Carolee Dean, April Halprin Wayland, Caroline Starr Rose, Lisa Schroeder Social Issues in Contemporary Fiction and Verse Novels: Recognizing Literary Devices and the Implications for Struggling Readers

Permission is granted to use the material in this power point for classroom purposes. For other uses contact Carolee Dean for permission at: [email protected]

To find the power point exploring literary devices for TAKE ME THERE by Carolee Dean visit the Teacher Resources section at: http://caroleedeanbooks.blogspot.com

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Objectives

 Discover why verse novels have become popular among struggling readers.  Find out how to get students to recognize literary and poetic devices.

 If time permits - Listen to poets debate the use of plotting outlines vs. the more organic approach that many poets favor.

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Modern Stories Told in Verse

The History of Verse Novels-Carolee Dean

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Explosion of Novels in Verse

With authors like Ellen Hopkins and Sonya Sones, there has been an explosion of verse novels in the past decade.

A Brief History of Novels in Verse

Are verse novels a YA/middle grade fad, a new art form, or something else? Are they even really poetry?

Were there verse novels before Out of the Dust won the Newbery in 1998?

Before Out of the Dust there was…

 Soda Jerk by Cynthia Rylant in 1990.

 Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff in 1993.

AND IF WE GO BACK JUST A LITTLE FURTHER IN TIME…

Homer (not Simpson)

Lived around 850 b.c. – the presumed creator of The Iliad and the Odyssey (Greek epic poems) 10

These are among the oldest surviving works of Western literature and continue to inspire modern retellings

Other Dead Poets

 Ovid - 8 a.d. created Metamorphoses  Virgil – 20 b.c. created Aeneid

Is it Poetry or is it Algebra?

6 feet (beats) x (1 long +2 short syllables) = Dactylic Hexameter

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Beowulf

 Written by an unknown anglo saxon poet between the 8 th and 11 th centuries.

 It is considered an Old English heroic epic poem written in alliterative long lines.

Seamus Heaney Translation

 Sometimes we don’t recognize that these older works are written in verse because the poetry is lost in the translation, but in Beowulf, Heaney (2000) tried to stay true to the original poetry form.

Seamus Version

a b alm in b ed to the b attle-scarred Swede.

Shakespeare’s Plays

Though not novels, parts of some of Shakespeare's plays (i.e. Julius Ceasar and Hamlet) were written in blank verse, unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter.

Dante’s Divina Commedia

 Written 1308-1321.  preeminent work of Italian literature  First known use of

Terza rima

: ABA, BCB, CDC, etc.

 Any number of stanzas are permissable, but the sequence always ends with a rhyming couplet.

Back to Modern Stories

Listen to the following poem and see if you can figure out the form being used. It’s written like prose to hide the structure, but the structure is there…

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Name That Form-Round 1

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“My House” from

Forget Me Not

p. 171 by Carolee Dean

Back in my room I lie awake all night, tossing, turning. Getting out of bed, I look out the window at the sky, say a silent prayer, and bang my head against the glass. Hear my father’s voice as he complains about the cost of bread, ingratitude, why Mom can’t make a choice to leave the couch. She’s stuck to it like glue. I hear him threaten that he’ll use some force to get her moving. Says he’ll show her who is boss. I hear him stumble as he falls into a chair, too drunk to follow through. I sneak out of my room and down the hall. Heading for the door, I hear him cry. Hear him whisper even as he bawls. I

f there really is a God then why did Frankie have to be the one to die?

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The form is Terza Rima just like in Dante’s

Divina Commedia

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An example of Terza Rima from “My House” pg. 171

Forget Me Not

Back in my room I lie awake all night, A tossing, turning. Getting out of bed, B I look out the window at the sky, A (slant rhyme) say a silent prayer, and bang my head B (enjambment) against the glass. Hear my father’s voice C (enjambment) as he complains about the cost of bread, B (enjambment) ingratitude, why Mom can’t make a choice C (enjambment) to leave the couch. She’s stuck to it like glue. D I hear him threaten that he’ll use some force C (slant rhyme)

Forget Me Not (continued)

to get her moving. Says he’ll show her who D (enjambment) is boss. I hear him stumble as he falls E (enjambment) into a chair, too drunk to follow through. D (end rhyme) I sneak out of my room and down the hall. E (end rhyme) Heading for the door, I hear him cry. F (end rhyme) Hear him whisper even as he bawls. E (end rhyme)

If there really is a God then why

F (enjambment)

did Frankie have to be the one to die?

F (end rhyme)

Readability Statistics

Found in Microsoft Word While in Spell Check go to Options Mark “show readability statistics” When you are finished with spell check, the statistics will appear.

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Readability Statistics for “My House”

Version One-Prose Words-140 Characters-542 Paragraphs-2 Sentences - 11 Sentences per paragraph – 5.5

Words per sentence-12.7

Characters per word -3.7

Flesch-Kincaid Grade -3.1

Version Two-Poem Words-140 Characters-542 Paragraphs-17 Sentences - 11 Sentences per paragraph 1.8

Words per sentence-5.7

Characters per word -3.7

27 Flesch-Kincaid Grade -0.3

What increases the difficulty of the reading level?

-Length of words -Length of sentences -Length of paragraphs 28

April Halprin Wayland

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Verse Novel vs. Novel in Poems



1) Mentored my Myra Cohn Livingston



2) Girl Coming in for a Landing was submitted for 10 years



3) Penny Markey, Library Administrator for Youth Services for the County of Los Angeles Public Library, in charge of 85 County libraries' children's programs, encouraged me to keep trying because "Novels in poems were flying off the shelves in juvenile halls. If a student has never finished reading a whole novel before, he or she can read a novel in one sitting and feel triumphant"

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Novels in verse are perfect for low readers because they often…

-Use short words and sentences with few true paragraphs -Build in natural pauses -Leave a lot of white space on the page -Are descriptive but use mostly nouns and verbs, allowing the reader to form concrete images -Incorporate sensory images -Present complete ideas in a short space. Each poem is its own unit. You can talk about the main idea after one page instead of muddling through a 15 page chapter.

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How do you feel when you see a page like this?

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Versus a page like this?

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Name That Form-Round 2

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From

Girl Coming in for a Landing

by April Halprin Wayland

When do I count the clock that tells the time and see my whole day gone and all its light; when I sort out this (poem’s) classic rhyme and try to comprehend with all my might; when it occurs to me that I’ll be teased by fellow students after they have heard my (poem) said upon these trembling knees, my fervent wish? That I’m disguised (with beard).

Then of my wisdom do I question make. What was I thinking when I said I’d try for Drama Club—was I not yet awake? Now I must climb from this black hole hereby; for nothing ‘gainst Mr. J. can make defense Save bribes, to brave him when he hears me hence.

Flesch Kincaid Grade Level 3.7

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“My Version of William Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet Number Twelve’” From

Girl Coming in for a Landing

by April Halprin Wayland

When do I count the clock that tells the time And see my whole day gone and all its light; When I sort out this sonnet’s classic rhyme And try to comprehend with all my might; When it occurs to me that I’ll be teased By fellow students after they have heard My sonnet said upon these trembling knees, My fervent wish? That I’m disguised (with beard).

Then of my wisdom do I question make.

What was I thinking when I said I’d try For Drama Club —was I not yet awake?

Now I must climb from this black hole hereby; For nothing ‘gainst Mr. J. can make defense Save bribes, to brave him when he hears me hence.

 Flesch Kincaid Grade Level 0.9

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Lisa Schroeder

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Verse novels can be used to make students more aware of the sounds within words.

- Alliteration (The repetition of initial consonant sounds.) Assonance (The repetition of vowel sounds without similar consonants) Consonance (The repetition of consonant sounds across word positions, usually at the end).

Note: Definitions of consonance vary 38

“Sugar and Spies” from

The Day Before

by Lisa Schroeder

W e get in Madison’s K i a, ( assonance ) and b e fore I can e ven get the words out, sh e ’s reading my mind like a best friend should.

“We’re following him, right?” she asks.

I reach into my b ag. ( alliteration ) Jelly b eans for dinner.

“ R ight as r aspberry.” ( alliteration ) 39

From the Experts: Lisa Schroeder, author of four verse novels, most recently The Day Before

For me, verse is all about atmosphere. I choose to do it because

it helps me to create an atmosphere I can’t get with regular prose.

It also allows me to get to the

emotional truths of the story

, and to accentuate them.

I didn’t choose the verse as much as it chose me, and

rather than detracted from it. with each book I’ve written in verse, it added to the story

Not all stories are going to work in verse. In fact, I’d probably argue, most stories won’t work in verse. But when it does, it’s a beautiful thing, I think!

Caroline Starr Rose

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More Bang for Your Buck

Verse novels tend to provide more examples of figurative language (the kind of stuff frequently found on SBA tests) than traditional novels: Metaphor (drawing a comparison between two things) Simile (using the word “like” or “as” to draw a comparison) Personification (giving human attributes to something non-human) Allusion (reference to another literary work, history, art, person, event, etc.) 42

“Hunger is a Wild Dog”

Teachers guide for HOME OF THE BRAVE by Katherine Applegate available in TEACHER RESOURCES at http://caroleedeanbooks.blogspot.com

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Excerpts from

May B.

by Caroline Starr Rose

#82 – metaphor “Sometimes I see wagon ruts, a memory pressed in dried mud.” #90 – personification “Wind runs across the prairie, swirling snowflakes and brittle grass.” #147 simile “I am content to feel the wind at my cheeks, to take in the stars scattered like marbles across the heavens.” 44

May B.

Caroline Starr Rose 11

I play a game inside my head, (assonance) counting plum trees that dot a creek bed, rabbits that scatter at the sound of wagon wheels, (assonance) clouds that skirt the sky. (alliteration) For hours, that is all, and grass, always grass, in different shades and textures ( Internal rhyme) like the braids in a rag rug. ( simile) (alliteration) Mi ss S ander s told us that line s never end, (consonance) and number s go on forever.

Here, in short-gra ss country, I under s tand infinity.

Literary & Poetic Devices Treasure Hunt

Put up examples of literary and poetic devices around the classroom.

Tell students what they are looking for and how many examples there are of each.

Have them complete a chart listing the examples.

Or use this power point which we’ve provided for you in your handouts.

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Take Me There

by Carolee Dean

“The River” p. 209 Blood is a river .

One drop follow another until they all reach the bottom of the blue deep sea 47

ANSWER - Metaphor

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May B.

by Caroline Starr Rose

Excerpt from #4 p. 8 I grab a fistful of shorn hair.

I am no better than Samson once that Delilah cut his hair, once his strength was gone.

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Answer - Allusion

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Girl Coming in for a Landing

by April Halprin Wayland

An excerpt from “Reviews” p. 119 Carlo smiles right into my eyes And says “Illiant-bray!” Silly old bear.

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Answer - Allusion

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The Day Before

by Lisa Schroeder

Excerpt from “Together Again” p. 192 Back in his Beetle, a dozen questions circle my mind like vultures .

I can’t let them move in on this moment though.

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Answer - Simile

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Take Me There

by Carolee Dean

Excerpt from “The Heart of Texas-3” p. 308 In the heart of Texa s , there’ s a s ound, the s ound of weeping in the hall s .

The witne ss e s are drawing near to pre ss their fa c e s to the gla ss .

Watching minute s ticking pa s t.

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Answer - Consonance

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May B.

by Caroline Starr Rose

Excerpt from #110 p. 164 I bang ice from the hay logs.

The few buffalo chips must stay as they are, too fragile to pound on the floor.

My hands move like wet leather dried out in the sun.

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Answer - Simile

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Girl Coming in for a Landing

by April Halprin Wayland

excerpt from “Those School Dances” p. 36 I w ander back to the fringe of the cool gym to heat my w all spot.

Other w all w armers are w hisked away.

I w ork hard, hiding my fingertips from inspection.

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Answer - Alliteration

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The Day Before

by Lisa Schroeder

Excerpt from “Soaking Wet” p. 161 I run after him, the warm sand gripping my feet with each step as if it were trying to tell me to go slowly, carefully.

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Answer - Personification

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Girl Coming in for a Landing

by April Halprin Wayland

“Taking Violin” p. 22 I open my case tighten my bow pluck a string to tune.

I love to listen to it chirp across the echoing room.

My friends are in class reading about a famous English king, but I am training this wooden bird upon my arm to sing.

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Answer – Implied Metaphor

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The Day Before

by Lisa Schroeder

Excerpt from “Hearts in the Sand” It’s still dark, but the moon glows, smiling down on us.

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Answer - Personification

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Take Me There

by Carolee Dean

THE ROAD Life isn’t a destination.

It’s a journey .

But you gotta be heading somewhere or you’re just a mouse going round.

Even if the place you wind up isn’t the place you were bound.

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Answer – Extended Metaphor

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May B.

by Caroline Starr Rose

Excerpt from #25 p. 40 Like a shadow, Mrs. Oblinger floats about, Sometimes outside, Sometimes in.

Is she at the creek fetching water?

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Answer - Simile

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If Time Permits

Writing Activities will Follow 71

 try the following exercises…

Suggestion #1 Counting Syllables

 Write an entire scene or description as a series of haiku or tanka.

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Suggestion #2 Metaphor

Create a metaphor for an abstract term like hunger and then continue exploring that idea. (i.e. Hunger is…) 74

Suggestion #3 Alliteration

1) 2) Come up with one word for each of the five senses for things you would find in a restaurant. Use each word to write a sentence and make at least one more word in the sentence start with the same sound as your word.

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THE END

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