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Unit 2 ■ Analyzing Comparisons and Representations
138
It was easier to manage
It was easier to manage
1
1 REFERENT The poem’s title includes an
2
ambiguous pronoun (“it”), which allows for multiple
I started kinder
ent off to Guy
ou w
I started kindergarten that fall you went off to Guyana.
g
arten that fall y
interpretations of its antecedent. “It” could refer
Granny cut off my dreadlocks. She knew how to press
to the speaker’s hair, her living situation with her
and curl, ponytail, and cornrow but palm roll
grandmother, the mispronunciation of her name,
locks till the roots stiffened with beeswax,
her response to the loss of “you,” or another
glistens like licorice, she didn’t know.
5
referent.
For that matter, no one in the Projects knew
what to do with hair left natural, left
2 PRONOUN By using the second-person
3
they were afraid to touch
unparted and wild — they were afraid to touch
pronoun “you,” the speaker does not address the
that unmothered part of themselves. Each snip
that unmothered part of themselves. Each snip
reader but rather an unnamed character.
10 made each one alive and each one dead.
made each one alive and each one dead.
And if you said goodbye, it was an honest whisper,
3 REPETITION The repetition of “each” in these
two lines may mimic the sound or cadence of
short and fine in your throat.
4
scissors cutting hair. Additionally, “each one” is
She cut my hair like a boy’s
She cut my hair like a boy’s
ambiguous and may refer to each strand of hair
who hadn’t been to the barber for a month,
who hadn’t been to the barber for a month,
cut or the people “in the Projects” from line 6.
and I sat at the cafeteria table alone for weeks.
15
They couldn’t make sense of me, my classmates ana.
4 REPETITION The speaker repeats the haircut with their gender-proper hairstyles. I didn’t
twice throughout the poem (potentially a third 5 want anything to do with franks & beans,
want anything to do with franks & beans,
time in the last line, as sheep are sheared). The those pucks of grilled meat. I waited at lunchtime
those pucks of grilled meat. I waited at lunchtime
experience is so important to understanding her 20 for peanut butter and jelly and was hesitant to eat
for peanut butter and jelly and was hesitant to eat
childhood and lack of control.
bread that wasn’t our color. It was hard
bread that wasn’t our color. It was hard
6 not hearing your voice each morning,
not hearing your voice each morning,
5 REPETITION The speaker repeats foods
138 Unit 2 ■ Analyzing Comparisons and Representations throughout the day. And unwilling to correct them
throughout, communicating her level of
connection, comfort, or familiarity with her when they said my name wrong, I gave into
It was easier to manage
It was easier to manage
the Sizzlean; the fried chicken crunched
1 REFERENT The poem’s title includes an 1 surroundings. 7 25 the Sizzlean; the fried chicken crunched
between my teeth, I could’ve bitten both of your hands
ambiguous pronoun (“it”), which allows for multiple 2 I started kindergarten that fall you went off to Guyana. between my teeth, I could’ve bitten both of your hands
g
arten that fall y
ana.
I started kinder
ent off to Guy
ou w
for leaving me here, each finger for the gunshots that rang
interpretations of its antecedent. “It” could refer 6 REPETITION The speaker weaves thoughts for leaving me here, each finger for the gunshots that rang
Granny cut off my dreadlocks. She knew how to press
and memories of the unnamed “you” character
the night, the footsteps running on the roof, the gravel mashed
to the speaker’s hair, her living situation with her Answers on the same page the night, the footsteps running on the roof, the gravel mashed
and curl, ponytail, and cornrow but palm roll
deeper and deeper into my sleep. Flocks of butterflies
grandmother, the mispronunciation of her name, in lines 1, 11–12, 22, and 26–34. This repetition deeper and deeper into my sleep. Flocks of butterflies
locks till the roots stiffened with beeswax,
broke my skin and I was shatter where I stood,
her response to the loss of “you,” or another 5 reflects how frequently she thinks about this 30 broke my skin and I was shatter where I stood,
glistens like licorice, she didn’t know.
character and their absence.
referent. For this Teacher’s Edition, we wanted to put suggested responses right in the margin a whole constellation of wondering if I could throw
For that matter, no one in the Projects knew
to save you the hassle of having to pull up answers in a digital resource. We kept the myself to the sky, coat it with urgent wishes
what to do with hair left natural, left
2 PRONOUN By using the second-person 7 ALLITERATION Similar sounds are repeated in you’d see that I missed you, that the barter was unfair,
3
unparted and wild — they were afraid to touch
they were afraid to touch
“chicken crunched,” “between my teeth,” “bitten
pronoun “you,” the speaker does not address the responses brief so you can scan them quickly. that you mistook me for sheep.
that unmothered part of themselves. Each snip
that unmothered part of themselves. Each snip
reader but rather an unnamed character. both,” “running on the roof,” and “butterflies broke”
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs were used with this sample chapter.
made each one alive and each one dead.
to express deep frustration, anger, and pain.
10 made each one alive and each one dead.
3 REPETITION The repetition of “each” in these And if you said goodbye, it was an honest whisper, FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: Word Choice, Imagery, and Symbols
two lines may mimic the sound or cadence of short and fine in your throat. 1. Consider the pronouns and antecedents in the poem. How do these pronouns
She cut my hair like a boy’s
scissors cutting hair. Additionally, “each one” is 4 She cut my hair like a boy’s create relationships?
SUGGESTED RESPONSES
ambiguous and may refer to each strand of hair who hadn’t been to the barber for a month, 2. The speaker characterizes a child through repetitive words and phrases. How does
who hadn’t been to the barber for a month,
TO THE QUESTIONS
cut or the people “in the Projects” from line 6. 15 and I sat at the cafeteria table alone for weeks. this repetition create a message? Explain how repetition contributes to the message.
1. The author uses the second-person pronoun 3. Choose an alliterative phrase and explain how the repetition of the sound
They couldn’t make sense of me, my classmates
4 REPETITION The speaker repeats the haircut with their gender-proper hairstyles. I didn’t contributes to your interpretation of the poem.
“you” not to address the reader but rather to
twice throughout the poem (potentially a third 5 want anything to do with franks & beans,
address an unnamed character. The title also
want anything to do with franks & beans,
time in the last line, as sheep are sheared). The those pucks of grilled meat. I waited at lunchtime
includes a notably ambiguous pronoun.
those pucks of grilled meat. I waited at lunchtime
experience is so important to understanding her 20 for peanut butter and jelly and was hesitant to eat
for peanut butter and jelly and was hesitant to eat
2. The narrator repeats the experience of her
childhood and lack of control.
haircut at least three times (see lines 2, 13,
bread that wasn’t our color. It was hard
bread that wasn’t our color. It was hard
and 34); her hair likely symbolizes a part of her
not hearing your voice each morning,
5 REPETITION The speaker repeats foods 6 not hearing your voice each morning, 03_williamlit1e_46174_ch02_116_207.indd 138 22/09/22 9:43 AM
life that she lost (perhaps her relationship with
throughout, communicating her level of throughout the day. And unwilling to correct them COMPREHENSION CHECK
the “you” character, perhaps a part of her own
connection, comfort, or familiarity with her when they said my name wrong, I gave into
identity) because they left her. The speaker
the Sizzlean; the fried chicken crunched
surroundings. 7 25 the Sizzlean; the fried chicken crunched 1. The narrator states that Granny cuts the narrator’s _________ at the opening of the poem
also refers to different foods throughout the
between my teeth, I could’ve bitten both of your hands sometime before the narrator begins kindergarten. [dreadlocks/hair]
between my teeth, I could’ve bitten both of your hands
text, all of which convey her deep connection
for leaving me here, each finger for the gunshots that rang
6 REPETITION The speaker weaves thoughts for leaving me here, each finger for the gunshots that rang 2. The narrator recounts that when she goes to school, she sits “at the cafeteria alone for weeks”
to her community.
and memories of the unnamed “you” character the night, the footsteps running on the roof, the gravel mashed because her classmates cannot __________. [make sense of her]
the night, the footsteps running on the roof, the gravel mashed
in lines 1, 11–12, 22, and 26–34. This repetition 3. One of the most powerful examples occurs 3. At lunchtime, the narrator waits for what food instead of “franks & beans, / those grilled pucks
deeper and deeper into my sleep. Flocks of butterflies
deeper and deeper into my sleep. Flocks of butterflies
in line 26, “bitten both” and lines 29–30,
reflects how frequently she thinks about this 30 broke my skin and I was shatter where I stood, of meat”? [Peanut butter and jelly sandwich]
broke my skin and I was shatter where I stood,
“butterflies broke.” Both of these express
character and their absence. a whole constellation of wondering if I could throw 4. As the narrator addresses someone, she describes being so upset that she “could’ve bitten
powerful anger and pain.
myself to the sky, coat it with urgent wishes both of your ______ / for leaving me here.” [hands]
7 ALLITERATION Similar sounds are repeated in you’d see that I missed you, that the barter was unfair,
“chicken crunched,” “between my teeth,” “bitten that you mistook me for sheep. 5. The narrator states that nobody in the Projects knew how to style _________ hair. [natural]
both,” “running on the roof,” and “butterflies broke”
to express deep frustration, anger, and pain.
Reading checks to save you time TRM Unit 2: Comprehension Check Digital Comprehension Check
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: Word Choice, Imagery, and Symbols
1. Consider the pronouns and antecedents in the poem. How do these pronouns
Reading comprehension checks accompany each reading. These brief fill-in-the-
create relationships?
SUGGESTED RESPONSES
2. The speaker characterizes a child through repetitive words and phrases. How does
TO THE QUESTIONS blank questions are just quick check-ins to see if students got the basics before
this repetition create a message? Explain how repetition contributes to the message.
138
Unit 2
Analyzing Comparisons and Representations
1. The author uses the second-person pronoun moving on to analysis. Comprehension checks are also available on the program’s
3. Choose an alliterative phrase and explain how the repetition of the sound
“you” not to address the reader but rather to digital platform. contributes to your interpretation of the poem.
address an unnamed character. The title also Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
includes a notably ambiguous pronoun.
2. The narrator repeats the experience of her
haircut at least three times (see lines 2, 13, 03_williamlitte1e_47545_ch02_116_207_3pp.indd 138 08/12/22 5:28 PM
and 34); her hair likely symbolizes a part of her 03_williamlit1e_46174_ch02_116_207.indd 138 22/09/22 9:43 AM
life that she lost (perhaps her relationship with
the “you” character, perhaps a part of her own COMPREHENSION CHECK
identity) because they left her. The speaker 1. The narrator states that Granny cuts the narrator’s _________ at the opening of the poem
also refers to different foods throughout the sometime before the narrator begins kindergarten. [dreadlocks/hair]
text, all of which convey her deep connection 2. The narrator recounts that when she goes to school, she sits “at the cafeteria alone for weeks”
to her community. because her classmates cannot __________. [make sense of her]
3. One of the most powerful examples occurs 3. At lunchtime, the narrator waits for what food instead of “franks & beans, / those grilled pucks
in line 26, “bitten both” and lines 29–30, of meat”? [Peanut butter and jelly sandwich]
“butterflies broke.” Both of these express 4. As the narrator addresses someone, she describes being so upset that she “could’ve bitten
powerful anger and pain.
both of your ______ / for leaving me here.” [hands]
5. The narrator states that nobody in the Projects knew how to style _________ hair. [natural]
TRM Unit 2: Comprehension Check Digital Comprehension Check

138 Unit 2 Analyzing Comparisons and Representations
03_williamlitte1e_47545_ch02_116_207_3pp.indd 138 08/12/22 5:28 PM
Welcome to Ideas in Literature TE-xix
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