honors english I&II

The author did not attend a typical public high school. Text clues that show this include references to nuns and uniforms

....

How old was the narrator when she married?

14

Which statements about memoirs are true?

A memoir tells about an important aspect of a real person's life. The author is the main character of the memoir. People enjoy reading memoirs because memoirs are personal in content, style, and tone

what is the definition of voice as used in writing?

A writer's unique and personal style or means of expression

meter: pattern of stressed or unstressed syllables in poetry

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief (William Shakespeare, from Romeo and Juliet)

How does culture affect fiction?

Culture shapes an author's perspective. Knowing something about the cultural forces that affected the author can help you develop a deeper understanding of the literary work.

idiom

Definition: a group of words that does not actually mean what it says Examples: raining cats and dogs; a month of Sundays

Why did the boy kiss her?

He was flattered by her.

Why did the author and her family leave for Puerto Rico?

Her father was in the Navy and was deployed.

Why is imagery useful in conveying theme?

Imagery uses something concrete or physical to represent something that is abstract.

Which statement best expresses a theme of the poem "Love Is Not All" by Edna St. Vincent Millay?

Lack of love can result in misery just easily as lack of food or shelter can.

Which statement best explains the effect of poetic structure on "Sonnet 55" by William Shakespeare?

The strict rules of iambic pentameter force the speaker to express himself succinctly and clearly.

Read the line from "Come Up from the Fields Father." Fast as she can she hurries, something ominous, her steps trembling, How does Whitman's decision to use the word ominous affect the poem?

The word choice suggests that the letter will bring bad news. The word choice makes the poem's tone darker.

Read this line from "The River Merchant's Wife: A Letter," which describes the speaker and her husband when they are first married. Called to, a thousand times, I never looked back. How does this line and the previous lines' descriptions of the speaker's bashfulness when she was first married develop the idea that time and maturity can allow love to develop between two people?

They show the speaker's feelings and behavior at the start of her marriage, when she was young and less mature.

After the short spaceship race between the planets, Hevron limped into the main spacecraft's emergency room and sat down on a beanbag. Sitting next to him was the contestant he had just beaten in the race.

This passage is an example of short story

What is the theme of "The River Merchant's Wife: A Letter"?

Time and maturity can allow love to develop between two people.

UNIT 5

UNIT 5

stanza: a group of lines that form a unit in a poem

When Winter's ahead, What can you read in November That you read in April When Winter's dead? I hear the thrush, and I see Him alone at the end of the lane Near the bare poplar's tip, Singing continuously. (Edward Thomas, from "The Thrush")

What can you learn from reading world literature?

World Literature offers a reader the chance to see through other peoples' eyes and to develop a broader understanding of life.

As an element of literature, which word is a synonym for tone?

attitude

What color is the woman's hair?

black

Read these lines from a poem: Upon the lapping seashore amidst the fading light The hatted lady sat upon an old bench and breathed. What word best describes the tone in the poem?

calm

Who calls father up from the fields in "Come Up From the Fields Father"?

daughter

Read the lines from the poem. Hands raised high in the tossing Caps floating high in the sky Teeth exposed in wide wonder And paired beacons of lighted exclamation. What emotion are these lines meant to evoke?

joy

Read the lines from a poem. Deep beneath my blankets that night My guilt yelled at me until I wept. What poetic device does the poet use in the second line?

personification

What is "Beat! Beat! Drums!" about?

warfare death

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore— While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. "'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door— Only this and nothing more." Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December; And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore— For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore— Nameless here for evermore.

1. The poem is divided into stanzas, two of which are shown in this excerpt. (The full poem includes 18 stanzas!) 2. Each stanza ends with a refrain, a line that includes a version of the word more. 3. The poet includes both internal rhyme and end rhyme several times. 4. The poem has one meter pattern for both stanzas' first five lines, each of which includes 16 syllables: ONCE upON a MIDnight DREARy, WHILE I PONDered, WEAK and WEARy, 5. The final line of each stanza has only seven syllables: ONly THIS, and NOTHing MORE. 6. Together, the structural elements create a sing-songy pulsing rhythm that works with the language to develop the eerie mood of the poem.

Which detail in "First Love" best expresses the theme?

As an adult, Judith remembered how sweet the pain of first love was.

Which characteristics do memoirs and short stories have in common?

Both have a narrative structure. Both may contain characters and dialogue.

Akinyi arose in the darkness to dress herself, eat some breakfast, and walk to school. She had just celebrated her tenth birthday. She wasn't sure how much longer she would attend school. Not everyone thought girls needed much schooling. But she wanted to go as long as she could. Her school was a single room, very crowded. Children sat on the floor and often shared a pencil between several students. They studied math and languages like English and Swahili. The school served lunch, often rice or cornmeal porridge. Many students left after lunch. There were chores to be done at home. Though she would have rather played with her friends, instead Akinyi walked four miles every afternoon to the well and back to retrieve water for her family. If she didn't, they would have no water to cook dinner or keep themselves clean.

Compare the literary work to your life. Have you had similar feelings or experiences? Can you connect the events or images in the literary work to anything you have seen, heard about, or read about elsewhere? In some ways, Akinyi's day sounds similar to many a ten-year-old's experience. She goes to school and does chores at home. But the details of her life are very different from those of most American ten-year-olds. She lives in a place where many girls receive little education and, at ten years old, she is already close to leaving school. Additionally, her school is one room. Students sit on the ground and must share basic supplies like a pencil. At home, her chores consist of walking a total of four miles to fetch water from the well. Consider how these similarities and differences affect your understanding of the literary work and the culture that produced it. There are enough similarities to make Akinyi a relatable figure, but the differences are what really drive this excerpt. Akinyi's daily life is ordinary among children in Kenya. When we compare it to American children's lives, though, she faces issues that don't affect most kids in the United States. Reading this piece about another country and another culture could help you connect to other perspectives and experiences. It could even help you appreciate your own life in a new way.

synecdoche

Definition: a figure of speech in which a part represents a whole or a whole represents a part Example: "Once I obtained my drivers' license, my parents bought me my own wheels." Wheels is an example of synecdoche because when we hear the word wheels, a part of the car, we understand the speaker means an actual car.

oxymoron

Definition: a figure of speech that includes pairs of words that contradict each other Examples: "It's an open secret that she likes him." Open secret is an oxymoron: a secret is not supposed to be out in the open. "I hate loving you" is another example. Hate and love contradict each other.

apostrophe

Definition: a poetic device in which the author addresses a person not present or a nonhuman entity Example: "O moon that shines so bright above" would be an example of apostrophe. The poet is speaking to the moon.

paradox

Definition: a statement or situation that appears to be a contradiction but that reveals a surprising or unexpected truth Example: In the fictional book Animal Farm, animals have taken control from humans and have formed their own government. In defense of the dictatorship they have established, they state, "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." This is a paradox, because while it is contradictory for one thing or person to be "more equal," it reveals an unexpected truth about some types of government authority.

hyperbole

Definition: an intentional exaggeration for emphasis or comic effect Example: After that long bike ride, I drank a million gallons of water. A million gallons is an example of hyperbole; it is physically impossible to drink that much water. The author's intention is to emphasize his or her need to drink a lot of water.

Before reading, good readers ask themselves questions. What might you ask before reading "First Love"? Select all answers that are correct.

Do they stay together? Have I ever been in love? Who falls in love?

What is the theme of "First Love"?

Early disappointment can lead to later understanding.

Why did the author become eager to do her mother's endless errands?

Her first love worked at the corner store.

Nadine Gordimer was a white novelist born and raised in South Africa during apartheid, a system founded on racial segregation and the oppression of nonwhite citizens. Gordimer was an activist against apartheid, and her novels are strongly influenced by the culture in which she was raised. In one of her books, a romance develops between a white woman and a black man, which was illegal under apartheid. Another of her books, Burger's Daughter, explores what happens to a white woman whose parents are both imprisoned because they fought against apartheid; her struggles are contrasted with the much more difficult struggles of black South Africans under apartheid.

How has culture affected the author? Gordimer was strongly affected by growing up in apartheid-era South Africa. Though she was not one of the targets of apartheid, which was meant to restrict life for black South Africans, she was nevertheless outraged by what she saw in her country and she felt the need to fight against it. How has culture influenced the author's literary works? The culture of South Africa is central to all of Gordimer's works. In her fiction, she explored the many different ways apartheid hurt all South Africans. Her books are defined largely by the culture she experienced; if she set them in another time and place, the books would lose much of their impact.

rhyme: the use of like-sounding words or word endings at the end of or within lines of poetry

In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud, It perched for vespers nine Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white, Glimmered the white Moon-shine. (Samuel Taylor Coleridge, from "Rime of the Ancient Mariner")

quatrain: a four-line unit in a poem

Is it more that you know Than that, even as in April, So in November, Winter is gone that must go? (Edward Thomas, from "The Thrush")

What is the effect of Lord Byron's decision to conclude "She Walks in Beauty" by focusing on the subject's mind and heart?

It helps suggest that the subject's outer beauty is connected to her inner goodness.

What positive effects does Millay's use of sonnet form have on "Love Is Not All"?

It helps the poet fit her ideas about love into a short, direct statement. It groups the lines into four sections that the reader can identify.

What is the impact of first-person narration on narrative nonfiction?

It helps the reader understand the thoughts and feelings of a real-life individual.

In the first six lines of "Love Is Not All," the speaker says that love is not as important as food, water, shelter, breath, rescue from disaster, or medical treatment. What impact does this statement have?

It makes the speaker sound like a realistic person rather than a romantic one.

What is the poem "The River Merchant's Wife" about?

It's a love letter from a wife to her traveling husband.

Sophia, the star of the banquet, is not an important character in the story. However, the author provides a long description of her. Why does the author include a description of Sophia?

Judith envies Sophia. Therefore, describing Sophia helps readers understand Judith.

What is the theme of "Love Is Not All"?

Love may not be as important as food or water—but maybe it is.

What is poetic structure?

Poetic structure refers to the organization of lines and the patterns of sound within a poem.

"First Love" is a work of nonfiction, but it has a narrative arc, or story arc. Which effects does the structure of "First Love" have on readers?

Putting the first kiss at the climax of the story makes the kiss more meaningful. Judith's first silent glimpses of the boy become crucial because they are the story's complicating incident.

Suppose a student is writing a paper analyzing theme in William Shakespeare's play The Tempest. In an introduction to the play, Professor B.H. Haggis states that one theme of The Tempest is that art, not sorcery, is real magic. The student quotes Professor Haggis in her paper and gives him credit. What else must the student do in order to make a convincing analysis of the theme?

Quote relevant passages from the play as evidence.

couplet: a two-line unit in a poem, usually rhyming and sharing the same meter

Singing he was, or fluting all the day; He was as fresh as is the month of May. (Geoffrey Chaucer, from Canterbury Tales)

Which characteristics are shared by almost all narrative nonfiction?

The events happened in real life. The action follows a narrative arc.

She Walks in Beauty George Gordon, Lord Byron She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellowed to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies. One shade the more, one ray the less, Had half impaired the nameless grace Which waves in every raven tress, Or softly lightens o'er her face; Where thoughts serenely sweet express How pure, how dear their dwelling place. And on that cheek, and o'er that brow, So soft, so calm, yet eloquent, The smiles that win, the tints that glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent. Which statement best describes the use of imagery in the poem "She Walks in Beauty" by Lord Byron?

The imagery of light and dark throughout the poem suggests the inner and outer beauty of the subject.

As a free-verse poem, "The River Merchant's Wife: A Letter" has no set meter, rhyme, or structure. Why is free verse a good choice of form for this poem?

The poem follows a person's thoughts, and thoughts don't have a set structure.

How does onomatopoeia strengthen the impact of "Beat! Beat! Drums!"?

The words rumble and thump sound like the noises of wheels and drums.

refrain: a repeated word, phrase, line, or group of lines in a poem

When that I was and a little tiny boy, With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, A foolish thing was but a toy, For the rain it raineth every day. But when I came to man's estate, With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, 'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate, For the rain it raineth every day. (William Shakespeare, from Twelfth Night)

Read the stanza. Select the phrases that indicate the two lovers met when they were young. While my hair was still cut straight across my forehead I played about the front gate, pulling flowers. You came by on bamboo stilts, playing horse. You walked about my seat, playing with blue plums. And we went on living in the village of Cho-kan: Two small people , without dislike or suspicion.

While my hair was still cut straight across my forehead played about the front gate playing horse Two small people

World Literature

World literature refers to the variety of the world's literary cultures. Particularly for your study of literature, world literature refers to literary works that travel beyond their culture or country of origin to become part of the literature of the world. Reading world literature gives you an opportunity to see the world through different eyes. People in countries other than your own may have beliefs, practices, and ideas very different from yours.

In the first stanza of "Beat! Beat! Drums!" what sounds "burst like a ruthless force" into the church and the school?

a blowing bugle a beating drum

What is the woman's beauty compared to?

a cloudless starry night

Why does father need to come up from the field in "Come Up From The Fields Father"?

a letter has arrived

Think about the title. What could be a possible theme of "First Love"?

coming of age

What is the rhyme scheme of "Come Up From The Fields Father"?

free verse

Good readers set a purpose for reading a text before they begin reading."First Love" is narrative nonfiction. What should your purpose be in reading this text?

learning about another's experiences

Good readers organize their thinking so they know what to pay attention to and what to look for. "First Love" is a narrative nonfiction text. What will be some of the key elements to look for and make sure you understand? Select all answers that are correct.

narrator setting events

What poetic device is used in the following line? So fierce you whirr and pound you drums—so shrill you bugles blow.

onomatopoeia

Which words does the narrator use to describe her first love? Select all answers that are correct.

senior rich Italian

In "Come Up From The Fields Father," who is the letter from?

the government

In "Beat! Beat! Drums!" the drums prevent people from doing their jobs. Students cannot study, lawyers are unable to argue in court, and so on. Read the line from the third stanza. Make even the trestles to shake the dead where they lie awaiting the hearses. What does the figurative image of drum beats shaking the dead represent?

the horrifying effect that war has on all it touches

In "The River Merchants Wife: A Letter," how does Ezra Pound use stanza breaks?

to show the speaker's advancing age