October 2, 2013 “Salvation” Vocabulary (continued)

ENGLISH 090

Langston Hughes was an American poet, novelist, and playwright whose African-American themes made him a primary contributor to the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s.

Langston Hughes

Hoyt W. Fuller commented that Hughes "chose to identify with plain black people—not because it required less effort and sophistication, but precisely because he saw more truth and profound significance in doing so. Perhaps in this he was inversely influenced by his father—who, frustrated by being the object of scorn in his native land, rejected his own people. Perhaps the poet's reaction to his father's flight from the American racial reality drove him to embrace it with extra fervor."

1. Hughes varies the length and structure of his sentences throughout the essay. How does this variety capture and reinforce the rhythms and drama of the evening’s events? Explain.

2. What would be gained or lost if the essay began with the first two sentences combined as follows: “I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen, but I was not really saved”?

3. How does Hughes’s choice of words, or diction, help to establish a realistic atmosphere for a religious revival meeting?

4. What is salvation? Is it important to young Hughes that he be saved? Why does he expect to be saved at the revival meeting?

5. Why does Hughes cry on the night of his being saved? What makes the story of his being saved so ironic?

6. What is Hughes’ main purpose in this narrative? Why do you think this event was important in his life?

7. How does Hughes create the scene in the revival meeting? Which sensory details of sight and sound are particularly effective in helping the reader feel present at the church?

8. What does Hughes’ use of dialogue add to his story? Which people speak directly and how do their words help the reader understand Hughes’ emotional state?

Salvation

Vocabulary: Root Words

Vocabulary: Root Words

Independent Reading Project

Background: Label a sheet of paper as “Background” and address the questions below. • Look over your text. What does the cover art tell you

about the book? What does the back and inside covers reveal?

• Look up the author on the Internet and provide a brief background—include who he/she is, their education/experiences, why they wrote the book if available.

• Find TWO reviews from book critics. Summarize their opinion of the book.

Independent Reading Project

Vocabulary: Label a sheet of paper as “Vocabulary” and address the sections below for every 25 pages. • Identify no fewer than 10 words that you either don’t

know or with which you aren’t that familiar. Write them down, the page number where you found them, and a brief dictionary definition.

• Identify no fewer than 10 STRONG words that you felt were compelling and that added to the overall text. Write them down, the page number where you found them, and a brief dictionary definition and WHY you found the word to be STRONG.

Independent Reading Project

Reading Summary: Label a sheet of paper as “Summary” and address the section below for every 25 pages.

• Write a brief summary of your reading. Your response to clearly identify characters, setting, and actions and how they contribute to the overall story/plot. Summaries should include enough detail to be approximately one-two paragraphs in length.

Independent Reading Project

Reader-Response: Label a sheet of paper as “Reader-Response” and address the sections below for every 25 pages.

• Divide a sheet of paper in half. On one side write a phrase or passage (you do not need to include the entire passage, just the first few words and chapter/page number) you found compelling. On the other side, write a response to the passage as to why you found it compelling.