Thursday, October 1: Claude McKay's poem America, focus on personification and imagery

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: never submit an assignment on google classroom. I will not receive it. Make sure you simply copy the work from the blog and share. If you have put anything in google classroom, you will need to copy and paste your work onto a google doc for me to grade.

By Saturday morning all the assignments will be graded and accessible to you. Please check them. If you sent me something, and have a zero, but actually put it in google classroom, make the correction. Your work will not be late; you'll receive full credit.


 IN class: We are going to look in depth at Claude McKay's poem America.

     Guiding questions:

             What is the theme or central idea of Claude McKay's American.

              How does he feel about this city?

              What are clues in the poem that tell us how feels.

              This unit has to do with prejudice and discrimination. How is this relevant to 

this poem?


New York skyline 1920's


AMERICA

by Claude McKay

1921

      


Festus Claudius “Claude” McKay (1889-1948) was a Jamaican-American novelist and poet who played an important role in the Harlem Renaissance — a cultural, social, and artistic movement that took place in Harlem, New York. “America” was first published in The Liberator in 1921, in which the speaker discusses his or her feelings about America. 

 As you read, note the  use of the figurative language device of imagery* in this sonnet* that communicates the speaker's perspective on America. We will be reviewing the poem's imagery in class on Thursday.


* an English sonnet has 14 lines of 10 syllables per line

*imagery is the use of figurative language to represent the objects, ideas, and actions in such a way that the appeals to the physical senses

1. Although she feeds me bread of bitterness,
And sinks into my throat her tiger’s tooth,
Stealing my breath of life, I will confess
I love this cultured hell that tests my youth.
5. Her vigor flows like tides into my blood,
Giving me strength erect against her hate,
Her bigness sweeps my being like a flood.
Yet, as a rebel fronts a king in state,
I stand within her walls with not a shred
10. Of terror, malice, not a word of jeer.
Darkly I gaze into the days ahead,
And see her might and granite wonders there,
Beneath the touch of Time’s unerring hand,
Like priceless treasures sinking in the sand.

Text-Dependent Questions Directions:

 For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences

Please write in the correct letter.

                                        Question1_________________

1. PART A: Which of the following best describes the speaker’s feelings about America?

A. The speaker has experienced both good and bad things in America, and thus

remains indifferent.

B. The speaker despises America and has decided to speak out about their bad

experiences.

C. The speaker has a love-hate relationship with America, but ultimately has lost

faith in the country.

D. The speaker dislikes and has lost faith in America and believes that it will not last

as it is.

 

                                        Question 2______________________

2. PART B: Which of the following quotes best supports the answer to Part A?

A. “Although she feeds me bread of bitterness, / And sinks into my throat her

tiger’s tooth, / Stealing my breath of life, I will confess / I love this cultured hell

that tests my youth.” (Lines 1-4)

B. “Her vigor flows like tides into my blood, / Giving me strength erect against her

hate” (Lines 5-6)

C. “Yet, as a rebel fronts a king in state, / I stand within her walls with not a shred--

/ Of terror, malice, not a word of jeer.” (Lines 8-10)

D. “Darkly I gaze into the days ahead, / And see her might and granite wonders

there” (Lines 11-12)

 

                                     Question 3_____________________________

 

3. PART A: In line 11, the word “darkly” is most likely used to convey which of the following?

A. The word “darkly” conveys the speaker has an overall cynical opinion of America.

B. The word “darkly” conveys the speaker’s general fear of time.

C. The word “darkly” conveys the speaker’s uncertainty about the future of

America.

D. The word “darkly” conveys that the speaker does not actually know anything

about America.

 

                                   Question 4_________________________________

4. PART B: Which of the following phrases supports the answer to Part A?

A. “I gaze into the days ahead” (Line 11)

B. “might and granite wonders” (Line 12)

C. “the Touch of Time’s unerring hand” (Line 13)

D. “priceless treasures sinking in the sand” (Line 14)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thursday /Friday, October 29/30 The Cask of Amontillado

Image
  Heads UP: This quarter ends in two weeks. On the Sunday, November 8, the grades will close for this class, as time is needed to finish grading work. Plan accordingly. Do you need some assistance? There will office hours the next two Sundays and this Wednesday. Check your grades. Let me know, if I have missed something. COMMUNICATE. Send me an e-mail.                                                                                Learning Targets: I can identify the five parts of that make up a plot structure                             I can identify the text that supports each of the five parts of the plot                               structure in  Poe's  The Cask of Amontillado In class these two days we are reading Edgar Allan Poe's short story  The Cask of Amontillado. There is an audio link if you are absent or wish to review the story. As a class, we will review aspects of the plot as we read. ASSIGNMENT: Following the story, please copy the plot diagram material and co
Read more

Thursday to Monday, November 12/ 13/ 16 values and belief unit: Once Upon a Time by Nadine Gordimer- parable

Image
  Audio of Once Upon a Time I suggest that you listen and follow along with the text below. Monday addendum:  All received value essays have been recorded in power school. Late work is worth 75 points.  Learning Targets:  I can a nalyze the development of themes across multiple text I can analyze the impact of specific word choice on meani I can analyzing the impact of narrative perspective I can identifying and analyzing the literary devices used within the short story form I can analyzing how an author develops theme through literary device I can cite  evidence from the text to support claims I can writing fluid explanations Important terms: Allegory : A story in which ideas are symbolized as people. Pa rable : A short story designed to teach a moral or religious lesson.  Fable : A short story in which animals or objects speaks a story, to teach a moral or religious lesson Setting: South Africa / suburb       suburb South Africa  1:21 Once Upon a Time  by Nadine Gordimer Nadine Gordi
Read more

Tues/ Wed, Jan 19/20 Born a Crime preamble chap 3 and Gullah connection

Image
  IMPORTANT: the last day to turn in any late work for this quarter is Friday, January 22 at midnight. Nothing submitted after will be accepted. The material beginning Monday, January 25 will go into the 3rd quarter. Assignment: After having watched the Gullah video as a class, rewatch a second time and list 8 take aways from that you have learned about this vibrant culture. Use the graphic organizer below. When you have finished, share (dorothy.parker@rcsdk12org or 2006630. This is due by 6 pm Wednesday or midnight, if you receive extended time. In class: we are reading the preamble to chapter 3. The cutural connection here are Gullah Geechee people of the United States (See the maps above) and how Trevor Noah's words in the preamble are reflective of this vibrant community today. Gullah refers to the people who live in the Sea Islands; however, in Georgia they refer to their language a Geechee. Penn Center photograph of Martin Luther King at his place at the Penn Center The Penn
Read more