Appendices for the Honors

Curriculum Resource Guide

Appendix A: Textual Analysis Resources

Race in America Unit Name: _________

“The Sky is Gray” Close Reading/Annotations Assignment

Read “The Sky is Gray” and annotate looking for the following:

1) specific examples of “voice,”

2) specific examples of ways that the point of view shapes the reader’s understanding of and response to a situation,

3) specific examples of elements that relate to race and racism, and

4) the rite of passage: boyhood to manhood/pride in being (or trying to be) a man

We will have a mini-seminar using your annotations in the next class.

At the end, answer these questions in 1-2 sentences each:

How does the author develop this narrator’s voice? What effect does it have on you as a reader?

How does reading this story through this point of view shape your response to it?

What is the author saying about race and racism in this story?

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Dialectical Journal for The Scarlet Letter Name: _____ Chapters:___

Use this form to document elements of the text that have to do with either our thematic questions (What do we owe society? What does society owe us? To what extent should our actions and decisions be driven by societal norms and values versus our own individual conscience? What is the role of shame (or the idea of sin) in a culture in general? In Puritan culture? What should it be?) or our stylistic question (How can characterization, plot, symbols and motifs to contribute to a theme?).

For each chapter, you should find at least 5 significant quotes. Draw a line between each entry to separate them.

Quote (first two words…last two words) Page Significance/meaning(TH: Theme, CH: characterization, P: Plot, S: Symbols, M: Motif)

List at least one question you have about this section of the book, or about what will happen later in the book:

Grading: 3 points per quote, 5 point for the question = 20 points total

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Intertextual Analysis

Directions: Intertextuality explores the web of connections between texts. Now that you’ve read and annotated both “Winter Dreams” and The Great Gatsby, you are in a unique position to explore how F. Scott Fitzgerald developed thematically and stylistically between these two texts. For this assignment, you’ll build on your ability to do close reading (focusing on a passage), and synthesis (using multiple passages from one text to make a claim) to take your skills to the next level: analyzing intertextual connections between two different pieces of literature by the same author.

Guidelines:

1. Choose one passage from “Winter Dreams” and one passage from The Great Gatsby that you believe are connected or juxtaposed in an interesting way. They might be passages of dialogue or description; they might focus on something more concrete (characterization, conflict, plot, setting) or something more abstract (theme, symbolism, writing style, narrative style.) They might be similar, or they might demonstrate an intriguing contrast. You may choose any passages that strike your interest, but try to keep them to a moderate length (about a half a page for Gatsby; a quarter to half a page for “Winter Dreams.”)

2. Type up your passages and annotate them carefully. Annotated passages will be due with your drafts.

3. Write a 2-3 page double-spaced analysis paper [in MLA format] in which you do the following:

1) Introduce the two passages you’ve chosen and clearly state your thesis

2) Provide a detailed close reading of Passage #1, using significant textual evidence

3) Provide a detailed close reading of Passage #2, using significant textual evidence

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4) Most importantly: put these two passages “in conversation” with each other. This means more than just noting a similarity (i.e. “In Passage #1, Judy puts up a façade to conceal her emptiness; in Passage #2, Daisy puts up a façade to conceal her emptiness…” or “In both passages, Dexter and Gatsby use the war as a means for escaping their tangled emotions”) or a difference (i.e. “Passage #1 hints at the color white—“fine linen,” “winter”—but Passage #2 more explicitly uses white as a repeated symbol…”) Okay, great, but so what? Putting the two passages in conversation with each other means exploring how F. Scott Fitzgerald developed (thematically or stylistically, or both) between these two texts. Did his tone become more positive? More negative? Did his word choice or sentence structure change significantly? Why did he shift from 3rd person to 1st person narration? How did his use of imagery change or develop, it at all? Have characters become more dynamic or more static? Has his perspective changed on the American Dream? These are just a few ideas to get you thinking critically…

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Big Picture Ideas in The Bluest Eye

The study guide for The Bluest Eye focuses on level 1 and level 2 questions. This exercise is to develop responses to bigger questions—analysis at a more advanced level. Consider the question your group has been given carefully. Present your findings to the class in a way that they will remember what you said. ATTACH THIS PAPER TO YOUR GROUP RESPONSE THAT IS DUE FRIDAY.

1. Being “Put Outdoors”Children, in particular, are afraid of being without the homes they know. In The Bluest Eye are multiple examples of people being kicked out, ostracized, and sent away—beginning with Pecola being sent to live with Claudia and Frieda the first time. Find at least 3 other examples of being “put outdoors” in the book and explain how they relate to each other. How do they contribute to a theme of the book?

2. Rumors and InnuendoIn The Bluest Eye (starting at the bottom of p. 188), Claudia and Frieda encounter neighbors who are gossiping about what happened to Pecola. These rumors are vicious, ignorant, and lack foundation. Identify what these rumors are. THEN—consider these rumors in comparison to the rumors about Jay Gatsby.

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3. How to raise childrenPecola, Frieda, Claudia, Huckleberry Finn, and many characters in short stories we read were mistreated by their parents or by adults. Discuss and make a list of examples of mistreatment. Why do you think authors write about these instances? Do these situations make you uncomfortable or unsettled? Why?

4. More About Con MenSoaphead Church (see p. 173-76) is a con artist with tactics similar to the Duke and the King in Huckleberry Finn. Soaphead is a deviant; he is a dangerous and perverted man. What are the ultimate effects of his promise to Pecola that she will obtain blue eyes? Why does Morrison cast him as such a deviant BEFORE Pecola comes to his house?

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5. Cholly BreedloveAfter we know about Cholly’s acts of perversion and depravity (the rape of Pecola, his drunkenness, burning down his house, beating his wife, and so forth) Morrison tell his story as a child starting on p. 132. She seems to be making excuses for him and his behavior. What happens to Cholly that might explain his behavior? Are you able to excuse him once you hear his story? Is he simply beyond redemption.

6. Mrs. BreedlovePolly Breedlove also has a difficult early life (pages 110-117). Document and explain key events and circumstances in her life that lead to the tragedy that Morrison has already revealed. What is her level of culpability? Is she absolved of guilt for how Pecola and her son turn out? Explain.

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Affirmative Action: Summary, Synthesis, Persuasion and Citation Activity

In the last 50 years, state and federal governments and college and universities have engaged in “affirmative action” programs and policies that give preferences and advantages to racial groups that have been historically disadvantaged. While by many standards, racial inequality has decreased enormously during that period, it has by no means been eradicated. However, some people now argue that while these programs have been socially beneficial, they now constitute a form of reverse discrimination, giving those groups unfair advantages.

Below are several excerpts from both sides of the affirmative action debate. Read and annotate these articles, and then write an essay in which you convey your opinion on this topic, explain the most obvious counter-argument, address the counter argument, and support your arguments with evidence from at least four articles. Be sure to follow the guidelines for quotes below:

Use at least one direct quote of less than four full lines and make sure you use quotation marks and the citation (Author’s Last Name Page)

Use at least one direct quote of more than four full lines and make sure you do NOT use quotation marks, indent each line one tab, and include a citation (Author’s Last Name Page)

Summarize (brief overview) or paraphrase (word for word or line by line) the ideas of one of the authors and include a citation

Make sure that you put each quote in context and introduce it as a grammatically correct part of the sentence.

Rubric Possible Points

Score

Thesis statement

Direct quote of less than four lines uses quotation marks

Direct quote of more than four lines indented, no quotation marks

In-text citations used correctly (Last name Page)

Accurate summary/paraphrase includes citation

All quotes are introduced and contextualized effectively

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General Reference (not clearly pro or con)The Congressional Research Service (CRS) published a report on Dec. 15, 2004 titled "Affirmative Action Revisited: A Legal History and Prospectus":

"The origins of affirmative action law may be traced to the early 1960's... Judicial rulings from this period recognized an 'affirmative duty,' cast upon local school boards by the Equal Protection Clause, to desegregate formerly 'dual school' systems and to eliminate 'root and branch' the last 'vestiges' of state-enforced segregation...

Congress and the Executive Branch soon followed by adopting a panoply of laws and regulations authorizing, either directly or by judicial or administrative interpretation, 'race-conscious' strategies to promote minority opportunity in jobs, education, and governmental contracting. The basic statutory framework for affirmative action in employment and education derives from the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Public and private employers with 15 or more employees are subject to a comprehensive code of equal employment opportunity regulations under Title VII of the 1964 Act...

Official approval of 'affirmative action' remedies was further codified by federal regulations construing the 1964 Act’s Title VI, which prohibits racial or ethnic discrimination in all federally assisted 'programs' and activities, including public or private educational institutions. The Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education interpreted Title VI to require schools and colleges to take affirmative action to overcome the effects of past discrimination and to encourage 'voluntary affirmative action to attain a diverse student body.'"

Dec. 15, 2004 - Congressional Research Service "Affirmative Action Revisited: A Legal History and Prospectus" (315KB) 

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PRO

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) stated the following in its Mar. 21, 2008 publication "Striving for Equal Opportunity: Why the ACLU Supports Affirmative Action," available at www.aclu.org:

"We have come a long way since the Civil Rights Movement, and many Americans feel that the time for affirmative action is over. Opportunities for women and people of color have expanded, and many believe that the unequal conditions that once justified affirmative action no longer exist. Sadly, this is just not true. Millions of Americans continue to experience race and gender barriers in education, contracting and employment. Existing laws help to prevent outright discrimination on the basis of race and gender, but they alone are not enough to create equal opportunities for every American.

Affirmative action programs – including targeted outreach and recruitment efforts, the use of non-traditional criteria for hiring and admissions, after-school and mentorship programs, and training and apprenticeship opportunities – are tailored to fit specific instances where race and gender must be taken into account in order to provide fair and equal access to minorities and women. These programs recognize and strive to correct the barriers that continue to block the paths of many individual Americans, including women, Native Americans, Arab Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and African Americans. Affirmative action helps ensure equal access to opportunities and brings our nation closer to the ideal of giving everyone a fair chance. We support affirmative action and other race- and gender-conscious policies as vital tools in the struggle to provide all Americans with equal opportunity, to promote diversity in academic and professional settings, and to give each and every one of us a fair chance to compete."

Mar. 21, 2008 - American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) 

Reginald T. Shuford, JD, Senior Staff Attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Racial Justice Program, stated the following in his May 21, 2009 article "Why Affirmative Action Remains Essential in the Age of Obama," published in the Campbell Law Review:

"[W]hether in the arenas of housing, employment, education, wealth, health care, or the justice system, African- Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans continue to lag way behind others.  By way of example, according to one study of over 1300 employers in Boston and Chicago, job applicants with 'white-sounding' names are twice as likely to be called back for interviews as equally qualified applicants with 'black-sounding' names.  More than one million students will not graduate from high school this year, and a disproportionate number of them will be African-American, Latino, or Native American.  African-American women, moreover, earn only sixty-three cents per hour and Hispanic women only fiftytwo cents per hour for every dollar a white man earns for similar employment.  Given its well-documented effectiveness, affirmative action is an appropriate tool for combating these and other ongoing disparities...

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While it is abundantly clear that America has made laudable progress towards racial equality— as reflected, in part, by the election of Barack Obama as the nation’s forty-fourth president... America’s promise of a fully inclusive society has not materialized. In light of all the relevant evidence, America has not fulfilled Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream of a truly equal society. While Obama’s election qualifies as a down payment on equality, much more remains to be done.  Affirmative action— which is just one of many effective tools for expanding opportunity— remains essential for the full inclusion of all of those who historically have been and continue to be structurally relegated to the margins of society, and who are increasingly left further behind in the race to achieve the American Dream."

May 21, 2009 - Reginald T. Shuford, JD 

Barack Obama, JD, 44th President of the United States, provided the following statement on affirmative action to the NAACP "2008 Voter Action Center,"(accessed Nov. 16, 2009):

"I support affirmative action. When there is strong evidence of prolonged and systemic discrimination by organizations, affirmative action may be the only meaningful remedy available. Given the dearth of black and Latino Ph.D. candidates in mathematics and the sciences, for example, a scholarship program for minorities interested in getting advanced degrees in these fields won't keep white students out of such programs, but can broaden the pool of talent that we need to prosper in the new economy. We shouldn't ignore that race continues to matter: To suggest that our racial attitudes play no part in the socio-economic disparities that we often observe turns a blind eye to both our history and our experience - and relieves us of the responsibility to make things right."

Nov. 16, 2009 - Barack Obama, JD 

Scott Plous, PhD, Professor of Psychology at Wesleyan University, wrote in his article "Ten Myths About Affirmative Action," posted on his website (accessed Aug. 17, 2005):

"Several studies have documented important gains in racial and gender equality as a direct result of affirmative action...

Despite the progress that has been made, the playing field is far from level. Women continue to earn 76 cents for every male dollar.... Black people continue to have twice the unemployment rate of White people, twice the rate of infant mortality, and just over half the proportion of people who attend four years or more of college.... In fact, without affirmative action the percentage of Black students at many selective schools would drop to only 2% of the student body....

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Some writers have criticized affirmative action as a superficial solution that does not address deeper societal problems by redistributing wealth and developing true educational equality. Yet affirmative action was never proposed as a cure-all solution to inequality. Rather, it was intended only to redress discrimination in hiring and academic admissions. In assessing the value of affirmative action, the central question is merely this: In the absence of sweeping societal reforms -- unlikely to take place any time soon -- does affirmative action help counteract the continuing injustice caused by discrimination? The research record suggests, unequivocally, that it does."

Aug. 17, 2005 - Scott Plous, PhD 

The National Organization for Women (NOW), a national feminist organization, stated the following in its article "Talking About Affirmative Action," available at www.now.org (accessed Nov. 19, 2009):

"Affirmative Action levels the playing field so people of color and all women have the chance to compete in education and in business. White men hold 95% to 97% of the high-level corporate jobs. And that's with affirmative action programs in place. Imagine how low figures would be without affirmative action...

Despite the enormous gains made by the civil rights and women's rights movements, women and people of color still face unfair obstacles in business and education. An astonishing 70% of schools are not in compliance with Title IX, the federal equal education opportunity law...

Affirmative Action programs merely acknowledge that hundreds of years of discrimination cannot be erased in a few decades and still hold women and people of color back. Affirmative Action is the bridge between changing the laws and changing the culture.

The radical right wing would have us believe that women and people of color earn less because we don't work as hard or we're not as smart. That simply isn't the case. Laws have changed, but discrimination persists. Affirmative Action only opens doors, women and people of color have to walk through those doors by themselves."

Nov. 19, 2009 - National Organization for Women (NOW)

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CON

Dana White, International Communications Associate at the Heritage Foundation, wrote in her June 27, 2003 article titled "Who Says I'm Inferior?":

"Thirty years ago, affirmative action may have been a necessary step to open the doors of American universities and companies. It helped to correct a history of racial discrimination propagated by whites, but it’s a new day in America....

Too many blacks do remain oppressed, but not by white Americans. Rather, it is by blacks who relish a perverse sub-culture of low standards and perpetual victimization. No longer do white racists tell black children books are for white people. Today, black people do this. Every day, black children suffer ridicule and disgrace for doing their homework, behaving in class, striving for excellence -- in short, 'acting white.'...

Affirmative action helps the children and the grandchildren of Jesse Jackson, John Conyers and Al Sharpton who have the money for the SAT prep courses, private schools and the clout to call the deans of admission should something go awry.... It is time for liberal black leaders to stop hiding behind racism and admit that our priorities as a community have become our greatest hurdle to achieving long-term success."

June 27, 2003 - Dana White 

Jeff Jacoby, JD, Columnist at the Boston Globe, wrote in his Mar. 19, 2004 article titled "On Flattering Minorities" for Townhall.com:

"Once upon time it was racists who insisted that 'nonwhite' was a synonym for 'intellectually deficient.' Today that attitude is promoted most emphatically by the defenders of affirmative action, a system rooted in the belief that blacks and certain other minorities can't hope to win if they have to compete on a level playing field. And so racial preferences are used to tilt the field in their favor: lower admissions standards at colleges and graduate schools, minority set-asides for government contracts, unofficial racial quotas to benefit those applying for jobs.

Racial preferences are clearly a boon for some minorities -- particularly those from upper-middle-class families who know how to leverage them to get into a good school or land a good job or get in on a good investment. But they do no favors for minority groups as a whole. Preferences stigmatize them as less able than other Americans to stand on their own two feet. Many end up resenting those who believe they need such a crutch -- as well as resenting those who would take the crutch away....

Fortunately, there was no affirmative action at the turn of the 20th century to give members of 'beaten races' a leg up in the competition for education and jobs. They had to rise on their own merits if they were to overcome the stigma of inferiority -- and rise and overcome they did. Black and Hispanic Americans would rise and overcome as well if only they could be liberated from the condescending mind-set that thinks it's a compliment to tell a group of college seniors that they show great promise -- for minorities."

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Mar. 19, 2004 - Jeff Jacoby, JD 

Ward Connerly, former University of California Regent, in his Mar. 27. 2000 interview with Salon.com titled "A 'Poison' Divide Us," stated:

"In my view, using the powers of government to make sure that people are not discriminated against, I think that was the original intent of affirmative action.... But when it gets to the point where you are making a selection for someone to be admitted to the university or someone to be hired for a job, and to have one standard for someone who is black and another standard for someone who is white ... I think that's a preference.... I think that when you apply different standards to people, that's discriminatory, no matter what you want to call it....

But as long as you have this paradigm where people seem to be using race and gender as a means of making hiring decisions, as long as they keep uttering this mindless blather about 'we've got to achieve diversity,' it kind of taints the whole process. And the decisions that they're making would be no different, in my view, if they just discarded the whole system....

If we really wanted to help black people -- let's just take black people for an example -- we would not be putting so much emphasis on getting them into Berkeley as we would giving them the equivalent money to go out and buy their own cabs, or get the tools to become an electrician or a plumber, or the money to take a vocational course.... But we don't even look at that. If I proposed that, they'd think I was a kook, because we're so hung up on the notion that you either go to college or life's a failure. And if you don't get into Berkeley and you're black, there must be some institutional racism there."

Mar. 27, 2000 - Ward Connerly 

Clint Bolick, JD, Director of the Goldwater Institute, stated the following in his June 29, 2009 article "The Supreme Court and New Haven's Firefighters," published in Forbes:

"When blacks and Hispanics flunk examinations, the cause is less likely to be discrimination than the appalling educational conditions to which most economically disadvantaged black and Hispanic children are consigned. 'Affirmative action' programs that leap-frog less-qualified minorities over more-qualified non-minorities sweep those systemic problems under the carpet. As such, race-based affirmative action programs perpetuate fraud upon the very groups they are designed to help."

June 29, 2009 - Clint Bolick, JD 

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John A. Farrell, Contributing Editor at US News and World Report, stated the following in his June 10, 2009 article "Obama's Election Shows That Affirmative Action's Day Has Passed," published in US News and World Report:

"In 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Barbara Grutter, a [white] college grad who sued the University of Michigan law school because it employed racial preferences in its admissions process to achieve academic diversity.

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor joined the court's four liberal justices to keep affirmative action alive that day, in a 5-to-4 decision. But the moment was fast approaching, O'Connor said, when the promotion of people of color, solely because of their race, would not be justified.

No one knew precisely when the tipping point would be reached, O'Connor wrote, but 'the court expects that 25 years from now the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary.' Five years later, Barack Obama was elected president of the United States.

Obama's election was the sign we've been waiting for. It is time we do away with preferences and recognize people, as Martin Luther King urged us, by the content of their character. Today, a black man sits in the Oval Office, having narrowly defeated a woman for the Democratic nomination whom, to considerable acclaim, he then appointed secretary of state."

June 10, 2009 - John A. Farrell 

Source: http://aclu.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000697

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Appendix B:

Stylistic Essential Questions and Multi-Genre Text Set Resources

Stylistic Analysis Activity: “Young Goodman Brown”

Directions: Read and annotate the story below, looking for examples of characterization, plot and symbolism that contribute to the theme.

Summarize the theme in 1-2 sentences:

Number your examples in the text, identify whether it is characterization (CH), plot (P) or symbolism (S) and explain how they contribute to the theme below:

Type Explanation of how this element contributes to the theme1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Thesis/Intro (three sentences):

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2 Ch examples (best of what you and your group found)

A.

B.

2 Plot examples

A.

B.

2 Symbolism examples

A.

B.

Young Goodman Brown By Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1835

Young Goodman Brown came forth at sunset into the street at Salem village; but put his head back, after crossing the threshold, to exchange a parting kiss with his young wife. And Faith, as the wife was aptly named, thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap while she called to Goodman Brown.

"Dearest heart," whispered she, softly and rather sadly, when her lips were close to his ear, "prithee put off your journey until sunrise and sleep in your own bed to-night. A lone woman is troubled with such dreams and such thoughts that she's afeard of herself sometimes. Pray tarry with me this night, dear husband, of all nights in the year."

"My love and my Faith," replied young Goodman Brown, "of all nights in the year, this one night must I tarry away from thee. My journey, as thou callest it, forth and back again, must needs be done 'twixt now and sunrise. What, my sweet, pretty wife, dost thou doubt me already, and we but three months married?"

"Then God bless you!" said Faith, with the pink ribbons; "and may you find all well when you come back."

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"Amen!" cried Goodman Brown. "Say thy prayers, dear Faith, and go to bed at dusk, and no harm will come to thee."

So they parted; and the young man pursued his way until, being about to turn the corner by the meeting-house, he looked back and saw the head of Faith still peeping after him with a melancholy air, in spite of her pink ribbons.

"Poor little Faith!" thought he, for his heart smote him. "What a wretch am I to leave her on such an errand! She talks of dreams, too. Methought as she spoke there was trouble in her face, as if a dream had warned her what work is to be done tonight. But no, no; 't would kill her to think it. Well, she's a blessed angel on earth; and after this one night I'll cling to her skirts and follow her to heaven."

With this excellent resolve for the future, Goodman Brown felt himself justified in making more haste on his present evil purpose. He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through, and closed immediately behind. It was all as lonely as could be; and there is this peculiarity in such a solitude, that the traveller knows not who may be concealed by the innumerable trunks and the thick boughs overhead; so that with lonely footsteps he may yet be passing through an unseen multitude.

"There may be a devilish Indian behind every tree," said Goodman Brown to himself; and he glanced fearfully behind him as he added, "What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow!"

His head being turned back, he passed a crook of the road, and, looking forward again, beheld the figure of a man, in grave and decent attire, seated at the foot of an old tree. He arose at Goodman Brown's approach and walked onward side by side with him.

"You are late, Goodman Brown," said he. "The clock of the Old South was striking as I came through Boston, and that is full fifteen minutes agone."

"Faith kept me back a while," replied the young man, with a tremor in his voice, caused by the sudden appearance of his companion, though not wholly unexpected.

It was now deep dusk in the forest, and deepest in that part of it where these two were journeying. As nearly as could be discerned, the second traveller was about fifty years old, apparently in the same rank of life as Goodman Brown, and bearing a considerable resemblance to him, though perhaps more in expression than features. Still they might have been taken for father and son. And yet, though the elder person was as simply clad as the younger, and as simple in manner too, he had an indescribable air of one who knew the world, and who would not have felt abashed at the governor's dinner table or in King William's court, were it possible that his affairs should call him thither. But the only thing about him that could be fixed upon as remarkable was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake, so curiously wrought

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that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself like a living serpent. This, of course, must have been an ocular deception, assisted by the uncertain light.

"Come, Goodman Brown," cried his fellow-traveller, "this is a dull pace for the beginning of a journey. Take my staff, if you are so soon weary."

"Friend," said the other, exchanging his slow pace for a full stop, "having kept covenant by meeting thee here, it is my purpose now to return whence I came. I have scruples touching the matter thou wot'st of."

"Sayest thou so?" replied he of the serpent, smiling apart. "Let us walk on, nevertheless, reasoning as we go; and if I convince thee not thou shalt turn back. We are but a little way in the forest yet."

"Too far! too far!" exclaimed the goodman, unconsciously resuming his walk. "My father never went into the woods on such an errand, nor his father before him. We have been a race of honest men and good Christians since the days of the martyrs; and shall I be the first of the name of Brown that ever took this path and kept"

"Such company, thou wouldst say," observed the elder person, interpreting his pause. "Well said, Goodman Brown! I have been as well acquainted with your family as with ever a one among the Puritans; and that's no trifle to say. I helped your grandfather, the constable, when he lashed the Quaker woman so smartly through the streets of Salem; and it was I that brought your father a pitch-pine knot, kindled at my own hearth, to set fire to an Indian village, in King Philip's war. They were my good friends, both; and many a pleasant walk have we had along this path, and returned merrily after midnight. I would fain be friends with you for their sake."

"If it be as thou sayest," replied Goodman Brown, "I marvel they never spoke of these matters; or, verily, I marvel not, seeing that the least rumor of the sort would have driven them from New England. We are a people of prayer, and good works to boot, and abide no such wickedness."

"Wickedness or not," said the traveller with the twisted staff, "I have a very general acquaintance here in New England. The deacons of many a church have drunk the communion wine with me; the selectmen of divers towns make me their chairman; and a majority of the Great and General Court are firm supporters of my interest. The governor and I, too--But these are state secrets."

"Can this be so?" cried Goodman Brown, with a stare of amazement at his undisturbed companion. "Howbeit, I have nothing to do with the governor and council; they have their own ways, and are no rule for a simple husbandman like me. But, were I to go on with thee, how should I meet the eye of that good old man, our minister, at Salem village? Oh, his voice would make me tremble both Sabbath day and lecture day."

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Thus far the elder traveller had listened with due gravity; but now burst into a fit of irrepressible mirth, shaking himself so violently that his snake-like staff actually seemed to wriggle in sympathy.

"Ha! ha! ha!" shouted he again and again; then composing himself, "Well, go on, Goodman Brown, go on; but, prithee, don't kill me with laughing."

"Well, then, to end the matter at once," said Goodman Brown, considerably nettled, "there is my wife, Faith. It would break her dear little heart; and I'd rather break my own."

"Nay, if that be the case," answered the other, "e'en go thy ways, Goodman Brown. I would not for twenty old women like the one hobbling before us that Faith should come to any harm."

As he spoke he pointed his staff at a female figure on the path, in whom Goodman Brown recognized a very pious and exemplary dame, who had taught him his catechism in youth, and was still his moral and spiritual adviser, jointly with the minister and Deacon Gookin.

"A marvel, truly, that Goody Cloyse should be so far in the wilderness at nightfall," said he. "But with your leave, friend, I shall take a cut through the woods until we have left this Christian woman behind. Being a stranger to you, she might ask whom I was consorting with and whither I was going."

"Be it so," said his fellow-traveller. "Betake you to the woods, and let me keep the path."

Accordingly the young man turned aside, but took care to watch his companion, who advanced softly along the road until he had come within a staff's length of the old dame. She, meanwhile, was making the best of her way, with singular speed for so aged a woman, and mumbling some indistinct words--a prayer, doubtless--as she went. The traveller put forth his staff and touched her withered neck with what seemed the serpent's tail.

"The devil!" screamed the pious old lady.

"Then Goody Cloyse knows her old friend?" observed the traveller, confronting her and leaning on his writhing stick.

"Ah, forsooth, and is it your worship indeed?" cried the good dame. "Yea, truly is it, and in the very image of my old gossip, Goodman Brown, the grandfather of the silly fellow that now is. But--would your worship believe it?--my broomstick hath strangely disappeared, stolen, as I suspect, by that unhanged witch, Goody Cory, and that, too, when I was all anointed with the juice of smallage, and cinquefoil, and wolf's bane"

"Mingled with fine wheat and the fat of a new-born babe," said the shape of old Goodman Brown.

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"Ah, your worship knows the recipe," cried the old lady, cackling aloud. "So, as I was saying, being all ready for the meeting, and no horse to ride on, I made up my mind to foot it; for they tell me there is a nice young man to be taken into communion to-night. But now your good worship will lend me your arm, and we shall be there in a twinkling."

"That can hardly be," answered her friend. "I may not spare you my arm, Goody Cloyse; but here is my staff, if you will."

So saying, he threw it down at her feet, where, perhaps, it assumed life, being one of the rods which its owner had formerly lent to the Egyptian magi. Of this fact, however, Goodman Brown could not take cognizance. He had cast up his eyes in astonishment, and, looking down again, beheld neither Goody Cloyse nor the serpentine staff, but his fellow-traveller alone, who waited for him as calmly as if nothing had happened.

"That old woman taught me my catechism," said the young man; and there was a world of meaning in this simple comment.

They continued to walk onward, while the elder traveller exhorted his companion to make good speed and persevere in the path, discoursing so aptly that his arguments seemed rather to spring up in the bosom of his auditor than to be suggested by himself. As they went, he plucked a branch of maple to serve for a walking stick, and began to strip it of the twigs and little boughs, which were wet with evening dew. The moment his fingers touched them they became strangely withered and dried up as with a week's sunshine. Thus the pair proceeded, at a good free pace, until suddenly, in a gloomy hollow of the road, Goodman Brown sat himself down on the stump of a tree and refused to go any farther.

"Friend," said he, stubbornly, "my mind is made up. Not another step will I budge on this errand. What if a wretched old woman do choose to go to the devil when I thought she was going to heaven: is that any reason why I should quit my dear Faith and go after her?"

"You will think better of this by and by," said his acquaintance, composedly. "Sit here and rest yourself a while; and when you feel like moving again, there is my staff to help you along."

Without more words, he threw his companion the maple stick, and was as speedily out of sight as if he had vanished into the deepening gloom. The young man sat a few moments by the roadside, applauding himself greatly, and thinking with how clear a conscience he should meet the minister in his morning walk, nor shrink from the eye of good old Deacon Gookin. And what calm sleep would be his that very night, which was to have been spent so wickedly, but so purely and sweetly now, in the arms of Faith! Amidst these pleasant and praiseworthy meditations, Goodman Brown heard the tramp of horses along the road, and deemed it advisable to conceal himself within the verge of the forest, conscious of the guilty purpose that had brought him thither, though now so happily turned from it.

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On came the hoof tramps and the voices of the riders, two grave old voices, conversing soberly as they drew near. These mingled sounds appeared to pass along the road, within a few yards of the young man's hiding-place; but, owing doubtless to the depth of the gloom at that particular spot, neither the travellers nor their steeds were visible. Though their figures brushed the small boughs by the wayside, it could not be seen that they intercepted, even for a moment, the faint gleam from the strip of bright sky athwart which they must have passed. Goodman Brown alternately crouched and stood on tiptoe, pulling aside the branches and thrusting forth his head as far as he durst without discerning so much as a shadow. It vexed him the more, because he could have sworn, were such a thing possible, that he recognized the voices of the minister and Deacon Gookin, jogging along quietly, as they were wont to do, when bound to some ordination or ecclesiastical council. While yet within hearing, one of the riders stopped to pluck a switch.

"Of the two, reverend sir," said the voice like the deacon's, "I had rather miss an ordination dinner than to-night's meeting. They tell me that some of our community are to be here from Falmouth and beyond, and others from Connecticut and Rhode Island, besides several of the Indian powwows, who, after their fashion, know almost as much deviltry as the best of us. Moreover, there is a goodly young woman to be taken into communion."

"Mighty well, Deacon Gookin!" replied the solemn old tones of the minister. "Spur up, or we shall be late. Nothing can be done, you know, until I get on the ground."

The hoofs clattered again; and the voices, talking so strangely in the empty air, passed on through the forest, where no church had ever been gathered or solitary Christian prayed. Whither, then, could these holy men be journeying so deep into the heathen wilderness? Young Goodman Brown caught hold of a tree for support, being ready to sink down on the ground, faint and overburdened with the heavy sickness of his heart. He looked up to the sky, doubting whether there really was a heaven above him. Yet there was the blue arch, and the stars brightening in it.

"With heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the devil!" cried Goodman Brown.

While he still gazed upward into the deep arch of the firmament and had lifted his hands to pray, a cloud, though no wind was stirring, hurried across the zenith and hid the brightening stars. The blue sky was still visible, except directly overhead, where this black mass of cloud was sweeping swiftly northward. Aloft in the air, as if from the depths of the cloud, came a confused and doubtful sound of voices. Once the listener fancied that he could distinguish the accents of towns-people of his own, men and women, both pious and ungodly, many of whom he had met at the communion table, and had seen others rioting at the tavern. The next moment, so indistinct were the sounds, he doubted whether he had heard aught but the murmur of the old forest, whispering without a wind. Then came a stronger swell of those familiar tones, heard daily in the sunshine at Salem village, but never until now from a cloud of night There was one voice of a young woman, uttering lamentations, yet with an uncertain sorrow, and entreating for some

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favor, which, perhaps, it would grieve her to obtain; and all the unseen multitude, both saints and sinners, seemed to encourage her onward.

"Faith!" shouted Goodman Brown, in a voice of agony and desperation; and the echoes of the forest mocked him, crying, "Faith! Faith!" as if bewildered wretches were seeking her all through the wilderness.

The cry of grief, rage, and terror was yet piercing the night, when the unhappy husband held his breath for a response. There was a scream, drowned immediately in a louder murmur of voices, fading into far-off laughter, as the dark cloud swept away, leaving the clear and silent sky above Goodman Brown. But something fluttered lightly down through the air and caught on the branch of a tree. The young man seized it, and beheld a pink ribbon.

"My Faith is gone!" cried he, after one stupefied moment. "There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil; for to thee is this world given."

And, maddened with despair, so that he laughed loud and long, did Goodman Brown grasp his staff and set forth again, at such a rate that he seemed to fly along the forest path rather than to walk or run. The road grew wilder and drearier and more faintly traced, and vanished at length, leaving him in the heart of the dark wilderness, still rushing onward with the instinct that guides mortal man to evil. The whole forest was peopled with frightful sounds--the creaking of the trees, the howling of wild beasts, and the yell of Indians; while sometimes the wind tolled like a distant church bell, and sometimes gave a broad roar around the traveller, as if all Nature were laughing him to scorn. But he was himself the chief horror of the scene, and shrank not from its other horrors.

"Ha! ha! ha!" roared Goodman Brown when the wind laughed at him.

"Let us hear which will laugh loudest. Think not to frighten me with your deviltry. Come witch, come wizard, come Indian powwow, come devil himself, and here comes Goodman Brown. You may as well fear him as he fear you."

In truth, all through the haunted forest there could be nothing more frightful than the figure of Goodman Brown. On he flew among the black pines, brandishing his staff with frenzied gestures, now giving vent to an inspiration of horrid blasphemy, and now shouting forth such laughter as set all the echoes of the forest laughing like demons around him. The fiend in his own shape is less hideous than when he rages in the breast of man. Thus sped the demoniac on his course, until, quivering among the trees, he saw a red light before him, as when the felled trunks and branches of a clearing have been set on fire, and throw up their lurid blaze against the sky, at the hour of midnight. He paused, in a lull of the tempest that had driven him onward, and heard the swell of what seemed a hymn, rolling solemnly from a distance with the weight of many voices. He knew the tune; it was a familiar one in the choir of the village meeting-house. The verse died heavily away, and was lengthened by a chorus, not of human voices, but of all the

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sounds of the benighted wilderness pealing in awful harmony together. Goodman Brown cried out, and his cry was lost to his own ear by its unison with the cry of the desert.

In the interval of silence he stole forward until the light glared full upon his eyes. At one extremity of an open space, hemmed in by the dark wall of the forest, arose a rock, bearing some rude, natural resemblance either to an alter or a pulpit, and surrounded by four blazing pines, their tops aflame, their stems untouched, like candles at an evening meeting. The mass of foliage that had overgrown the summit of the rock was all on fire, blazing high into the night and fitfully illuminating the whole field. Each pendent twig and leafy festoon was in a blaze. As the red light arose and fell, a numerous congregation alternately shone forth, then disappeared in shadow, and again grew, as it were, out of the darkness, peopling the heart of the solitary woods at once.

"A grave and dark-clad company," quoth Goodman Brown.

In truth they were such. Among them, quivering to and fro between gloom and splendor, appeared faces that would be seen next day at the council board of the province, and others which, Sabbath after Sabbath, looked devoutly heavenward, and benignantly over the crowded pews, from the holiest pulpits in the land. Some affirm that the lady of the governor was there. At least there were high dames well known to her, and wives of honored husbands, and widows, a great multitude, and ancient maidens, all of excellent repute, and fair young girls, who trembled lest their mothers should espy them. Either the sudden gleams of light flashing over the obscure field bedazzled Goodman Brown, or he recognized a score of the church members of Salem village famous for their especial sanctity. Good old Deacon Gookin had arrived, and waited at the skirts of that venerable saint, his revered pastor. But, irreverently consorting with these grave, reputable, and pious people, these elders of the church, these chaste dames and dewy virgins, there were men of dissolute lives and women of spotted fame, wretches given over to all mean and filthy vice, and suspected even of horrid crimes. It was strange to see that the good shrank not from the wicked, nor were the sinners abashed by the saints. Scattered also among their pale-faced enemies were the Indian priests, or powwows, who had often scared their native forest with more hideous incantations than any known to English witchcraft.

"But where is Faith?" thought Goodman Brown; and, as hope came into his heart, he trembled.

Another verse of the hymn arose, a slow and mournful strain, such as the pious love, but joined to words which expressed all that our nature can conceive of sin, and darkly hinted at far more. Unfathomable to mere mortals is the lore of fiends. Verse after verse was sung; and still the chorus of the desert swelled between like the deepest tone of a mighty organ; and with the final peal of that dreadful anthem there came a sound, as if the roaring wind, the rushing streams, the howling beasts, and every other voice of the unconcerted wilderness were mingling and according with the voice of guilty man in homage to the prince of all. The four blazing pines threw up a loftier flame, and obscurely discovered shapes and visages of horror on the smoke wreaths above the impious assembly. At the same moment the fire on the rock shot redly forth and formed a glowing arch above its base, where now appeared a figure. With reverence be it

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spoken, the figure bore no slight similitude, both in garb and manner, to some grave divine of the New England churches.

"Bring forth the converts!" cried a voice that echoed through the field and rolled into the forest.

At the word, Goodman Brown stepped forth from the shadow of the trees and approached the congregation, with whom he felt a loathful brotherhood by the sympathy of all that was wicked in his heart. He could have well-nigh sworn that the shape of his own dead father beckoned him to advance, looking downward from a smoke wreath, while a woman, with dim features of despair, threw out her hand to warn him back. Was it his mother? But he had no power to retreat one step, nor to resist, even in thought, when the minister and good old Deacon Gookin seized his arms and led him to the blazing rock. Thither came also the slender form of a veiled female, led between Goody Cloyse, that pious teacher of the catechism, and Martha Carrier, who had received the devil's promise to be queen of hell. A rampant hag was she. And there stood the proselytes beneath the canopy of fire.

"Welcome, my children," said the dark figure, "to the communion of your race. Ye have found thus young your nature and your destiny. My children, look behind you!"

They turned; and flashing forth, as it were, in a sheet of flame, the fiend worshippers were seen; the smile of welcome gleamed darkly on every visage.

"There," resumed the sable form, "are all whom ye have reverenced from youth. Ye deemed them holier than yourselves, and shrank from your own sin, contrasting it with their lives of righteousness and prayerful aspirations heavenward. Yet here are they all in my worshipping assembly. This night it shall be granted you to know their secret deeds: how hoary-bearded elders of the church have whispered wanton words to the young maids of their households; how many a woman, eager for widows' weeds, has given her husband a drink at bedtime and let him sleep his last sleep in her bosom; how beardless youths have made haste to inherit their fathers' wealth; and how fair damsels--blush not, sweet ones--have dug little graves in the garden, and bidden me, the sole guest to an infant's funeral. By the sympathy of your human hearts for sin ye shall scent out all the places--whether in church, bedchamber, street, field, or forest--where crime has been committed, and shall exult to behold the whole earth one stain of guilt, one mighty blood spot. Far more than this. It shall be yours to penetrate, in every bosom, the deep mystery of sin, the fountain of all wicked arts, and which inexhaustibly supplies more evil impulses than human power--than my power at its utmost--can make manifest in deeds. And now, my children, look upon each other."

They did so; and, by the blaze of the hell-kindled torches, the wretched man beheld his Faith, and the wife her husband, trembling before that unhallowed altar.

"Lo, there ye stand, my children," said the figure, in a deep and solemn tone, almost sad with its despairing awfulness, as if his once angelic nature could yet mourn for our miserable race. "Depending upon one another's hearts, ye had still hoped that virtue were not all a dream. Now

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are ye undeceived. Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome again, my children, to the communion of your race."

"Welcome," repeated the fiend worshippers, in one cry of despair and triumph.

And there they stood, the only pair, as it seemed, who were yet hesitating on the verge of wickedness in this dark world. A basin was hollowed, naturally, in the rock. Did it contain water, reddened by the lurid light? or was it blood? or, perchance, a liquid flame? Herein did the shape of evil dip his hand and prepare to lay the mark of baptism upon their foreheads, that they might be partakers of the mystery of sin, more conscious of the secret guilt of others, both in deed and thought, than they could now be of their own. The husband cast one look at his pale wife, and Faith at him. What polluted wretches would the next glance show them to each other, shuddering alike at what they disclosed and what they saw!

"Faith! Faith!" cried the husband, "look up to heaven, and resist the wicked one."

Whether Faith obeyed he knew not. Hardly had he spoken when he found himself amid calm night and solitude, listening to a roar of the wind which died heavily away through the forest. He staggered against the rock, and felt it chill and damp; while a hanging twig, that had been all on fire, besprinkled his cheek with the coldest dew.

The next morning young Goodman Brown came slowly into the street of Salem village, staring around him like a bewildered man. The good old minister was taking a walk along the graveyard to get an appetite for breakfast and meditate his sermon, and bestowed a blessing, as he passed, on Goodman Brown. He shrank from the venerable saint as if to avoid an anathema. Old Deacon Gookin was at domestic worship, and the holy words of his prayer were heard through the open window. "What God doth the wizard pray to?" quoth Goodman Brown. Goody Cloyse, that excellent old Christian, stood in the early sunshine at her own lattice, catechizing a little girl who had brought her a pint of morning's milk. Goodman Brown snatched away the child as from the grasp of the fiend himself. Turning the corner by the meeting-house, he spied the head of Faith, with the pink ribbons, gazing anxiously forth, and bursting into such joy at sight of him that she skipped along the street and almost kissed her husband before the whole village. But Goodman Brown looked sternly and sadly into her face, and passed on without a greeting.

Had Goodman Brown fallen asleep in the forest and only dreamed a wild dream of a witch-meeting?

Be it so if you will; but, alas! it was a dream of evil omen for young Goodman Brown. A stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man did he become from the night of that fearful dream. On the Sabbath day, when the congregation were singing a holy psalm, he could not listen because an anthem of sin rushed loudly upon his ear and drowned all the blessed strain. When the minister spoke from the pulpit with power and fervid eloquence, and, with his hand on the open Bible, of the sacred truths of our religion, and of saint-like lives and triumphant deaths, and of future bliss or misery unutterable, then did Goodman Brown turn pale, dreading

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lest the roof should thunder down upon the gray blasphemer and his hearers. Often, waking suddenly at midnight, he shrank from the bosom of Faith; and at morning or eventide, when the family knelt down at prayer, he scowled and muttered to himself, and gazed sternly at his wife, and turned away. And when he had lived long, and was borne to his grave a hoary corpse, followed by Faith, an aged woman, and children and grandchildren, a goodly procession, besides neighbors not a few, they carved no hopeful verse upon his tombstone, for his dying hour was gloom.

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The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark Twain

In compliance with the request of a friend of mine, who wrote me from the East, I called on good-natured, garrulous old Simon Wheeler, and inquired after my friend's friend, Leonidas W. Smiley, as requested to do, and I hereunto append the result. I have a lurking suspicion that Leonidas W. Smiley is a myth; that my friend never knew such a personage; and that he only conjectured that, if I asked old Wheeler about him, it would remind him of his infamous Jim Smiley, and he would go to work and bore me nearly to death with some infernal reminiscence of him as long and tedious as it should be useless to me. If that was the design, it certainly succeeded.

I found Simon Wheeler dozing comfortably by the bar-room stove of the old, dilapidated tavern in the ancient mining camp of Angel's, and I noticed that he was fat and bald-headed, and had an expression of winning gentleness and simplicity upon his tranquil countenance. He roused up and gave me good-day. I told him a friend of mine had commissioned me to make some inquiries about a cherished companion of his boyhood named Leonidas W. Smiley Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley a young minister of the Gospel, who he had heard was at one time a resident of Angel's Camp. I added that, if Mr. Wheeler could tell me any thing about this Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley, I would feel under many obligations to him.

Simon Wheeler backed me into a corner and blockaded me there with his chair, and then sat me down and reeled off the monotonous narrative which follows this paragraph. He never smiled, he never frowned, he never changed his voice from the gentle-flowing key to which he tuned the initial sentence, he never betrayed the slightest suspicion of enthusiasm; but all through the interminable narrative there ran a vein of impressive earnestness and sincerity, which showed me plainly that, so far from his imagining that there was any thing ridiculous or funny about his story, he regarded it as a really important matter, and admired its two heroes as men of transcendent genius in finesse. To me, the spectacle of a man drifting serenely along through such a queer yarn without ever smiling, was exquisitely absurd. As I said before, I asked him to tell me what he knew of Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley, and he replied as follows. I let him go on in his own way, and never interrupted him once:

There was a feller here once by the name of Jim Smiley, in the winter of '49 or may be it was the spring of '50 I don't recollect exactly, somehow, though what makes me think it was one or the other is because I remember the big flume wasn't finished when he first came to the camp; but any way, he was the curiosest man about always betting on any thing that turned up you ever see, if he could get any body to bet on the other side; and if he couldn't, he'd change sides. Any way that suited the other man would suit him any way just so's he got a bet, he was satisfied. But still he was lucky, uncommon lucky; he most always come out winner. He was always ready and laying for a chance; there couldn't be no solittry thing mentioned but that feller'd offer to bet on it, and -take any side you please, as I was just telling you. If there was a horse-race, you'd find him flush, or you'd find him busted at the end of it; if there was a dog-fight, he'd bet on it; if there was a cat-fight, he'd bet on it; if there was a chicken-fight, he'd bet on it; why, if there was two birds setting on a fence, he would bet you which one would fly first; or if there was a camp-meeting, he would be there reg'lar, to bet on Parson Walker, which he judged to be the best exhorter about here, and so he was, too, and a good man. If he even seen a straddle-bug start to

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go anywheres, he would bet you how long it would take him to get wherever he was going to, and if you took him up, he would foller that straddle-bug to Mexico but what he would find out where he was bound for and how long he was on the road. Lots of the boys here has seen that Smiley, and can tell you about him. Why, it never made no difference to him he would bet on any thing the dangdest feller. Parson Walker's wife laid very sick once, for a good while, and it seemed as if they warn's going to save her; but one morning he come in, and Smiley asked how she was, and he said she was considerable better thank the Lord for his inftnit mercy and coming on so smart that, with the blessing of Providence, she'd get well yet; and Smiley, before he thought, says, "Well, I'll risk two- and-a-half that she don't, any way."

Thish-yer Smiley had a mare the boys called her the fifteen- minute nag, but that was only in fun, you know, because, of course, she was faster than that and he used to win money on that horse, for all she was so slow and always had the asthma, or the distemper, or the consumption, or something of that kind. They used to give her two or three hundred yards start, and then pass her under way; but always at the fag-end of the race she'd get excited and desperate- like, and come cavorting and straddling up, and scattering her legs around limber, sometimes in the air, and sometimes out to one side amongst the fences, and kicking up m-o-r-e dust, and raising m-o-r-e racket with her coughing and sneezing and blowing her nose and always fetch up at the stand just about a neck ahead, as near as you could cipher it down.

And he had a little small bull pup, that to look at him you'd think he wan's worth a cent, but to set around and look ornery, and lay for a chance to steal something. But as soon as money was up on him, he was a different dog; his underjaw'd begin to stick out like the fo'castle of a steamboat, and his teeth would uncover, and shine savage like the furnaces. And a dog might tackle him, and bully- rag him, and bite him, and throw him over his shoulder two or three times, and Andrew Jackson which was the name of the pup Andrew Jackson would never let on but what he was satisfied, and hadn't expected nothing else and the bets being doubled and doubled on the other side all the time, till the money was all up; and then all of a sudden he would grab that other dog jest by the j'int of his hind leg and freeze on it not chew, you understand, but only jest grip and hang on till they thronged up the sponge, if it was a year. Smiley always come out winner on that pup, till he harnessed a dog once that didn't have no hind legs, because they'd been sawed off by a circular saw, and when the thing had gone along far enough, and the money was all up, and he come to make a snatch for his pet bolt, he saw in a minute how he'd been imposed on, and how the other dog had him in the door, so to speak, and he 'peered sur- prised, and then he looked sorter discouraged-like, and didn't try no more to win the fight, and so he got shucked out bad. He give Smiley a look, as much as to say his heart was broke, and it was his fault, for putting up a dog that hadn't no hind legs for him to take bolt of, which was his main dependence in a fight, and then he limped off a piece and laid down and died. It was a good pup, was that Andrew Jackson, and would have made a name for hisself if he'd lived, for the stuff was in him, and he had genius I know it, because he hadn't had no opportunities to speak of, and it don't stand to reason that a dog could make such a fight as he could under them circumstances, if he hadn't no talent. It always makes me feel sorry when I think of that last fight of his'n, and the way it turned out.

Well, thish-yer Smiley had rat-tarriers, and chicken cocks, and tom- cats, and all of them kind of things, till you couldn't rest, and you couldn't fetch nothing for him to bet on but he'd

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match you. He ketched a frog one day, and took him home, and said he cal'klated to edercate him; and so he never done nothing for three months but set in his back yard and learn that frog to jump. And you bet you he did learn him, too. He'd give him a little punch behind, and the next minute you'd see that frog whirling in the air like a doughnut see him turn one summerset, or may be a couple, if he got a good start, and come down flat-footed and all right, like a cat. He got him up so in the matter of catching flies, and kept him in practice so constant, that he'd nail a fly every time as far as he could see him. Smiley said all a frog wanted was education, and he could do most any thing and I believe him. Why, I've seen him set Dan'l Webster down here on this floor Dan'l Webster was the name of the frog and sing out, "Flies, Dan'l, flies!" and quicker'n you could wink, he'd spring straight up, and snake a fly off'n the counter there, and flop down on the floor again as solid as a gob of mud, and fall to scratching the side of his head with his hind foot as indifferent as if he hadn't no idea he'd been doin' any more'n any frog might do. You never see a frog so modest and straightforward as he was, for all he was so gifted. And when it come to fair and square jumping on a dead level, he could get over more ground at one straddle than any animal of his breed you ever see. Jumping on a dead level was his strong suit, you understand; and when it come to that, Smiley would ante up money on him as long as he had a red. Smiley was monstrous proud of his frog, and well he might be, for fellers that had traveled and been everywheres, all said he laid over any frog that ever they see.

Well, Smiley kept the beast in a little lattice box, and he used to fetch him down town sometimes and lay for a bet. One day a feller a stranger in the camp, he was come across him with his box, and says:

"What might it be that you've got in the box?" And Smiley says, sorter indifferent like, "It might be a parrot, or it might be a canary,

may be, but it an't it's only just a frog." And the feller took it, and looked at it careful, and turned it round this way and that, and

says, "H'm so 'tis. Well, what's he good for?" "Well," Smiley says, easy and careless, "He's good enough for one thing, I should judge

he can outjump any frog in Calaveras county." The feller took the box again, and took another long, particular look, and give it back to

Smiley, and says, very deliberate, "Well, I don't see no p'ints about that frog that's any better'n any other frog."

"May be you don't," Smiley says. "May be you understand frogs, and may be you don't understand 'em; may be you've had experience, and may be you an't only a amature, as it were. Anyways, I've got my opinion, and I'll risk forty dollars that he can outjump any frog in Calaveras county."

And the feller studied a minute, and then says, kinder sad like, "Well, I'm only a stranger here, and I an't got no frog; but if I had a frog, I'd bet you."

And then Smiley says, "That's all right that's all right if you'll hold my box a minute, I'll go and get you a frog." And so the feller took the box, and put up his forty dollars along with Smiley's, and set down to wait.

So he set there a good while thinking and thinking to hisself, and then he got the frog out and prized his mouth open and took a tea- spoon and filled him full of quail shot filled him pretty near up to his chin and set him on the floor. Smiley he went to the swamp and slopped around in

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the mud for a long time, and finally he ketched a frog, and fetched him in, and give him to this feller, and says:

"Now, if you're ready, set him alongside of Dan'l, with his fore- paws just even with Dan'l, and I'll give the word." Then he says, "One two three jump!" and him and the feller touched up the frogs from behind, and the new frog hopped off, but Dan'l give a heave, and hysted up his shoulders so like a Frenchman, but it wan's no use he couldn't budge; he was planted as solid as an anvil, and he couldn't no more stir than if he was anchored out. Smiley was a good deal surprised, and he was disgusted too, but he didn't have no idea what the matter was, of course.

The feller took the money and started away; and when he was going out at the door, he sorter jerked his thumb over his shoulders this way at Dan'l, and says again, very deliberate, "Well, I don't see no p'ints about that frog that's any better'n any other frog."

Smiley he stood scratching his head and looking down at Dan'l a long time, and at last he says, "I do wonder what in the nation that frog throw'd off for I wonder if there an't something the matter with him he 'pears to look mighty baggy, somehow." And he ketched Dan'l by the nap of the neck, and lifted him up and says, "Why, blame my cats, if he don't weigh five pound!" and turned him upside down, and he belched out a double handful of shot. And then he see how it was, and he was the maddest man he set the frog down and took out after that feller, but he never ketchd him. And-

[Here Simon Wheeler heard his name called from the front yard, and got up to see what was wanted.] And turning to me as he moved away, he said: "Just set where you are, stranger, and rest easy I an't going to be gone a second."

But, by your leave, I did not think that a continuation of the history of the enterprising vagabond Jim Smiley would be likely to afford me much information concerning the Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley, and so I started away.

At the door I met the sociable Wheeler returning, and he button- holed me and recommenced:

"Well, thish-yer Smiley had a yeller one-eyed cow that didn't have no tail, only jest a short stump like a bannanner, and "

"Oh! hang Smiley and his afflicted cow!" I muttered, good-naturedly, and bidding the old gentleman good-day, I departed.

After reading the humorous tale above, complete the analysis activity on the following page.

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Element Example How does this element add to the humor?The situation

Dialect / Dialogue

The narrator

Exaggeration

Repetition / repeated elements

The characters

Other?

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Name: Speech to the Virginia Convention

Date: Patrick HenryPeriod: Literary Terms. In his speech, Henry uses examples of persuasive techniques. Define each literary term below; then give one example of each persuasive technique from Henry’s speech.

Persuasive Technique/ Literary Term

Definition Example from Henry’s speech

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

EMOTIONAL APPEAL

LOGICAL APPEAL

RHETORICAL QUESTION

LOADED WORDS

ANAPHORA or PARALLELISM

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Comprehension1. In one sentence, summarize the thesis of Henry’s speech.

2. What does Henry mean by “those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not”?

Allusions

3. What is an allusion?

Explain the following two allusions, found in Henry’s Speech to the Virginia Convention.

Allusion What it refers to 3. General lesson of the allusion

4. How it relates to the colonists’ situation

“The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.”

Ecclesiastes 9:11: “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.”

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“Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope.We are apt to shut our eyes against a painfultruth, and listen to the song of that siren, tillshe transforms us into beasts.”

Homer’s Odyssey: The sirens’ seductive song lured sailors to their deaths. The goddess Circe lured men to her island and then magically transformed them into pigs.

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Notes: This poem uses a traditional meter (trochaic pentameter) and a rhyming couplet rhyme scheme. But in the poem, an African-American poet grapples with his relationships to his competing cultural heritages (Africa and America). As you read, consider his attitude towards each and how he conveys that attitude.

Heritage

by Countee Cullen

What is Africa to me:Copper sun or scarlet sea,Jungle star or jungle track,Strong bronzed men, or regal blackWomen from whose loins I sprangWhen the birds of Eden sang?One three centuries removedFrom the scenes his fathers loved,Spicy grove, cinnamon tree,What is Africa to me?So I lie, who all day longWant no sound except the songSung by wild barbaric birdsGoading massive jungle herds,Juggernauts of flesh that passTrampling tall defiant grassWhere young forest lovers lie,Plighting troth beneath the sky.So I lie, who always hear,Though I cram against my earBoth my thumbs, and keep them there,Great drums throbbing through the air.So I lie, whose fount of pride,Dear distress, and joy allied,Is my somber flesh and skin,With the dark blood dammed withinLike great pulsing tides of wineThat, I fear, must burst the fineChannels of the chafing netWhere they surge and foam and fret.Africa? A book one thumbsListlessly, till slumber comes.Unremembered are her batsCircling through the night, her catsCrouching in the river reeds,Stalking gentle flesh that feedsBy the river brink; no moreDoes the bugle-throated roarCry that monarch claws have leaptFrom the scabbards where they slept.

Silver snakes that once a yearDoff the lovely coats you wear,Seek no covert in your fearLest a mortal eye should seeWhat's your nakedness to me?Here no leprous flowers rearFierce corollas in the air;Here no bodies sleek and wet,Dripping mingled rain and sweat,Tread the savage measures ofJungle boys and girls in love.What is last year's snow to me,Last year's anything? The treeBudding yearly must forgetHow its past arose or set—Bough and blossom, flower, fruit,Even what shy bird with muteWonder at her travail there,Meekly labored in its hair.One three centuries removedFrom the scenes his fathers loved,Spicy grove, cinnamon tree,What is Africa to me?So I lie, who find no peaceNight or day, no slight releaseFrom the unremittent beatMade by cruel padded feetWalking through my body's street.Up and down they go, and back,Treading out a jungle track.So I lie, who never quiteSafely sleep from rain at night—I can never rest at allWhen the rain begins to fall;Like a soul gone mad with painI must match its weird refrain;Ever must I twist and squirm,Writhing like a baited worm,While its primal measures dripThrough my body, crying, "Strip!

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Doff this new exuberance.Come and dance the Lover's Dance!"In an old remembered wayRain works on me night and day.Quaint, outlandish heathen godsBlack men fashion out of rods,Clay, and brittle bits of stone,In a likeness like their own,My conversion came high-priced;I belong to Jesus Christ,Preacher of Humility;Heathen gods are naught to me.Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,So I make an idle boast;Jesus of the twice-turned cheek,Lamb of God, although I speakWith my mouth thus, in my heartDo I play a double part.

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Ever at Thy glowing altarMust my heart grow sick and falter,Wishing He I served were black,Thinking then it would not lackPrecedent of pain to guide it,Let who would or might deride it;Surely then this flesh would knowYours had borne a kindred woe.Lord, I fashion dark gods, too,Daring even to give YouDark despairing features where,Crowned with dark rebellious hair,Patience wavers just so much asMortal grief compels, while touchesQuick and hot, of anger, riseTo smitten cheek and weary eyes.Lord, forgive me if my needSometimes shapes a human creed.All day long and all night through,One thing only must I do:Quench my pride and cool my blood,Lest I perish in the flood,Lest a hidden ember setTimber that I thought was wetBurning like the dryest flax,Melting like the merest wax,Lest the grave restore its dead.Not yet has my heart or headIn the least way realizedThey and I are civilized.

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Analysis

Read the poem once and explain the overall topic of the poem in 1-2 words

List 4 interesting or significant diction choices the poet made.

Describe in your own words what you think the poet’s attitude towards Africa is, and then list 4 words or phrases from the poem that contribute to this tone.

Describe in your own words what you think the poet’s attitude towards America is, and then list 4 words or phrases from the poem that contribute to this tone.

Identify 3 examples of figurative language (metaphors, similes, etc.)

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I, Too, Sing America

by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.They send me to eat in the kitchenWhen company comes,But I laugh,And eat well,And grow strong.

Tomorrow,I'll be at the tableWhen company comes.Nobody'll dareSay to me,"Eat in the kitchen,"Then.

Besides, They'll see how beautiful I amAnd be ashamed—

I, too, am America.

Analysis

Explain the extended metaphor in this poem.

Name two other poetic devices this poem employs.

Who are “they”? What is the poet’s attitude towards “them”? Cite evidence from the text to support your inference.

What is the poem’s attitude towards himself? Cite evidence from the text to support your inference.

What elements of this poem reflect the fact that it is modern (20th century)?

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Visual Rhetoric Paper & Presentation

Directions: Find one TV commercial, presidential campaign ad, or public service announcement that you think is especially interesting, persuasive, and/or controversial. Most advertisements are available on YouTube or other video sites. The video you choose should be no longer than 2 minutes (most will be between 30 seconds and a minute) and it should be school appropriate, as you will be sharing it with the class in a short in-class presentation. If you’re unsure whether a video is school appropriate, it probably isn’t—but check with me so I can okay it before you get too far into the project.

Guidelines:

1. Watch your video through several times, just like you would do multiple readings of a text. On the first couple views, look at the big picture; on subsequent views, “zoom in” on the little details.

2. Write a transcript of all the words in the video, whether they are spoken aloud (by actors on-screen or in a voiceover) or displayed in text. Don’t worry about any small-print disclaimers.

3. Then, write an essay analyzing your video. Your essay should be a minimum of two pages, typed and double-spaced, with a clear heading and title. Include your transcription at the end. Your essay should be broken up into the following sections:

1) Overview & Rhetorical Strategies

2) Visual Elements (see Visual Rhetoric Notes & Questions To Consider below)

3) Analysis: What does this video reveal about American society?

--> What can we infer about American society—its values, beliefs, etc.? You might consider how it

portrays gender, religion, sexuality, community, morality, traditions, patriotism, technology, etc.

Questions To Consider (focus on those that apply to the video you’ve chosen)

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What is the product, service, or candidate the ad is attempting to sell? Who do you think is the target audience for this ad? Why? (Be specific) What is the setting of the ad, and why has this setting been chosen? Describe the characteristics of the actors involved in the ad (age, gender, ethnicity, etc.),

if any, and infer what effects those characteristics have. Include a description of the clothes they are wearing and any significance this might have (e.g. bathing suit, doctor’s white jacket, etc.)

What sounds or music accompany the ad, if any, and what effect do they have? What kind of mood or feelings is this video intended to invoke in the viewer? (Pathos) What are the explicit “promises” being made in the ad? What is the “argument” being made? (If ____, then _____.) What are the implicit “promises” being made? What evidence is being used to support the argument? (e.g. “4 out of 5 dentists surveyed

recommend Aquafresh…”) How reliable, credible and verifiable is this evidence? (Logos)

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Harlem Renaissance Poetry Analysis Essay

Using the poems and notes in the Harlem Renaissance Poetry packet, write an essay of at least 300 words addressing the following two questions:

How did the Harlem Renaissance poets’ use of poetic forms and devices reflect their conflicted sense of cultural identity?

In what ways were they able to develop new and unique “voices” and convey the perspectives and experiences of African-Americans?

Your essay should address at least 8 poetic forms and devices and cite evidence from at least 5 different poems, either as direct quotes or paraphrasing/summary. You should cite each quote, paraphrase, or summary using the last name of the poet and “1” as the page number.

When quoting poems, if you use two or three consecutive lines, use a / to indicate the break between lines: “and miles to go before I sleep/and miles to go before I sleep” (Frost 1).

If you are quoting four or more lines of poetry, write them out as a block indent in their original form:

Set in the window, bringing memories

Of fruit-trees laden by low-singing rills,

And dewy dawns, and mystical blue skies

In benediction over nun-like hills. (McKay 1)

Rubric Possible Points

Your Score

Correct identification of 8 poetic forms and devices 15

Explanation of how the forms and devices reflected conflicting cultural identities

15

Explanation of the ways poets were able to develop new and unique “voices” and convey the perspectives and experiences of African-Americans

15

Citations for direct quotes 15

Citations for paraphrasing and/or summaries 10

Quality of writing (especially punctuation and sentence structure) 20

TOTAL 90

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1984 – George Orwell

Analysis: Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing: hints or clues that suggest what events will occur later in the story

Refer to Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984, Part Two: Sections I, IV, and VI. Locate passages that suggest foreshadowing. Briefly explain what each passage implies about what will happen as the story continues to unfold.

Part Two: Section I

In the same instant it occurred to him that he did not know what color the girl’s eyes were. They were probably brown, but people with dark hair sometimes had blues eyes. To turn and look at her would have been inconceivable folly. With hands locked together, invisible among the press of bodies, they stared steadily in front of them, and instead of the eyes of the girl, the eyes of the aged prisoner gazed mournfully at Winston out of nests of hair. (117)

Part Two: Section IV

…the idea of renting Mr. Charrington’s room had occurred to him. Both of them knew that it was lunacy. It was as though they were intentionally stepping nearer to their graves. As he sat waiting on the edge of the bed he thought again of the cellars of the Ministry of Love. It was curious how that predestined horror moved in and out of one’s consciousness. There it lay, fixed in future time, preceding death as surely as 99 precedes 100. One could not avoid it, but perhaps postpone it: and yet instead, every now and again, by a conscious, willful act, one chose to shorten the interval before it happened. (140)

For several moments he had had the feeling of being back in a nightmare which had recurred from time to time throughout his life. … He was standing in front of a wall of darkness, and on the other side of it there was something unendurable, something too dreadful to be faced. In the dream his deepest feeling was always one of self-deception, because he did in fact know what was behind the wall of darkness. With a deadly effort, like wrenching a piece out of his own

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brain, he could even have dragged the thing in to the open. He always woke up without discovering what it was, but somehow it connected with what Julia had been saying when he cut her short.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s nothing. I don’t like rats, that’s all.” (144)

Part Two: Section VI

(159)

Part Two: Section VII

(166)

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The Grapes of Wrath: Literary Analysis Read Chapter 1, finding one example of each device listed below. Then, determine the significance of each device: how does its use contribute to the meaning or purpose of this chapter?

Literary Device Example SignificanceSimile “In the morning…the sun was

as red as ripe new blood.”Blood has a negative connotation, as if the drought and dust has wounded the land. The strong sun against the dry land is like opening up an injury, suggesting danger and pain for those involved.

Color imagery

Personification

Sight imagery

Sound imagery

Repetition

Simile & Metaphor

Smell imagery

Parallel structure

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Juxtaposition in The Grapes of Wrath

Juxtaposition refers to placing two elements next to each other to create an effect greater than the sum of the two elements. For example, a picture of an anxious student juxtaposed next to the picture of a clock ready to strike 3:48 leads the viewer to conclude that the student is anxious for the school day to finish. Authors use juxtaposition to influence the emotions a reader feels while reading a text. In The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck uses “interchapters” to includes images, symbols, and observations that don’t directly involve the Joad family. These interchapters relate thematically to the Joads’ experiences, offering the reader an enhanced, understanding of the main characters.

Group Work. You will be assigned one of the four interchapters we’ve read up to this point in the book: Chapter 1, Chapter 3, Chapter 5, and Chapter 7. Re-read your assigned chapter. Then, as a group, discuss how the insertion of that chapter helps to create an enhanced, often more emotional, understanding of the Joads’ journey. Be specific in explaining how the interchapter adds to other chapters in the book. Be prepared to present your findings to the class.

Detail from my assigned interchapter

Relevant detail(s) related to the Joads’ journey

How the juxtaposition impacts a reader’s understanding of the text

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Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)

              We Wear the Mask

    WE wear the mask that grins and lies,

    It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—

    This debt we pay to human guile;

    With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

    And mouth with myriad subtleties.

    Why should the world be over-wise,

    In counting all our tears and sighs?

    Nay, let them only see us, while

            We wear the mask.

    We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

    To thee from tortured souls arise.

    We sing, but oh the clay is vile

    Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

    But let the world dream otherwise,

            We wear the mask!

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Analysis

Read the poem once and explain the overall topic of the poem in 1-2 words

Note any structural patterns in the poem (rhyme scheme, forms, stanzas)

Read the poem a second time and identify examples of end rhyme, rhyme scheme, and repetition.

Identify an example of an extended metaphor

Explain who “we” and “them” refer to.

Describe the poet’s attitude towards the “masks” we wear, and identify three words that contribute to that tone

Tone:

1.

2.

3.

Read the poem a third time and explain what you think the theme of the poem is in one complete sentence.

Explain how the poetic devices used in the poem contribute to the poem’s overall effect on the reader.

Connection: In 3-4 sentences, explain what “masks” you think you or people you know wear, why you or they wear those masks, and what the effects of wearing the masks are.

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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (page 580) Analyzing Structure

The structure of a work of literature is the arrangement of its parts. This story is arranged in three numbered sections. Each section signals a change in time. Keep track of the events in the story as you read. After reading, re-organize the events so that they are in actually chronological order: number the events, with 1 being the first event to happen chronologically.

Actual Order Description of the event

Events in Section I:

Events in Section II:

Events in Section III:

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Events that happened outside the story:

Journal or discussion: How did the author’s choice of non-chronological order impact the reader’s sympathy for Peyton? Explain using specific examples.

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The Gettysburg Address and Rhetorical Devices

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new

nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created

equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any

nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield

of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for

those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and

proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot

hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have

consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor

long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us

the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought

here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great

task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to

that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly

resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall

have a new birth of freedom— and that government of the people, by the people, for the

people, shall not perish from the earth.

1. Underline phrases in the second paragraph that describe the situation the listeners were in when they head the address.

2. What is the purpose of the last sentence in the second paragraph?

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3. Underline words and phrases in the third paragraph that stress what the listeners must do in the future. What is the greatest task they must yet accomplish?

4. Which words in the first paragraph suggest the birth of a nation?

5. How does Lincoln’s speech come full circle, concluding by re-addressing the images of birth established in the first paragraph?

6. How does “The Gettysburg Address” reaffirm the democratic principles that are the keystone of our government?

7. In the Address, how does Lincoln imply that such a government can be in danger?

8. In the Address, how does he reach out to both the North and South?

Understanding DictionDiction refers to the writer’s choice of words. Diction may be formal or informal, abstract or concrete. “The Gettysburg Address” is written in formal, dignified language.

9. Find five words or phrases in “The Gettysburg Address” that contribute to its formal, dignified diction.

10. What effect would less formal language have had on Lincoln’s speech?

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11. Is Lincoln’s language objective, subjective, or both? Find examples, and explain why he chose to use such language.

12. Find one example in which Lincoln used juxtaposition of two or more elements. What effect was he creating?

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From Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (page 562)

Author’s PurposeAuthors write for any number of reasons, such as to inform, entertain, or express themselves. Knowing an author’s purpose can help you better understand a piece of writing. What is Douglass’s purpose in writing this narrative? ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Using details from the text, use this chart to explain how the reader is supposed to feel about Douglass, Sandy, Bill, Covey, Master Thomas, and slavery in general.

Example of Douglass’s style Description of his style Intended reaction of the reader

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Brave New WorldFigurative Language

Day 3 Discuss Mood Chapter One BNW (refer to passage)

Discuss figurative language from homework; emphasize how use of figurative language enhances text/accomplishes author’s purpose

Discuss article “…Designer Babies”…consider how technology affects our lives.

Journal: In what ways has technology enhanced our lives? In what ways has technology diminished our humanity?

Read Chapters 4-6 in Brave New WorldFind and analyze figurative language (chart)

Name:Date:Period:

Example #____ Record an example of figurative language from your selected novel. Examples may include similes, metaphors, hyperboles, personification, etc. Record the full passage (include page number), label with appropriate corresponding literary term, and explain the meaning these particular words bring to the passage in which it is found. Your explanation should address the following questions: What is the author trying to convey? How does the figurative language enhance the meaning of the text and suggest a deeper connection through connotation?

PassageRecord the passage and the page number.

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Type of Figurative LanguageLabel the type of figurative language.

ExplanationExplain what is being described and why it is being described this way. Address the following questions: What is the author trying to convey? How does the figurative language enhance the meaning of the text and suggest a deeper connection through connotation?

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Directions for Papers on The Scarlet LetterIn this unit, we examined how an author uses characterization, plot, symbolism and

motifs to contribute to a larger theme. We have analyzed how authors accomplished this in two short stories, and have discussed how specific elements of the characterization, plot and symbolism of The Scarlet Letter contribute to its theme. One of the culminating assignments for this unit is a literary analysis paper in which you explain how Nathaniel Hawthorne uses these four elements throughout the novel to contribute to any of its themes.

You will complete this task in three stages:

Prewriting using the outline form attached is due 11/1 (A) and 11/2 (B) Complete, readable first drafts (handwritten or typed) are due on 11/7 (A) and 11/8 (B) It

is critical that you have this ready by this date as we will spend time in class getting feedback on these drafts which will help you to improve the quality of your final draft

Final draft (submitted along with a completed rubric) due 11/9 (A) and 11/12 (B) Requirements/Notes

Papers should be at least 4 full pages, typed, double spaced, with one-inch margins (12 point font)

You must use a minimum of 5 direct quotes from the text. Each should be clearly introduced (give us the context of the quote and lead into it in a grammatically correct way); correctly punctuated, formatted and cited; and explained thoroughly (What is the significance of this quote? How does it contribute to the larger point you are making?)

You must correctly cite not only direct quotes, but any specific content from the text that you are using to support your argument.

Include a Works Cited page listing the novel and any other sources you used (although the analysis should be yours alone, not gleaned from other sources).

Refer to the “How to Write a Paper” document on LoudounVision for formatting guidelines

Be sure to read through the attached rubric before you start and after you finish your rough draft, and then complete the self-evaluation column when you finish your final draft, so that you are clear that you are meeting all of the requirements for the assignment. You will be turning in your outline, rough draft, final draft, and rubric, stapled together in that order, at the end.

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Prewriting/Outline

Draft thesis statement:

Introductory paragraph (should include a reference to the author and the title of the novel)

Explanation of the theme(s) in the novel you are addressing:

Characterization

Quote Context Page Significance/explanation of how this supports or illustrates the larger point

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Plot Elements

Quote Context Page Significance/explanation of how this supports or illustrates the larger point

Symbolism

Quote Context Page Significance/explanation of how this supports or illustrates the larger point

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Motifs

Quote Context Page Significance/explanation of how this supports or illustrates the larger point

Conclusion:

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Rubric for The Scarlet Letter Paper 

Category/Objective Mastery/Excellent Good/Competent Fair/Poor No Evidence Score/ Subtotal

Correctly format a paper (heading, title, line spacing, paragraphs, margins)

All formatting guidelines are followed perfectly

Most formatting guidelines are followed perfectly

Many formatting guidelines are not followed perfectly

None of the major formatting guidelines are followed

x 2 =

/10

Develop a concise but descriptive title that is appropriately capitalized

Title is short but accurately describes the topic of the paper. Nothing is in bold and only titles of works analyzed are underlined or italicized. Title is appropriately capitalized.

Title is short but accurately describes the topic of the paper. Inappropriate use of bold, underlining, italics, or capitalization.

The title does not describe the topic of the paper

There is no title

x 1 =

/5

Appropriately underline, italicize or put in quotation marks the title of a literary work when referring to it

Title of novel or play is consistently underlined or italicized

Title of novel or play is usually underlined or italicized

Title of novel or play is both underlined and italicized

Title of novel or play is not underlined or italicized OR title is never mentioned

x 1 =

/5

Write a clear, comprehensive, concise thesis statement

Thesis statement is clear, comprehensive and concise and draws the reader into the arguments in an engaging manner

Thesis statement is clear, comprehensive and concise

Thesis statement is two of the following: clear, comprehensive and concise

No thesis statement is evident.

x 2 =

/10

Develop an introductory paragraph that provides a context for the thesis and explains each of the main arguments in broad strokes

Introductory paragraph mentions the title and author, provides a clear context for the thesis and explains each of the main arguments in broad strokes

Introductory paragraph does most of the following: mentions the title and author, provides a clear context for the thesis and explains each of the main arguments in broad strokes

Introductory paragraphs are missing several key elements

Introductory paragraph does not serve any of its key functions x 2 =

/10

Begin body paragraphs with transition statements that provide a conceptual bridge between ideas

Each body paragraph begins with a transition sentence that clearly introduces the main idea of the paragraph and connects it with the rest of the essay.

All body paragraphs begin with some type of transition OR most transitions are well-written

Most body paragraphs have transition sentences that are not well-written

Body paragraphs do not begin with any transition sentences x 2 =

/10

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Meet minimum length requirements/ provide adequate quantity of supporting evidence

Essay meets minimum requirements for length and quantity of supporting evidence; includes a word count

Essay is close to minimum requirements for length and quantity of supporting evidence

Essay is not close to meeting minimum requirements for length and quantity of supporting evidence

No evidence is given to support the thesis

x 4 =

/20

Develop a strong, convincing, coherent, well-organized argument

Argument is very strong, convincing, coherent and well-organized. All supporting evidence is completely accurate and relevant

Argument is generally clear, convincing, coherent and well-organized. Most supporting evidence is accurate and relevant.

There is a basic argument evident, but it is not very strong, convincing, coherent, and/or well-organized. Much of the supporting evidence is inaccurate and/or irrelevant to the argument.

No clear argument is evident.

x 3 =

/15

Accurately interpret and analyze the text

Evidence from the text is accurately interpreted, significant patterns in the text are thoroughly and insightfully analyzed

Most of the evidence from the text is accurately interpreted and most patterns in the text are analyzed

There are several examples of inaccurate interpretations and/or incomplete or inaccurate analysis

Most of the evidence provided is inaccurate.

x 4 =

/20

Introduce, contextualize and explain supporting evidence

All supporting evidence is effectively introduced, contextualized and its larger significance explained

Most supporting evidence is effectively introduced, contextualized and its larger significance explained

Much of the supporting evidence is not effectively introduced, contextualized and its larger significance explained

None of the supporting evidence is effectively introduced, contextualized and its larger significance explained

x 2 =

/10

Correctly format and punctuate direct quotes

All quotes are correctly formatted and punctuated.

Most quotes are correctly formatted and punctuated.

Many quotes are not correctly formatted and punctuated.

None of the quotes are correctly formatted and punctuated.

x 2 =

/10

Use correct MLA-style in-text citations

All quoted, paraphrased or summarized information from other sources has correctly formatted citations

Most information from other sources has correctly formatted citations

Much information from other sources do not have correctly formatted citations

None of the information from other sources has correctly formatted citations

x 2 =

/10

Develop a correct MLA-style Works Cited page

Works Cited page follows all MLA formatting guidelines

Works Cited page follows most MLA formatting guidelines

Works Cited page follows some MLA formatting guidelines

There is no Works Cited page

x 2 =

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/10

Effectively use a variety of sentence structure/Identify and correct sentence fragment and run-on sentence errors

Essay effectively uses a variety of sentence structures

Essay uses a variety of sentence structures with no incomplete or run-on sentences.

There is an average of 1-2 incomplete or run-on sentence per page

There are 3 or more incomplete or run-on sentences per page x 2 =

/10

Effectively proofread rough drafts for errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation or missing/extra words.

Essay does not include any obvious errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation or missing/extra words.

There is an average of 1 spelling, capitalization, punctuation or missing/extra words error per page

There are an average of 2-3 spelling, capitalization, punctuation or missing/extra words errors per page

There are an average of 4 or more spelling, capitalization, punctuation or missing/extra words errors per page

x 2 =

/10

Identify and correct any errors of grammar, mechanics or usage

No grammatical, mechanical or usage errors are apparent.

There is an average of 1 grammatical, mechanical or usage error per page

There are an average of 2-3 grammatical, mechanical or usage error per page

There are an average of 4 or more grammatical, mechanical or usage error per page

x 2 =

/10

Develop a clear, concise conclusion that summarizes your argument in fresh language without restating exact phrasing.

Conclusion effectively summarizes the thesis and arguments in fresh language without restating exact phrasing

Conclusion effectively summarizes the thesis and arguments

Conclusion does not effectively summarizes the thesis and arguments, inappropriately introduces new ideas, or repeats exact phrasing

There is no real conclusion to the essay.

x 2 =

/10

Develop a complete rough draft and make significant revisions to the rough draft when creating the final draft.

Rough draft is complete and final draft reflects significant revisions.

Rough draft is mostly complete and final draft reflects a few significant revisions.

Rough draft is incomplete No rough draft is evident (or is the same as the final draft) x 1 =

/5

Develop a thorough outline that includes a thesis, all supporting evidence, and citations for all evidence.

Out line includes a thesis, all supporting evidence and citations for all evidence

Outlines includes thesis, most supporting evidence and some citations

Outline is incomplete No outline is evident

x 1 =

/5

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Thoroughly and accurately self-evaluate your work using this rubric

Rubric is completed in a thoughtful and thorough manner.

X Rubric is either not completed thoroughly or does not reflect much thought

Rubric is not completed at all.

x 1 =

/5

TOTAL

/200

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Appendix C:

Socratic Seminar Resources

Socratic Seminar: Society and the Individual Name: ___________

Your grade for this seminar will be based on three elements:

Your seminar notes (20 points) Your contributions to the seminar discussion (50 points, see rubric) Your feedback as part of the Outer Circle (20 points, see form on the back)

Part I: Seminar Notes (20 points)

Essential Questions:

What do we owe society? What does society owe us? Does the Individual exist simply to support Society? Is Society simply a social contract individuals agree to for their mutual benefit? To what extent should our actions and decisions be driven by societal norms and values

versus our own individual conscience? What is the role of shame (or the idea of sin) in a culture in general? What should it be? To what degree should we be governed by our own individual consciences as opposed to

social norms, social pressure, or even laws? To what degree and in what ways are we responsible for others? Ideally, how should we prioritize our own needs and those of others? Should we sacrifice

our own needs for others? If so, in what situations?

Task

Develop your own coherent responses to these questions. Outline an argument addressing these questions that includes a 2 sentence thesis statement, a counter-argument with counter-examples, and a refutation of the counter-argument. Support your ideas with at least 6 examples from any of the texts below*, including at least 2 examples from The Scarlet Letter, and at least one example illustrating your counter-argument.

Text Set

The Scarlet Letter “On Rainy River” from The Things They Carried Articles on entitlement Federal, state and county budgets: how is this balance the needs of the individual and the

needs of society reflected in our practical, economic decision making? Socrates: I am a slave to the State “Around My Way” by Lupe Fiasco

*Note: You may also use up to 2 supporting examples from 1 additional source of your own (as part of the 6), but you must bring that source with you to class.

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Thesis statement:

Counter-argument:

“While…, ”

“Although…, ”

Refutation

Evidence for your thesis

Quote (first three words… last three words, but have the full quotes handy for the seminar)

Source Page

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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Examples for the counter-argument

Quote Source Page

1.

2.

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Part II: Participation in/Contributions to Seminar Discussion (50 points)

50 points (Outstanding Contributions)

• Participant offers unique, insightful analysis, without prompting, to move the conversation forward • Participant, through her comments, demonstrates a deep knowledge of the text and the question • Participant has come to the seminar prepared, with notes and a marked/annotated text • Participant, through her comments, shows that she is actively listening to other participants • Participant offers clarification and/or follow-up that extends the conversation • Participant’s remarks often refer back to specific parts of the text

45 points (Proficient)

• Participant offers solid analysis without prompting • Through comments, participant demonstrates a good knowledge of the text and the question • Participant has come to the seminar prepared, with notes and marked/ annotated text • Participant shows that he/she is actively listening to other and  offers clarification and/or follow-up

40 points (Competent)

• Participant offers some analysis, but needs prompting from the seminar leader • Through comments, participant demonstrates a general knowledge of the text and question • Participant is less prepared, with few notes and no marked/annotated text • Participant is actively listening to others, but does not offer clarification and/or follow-up to others’

comments • Participant relies more upon his or her opinion, and less on the text to drive her comments

30 points

• Participant offers little commentary • Participant comes to the seminar ill-prepared with little understanding of the text and question • Participant does not listen to others, offers no commentary to further the discussion   • Participant distracts the group by interrupting other speakers or by offering off topic questions and

comments.• Participant ignores the discussion and its participants

0 points

Participant makes no contributions to the dialogueYour score:

Part III: Outer Circle Feedback (20 points)

Take notes on specific people who either follow or do not follow the guidelines below:

Make insightful contributions

Cite reasons and evidence for their statements/

Use the text to find support

Speak loudly and clearly

Stick with the subject

Paraphrase accurately

Ask for help to clear up confusion

Listen to others respectfully/ Interact in a civil manner

Pose thoughtful questions

Note: If you feel your participation in the seminar discussion did not reflect the depth of your

understanding of the texts, and/or your ability to interpret and analyze them, see the teacher for

an alternate assignment

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Appendix D:

Creative Writing and Writing Process Resources

Writing Metaphors and Similes

Good writers are able to engage the reader by providing new perspectives that leave a lasting impression on the reader. One way writers accomplish this is through the use of figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, symbolism, etc…). This assignment is designed to give you a chance to experiment with figurative language- specifically, metaphor and simile.

Assignment a. Study the picture you’ve chosenb. Identify 2-3 dominant elements in the picture.

ex: train and smokec. List 3-5 characteristics (not details) for each of the things you listed

ex: trains- big, powerful, loudd. List 3-5 different things that share all or some of these characteristics

ex: storm, horse, monstere. Use these notes to write one metaphor and one simile

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Train

Loud horsePowerful storm

Big monster

Fast

Metaphor:

The engine was a black horse galloping frantically across the plain.

Smoke

Billowy clouds

Dark ghosts

Shifting volcanic ash

floating

Simile:

Smoke spewed from the engine like volcanic ash and hung in great plumes above the tracks.

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Humor Writing Assignment

Write a fictional piece or a reflective (or informative) essay that contains humor. Your essay should be 1-2 pages in length and should include humor. Consider the elements we discussed that contributed to the humor of Twain’s and Barry’s pieces.

Prewriting: What is your purpose in writing your piece? To answer this question, consider the purposes of Mark Twain and Dave Barry.

Name / Piece Example(s) of humor Purpose in including humorDave Barry “All Fired Up for the Fourth”

Mark Twain“The Notorious Jumping Frog of Caleveras County”

Mark TwainThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Your humor piece:

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Writing Haiku for Modern Audiences

Below are selections of haiku by Richard Wright. Wright’s style is distinctive in its angry, biting tone, especially compared to the haiku from the Orient. This exercise allows students to write their own haiku and also emulate tone. Print the Wright haiku and give a different page to a pair of students. They must do the following:

Each person in the pair writes a haiku emulating Wright’s style Each pair chooses one of the two haiku that they want to use Each pair reads aloud—four haiku by Wright with their own creation placed

randomly among the other four. The class attempts, via votes, to identify which is the student work. Stumping the class results in extra points that are appropriate to teachers’ grading system.

1

I am nobody:A red sinking autumn sunTook my name away.

3

Keep straight down this block,Then turn right where you will findA peach tree blooming.

7

Make up you mind, Snail!You are half inside your house,And halfway out!

11

You moths must leave now;I am turning out the lightAnd going to sleep.

16

All right, You Sparrows;The sun has set and you can nowStop your chattering!

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18

Sparrow's excrementBecomes quickly powderyOn sizzling pavements.

20

The dog's violent sneezeFails to rouse a single flyOn his mangy back.

21

On winter morningsThe candle shows faint markingsOf the teeth of rats.

22

With a twitching noseA dog reads a telegramOn a wet tree trunk.

24

The webs of spidersSticking to my sweaty faceIn the dusty woods.

30

A bloody knife bladeIs being licked by a catAt hog-killing time.

31

In the falling snowA laughing boy holds out his palmsUntil they are white.

50

One magnoliaLanded upon anotherIn the dew-wet grass

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Appendix E:

Full Unit Example

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