"Legal Alien" & Identity Poems
The speaker in "Legal Alien" says she can "hyphenate" herself—meaning she can switch between English and Spanish. This technique of changing language based on who she's with is called _______________.
code-switching
When Mrs. Mallard sits alone in her room, she begins to feel something "creeping out of the sky" toward her. This mysterious feeling is eventually revealed to be _______________.
a sense of freedom
By addressing his former enslaver as "Colonel" and maintaining a respectful tone, Jourdon Anderson builds his credibility while making a powerful argument. This rhetorical appeal is called...
Ethos (establishing credibility and trust)
Pat Mora's use of the word "alien" in the poem's title suggests the speaker feels this way, rather than using a more neutral word like "person" or "resident."
Unwelcome, foreign, or out of place
In "How It Feels to be Colored Me," Zora Neale Hurston describes herself using vivid, joyful language and imagery. This reveals her self-image as ____________.
Confident, proud, or self-assured
In Pat Mora’s poem “Legal Alien,” the speaker’s repeated use of “legal alien” most clearly emphasizes:
A the speaker’s pride in citizenship
B the conflict between official status and personal identity
C a legal argument about immigration law
D a desire to assimilate completely
B. the conflict between official status and personal identity
The doctors believe Mrs. Mallard dies from "the joy that kills," but readers know her real cause of death is the loss of ______________.
Freedom
Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address uses this rhetorical appeal when he references Biblical passages and religious language to connect with his audience's values.
Ethos = credibility, character, shared values, moral authority
Robert Hayden repeats the phrase "Runagate, runagate" throughout his poem. This repetitive syntax choice is called _________________.
Anaphora
Harriet Jacobs in "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" makes the difficult choice to hide in an attic for seven years. This decision reveals her character trait of ________________.
Determination, resilience, or willingness to sacrifice for freedom
What is the speaker's identity conflict?
The poem shows that the speaker is seen as "too American" by some people and "too Mexican" by others.
This point of view lets readers know Mrs. Mallard feels joyful about her freedom, while the other characters do not.
third-person limited point of view
In the Declaration of Sentiments, the authors list specific grievances against men—such as denying women the right to vote and own property. This is an example of what rhetorical appeal?
Logos (logical evidence and reasoning)
In "To My Old Master," Jourdon Anderson uses long, complex sentences filled with multiple clauses. This syntax choice makes his argument seem ______________.
Formal, logical, educated, or sophisticated
Mrs. Mallard in "The Story of an Hour" feels conflicted emotions—grief mixed with joy and freedom. This complexity in her character reveals that Chopin sees women as ______________.
Complex human beings with conflicting desires and emotions
This theme is shown when the speaker feels like she belongs to two cultures but is not fully accepted by either.
Identity
Chopin suggests that many women in her time had little independence because of what social expectation?
The traditional role of women (or wives)
Jourdon Anderson's detailed calculation of his unpaid wages ($11,680) serves what rhetorical purpose in his letter?
To prove his argument logically and show he deserves compensation
In "The Story of an Hour," Chopin writes: "There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair." This inverted sentence structure creates this effect.
Emphasis or focus on the setting/chair
Jourdon Anderson's tone shifts throughout his letter from respectful to firm to threatening. This shift in tone reveals that he is _____________ type of character.
Intelligent, strategic, and willing to stand up for himself?
This literary device is used when the speaker repeats "viewed by" to emphasize how other people judge her identity.
Anaphora
Mrs. Mallard reacts to the news of her husband's death with what type of grief before realizing she is free?
sudden, overwhelming grief
The "Call to Action" in both the Declaration of Sentiments and the Speech to the American Equal Rights Association is designed to create what effect on the audience.
to inspire listeners/readers to take action for women's rights
Compare the simple sentence "Jack jumped over the hill" with the complex sentence "Scott and Kasey rode bikes after they ate breakfast." The complex sentence shows ___________ about the relationship between ideas.
That one action depends on or follows another (causation or time sequence)
Hurston's experiences growing up in an all-Black town and Anderson's experience of enslavement shaped their perspectives. What common viewpoint do both writers develop through those experiences?
A strong sense of dignity and independence in the face of racism and oppression