Aim: How does a writer create effects through the connotations of words and images?
Do Now:
Describe an event in your life that at first seemed like fun, yet after the incident concluded you were ashamed or disappointed with yourself. Why do you believe you felt that way?
The class discussed a variety of things, from social anxiety to a babysitting incident. My personal experience with this type of event is that when I was younger, my cousin and I were in a souvenir shop, and there was a section full of antique glassware. My cousin and I were playing a game and we were running around the store, when I pushed him and he bumped into one of the shelves, knocking over a glass cup. He got into a bunch of trouble and our parents had to pay for the cup we broke. I felt really ashamed of myself because I didn’t get into any trouble, but my cousin did, and my parents had to pay for the consequences of my mistakes.
We spoke about how we feel disappointed in ourselves because of shame and we realize what we’re doing is wrong. As a child, it seems like a fun thing to do, but after you do it, you feel guilt, because you realize to the full extent what you had done. This relates to the short story (Marigolds) that we read, since the narrator went through a similar experience, which she then gained maturity from.
Kahoot
We then played a game of Kahoot to review and answer questions about the short story, Marigolds by Eugenia Collier.
Team Collaboration Activity
After the Kahoot, we got together with our groups and discussed a couple of questions regarding the short story:
**Tip: rephrase the question(s) in your answer so that when someone reads it, they know exactly what you’re talking about.**
In Paragraph 22, why are the marigolds so important to Miss Lottie, and why do the children hate them?
What stands out about the imagery in paragraphs 22 and 27?
Describe the internal conflict occurring for the narrator, Lizabeth. Find “textual evidence” to support your statement.
This internal conflict—being torn between childhood and adulthood— is one of the present themes in this story. The narrator struggles with this conflict, and is confused on how she should act and feel.
Lizabeth overhears her parents’ conversation. How does it make her feel? What is the consequence of her hearing this conversation?
Our class discussed how Lizabeth feels hopeless, scared, and afraid and there was so much emotional turmoil going on in her life at this time. Additionally, parents are placed on a “god-like” pedestal in a child’s mind, so from Lizabeth’s perspective, when her father broke down, it broke her too. The narrator saw her parents as normal human beings for the first time, and this may have also contributed to the narrator’s coming of age.
What can you infer from the text as to Lizabeth’s reasons for her final act of destruction?
Paragraphs 57 & 60 are especially rich in juxtaposition.
Juxtaposition: the placement of two or more things side by side, often in order to bring out their differences.
Ex. Imagine a man walking a well-groomed dog on a pink leash on one hand and a rough Rottweiler on a spiked collar on the other hand. The juxtaposition could be shocking, humorous, or just plain strange.
Regardless, this literary term calls attention to two distinctly different things by placing them right beside one another, or juxtaposing them.
Here are paragraphs 57 and 60 for reference:
Examine the diction and imagery and show your understanding of juxtaposition by identifying two images or words set up for comparison.
Adding on, juxtaposition creates contrast, so that the reader can clearly see the differences and have a better understanding of the writing.
Our class also discussed how there was another juxtaposition that was present in paragraphs 57 and 60—the comparison between the old image of Miss Lottie and the new one. This one line in the story shows this particularly well: “The witch was no longer a witch but only a broken old woman who had dared to create beauty in the midst of ugliness and sterility.” At first, Miss Lottie was portrayed as mean and old, but in this paragraph, the narrator sees beauty in Miss Lottie’s actions.
Consider the last sentence of the story...
“And I too have planted marigolds.”
...and make inferences about whether the narrator is speaking literally, figuratively, or both.
Individual Activity
Brainstorm here! Try to describe the narrator’s voice.
Think of ways to explain how the writer’s diction and imagery create this voice.
You might also mention other literary elements, such as juxtaposition, that contribute to the narrator’s voice or point of view.
Reflection:
In this lesson, I learned about the short story Marigolds and the themes, imagery, word choice, tone, and symbolism in it. I also learned about juxtaposition, and how it can be used to enhance elements of a story. I learned a lot about how writers tell stories through connotation, figurative language, and imagery. To recap, connotation is the feelings or emotions that are often associated with different words. A writer can use different words to create completely different effects, and use positive, negative, or neutral connotation to their advantage and provide the readers with a deeper, intentional meaning. While reading Marigolds, I developed a better understanding of what it means to “come of age”, and I am also inspired by this story to “plant marigolds” in my own life. Overall, through reading, analyzing, and discussing this short story, I was able to obtain information about writing and storytelling and its effect on the readers and the story itself.
I learned it so that I can write more effectively using my choice of words, imagery, and juxtaposition. Additionally, now that I have gone through this process of analyzing writing more carefully, I can continue to do that whenever I read and gain a better understanding of the writing. I will use what I learned to continue analyzing writing and techniques that writers use to create effects and tell their stories that way it can help me understand the story better and on a deeper level. I will also use what I learned the next time I write, so that I can engage my audience with literary devices such as imagery and juxtaposition, and set the tone with a choice of diction and connotation.
I also gained a deep understanding of the short story, such as the themes of innocence, how there is a difference between innocence and compassion, and creating beauty when life gives you bad situations. I felt inspired by this story, and I now strive to try to be like Miss Lottie—when all hope is seemingly lost, I will try to put my passion into something that will make the situation better.
Here is a link I made with supplemental materials: analysisofmarigoldssupplemental.carrd.co/
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