Allusion: Marking Period 2 Reading Notes Literary Elements Reference to a person, place or thing in history or another work of literature. The reference is made b/c the character and/or story has something in common with that person, place or thing. Doug Spaulding said I m madder than Ahab character in the novel Moby Dick everyone thought Ahab was crazy (demented). First Amendment Metaphor: Mr. Neck: Angry his son can t get a job.so he starts a debate about allowing immigrants into the U.S. When a student challenges Mr. Neck s belief..he closes the debate. Mr. Neck does not allow students to stand up for what they believe. David Petrakis: Stands up challenges Mr. Neck calling him out for not allowing the students to say what they believe. David represents the ability to stand up for what you believe. Says so much, without saying a word Melinda looks up to him because he stands up for what he believes and is able to make a statement without talking at all. She (her mom) is boiling the turkey. Three magazines later, my parents are arguing. Not a rip roarer. A simmering argument, a few bubbles splashing on the stove. Boiling turkey compares her parents argument to the simmering pot.rip roarer(really boiling) vs. simmering (lightly boiling) 1
Simile:Pg. 58 The turkey floats in the sink, a ten pound turkey iceberg. A turkeyberg. I feel very much like the Titanic. (Simile) Allusion: Pg. 58 Making reference to the Titanic sinking b/c of an iceberg or a turkeyberg (Allusion) Melinda is comparing herself to the Titanic. They both sunk/are sinking because of an iceberg (or turkeyberg). Melinda feels like she is sinking because of the drama of family life on Thanksgiving. Tree: Symbolism Tree: Symbolism Pg. 55 I have no idea how to make it come alive. Melinda feels dead inside the tree represents her..so she can t figure out how to make it look alive. Pg. 61 I want to make a memorial for our turkey. Never has a bird been so tortured to provide such a lousy dinner. I dig the bones out of the trash and bring them to art class. Melinda connects to the bones.they have both been tortured. She wants to use the bones in her art project. 2
Tree: Symbolism (continued) Pg. 62 You are the bird. Sacrifice yourself to abandoned family values and canned yams. Pg. 64 I see a girl caught in the remains of a holiday gone bad, with her flesh picked off day after day as the carcass dries out..the palm tree is a nice touch. A broken dream, perhaps. Review: Hyperbole Pg. 57: If she doesn t sell a billion shirts and twelve million belts on Black Friday, the world will end. What is this hyperbole saying? Pg. 65: Ms. Keen has been teaching since the Middle Ages. What is this hyperbole saying? Page 66: Ninth grade is a minor inconvenience to him. A zit cream commercial before the Feature Film of Life. First Amendment, Second Verse T.V. Commercial/Feature Film: Zit Cream Commercial: Embarrassing, not a big paying job, zits are a inconvenience Feature Film (of Life): Big deal, big paying job, everyone enjoys it David s Life: High School: Can be embarrassing, a major inconvenience b/c he is too smart for it, not a big deal David s Future: Big paying job, Important (Doctor or Lawyer) BIG DEAL Pg. 67 Mr. Neck is teaching about The colonists wanted a voice in the British Parliament. No one is power would listen to their complaints. Why is this ironic? 3
Page 72 But I want to tell them everything as we sit there by our plastic Christmas tree while the Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer video plays. What literary technique is being used? Allusion. Why does Anderson choose this Christmas special? Page 73 Melinda s mom is driving her to work with her. Melinda tells the reader that: they don t leave work until after dark, sales have sucked, she didn t get anywhere near her goal, layoffs are coming. At a stop light Melinda sees her mom close her eyes and then thinks.. Her skin is a flat gray color, like underwear washed so many times it s about to fall apart. Her skin is a flat gray color, like underwear washed so many times it s about to fall apart. Page 80 81 Symbolism Underwear: Gray color the color has been washed out of it. Falling apart b/c of it has been washed too many times. Mom s Face: Gray color hardly any color in her face The washing machine has made the underwear fall apart, the washing machine could be compared to her work. Work is making her mom fall apart. Frog: Frog on her back waiting for a prince. David pins the frog s hands down. Frog doesn t say a word b/c she is already dead The smell in biology lab Melinda: Melinda met Andy Evans Senior a prince Melinda s hand were pinned down that night Melinda did not say a word, and as soon as it happened she was already dead Caused Melinda to remember that night smell the dirt, leaves in her hair 4
Page 87 I watch the Eruptions, Mount Dad, long dormant, now considered armed and dangerous. Mount Saint Mom, oozing lava, spitting flame. Warn the villagers to run into the sea. Metaphor Mom and Dad yelling.is being compared to a volcano Dad long dormant doesn t always yell, but he is exploding now. Mom oozing lava, spitting flames really angry Villagers Melinda should run save herself 5