Background
Who is the author of the text?
Joyce Sidman
Who is the main character?
Marie Curie
Define poverty
the state of being extremely poor.
the state of being inferior in quality or insufficient in amount.
We hid our Polish grammars
fairy glow
mythical/unreal/beautiful glow/light
What was Marie Curie's profession?
Chemist/Physicist
What is her childhood nickname?
Manya
Define infuriating
making one extremely angry and impatient; very annoying.
And the Sorbonne, despite its
pointed little men
And the Sorbonne (university of Paris) despite its (regardless of)pointed(stuck up) little (insult to status) men (majority)
Bonus if you can name the order
highest level degree
associates
bachelors
masters
doctorate
What is Marie Curie best known for?
Her principles in radioactivity
What caused Marie to go to Paris?
Russia taking over Poland
More opportunities for her career in France
Define incineration
the destruction of something, especially waste material, by burning.
But I was drawn to Paris
as a plant is drawn to light
as a plant (Marie, capable of growth) is (present tense) drawn (needs) light (positivity, happiness)
in the end
that glow ravaged my skin
the end of her life, career, study, time at university
the light destroyed her person
What was the name of Marie Curie's university?
Sorbonne
What does being under the "dark yoke" of Russian rule mean?
Being demeaned to animals, forced to work and act Russian. Poland had no power.
Define prejudice
Bonus points if you can give an example
being biased or against a certain group
(race, religion, gender, orientation)
I was like the shell of a burnt out tree
But what of it?
I(M.C) was(P.T) like(simile) the shell(outer protective layer) of a burnt out tree(hollow, empty, numb)
But what of it? (what do I do now? What's the point? What is left? Was it worth it?
I swept aside
She is taking all the negative things in her life and brushing them off so she can make more progress
When was the subject of the poem born?
1867
How do you get radium?
a ton of ore has to be hauled, cracked, and incinerated to become one pure gram of radium
Define Obelisk
a stone pillar, typically having a square or rectangular cross section and a pyramidal top, set up as a monument or landmark.
I, Manya,
the poor polish girl from Warsaw,
pried open life's hidden heart
and discovered the bright burn
of its decay
I(M.C), Manya(childhood nickname/nostalgic),
the poor(financial, pity) polish girl (back to childhood, young adult) from Warsaw(birthplace),
pried open (forced apart) life's hidden heart (the secrets of the world, untouched scientific breakthroughs)
and discovered(found) the bright burn(the blinding happiness, positivity
of its decay (decomposing, fading out of existence)
Spit at the obelisk erected by the Tsar
Poland disrespected the monuments built by the Tsar because they didn't agree with the take over of Poland