The Medicine Bag
Whose point of view the story is told through?
Martin
What evidence shows imagery in the poem?
*open answer*
What evidence supports the theme of betrayal in the poem?
"my skin has betrayed me"
Whose point of view the story is told through?
an adult speaker reflecting on his teenage years.
How does the narrator feel as a teenager?
She feels like she doesn’t fit in
What does the medicine bag symbolize?
The history of Martin’s family /Martin’s acceptance of his family heritage
What is the main idea of the poem?
the exploration of cultural identity and heritage and compromising
What evidence supports the theme of loneliness in the poem?
“Momma’s in the bedroom with the door closed”
What is his overall tone throughout the letter?
He views his memories as light hearted and humorous
What activity does the narrator enjoy doing?
Reading
What does the pebble from a butte symbolize?
Where Joe Iron Shell’s father had his Vision Quest
What movie does the teacher think she saw the house in?
A Zorro movie
What is the main idea of the poem?
the troubles of being a teenager/adolescent
What embarrassing moment does the narrator experience?
His shirt got stuck to the floor during a break-dancing performance.
What does the narrator do to fit in?
She joins many school clubs
What does Grandpa Joe tell Martin to do with the medicine bag at the end of the story?
Grandpa realizes that the medicine bag will be more meaningful at a later time. He tells Martin to go to the reservation to complete the right of passage
What does the teachers behavior tell us about how she reacted to the drawing?
It tells us that the teacher is not culturally aware, maybe she is culturally insensitive.
Which poetic device is used to convey thoughts without a filter or clear punctuation?
Stream of consciousness is a narrative technique and poetic device that captures the flow of thoughts, feelings, and perceptions in a character's or speaker's mind.
What is the connotation of dork?
silly/funny
What is the tone of the poem?
compassionate and light-hearted
What does the piece of iron from a kettle symbolize?
Grandpa Joe's fathers purpose in life
What evidence shows repetition in the poem? What does that imply?
"the green blackboard," This repeating line shows the narrators confusion
What is enjambment? Why is it used in the poem?
where a sentence or thought runs over from one line to the next without a pause or break. Instead of ending a line with a punctuation mark, the idea continues onto the next line.The poet uses enjambment to show her overwhelming and disorganized thoughts.
What advice does the narrator give his younger self?
It's ok to have embarrassing moments, learn from your mistakes.
at first she speaks harshly to herself and pokes fun of her own appearance as a teenager, but then she shows compassion to her teenage self