Basic Understanding
Vocabulary
Literary terms
Analysis and interpretation
Analysis
100
What are you supposed to do at the end of every day?
count the acts that you have done
100
made someone feel better
eased the heart of him who heard
100
What is a stanza?
a paragraph of a poem
100
Finding similarities and differences.
What are compare and contrast?
100
What was George Eliot's real name?
Mary Anne Evans
200
How many stanzas are there in the poem?
2
200
an unselfish act
one self denying deed
200
A poet.
Who is a person who writes poetry?
200
Why do you think the poet relates only to acts "most small" in the second stanza?
The poet is trying to tell us that even when an act we do is small and may seem unimportant to us, it can still make a big difference in someone else's life.
200
During which era did George Eliot live?
The Victorian Era (1837-1901)
300
Name three things you can do to make your day "well spent" according to the poem?
one self-denying deed, one comforting word, or a kind glance
300
made someone smile
brought the sunshine to one face
300
What is a metaphor?
A way of describing something by calling it something else.
300
What is the message of the poem?
The message is that we should spend each day doing something for someone else, not only think about ourselves. / We have to make our life meaningful by helping other people.
300
Why did George Eliot use a pen name?
Women writers were not taken seriously in her time.
400
How many kind acts do you need to do to make your day well spent?
one
400
at the end of the day
at set of sun
400
What is a simile?
A way of describing something by comparing it to something else using the words "as" or "like".
400
Why did the poet divide the poem in to two stanzas? How does this reinforce the message of the poem?
The poet divides the poem into two stanzas to emphasize the difference between them. There are 2 kinds of days - worthwhile and worthless. These days may appear similar, but a closer look will reveal the big difference between the two.
400
In George Eliot's opinion, what was the duty of writers in the Victorian Era?
Eliot and her friends were openly critical of the conditions of the poor. For them, the writer’s job was to help improve society. Their literary works reflected those bad times.
500
Give an example of a self-denying deed that you can do.
(Anything nice you do for someone and you give up something for yourself)
500
a friendly look
one glance most kind
500
What is rhyme scheme?
The pattern of rhymes in the poem
500
Compare and contrast the first and second stanza of the poem. Name two things that are similar and two things that are different.
they both have the same rhyme scheme and describe a day. The first describes a good day, when you do something nice for someone. The second describes a bad day, when you didn't do anything nice for anyone.
500
How does George Eliot create a sense of balance in the poem? (Give at least three ways!)
-each stanza has the same # of lines
-the length of the lines are similar
-the rhyme scheme is the same
1st stanza talks about doing good things/second stanza talks about NOT doing good things
-last lines are almost the same
600
Name three things that, according to the second stanza, if you don't do them your day is wasted?
cheered someone, brought sunshine (a smile?) to one face, helped someone
600
You can't find anything that you've done
you've nothing done that you can trace
600
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem Count That Day Lost
AABCCBDD
600
Describe the conditions of the lower classes in the times of George Eliot
They lived in extreme poverty.
They lived in filthy slums.
Young children had to work to support their families.
They were uneducated.
600
How does this image relate to the "form" of the poem?
A scale is used to measure things accurately. Eliot wanted wanted us to weigh or count our deeds at the end of every day. On one side we place our good deeds and, on the other, the bad.