Level Yellow
NAME
Chapter 7 Writer’s Workshop (pp. 187–193)
Literary Analysis
Below is the final version of one student’s literary analysis. Work with a partner to read it aloud. Then
discuss how well the essay matches the key features in your book.
Writing Model
More Than a Nickname
The short stories “Raymond’s Run” and “Zebra” both describe
how a student overcomes a challenging situation. “Raymond’s Run,”
by Toni Cade Bambara, focuses on Hazel Parker, a girl who reacts to
her tough neighborhood by being fiercely independent. Hazel has
Includes introduction with
a brief plot summary that
mentions the authors and
titles
a squeaky voice, so people call her Squeaky. Chaim Potok’s story
“Zebra” is about Adam Zebrin, or Zebra, as he recovers from an
accident. Zebra and Squeaky have more in common than unusual
and Squeaky are independent, honest, and realistic. They both learn
Thesis that previews what
will be in the essay
Copyright © by William H. Sadlier, Inc. Permission to duplicate classroom quantities granted to users of Grammar for Writing.
nicknames. Though they have very different personalities, both Zebra
to react positively to the challenges in their lives.
Hazel Parker, or Squeaky, is extremely independent. She knows
it, and so does everybody else. Squeaky spends her time running
and looking after her older brother Raymond. Because of his mental
Uses block format in body
Subject A: Squeaky
Feature 1: Independence
disability, Raymond needs special attention. Squeaky is protective
of her brother and fights anybody who makes fun of him. Her
independence and aggressiveness are also the result of growing up
in a tough neighborhood in Harlem. In the story, she describes a girl
who “got beat up by everybody till I took up for her.” The girl who
Specific details and
quotation
Squeaky used to protect now makes fun of Squeaky and Raymond.
Though Squeaky is proud of her independence, her attitude isolates
her. She does not have any real friends in her neighborhood.
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Writing Model
Continued
In addition to being independent, Squeaky is also very honest
and realistic. Fakeness of any kind infuriates her. In the story,
she angrily describes one girl who pretends that she is naturally
Uses transition to move
to Feature 2: honesty and
realism
an amazing piano player when really she practices every day. In
contrast, Squeaky is completely open about how hard she works to be
the best runner in school. She runs every morning and does breathing
Summarizes parts of the
story that support the
second feature
exercises constantly. Confident about her abilities, she says, “No one
can beat me and that’s all there is to it.”
Even though Squeaky likes being alone, one incident makes her
learn to react in a more positive way. Near the end of “Raymond’s
Feature 3: Learning to
react positively
Run,” she races her rival Gretchen at the May Day races. Squeaky
wins, but Gretchen comes in second. The run makes Squeaky realize
neighborhood. She says that Gretchen acts “like a pro” and tells
how after the race she and Gretchen have “this big smile of respect
between us.” Earlier in the story Squeaky says that girls never mean
it when they smile at each other. The race changes how Squeaky feels
Quotation that shows how
Squeaky reacted to the
race
Paraphrase of a statement
from the story
about Gretchen. More important, it changes how Squeaky feels about
friendship. Squeaky learns that she does not have to be tough all the
time and that she can learn to share her interests with others.
Zebra, the main character in Chaim Potok’s story, is also
Subject B: Zebra
Feature 1: Independence
independent. Like Squeaky, Zebra is a runner. But one day Zebra
accidentally runs into the street and is hit by a car. His leg and left
hand are badly hurt. After the accident, Zebra becomes increasingly
independent and withdraws from his friends. Unlike Squeaky, being
alone does not seem to make Zebra happy. The story describes him
standing alone by the basketball courts watching his classmates
“racing about, playing exuberantly.” Though he never says it directly,
Includes specific text
evidence
2
Copyright © by William H. Sadlier, Inc. Permission to duplicate classroom quantities granted to users of Grammar for Writing.
that she is not the only honest and hardworking person in her
Writing Model
Continued
Zebra feels different from the other people at his school.
Zebra is also very honest and realistic. When he first meets Mr.
Feature 2: Honesty and
realism
Wilson, Mr. Wilson asks Zebra how he was hurt. Zebra says simply, “I
was hit by a car. It was my fault.” He does not try to blame anyone
else for what happened. He also does not hide from the fact that,
though his leg will slowly get better, he will never be able to run like
he used to.
Like Squeaky, an unexpected friendship makes Zebra learn to
Feature 3: Learning to
react positively
react positively to a difficult situation. Zebra meets John Wilson, an
artist who teaches a summer art class. Like Zebra, Mr. Wilson also had
a serious injury. He was a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War and
lost an arm. Over the summer, Mr. Wilson and Zebra connect through
and sculpts helicopters for Mr. Wilson. Even after the class is over,
Zebra wants to continue making art. His friendship with Mr. Wilson
makes him feel differently about what a person with a disability can
Specific example of how
Mr. Wilson’s friendship
changed Zebra
accomplish. At the end of the story, Zebra finally feels brave enough
to walk down the street where he had his accident.
In the beginning of “Raymond’s Run” and “Zebra,” neither Zebra
nor Squeaky is very happy. Squeaky does not have close friends, and
Conclusion sums up
points and addresses both
characters discussed in the
essay.
Zebra feels isolated after his accident. Yet both characters change
and move beyond their tough circumstances. Squeaky learns that she
can have friendships based on mutual respect. Zebra learns that an
injury or disability doesn’t have to hold you back. Both stories show
that, by learning to see things a different way, people can see that
even the toughest circumstances can be overcome.
3
Copyright © by William H. Sadlier, Inc. Permission to duplicate classroom quantities granted to users of Grammar for Writing.
their art. Mr. Wilson draws a portrait of Zebra, and Zebra draws