CHAPTER 7 THE PERSON BEHIND THE TEXT

THE STANDARDS Literary Response and Analysis –3.7 Analyze a work of literature, showing how it reflects the heritage, traditions, attitudes, and beliefs of its author.

THE STANDARDS Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development –1.1 Analyze idioms to infer the literal and figurative meanings of phrases.

THE PERSON ON THE PAGE USING THEIR LIVES WRITING FROM EXPERIENCE WRITING FROM IMAGINATION

RIBBONS LAURENCE YEP –Believes his sympathy for the outcast is the main reason for his success, particularly with younger readers. –For Independent Reading Dragonwings

RIBBONS VOCABULARY –HARASSED –LABORIOUS –EXOTIC –EXERTION –EXILE

RIBBONS WRITER’S BACKGROUND page 471 –GRANDMOTHER LEAVES HONG KONG ONLY AFTER THE CITY IS RETURNED TO COMMUNIST CHINA. What does this suggest about Yep’s attitude and heritage? It suggests that Yep’s attitude toward Communism is negative.

RIBBONS Asking questions page 472. –Authors often blend fact and fiction by utilizing certain historical details in a story. What factual questions about Hong Kong might the passage prompt? How did the Chinese and British get along? Did most people speak English?

RIBBONS Writer’s background on page 473 –Authors often put aspects of their own lives into their characters. In the passage; “Joe sun, Paw-paw” I said. –How might the speaker reflect Yep’s experience? »Both Stacy and yep are Chinese- Americans. Like Stacy, Yep may speak only a little Chinese. Both are accustomed to the outgoing informality of American culture.

RIBBONS Asking Questions page 474 –Why was it so important to escape the Communist? –In real life, did anyone make such a heroic journey to escape the Communists?

RIBBONS Interpreting idioms page 474 –Do you know what “hon” is short for? –Do you know what “We’ll see” really means?

RIBBONS Culture page 475 –A religion practice in China Believe “boys” are everything The Emperor ruled the country and the father/son ruled the family What place do the women/daughters have?

RIBBONS Writer’s background page 476 –What aspect of the author’s heritage might be reflected? As a Chinese American in an African American neighborhood who attends a white school, Yep might have often felt like a “freak.”

RIBBONS Finding sequence of events page 478 –Make a numbered list of what happens in the bathroom. Stacy enters the bathroom, thinking it’s empty. She sees her grandmother soaking her feet. Her grandmother covers her feet, but Stacy has already seen them. She asks her grandmother what happened. Her grandmother tells Stacy it’s none of her business.

RIBBONS Writer’s background page 480 –Why do you think the author chose to have Stacy read the story of the Little Mermaid rather than, say, a Chinese folk tale? He wanted a story that parallels with the grandmother’s life.

RIBBONS Symbol –To Stacy’s grandmother, ribbons were a symbol of the old days. What have ribbons come to symbolize for Stacy? The strong bond of love that includes herself, her mother, and her grandmother.

RIBBONS Do questions 1 through 6 on page 482 Do questions 1 through 5 on page 483 Do the PRACTICE questions 1 through 4 on page 483

The Treasure of Lemon Brown Writer’s background Reading Skills Vocabulary –Impromptu –Tentatively –Intently –Brittle –ominous