How do you define your “American-ness”?

• - Week Recap/2 Essays/Clips• Author Bias: Look for diction in the writing/subtleties

Poetry Work:

• In your packets: – “next to of course god america i”– “I, too”– “The New Colossus”

– Note poetic form and style- ANNOTATE!!!!– Annotate according to following slide questions– Discuss far more than you write notes

Poetry Questions

• Who is the speaker (gender, racial or religious group, socioeconomic, age, etc.)

• What is the Big Idea of the poem (what is it really about)?

• Which America is being written about (what time period, what place…)?

• What perspectives/aspects/qualities of American Culture do we see in this poem?

Again: The Goal is to provide perspectives on “American-ness)

The Portfolio

• 6 Assignments Total=60 points• 1 selected resubmission= 40 points

“Neon Scars”

Prose vs Poetry

• Prose: Written or spoken language in its original form- structure

• Poetry: Specific genre composed of style and rhythm

• Prose poetry: is poetry written in prose instead of using verse but preserving poetic qualities such as heightened imagery and emotional effects.

• Prosaic: Having style or diction of prose (lacking poetic beauty)

“Let America Be America Again”

As we read “Let America Be America Again,” consider:

• How is poetic diction (word choice) different from prose?• How are the rhythms and structures of poetry different from prose?• How do you know poetry when you see it?• What happens when poetry and prose overlap? Why might an author use elements of both poetry and prose?

Consider this…

I hate it when other people write about my alienation and anger. even if it’s true,I’m not proudof it. It has crippled me

made me sick, made me out of balance.

It has also been the sourceofmy poetry.

Working with 1-2 others, examine the structure of Wendy Rose’s “Neon Scars.” Answer on lined paper:

• How does Rose use typography, paragraph breaks, and shifts in point of view to explore her ideas? How does overall style of mixing prose with poetry affect overall meaning? Mark up essay!

•What does her piece have to do with being Native American?

-How does her story reveal her American-ness?

-What is the neon scar?

Portfolio #1- How did it go?

Questions to ask yourself:- Did you stick to the prompt (autobiographical sketch looking at your perception of who you are in the world)?

-cultural/national community, place in

family, extended family, etc. - How did you adopt Rose’s technique of

working with both prose and poetry?

Workshop

• Get started reading “Mexico’s Children”- it’s a longer essay, and incredibly powerful!

• With new eyes, feel free to edit your Portfolio #1. See what you discover about yourself and your writing !

Homework- JUST READ!

Read: “Mexico’s Children”, please do not take notes in the American Voices packet.

PS: I think you are all awesome!