Name: Date:

The Writing on the Wall

Camille Dungy
DIRECTIONS: Respond to these questions. Use textual evidence to support your
responses.
1. (a) Compare and Contrast Reread paragraph 6. How were Chinese
immigrants who had their papers in order treated differently from those with health
issues or irregularities in their papers? (b) Analyze Cause and Effect What likely
caused would-be immigrants to start writing on the walls?

2. (a) What tradition did the poems on the walls reflect? (b) Analyze Cause
and Effect According to the blog post, how did participating in this tradition effect
the immigrants detained at Angel Island? Why was this effect significant?

3. Interpret Reread paragraph 12. What does the author mean when she
states that the male detainees’ poetry “once again came to save the day”?

4. (a) Interpret Reread paragraph 16. Why might the author have referred to
the poems on the walls as “posts”? (b) Compare and Contrast In what ways is
“the writing on the wall” at Angel Island similar to and different from blog posts?

5. Relate Review paragraphs 1–4. The author concludes paragraph 4 with a

question to readers: “Would you take the opportunity to add a new poem to that
wall?” Answer the author’s question, and provide an explanation for your
response.
© by Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
© by Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.