In class today: finishing up Claude McKay's America

 

In class today: finishing up Claude McKay's America

What we do not finish on the graphic organizer, you will complete for homework.  Open up a google doc; copy and paste the graphic organizer, if you have not already done so from yesterday. This will enable you to write as we read. 

This is due by noon Sunday.

* 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  

* a personification is a figurative language or literary device that assigns human qualities and attributes to objects or other non-human things.

* a simile is compares two unlike things introduced by like or as

* a metaphor makes a comparison by directly relating one thing to another unrelated thing. Unlike similes, metaphors do not use words such as “like” or “as” to make comparisons.

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.

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America by Claude McKay

1. Although she feeds me bread of bitterness	1. What is being personified in line one and is referred to as “she”   2. Explain the metaphor “bread of bitterness” After you have answered a and b       a. what is bread supposed to be for?   b. Is “bitterness” sweet or tart? Now return to number 2.
And sinks into my throat her tiger’s tooth,	3. What does the visual imagery of a “tiger’s tooth tell us about the author’s feelings towards the city?
Stealing my breath of life, I will confess	4. Underline the word that LEAST reflects “stealing my breath of life”?   smother,  choke,  asphyxiate,  inspiring
I love this cultured hell that tests my youth.	5. Think of the setting of the sonnet. Explain “cultured hell”
5. Her vigor flows like tides into my blood,	6. vigor is power (think vigorous). Now think about what tides are like and explain the simile “like tides into my blood”
Giving me strength erect against her hate,	7. Who / what is the author accusing of hate?
Her bigness sweeps my being like a flood.     Yet, as a rebel fronts a king in state,	8. What might the author mean when speaking about “her bigness”?     9. Note the simile “like a flood”. Look back into line 5. What word indicates the power of a flood?
I stand within her walls with not a shred
10. Of terror, malice, not a word of jeer.	10. Underline the word  best defines             a. terror:  dread   confidence   courage .          b. malice:  love     contempt      amity .          c.  jeer:       cheer   applause       sneer
And see her might and granite wonders there	11. To what do “granite wonders” refer?
Beneath the touch of Time’s unerring hand,	12. Why do you think “Time” is capitalized?     13.  What literary device is being used here?     14. To err means to make a mistake? What does “unerring” mean”?
Like priceless treasures sinking in the sand.	15. The sonnet ends with a smile (like), comparing “priceless treasures sinking in the sand.” What is the author’s tone, which is the literary term for attitude, towards the city? Answer this in a complete sentence.