Sound Devices
On page 67, line 14, what figurative language is used to describe the ball hitting the rim?
The poem uses an onomatopoeia to describe the ball hitting the rim, as it says “CLANK!”
What does Josh’s hair represent in the book so far?
Josh’s hair represents pride and power, as Josh describes his hair as ”wings” to help him.
“I rise like a Learjet—” what figurative language is used in the line on page 68 of Josh’s Play-by-Play?
A simile is used on this page, describing Josh as a Learjet.
On page 33 (Ode to My Hair), what is the rhyming scheme of the first and second stanza?
ABAB
”Your shots whistled. Like a train pulling into the station.” What type of figurative language do these lines use?
These stanzas use a simile to compare Filthy‘s basketball shots to a train and its station. This implies that the shot was clean and clear.
From page 42, “What, isn’t that what you wanted, Filthy? JB asks.
And even though I never opened my mouth, I say, Thanks,
because
it is.”
What type of sound device would this refer to?
Enjambment, since “because” ends a stanza without punctuation, forcing the reader to read to the next line.
“In this game of life
you family is the court
and the ball is your heart.
No matter how good you are,
no matter how down you get,
always leave
your heart
on the court.”
What is the author trying to imply about the significance of “the court”, and “the game”?
The author implies that the court (being a basketball court presumably) is like home, and you’ll always need to cherish and appreciate it and basketball.
“JB’s eyes are ocean wide, his mouth swimming on the floor,” What would this imply about JB, and what type of figurative language is expressed?
This quote implies that JB is feeling giddy/overjoyed about something, the quote being a hyperbole.
“Pluses and minuses, we get along, but we are not close. I am no Pythagoras.” What would this imply about Josh and his relationship with ”pluses and minuses”, and what does the author use to explain so?
This implies that Josh does not like math, comparing himself with Pythagoras, a well known mathematician using an allusion.
On page 36 (The game is tied), what is the tone used when Josh sees the score be tied?
A tone of suspension and dread can be felt, as according to the poem, Josh’s head hurts after the crowd gets down from the bleachers.
What is the irony on page 78 when Uncle Bob decides to attempt to cook the entire family Thanksgiving dinner, when he only watches food TV, and smokes?
The irony is that Uncle Bob is inexperienced in cooking, and tried to cook a lot of food for the entire family.
When Josh, on page 55, starts describing the meaning of the word pulchritudinous when talking about the “new girl”, what type of sound device is used to emphasize this multiple types in the poem?
Repetition is used to exaggerate the “new girl”, by using the word pulchritudinous multiple times to describe her and her beauty.