1. “Initiation” by Sylvia Plath

2. Activating Prior Knowledge
COPY THESE QUESTIONS INTO YOUR INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK ON THE PAGE FOLLOWING YOUR SUMMARIZING CHART:
1. Why is Tracy eliminated from the initiation process?
2. How does Tracy feel about Millicent being chosen for the sorority?
3. Who is Millicent’s big sister? How would you characterize this big sister?
3. How does Millicent feel about being ‘initiated’?
4. How will the school visually know that Millicent has been chosen to join the sorority?

3. Point of View and Diction
What are the four points of view? A. B. C. D.
Describe the diction of this story.
Millicent

4. Narrative Technique: COPY THIS CHART.
By observing this chart, explain the narrative technique.

5. Comprehension Questions Con’t
1. Identify Herb Dalton.
2. Identify other rituals of the initiation phrase.
3. What does Tracy mean by “keeping a poker face”?
4. What is the climatic point of the story?

6. Conclusion 1. What is symbolism?
2. Infer the symbolic meaning of the man on the bus and his ‘breakfast of heather birds. How did this change Millicent?
3. What did Millicent decide to do at the end of the story?
4. What is the meaning behind the last line?

7. Significant moments: the overall theme.
In the top left corner, draw a picture of a powerful image from “Initiation”.
In the second box, put the picture into words. Describe what is happening.
In the third box, explain the significance of the image or moment they chose.
In the fourth box, identify and explain the overall theme of the story connecting to their significant moment from the story
Close your eyes for 1 minute and imagine the most important moment in the story.
After you have opened your eyes, fold the square sheet of paper that I have given to you in four squares.