Raymond’s Run by Toni Cade Bambara Feature Menu Introducing the Story Literary Skills Focus: Style—Dialect Literary Skills Focus: Style—Allusions Reading Skills Focus: Analyzing Style—Literary Devices Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer Tech Focus

Raymond’s Run by Toni Cade Bambara What does a person need to do to gain respect?

Raymond’s Run by Toni Cade Bambara Click on the title to start the video.

Raymond’s Run Introducing the Story Squeaky got her nickname because she’s small, with skinny arms and a squeaky voice. Squeaky may be small, but she has won every track meet she ever entered. For the first time, she faces a talented opponent. Will she keep her first-place status? [End of Section]

Raymond’s Run Literary Skills Focus: Dialect Dialect is a way of speaking characteristic of a certain geographical area or certain group of people. Hi, you guys. What’s up? Howdy, partner. Hey, sugar. How y’all doin’? A dialect becomes accepted in a culture and is adapted and used in speaking and writing.

Raymond’s Run Literary Skills Focus: Dialect Everyone speaks a dialect of some kind. For example, in the American dialect of English, a car has a hood in front and a trunk in back, and it runs on gas. petrol tank gas tank bonnet hood trunk boot hood trunk gas tank bonnet boot petrol tank A British speaker of English uses different words: He or she speaks in a British dialect.

Raymond’s Run Literary Skills Focus: Dialect Writers may use dialect to bring a character to life. My character is thirsty. Would she ask for . . . a soda? a tonic? some pop?

Raymond’s Run Literary Skills Focus: Dialect In “Raymond’s Run,” the main character speaks in a dialect used in New York City’s Harlem in the 1970s. But a lot of people call him my little brother cause he needs looking after cause he’s not quite right. And a lot of smart mouths got lots to say about that too, especially when George was minding him. But now, if anybody has anything to say to Raymond, anything to say about his big head, they have to come by me. “Raymond’s Run” from Gorilla, My Love by Toni Cade Bambara. Copyright © 1971 by Toni Cade Bambara. Reproduced by permission of Random House, Inc., www.randomhouse.com. How does Squeaky’s “voice” help you picture her? [End of Section]

Raymond’s Run Literary Skills Focus: Allusions An allusion is a reference drawn from literature, popular culture, or current events. For example, a writer might say, “He lied so much he had a nose like Pinocchio” or “She was as sweet as Snow White.” In both cases, the writer is making an allusion to a familiar literary character.

Raymond’s Run Literary Skills Focus: Allusions The writer assumes that the reader is familiar with an allusion through general knowledge. Even though his name was Joe, his friends called him Honest Abe. Writers use allusions to create comparisons that make characters come to life. [End of Section]

Raymond’s Run Reading Skills Focus: Literary Devices This story’s main character, Squeaky, speaks in dialect and uses allusions. These and other details help create Squeaky’s voice.

Raymond’s Run Reading Skills Focus: Literary Devices Into Action: Use a chart to record and analyze details from the text. Identify the types of literary devices (irony, figurative language, slang, dialect). Story Details Literary Device “And a lot of smart mouths got lots to say about that too . . . . But now, if anybody has anything to say to Raymond, . . . they have to come to me.” dialect “The big kids call me Mercury. . . .” “Raymond’s Run” from Gorilla, My Love by Toni Cade Bambara. Copyright © 1971 by Toni Cade Bambara. Reproduced by permission of Random House, Inc., www.randomhouse.com. [End of Section]

Raymond’s Run Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer Find It in Your Reading The story’s main character, Squeaky, is quite memorable. So I’m strolling down Broadway breathing out and breathing in on counts of seven, which is my lucky number, and here comes Gretchen and her sidekicks: Mary Louise, who used to be a friend of mine. . . . “Raymond’s Run” from Gorilla, My Love by Toni Cade Bambara. Copyright © 1971 by Toni Cade Bambara. Reproduced by permission of Random House, Inc., www.randomhouse.com. As you read, make note of her funny observations: Write them down in a notebook. [End of Section]

Raymond’s Run Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer TechFocus As you read, think about how you might use video and digital technology to portray the story’s characters. [End of Section]

Vocabulary

Raymond’s Run Vocabulary prodigy n.: child with exceptional talent. reputation n.: the way others see a person.

Raymond’s Run Vocabulary Some children have an exceptional ability in a particular field or activity. A highly talented child is sometimes called a prodigy.

Raymond’s Run Vocabulary Which photo shows the most likely prodigy?

Raymond’s Run Vocabulary Which photo shows the most likely prodigy? Describe a prodigy that you’ve met or heard about. At what activity did he or she excel?

Raymond’s Run Vocabulary How others see you determines your reputation. When you have a good reputation, other people hold you in high regard.

Raymond’s Run Vocabulary Most sports experts would agree that Tiger Woods, perhaps the #1 professional golfer in the world, has a reputation for training and working hard. being rude to golf officials. quitting when he’s losing.

Raymond’s Run Vocabulary Most sports experts would agree that Tiger Woods, perhaps the #1 professional golfer in the world, has a reputation for training and working hard. being rude to golf officials. quitting when he’s losing. How can a person’s reputation change? [End of Section]

The End

QuickWrite

Raymond’s Run QuickWrite Respecting a person means seeing him or her clearly and valuing what you see. Write a paragraph about a time when you gained new respect for someone. What helped you see the person more clearly? [End of Section]

Meet the Writer

Raymond’s Run Meet the Writer Toni Cade Bambara grew up in New York City, where “Raymond’s Run” takes place. Her writing drew on the voices of her childhood—the street-corner speechmakers, barbershop storytellers, and performers at Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater. Her stories, however, came from Bambara’s imagination. [End of Section]

Build Background

Raymond’s Run Build Background “Raymond’s Run” is set in Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. From about 1900 to 1925, many African Americans moved to Harlem from the South.

Raymond’s Run Build Background During the 1920s, the neighborhood was the center of an outpouring of writing, music, and art that became know as the Harlem Renaissance. In later decades, economic conditions in Harlem deteriorated. More recently the area has enjoyed revitalization. [End of Section]

Preview the Selection

Raymond’s Run Preview the Selection The main character of this story, a girl called Squeaky, has never lost a race. This year, however, she faces stiff competition when a newcomer, Gretchen, enters the May Day race. [End of Section]