1.5 Defining Experiences: Marigolds
pages 14-24
In your spiral…
Brainstorm a list of things you might
write about if you were asked to write
a “coming of age” story.
When does the process of “coming of
age” start and end?
Class Definition
of “Coming of Age”
Timeline: The Heartbeat of Your Life
(12yrs old- 30 yrs old)
1. Brainstorm milestones in addition to those we
noted as a class.
2. Place dots for positive milestones above the
line with the associated age, dots for negative
below the line, and dots for neutral on the line.
3. Connect the dots with straight lines to show
the “heartbeat” of your life.
Academic Vocabulary:
DENOTATION & CONNOTATION
Literary Terms: DICTION
Connotation & Denotation
Connotation is the emotional and
imaginative association surrounding
a word.
Denotation is the precise
dictionary meaning of a word.
Example: inexpensive : cheap
Cars of the 1960s:
Thunderbird, Falcon, Charger, Comet,
Mustang, Barracuda.
Cars of the 1970s:
Rabbit, Pinto, Colt, Civic, Starlet,
Gremlin.
In your table groups:
For each list, choose the word that is mostly neutral (the
denotation of all the other words) and which is the most positive
and negative in terms of connotation
List One:
Thin, slim, lanky, skinny, gaunt, slender
List Two:
Aggressive, assertive, domineering, dynamic,
pushy, forceful
List Three:
Bright, clever, brilliant, cunning, smart,
intelligent, brainy
LEARNING TARGETS
1. Explain how a writer creates effects
through the connotations of words
and images.
2. Use textual details to support
interpretive claims.
BEFORE READING
Complete prompts 1-4 on Page 14.
Be prepared to share your work.
About the Author: Eugenia Collier
Introduction: A Shared Reading
DURING READING . . .
As you read, highlight and annotate the text for
examples of diction, syntax, and imagery that
create the narrator’s voice.
Use the “My Notes” (and other margins) to
annotate the connotative effect of word choices,
and explain the inferences they lead you to make
regarding the tone, character, or the significance of
the event.
Stop reading to respond in writing to “Key Ideas
and Details” when you are prompted.
Literary Term: FORESHADOWING
a literary device in which a writer gives
an advance hint of what is to come
later in the story
Close Reading: Page 18
In Paragraph 22, why are the marigolds
so important to Miss Lottie, and why
do the children hate them?
Close Reading: Page 19
Describe the internal conflict going on
in the narrator, Lizabeth. What textual
evidence did you find to support your
statement?
Close Reading: Page 20
Put a box around the entire overheard
conversation between the parents.
How does this make Lizabeth feel, and
what is the consequence of her
hearing this conversation?
Close Reading: Page 21
Paragraphs 53-58
Highlight the phrases in the text,
describing the incident of destruction,
that give clues to the reasons for her
actions.
Literary Term: JUXTAPOSITION
the arrangement of two or more
things for the purpose of comparison
Close Reading: Page 21
Paragraph 60 is especially rich in
juxtaposition. What textual examples
of this did you find?
Close Reading: The Last Sentence
Discuss in your groups:
Is the narrator speaking literally,
metaphorically, or both?
Think-Pair-Share
What are some ways in which people
plant metaphorical marigolds?
1.5 Springboard: Marigolds
In Groups
1. Share examples of diction and imagery from your
annotations.
2. Work together to complete the Graphic Organizer
worksheet (add your names to the worksheet)
3. CYU: Discuss the voice of the narrator and how the
use of vivid imagery and diction is effective in
conveying this significant incident (see page 24 if
needed). Write your group response on the back of
the worksheet. Be prepared to share with the
class!
Revisiting the ESSENTIAL QUESTION
page 4
What does it mean to “come of age”?
How did the narrator of “Marigolds”
define “coming of age”?
WORD WALL Check-In
After having completed this analysis,
do you better understand the concept
of VOICE? What can you add to your
Word Wall definition?
QHT
Review your QHT Chart in your
Journal.
Are there any words you need to move
into a different column?
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1.5 “Marigolds” Check
Your Understanding
Paragraph
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Check Your Understanding
page 24

Describe the voice of the narrator. Then, explain how the writers
dictionand imagery create this voice. You might also mention other literary
elements, such as juxtaposition, and syntax (i.e. parallel structure,
hyphens, etc.) that contribute to the narrator’s voice or point of view.

You paragraph must:
 Begin with a clear thesis (claim) for your position.
 Include multiple direct and indirect quotes to support your claim, and
punctuate them correctly.
 Include transitions and a concluding statement.
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What is the prompt?
 The
prompt asks to describe the
NARRATOR’S voice, not the author’s
 The
author did not have this childhood
experience, it is a fictional story, her
character, Lizabeth, experiences this event
 Diction, imagery, syntax
& other elements
used that fall within one of these categories
(parallel structure is an example of syntax)
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How to begin (see scaffolded
thesis handout)
 Introduce
the title and author and give a
little background on the main character
NOT A SUMMARY (this is only one
sentence)
 Write
a thesis (see scaffolded thesis on
worksheet as well)
-The narrator, Lizabeth’s ______________
(insert word or phrase)voice is developed
through the use of diction and imagery to
reflect her _________ (adjective; description
of voice) tone.
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How to integrate quotes
Use
manageable quotes, one or two
phrases
If
it is longer than a sentence, then
break up the quote into manageable
pieces (use ellipses…)
Integrate
Analyze
each quote into your writing
different parts of the quote in
depth, choose one or two words to
analyze at a time
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Example of integrating quotes
 The
narrator conveys a reflective voice by using
imagery such as “everything was suddenly out of
tune, like a broken accordion.” The narrator uses a
simile to compare her life to a broken accordion.
Her worldview shatters because the problems of
her father gives her a glimpse of reality. The
narrator’s diction further conveys feelings of
confusion and frustration, through words such as
“broken” and “bewilderment.”
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Tips
 Further
elaborate
 Analysis, not
summary (why), reference “coming of age”
moment WITHOUT saying “coming of age”
 Talk
about narrator’s voice
 How
is it conveyed: through imagery and diction, you
can also use other literary elements to discuss, figure of
speech, figurative language (metaphor, simile,
hyperbole, etc.), characterization, dialogue, syntax etc.
 End
with conclusion, restate what the voice is, and how
you can tell (uses diction and imagery, etc.)