Let America be America Again

Let America Be America Again

​Mrs. Schwarz

Multiple Choice

Do now: Read this excerpt from Amanda Gorman's "The Hill We Climb"

"That even as we grieved, we grew. That even as we hurt, we hoped. That even as we tired, we tried that will forever be tied together victorious. Not because we will never again know defeat, but because we will never again sow division."

What purpose does the alliteration serve in this instance?

• It contributes to a comedic mood that is evident throughout the poem

• It brings our attention to the contrast in words, the latter of the two revealing thematic elements of the poem

• It compares the two words without using like or as

• To ensure that this poem is catchy

Open Ended

What do you know about "The American Dream"? What does it meant to you?

Objectives

• To define and use poetic terms to discuss poetry

• Practice poetry analysis skills, including tone, repetition, format, and rhetorical questions.

• ​To discuss the importance of historical context in the reading of literature.

• ​To analyze the contemporary cultural relevance of an 86 year old poem.

Vocabulary Words to Look Out For

• Bondsman -- Enslaved individual

• Serf -- Person who resided on a plot of land who worked for the owner of the land (form of enslavement)

• Furrow -- Long dug out trench made for planting seeds 

• Tyrant -- a corrupt leader

• Connive -- to conspire or scheme

Poetry Vocab to Keep in Mind

• ​Historical Context - . information about the period, the place, and the events that. created, influenced, or formed the backdrop to the historic. resources

• Rhetorical Question: A question that the person asking already knows/is not expecting an answer for

"Let America be America Again" In Context

• Written in 1935 during what was formerly known as “The Great Migration” 

• Brentin Mock calls it "The Great Massive Forced Exodus"

• Many literary scholars say it could have been written in 1965, 2001, or 2020 -- still incredibly culturally relevant

Review! Steps to Analyzing Poetry

• 1. Look at the title: What hints does it give you about the poem? What do you know about the words in the title? Paraphrase!

• 2. Read the poem aloud 3 times

• 3. What is the poem LITERALLY about? Draw a picture, paraphrase into your own words, etc. 

• 4. Look at Poetic Techniques (metaphor, repetition, format, tone) 

• 5. Put it all together! What is the overall message of life in this poem? How can we transfer this message to our novel / our lives / the lives of American citizens?

Step 2: Listen to the Poem

Let's analyze the poem!

​1. What does the poem literally mean - paraphrase in chunks.

​2. Note the connotations of many words

​3. What is the TONE of the SPEAKER of the poem

​4. Does the tone shift? Where

​5. What is the theme of the poem?

Multiple Choice

Tone

What is the initial tone at the beginning of Langston Hughes's poem "Let America be America Again"?

• Solemn and Disappointed

• Frustrated and Resentful

• Excited and Elated

• Dazed and Confused

Multiple Choice

Tone (Again)

What is the new tone following the volta of the poem?

• Hopeful and Determined

• Defeated and Solemn

• Angry and Frustrated

• Fearful and Unsure

Open Ended

What is the message that Langston Hughes is trying to convey through his poem?

Remember, this is a STATEMENT about life

Quiz Time!

Please go to Google Classroom and click on the quiz.

Please do your best! This quiz is tough!