Literary Devices and Writing Strategies
What device is used to describe how the Grandmother's gloominess affects the household (line 7)?
Simile comparing her sadness to the plague: "as fiercely as the bubonic plague"
What does "contagious" mean as used in line 6?
Spreading from one person to another; infectious
Why does everyone want to find the Grandmother a house of her own?
Because her unhappiness and gloominess are affecting everyone in the household negatively
What skill is question 4 asking? (author's word choice, characterization, tone, central idea, vocabulary, writing strategy, recall)
Authors Word Choice
Which words or phrases help to answer question 7?
"confined herself"
The expressway sound is compared to what in lines 24-25 using which device?
The expressway sounds are compared to "the voice of the sea trapped inside a shell" using a simile
Define "accommodate" as it appears in line 8.
To provide lodging or space for someone.
What is the purpose of the detailed description of the Grandmother's old house in lines 32-39?
To show what she misses and why she is unhappy; to emphasize the contrast between her past and present
Which words in lines 46 and 49 can be used to determine the answer to question 4?
"To visit Chicago is one thing, to live there another" shows a contrast (difference)
What is the skill question 8 is asking? author's word choice, characterization, tone, central idea, vocabulary, writing strategy, recall)
Author's Word Choice
What device is used to describe the Chicago wind in line 17?
Personification describing it as "a rough, moody brute who took one look at you and laughed"
What does "reflection" mean in line 29?
Careful thought or consideration about something.
Why can't the Grandmother simply return to her old house, according to lines 29-31?
She is too proud to admit she made a mistake and cannot go backward
What skill is question 5 asking? (author's word choice, characterization, tone, central idea, vocabulary, writing strategy, recall)
Characterization (Grandmother's)
Which words or phrases in the passage can be used to answer question 8?
"She hated climbing up three flights" and "knife in the bone...burned the lungs (70)
What simile does the author use in line 40 (what is being compared)?
Simile comparing waking up in an unfamiliar bed to death.
What is the meaning of "grimy" as used in line 24?
Dirty or covered with grime/soot
What does the author suggest about the Grandmother's self-awareness in lines 3-4?
She doesn't recognize or understand her own unhappiness, which makes it worse
Which part of lines 50-53 best give you the answer to question 5?
Answers vary: "fluttering in nd out of taxis", "shivering and peering anxiously", "descending wearily into the filthy bowels..."
What skill is question 9 asking? (author's word choice, characterization, tone, central idea, vocabulary, writing strategy, recall)
Author's Word Choice
Identify the device used in line 41 to describe the Grandmother's situation.
Simile comparing being a houseguest for too long to being "a prisoner"
Define "barbarity" as the Grandmother uses it in line 45.
Cruel or savage behavior; something considered uncivilized or harsh
What is the main purpose of the final statement "To visit Chicago is one thing, to live there another" in lines 46-47?
To emphasize the difference between temporary visits and permanent relocation; to highlight her struggle with permanent change
What is the skill question 7 is asking? (author's word choice, characterization, tone, central idea, vocabulary, writing strategy, recall)
Characterization (Grandmother is)
Which words or phrases help to answer question 9?
"When she was ready to let her spirit die, just then...color of hope and branches filled with possibility" (80-81)