1. DO NOW – 1/12/16 Answer the questions below in your CN: 1) “Grit” can be defined as a personality trait where a person overcomes an obstacle despite enormous difficulty and even setbacks. 2) Has there been a time in your life when you had “grit”? 1) “Grit” can be defined as a personality trait where a person overcomes an obstacle despite enormous difficulty and even setbacks. 2) Has there been a time in your life when you had “grit”?

2. Topic / Objective & Essential Question Topic / Objective: 1) To closely read “A Far Cry...” and explicate its central ideas. Essential Question: 1) How does Walcott express horror at what BOTH colonizers have done AND what anti- colonialists have done? Topic / Objective: 1) To closely read “A Far Cry...” and explicate its central ideas. Essential Question: 1) How does Walcott express horror at what BOTH colonizers have done AND what anti- colonialists have done?

3. Announcements For Wednesday, you will have to write an essay on “A Far Cry From Africa.” The essay you write will count for both the Essay 4 assignment and the Final Exam. You will ONLY have class time to work on it on Wednesday. Whatever notes you produce from today and tomorrow can be used to write the essay.

4. The Role of Poetry Poetry can do many things... 1) express emotions 2) tell stories 3) debate complex issues 4) advocate for causes Poetry can do many things... 1) express emotions 2) tell stories 3) debate complex issues 4) advocate for causes

5. THE BEST POETRY (like Walcott’s)... can do ALL THESE things... 1) express emotions 2) tell stories 3) debate complex issues 4) advocate for causes at the same time, sometimes even in a few lines of words. can do ALL THESE things... 1) express emotions 2) tell stories 3) debate complex issues 4) advocate for causes at the same time, sometimes even in a few lines of words.

6. “A Far Cry From Africa” can mean... 1)Walcott hears the “cries” from his ancestral homeland, Africa – the “cries” representing the suffering during anti-colonial violence. 2)Walcott is “crying” – meaning he himself is suffering in learning about the violence in Africa. 3)Walcott is crying out, or “shouting” / expressing a poem that represents his ambiguous feelings about anti-colonialism.

7. A word on “grit”... As you head into finals and Regents, and in some I want to pass on two words of advice... a)Don’t give up b)Don’t be afraid of getting help in times of need As you head into finals and Regents, and in some I want to pass on two words of advice... a)Don’t give up b)Don’t be afraid of getting help in times of need

8. My story of “grit”... When I was 10, my mother died of cancer... I spent many years struggling with her loss. However, the most difficult moment in my life came when my father died suddenly of a heart attack when I was 23. When I was 10, my mother died of cancer... I spent many years struggling with her loss. However, the most difficult moment in my life came when my father died suddenly of a heart attack when I was 23.

9. My story of “grit”... As an only child, the burden of taking care of the affairs of your dead parents was nearly impossible... But, I had help... An aunt of mine helped me out in my time of need. It wasn’t easy, but eventually I came to terms with my parents’ deaths. As an only child, the burden of taking care of the affairs of your dead parents was nearly impossible... But, I had help... An aunt of mine helped me out in my time of need. It wasn’t easy, but eventually I came to terms with my parents’ deaths.

10. My story of “grit”... My “grittiness” was that I knew that if I could get through my parents’ death, my future would be bright... Today, I have a wife and son, a career I love, and a house to call my own. My “grittiness” was that I knew that if I could get through my parents’ death, my future would be bright... Today, I have a wife and son, a career I love, and a house to call my own.

11. Your story of “grit”... Some of you may have more difficult lives than when I was growing up... No matter what you face: A) Don’t Give Up! B) Get Help When you Need It... Some of you may have more difficult lives than when I was growing up... No matter what you face: A) Don’t Give Up! B) Get Help When you Need It...

12. “A Far Cry From Africa” Reflect on your own “grit” when you work on this poem by... A) Not giving up on trying to understand the poem... B) Getting help from myself and from peers while you’re working on this task...

13. BREAK UP THE POEM BY STANZA STANZA 1 – GROUP A STANZA 1 – GROUP A STANZA 2 – GROUP B STANZA 2 – GROUP B STANZA 3 – GROUP C STANZA 3 – GROUP C In each group: 1) read the lines; 2) paraphrase each line; 3) identify one or two central ideas (use the guiding questions). In each group: 1) read the lines; 2) paraphrase each line; 3) identify one or two central ideas (use the guiding questions).

14. Help with vocab 1)Carrion – the remains of a body or carcass 2)Salients – a structure; or the important detail of a topic 3)Beaters - hunters 4)Ibises – a type of bird

15. For each stanza, consider a question: Stanza 1: Who is committing the violence, where is it happening, and why is it important? Stanza2: Why is there a comparison between “natural law” and “divinity”? Stanza3: How is Walcott “divided” (by what)?

16. BREAK UP THE POEM BY STANZA STANZA 1 – GROUP A STANZA 1 – GROUP A STANZA 2 – GROUP B STANZA 2 – GROUP B STANZA 3 – GROUP C STANZA 3 – GROUP C In each group: In each group: 1) Review your Exit Slips from yesterday (see my comments); 2) Continue to analyze your stanza (I’ll come around and offer guidance); 3) Revise Exit Slips after share out. 1) Review your Exit Slips from yesterday (see my comments); 2) Continue to analyze your stanza (I’ll come around and offer guidance); 3) Revise Exit Slips after share out.

17. YOUR TURN 1)Write your answer to the question on the scrap paper. Stanza 1: Who is committing the violence, where is it happening, and why is it important? A: Walcott invokes violence on both sides of the anti- colonialist period: 1) the original bloodshed committed in the name of colonization; 2) the violence committed against the Europeans (“white child hacked in bed”)

18. YOUR TURN 1)Write your answer to the question on the scrap paper. Stanza2: Why is there a comparison between “natural law” and “divinity”? A: Walcott shows the hypocrisy of the colonialist rationale – “upright man” is anything but divine given his “animal-like” behavior.

19. YOUR TURN 1)Write your answer to the question on the scrap paper. Stanza3: How is Walcott “divided” (by what)? A: Walcott is divided by his love for European art and culture (“the English tongue I love”) and his sympathy towards the rebellions against the colonizers in Africa. He is ultimately ambiguous in his attitude.