To a Daughter with Artistic Talent

“To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” and Big Fish Read these quotations from the two selections. To a Daughter with Artistic Talent "And you never know why (I was lying before when I said I knew)." Big Fish "I don’t know what makes a man great. I’ve never thought about it before." These quotations provide evidence that both the speaker in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” and the narrator in the excerpt from Big Fish feel —

• as though they must prove something

• embarrassed by their ignorance

• compelled to admit their mistakes

• challenged to explain something difficult

What is a difference in how the two selections portray fathers?

• While the father in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” is optimistic, the father in the excerpt from Big Fish is cynical.

• While the father in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” seems caring, the father in the excerpt from Big Fish seems self-centered.

• While the father in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” is open-minded, the father in the excerpt from Big Fish is judgmental.

• While the father in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” seems defensive, the father in the excerpt from Big Fish seems relaxed.

“To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” and Big Fish

Both the daughter’s paintings in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” and the father’s stories in the excerpt from Big Fish —

• depict a world that seems more fanciful than realistic

• ontain imagery drawn from well-known fairy tales

• are difficult for others to understand

• portray heroic characters

Which sentence best states a difference between the attitude of the speaker in the poem and the attitude of the narrator in the story?

• The speaker in the poem worries that his daughter gets carried away by her imagination, while the narrator in the story admires the way his father uses his imagination.

• The speaker in the poem believes that his daughter paints to express her true feelings, while the narrator in the story believes that his father tells stories to escape reality.

• The speaker in the poem thinks his daughter paints to bring them closer together, while

  the narrator in the story thinks his father tells stories to distance himself from others.

• The speaker in the poem believes that painting is good for his daughter’s health, while the narrator in the story worries that his father’s stories are a symptom of illness.

Read these quotations.

To a Daughter with Artistic Talent

You have painted every day

for as long as I can remember

and will be painting still

when you read this, some cold

and distant December when the child is old and the trees no longer silver but black fingers scratching a grey sky.

Big Fish

“No,” he says. Then, “Yes. I don’t know. At least you remembered. The point is, I think—the point is I tried to get home more. I did. Things happened, though. Natural disasters. The earth split once I think, the sky opened several times. Sometimes I barely made it out alive.”

Both quotations use imagery that conveys a sense of —

• inner turmoil

• stubbornness

• guilt

• exaggerated self-confidence

Read these quotations from the two selections To a Daughter with Artistic Talent And you never know why (I was lying before when I said I knew). Big Fish I don’t know what makes a man great. I’ve never thought about it before. These quotations provide evidence that both the speaker in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” and the narrator in the excerpt from Big Fish feel —

• as though they must prove something

• embarrassed by their ignorance

• compelled to admit their mistakes

• challenged to explain something difficult

Read these quotations.

To a Daughter with Artistic Talent

You have painted every day

for as long as I can remember

and will be painting still

when you read this, some cold

and distant December when the child

is old and the trees no longer silver

but black fingers scratching a grey sky.

Big Fish

“No,” he says. Then, “Yes. I don’t know. At least you remembered. The point is, I think—the point is I tried to get home more. I did. Things happened, though. Natural disasters. The earth split once I think, the sky opened several times. Sometimes I barely made it out alive.”

Both quotations use imagery that conveys a sense of —

• inner turmoil

• stubbornness

• guilt

• exaggerated self-confidence

What is the main theme of 'To a Daughter with Artistic Talent'?

• A) The importance of artistic expression

• B) The challenges of growing up

• C) The relationship between father and daughter

• D) The struggle for independence

Which literary device is predominantly used in 'To a Daughter with Artistic Talent'?

• A) Metaphor

• B) Simile

• C) Personification

• D) Hyperbole

In 'To a Daughter with Artistic Talent', how does the speaker feel about the daughter's artistic talent?

• A) Indifferent

• B) Proud

• C) Jealous

• D) Critical