Examine imagery in poetry

•    Analyze word choice and free verse in poetry
•    Interpret ideas in poetry
•    Describe the effects of irony and wordplay on the voice of a poem
•    Examine the biographical context of literary works
•    Analyze character relationships and setting in short fiction
•    Make judgments about short fiction
•    Synthesize the theme of a literary work

Reading Assignments

1.    Read the biographical sketches for Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes, “Digging,” and “The Horses,” pp. 1278-1284.
2.    Read the biographical sketch of Stevie Smith, “The Frog Prince,” and “Not Waving but Drowning,” pp. 1286-1290.
3.    Read the biographical sketch of William Trevor and “The Distant Past,” pp. 1294-1304.

Reading Questions

Read the biographical sketches for Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes, “Digging,” and “The Horses,” pp. 1278-1284.

1.    Restate the meaning of the last line: “Hearing the horizons endure.”

2.    In a chart like the one shown, identify the most powerful and immediate images in “Digging” and “Horses.” What senses do these images appeal to? Explain how the imagery affects the mood of each poem.

Poem
Image  Sense(s)

3.    For each poem, identify three words that seem particularly striking or unusual. What connotations or sounds may have influenced the poet to choose each of these words?

4.    How do the line length and stanza structure affect the rhythm of each poem? Discuss how repetition of words is used to unify the poems.

5.    What do these two poems suggest about the purpose and value of memories? Support your answer with details from the poems.

Read the biographical sketch of Stevie Smith, “The Frog Prince,” and “Not Waving but Drowning,” pp. 1286-1290.

6.    Identify the different speakers in “Not Waving but Drowning” and the lines they speak.

7.    In “The Frog Prince,” what do the following words mean? Which words are cast as positive, and which are cast as negative?

•    Enchanted
•    Disenchanted
•    Happy
•    Heavenly

8.    What situation is presented in “Not Waving, but Drowning”? How does this situation apply to human life in general? Discuss the following phrases.

•    “too far out”
•    “too cold”
•    “his heart gave way”
•    “not waving, but drowning”

9.    In what way is the voice in these poems whimsical? In what ways is it dark? Describe the effects of irony and wordplay on the voice.

10.    Stevie Smith once said, “Being alive is like being in enemy territory.” How is this belief reflected in these two poems?

Read the biographical sketch of William Trevor and “The Distant Past,” pp. 1294-1304.

11.    What do the Middletons mean when they say, “It is worse than before.”?

12.    How does the relationship between the Middletons and the townspeople change over the years? Explain the reasons for the changes.

13.    What does this story reveal about Irish society in the 20th century? Consider the following aspects of setting:

•    Economic conditions
•    Political attitudes
•    Social customs
•    The influence of history
•    Religious values

14.    How responsible are the Middletons for the townspeople’s feelings toward them at the end of the story? Support your answer.

15.    Having read the story, how would you now answer the question posed on p. 1295: “When should we let go of the past?”

Vocabulary in Context

Complete the Vocabulary Practice on p. 1306.

Use your knowledge of the boldfaced vocabulary words to indicate whether each statement is true or false.

1.    An election may bring about a change in regime.
2.    Partygoers enjoy convivial guests.
3.    A suspicious person gives credence to nearly everything he or she is told.
4.    In a movie set in ancient Rome, having the characters wear wristwatches would be an anachronism.
5.    Only an unhappy person is likely to guffaw.
6.    A constantly unruly child behaves with perversity.
7.    Showing kindness is a common example of an atrocity.
8.    A tragedy may cause someone to weep disconsolately.

Word List

Anachronism
Atrocity
Convivial
Credence
Disconsolately
Guffaw
Perversity
Regime

Complete the Vocabulary Strategy: the Greek Word Root chron- on p. 1306.

The word list shows five words with the root chron. Choose one word to complete each sentence. Also, explain the meaning of the word, using a dictionary to help you if necessary.

1.    The biography presented the details of her life in ____ order.
2.    The court historian’s job was to ____ important daily events in the kingdom.
3.    Usually, a ____ disease can be treated but not cured.
4.    Let’s ____ our watches so that we can arrive at the same time.
5.    The sailor used a ____ to calculate the ship’s longitude because he needed to know the precise time.

Root Word List – Chron
Chronic
Chronometer
Synchronize
Chronicle
Chronological

Conducting Independent Research

For lesson 34, you will continue reading about how to write an academic research paper. Your reading assignment is:

Apply the Writing Process, pp. 1399-1406
Review MLA Guidelines, p. 1407-1408

Main Assignment

Imagine Seamus Heaney, Ted Hughes, Stevie Smith, and William Trevor have been nominated for a prestigious literary award and you are on the panel of judges who will decide the winner. Based on the selections you have just read, who do you think should win? To help you consider carefully, use a chart like the one shown to organize your ideas about each piece; you can use the suggested criteria or develop your own. Then, write 1-2 pages in which you explain the reasons for your choice.

Selection:
Criteria     Evaluation
Use of imagery and figurative language
Musicality and lyricism
Subject matter
Emotional content
Theme
Overall impact

An effective selection essay will:

•    Use the provided categories to organize your ideas
•    Provide specific textual examples to support your selection
•    Provide a well-reasoned defense of your selected author