Biographical%20Sketch%20(5%20min)

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Biographical Sketch (5 min)

• For your bell ringer today, write the following
  info regarding you and your family (past and
  present)
• Place of birth for you, your parents, and
  grandparents
• Places livedyou, your parents, grandparents
• Schools attendedyou, your parents
• Significant adults/people in your life
• Dreams for yourself and/or dreams of your parents
• Challenges for yourself and challenges for your
  parents
• Goal before and after completing high school

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Europe and AmericaPage 10 in SpringboardBy
David Ignatow

• My father brought the emigrant bundle
• of desperation and worn threads,
• that in anxiety as he stumbles
• tumble out distractedly
• while I am bedded upon soft green money
• that grows like grass.
• Thus, between my father
• who lives on a bed of anguish for his daily
  bread,
• and I who tear money at leisure by the roots,
• where I lie in sun or shade,
• a vast continent of breezes, storms to him,
• shadows, darkness to him, small lakes, rough
  channels
• to him, and hills, mountains to him, lie between
  us.
• My father comes of a small hell
• where bread and man have been kneaded and baked
• together.
• You have heard the scream as the knife fell
• while I have slept

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Denotation and Connotation

• Denotation refers to the dictionary definition of
  the word.
• Connotation refers to the associations connected
  to a word. A words connotation usually has a
  more powerful effect on the reader. It may be a
  visual image or an idea to ponder.
• Words can have multiple meanings and they can be
  negative or positive.

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Example

• Hollywood denotes an area of Los Angeles, CA,
  known as the center for the movie industry.
• Hollywood connotes such things as celebrities,
  fame, money, stardom, and glamour.

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Denotation and Connotation in David Ignatows
Europe and America
Word or Phrase Denotation Connotation Effect on the Reader
emigrant bundle of desperation emigrant one who leaves the country of his or her birth bundle a group of objects held together by tying or wrapping desperation recklessness arising from losing all hope The father is associated with that which is negative bringing all his hopelessness to the new world. The words set up the reader to contrast the fathers experience with the sons.
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YOU PracticeWrite your answers on page 11
Word or Phrase Denotation Connotation Effect on the Reader
bedded on soft green money
bed of anguish
vast continent of breezes, storm to him
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Identifying/Analyzing Connotations of
Words/Phrases in a Poem

• Class discussion How does diction (word choice)
  and denotation/connotation influence our reading
  of David Ignatow's poem Europe and America?

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Diction Matters

• Words writers use have an impact on the reader.
• Instead of bedded on soft green money, what if
  the poet wrote, funded by filthy bills. How
  does that change affect you as a reader and your
  interpretation?
• Change the wording of at least two words or
  phrases and share how that change affects your
  interpretationwrite these on pg. 12.
• Share those with the class.