only thing keeping
says something about the plot is when the ground, were an overturned helmet with Agilulf “alive” was his knowledge of
Agilulf learns that Sophronia is no longer a a crest of iridescent plumes, a white knowing he is a good knight and that he does
virgin. breastplate, greaves, arm pieces, basinet, everything to perfection.
gauntlets, in fact all the pieces of Agilulf’s
armor, some disposed as if in an attempt at
an ordered pyramids, others rolled
haphazardly on the ground.” (86). After he
finds out that Sophronia is no longer a
virgin he disappears, and no longer not
exists.
Another important plot point is when “Raimbaut turned too; beside him he saw a This is important in the novel because we
Raimbaut finds Bradamante. knight of the Christian armies with a robe of learn about the character Bradamante, and
periwinkle blue over his armor. A crest of she is important in the novel. Since she is
long feathers also periwinkle in color waved also the narrator of the story, so it is
from his helmet. Swiftly turning a light important to learn about her place in part in
lance the warrior kept the Moors at bay.” the story.
(29). This is when we are first introduced to
Bradamante from Raimbaut’s point of view.
The last important plot point in the novel is “”Well, well! Who’d have thought it!” This is an important part of the novel because
finding out that Agilulf does not exist. exclaimed Charlemagne. “And how do you it sets us up for everything else in the novel.
do your job, then, if you don’t exist?” “By Agilulf does not exist, but we are able to
will power,” said Agilulf, “and faith in our learn how he is a perfect knight, and how he
 holy cause!” “OH yes, yes, well said, that is is able to live throughout the novel.
how one does one’s duty. Well, for someone
who doesn’t exist, you seem in fine form!””
(6). Here we learn that Agilulf truly does not
exist but is still able to be a knight.

Imagery - Pay attention to all five senses (taste, smell, hear, see, touch). Which pieces of imagery help to create the mood or tone of the text?
Which pieces of imagery teach about: character(s), setting, culture, theme?
Sight may be used only once.
Sense Text (quote/summary and page number) Purpose
 Taste How it creates mood and/or tone
 Smell Shows something and or teaches something
 Hear about:
 See  character
 Touch  setting/culture
 lesson/moral
One of the imagery being used is the sight “The knight made no gesture. His right hand, This teaches us again about Agilulf and that he
aspect of things. The characters of the book gloved in close-webbed chain mail, gripped the physically does not exist. But he is still able to
cannot physically see Agilulf since he does not crupper more firmly, while a quiver seemed to appear in his armor and touch those around
exist, the only way they know he is there is shake the other arm holding the shield.” (17). him. The only thing is people cannot see him.
through his armor. This is how everyone is able to see Agilulf,
because once he lifts his helmet we see that
there is no face in his helmet.

Another imagery used in the book is a smell. In “At some points the heavy armor had been This sets the mood of death and tragedy in the
the battlefield scene, where there are bodies all breached, and from its inferior stuffed guts battlefield setting. Showing us again that this is
around the floor. You can imagen the stench spilled out of evert gash. Such ghastly sights a book about war and death.
coming from these corpses. filled Raimbaut with honor. Had he perhaps
forgotten that it was warm human blood that
had moved and given vigor to all those
wrappings?” (30). This is one of the many
scenes form the battlefield that explain how
many dead bodies all this whole thing were
 around, and how bloody was.
Another imagery in this book was touch, in this “So saying, she took a leap and clamped Priscilla wants to sleep with Agilulf the same
book Agilulf can touch people. But no one is herself to Agilulf, entwining her legs and arms way that she did to other knights. But she is
really allowed to touch Agilulf since he does to his armor. One after the other she tried all physically not able to since Agilulf does not
not exist, they are only able to touch his armor. the ways in which armor can be embraced, have a physical body.
then, all langor, entered the bed.” (64). Here
Pricilla is only allowed to embrace Agiluf’s
armor since he does not have a physical body.

Character - What character traits or pieces of action are essential to the character(s)? Why did the author give that trait to that character? Why
have the character(s) complete that action? What did the characterization teach about: the character, other characters, setting, culture, theme?
Use three different characters, one must be a minor character

Character Character Trait and/or Text that Displays the Trait and/or Purpose for that Trait/Action
Action Action (quote/summary and page Shows something and or teaches something
number) about:
 the character
 other characters
 setting/culture
 lesson/moral
Agilulf Some traits of Agilulf are “Only Agilulf found no relief. In his Agilulf character traits show how the society
that he is the picture of a white armor, still clamped up, he of this time views a perfect knight, and how
perfect knight. Also, very tried to stretch out in his tent, one of saving a woman or a virgin in his case, deems
orderly even though he the most ordered and comfortable in him as a perfect knight.
 does not exist. the Christian camp.” (22). This
quote shows how Agilulf is different
from the other knights in the camp,
by how perfect and organized he is.
Bradamante The traits that “Her wish to be the most resplendent Bradamante’s character traits is used to
Bradamante shows in the figure on the battlefield was an compare how other female characters are not
book are that she is a expression not so much of feminine viewed the same way she is. They are viewed
powerful female role in vanity as of her constant challenge as not as tough and more fragile than
the book. She is very to the paladins, her superiority over Bradamante.
independent and does not them, her pride.”(41). In this quote
need a man. you can see how she wants to be the
best on battle, and tougher than the
men around her.
Raimbaut Raimbaut is seen as a foil “” I am Raimbaut of Roussillon, His character traits are to show the reader
to Agilulf, he does things squire, son of the late Marquis even more how perfect Agilulf is. Comparing
out of his own need and Gerad! I’ve come to enroll so as to him to Raimbaut you are able to see how
not because he wants to avenge my father who died an heroic much of a better knight Agilulf is, it makes
help those in need. He death beneath the ramparts of him shine even more.
also pursues Bradamante, Seville!”” (12). In this quote you can
even though she does not see that ever since the beginning of
want him. the book, Raimbaut has just wanted
to join the army to avenge his father
not to help people.

Setting - Keep the six general purposes of setting in mind: 1. To teach about a culture or way of life, 2. To create mood or atmosphere, 3. To
make the work more believable, 4. To be the source of central conflict, 5. To symbolize a key concept of idea, 6. Or to reflect or contrast with other
elements of the work such as the characters’ feelings or theme. What does the setting teach the reader about: character(s), theme?
General/Overall and specific
The Six Purposes Text (quote/summary and page number) Purpose
(1. Teach about a culture or way of life) Shows something and or teaches something
(2. Create mood or atmosphere) about:
(3. Make the work more believable)  character
(4. Be the source of central conflict)  setting/culture
(5. Symbolize a key concept or idea)
 (6. Reflect or contrast with other elements  lesson/moral
of the work such as characters’ feelings
or theme)
The first setting I chose was Priscilla’s castle, “” How was it, mistress, how was it?” “Oh, if This teaches us more about Agilulf as a
this place is somewhere we can see Agilulf’s only you knew! What a man, what a man...” character and the way he interacts with people
perfect knight ship even more. Here he is “But do tell, do describe, how was it? Tell us.” in the book, and why he is seen as the perfect
shown to be the perfect gentleman and “A man... a man... a knight... a continuous... a knight.
someone who is just used to helping those paradise...”” (25). In this quote you can see that
around him. everyone that encounters Agilulf is amazed by
him. This is what Priscilla’s castle offers us, a
deeper view of the character Agilulf.

Another setting is Saint Colomba. This is “We nuns have few occasions to speak with This place goes to show how sister Theodora is
where sister Theodora sits and recounts her tale soldiers, so what I don’t know I try to imagine. either making up the story that we are reading
of the Agilulf and everyone else. This is where How else could I do it? Not all the story is along to, or if she is recounting the story. It
she is forced to write about everything. clear to me yet. I must crave indulgence.”(23). goes to show how her character is not even
This quote goes to show how we do not know aware of this herself. We can get a broader
if the events of this story are true and view of the character sister Theodora herself.
happened. Or if they are all just sister
Theodora’s imagination.

Another setting that contributes to the book is “Of the two enemies one tried to feint and This setting shows the different traits of each
the battleground, where they are all fighting the bounce the lance out of his hand, but the character. It shows how tough and brave
enemy. periwinkle knight at that moment put his lance Bradamante is. Also showing how much of a
into its socket on his saddle, bared his sword, perfect knight Agilulf is. And how young and
and flung himself on the Infidel.” (29). This naive Raimbaut is.
quote in specific you are able to see the way
everyone views Bradamante and how strong
she is in battle.

Style - Think about all of the literary techniques you know and have learned. What does the used technique teach about: character(s), setting,
culture, mood, tone, plot, theme?
A technique may only be used once
Literary Technique Text (quote/summary and page number) Purpose
 Structure: How it creates:
 Novel as a whole  Mood and/or Tone
 Chapters, paragraphs, sentences  Characters
 Figurative Language  Plot
 Plot Construction  Setting/Culture
 End of Handbook – Glossary Terms  Lesson/Moral
Shows something and or teaches something
about:
 character
 setting/culture
 lesson/moral
One technique that the author uses throughout “Beneath my cell is the convent kitchen. As I The author does this to show and remind the
the book is in almost every chapter he starts out write I can hear the clatter of copper and reader that this story is something written by
with an excerpt about sister Theodora writing earthenware as the sisters wash platters from sister Theodora. And we still do not know
this novel. our meager refractory. To me the abbess has whether it is true or just her imagination.
assigned a different task, the writing of this
tale.” (33). This is how chapter 5 begins, with
sister Theodora writing her tale.

The novel itself is written in chapters that split “This tale I have undertaken is even harder to Here we can see kind of how the novel is split
up various parts of the tale. Such as the battle, write than I thought. Now it is my duty to up on how sister Theodora remembers the plot,
then Priscilla’s castle, then walking across the describe that greatest of mortal follies, the characters, and sequence of events. This
ocean. It is set up as the memories of sister passion of love, from which my vow, the teaches us that the book may not be a
Theodora. cloister and my natural shyness have saved me particularly good way of knowing the story
till now.” (40). Here we are again reminded since it is only from sister Theodora’s memory.
that this tale is a recollection of memories from
sister Theodora.

In the novel the author uses a lot of Cliché's. “” I will reward you at once by telling you to These chiche’s are used to describe different
Such as what is a perfect knight, what a beware of the widow Priscilla! This tale of the characters throughout the book. Like Agilulf
“dangerous” woman looks like, as well as a bears is all a trap. She herself raises them, so as being a perfect knight, and that he is the only
strong woman. to be freed by the most valiant knights passing representation of a perfect knight. While
on the road below and draw them up to the Bradamante is seen as a strong female role, but
castle to feed her insatiable lust.” (59). Here Priscilla is only seen as a “dangerous” woman.
 again Priscilla is seen like a bad woman for
trapping these knights with her bear, instead of
the powerful woman she is.

Tone/Mood - Tone is about the author’s emotion, their attitude toward the novel’s subject. How does the author feel about: character(s),
setting, culture, theme, and audience? Why do they feel that way? What are they trying to communicate to the reader? MOOD is about how the
reader is made to feel about: character(s), the author, themselves, setting, culture, theme. Why is the reader made to feel that way?
General/Overall and specific (identify only two each topic)

ToneAuthor’s Emotion / Attitude Text (quote/summary and page number) Purpose

How the author feels about: Why do they feel that way?
 the message What are they trying to communicate to the
 characters reader?
 audience
 setting/culture
I believe that the other felt as though Agilulf “He entered the woods, shouting, “Knight! Sir I think that throughout the book the author
was a beloved character and felt as though he Agilulf! Knight of the Guildivern,...Agilulf wants you to like Agilulf as a character, and I
were important to the story. Emo Bertrandin of the Guildivern and of the think he himself did as well. He wants you to
others of Corbentraz and Sura, Knight of see him as a perfect character but also wants
Selimpis Citeriore and Feeeez!...All’s you to sympathize with the fact that he does
ooooorder!...Come baaack!” Only an echo not fit in and tries to fit in with the rest of the
replied.” (83) Here we are able to see the knights.
depseration of Raimbaut as he is looking for
Agilulf, and thorugh this desperation we can
see the authors.
I think that the author's tone is also a little fun “What did one do if along came an insult one The author includes this little bit of humor to
and silly. Especially in the battle scene. When just couldn’t understand?... So interpreters took show the reader how absurd all of this is. And
he has translators on the battlefield who must part in this phase of the battle.” (25) This adds show the reader how it is okay to have fun with
not be killed. a little humor to the story and this battle scene. the story, because it is all absurd.

Mood
 Reader’s Emotion Text (quote/summary and page number) Purpose
How the reader is made to feel about: Why are we made to feel that way?
 lesson/moral Shows something and or teaches something
 characters about:
 setting/culture  characters
 the author  setting/culture
 themselves  lesson/moral
 the author
 ourselves
The reader is supposed to feel bad for Agilulf, “he just felt himself a nuisance all round and We are made to feel this way to reflect on our
and almost sympathize with his identity crisis. longed for any contact with his neighbor even own identity, and how we see ourselves and
I think we are supposed to see ourselves in a if it meant shouting orders or curses, or our place in the world. It is to teach us about
way reflected in Agilulf. grunting swear words like comrades in a our various places in the world, and how
tavern.” (17). Here we see that he does not fit maybe we feel like we do not belong.
in, and we start to feel bad for him. And feel
bad about the fact that he is so perfect.

Another instance of this is Raimbaut. And how “” I am Raimbaut of Roussillon, squire, son of The author wants to reflect on these actions
he thinks he is sure about wanting to do one the late Marquis Gerad! I’ve come to enroll so and see them in ourselves. We are supposed to
thing (avenging his father) but once he has as to avenge my father who died an heroic identify with different characters in the book
done this, he no longer knows what to do with death beneath the ramparts of Seville!”” (12). and see ourselves in them.
his life. From the beginning that is all he wants to do
but once he has done it, he doesn’t feel very
fulfilled and doesn't know what to do with
himself.

Title - Think about the title and any branching concepts that come from the title. What does the title teach about: the author, character(s), setting,
culture, theme.
Title (include branching concepts) Text (quote/summary and page number) Purpose
Shows something and or teaches something
about:
 character
 setting/culture
 lesson/moral
The nonexistent knight, as being so perfect “Only Agilulf found no relief. In his white The purpose of showing this perfection or
 in every way that a knight like that simply armor, still clamped up, he tried to stretch this almost unattainable way of being is to
does not exist. It is not possible that out in his tent, one of the most ordered and show that it is not achievable. It is simply
someone that perfect even exists. comfortable in the Christian camp.” (22). something that cannot be done. Or a way of
Again, he is quite different from the rest of being that other people simply do not
the knights, which points out his perfection achieve.
even more.
The nonexistent knight, as actually not “We nuns have few occasions to speak with The purpose of showing this in the book is to
existing. It is something of sister Theodora’s soldiers, so what I don’t know I try to show that something this perfect cannot exist
imagination and something she has thought imagine. How else could I do it? Not all the and is just a figment of someone's
of to be real. story is clear to me yet. I must crave imagination. That someone or something this
indulgence.”(23). Here we are not sure perfect cannot exist without being made up.
whether sister Theodora is recounting a tale,
or if she actually is making up this story.

The nonexistent knight, as being just full of “”Well, well! Who’d have thought it!” The book is full of instances like this where
absurdities. And just how everyone is so exclaimed Charlemagne. “And how do you of course everyone just seems to know he
easy to believe everything and accept the do your job, then, if you don’t exist?” “By does not exist but equally they fall in love,
fact that there is a knight who doesn’t exist. will power,” said Agilulf, “and faith in our fight, and obey him. Even when he walks
holy cause!” “OH yes, yes, well said, that is across the ocean floor to reach a new land.
how one does one’s duty. Well, for someone
who doesn’t exist, you seem in fine form!””
(6). Here we see how it easy it is for people
to accept the fact that Agilulf does not exist
and they do not seem to question it.

Theme - This is a lesson about life. What does the author want the reader to learn about life? [Full sentence(s) only] Does the author want the
reader to change or do something as a response of reading the text and knowing the message?
Message and Want – ish (Identify the main theme and two subordinate themes)

Possible Message Text (quote/summary and page number) Prove It/Explanation

Main and Subordinate Give the logic of the connection between the
message and the text. Convince the
 reader/listener of the interpretation.
The main theme I believe for the nonexistent “he just felt himself a nuisance all round and Well in multiple ways different characters are
knight is identity. Throughout the book we are longed for any contact with his neighbor even looking for their own identity. Agilulf is
given characters who are looking for their if it meant shouting orders or curses, or looking for his place in the world. Bradamante
identity and where they belong in this society. grunting swear words like comrades in a is torn between her two personalities
Even Agilulf, who does not even exist, is tavern.” (17). In this quote you can see that Bradamante and sister Theodora. And
looking for a place among all these knights. Agilulf is having a challenging time fitting in Raimbaut goes to war to avenge his father,
Since he feels as though he does not belong. anywhere, which is what happens a lot which becomes his whole identity, until he
throughout the book. He is only able to identify finally does it then he does not know what to
himself as the perfect knight but cannot go do with himself.
beyond that.

Another theme is one of the perfect man. “Only Agilulf found no relief. In his white In the book Agilulf is seen as the perfect
armor, still clamped up, he tried to stretch out knight, and the perfect man. This is simply
in his tent, one of the most ordered and because he only exists to help and fight as a
comfortable in the Christian camp.” (22). In knight. We see everyone else in the army
this quote you can again see how Agilulf is trying to achieve this perfection. Mostly
quite different from everyone else in camp, and Raimbaut tries to achieve this perfection.
how he has achieved this level of perfection.
Another theme is gender stereotypes. “Her wish to be the most resplendent figure on In the book we get only a few female
the battlefield was an expression not so much characters, Bradamante, sister Theodora,
of feminine vanity as of her constant challenge Priscilla, and Sophronia. They are all quite
to the paladins, her superiority over them, her different in their personalities. But they are all
pride.”(41). But Bradamante is only seen this very stereotypical. With Bradamante being
way, none of the other female characters are seen as strong only because she is fighting in
even though they are equally as strong, such as the army, Priscilla being seen as bad, because
Priscilla. she seduces men.
Background Information – every author’s writing is influenced by their lives, their beliefs, their own knowledge, politics of the time period,
religion, etc. All of that information comes together to help the writer create meaning in their writing.
Knowledge from lectures, research, and Text (quote/summary and page number) Shows something and or teaches something
general information about the author and the about how/why the author creates the novel’s:
time period of the author’s life  character
 writing style
 setting/culture
 lesson/moral
 tone