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East Side Dreams
Close Reading of a Primary Source with Text Based Questions
Terms to Know for Comprehension: With your teacher, a partner, or on your own, look
up the following terms to build your understanding. Use the space provided to write your
definition and notes on the meaning of the terms.
whirl
neurosis
sterilization
suppressed
paradox
sow
manipulation
Anglo
Close Reading Markers:
As you read the following text, use the markers below to assist you in being an
active reader. Good readers read and re- read the text for better comprehension.
? – I don’t understand this and have questions
! – WOW! That’s amazing!
- Connections to other parts of text
-------------- - Evidence of author’s message
(underline)
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East Side Dreams
Close Reading of a Primary Source with Text Based Questions
Directions:
First, read through the entire text for understanding and meaning. Use the markers as you read.
Following the text there are questions based on evidence you have read.
I Am Joaquín was written in 1967 and was the voice for many of the struggles many Mexican-American people were
experiencing across the nation. Read the following excerpt from I Am Joaquín and identify what some of Joaquín’s
struggled might be.
I Am Joaquin
by Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales
(1) Yo soy Joaquín,
perdido en un mundo de confusión:
(3) I am Joaquín, lost in a world of confusion,
caught up in the whirl of a gringo society,
confused by the rules, scorned by attitudes,
(6) suppressed by manipulation, and destroyed by modern society.
My fathers have lost the economic battle
and won the struggle of cultural survival.
(9) And now! I must choose between the paradox of
victory of the spirit, despite physical hunger,
or to exist in the grasp of American social neurosis,
(12) sterilization of the soul and a full stomach.
Yes, I have come a long way to nowhere,
unwillingly dragged by that monstrous, technical,
industrial giant called Progress and Anglo success....
I look at myself.
I watch my brothers.
I shed tears of sorrow. I sow seeds of hate.
I withdraw to the safety within the circle of life -MY OWN PEOPLE
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East Side Dreams
Close Reading of a Primary Source with Text Based Questions
Student Name: _____________
Teacher:___________________
Directions: For each question below, answer in the empty space beginning by re-writing the
“response frame” found in the shaded box. Remember the lines are NOT for one word
answers, but to express your knowledge of the text.
1. In line 3 (the line # is labeled in parentheses), it states that Joaquín “is lost in a
world of confusion”. Name at least two issues contributing to Joaquin’s
confusion? Explain
According to the author, two issues contributing to Joaquin’s confusion are
_______________________________________________and_____________________________.
I know this because_______________________________________________________________.
2. During your first read of the poem, you utilized close reading markers. Re-visit
the sections marked with question marks “?”. Do you still have the same
questions after reading through the entire poem? Explain what strategy helped
you to gain a better understanding?
After re-visiting the sections of the poem I didn’t understand I
realized__________________________________________________________________________.
Some strategies that helped me gain more clarity were_____________________________________.
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East Side Dreams
Close Reading of a Primary Source with Text Based Questions
What does the author mean by the phrase “suppressed by manipulation”.
Explain what evidence from the text helped you come to this conclusion.
When Gonzales uses the phrase “suppressed by manipulation” he is
describing________________________________________________________________________.
I came to this conclusion because__________________________________________________.
3.
4.
How do you interpret the phrase “won the battle of cultural survival”? What do
you think the author was trying to communicate? Cite evidence from the text to
support your reasoning for this interpretation.
When the author speaks of winning the battle of cultural survival, I suspect he
means_____________________________________. Gonzales was trying to communicate to the
audience that____________________________________________________________________.
I came to this conclusion by________________________________________________________.
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East Side Dreams
Close Reading of a Primary Source with Text Based Questions
5. The last few lines of the poem seem to be extremely powerful……
“I shed tears of sorrow. I sow seeds of hate. I withdraw to the safety within the
circle of life - - MY OWN PEOPLE.”
Reflect on what this means.
I think the ending of the poem is saying________________________________________________.
I came to this conclusion because________________________________________________.
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East Side Dreams
Close Reading of a Primary Source with Text Based Questions
Look at lines 9-12. Draw/sketch the “paradox” the author is facing:
your sketch goes here
Now explain your illustration of the “paradox”…….
This author is conflicted between_______________________on the one hand and
___________________on the other. . . .(explain).