Ashputtle
What is the meaning of the word "dovecote" in this passage? “The old man thought: “Could it be Ashputtle?” and he sent for an ax and a pick and broke into the dovecote, but there was no one inside.”
Answer: a shelter with nest holes for domesticated pigeons.
Meaning of the word “exhilarating” in the sentence, and why? “We are in a transitional period right now, fascinating and exhilarating times, learning to adjust to changes and the choices we, men and women, are facing.”
Thrilling, novel, or exciting. Can be related as a synonym to the word fascinating right before.
Theme: How do the differing elements of “Blue waves” and “soaring fire” emphasize the poem’s theme?
They are experiences, sights, sounds, and feelings that are experiences life has to offer, and what one should strive to acquire
How does the isolated scene of the Ashputtle hearing her mother’s dying wishes contribute to the plot?
Ashputtle’s mother’s dying wishes give Ashputtle strength through all the hardships she endured, letting her believe in hope and not giving up on pursuing her dreams. It’s through these words of reassurance that Ashputtle gets the determination to keep believing in her prayers, asking the magical doves to assist her dream of dancing at the wedding.
What is the theme of Barbara Bush’s Commencement Address?
Something along: Time spent cherishing loved ones is more valuable and gratifying than completing another task in life.
What does the author tell and want the reader to know in the last stanza?
The final stanza asks that a reader always invest everything they are in finding and acquiring as many of these experiences as possible.
Identify characters that are literary foils of each other.
Ashputtle and her stepsisters/stepmother.
Ashputtle embodies virtue, humility and diligence, continuing to be "good and say her prayers" even after her mother's death.
Her step-family represents vanity, freed and cruelty, forcing Ashputtle into a life of servitude and giving her impossible tasks to stop her from going to the ball.
What is the speaker’s tone in this paragraph? “Now maybe we should adjust faster; maybe we should adjust slower. But whatever the era, whatever the times, one thing will never change: fathers and mothers, if you have children, they must come first. You must read to your children, and you must hug your children, and you must love your children. Your success as a family, our success as a society, depends not on what happens in the White House, but on what happens inside your house.”
Encouraged, inspirational, passionate.
Word meaning, definitions: What is the meaning of ecstasy in the second-to-last line, “Count many a year of strife well lost, And for a breath of ecstasy Give all you have been, or could be.”
A feeling of intense happiness, excitement, or pleasure
What story archetype, character archetype (for Ashputtle) and setting archetype (for the garden with the magical tree and her mother’s coffin) are present?
Rags to riches (from family servant to princess), Outcast (the lonely outsider of her family, wanting to be a part of the ball), and the garden (sanctuary, peace, childhood).
How does the diction in this paragraph indicate the tone? “Now maybe we should adjust faster; maybe we should adjust slower. But whatever the era, whatever the times, one thing will never change: fathers and mothers, if you have children, they must come first. You must read to your children, and you must hug your children, and you must love your children. Your success as a family, our success as a society, depends not on what happens in the White House, but on what happens inside your house.”
Words indicating parental affection towards their children, and “success,” are meant to provoke a positive emotional reaction and contribute to an inspirational tone.
Author’s tone and diction: Using the emotional moments, what type of life experiences is the author trying to address in the second stanza?
The author addresses love, spirituality, and music.
Identify a theme found in Ashputtle supported with evidence from the text.
A theme found in Ashputtle is that true virtue that persists through hardships and life’s challenges will often be recognized and rewarded. This is seen through the contrasting fates of Ashputtle and her stepsisters. Ashputtle, who did her work diligently, never causing harm to others and staying firm in her belief to always do good, was rewarded with a happy marriage with the prince. Her stepsisters, who’ve only treated Ashputtle cruelly, shedding off any responsibilities and wishing others around them harm, had their eyes pecked out by doves and didn’t get their wish of marrying the prince.
How does this paragraph contribute to the theme of the address? “One of the reasons I made the most important decision of my life, to marry George Bush, is because he made me laugh. It's true, sometimes we've laughed through our tears, but that shared laughter has been one of our strongest bonds. Find the joy in life, because as Ferris Bueller said on his day off, "Life moves pretty fast; and you don't stop and look around once in a while, you're going to miss it.”
It’s a personal anecdote from Barbara Bush’s life, relating to the joy and happiness that she feels from making a choice to prioritize someone close and important to her. Relates to a theme that time spent with loved ones is incredibly precious.
Inferences about the author; Why does the author likely use repetition at the beginning of each stanza?
To repeatedly emphasize and ask the reader to “Spend” all the time they have pursuing “loveliness”, and that one should not hold back from something that could bring happiness.