1. English II Perception Is Everything: Denotation, Connotation and My Papa’s Waltz

2. Denotation and Connotation  Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word, or the “dictionary” definition  Connotation, on the other hand, refers to associations that are connected to the word, or emotional suggestions related to the word. The connotative meaning exists with the denotative meaning.

3. Examples of connotative associations  Negative: There are over 200 vagrants in this area.  Neutral: There are over 200 people with no fixed address in this area.  Positive: There are over 200 homeless in this area.  All 3 words refer to the same people, but evoke different associations in the reader’s mind.

4. Notebook Question #1  All 3 of the following words essentially mean the same thing, but evoke different feelings. Label each either negative, positive, or neutral.  Woman:  Chick:  Female:

5. Notebook Question # 2  Label each of the following either positive, negative, or neutral and include a brief explanation.  Black:  African American:  Negro:

6. My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke 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

7. My Papa’s Waltz continued… 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

8. Perception: Analysis of My Papa’s Waltz  Directions:  Reread the poem  Address the memory of the narrator’s father in the poem.In your opinion, is the narrator recalling innocent “rough housing” or something more disturbing, like child abuse? Provide examples from the poem for support. Complete in at least 5-6 sentences.