Unit Poetry
These poems by Stephen Scriver emphasize the unique social perspective of small-town prairie life:
What is "Marty Could'a Made'er" and/or "Stanislowski vs. Grenfell"
This personal essay reveals how we are all shaped by our environments, as the author recounts several memories from their childhood in a small prairie town.
What is "Where the World Began"?
In Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth, this is Rodney's two-word philosophy of life
What is "Why Not"?
In this spoken-word poem, the speaker uses his vocal tone and expression to emphasize the theme of Canadian Identity and Pride
What is "We Are More"?
The characterization of stormy weather is used to convey this literary device in Sinclair Ross' short stories:
What is pathetic fallacy?
The poem "Your Eyes, They Curve Around Me" highlights this longstanding Canadian social issue:
What is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women?
In this personal essay, the author describes how a certain game became a large part of their identity, as well as a large part of Canada's identity:
What is "Hockey Was Us"?
This is a common theme between "Pretty Like a White Boy" and "I'm Not the Indian You Had in Mind"
What is the prevalence of prejudice and stereotypes towards Indigenous Canadians?
What is Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth?
In both Sinclair Ross' stories, a central conflict is between a married couple--what do these conflicts have in common?
What is: poor communication, lack of empathy, differing worldviews
This poem uses personification to emphasize the dynamic energy and vivid imagery of Canada's landscapes from coast to coast:
What is "Between Two Furious Oceans"?
This personal essay is a work of satire that uses humour and ridicule to comment on the differing worldviews of the Indigenous and Caucasian cultures within Canada.
What is "Pretty Like a White Boy"?
This character from Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth has a backstory that shares aspects of the playwright's own upbringing.
Who is Janice/Grace?
When Margaret Lawrence refers to her town as "a place of jubilation and of mourning, horrible and beautiful," she is using this literary device:
What is paradox?
This detail about John's death is revealed in the final lines of the story:
John had paint on his hand, which means he was at the bedroom door, which means he saw Ann in bed with Steven
This poem serves as a feminist commentary on the story of the same name.
What is "The Painted Door"?
What tone is described below (from "Where the World Began")?
"This is where my world began...a world which formed me, and continues to do so, even while I fought it in some of its aspects and continue to do so."
What is: acceptance, reluctance
Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth involves this controversial period in Canada's Indigenous history.
What is the 60s Scoop?
The use of language in order to mock or ridicule an aspect of human weakness, stupidity, or immorality
What is satire?
When Ann muses that she's fond of Steven, "no matter what the neighbours say," is an example of this literary device:
What is foreshadowing?
What tone is common in "Winter Evening" and "Canadian January Night"?
What is reverence or respect for the landscape?
The literary device is used below: (From "Hockey Was Us")
"At Maclean’s, the editors used to say, if there was no excuse to use the Queen on the cover, they could always get Gordie Howe."
What is allusion?
Tonto compares both himself and Janice to this animal, which lays eggs in others' nests
What is a cowbird?
Bonus: explain the connection
The following excerpt from "Your Eyes, They Curve Around Me" contains these literary devices (name two):
What is it about your pockmarked protection?...What pathologies have you painted the pigment of my skin?
Alliteration and/or metaphor and/or oxymoron
In "The Lamp at Noon," what might the child's death represent?
What is: loss of hope?