Geraldine Moore the Poet Chart
themes
Just because times are hard, doesn't mean something good can't happen Life is unjust and you have to live with it no matter how hard it is, people want to help but they don't know how or can't financially Some people do not understand how hard life is for others
Setting
Big city, urban/poor part of town, public high school 1950 - 1970
Irony
Dramatic and situational-she was saying how she could write a poem: yet she said a poem perfectly. situational - English teacher praises about happy poems yet likes the saddest one best
Rising action
Find herself evicted with her furniture on the street
Climax
Geraldine writes the poem without realizing it
Conflicts
Human versus society (the poverty, hunger, and eviction) human versus self (Geraldine struggles to stay herself and not give up hope) human versus nature (long sickness) sister versus society (sister can't take care of Geraldine) Geraldine versus teacher
Character traits evidence of those traits
Poor- using rubber bands to hold up her socks, evicted, lives with her sister brave or bold-goes to school, does not lose hope, believes that she can be useful someday, says she can't write a poem independent she is both optimistic and pessimistic at times
Falling action
Teacher praises poem
Narrative POV
Third person limited omniscient
Symbols
Tomato soup - she can't run from her problems furniture - hard life the dog - eating up her life and wounding her badly notebook - dreams
Exposition
Walking home from school for lunch
Resolution
the teacher cries