Watcher Katrina Reassessment

Based on details in the poem, what can the reader infer about life in New Orleans immediately following Hurricane Katrina?

• Churches and other organizations were left penniless.

• City officials were in charge of cleaning up the debris.

• Many people hurried back to work once the roads were clear.

• Citizens felt a sense of hopelessness because of the destruction.

Which two things were happening in New Orleans before the hurricane cleanup crews arrived?

• It rained every day.

• There were medical emergencies.

• The city was quiet.

• Cats and dogs were living on beaches.

• Stores and homes were being robbed.

Which words in the second stanza help support the meaning of the word looters in line 5?

• watched, day

• siphon, take

• speed, car

• ambulances, police

How does the alliteration in lines 8–9 impact the poem?

• It emphasizes setting details.

• It provides characterization.

• It reflects the point of view.

• It matches the rhyme scheme.

What is the narrator’s brother doing in the fourth stanza?

• Looking for work at the church

• Passing out supplies to people in the city

• Helping neighbors make donations

• Searching for spiritual guidance

Why does the narrator’s brother take a job as a watcher?

• He had a job as a watcher before the hurricane, so he went back to it.

• The electricity was out, so he could not return to his old job.

• There was no other work available after the hurricane.

• He was tired of sitting around doing nothing after the hurricane.

The last stanza of the poem contains only one line in order to —

• reflect the loneliness the brother felt doing his new job

• give the reader a chance to pause and think about the poem

• emphasize the hope that there will be no more death

• show how the whole city changed after the hurricane

The poem has a regular beat and rhythm to make the poem sound conversational.

True or false?

• True

• False

Each stanza is structured in nearly the same way to maintain a steady rhythm.

True or false?

• True

• False

The setting of the poem is:

• New Orleans, after Hurricane Katrina

• New Jersey, after Hurricane Sandy

• Sri Lanka, after the Tsunami