2
unit
Through
Different Eyes
character and
point of view
• In Fiction
• In Media
• In Nonfiction
• In Poetry
2
unit
Share What You Know
What brings a
character
to life?
A great character might start out as a few words jotted on a page or as a lump of clay squeezed between an artist’s fingers. How can these humble beginnings result in a person—or a dog, a rabbit, or a robot— who can seem as familiar as your best friend? A skilled creator knows how to add layers of details that make someone who doesn’t even exist in real life seem like someone you’ve known forever.
ACTIVITY Can you bring a character to life? Follow these steps to give it a try:
• Look through magazines and find a picture of someone or something that looks like he, she, or it could be an interesting character.
• Invent a life for that character. Think about things like where the character lives, what the character cares about most, and how he, she, or it responds to triumphs and challenges.
• Introduce your character to your group. Which of the details you provide most help your classmates feel like they know the person or creature you’ve invented?
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Preview Unit Goals
Included in this lesson: R1.1, R2.3,
R3.1, R3.2, R3.3, W1.1, W1.2, W1.3, W1.6, W2.1, W2.3, LC1.3, LC1.4, LS1.8 c l a s s z o n e . c om
l i t e r a t u r e Literature and Reading Center
Writing Center
Vocabulary and Spelling Center
literary analysis
• Identify and analyze point of view, including first-person, third-person limited, and third-person omniscient • Identify and analyze character traits and motives • Identify and analyze methods of characterization • Identify, analyze, and evaluate sound devices
reading • Infer characters’ motivations
• Identify scope of ideas and information in different texts • Evaluate usefulness of information from different sources
writing and grammar
• Write a descriptive essay
• Identify and use comparative and superlative forms correctly • Combine sentences by using coordinating conjunctions • Identify and use verb tenses correctly.
speaking, listening, and viewing
• Identify and analyze visual elements and editing in film • Conduct an interview
vocabulary • Use context to determine the meaning of multiple-meaning words
• Use knowledge of base words and affixes to determine the meaning of words
academic vocabulary
• point of view • inferences • characterization • traits • scope of ideas • motives
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Character and Point of View
For a story to really resonate, it must have characters you can care about, relate to, understand, or even love to hate. How do writers create characters that trigger these kinds of reactions? How does who tells the story affect your feelings? In this workshop, you’ll look closely at characterization and point of view, two techniques that help shape your reactions and opinions.
Part
1
: Point of View
Point of view—the vantage point from which a story is told—can affect your understanding of characters and events. Point of view is created by a writer’s choice of narrator, the voice that tells the story. The narrator may be a character in the story or an outside observer.
This chart describes three points of view. You’ll notice that all the examples focus on two students vying to win a school election. In each example, how does the choice of narrator influence your impressions of the characters?
point of view ex ample
third -person limited The narrator
• is not a character in the story but an outside observer
• zooms in on the thoughts, feelings, and opinions of one character
Devin had trouble wiping the smile off his face as he listened to Gwen fumble through her speech. For a brief moment, he felt a wave of sympathy for Gwen. Then Devin forgot about his opponent and started planning his acceptance speech in his head.
third -person omniscient The narrator
• is not a character in the story but an outside observer
• is “all knowing”—that is, he or she has access to the thoughts, feelings, and opinions of all the characters
Feeling confident and superior, Devin gave his opponent, Gwen, a genuine smile as she walked past him.
Though Gwen returned Devin’s smile, she was suspicious of his kindness. He’s probably gloating over my mistakes, Gwen thought angrily. first-person
The narrator
• is a main or minor character in the story • uses the pronouns I and me to refer
to himself or herself
• shares his or her thoughts, feelings, and opinions of other characters and events • doesn’t know the thoughts, feelings, and
opinions of other characters
Nervously, I eyed Gwen, my competition in the election, and flashed her a gracious smile. Believe me—I wasn’t feeling very gracious.
After Gwen began her speech, I relaxed. What kind of campaign speech is that? I thought. There’s no way I’ll lose now!
162 unit 2: char acter and point of view
Reader’s
Workshop
unit
2
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R3.3 Compare and contrast
motivations and reactions of
literary characters from different
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model 1: first-person
Emily, the young narrator of this novel, is visiting her sick grandmother, Ola. Emily and Ola have spent the entire day together trying on Ola’s old hats and scarves. In this excerpt, Emily describes their special relationship.
Ola and I lie on our backs in the kitchen, scarves and hats everywhere. I look over at the night-light by the table. It’s the only light in the room now. Ola’s eyes are closed, but I don’t think she’s asleep.
I have always loved my grandmother, but I know that she is a strange woman. I know that not too many of my friends would spend an evening trying on hats with their grandmothers. A few years ago they would have. Now most of them don’t even admit that they like their grandparents, though they do.
I’m clueless about how to be cool. I’ve always told my friends that I like my grandmother. Since most of them only get a glimpse of who she is by the books and strange things she sends through the mail, I think secretly they think she’s cool. That makes up for me being clueless, I guess.
model 2: third-person omniscient
The narrator of this story shares the thoughts of more than one character. Alfonso is thrilled when Sandra agrees to go on a bike ride with him. Before his date, Alfonso breaks the chain on his bike. Will his brother help him out?
“Come on, man, let me use it,” Alfonso pleaded. “Please, Ernie, I’ll do anything.”
Although Ernie could see Alfonso’s desperation, he had plans with his friend Raymundo. They were going to catch frogs at the Mayfair canal. He felt sorry for his brother, and gave him a stick of gum to make him feel better, but there was nothing he could do. The canal was three miles away, and the frogs were waiting.
Alfonso took the stick of gum, placed it in his shirt pocket, and left the bedroom with his head down. . . .
At four he decided to get it over with and started walking to Sandra’s house, trudging slowly, as if he were waist-deep in water. Shame colored his face. How could he disappoint his first date? She would probably laugh.
5
10
5
10
Close Read
1. One sentence that reflects the first-person point of view has been boxed. Identify another one.
2. Suppose Emily’s grandmother was the narrator of this novel. How might that change what you learn about the woman and her granddaughter?
Close Read
1. How does Ernie feel about Alfonso’s
predicament? How does Alfonso himself feel? Cite details to support your answers.
2. Suppose the narrator had not revealed Ernie’s thoughts in lines 3–6. How might this affect your impression of Ernie?
from
Novel by Angela Johnson
from
Short story by Gary Soto
Broken
Broken
Chain
reader’s workshop 163
Part
2
: Character Traits and Motivation
As a reader, you can’t help but have strong reactions to the people you meet on the page. Did you know that writers use different methods of characterization to create these responses in you? Read on to find out exactly how writers develop lifelike characters with distinct traits and motivations.
character traits
Loyal, outgoing, lazy—you might use words like these to describe people in your life. You may not realize it, but you learn about people’s qualities, or traits,
by observing the way they look, talk, and act. For example, a new neighbor probably wouldn’t introduce herself by saying, “Hi! I’m outgoing.” Instead, you would infer this trait by noticing her big smile and confident voice.
Like people, characters in literature have unique personalities and traits. Sometimes, a narrator will directly tell you what a character is like. More often, you have to infer a character’s traits the same way you would a person’s—by considering his or her appearance and behavior, for instance.
Writers show you what their characters are like by using the following indirect methods of characterization. Look at this graphic, noting the descriptions of the girl Madeleine. What traits can you infer?
physical appearance
Descriptions of a character’s looks, clothing, body language, and facial expressions
Madeleine walked stiffly toward her new locker, a solemn expression glued to her face.
speech, thoughts, and actions
Presentation of a character’s speech patterns, habits, talents, opinions, and interactions with others
This was Madeleine’s third move in five years, and she was sick of starting over. This time, she vowed to keep to herself. No longer would she waste any energy trying to fit in.
other characters
Presentation of others’ impressions of the character and their interactions or relationships with him or her
Madeleine’s classmates smirked and laughed as she walked by. Not only was she unfriendly, they concluded, but she took herself way too seriously.
Reader’s Workshop
model 1: characterization
The narrator of this story takes the 8:12 train to work everyday; he sees the same commuters and sits in the same corner seat. Today, however, he notices a stranger on the platform. What do you learn about the stranger from this brief excerpt?
The stranger was standing plumb in the middle of the platform, feet apart and arms folded, looking for all the world as though he owned the whole place. He was a biggish, thickset man, and even from behind he somehow managed to convey a powerful impression of arrogance and oil. Very
definitely, he was not one of us. He carried a cane instead of an umbrella, his shoes were brown instead of black, the grey hat was cocked at a ridiculous angle, and in one way and another there seemed to be an excess of silk and polish about his person. More than this I did not care to observe.
model 2: character traits
Sopeap is a Cambodian teenager whose family recently moved to the United States. One day, a classmate walks into her family’s store, lugging a green armchair. How does Sopeap respond to the classmate’s request for help?
Thomas Ramsey. For an awful moment she thought she had said his name out loud, but then realized it had only been in her mind.
Sopeap forced a smile. “Sure,” she said, pleasantly surprised by how casual, how American, she sounded. “Be right with you.”
“Hey, aren’t you in my history class?” he asked.
“Algebra,” she said quietly. At least he recognized her. She had long since noticed him, intrigued by the aloof, easy banter he carried on with his classmates, as if he were looking at them from the wrong end of a telescope. A bit of a loner, and liking it that way. Sort of like me, she had sometimes thought, clutching onto her solitude as tightly as she held her textbooks. . . . 5
5
10
Close Read
1. What methods of characterization has the author used to describe the stranger?
2. What kind of person do you think the stranger is? Cite specific details that affected your impression of him.
Close Read
1. How would you describe Thomas? Identify at least two details in this excerpt that influenced your impression of him.
2. Reread the boxed descriptions of Sopeap’s thoughts and feelings. What do these descriptions suggest about her traits?
Short story by Roald Dahl
from
Galloping
Foxley
Short story by Minfong Ho
The
G
reen
Armchair
from
character motivation
Why did the boy decide to volunteer at the animal shelter? What prompted the woman to risk her life for a stranger? A big part of understanding characters is analyzing their motivations, or the reasons behind their actions. For instance, did the boy volunteer at the shelter because of his passion for animals or because he has a crush on someone who works there? Think about what each motivation might suggest about the boy’s traits.
To uncover a character’s motivation, you often have to look for details in the story. As you read, consider the following:
• the narrator’s direct comments about a character’s motivation
• a character’s actions, thoughts, and values
• your own understanding of the emotions—love, greed, ambition, jealousy— that drive human behavior
In this story, 17-year-old Mike finally decides to visit his grandmother in the nursing home. What factors are motivating his actions?
Close Read
1. Reread the boxed text. What is the narrator’s initial motivation for visiting his grandmother?
2. The narrator has second thoughts about his visit once he’s in the parking lot. What eventually motivates him to go inside?
3. Consider the two motivating factors that influence the narrator’s actions. What do they tell you about him?
5
10
15
. . . I told my mother I’d go, anyway. I hadn’t seen my grandmother since she’d been admitted to Lawnrest. Besides, the place is located on the Southwest Turnpike, which meant I could barrel along in my father’s new Le Mans. My ambition was to see the speedometer hit 75. Ordinarily, I used the old station wagon, which can barely stagger up to 50.
Frankly, I wasn’t too crazy about visiting a nursing home. They reminded me of hospitals, and hospitals turn me off. I mean, the smell of ether makes me nauseous, and I feel faint at the sight of blood. And as I approached Lawnrest—which is a terrible cemetery kind of name, to begin with—I was sorry I hadn’t avoided the trip. Then I felt guilty about it. I’m loaded with guilt complexes. Like driving like a madman after promising my father to be careful. Like sitting in the parking lot, looking at the nursing home with dread and thinking how I’d rather be with Cindy. Then I thought of all the Christmas and birthday gifts my grandmother had given me, and I got out of the car, guilty as usual.
Short story by Robert Cormier from
The
Moustache
Reader’s Workshop
Part
3
: Analyze the Literature
Meet Gene, a high school student in Mrs. Tibbetts’ second-period class. Gene and his fellow classmates have just found out that Mrs. Tibbetts is taking the advanced English class to a poetry reading. What happens when Mrs. Tibbetts unexpectedly extends the invitation to Gene’s class? Read on to find out.
Since it’s only the second period of the day, we’re all feeling pretty good. Also it’s a Tuesday, a terrible TV night. Everybody in the class puts up their hands. I mean everybody. Even Marty Crawshaw. . . . And Pink Hohenfield, who’s in class today for the first time this month. I put up mine. I go along.
Mrs. Tibbetts looks amazed. She’s never seen this many hands up in our class. She’s never seen anybody’s hand except Darla’s. . . .
But then she sees we have to be putting her on. So she just says, “Anyone who would like to go, be in the parking lot at five-thirty. And eat first. No eating on the bus.”
Mrs. Tibbetts can drive the school bus. Whenever she’s taking the
advanced class anywhere, she can go to the principal for the keys. She can use the bus anytime she wants to, unless the coach needs it.
Then she opens her attendance book, and we tune out. And at five-thirty that night I’m in the parking lot. I have no idea why. Needless to say, I’m the only one here from second period. Marty Crawshaw and Pink Hohenfield will be out on the access highway about now, at 7-Eleven, sitting on their hoods. Darla couldn’t make it either. Right offhand I can’t think of anybody who wants to ride a school bus thirty miles to see a poet. Including me.
The advanced-English juniors are milling around behind school. I’m still in my car, and it’s almost dark, so nobody sees me.
Then Mrs. Tibbetts wheels the school bus in. She’s got the amber fogs flashing, and you can see the black letters along the yellow side: CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DIST. She swings in and hits the brakes, and the doors fly open. The advanced class starts to climb aboard. They’re more orderly than us, but they’ve got their groups too. . . . I’m settling behind my dashboard. The last kid climbs the bus.
And I seem to be sprinting across the asphalt. I’m on the bus, and the door’s hissing shut behind me. When I swing past the driver’s seat, I don’t look at Mrs. Tibbetts, and she doesn’t say anything. I wonder where I’m supposed to sit.
They’re still milling around in the aisle, but there are plenty of seats. I find an empty double and settle by the window, pulling my ball cap down in front. It doesn’t take us long to get out of town, not in this town. When we go past 7-Eleven, I’m way down in the seat with my hand shielding my face on the window side. Right about then, somebody sits down next to me. I flinch. 5 10 15 20 25 30 Close Read
1. From what point of view is this story told? Explain how you can tell.
2. Reread the boxed sentences. What do they suggest about Gene’s character traits?
3. How would this excerpt be different if Mrs. Tibbetts were the narrator?
Short story by Richard Peck from
I GO ALONG
4. Examine lines 32–34. Why do you think Gene hides when the bus passes the 7–Eleven?
5. Consider Gene’s actions and body language in lines 27–34. Based on these details, what can you infer about his personality?
The Treasure of Lemon Brown
Short Story by Walter Dean Myers
KEY IDEA Think of what you most cherish, or hold dear. Is it worth a lot of money, or is it valuable because of a memory that is important only to you? For example, a photograph of a favorite friend or relative wouldn’t bring much money at an auction, but the memories it holds might make it one of the first things you’d save if your home were on fire. In “The Treasure of Lemon Brown,” a boy’s encounter with an old blues musician helps him discover what he treasures most.
LIST IT Make a list of three to five things that you cherish. They might be tangible (things you can touch, such as a pair of jeans or a pet) or intangible (things you cannot touch, such as a memory or an idea like freedom). Explain why these things are important to you.
What do you
cherish
?
168
Before Reading
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R3.3 Compare and contrast
motivations and reactions of literary
characters from different historical
eras confronting similar situations or conflicts.
Also included in this lesson: R1.1
Walter Dean Myers born 1937
literary analysis: third-person limited
point of view
In a story told from the third-person limited point of view,
the narrator is outside the story and tells what one character sees, thinks, and feels. Look at the following example:
Report cards were due in a week, and Greg had been hoping for the best.
In this sentence, the narrator tells the reader how Greg feels about the report card he’s about to receive.
As you read, pay attention to how much the narrator allows you to know about each character’s thoughts and feelings.
reading skill: infer characters’ motivations
To fully understand the characters in a story, you need to think about their motivations, or the reasons for their actions.
Sometimes a narrator will actually state a character’s motives, but more often you need to infer, or guess, them. To infer a character’s motives, notice his or her reactions, thoughts, and statements, and ask yourself what you would be feeling or wanting if these had come from you. Also, recall times when you were in a similar situation or behaved similarly.
As you read, note details about the characters and inferences about their motives on a chart like the one here.
Details About Character What I Infer About Motives
Greg’s father lectures Greg about his poor effort in math.
Greg’s father wants him to succeed in life.
vocabulary in context
Walter Dean Myers uses the boldfaced words to tell the story of Lemon Brown. To see how many of the words you know, substitute a different word or phrase for each one.
1. The door was ajar and let in a small amount of light. 2. There was a tremor in his voice as he told the sad tale. 3. The silence was ominous and scary.
4. He would commence his trip when the rain stopped. 5. Years of hard work left him with gnarled hands. 6. Get his attention and beckon him to come closer. 7. The hallway was dark, so he moved tentatively. 8. We had an impromptu meeting at the street corner.
Contest to Career Walter Dean Myers was born to a large family in West Virginia. After his mother died when he was two years old, his father could no longer care for all the children. Myers grew up with foster parents in New York City. A speech impediment
made it difficult for him to speak, so he began writing poetry and stories with the encouragement of a teacher who thought writing would help him express himself. Still, he didn’t think he could earn a living as an author. After unhappily working as a post-office clerk and a messenger, Myers saw an advertisement for a children’s book-writing contest. He had
never written for young people before, but he won the contest and began a highly successful writing career.
Writing His Life Myers frequently draws on his own experience in his writing. Many of his characters belong to low-income families and deal with urban problems. He has also written biographies of prominent African Americans, including Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali. Myers has said, “As a black writer, I want to talk about my people.” But the characters he creates and the issues he addresses have universal appeal.
m o r e a b o u t t h e au t h o r
For more on Walter Dean Myers, visit the Literature Center at
ClassZone.com.
Background
Harlem “The Treasure of Lemon Brown” takes place in Harlem, the neighborhood in which Myers grew up in New York City. Since about 1910, it has been one of the largest African-American communities in the United States.
the treasure of lemon brown 169
T
he dark sky, filled with angry, swirling clouds, reflected Greg Ridley’s mood as he sat on the stoop1 of his building. His father’s voice came to him again, first reading the letter the principal had sent to the house, then lecturing endlessly about his poor efforts in math.“I had to leave school when I was 13,” his father had said, “that’s a year younger than you are now. If I’d had half the chances that you have, I’d . . .”
Greg had sat in the small, pale green kitchen listening, knowing the lecture would end with his father saying he couldn’t play ball with the Scorpions. He had asked his father the week before, and his father had said it depended on his next report card. It wasn’t often the Scorpions took on new players, especially 14-year-olds, and this was a chance of a lifetime for Greg. He hadn’t been allowed to play high school ball, which he had really wanted to do, but playing for the Community Center team was the next best thing. Report cards were due in a week, and Greg had been hoping for the best. But the principal had ended the suspense early when she sent that letter saying Greg would probably fail math if he didn’t spend more time studying. a
“And you want to play basketball?” His father’s brows knitted over deep brown eyes. “That must be some kind of a joke. Now you just get into your room and hit those books.”
That had been two nights before. His father’s words, like the distant thunder that now echoed through the streets of Harlem, still rumbled softly in his ears.
10
20
a P O I N T O F V I E W Whose thoughts and feelings is the narrator
describing?
A N A LY Z E V I SUA L S This collage was created by Walter Dean Myers’s son. What can you infer
about Harlem from the details in this image?
1. stoop: a porch or staircase at the entrance of a building.
of
The
Walter Dean Myers
It was beginning to cool. Gusts of wind made bits of paper dance between the parked cars. There was a flash of nearby lightning, and soon large drops of rain splashed onto his jeans. He stood to go upstairs, thought of the lecture that probably awaited him if he did anything except shut himself in his room with his math book, and started walking down the street instead. Down the block there was an old tenement that had been abandoned for some months. Some of the guys had held an impromptu checker tournament there the week before, and Greg had noticed that the door, once boarded over, had been slightly ajar.
Pulling his collar up as high as he could, he checked for traffic and made a dash across the street. He reached the house just as another flash of lightning changed the night to day for an instant, then returned the graffiti-scarred building to the grim shadows. He vaulted over the outer stairs and pushed
tentatively on the door. It was open, and he let himself in.
T
he inside of the building was dark except for the dim light that filtered through the dirty windows from the streetlamps. There was a room a few feet from the door, and from where he stood at the entrance, Greg could see a squarish patch of light on the floor. He entered the room, frowning at the musty smell. It was a large room that might have been someone’s parlor at one time. Squinting, Greg could see an old table on its side against one wall, what looked like a pile of rags or a torn mattress in the corner, and a couch, with one side broken, in front of the window.He went to the couch. The side that wasn’t broken was comfortable enough, though a little creaky. From this spot he could see the blinking neon sign over the bodega2 on the corner. He sat a while, watching the sign blink first green then red, allowing his mind to drift to the Scorpions, then to his father. His father had been a postal worker for all Greg’s life, and was proud of it, often telling Greg how hard he had worked to pass the test. Greg had heard the story too many times to be interested now. b
For a moment Greg thought he heard something that sounded like a scraping against the wall. He listened carefully, but it was gone.
Outside the wind had picked up, sending the rain against the window with a force that shook the glass in its frame. A car passed, its tires hissing over the wet street and its red tail lights glowing in the darkness.
Greg thought he heard the noise again. His stomach tightened as he held himself still and listened intently. There weren’t any more scraping noises, but he was sure he had heard something in the darkness—something breathing!
He tried to figure out just where the breathing was coming from; he knew it was in the room with him. Slowly he stood, tensing. As he turned, a flash of lightning lit up the room, frightening him with its sudden brilliance. He saw nothing, just the overturned table, the pile of rags and an old newspaper on the floor. Could he have been imagining the sounds? He continued listening, 30
40
50
60
b I N FE R M OT I V ES
Reread lines 25–27 and 48–51. From Greg’s thoughts, what would you infer are his reasons for not going home?
2. bodega (bI-dAPgE): a small grocery store.
impromptu
(Gm-prJmpPtL) adj.
unplanned
ajar (E-järP) adj. partially open
tentatively (tDnPtE-tGv-lC) adv. uncertainly or hesitantly
but heard nothing and thought that it might have just been rats. Still, he thought, as soon as the rain let up he would leave. He went to the window and was about to look out when he heard a voice behind him.
“Don’t try nothin’ ’cause I got a razor here sharp enough to cut a week into nine days!”
Greg, except for an involuntary tremor in his knees, stood stock still. The voice was high and brittle, like dry twigs being broken, surely not one he had ever heard before. There was a shuffling sound as the person who had been speaking moved a step closer. Greg turned, holding his breath, his eyes straining to see in the dark room.
The upper part of the figure before him was still in darkness. The lower half was in the dim rectangle of light that fell unevenly from the window. There were two feet, in cracked, dirty shoes from which rose legs that were wrapped in rags.
“Who are you?” Greg hardly recognized his own voice. “I’m Lemon Brown,” came the answer. “Who’re you?” “Greg Ridley.”
“What you doing here?” The figure shuffled forward again, and Greg took a small step backward.
“It’s raining,” Greg said.
“I can see that,” the figure said.
The person who called himself Lemon Brown peered forward, and Greg could see him clearly. He was an old man. His black, heavily wrinkled face was surrounded by a halo of crinkly white hair and whiskers that seemed to separate his head from the layers of dirty coats piled on his smallish frame. His pants were bagged to the knee, where they were met with rags that went down to the old shoes. The rags were held on with strings, and there was a rope around his middle. Greg relaxed. He had seen the man before, picking through the trash on the corner and pulling clothes out of a Salvation Army box. There was no sign of the razor that could “cut a week into nine days.” c
“What are you doing here?” Greg asked.
“This is where I’m staying,” Lemon Brown said. “What you here for?” “Told you it was raining out,” Greg said, leaning against the back of the couch until he felt it give slightly.
“Ain’t you got no home?” “I got a home,” Greg answered.
“You ain’t one of them bad boys looking for my treasure, is you?” Lemon Brown cocked his head to one side and squinted one eye. “Because I told you I got me a razor.”
“I’m not looking for your treasure,” Greg answered, smiling. “If you have one.” “What you mean, if I have one,” Lemon Brown said. “Every man got a treasure. You don’t know that, you must be a fool!”
“Sure,” Greg said as he sat on the sofa and put one leg over the back. “What do you have, gold coins?”
“Don’t worry none about what I got,” Lemon Brown said. “You know who I am?”
70
80
90
100
c P O I N T O F V I E W How does knowing Greg’s thoughts and actions affect your impression of Lemon Brown?
tremor (trDmPEr) n.
nervous trembling
“You told me your name was orange or lemon or something like that.” “Lemon Brown,” the old man said, pulling back his shoulders as he did so, “they used to call me Sweet Lemon Brown.” d
“Sweet Lemon?” Greg asked.
“Yessir. Sweet Lemon Brown. They used to say I sung the blues3 so sweet that if I sang at a funeral, the dead would commence to rocking with the beat. Used to travel all over Mississippi and as far as Monroe, Louisiana, and east on over to Macon, Georgia. You mean you ain’t never heard of Sweet Lemon Brown?” 110
d I N FE R M OT I V ES
Why does the man pull back his shoulders as he tells Greg his name?
commence (kE-mDnsP) v. to begin
A N A LY Z E V I SUA L S How does the man in the picture compare with the way you imagine Lemon Brown?
3. blues: a style of music developed from southern African-American songs.
“Afraid not,” Greg said. “What . . . what happened to you?”
“Hard times, boy. Hard times always after a poor man. One day I got tired, sat down to rest a spell and felt a tap on my shoulder. Hard times caught up with me.”
“Sorry about that.”
“What you doing here? How come you didn’t go on home when the rain come? Rain don’t bother you young folks none.”
“Just didn’t.” Greg looked away.
“I used to have a knotty-headed boy just like you.” Lemon Brown had half walked, half shuffled back to the corner and sat down against the wall. “Had them big eyes like you got. I used to call them moon eyes. Look into them moon eyes and see anything you want.”
“How come you gave up singing the blues?” Greg asked.
“Didn’t give it up,” Lemon Brown said. “You don’t give up the blues; they give you up. After a while you do good for yourself, and it ain’t nothing but foolishness singing about how hard you got it. Ain’t that right?”
“I guess so.”
“What’s that noise?” Lemon Brown asked, suddenly sitting upright. Greg listened, and he heard a noise outside. He looked at Lemon Brown and saw the old man was pointing toward the window.
Greg went to the window and saw three men, neighborhood thugs, on the stoop. One was carrying a length of pipe. Greg looked back toward Lemon Brown, who moved quietly across the room to the window. The old man looked out, then beckoned frantically for Greg to follow him. For a moment Greg couldn’t move. Then he found himself following Lemon Brown into the hallway and up darkened stairs. Greg followed as closely as he could. They reached the top of the stairs, and Greg felt Lemon Brown’s hand first lying on his shoulder, then probing down his arm until he finally took Greg’s hand into his own as they crouched in the darkness. e
“They’s bad men,” Lemon Brown whispered. His breath was warm against Greg’s skin.
“Hey! Rag man!” a voice called. “We know you in here. What you got up under them rags? You got any money?”
Silence.
“We don’t want to have to come in and hurt you, old man, but we don’t mind if we have to.”
Lemon Brown squeezed Greg’s hand in his own hard, gnarled fist.
There was a banging downstairs and a light as the men entered. They banged around noisily, calling for the rag man.
“We heard you talking about your treasure.” The voice was slurred. “We just want to see it, that’s all.”
“You sure he’s here?” One voice seemed to come from the room with the sofa. “Yeah, he stays here every night.”
“There’s another room over there; I’m going to take a look. You got that flashlight?”
120
130
140
150
160
gnarled (närld) adj.
roughened, as from age or work
e I N FE R M OT I V ES
Why does Lemon Brown hold Greg’s hand?
beckon (bDkPEn) v.
to signal to come
“Yeah, here, take the pipe too.”
Greg opened his mouth to quiet the sound of his breath as he sucked it in uneasily. A beam of light hit the wall a few feet opposite him, then went out.
“Ain’t nobody in that room,” a voice said. “You think he gone or something?” “I don’t know,” came the answer. “All I know is that I heard him talking about some kind of treasure. You know they found that shopping bag lady with that money in her bags.”
“Yeah. You think he’s upstairs?”
“HEY, OLD MAN, ARE YOU UP THERE?” Silence.
“Watch my back. I’m going up.”
There was a footstep on the stairs, and the beam from the flashlight danced crazily along the peeling wallpaper. Greg held his breath. There was another step and a loud crashing noise as the man banged the pipe against the wooden banister. Greg could feel his temples throb as the man slowly neared them. Greg thought about the pipe, wondering what he would do when the man reached them—what he could do. f
Then Lemon Brown released his hand and moved toward the top of the stairs. Greg looked around and saw stairs going up to the next floor. He tried waving to Lemon Brown, hoping the old man would see him in the dim light and follow him to the next floor. Maybe, Greg thought, the man wouldn’t follow them up there. Suddenly, though, Lemon Brown stood at the top of the stairs, both arms raised high above his head.
“There he is!” a voice cried from below.
“Throw down your money, old man, so I won’t have to bash your head in!” Lemon Brown didn’t move. Greg felt himself near panic. The steps came closer, and still Lemon Brown didn’t move. He was an eerie sight, a bundle of rags standing at the top of the stairs, his shadow on the wall looming over him. Maybe, the thought came to Greg, the scene could be even eerier.
Greg wet his lips, put his hands to his mouth and tried to make a sound. Nothing came out. He swallowed hard, wet his lips once more and howled as evenly as he could.
“What’s that?”
As Greg howled, the light moved away from Lemon Brown, but not before Greg saw him hurl his body down the stairs at the men who had come to take his treasure. There was a crashing noise, and then footsteps. A rush of warm air came in as the downstairs door opened, then there was only an
ominous silence. g
Greg stood on the landing. He listened, and after a while there was another sound on the staircase.
“Mr. Brown?” he called.
“Yeah, it’s me,” came the answer. “I got their flashlight.”
Greg exhaled in relief as Lemon Brown made his way slowly back up the stairs. “You O.K.?”
“Few bumps and bruises,” Lemon Brown said. 170
180
190
200 g P O I N T O F V I E W
Reread lines 196–200. How would this passage be different if you knew what Lemon Brown was thinking?
ominous (JmPE-nEs) adj.
threatening
f P O I N T O F V I E W Whose feelings about the intruders do you learn more about, Greg’s or Lemon Brown’s?
“I think I’d better be going,” Greg said, his breath returning to normal. “You’d better leave, too, before they come back.” h
“They may hang around outside for a while,” Lemon Brown said, “but they ain’t getting their nerve up to come in here again. Not with crazy old rag men and howling spooks. Best you stay awhile till the coast is clear. I’m heading out West tomorrow, out to east St. Louis.”
“They were talking about treasures,” Greg said. “You really have a treasure?” “What I tell you? Didn’t I tell you every man got a treasure?” Lemon Brown said. “You want to see mine?”
“If you want to show it to me,” Greg shrugged.
“Let’s look out the window first, see what them scoundrels be doing,” Lemon Brown said.
They followed the oval beam of the flashlight into one of the rooms and looked out the window. They saw the men who had tried to take the treasure sitting on the curb near the corner. One of them had his pants leg up, looking at his knee.
“You sure you’re not hurt?” Greg asked Lemon Brown.
“Nothing that ain’t been hurt before,” Lemon Brown said. “When you get as old as me all you say when something hurts is ‘Howdy, Mr. Pain, sees you back again.’ Then when Mr. Pain see he can’t worry you none, he go on mess with somebody else.”
Greg smiled.
“Here, you hold this.” Lemon Brown gave Greg the flashlight.
He sat on the floor near Greg and carefully untied the strings that held the rags on his right leg. When he took the rags away, Greg saw a piece of plastic. The old man carefully took off the plastic and unfolded it. He revealed some yellowed newspaper clippings and a battered harmonica.
“There it be,” he said, nodding his head. “There it be.”
G
reg looked at the old man, saw the distant look in his eye, then turned to the clippings. They told of Sweet Lemon Brown, a blues singer and harmonica player who was appearing at different theaters in the South. One of the clippings said he had been the hit of the show, although not the headliner. All of the clippings were reviews of shows Lemon Brown had been in more than 50 years ago. Greg looked at the harmonica. It was dented badly on one side, with the reed holes on one end nearly closed.“I used to travel around and make money for to feed my wife and Jesse— that’s my boy’s name. Used to feed them good, too. Then his mama died, and he stayed with his mama’s sister. He growed up to be a man, and when the war come he saw fit to go off and fight in it. I didn’t have nothing to give him except these things that told him who I was, and what he come from. If you know your pappy did something, you know you can do something too. i
“Anyway, he went off to war, and I went off still playing and singing. ’Course by then I wasn’t as much as I used to be, not without somebody to make it worth the while. You know what I mean?”
210
220
230
240
250
h I N FE R M OT I V ES
What may be motivating Greg to want to leave now?
i I N FE R M OT I V ES
Reread lines 243–248. Why does Lemon Brown give his son his old newspaper clippings and harmonica?
“Yeah,” Greg nodded, not quite really knowing.
“I traveled around, and one time I come home, and there was this letter saying Jesse got killed in the war. Broke my heart, it truly did.
“They sent back what he had with him over there, and what it was is this old mouth fiddle and these clippings. Him carrying it around with him like that told me it meant something to him. That was my treasure, and when I give it to him he treated it just like that, a treasure. Ain’t that something?”
“Yeah, I guess so,” Greg said. j
“You guess so?” Lemon Brown’s voice rose an octave as he started to put his treasure back into the plastic. “Well, you got to guess ’cause you sure don’t know nothing. Don’t know enough to get home when it’s raining.”
“I guess . . . I mean, you’re right.”
“You O.K. for a youngster,” the old man said as he tied the strings around his leg, “better than those scalawags4 what come here looking for my treasure. That’s for sure.”
“You really think that treasure of yours was worth fighting for?” Greg asked. “Against a pipe?”
“What else a man got ’cepting what he can pass on to his son, or his daughter, if she be his oldest?” Lemon Brown said. “For a big-headed boy you sure do ask the foolishest questions.”
Lemon Brown got up after patting his rags in place and looked out the window again.
“Looks like they’re gone. You get on out of here and get yourself home. I’ll be watching from the window so you’ll be all right.”
Lemon Brown went down the stairs behind Greg. When they reached the front door the old man looked out first, saw the street was clear and told Greg to scoot on home.
“You sure you’ll be O.K.?” Greg asked.
“Now didn’t I tell you I was going to east St. Louis in the morning?” Lemon Brown asked. “Don’t that sound O.K. to you?”
“Sure it does,” Greg said. “Sure it does. And you take care of that treasure of yours.”
“That I’ll do,” Lemon said, the wrinkles about his eyes suggesting a smile. “That I’ll do.”
The night had warmed and the rain had stopped, leaving puddles at the curbs. Greg didn’t even want to think how late it was. He thought ahead of what his father would say and wondered if he should tell him about Lemon Brown. He thought about it until he reached his stoop, and decided against it. Lemon Brown would be O.K., Greg thought, with his memories and his treasure.
Greg pushed the button over the bell marked Ridley, thought of the lecture he knew his father would give him, and smiled. k
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290
k I N FE R M OT I V ES
Why does the thought of his father’s lecture make Greg smile?
4. scalawags (skBlPE-wBgzQ): rascals.
j P O I N T O F V I E W What does Greg think about Lemon Brown’s treasure?
After Reading
Comprehension
1. Recall How does Greg meet Lemon Brown?
2. Recall How does Lemon Brown scare off the intruders? 3. Clarify Why does Lemon Brown cherish his treasure?
Literary Analysis
4. Examine Third-Person Limited Point of View Whose sights, thoughts, and
feelings does the narrator present? Explain how the story might be different if readers knew more about the thoughts of the other characters.
5. Understand Events How do Greg’s feelings toward Lemon Brown change over
time? In a graphic like the one shown, note important events from the story. Under each event, tell how Greg feels about Lemon Brown at that point.
Greg hears Lemon Brown
Greg sees Lemon Brown
scared relieved
6. Infer Characters’ Motives Review your chart of inferences to recall why
Lemon Brown gave his son his “treasure.” What does Lemon Brown’s story help Greg realize about his own father?
7. Analyze Dialect One way writers create realistic characters is to include
the characters’ dialect, the language spoken by people in a particular place or group. Find three examples of Lemon Brown’s dialect. Explain how his language contributes to your understanding of his character.
8. Draw Conclusions About Characters In fiction, a character may be either
static or dynamic. Static characters experience little change over the course of a story. Dynamic characters change and grow during a story. Which characters in this story are static? Which are dynamic? Explain.
Extension and Challenge
9. Readers’ Circle Walter Dean Myers believes it is important for young people
to have role models. Discuss with a small group of classmates what makes a good role model and in what ways Lemon Brown is a role model for Greg.
10. Inquiry and Research Lemon Brown describes singing the blues as “singing
about how hard you got it.” Research the blues and find some representative songs. Is Lemon Brown’s description of the blues accurate? Play parts of the songs for the class and talk about the kind of life the songs suggest.
r e s e a r c h l i n k s
For more on the blues, visit the Research Center at ClassZone.com.
the treasure of lemon brown 179
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R3.3 Compare and contrast
motivations and reactions of literary
characters from different historical
v o c a b u l a r y p r a c t i c e
For more practice, go to the Vocabulary Center
at ClassZone.com.
impromptu
ominous ajar
beckon
commence
gnarled
tentatively
tremor
Vocabulary Practice
vocabulary practice
Synonyms are words that have the same meaning. Antonyms are words that have the opposite meaning. Explain the meaning of the words in each pair and then decide whether they are synonyms or antonyms.
1. beckon/call
2. tentatively/cautiously
3. ominous/haunting
4. gnarled/smooth 5. ajar/open
6. impromptu/planned
7. tremor/stillness
8. commence/stop
vocabulary in writing
Use at least three vocabulary words to write a paragraph describing Greg’s experience hiding from the neighborhood thugs. You might start like this.
example sentence
Greg and Lemon Brown climbed the darkened staircase tentatively .
vocabulary strategy: similes
Similes compare two things that are not alike using the words like or as. In this selection, Lemon Brown’s voice is said to be “high and brittle, like dry twigs being broken.” Understanding the literal meaning of a simile will help you infer its figurative meaning, in this example, the sound of Lemon Brown’s voice. Similes can also provide a context clue to help you figure out the meaning of an unknown word. If you know the sound of dry twigs being broken, you understand what the word brittle means.
PRACTICE First pay attention to the literal meaning of each simile. Then use your understanding to infer its figurative meaning. Use it as a context clue to help you define the boldfaced word.
1. The windows were as murky as the muddy waters of the Mississippi. 2. Like a mule unwilling to move, the obstinate child held his ground. 3. As she danced across the stage, she looked as nimble as a graceful deer. 4. The persistent detective looked for clues like a dog sniffing out a bone. 5. Their friendship was becoming as tenuous as a fraying rope.
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86A>;DGC>6
Reading-Writing Connection
Increase your appreciation of “The Treasure of Lemon Brown” by responding to these prompts. Then complete the Grammar and Writing exercise.
writing prompts self-check
A. Short Response: Describe a Character Imagine that a friend of yours had to find Lemon Brown in a crowd. What would you tell your friend to look for? Write a one-paragraphdescription of Lemon Brown that includes details about his appearance and the treasure he cherishes.
A strong description will . . .
• include words and phrases that bring Lemon Brown to life • provide details from the story
B. Extended Response: Write a Dialogue
What do you think Greg and his father might have said to one another when Greg returned home? Write a one-page dialogue between the two of them in which they address the subject of the report card and their feelings about each other.
A creative dialogue will . . .
• refer to details from the story • sound like a real teenager and
adult are speaking
grammar and writing
USE CORRECT VERB TENSE Verb tense indicates the time that an action or
condition takes place—whether in the past, present, or future. In your writing, use the same verb tense to describe actions that take place at the same time, and change the verb tense when an action or condition happens at a different time.
Original: I always have a good time when I went to the beach. Last week, I swim and collect seashells. (Have and went are in two different tenses. Swim and collect are present tense.)
Revised: I always have a good time when I go to the beach. Last week, I swam and collected seashells. (In the first sentence, both verbs need to be in the present tense. In the second sentence, the action is happening in the past, so the verbs should be in the past tense.)
PRACTICE Choose the correct verb tenses in the following paragraph. I (meet, met, will meet) an old blues musician earlier tonight. He (carries, carried, will carry) a harmonica around in his pocket every day because it reminds him of his son. He (helps, helped, will help) me realize that I should treasure people in my life more. I (work, worked, will work) harder in school to make you proud.
For more help with verb tenses, see page R56 in the Grammar Handbook.
the treasure of lemon brown 181
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LC1.4 Edit written manuscripts to
ensure that correct grammar is used.
W.2.1 abc
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Blues: A National Treasure
• Timeline • History Article • Feature Article
What’s the Connection?
In “The Treasure of Lemon Brown,” you met a blues musician, but do you know what blues music is? Where it came from? The other kinds of music it inspired? The selections that follow will tell you about all that and more.
Skill Focus: Identify Scope
Scope refers to a work’s range, or breadth, of coverage. In general, the fewer people, places, events, and ideas a work covers, the narrower its scope. For example, the “The Treasure of Lemon Brown” has a narrow scope because it covers just a few key interactions between a couple of characters on a single rainy evening. A story or article with a broad scope might introduce many people or events or cover a long period of time. To identify how wide or narrow the scope of a selection is, consider how the writer covers the following:
• People—How many people are introduced? How well do you get to know them?
• Places—How many places, or settings, are described? How much do you get to know about them?
• Events—How many events are covered? How much time do these events span? How much do you learn about them?
• Topic—What is the topic? How many aspects of it are discussed?
As you read the selections that follow, keep track of your answers to these questions. Then, use your answers to estimate each selection’s scope.
Timeline History Article
Feature Article
How many people does it introduce? How well do you get to know them?
How many places does it describe?
How many events does it cover? How much time do they span?
What is the topic? How many aspects of it are discussed?
Use with “The Treasure of Lemon Brown,” page 170.
182 unit 2: character and point of view
i
Reading for
Information
86A>;DGC>6
R2.3Find similarities and difference
between texts in the treatment,
scope, or organization of ideas.
Also included in this lesson:
Timeline: Evolution of the Blues
aThe blues emerged as a new form of music in the 20th century, but its roots date back to the music created by enslaved African Americans.
F OCUS ON FORM
A timeline is a graphic aid that identifies key events during a certain time period. Labels usually tell the specific time in which notable events occurred.
a TIMELI N E
Preview the timeline’s title and headings. Based on these, what kinds of events will the timeline include?
b I DENTI FY SCOPE
What period of time does the entire timeline cover?
THE BLUES AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY
19
10
s 1912 W. C. Handy writes the first blues song. He later becomes known as “the father of the blues.”
The Great Migration Many African
Americans leave the South in search of greater opportunity in Northern cities.
19
2
0
s 1923 Ma Rainey, “the mother of the blues,” releases her first album.
The Harlem Renaissance
African-American music, art, and writing thrive in Harlem, New York.
19
3
0
s
1933 Billie Holiday is discovered; she becomes one of the most famous jazz singers of all time. Her style is characteristic of the blues.
The Great Depression African
Americans, along with the population as a whole, experience massive unemployment.
1
940s
1943 Blues musician Muddy Waters moves to Chicago, which becomes the center of a new style of blues.
World War II More than one million African Americans serve in the military despite widespread segregation and discrimination.
19
5
0
s 1954 Elvis Presley records his first song. Influenced by blues and country music, he becomes known as “the king of rock and roll.”
A Landmark Court Case In 1954,
racial segregation in schools is declared unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education.
19
6
0
s
1962 The Rolling Stones form. Influenced by the blues, the band creates a new hard-rock style that inspires countless bands to follow.
The Civil Rights
Movement Congress
passes the Civil Rights Act, which makes racial discrimination illegal in public places.
1 9 7 0 s to b pr e s e n t
1973 Kool Herc begins to DJ in the Bronx. He is seen as the father of hip-hop, a musical style that has blues roots and is known for rapping and instrumental “beats.”
Struggles and Accomplishments
Though racial tensions still exist, African Americans gain broader economic opportunity than they had in previous decades.
reading for information 183
10
20
An American Art Form
Basic Blues:
MUDDY WATERS MA RAINEY W. C. HANDY BESSIE SMITH
W. C.
Handy knew about music.
The composer, cornet player, and orchestra leader had traveled a lot, and he had encountered many different types of music along the way. But while waiting for a train late one night, Handy discovered a style of music unlike anything he had ever heard or played: the blues.
The legend goes like this: One night in 1903, Handy arrived at a train station in Tutwiler, Mississippi, to find that his train was about nine hours behind schedule. His companion on the platform was a raggedly dressed fellow with a guitar. The man had an odd style of playing. He slid the back of a knife blade up and down the guitar’s strings, creating a warbling sound. As he sang, he repeated an odd refrain—“goin’ where the Southern cross the Dog”—which meant nothing to Handy. It turned out that the guitar-playing fellow was a traveling musician headed to a town called Moorhead, which was located at the intersection of two railroads, the Southern and the Yellow Dog. Handy was so intrigued by the musician’s unique style and lyrics that he decided to put something similar down on paper. In the years to come, Handy would be known as the “Father of the Blues.”
The American blues that Handy heard that night had its roots in the soulful songs of enslaved African Americans, which in turn were influenced by the call-and-response style of singing found in Africa. Field hollers, work songs, and
Reading for Information
c I DENTI FY SCOPE
How many people has the writer mentioned so far? Note how much you learn about each one of them.
d I DENTI FY SCOPE
Over what period of time do the events in this paragraph take place?
spirituals were all sung by enslaved people as a way of expressing both their suffering and their dreams. After the Civil War, some solo musicians in the South adapted these sounds into songs they sang while accompanying themselves on guitar. The term “the blues” goes back to the 18th century, when being sad or depressed meant that you were experiencing the “blue devils.” Since many of the songs were about emotional pain and loss, the name fit.
In 1912, Handy became one of the first composers to release sheet music for a blues song, “Memphis Blues.” In 1920, Mamie Smith, a vaudeville performer, became the first African American to record a blues record. “Crazy Blues” sold 75,000 copies in its first month. Such “race records,” as they were called, were originally marketed to African-American consumers, but by the end of the 1920s, both African-American and white listeners were snapping up copies of blues recordings from such artists as Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. Blues artists went from doing informal performances in taverns to large-scale stage performances in theaters and nightclubs, and blues musicians were no longer a phenomenon of the South alone. c
Throughout the first half of the 20th century, many African Americans began relocating to the North, looking for a better life with more opportunity. When they moved to cities like Chicago and Detroit, they brought blues music with them. Blues musicians at the time invented new ways to play the blues as a means of reflecting the changes they had experienced. One artist, Muddy Waters, traded in his acoustic guitar for an electric one and added new instruments such as an upright bass, drums, and a harmonica. The new blues was livelier, gave folks something to dance to, and paved the way for rhythm and blues and rock and roll.
Waters’s style of “electrified blues” was popular until the early 1950s. But then rock and roll took over the American airwaves. This could have been the end of the blues, but starting in the 1960s, a new wave of white musicians from England and the United States revived interest with their own versions of classic blues tunes. Groups like the Rolling Stones, Cream, and Led Zeppelin brought the blues back to the forefront of the American music scene. However, some blues musicians resented the success of these white musicians, who were gaining fortune and fame using the sounds of lesser-known African-American musicians. d
In recent years, new artists such as Jonny Lang, Shemekia Copeland, and Susan Tedeschi have contributed their own styles to the evolution of blues music. These new artists have managed to keep the genre fresh, while at the same time paying tribute to generations of past musicians who taught the United States— and the world—how to sing the blues.
30
40
50
S U N D AY, M A R C H 21, 2 0 0 4 B16
Andrew Jacobs
N
o one ever said the blues was any way to make a living. . . . Broke even in good times, Little Freddie King survived by playing juke joints in New Orleans until old age left his body broken. Deprived of a steady income, he went without dentures or glasses, and one night, a heavy rain brought down the ceiling of his bedroom.Without an audience for his quirky style of music, Haskel “Whistling Britches” Thompson ended up in a Winston-Salem homeless shelter. . . .
“These people are our culture, our folk musicians, and no one is looking after them,” said the bluesman Taj Mahal. “We’re always putting our hands over our heart and saying the Pledge of Allegiance and honoring Davy Crockett, yet we’re allowing these people and their music to fall through the cracks.”
In the 1980s, Tim Duffy came to a similar realization. As a student studying folklore at the University of North Carolina, he grew obsessed with preserving the sounds of these unheralded musicians. But as he traveled the rural South with recording equipment, he grew even more troubled by the poverty that left many artists without instruments and too strapped for heating oil or medicine.
“Their music ended up in archives but the problem is no one gets to hear it,” said Mr. Duffy, who lives in Hillsborough, N.C. “And the recordings don’t put food on their table, it doesn’t get them a gig.”
Over the last two decades, Mr. Duffy, 41, has turned his passion into a nonprofit organization, the Music Maker Foundation, which is part recording company, part artist management service, and part social welfare agency. For those able to perform, the foundation promotes roots music and offers artists a touring career; for those too old or sickly, he sends monthly checks that average $100.
When unexpected hardships strike, as in the case of Little Freddie King’s collapsing ceiling, Mr. Duffy provides emergency cash. . . .
The foundation also puts CDs into the hands of men like Cootie Stark, a blind guitarist from Greenville, S.C., who had never had his music recorded until he met Mr. Duffy at age 68. Mr. Stark, now 77, has since taken to the stages of Lincoln Center, the Rockport Rhythm and Blues Festival at Newport, and other concert venues. He earns about $8,000 a year selling his CDs.
“It should have happened 45 years ago, but I finally got a break,” he said. e
10 20 30 40 50 60
e I DENTI FY SCOPE
What is this article about? What time period does it focus on? Jot this information in your chart.
Reading for Information
Comprehension
1. Recall Who became known as “the father of the blues” and why?
2. Summarize In a few sentences, summarize what gave rise to electrified blues. 3. Clarify Reread lines 15–23 in “Musicians Know the Blues Firsthand.” What is
Taj Mahal pointing out here?
Critical Analysis
4. Compare Scope Which of the three selections has the narrowest scope?
How do the scopes of the other two selections compare? Use the chart you made as you read to give reasons for your answers.
5. Draw ConclusionsAbout a Timeline Why do you suppose a timeline called
“Evolution of the Blues” includes key events in African-American history?
Read for Information: Evaluate Sources
for Usefulness
writing prompt
Imagine you have chosen one of the following topics for a report:
• the birth of blues music and how blues has changed over the years • important events in African-American history
• the life of blues musicians
Explain which selection you would use as a source of information for this topic and why. If more than one selection would be useful to you, be sure to explain what each would provide.
To answer this prompt, first identify the topic you would want to focus on. Then follow these steps:
1. Using the chart you filled in,
consider the focus of each selection you just read. What kinds of information does each selection provide?
2. In a paragraph, identify
the topic you picked, the
selection(s) you would use for a report on that topic, and a brief explanation as to why the selection(s) would be useful to you.
Topic of Report:_____________________
Selection I Would Use
Why I Would Use It
reading for information 187
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R2.3Find similarities and
difference between texts in the
treatment, scope, or organization
of ideas.
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KEY IDEA As young children, we want to know everything: why the sky is blue, how computers work, why people can talk but dogs can’t. Humans have a natural thirst for knowledge. But as we grow up, we sometimes find there are things it’s not necessary, or even desirable, to know. In the short story you are about to read, a man learns that knowledge can bring with it some unpleasant truths.
DISCUSS If it were possible, would you want to see what the future holds for you in ten years, even if you couldn’t change it? Discuss this question with a small group. Consider the benefits of knowing what your life will be like, as well as the potential negatives.
k now
?
Flowers for Algernon
Short Story by Daniel Keyes
from
Charly
Screenplay by Stirling Silliphant
When is it better not to
188
Before Reading
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Included in this lesson: R3.2 (p. 219),
literary analysis: character traits
Literary characters are as unique as real people. They have distinct personalities, appearances, and likes and dislikes. These qualities are called character traits, and a reader must often infer them based on characters’ words and actions. In “Flowers for Algernon,” the main character undergoes a dramatic transformation. As you read, use a Y-chart to note which of his character traits change and which stay the same.
Before Operation
curiosity
After Operation
Remains the Same
Review: Point of View
reading strategy: reading a long story
Have you ever felt overwhelmed when reading a long story? The following strategies can help you stay on track:
• Look for ways to break up a long story into smaller parts.
• Pause at the end of these sections and