Afternoon in Linen
Shirley Jackson
Include an image of the author or of a symbol from the story.
Interpretive Questions: Be sure to answer all questions in complete sentences using quotes to support.
1.) Why does Harriet refuse to play the piano or recite her poems? Harriet refuses to play the piano or recite her poems because Howard would go tell the school. “Howard could not contain himself no longer. Harriet writes poems about starts!” (p.157)
2.) Even before she is asked to, why does Harriet decide she won’t play the piano? She dose not want Howard to know. “ he’s bigger tan I am” (p.154)
3.) Why is Harriet worried that Howard will tell “all the kids on the block” about her poems? (p. 155) She is worried because Howard will make-fun of her and he will tell the kids on the block “all the kids on the block” (p.155)
4.) Why does Harriet insist she copied the poem out of a book? She keeps saying that because she dose not want Howard to think that she rote it. “ I copied it out of a book Harriet said” (p.157)
5.) Why does Harriet take the poems away from her grandmother and say, “And you can’t look at them anymore, either”? (p. 158) She dose not want to wet her grandmother have them because she will read them. “And you can’t look at them anymore, either”(p.158)
6.) Is Harriet’s grandmother is ignoring Harriet’s feelings, or is she unaware of them? Her grandmother is unaware because she dose not know why she will not say them. “ I think she is coming alone very well” (p.154)
7.) When Harriet will not play the piano, why does her grandmother insist that she recite her poems? Her grandmother gust wants to here them. “ I could still play them if you wanted” (p.154)
8.) When Howard gives her the poems, why does Harriet’s grandmother “kindly” ask Harriet, “Will you read them or shall I”? (p. 156) She said that because she wants to here the pomes. “Will you read them or shall I” (p.156)
9.) After reading the poem, why does Harriet’s grandmother ask, “Now aren’t you sorry you made such a fuss about such a little thing”? (p. 157) She asked that because she wants to know. “Now aren’t you sorry you made such a fuss about such a little thing” (p.157)
10.) Why does Harriet’s grandmother apologize to Mrs. Kator for having read her the poem “under false pretenses”? (p. 158) She says that because she is sorry for the way she was being “under false pretenses” (p.158)
Vocabulary:
1.) Recite (p. 155)
Quote: “ I am going to ask her if I could Recite them to you” (p.155)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): orally retell
Synonym: give a story
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I will Recite the play.
2.) Prejudiced (p. 155)
Quote: “ I may be Prejudiced” (p.155)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): biased
Synonym: Prejudiced
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I was very Prejudiced about that.
3.) Merit (p. 155)
Quote: “that they show real Merit” (p.155)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): skill
Synonym: to do good
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I hope I have Merit.
4.) Pretenses (p. 158)
Quote: “ the pome under false Pretenses” (p.158)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): circumstances
Synonym: Pretenses
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): the will be Pretenses.
5.) Deprecatingly (p. 158)
Quote: Mrs. Kator said Deprecatingly. (p.158)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Shameful
Synonym: disapproval
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I hope I an never Deprecatingly.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when Harriet’s behavior seems reasonable and when her behavior seems unreasonable. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column Harriet’s Behavior Seems Reasonable V. Harriet’s Behavior Seems Unreasonable
Reasonable
When she reads the pome. (p.157)
When she recites the play very well (p.155)
when she dose not want to play the piano (p.154)
when she isn't sorry about her making a big fuss about it (p.157)
Unreasonable
when she will not read the pome (p.156)
when she is being mean to Howard (p.157)
when she said that she copied the pome out of a book. (p.158)
when she takes the poems out of her grandmothers hands (p.157)
when the grandmother asked her to give her the pome and she will not (p.156)
Interpretive Questions: Be sure to answer all questions in complete sentences using quotes to support.
1.) Why does Harriet refuse to play the piano or recite her poems? Harriet refuses to play the piano or recite her poems because Howard would go tell the school. “Howard could not contain himself no longer. Harriet writes poems about starts!” (p.157)
2.) Even before she is asked to, why does Harriet decide she won’t play the piano? She dose not want Howard to know. “ he’s bigger tan I am” (p.154)
3.) Why is Harriet worried that Howard will tell “all the kids on the block” about her poems? (p. 155) She is worried because Howard will make-fun of her and he will tell the kids on the block “all the kids on the block” (p.155)
4.) Why does Harriet insist she copied the poem out of a book? She keeps saying that because she dose not want Howard to think that she rote it. “ I copied it out of a book Harriet said” (p.157)
5.) Why does Harriet take the poems away from her grandmother and say, “And you can’t look at them anymore, either”? (p. 158) She dose not want to wet her grandmother have them because she will read them. “And you can’t look at them anymore, either”(p.158)
6.) Is Harriet’s grandmother is ignoring Harriet’s feelings, or is she unaware of them? Her grandmother is unaware because she dose not know why she will not say them. “ I think she is coming alone very well” (p.154)
7.) When Harriet will not play the piano, why does her grandmother insist that she recite her poems? Her grandmother gust wants to here them. “ I could still play them if you wanted” (p.154)
8.) When Howard gives her the poems, why does Harriet’s grandmother “kindly” ask Harriet, “Will you read them or shall I”? (p. 156) She said that because she wants to here the pomes. “Will you read them or shall I” (p.156)
9.) After reading the poem, why does Harriet’s grandmother ask, “Now aren’t you sorry you made such a fuss about such a little thing”? (p. 157) She asked that because she wants to know. “Now aren’t you sorry you made such a fuss about such a little thing” (p.157)
10.) Why does Harriet’s grandmother apologize to Mrs. Kator for having read her the poem “under false pretenses”? (p. 158) She says that because she is sorry for the way she was being “under false pretenses” (p.158)
Vocabulary:
1.) Recite (p. 155)
Quote: “ I am going to ask her if I could Recite them to you” (p.155)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): orally retell
Synonym: give a story
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I will Recite the play.
2.) Prejudiced (p. 155)
Quote: “ I may be Prejudiced” (p.155)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): biased
Synonym: Prejudiced
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I was very Prejudiced about that.
3.) Merit (p. 155)
Quote: “that they show real Merit” (p.155)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): skill
Synonym: to do good
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I hope I have Merit.
4.) Pretenses (p. 158)
Quote: “ the pome under false Pretenses” (p.158)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): circumstances
Synonym: Pretenses
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): the will be Pretenses.
5.) Deprecatingly (p. 158)
Quote: Mrs. Kator said Deprecatingly. (p.158)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Shameful
Synonym: disapproval
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I hope I an never Deprecatingly.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when Harriet’s behavior seems reasonable and when her behavior seems unreasonable. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column Harriet’s Behavior Seems Reasonable V. Harriet’s Behavior Seems Unreasonable
Reasonable
When she reads the pome. (p.157)
When she recites the play very well (p.155)
when she dose not want to play the piano (p.154)
when she isn't sorry about her making a big fuss about it (p.157)
Unreasonable
when she will not read the pome (p.156)
when she is being mean to Howard (p.157)
when she said that she copied the pome out of a book. (p.158)
when she takes the poems out of her grandmothers hands (p.157)
when the grandmother asked her to give her the pome and she will not (p.156)