2. went back to the Devon School not 2. Text-based questions: “I long ago, and found it looking oddly What can the reader infer about the point-of-view of this newer than when I was a student there novel? fifteen years before. It seemed more It is written in first-person, went back to the Devon “I sedate than I remembered it, more School” perpendicular and strait-laced, with The speaker is an older person revisiting a place after a narrower windows and shinier long time. was a student fifteen years – “I before” woodwork, as though a coat of varnish A war was going on during the time he was at Devon. had been put over everything for better The school looks different than what he remembered. preservation. But, of course, fifteen years before there had been a war What does the word sedate mean in the passage? going on. Perhaps the school as wasn’t Calm, quiet well kept up in those days; perhaps varnish, along with everything else, had What importance does the varnish play in this description? gone to war” (9). Varnish represents the difference in the two time periods. The speaker notices it because, at least in his memory, the school was dull, drab, and worn. The teacher may want to revisit this passage at the end of work to see if there is another connection that can be made to a over everything. “wax” covering What literary devices does the author use in this passage? For what reason? Personification school looked varnish went to – “sedate”; war. It gives the school human like qualities because, like the speaker, the school has changed since he was last there. 3. Describe all of the qualities that come to mind when you 3. this glossy new “I didn’t entirely like think of a museum. surface, because it made the school Lifeless look like a museum, and that’s exactly Quiet what it was to me, and what I did not Impersonal want it to (9). be” Pristine Uncomfortable Serious Focuses on the past Why do you think that school reminded him of a museum? Why would he not like this? Answers will vary, but make a point to emphasize that the speaker is experiencing some strong emotions during this visit. He feels uncomfortable and unwelcome.
2. “I went back to the Devon School not long ago, and found it looking oddly newer than when I was a student there fifteen years before. It seemed more sedate than I remembered it, more perpendicular and strait-laced, with narrower windows and shinier woodwork, as though a coat of varnish had been put over everything for better preservation. But, of course, fifteen years before there had been a war going on. Perhaps the school wasn’t as well kept up in those days; perhaps varnish, along with everything else, had gone to war” (9). 3. “I didn’t entirely like this glossy new surface, because it made the school look like a museum, and that’s exactly what it was to me, and what I did not want it to be” (9). 2. Text-based questions: What can the reader infer about the point-of-view of this novel? It is written in first-person, “I went back to the Devon School” The speaker is an older person revisiting a place after a long time. – “I was a student fifteen years before” A war was going on during the time he was at Devon. The school looks different than what he remembered. What does the word sedate mean in the passage? Calm, quiet What importance does the varnish play in this description? Varnish represents the difference in the two time periods. The speaker notices it because, at least in his memory, the school was dull, drab, and worn. The teacher may want to revisit this passage at the end of work to see if there is another connection that can be made to a “wax” covering over everything. What literary devices does the author use in this passage? For what reason? Personification – school looked “sedate”; varnish went to war. It gives the school human like qualities because, like the speaker, the school has changed since he was last there. 3. Describe all of the qualities that come to mind when you think of a museum. Lifeless Quiet Impersonal Pristine Uncomfortable Serious Focuses on the past Why do you think that school reminded him of a museum? Why would he not like this? Answers will vary, but make a point to emphasize that the speaker is experiencing some strong emotions during this visit. He feels uncomfortable and unwelcome.
Grade_9_GT_ELA_Identity_LS_1.docx