Notice and Note 6 Reading Signposts

Memory Moment A Memory Moment is a point in the novel or short story where the writer interrupts what is happening in the narrative to show the protagonist as he/she remembers something. Memory Moments generally reveal something about a character’s internal or external conflict. If the character keeps remembering the SAME memory, the point of the memory or the lesson learned from it probably reveals a theme.

WHY MIGHT THIS MEMORY BE IMPORTANT? Essential Question for a Memory Moment WHY MIGHT THIS MEMORY BE IMPORTANT? Mark MM in the margin and write a note about the importance of the memory.

MM Example in The Secret Life of Bees “My first and only memory of my mother was the day she died” (5). Why might this memory be important?

AHA! An AHA! is a point in the text where a character realizes something, and that realization changes the way the character acts or thinks. Aha! reveals something about character development or theme. 3 Types of Aha! The character realizes what his/her conflict is. The character sees the pathway to the resolution of a conflict. The character comes to a broader understanding of something—perhaps a life lesson and probably a theme of the work.

How might this change things? Essential Question for an AHA! How might this change things? Mark AHA! in the margin and write a note about what might change.

AHA! Example in The Secret Life of Bees “But suddenly the look on Rosaleen’s face cut through all that. Look what he’s done to you” (25). How might this change things?

Words of the Wiser Words of the Wiser is a place in the text where the protagonist has a quiet, serious talk with a wiser character. The wiser character is probably offering the protagonist some information or advice. Words of the Wiser generally reveal something about character development, conflict, plot development, or theme.

How could this information affect the character? Essential Question for Words of the Wiser How could this information affect the character? Mark WW in the margin and write a note about the life lesson in the information.

WW Example in The Secret Life of Bees “’That maybe Our Lady could act for Deborah and be like a stand-in mother for you’” (287). How could this information affect the character?

Again and Again Again and Again is repetition of a word, a phrase, an object, or a situation. Again and Again may reveal insight into a character; an aspect of the setting; something about theme or conflict; something about the mood or tone; may be foreshadowing for an event or situation to come; or may reveal a theme.

Why does this keep showing up? Essential Question for Again and Again Why does this keep showing up? Mark AA in the margin and write a note about what is revealed about the setting, character, plot, conflict, or theme.

AA Example in The Secret Life of Bees “At night I would lie in bed and watch the show, how bees squeezed through the cracks of my bedroom wall and flew circles around the room, making that propeller sound, a high-pitched zzzzzz that hummed along my skin” (1). “July 1, 1964. I lay in bed, waiting for the bees to show up, thinking of what Rosaleen had said when I told her about their nightly visitations” (2). “’Bees!’ I shouted. ‘There’s a swarm of bees in my room!’” (4) Why does this keep showing up?

Contrasts and Contradictions When a character says or does something that is different from what he/she has been saying or doing, OR if the character behaves in a way that is different from what the reader would expect, that is a Contrast or Contradiction. Sometimes the SETTING is a contrast to the reader’s world--as in fantasy or historical fiction or science fiction. Contrasts and Contradictions reveal something about character, conflict, setting, or theme.

Essential Question for Contrasts and Contradictions Why is the character acting that way? OR What might this mean to the character? Mark CC in the margin and write a note about what is revealed about the setting, character, plot, conflict, or theme.

CC Example in The Secret Life of Bees “My daddy—who I called T. Ray because ‘Daddy’ never fit him…” (2) Why is the character acting this way? OR What might this mean to the character?

Tough Question Tough Questions are those questions the character asks him/herself (or another trusted character) that are difficult to answer. It may be an actual question, or it may be a “wondering” statement that is really a question. Tough Questions reveal internal conflict, as well as the character’s values and beliefs.

Essential Question for Tough Questions What is the dilemma? Mark TQ in the margin and write a note about what is revealed about the conflict or the character’s values and beliefs.

TQ Example in The Secret Life of Bees “I could understand her leaving him. But leaving me?” (40) What is the dilemma?

Reading Signposts Memory Moment – MM (Why might this memory be important?) AHA! (How might this change things?) Words of the Wiser – WW (How could this information affect the character?) Again and Again – AA (Why does this keep showing up?) Contrasts and Contradictions – CC (Why is the character acting this way? OR What might this mean to the character?) Tough Questions – TQ (What is the dilemma?)

Works Cited Beers, Kylene and Robert E. Probst. Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2013. Kidd, Sue Monk. The Secret Life of Bees. New York: Penguin, 2002.