I Hear America Singing/I, Too

Part A: Which excerpt from Text 1, “I Hear America Singing,” best conveys its overall theme? (RL.10.2)

• “The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,” 

• “The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,” 

• “Each singing what belongs to him or her and to no one else,” 

• “The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly” 

Part B: How does the idea of carols help develop the theme of Text 1? (RL.10.1)

• The beauty of America grows as each worker contributes his or her own carol. 

• As each American worker sings a new carol, he or she becomes more effective at his or her job. 

• As each carol is introduced, more opportunities open up for Americans. 

• The American worker grows more powerful as he shares his or her own carol.

How does the structure of the poem "I Hear America Singing" contribute to its overall meaning? (RL.10.5)

• The gradual increase in line length accentuates the important role that women play in creating America’s strength. 

• The inconsistent line length emphasizes the novelty of each worker’s contribution to America. 

• The repeated references to songs develop the idea that each worker performs a similar function in American society. 

• The list of a wide variety of workers highlights the unique contribution each worker makes to America. 

 How does the description of the songs as “strong” in Line 3 of Text 1 impact the meaning of the poem? (RL.10.4)

• It emphasizes the greatness of America, created through individual workers. 

• It highlights the joy that American laborers feel as they complete their daily tasks. 

• It reveals the belief that America is only powerful as long as each worker contributes. 

• It demonstrates a hope for a brighter future, felt by American laborers when they finish their work. 

Part A: Which theme is conveyed in Text 2, Hughes’s poem? (RL.10.2)

• America must celebrate all of its members, not just a select group. 

• All people in America share similar experiences and lead similar lives. 

• Americans must make the effort to spend more time with their loved ones. 

• To Americans, health and happiness should be of greatest importance. 

 Part B: Which excerpt from Text 2 best demonstrates this theme? (RL.10.1)

• I am the darker brother. 

• But I laugh,/And eat well, 

• Tomorrow,/ I’ll be at the table 

• I, too, am America. 

 In Text 2, how does the shift in setting from the kitchen to the table in Stanza 2 to Stanza 3 mainly impact the poem? (RL.10.5)

• It reveals the speaker’s decision to develop deeper friendships. 

• It reflects the speaker’s determination and desire for progress. 

• It proves that the ideals and values of the nation have already changed. 

• It warns that humans must strive to make fewer demands of one another.

Part A: In Stanza 2 and in Stanza 4 of Hughes’s poem, the speaker uses the word “they.” Who is the “they” that the speaker refers to? (RL.10.4)

• his family and friends 

• his enemies and rivals 

• people who are different from him 

• people who are from other countries 

Part B: Why is it important that the speaker does not define exactly who “they” are? (RL.10.1)

• It protects the speaker’s relationships by not offending one specific group. 

• It keeps readers interested in the poem by maintaining their curiosity. 

• It holds the focus of the poem on its subject, which is the speaker himself. 

• It invites people everywhere to be part of the speaker’s concept of America.

Choose TWO statements that explain how the point of view of the speaker of Text 1 compares or contrasts with that of Text 2. (RL.10.6)

• Whitman’s speaker speaks from a point of view of one who feels valued as an American, while Hughes’ speaker does not. 

• Whitman’s speaker mainly discusses the challenges of being an American, while Hughes’s speaker mainly discusses the benefits of being an American.

• Whitman’s speaker and Hughes’s speaker describe the lives of both American men and women. 

• Whitman’s speaker does not voice concerns about American life, Hughes’s speaker does.