Warm-up: Get out Friday’s cool-down . Choose one word that you wrote a + next to and one that you wrote a – next to and write a 2-3 sentences to explain why you think this word has a positive or negative connotation (i.e. what comes to mind when you hear this word that makes it positive or negative).

Sunset Calm DutyDesert Watchful Pitiful Savory Passionate DearSweet Fair NastyPleasant Furious

Self-respecting

*While you’re doing this, I’ll stamp “The Rattler”.

Have I not stamped anyone’s “The Rattler”?

If you are interested in traveling this spring, sign up by the end of the month!

For help, see me after class.

Homework: Read and annotate “The Perils of Indifference” (due Thursday).

Reading 1.1: Identify and use the literal and figurative meanings of words (and understand word derivations).

The words that we covered for our warm-up are word choices (diction) that the speaker of The Rattler uses to describe 1) the setting, 2) the snake, and 3) his action towards the snake.

After going over these words, what would we say that the speaker’s tone is in this passage? Remember, there can be more than one

tone.

Poets are usually great masters at diction; since their compositions are so much shorter than a novel or short story, every single word is necessary for achieving the desired emotional effect.

We will read Roethke’s poem “My Papa’s Waltz” to find out how diction can shape the meaning of a work.

Focus: Is this a joyous or unpleasant event in this child’s life? How do you know?

The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy.

We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother’s countenance Could not unfrown itself.

The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle; At every step you missed My right ear scraped a buckle.

You beat time on my head With a palm caked hard by dirt, Then waltzed me off to bed

Still clinging to your shirt.

Let’s make a list of important diction that is found in “My Papa’s Waltz”.

After listing the diction, we will discuss the connotations and implications of the diction used.

Fill out the diction worksheet on the back of “My Papa’s Waltz”.

Start by going through and finding important diction

Then, put the diction in the box for #1 Choose three pieces of diction to closely

analyze for connotation and associations.

Find the TONE, based on diction Write a paragraph about the tone,

using diction to prove the tone.