Bell RingerBell Ringer

How do words affect us?How do words affect us?

Take two minutes to write three Take two minutes to write three sentences or draw a picture to sentences or draw a picture to describe how you think words affect describe how you think words affect us.us.

How does language affect us?How does language affect us?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFgRj-5d5Ac

““How Does Language Affect How Does Language Affect Us?”:Us?”:

Black CatBlack Cat By Christopher Myers By Christopher Myers

““black cat, black black cat, black cat,cat,

cousin to the cousin to the concreteconcrete

creeping down our creeping down our city streetscity streets

where do you live,where do you live,

where will we where will we meet?”meet?”

VoiceVoice

Is the voice in the poem the cat or Is the voice in the poem the cat or someone else?someone else?

Do they know everything that is Do they know everything that is going on in the story?going on in the story?

What is this type of narrator called?What is this type of narrator called?

Symbol, Repetition & Symbol, Repetition & RhythmRhythm

““black cat, black cat,black cat, black cat,

cousin to the concretecousin to the concrete

creeping down our creeping down our city streetscity streets

where do you live,where do you live, where will we meet?”where will we meet?”

Did you find a Did you find a symbolsymbol in this stanza?in this stanza?

What do you think it What do you think it means when Myers’ means when Myers’ writes “cousin to the writes “cousin to the concrete”?concrete”?

Do you notice anything Do you notice anything about about repetition and repetition and rhymerhyme??

What does it tell us What does it tell us about the poem?about the poem?

sauntering like sauntering like rainwater down rainwater down storm drainsstorm drains

between Cadillac tires between Cadillac tires and the curband the curb

sipping water from fire sipping water from fire hydrantshydrants

dancing to the dancing to the banging beats of banging beats of passing jeepspassing jeeps

Simile & AlliterationSimile & Alliteration

sauntering like sauntering like rainwater down storm rainwater down storm drainsdrains

between Cadillac tires between Cadillac tires and the curband the curb

sipping water from fire sipping water from fire hydrantshydrants

dancing to the dancing to the banging banging beatsbeats of passing of passing jeepsjeeps

Did you find a Did you find a similesimile in in this stanza?this stanza?

What do you think it What do you think it means when Myers’ writes means when Myers’ writes “sauntering like rainwater “sauntering like rainwater down storm drains”?down storm drains”?

Did you notice an example Did you notice an example of of alliterationalliteration??

What do you think it What do you think it means when Myers’ writes means when Myers’ writes about “about “the the banging beatsbanging beats of of

passing jeepspassing jeeps”?”?

do you nod hello to do you nod hello to the people you the people you meet meet

over yellow subway over yellow subway seats?seats?

black cat, black cat,black cat, black cat,

we want to knowwe want to know

where’s your home,where’s your home,

where do you go?where do you go?

Personification & RhymingPersonification & Rhyming Did you find an Did you find an

example of example of personificationpersonification in this in this stanza?stanza?

What do you think it What do you think it means when Myers’ means when Myers’ writes “do you nod writes “do you nod hello to the people you hello to the people you meet”?meet”?

Did you notice anything Did you notice anything about about rhyming rhyming patternspatterns??

What does it tell us What does it tell us about the poem?about the poem?

do you nod hello to do you nod hello to the people you the people you meetmeet

over yellow subway over yellow subway seats?seats?

black cat, black cat,black cat, black cat,we want to knowwe want to know

where’s your home,where’s your home,where do you go?where do you go?

crossing basketballcrossing basketball

courts and no-nettedcourts and no-netted

hoopshoops

slam-dunking yourself slam-dunking yourself

through a thin orangethrough a thin orange

halo…halo…

tiptoeing across thetiptoeing across the

click-clacking glowclick-clacking glow

of bodega lightsof bodega lights

Conveying the MessageConveying the Message

Did you find any Did you find any literary devices in literary devices in these stanzas?these stanzas?

What do you think What do you think Myers’ meant?Myers’ meant?

crossing basketballcrossing basketball

courts and courts and no-nettedno-netted

hoopshoops

slam-dunking yourself slam-dunking yourself

through a through a thin orangethin orange

halo…halo…

tiptoeing across tiptoeing across thethe

click-clacking glowclick-clacking glow

of bodega lightsof bodega lights