Bellwork: Poem of the Week Satire

◦ Applying the methods of satire to a fairy tale

Homework: None

Tuesday, November 18th

Write a few sentences describing something you have realized or learned since you were a child. (For example, I have realized that even though my mom’s perpetual lateness used to drive me crazy, I am very prone to the same bad habit.)

Bellwork: Poem of the Week

Sometimes a poet’s reconsideration of the past doesn’t involve a difficult life lesson. Sometimes reconsideration means measuring the distance between a childhood perspective and a new level of awareness that comes with adolescence.

Read the two following poems, both written by students, and mark at least one with the lines that you think are effective, because you can identify with the feelings or the ideas expressed in them.

Unlucky, by Michael Conley Carter

How did all those nearsighted kidsget so lucky?

When I was little,I wantedglasses.Call me naïve,but I thought it’d be coolto own a sleek pair of glassesand a big, snapping caseto protect them.

Imagine: this small,sight-enhancing devicecould change my whole identity:a costume of smartness.I pictured my face in the mirror,a new me with a cool pair of glassesresting on my nose.Wow.

I guess a few“Hey, four-eyes!”might have made me want to

reconsider,but who says that anymore,

anyway?And I knew all the lucky peoplewearing glasseswould have told me I was crazy,that wearing glasseswas the worst.But dreams of transformationstill tempted me.

Now I’ve outgrownmy childish ideas.Why would I ever want glasses?With my twenty-twenty vision,I can finally seehow lucky I am.

Family, by Anna Jaeger

Each time we visited my auntmy mom told me the storyof the photo:

That’s your great-grandfather Juliusand his mom, your great-great-

grandmother.This photo was taken in Russia.They were so poorthey had to rent shoes for this picture.

I never thought much of ituntil now.In school I study peoplecoming to Americain hope of a better life.

That is what they did.

I stare hard into the picture:their faces stiff with fear,their eyes that resemble Adrienne’s,

the mother,arms wrapped aroundher daughter’s frail body.

I wonder:did they ever imaginethat some of them wouldn’t survive?That the two boyswould be forcedto fend for themselves?Start a new life,alone,in a strange new world?

I change the channelon my aunt’s wide screen television.I glance back at the photo.

Before, all I saw were strangersin odd, old clothes.Now, I see my family.

What did you believe or understand when you were little? As a poet, can you look back on your childhood fantasy life and measure the distance, as Michael did, or on your old and new perspectives, as Anna did?

Benediction

Consider a fairy tale that you know well. Describe the…◦ characters

◦ setting

◦ conflict

◦ resolution

Satire in Fairy Tales

How could you apply the techniques of satire to this fairy tale?◦ exaggeration◦ parody◦ reversal◦ incongruity

Satire has the overarching goal of commenting on or criticizing society (our society). What will be the underlying moral or lesson of your story?◦ Example: focus on the role of the hero to

comment on how unrealistic that character is.

Identify 3-5 things from your story to focus on, such as details about character or characteristics of the plot.

Identify your satirical message. Re-write a scene or a brief fairy tale in a

satirical style (with a message!) Should be 2-3 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, Arial or Times New Roman.