THE COLOR OF WATER BY JAMES MCBRIDE NOTES

THE COLOR OF WATER BY JAMES MCBRIDE NOTES, GUIDED READING ACTIVITIES & RESOURCES

THE COLOR OF WATER: NOTES • UNDERSTANDING THE AUTHOR’S DELIBERATE CHOICES IN HOW HE HAS PRESENTED HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY • HE TELLS HIS LIFE STORY IN JUXTAPOSITION (SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON) TO HIS MOTHER’S

MEMOIR • A COLLECTION OF SHORT, PERSONAL “VIGNETTES” HIGHLIGHTING IMPORTANT EXPERIENCES TO ILLUSTRATE A CRITICAL PERIOD IN THE AUTHOR’S LIFE; • PROVIDES HIGHLIGHTS OR SNAPSHOTS • CHARACTERIZED BY USE OF LITERARY DEVICES SUCH AS METAPHORS, HYPERBOLE

AUTOBIOGRAPHY • A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR’S LIFE AS TOLD BY HIM OR HER; • TENDS TO BE PRACTICAL DELIVERY OF VERIFIABLE FACTS • CHARACTERIZED BY LANGUAGE THAT IS MORE FORMAL AND LESS “ARTISTIC”

NARRATIVE • A SINGLE SCENE FROM THE AUTHOR’S LIFE WHICH CLEARLY ILLUSTRATES HIS OR HER CHARACTER; • CHARACTERIZED BY RICH, IMAGERYLADEN, DESCRIPTIVE WRITING

PRE-READING MINI CRJ • READ THE PROLOGUE; USE EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT TO WRITE A CRJ ON ONE (1) OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE INTRODUCTION: • WHAT PREDICTIONS CAN YOU MAKE ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THIS TEXT? • WHAT INFERENCES CAN YOU DRAW ABOUT THE AUTHOR’S PURPOSE FOR WRITING? • HOW WOULD YOU EVALUATE MCBRIDE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS MOTHER? USE CLEAR EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT OF THIS SHORT INTRODUCTION TO SUPPORT YOUR CLAIM

READING A NARRATIVE: “THE CHASE” • READ ANNIE DILLARD’S “THE CHASE” TWICE: • THE FIRST TIME, YOU SHOULD JUST READ THE TEXT– • CONSIDER THE AUTHOR’S PURPOSE FOR CHOOSING THIS SPECIFIC INCIDENT TO ILLUSTRATE HER CHILDHOOD. WHAT IS SHE TELLING YOU ABOUT HER SELF (THEN AS WELL AS NOW) WITH THIS NARRATIVE • THE SECOND TIME YOU READ THE TEXT, YOU’LL BE LOOKING FOR THE PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES. IDENTIFY THEM BY UNDERLINING, CIRCLING, OR HIGHLIGHTING THEM. • CONSIDER WHAT IS LEFT WHEN YOU’VE ELIMINATED THE PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES • ALSO, CONSIDER THE AUTHOR’S PURPOSE FOR INCLUDING SO MANY

TO BE, OR NOT TO BE… -THAT IS THE INFINITIVE VERB PHRASE! • WHAT OUT FOR INFINITIVE VERBS– “TO BE” IS AN INFINITIVE • TO + A VERB (IN THIS CASE, THE WORD “BE” REFERS TO A CONDITION OR STATE OF BEING) = AN INFINITIVE VERB PHRASE AND IS THEREFORE NOT A PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE.

The Infinitive Verb Phrase: Infinitive verb phrases ARE NEITHER VERBS NOR ARE THEY PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES. They act as nouns, adjectives, & adverbs. TO + Action Verb = Infinitive Verb Phrase (and not a verb or preposition) Prepositional phrases contain a preposition + a direct object (noun) How will you know you’re dealing with an infinitive and not a verb? Remember to look for the “to” before the action. How do you know it’s an infinitive and not a prepositional phrase? If there’s a verb immediately following, then it’s not a direct object

“THE CHASE”: COLLABORATIVE LEARNING • APPOINT ROLES (SCRIBE, REPORTER, FACILITATOR) • ALL MEMBERS ARE RESPONSIBLE: • SHARE THE PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES YOU IDENTIFIED IN THE TEXT • COME UP WITH A FINAL TALLY FOR YOUR GROUP • IN A SINGLE DOCUMENT, YOUR GROUP WILL ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AT THE END UNDER THE HEADING “JOURNAL WRITING” &

AMY TAN’S NARRATIVE, “FISH CHEEKS” PART I: (ON YOUR OWN, WHEN YOU’VE FINISHED THE QUIZ) 1. IDENTIFY THE PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES IN THE TEXT. (HIGHLIGHT, UNDERLINE, OR CIRCLE). 2. TALLY UP YOUR RESULTS HINT: THERE ARE OVER 50 IN THE ESSAY WATCH FOR INFINITIVE VERB PHRASES: “TO” + VERB = INFINITIVE VERB PHRASE AND NOT A PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE

NARRATIVE STYLE: CONNECTING WITH THE TEXT ON YOUR OWN, THINK OF AN OCCASION WHEN, FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU WERE ACUTELY AWARE OF BEING DIFFERENT, OR NOT NECESSARILY FITTING IN: • BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE SITUATION • HOW DID YOU REACT? • DID YOU TRY TO HIDE YOUR DIFFERENCE IN ORDER TO FIT IN, OR DID YOU REVEL IN YOUR

THINK-PAIR-SHARE: NARRATIVE STYLE PART II (WITH A PARTNER) 1. THINK ABOUT PARAGRAPH 3 - WHY DOES TAN LINGER OVER THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FOOD? 2. WHAT IS TAN’S PURPOSE IN WRITING THIS ESSAY? DOES SHE JUST WANT TO ENTERTAIN READERS, OR MIGHT SHE HAVE A “WEIGHTIER” GOAL? BE PREPARED TO DEFEND YOUR RESPONSE

CHARACTERIZATION: • CHARACTERS ARE PRIMARILY DESCRIBED BY HIS OR HER SPEECH, ACTIONS, THOUGHTS AND TO A LESSER EXTENT, THEIR EFFECT ON OTHERS PERSONAL PRACTICE: • THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE DELIBERATELY SELECTING THREE (3) OF THE BEST DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES TO CHARACTERIZE: • YOU • EACH OF YOUR COLLEAGUES IN YOUR COLLABORATIVE LEARNING GROUPS

PRACTICE: DISCUSS AND DELIBERATELY SELECT 2 -3 ADJECTIVES TO BEST CHARACTERIZE OUR NARRATORS • GUARDED • STRONG • BRAVE • COLD-HEARTED • INDEPENDENT • EMOTIONALLY-TOUGH • ISOLATED • COURAGEOUS • RELIGIOUS • SECRETIVE • COMPETITIVE • OVER-PROTECTIVE • MYSTERIOUS • ADMIRABLE • STRICT

PRACTICE: DISCUSS AND DELIBERATELY SELECT 2 -3 ADJECTIVES TO BEST CHARACTERIZE OUR NARRATORS: RUTH • SKILLFUL • SECRETIVE • DISCREET • WISE • INDEPENDENT • MESSY • HARDWORKING • SERIOUS • OPEN-MINDED • DEDICATED • DEPRESSED • DEFENSIVE • IN-LOVE • CLOSED • STRICT • TRANSPARENT • CARING • STUBBORN • DETERMINED • STRONG • TOUGH MYSTERIOUS

SENSITIVE • CONFUSED • REBEL • CURIOUS PROUD JAMES CREATIVE DECRIPTIVE • WISE INDEPENDNT • SMART CARING • DYNAMIC DIFFERENT • AFFECTIONATE DEPRESSED • NAÏVE PASSIVE • SELFPERSERVING • TOUGH • INSECURE • TALENTED WONDERING LOST WANDERING DETERMINED COMPLICATED

JAMES • COMPETITIVE • CONFUSED • CURIOUS • OPEN-MINDED • COMPASSIONATE • CONFLICTED • ATTENTIVE • DETERMINED • INTELLIGENT • CONSCIENTIOUS

CONSCIENTIOUSLY SELECT 2 -3 ADJECTIVE DESCRIBING CHARACTERS FROM THE COLOR OF WATER • TATEH • MAMEH • ANDREW “DENNIS” MCBRIDE • RICHIE • HELEN • FRANCIS • “JACK” • DEE • DENNIS JR. • BIG RICHARD • HUNTER JORDAN

CONSCIENTIOUSLY SELECT 2 -3 ADJECTIVE DESCRIBING CHARACTERS FROM THE COLOR OF WATER • TATEH (ZACH) • FRANCIS • MAMEH (CARLOS) • “JACK” • ANDREW “DENNIS” MCBRIDE (SAJA) • DEE (MIGUEL) • RICHIE (SNOBER) • BIG RICHARD • HELEN (KERAH) • DENNIS JR. • HUNTER JORDAN (JORDAN)

CHARACTERIZATIONS • CONSCIENTIOUSLY SELECT 2 -3 ADJECTIVE DESCRIBING THE CHARACTER YOUR GROUP HAS FROM THE COLOR OF WATER • WITH YOUR GROUP, IDENTIFY EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT TO ACT YOUR DEFINITIVE SUPPORT EACH DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVE. • CITE THE PAGE # & A FAITHFUL TRANSCRIPTION OF THE TEXT • YOUR GROUP WILL PRESENT YOUR ANALYSIS

RUTH AND HER CHILDREN

LITERARY DEVICES DICTION • DELIBERATE WORD CHOICE OF AN AUTHOR • RELIES ON AUDIENCE’S INFERENCE TOWARD CONNOTATION VS. DENOTATIVE MEANING OF WORDS SYNTAX • THE DELIBERATE ARRANGEMENT OF WORDS IN A SENTENCE OR GROUP OF SENTENCES TO SET AN INTENTIONAL MOOD OR TONE OR TO PLACE EMPHASIZE SPECIFIC IDEAS TONE • THE FEELING OR MOOD CREATED BY THE AUTHOR’S CHOICE OF DICTION, SYNTAX, PUNCTUATION, LITERARY DEVICES AND WHAT INFORMATION IS CONVEYED IN A PIECE OF WRITING

EXAMPLES DICTION • EXAMPLES: • HOUSE VS. HOME, THOUGHTFUL VS. DREAMER, MANIPULATIVE VS. PERSUASIVE SYNTAX TONE EXAMPLE: “MY MOTHER EXAMPLE: CONSIDER GREETING CARDS • HOW IS THE TONE OF A BIRTHDAY CARD WAS VERY SECRETIVE DIFFERENT A CONDOLENCE CARD? OR ABOUT HER PAST BECAUSE CONSIDER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CONGRATULATORY CARD VS. A IT WAS SO PAINFUL FOR BIRTHDAY CARD. HER. ” • VS. “BECAUSE IT WAS SO PAINFUL FOR HER, MY MOTHER WAS VERY SECRETIVE ABOUT HER PAST” MOTHER’S DAY CARDS VS. HALLOWEEN CARDS WHAT ABOUT THE ROLE OF PUNCTUATION? • HOMEWORK… • HOMEWORK? • HOMEWORK! • HOMEWORK? !

MORE LITERARY DEVICES IMAGERY FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE • DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE • SIMILES AND METAPHORS DELIBERATELY SELECTED BY MAKE COMPARISONS BETWEEN AN AUTHOR TO ILLUSTRATE IDEAS. AN IMAGE IN THE MIND OF THE • SYMBOLISM EMPHASIZES & READER ELABORATES ON A SPECIFIC IDEA, OFTEN REAPPEARING THROUGHOUT THE TEXT

1 ST PERIOD PRACTICE: THINK-PAIRSHARE • (4 MINS) ON YOUR OWN, READ THE FINAL LINE ON PAGE 91 ALL THE WAY UNTIL THE END OF THE FIRST PARAGRAPH ON PAGE 96. • (5 MINS) WITH AN ELBOW PARTNER, • IDENTIFY SPECIFIC LITERARY DEVICES (INCLUDING IMAGERY AND FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE) IN THIS SELECTION AND • DETERMINE THE TONE OF THIS PASSAGE • (7 MINS) BE PREPARED TO DEFEND YOUR

4 TH PERIOD ANNOTATION PRACTICE • (4 MINS) ON YOUR OWN, BEGIN READING FROM THE FIRST FULL PARAGRAPH ON PAGE 90 ALL THE WAY UNTIL BOTTOM OF PAGE 95. • AS YOU READ, CONSIDER LITERARY ELEMENTS SUCH AS TONE & FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE (SIMILES, METAPHORS, PERSONIFICATION, SYMBOLISM)

ANNOTATION GALLERY WALK • (3 -4 MINS PER PAGE OF TEXT = 12 MINUTES TOTAL) • WITH THE MEMBERS OF YOUR GROUP, ANNOTATE EACH OF THE PAGES MOUNTED TO POSTERS BY IDENTIFY SPECIFIC LITERARY DEVICES (INCLUDING IMAGERY AND FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE) IN THIS SELECTION AS WELL AS TONE, DICTION, AND SYNTAX • ROTATE UNTIL ALL SIX PAGES HAVE BEEN ANNOTATED • (7 MINS) SHARE OUT FINDINGS WITH THE WHOLE

COOPERATIVE LEARNING GROUPS • WITH YOUR ASSIGNED GROUPS, DETERMINE EXPLORE THE TEXT TO FIND EXAMPLES OF LITERARY DEVICES WE DISCUSSED IN CLASS. ASSIGN ROLES: • FACILITATOR: KEEPS THE GROUP FOCUSED, MOTIVATED AND ONTASK, EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY MANAGES TIME • RECORDER/REPORTER: DOCUMENTS COMMON RESPONSE FOR THE GROUP • RESEARCHER: USES THE TEXT AND ALL OTHER AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO CONDUCT NECESSARY RESEARCH TO HELP DEVELOP THE MOST THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE TO EACH PROMPT

USE-OF-LANGUAGE: NARRATOR EXPLORE THE LANGUAGE (CONSIDER DICTION & SYNTAX) USED AS EACH OF THE TWO NARRATORS TELLS HIS OR HER STORY • WHAT ARE SOME NOTABLE DIFFERENCES CAN YOU DETECT IN WAY RUTH AND JAMES EACH TELLS HIS OR HER STORY? • CONSIDER THE ROLE OF A NARRATOR: HOW DOES POINT OF VIEW IMPACT THE TONE OF THE

POINT-OF-VIEW • WHAT ROLE DOES POINT-OF-VIEW PLAY IN INTERPRETING THE TEXT? • CONSIDER THE PERSPECTIVE OF EACH OF THE NARRATORS– HOW WOULD THE STORY BE DIFFERENT IF TOLD FROM RICHIE OR HELEN’S POINT OF VIEW? • WHY DIDN’T JAMES CHOOSE TO INCLUDE HIS SIBLINGS’ PERSPECTIVE IN THIS STORY?

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: • FIND (3) THREE EXAMPLES IN THE TEXT ILLUSTRATING MCBRIDE’S USE OF SIMILES, METAPHORS, IMAGERY, HYPERBOLE, AND/OR PERSONIFICATION. • PLEASE NOTE, EACH EXAMPLE YOU FIND SHOULD ILLUSTRATE A DIFFERENT ELEMENT OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE • FOR EACH EXAMPLE YOU’VE SELECTED, DESCRIBE THE EFFECT IT HAS ON THE READER

THEMES: • AN OBVIOUS THEME FOR THIS TEXT IS THE SEARCH FOR IDENTITY, AS JAMES AND RUTH BOTH SHARE HIS AND HER OWN STRUGGLE WITH ESTABLISHING A SENSE OF SELFWORTH AND VALUE. • WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR THEMES, OR REOCCURRING IDEAS IN THE TEXT?

TONE: • WHAT IS THE TONE OF THE PIECE? BE PREPARED TO DEFEND YOUR EXPLANATION WITH SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLES FROM THE TEXT.

SYMBOLISM • IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 2 -3 MAJOR SYMBOLS IN THE TEXT. • CONSIDER MCBRIDE’S PURPOSE FOR SELECTING THESE ELEMENTS IN HIS MEMOIR– WHAT EFFECT DO THEY HAVE ON THE AUDIENCE?

COOPERATIVE LEARNING GROUPINGS: KERAH, CARLOS, JORDAN= NARRATIVE TONE (COMPARE AND CONTRAST DICTION & SYNTAX OF NARRATORS) SALMA, AJAY, JESMENIA= WHY DOES HE USE DAVID, JAHNAVI, DANIEL= THEMES (CITE 2 -3, DEFEND YOUR REASONING) SNOBER, ZACH, LUPE, SAJA= SYMBOLS (IDENTIFY 3 MAJOR ONES) RONALD, MIGUEL, ANA= DIALOGUE (EXPLAIN THE ROLE OF DIALOGUE IN THIS MEMOIR, ILLUSTRATE WITH 2 -3 EXEMPLARS ) JOHN, ASHLEY, CHRISTOPER= IDENTIFY CLEAR MALIHA, SARINA, LESLIE= EXAMPLES & FIGURATIVE TONE (MOOD OR FEELING LANGUAGE AND EXPLAIN FUNCTION THROUGHOUT THE TEXT)

PRESENTATION GUIDELINES • BRIEFLY REVIEW THE LITERARY CONCEPT YOUR GROUP IS PRESENTING (SYNTAX, TONE, DICTION, FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE, THEME, NARRATIVE TONE, SYMBOLISM, ETC. ) • SHARE YOUR EXAMPLES FROM THE TEXT (BE SURE TO CITE THE PAGE #) AND EXPLAIN HOW THOSE EXAMPLES CLEARLY ILLUSTRATE THE LITERARY DEVICE YOU’RE PRESENTING • CLASS WILL ANNOTATE TEXT TAKE NOTES AND/OR ANNOTATE THE TEXT USING STICKY NOTES

HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF? • CONSIDER WHAT DESCRIPTORS YOU WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF • TRY TO THINK OF “LOADED” ADJECTIVES LIKE: GREGARIOUS, INTROSPECTIVE, OR EVEN, BRAZEN). • NOW EXPLAIN WHY THOSE ARE APT DESCRIPTORS BY PROVIDING AN EXAMPLE OR TWO OF YOUR EMULATION OF THEM

CONFLICT • TAKE A MOMENT TO RECALL A PARTICULAR MOMENT OF CONFLICT • JOT DOWN WHO WAS INVOLVED, WHAT WAS THE ISSUE-AT-HAND, & HOW DID YOU “SEE” THE SITUATION– WHAT OUTCOME WERE YOU HOPING FOR? • ADDITIONALLY CONSIDER THE OUTCOME, AND EVEN WHEN DID THIS CONFLICT TAKE

CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE NOW PONDER THIS SAME CONFLICT THROUGH ANOTHER CHARACTER’S EYES. • CONSIDER HOW HE OR SHE “SAW” THE CONFLICT? • WHAT WAS HIS OR HER PERSPECTIVE? WHAT EVIDENCE DID HE OR SHE HAVE TO SUPPORT A CLAIM? • WHAT OUTCOME DID HE OR SHE WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN IN THE CONFLICT?

THINK-PAIR-SHARE • REVISIT PAGE 69 -71 STARTING WITH THE LAST PARAGRAPH, OPENING WITH THE LINE, “WE NEVER CONSULTED MOMMY WITH THESE PROBLEMS, ” ALL THE WAY TO PAGE 71 UNTIL THE SENTENCE ENDING, . . . “THAT WAS OKAY WITH MOMMY” NEAR THE END OF THE FIRST PARAGRAPH • HOW DOES JAMES FEEL ABOUT HIS BROTHER, DENNIS? • IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT’S THE TONE OF THIS PASSAGE • HOW DO YOU KNOW? • FIND SPECIFIC WORDS AND PHRASES THAT EXPRESS HIS FEELINGS

A NEW PERSPECTIVE • WHILE YOU WATCH THE INTERVIEW WITH DR. DENNIS MCBRIDE, CONSIDER WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT THE ROLE OF PERSPECTIVE… • PAIR-SHARE (3 MINS)

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? • THE NEXT FOUR (4) CRJS YOU’LL WRITE WILL SHOWCASE YOUR ABILITY TO ADDRESS THE ROLE OF PERSPECTIVE IN THE TEXT. • KEEPING IN MIND WHAT YOU GLEANED FROM HEARING DR. MCBRIDE SHARE, CONSIDER WHICH PASSAGES FROM THE TEXT MIGHT BE TOLD DIFFERENTLY FROM ANOTHER CHARACTER… • CAREFULLY SELECT FOUR PASSAGES, EITHER PHOTOCOPY OR TRANSCRIBE BY HAND THE PASSAGE, • ANNOTATE IT FOR THE AUTHOR’S USE OF TONE, DICTION, IMAGERY, & SYNTAX (AND ANY OTHER LITERARY DEVICE YOU

WHAT WILL YOUR POV CRJS LOOK LIKE? • RE-WRITE THE PASSAGE FROM ANOTHER CHARACTER’S PERSPECTIVE, MAKING SURE TO ACCURATELY DEPICT THE EXACT SITUATION YOU SELECTED, BUT TOLD FROM ANOTHER CHARACTER’S POINT OF VIEW • HOW WILL YOU KNOW THE CHARACTER’S FEELINGS? • YOU’LL HAVE TO MAKE A REASONABLE PREDICTION BASED ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHARACTER AS JAMES PORTRAYS HIM OR HER IN THE COLOR OF WATER • USE THOSE INFERENCES FROM HIS TONE TO DEVELOP EACH OF YOUR FOUR CRITICAL READING JOURNALS

GETTING STARTED: READ ANNOTATE THE PASSAGE YOU CHOOSE WITH THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN MIND: • WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE CHARACTER? WHAT ARE HIS/HER DOMINANT TRAITS? WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE CHARACTER’S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES? • WHAT IS MISSING (OR HAS BEEN EMBELLISHED) FROM THIS ONE-DIMENSIONAL VIEW OF THE STORY? WHAT PART OF THE NARRATIVE WILL REVEALED FOR THE AUDIENCE IF SEEN THROUGH DIFFERENT EYES?

YOUR GOAL: • PURPOSEFUL IMITATION: YOUR FINISHED CRITICAL READING JOURNALS SHOULD NOT LOOK LIKE A FORMULAIC SEEA RESPONSE, BUT RATHER A THOUGHTFUL REFLECTION ON JAMES MCBRIDE’S WRITING STYLE. • YOU MUST STRIVE TO IMITATE THE STYLE PRESENTED IN THE TEXT AS YOU ADD DEPTH AND PERSPECTIVE TO HIS MEMOIR INSTANCES TOLD FROM ANOTHER CHARACTER'S PERSPECTIVE. • THEREFORE, BECAUSE THE FORMAT IS DIFFERENT, THEN THE GRADING RUBRIC WILL BE DIFFERENT AS WELL AND FOLLOW THE PARRC NARRATIVE RUBRIC FOR THESE CRJS ONLY.

EXTRA CREDIT & RECOVERY ASSIGNMENT • IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO EARN EXTRA CREDIT OVER THE WINTER BREAK, YOU CAN DO SO BY WRITING AN ADDITIONAL P. O. V. CRJ BASED ON THE PERSPECTIVE ANOTHER CHARACTER IN A MOVIE, BOOK, SONG, ETC. • FOCUS ON QUALITY RATHER THAN QUANTITY IN THESE SUPPLEMENTARY CRITICAL READING JOURNALS • DUE NO LATER THAN JANUARY 27 TH, 2016. • PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL MAKE-UP WORK, REVISIONS, AND/OR RECOVERY CREDIT ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN 3 PM ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 22 ND, 2016

“LONELY BOY” BUT I LOVE YOU. I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WOULD LEAVE. CAN’T YOU SEE HOW MUCH I ADORE YOU? HOW MUCH I NEED YOU? I PROMISE I’LL BE BETTER, GOOD, EVEN. JUST COME BACK. GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE…. . I DIDN’T MEAN IT, I COULDN’T HELP MYSELF… I WAS FEELING LONELY AND ABANDONED, AND IT WAS A TEMPTATION I COULDN’T RESIST…. I’M SO ASHAMED… I’M SORRY. IT’LL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN, JUST DON’T LEAVE ME

“INSATIABLE” YOU KNOW HOW YOU WERE SURPRISED ABOUT HOW SKINNY I SEEMED WHEN YOU FIRST LAID EYES ON ME LAST WEEKEND? DON’T DENY IT, I KNOW YOU TRIED TO HIDE YOUR REACTION, BUT I COULD TELL YOU WERE CONCERNED. I COULD SENSE YOU WATCHING HOW MUCH I ATE AT DINNER… WELL, I WAS HUNGRY! I DON’T WANT YOU TO WORRY ABOUT ME THOUGH, I CAN TAKE OF MYSELF. SEE? AREN’T YOU PROUD?

SEE? I’VE GOT THIS UNDER CONTROL YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FEEDING ME ENOUGH, I’LL JUST HELP MYSELF TO WHATEVER SEEMS GOOD IN THE FRIDGE WHENEVER I’M FEELING HUNGRY. BY THE WAY, YOU’RE OUTTA EGGS.

RACHEL BECOMES RUTH • RE-READ THE FIRST FEW PARAGRAPHS OF CHAPTER 1, CONSIDER RUTH’S PERSPECTIVE– WHY IS SHE SO GUARDED? WHY WOULDN’T SHE SHARE HER PAST WITH HER OWN CHILDREN? • DISCUSS ALL THE POSSIBILITIES FOR HER SECRECY WITH A NEIGHBOR; BE PREPARED TO SHARE YOUR FINDINGS

CONFLICT AND CONTRADICTIONS • CONSIDER THE TWO QUESTIONS ASKED AT THE END OF THE SHORT EXCERPT: • A. ) MCBRIDE WRITES, "YET CONFLICT WAS A PART OF OUR LIVES, WRITTEN INTO OUR VERY FACES, HANDS, AND ARMS, AND TO SEE HOW CONTRADICTION LIVES AND SURVIVED IN ITS ESSENCES, WE HAD TO LOOK NO FURTHER THAN OUR OWN MOTHER" (29). • 1. HOW IS CONFLICT WRITTEN INTO THE MCBRIDE CHILDREN'S VERY BODIES? • 2. HOW DID CONTRADICTION LIVE AND SURVIVE IN HIS MOTHER? EACH MEMBER OF YOUR GROUP WAS TASKED WITH FINDING A CLEAR EXAMPLE OR PASSAGE FROM THE TEXT WHICH BEST EXEMPLIFIES OR ANSWERS EITHER ONE OR BOTH OF THESE QUESTIONS.

A COLLABORATIVE MINI-CRJ • AFTER YOUR GROUP HAS FOUND ONE-PER-MEMBER, TAKE TURNS SHARING YOUR PRIME QUOTES • AS A GROUP, DECIDE WHICH ONE YOU’LL CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON AS A GROUP TO PRODUCE A MINI-CRJ. • FIRST, ANALYZE THE TEXT FOR THE AUTHOR’S DELIBERATE CHOICES: • CONSIDER DICTION, SYNTAX, TONE CREATED, CHARACTER DIALOGUE, AND FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE (SYMBOLISM, METAPHORS, ETC. ) AS ELEMENTS USED IN THE TEXT TO ACHIEVE A DELIBERATE PURPOSE. • WRITE A MINI-CRJ TO ORGANIZE YOUR FINDINGS AND BE PREPARED TO PRESENT THESE TO THE CLASS.

MINI-CRJ GUIDELINES • STATE A CLAIM ANSWERING EITHER OF THESE QUESTIONS: • HOW IS CONFLICT WRITTEN INTO THE MCBRIDE CHILDREN'S VERY BODIES? • HOW DID CONTRADICTION LIVE AND SURVIVE IN HIS MOTHER? • PROVIDE A CLEAR EXAMPLE AND A FULL EXPLANATION OF WHY IT’S THE BEST QUOTE TO ANSWER THE QUOTE • ANALYZE THE TEXT BY FOCUSING ON HOW THE DICTION, SYNTAX, TONE, AND/OR FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE ELEMENTS (SIMILES, HYPERBOLES, METAPHORS, SYMBOLS, ETC. ) EFFECTS

THE COLOR OF WATER ANALYZE THE TITLE– IS THE BEST TITLE FOR THE TEXT? WHY OR WHY NOT? CREATE A MINI-CRJ TO ELABORATE ON YOUR RESPONSE BY PROVIDING A THOUGHTFUL ANALYSIS OF THE TITLE AS IT RELATES TO THE ENTIRE TEXT. • BEGIN BY SUPPORTING A CLAIM WITH EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT • ANALYZE THE LITERARY ELEMENTS OF THE TEXT IN THE TITLE – • CONSIDER WORD CHOICE (DICTION), • SYNTAX (THE COMPLEXITY OF THE WAY THE WORDS ARE ORDERED OR ARRANGED IN THE TITLE)

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: CONSIDER THESE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS TO GUIDE YOUR TEXT ANALYSIS: • CONSIDERING THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE NARRATOR WE/YOU CHOSE, HOW DO WE COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE FIT INTO SOCIETY? • CONSIDERING THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE NARRATOR WE/YOU CHOSE, HOW DO WE RECONCILE THE TENSION BETWEEN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL IDENTITY? • CONSIDERING THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE NARRATOR OF THE CHAPTER WE/YOU CHOSE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “DIFFERENT”? WHO IS CONSIDERED “DIFFERENT” AND WHY? • CONSIDERING THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE NARRATOR OF THE CHAPTER YOU CHOSE, WHAT ROLE DOES RACE, GENDER,

EIGHT COMMON CRITICAL LENSES: A NEW PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT & HOW WE READ • READER RESPONSE • NEW CRITICISM • GENDER • SOCIOECONOMIC • HISTORICAL • PSYCHOLOGICAL • RACE/CULTURE/ETHNI CITY • SPIRITUAL

USE ANY TWO (2) OF THESE GUIDING PERSPECTIVES FOR YOUR FINAL C. O. W. C. R. J. S DUE 01/20/16 7 CRITICAL LENSES • NEW CRITICISM • GENDER • SOCIOECONOMIC • HISTORICAL • PSYCHOLOGIC AL • RACE/CULTURE / ETHNICITY 4 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS • CONSIDERING THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE NARRATOR WE/YOU CHOSE, HOW DO WE COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE FIT INTO SOCIETY? • CONSIDERING THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE NARRATOR WE/YOU CHOSE, HOW DO WE RECONCILE THE TENSION BETWEEN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL IDENTITY? • CONSIDERING THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE NARRATOR OF THE CHAPTER WE/YOU CHOSE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “DIFFERENT”? WHO IS CONSIDERED “DIFFERENT” AND WHY? • CONSIDERING THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE NARRATOR OF THE CHAPTER YOU CHOSE, WHAT ROLE DOES RACE,

TUESDAY, 01/19/16 ENGLISH I EXIT-SLIP P. O. V. C. R. J. REFLECTION • REVIEW THE COMMENTS MADE ON THE FOUR (4) P. O. V. C. R. J. S. • BASED ON MY SCRAWLED COMMENTS, (PLEASE FEEL FREE TO APPROACH ME PERSONALLY TO DECIPHER IF YOU JUST CAN’T SEEM TO MAKE OUT MY HANDWRITING) IDENTIFY: • YOUR SUCCESS(ES) IN THIS ASSIGNMENT • IN WHAT AREAS DID YOU STRUGGLE? • IF ANY, WHAT SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT DID I OFFER AND HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO APPLY THEM TOWARD YOUR FINAL REVISIONS OF TWO OF THESE ASSIGNMENTS. • FINALLY, WHICH TWO OF THE FOUR YOU SUBMITTED WILL YOU MOST LIKELY BE REVISING?

1. PEER CRITIQUE GUIDELINES & SUGGESTIONS: REVIEW THE PASSAGE HE/SHE SELECTED, PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ANNOTATIONS WRITTEN IN THE MARGINS • DO THE ANNOTATIONS SHOW YOUR PEER’S ENGAGED CRITICAL THINKING? • NOT JUST IDENTIFYING THE LITERARY DEVICES SUCH AS TONE & METAPHOR, BUT ACTUALLY PROVIDE COMMENTARY ABOUT THEM IN THE MARGINS 2. USE THE RUBRIC TO GUIDE YOUR EVALUATION • IS THE CLAIM CLEAR & RELATED TO ONE OF THE FOUR (4) ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS? • DOES THE EXAMPLE FROM THE TEXT SHOW EVIDENCE OF BEING THOUGHTFULLY SELECTED AND OBVIOUSLY RELATED TO THE CLAIM? • MOST IMPORTANTLY, ARE LITERARY DEVICES NOT ONLY IDENTIFIED BUT WHOSE FUNCTION IS CLEARLY EXPLAINED AS IT RELATES TO INTERPRETING THE TEXT ON A DEEPER LEVEL. 3. FINALLY, MAKE SURE THE COMMENTS YOU WRITE ON YOUR PEER’S PAPER ARE GENUINE SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT RATHER THAN JUST SUPERFICIAL CORRECTIONS (LIKE PUNCTUATION OR SPELLING ERRORS)

REVISION: • FOR TOMORROW, THURSDAY 01/21/16 • CHOOSE ONE OF YOUR TWO PEER-REVIEWED CRJS TO REVISE AND RESUBMIT THAT TOMORROW • YOU’LL TURN IN THE TWO CRJS YOU TURNED IN TODAY AS WELL AS THE ONE YOU REVISED • 2 CURRENT + 1 REVISED = 3 CRJS TOTAL DUE TOMORROW

COMPARE & CONTRAST • WHAT IS THE TONE OF MANNING’S ESSAY? • IDENTIFY (HIGHLIGHT, UNDERLINE, CIRCLE, ETC) THREE (3) KEY EXAMPLES OF THE AUTHOR’S USE OF SYNTAX (WORD ARRANGEMENT)/SENTENCE STRUCTURE) • FIND & IDENTIFY THREE (3) EXEMPLARS OF THE AUTHOR’S DELIBERATE WORD CHOICE DICTION TO ACHIEVE A SPECIFIC EFFECT • WHAT SIMILARITIES EXIST BETWEEN THE SHORT NARRATIVE, “ARM WRESTLING WITH MY FATHER” AND THE COLOR OF WATER?

SOME FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: • WHO DO YOU BELIEVE LEARNED MORE ABOUT HIM OR HERSELF AS A RESULT OF THE NARRATIVE? RUTH OR JAMES? • USE EXAMPLES FROM THE TEXT TO DEFEND YOUR RESPONSE