B”H
English Literature
Instructor: Mrs. Karen Guth
Yael Noiman
Pre-Reading Component
Discussion
We all came from somewhere, a family, a tradition, a place .These factors create who
we are and affect our choices.
Many times teenagers try to rebuff or are ashamed of their roots in their struggle to
reach an independent personality.
The aim of this discussion and its following assignment is to make students understand
they should be respectful and feel proud of their roots while forming an independent
personality.
T
The following quote on the board:
. Know from where you came, where you are going, and before whom you are destined to give a
judgement and accounting.(Pirkei Avot 3;1)
Leading Questions
How would you explain this Mishnah?
What is our "common background"?
What is "personal background"?
What does the word "roots" signify? Give examples
What features in your family can be traced to their "roots"?
How significant are "roots"?
How much do they affect our lives?
Should anyone ever deny his\her "roots"?
My Roots
Try to define your “roots” . In what ways do you recognize inside you your "roots" and
in what ways are you different? Present your " roots" to your class.
Basic Understanding
Low Frequency vocabulary
Key Vocabulary
squat
‫גוץ\שפוף‬
snug
‫הצטנף‬
rasping sound
‫קול שפשוף‬
spade
‫את‬
gravelly
‫מכוסה חצץ‬
straining rump
)‫אחוריים מאומצים (מאמץ‬
coarse
‫גס‬
shaft
‫מוט‬
levered
‫ העלה‬,‫הניף‬
turf
‫ שטח‬,‫אדמת עשב‬
corked
‫אטום‬
heaving (heave)
‫מושך במאמץ רב‬
sod
‫גוש אדמה עם עשב‬
mould (mold)
‫ התעפש‬,‫העלה עובש‬
peat
‫חומר אורגני לדישון והסקה‬
squelch
‫מעיכה‬
slap
‫רמיסה‬
curt
‫חד‬
cuts of an edge
‫חתיכות של קצה‬
drill
‫מזרעה‬
nicking
‫לחתוך‬
High Frequency Vocabulary
Complete the sentences with the suitable word.
edge rhythms
sinks nestled
rooted up
straightened-up
soggy stooped
slice
buried firmly
neatly handles
sloppily
1. The temperature______________quickly after the sun sets.
2. The cereal got all _______________.
3. She enjoyed the________________of country life.
4. He ________________ his head against his mother's shoulder.
5. Stop the bleeding by pressing _________________
6. They made a mess, ______________plants and flowers.
7. He ___________________the box in the back garden.
8. She usually ties her ponytail __________________.
9. He slowly ______________________, using the table for support.
10. Linda _______________________to pick up the bottles.
11. ____________________the onion into rings.
12. I folded the shirts and put them _____________ in the closet.
13. He made us all nervous by standing so close to the ___________ of the cliff.
14. He _____________ his motorcycle well.
Questions
1. What connection is there between the poet and the characters in the poem?
2. What is the characters' occupation? Does the poet share the same job?
3. How is their work described in the poem?
4. What smells and sounds comes to life in the poet's head?
Explicit Hots Teaching
Task #1: Hots
Comparing and Contrasting
The teacher will read the children's book: Apples and Oranges: Going Bananas with Pairs by
Sara Pinto. This book is a funny and cute opening
That will help the students begin to understand comparing and contrasting.
Afterwards, we will learn from the Comparing and Contrasting Presentation . This
explains comparing and contrasting and demonstrates their use.
Practice: pictures of home and nest on the board. The students will compare and
contrast the two pictures. They will use a Venn Diagram to record their answers.
Task #2
Literary Terms: Metaphors and Similes
Simile: Comparing between two unlike or dissimilar things (using "like" or "as"). Line two
contains a simile.
For example: The sisters are like two peas in a pod.
Metaphor: Using the characteristics of one thing to describe another. In other words, a
metaphor is a way to compare by saying one thing is another thing.
For example: Friendship is eternal sunshine. He was drowning in paperwork
Write either a metaphor or a simile using the word pairs below:
Owl, smart
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Computer, vehicle
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Paintbrush, magic wand
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Waves, lions
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Using metaphor and simile in the poem
1. Throughout the poem, the term "digging" is used metaphorically. What does it
imply?
2. How does the simile show the writer's attitude to his "pen"?
Analysis and Interpretation
Questions
1. Throughout the poem, the term "digging" is used metaphorically. What does it
imply?
2. Heaney compares his pen to a gun. What does he try to say by this simile?
Compare and contrast "pen" and "gun".
3. Compare and contrast the first stanza of the poem with the last, considering
specifically the replacement of “snug as a gun” (2) with “I’ll dig with it” (31).
What kind of attitude toward the speaker’s work does each phrase suggest?
4. What is the general attitude of the speaker towards his family and their chosen
livelihood?
5. What similarities are there between writing and digging for potatoes or
peat?
Answers
1. The term "digging" is used metaphorically to imply a certain way of living. The
line "But I've no spade to follow men like them" (26) especially conveys this
meaning, as the speaker doesn't possess the intentions or the desire to live as
his father and grandfather did. Instead of the way of the life the spade denotes,
he chooses the pen and the life it signifies, saying, "I'll dig with it" (31) in the
final line. Although he obviously cannot dig with a pen, in this sentence the
meaning is purely metaphorical to represent the speaker's choosing his own
path.
2. While it doesn't quite look the same, both holding a pen and a gun require your
finger and your thumb. Both pens and guns are tools, albeit for totally different
jobs. We typically think of writing as something peaceful and contemplative,
which is what the word "snug" makes us think of – snuggled up, tight, secure.
Yet, Heaney jolts us awake by saying that writing is like holding a gun, which
conjures up images of violence and unrest. Heaney’s intention in using this
simile is to prove the power of his “pen” . He uses his pen as powerful as a gun,
which makes also his thoughts and ideas powerful, as well.
3. The first and last stanzas are the same, except Heaney added “I’ll dig with it” to
the last stanza, referring to the speaker’s pen. As it says in the first stanza, the
pen rests as “snug as a gun” in his hand, suggesting that he feels comfortable
with the pen, and the pen fits well in his hand. Throughout the poem, he
watches his father dig outside, “Stooping in rhythm through the potato drills.”
He sees how well his father digs; how he has been digging for his whole life:
“Bends low, comes up twenty years away.” The fifth and sixth stanzas describe
the young man’s grandfather digging out his years as well. The speaker says,
“Through living roots awaken in my head, but I’ve no spade to follow men like
them,” connoting his desire to follow a different path. He takes the strong
qualities that he has seen growing up in his father and grandfather, and uses
them with writing. The last stanza says, “I’ll dig with it,” showing how he will use
his pen to dig like his elders. The young man is breaking the tradition, however,
he will still dig with the pen, symbolizing the spade, but this time through writing
4. The general attitude of the poet towards his family and their chosen livelihood
in the poem "Digging" is reverence. Heaney shows a great respect for his father
and grandfather. Although he does not necessarily want to follow in their
footsteps, he realizes that they picked a tough job and he commends them for it.
Heaney looks up to his father and grandfather. "My father digging, I look down
Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds Bends low" "By God, the old man
could handle a spade. Just like his old man." Instead of Heaney carrying on his
family tradition of digging, he is saying that he will dig with his pen. He would
strive to become the best writer he could be in order to make his father proud.
5. "Digging" certainly takes skill, physical overworking and a tool – a spade or
shovel. This also applies to writing which demands the skill, talent hard
work if one wishes to succeed and tool- the pen.
Bridging Text and Context
Read the information below and answer its following question.
.
Seamus Heaney (1939-2013) 1939-2013) was born in in Northern Ireland, the eldest
member of a catholic family of nine children. His father owned and worked a small farm.
Potato Farming was a major industry in Irish agriculture in those days
Heaney won many prizes for his writing and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature
in 1995
"There are lots of people I admire and respect, but I don't necessarily want to be like
them. I'm too happy being myself."
James D'arcy
How does the new information about Heany and the quote connect to the poem
"Digging"? Include examples from the poem to support the connection which you
made.
Heaney admires his father and grandfather. He admires their work ethics and skills. You
get a sense that he wants so much to be like them, even though he never will be. His
admiration for them and for their culture seems to have begun at a very young age." My
grandather cut more turf in a day/than any other man on Toner's bog."
‘By God, the old man could handle a spade. Just like his old man.” This divine
admiration in the work of his forefathers highlights Heaney's connection to his family
religious culture, even though he has chosen a different line of work. In fact perhaps it's
because he admires his forefathers so much that he tries to be as hard working as they
are. He grows up looking up to them. And his admiration shapes the person the speaker
becomes in his adult life: “The squat pen rests. I will dig with it." He is strictly adherent
to tradition and custom in Irish culture, so, Heaney himself will now dig in the linguistic
sense of culture.
Heaney’s wish is to link between work and rich culture. His achievements and above allwinning of Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995 prove his keeping his culture of hard work
like his ancestors and is a fulfillment of his wish.
Post-reading Component
Choose one of the following:

Create a dialogue between the speaker and his father.

Draw a cartoon or make a PowerPoint presentation depicting your interpretation
of the poem.

Write an interview with Seamus Heany and have him explain the main message
of his poem.
Summative Assessment
Module F: Digging/ Seamus Heaney
LOTS questions (questions are worth 5 points each):
Question 1: Who are the characters in the poem?
Answer: The speaker, his father and grandfather. Men of three generation.
Comments
Content
Language
Total
Question 2: What are the characters' occupations?
Answer : The speaker’s father and grandfather’s occupation is digging potatoes
and peat. The speaker doesn’t share the same job. He is a writer.
Comments
Content
Language
Total
Question 3: What places does the poet describe in his poem?
Answer : The poem opens with our speaker at his desk. But then, through his
reminiscences, it moves back in time to the potato field and peat bog where his
father and grandfather worked.
Comments
Content
Language
Total
Question 4: What smells and sounds comes to life in the poet's head?
Answer: The poet recalles the sounds and smells of working the land: The
rasping sound the spade was making when it sank into the ground. The cold smell
of potato mould, the squelch and slap of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge and
the cool hardness of the potato.
HOTS questions (questions are worth 10 points each)
Question 5: What does the speaker think of his father's and grandfather's work?
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
It's pointless
He respects their hard-working attitudes
He is afraid they will hurt themselves
He is jealous of all the time they spend in the field.
Answer: ii) He respects their hard-working attitudes.
Comments
Total
Question 6: There are repeated references to the spade and shovel. Why? What
those tools represent?
Answer: The spade and shovel symbolize hard work. By repeating references to
the spade and shovel Heany emphasizes the value of manual labor.
Comments
Content
Language
Total
Question 7: When the lines "Between my finger and my thumb/ The squat pen
rests" are repeated at the end, has the meaning changed from when you read
them at the beginning? How so?
Answer: This use of repetition serves to bring the poem in a circle, as the speaker
arrives back where he began but now sees things in a different way. At the
beginning he expresses the gap between him and his forefather. At the end he
sees how he is able to continue his forefathers’ tradition with his device.
Extended HOTS questions (question are worth 15 points each):
Question 8: Do you think the speaker is unhappy that he's not a potato farmer
like his father and grandfather? Why or why not? Support your answer with proof
from the poem. What thinking skills did you use to answer this question and how
did you use it?
Answer:
Thinking Skill: Inferring.
I infer the speaker is both happy and unhappy at the same time. On one hand he
is unhappy that he could not simply follow his forefathers. He uses a negative
sentence to tell that he cannot do this work.: " But I’ve no spade to follow men
like them". On the other hand he is happy to find and follow his talent and love:
writing. "I'll dig with it”.
Comments
Content
Language
Total
Question 9: Why does Heaney compare the spade to the pen?
What thinking skills did you use to answer this question and how did you use it?
Answer:
Thinking Skill: Comparing and Contrasting.
A pen might harm just like weapon. When it is used for a bad purpose: writing an
evil gossip for example. Though his pen isn't quite as great as the spades of his
father and grandfather, he's decided to be as skilled as he possibly can with it.
The grandfather and father are the very best at digging potatoes. Our speaker
isn't so good at farming, but he knows that his calling is to be a writer. So he will
be good at that, too.
Comments
Content
Language
Total
Question 10:
"Change your opinions, keep to your principles; change your leaves, keep intact
your roots." Victor Hugo
How does the quote connect to the poem? Give at least one example of the
connection to the text.
Answer: One should have the freedom to be himself, and to find his individual
uniqueness. He should be able to voice his opinions. At the same time, there
should be a commitment to principles, to norms and customs.
This is what "Digging" is all about. On one hand the author finds his own path in
life and he does not have a "spade to follow men" like his ancestors. But at the
same time he does not neglect his culture. He still adheres to his roots. He keeps
the desire of "digging" which represents his culture of hard labor: The squat pen
rests, I’ll dig with it." Heaney wishes to be a successor, only with a different
device.
Comments
Content
Language
Total
d
ion:
Unit Graphic Organizer (UGO)
Analysis and
Interpretation:
HOTS
ure. How
ch
elow will
Bridging Text and Context
Pre-Reading Activity
Literary terms
Dana
How does the quote connect to the po
Discussion
One of the literary terms
featured in the poem is that
We all came from somewhere, a family, a
tradition, a place .These factors create
who we are and affect our choices.
of Simile.
What can you infer
about Dana?
"Change your opinions, keep to your
your leaves, keep intact your roots."
simile: Expressing an idea by
comparing one thing with an
aspect of another thing, using
‘like’ or ’as…as…’ to show
similarity. For example: He is
as brave as a lion. In our
poem: "The squat pen
. Know from where you came, where you are
going, and before whom you are destined
to give a judgement and accounting.(Pirkei
Avot 3;1)
rests' snug as a gun"
gist
.
.
How would you explain this Mishnah?
One should have the freedom to be
his individual uniqueness. He should
opinions. At the same time, th
commitment to principles, to norms an
This is what "Digging" is all about. On o
finds his own path in life and he does n
follow men" like his ancestors. But at
does not neglect his culture. He still a
He keeps the desire of "digging" w
culture of hard labor: The squat pen r
Heaney wishes to be a successor, on
device.
What does the word "roots" signify? Give
examples
How significant are "roots"?
Title: Digging
Summary of Events
entences with the suitable words.
sinks
nestled
straightened-up
e neatly handles
Author: Seamus Heaney
rooted up buried
soggy
stooped
Student Name:
Date:________
perature______________quickly after the sun
l got all _______________.
ed the________________of country life.
____________ his head against his mother's
.
bleeding by pressing _________________
ade a mess, ______________plants and
ng Activity
Characters:
1. The speaker
2. His father
3. His grandfather.
Setting (time and place):
the following:
ate a dialogue between the speaker and his
her.
te an interview with Seamus Heany and
e him explain the main message of his
m.
1. The speaker is sitting his desk in the present.
2. The potato field and peat bog where his
forefathers used to work in the past.
1. The speaker is at his
pen between his fin
2. He reminisces abou
digging in the field,
sounds and sensatio
potatoes and peat.
3. He reminisces abou
grandfatherr cutting
bringing him milk to
4. The speaker comes
present- at his desk
conclusion for his se
He will dig with his p
Poem Pouch
1. a pen
2. a potato
3. a bottle of milk
4. a picture of spades
5. a picture of digging potatoes in Ireland in the past
6. a picture of digging peat
Digging
By Seamus Heaney
Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.
Under my window, a clean rasping sound
When the spade sinks into gravelly ground:
5 My father, digging. I look down
Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds
Bends low, comes up twenty years away
Stooping in rhythm through potato drills
Where he was digging.
10 The
coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft
Against the inside knee was levered firmly.
He rooted out tall tops, buried the bright edge deep
To scatter new potatoes that we picked,
Loving their cool hardness in our hands.
15 By
God, the old man could handle a spade.
Just like his old man.
My grandfather cut more turf in a day
Than any other man on Toner's bog.
Once I carried him milk in a bottle
20 Corked sloppily with paper. He straightened up
To drink it, then fell to right away
Nicking and slicing neatly, heaving sods
Over his shoulder, going down and down
For the good turf. Digging.
25 The
cold smell of potato mould, the squelch and slap
Of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge
Through living roots awaken in my head.
But I've no spade to follow men like them.
Between my finger and my thumb
30 The squat pen rests.
I'll dig with it.