Grade 11 Quarter 1

The Scarlet Letter is a classic novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864), a
towering figure in 19th-century American literature whose dark, allegorical fiction

broods on America’s deeply Puritanical origins. The protagonist of The Scarlet
Letter is Hester Prynne, a young mother of a newborn baby living in the Puritan
settlement of Boston in 17th-century New England. Branded as an adulteress
and sentenced to wear a scarlet ‘A’ as her badge of shame, Hester must endure
the judgment of the strict, mean-spirited townspeople. In this excerpt, after
defiantly refusing to disclose the identity of the baby's father, Hester is led to the
town square for public shaming.
The grass-plot before the jail, in Prison Lane, on a certain summer morning, not l
ess than two centuries ago, was occupied by a pretty large number of the inhabit
ants of Boston, all with their eyes intently fastened on the iron-clamped oaken do
or. Amongst any other population, or at a later period in the history of New Engla
nd, the grim rigidity that petrified the bearded physiognomies of these good peopl
e would have augured some awful business in hand. It could have betokened not
hing short of the anticipated execution of some noted culprit, on whom the senten
ce of a legal tribunal had but confirmed the verdict of public sentiment. But, in tha
t early severity of the Puritan character, an inference of this kind could not so ind
ubitably be drawn. It might be that a sluggish bond-servant, or an undutiful child,
whom his parents had given over to the civil authority, was to be corrected at the
whipping-post. It might be that an Antinomian, a Quaker, or other heterodox religi
onist, was to be scourged out of the town, or an idle or vagrant Indian, whom the
white man's firewater had made riotous about the streets, was to be driven with s
tripes into the shadow of the forest. It might be, too, that a witch, like old Mistress
Hibbins, the bitter-tempered widow of the magistrate, was to die upon the gallows
. In either case, there was very much the same solemnity of demeanour on the p
art of the spectators, as befitted a people among whom religion and law were alm
ost identical, and in whose character both were so thoroughly interfused, that the
mildest and severest acts of public discipline were alike made venerable and aw
ful...
"Goodwives," said a hard-featured dame of fifty, "I'll tell ye a piece of my mind. It

would be greatly for the public behoof if we women, being of mature age and chu
rch-members in good repute, should have the handling of such malefactresses a
s this Hester Prynne. What think ye, gossips? If the hussy stood up for judgment
before us five, that are now here in a knot together, would she come off with such
a sentence as the worshipful magistrates have awarded? Marry, I trow not."
"People say," said another, "that the Reverend Master Dimmesdale, her godly pa
stor, takes it very grievously to heart that such a scandal should have come upon
his congregation."
"The magistrates are God-fearing gentlemen, but merciful overmuch—that is a tr

uth," added a third autumnal matron. "At the very least, they should have put the
brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne's forehead. Madame Hester would have win
ced at that, I warrant me. But she—the naughty baggage—little will she care wha
t they put upon the bodice of her gown! Why, look you, she may cover it with a br
ooch, or such like heathenish adornment, and so walk the streets as brave as ev
er!"
"Ah, but," interposed, more softly, a young wife, holding a child by the hand, "let h
er cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart."
"What do we talk of marks and brands, whether on the bodice of her gown or the
flesh of her forehead?" cried another female, the ugliest as well as the most pitile
ss of these self-constituted judges. "This woman has brought shame upon us all,
and ought to die; is there not law for it? Truly there is, both in the Scripture and th
e statute-book. Then let the magistrates, who have made it of no effect, thank the
mselves if their own wives and daughters go astray."
"Mercy on us, goodwife!" exclaimed a man in the crowd, "is there no virtue in wo
man, save what springs from a wholesome fear of the gallows? That is the harde
st word yet! Hush now, gossips; for the lock is turning in the prison-door, and her
e comes Mistress Prynne herself."
The door of the jail being flung open from within there appeared, in the first place,
like a black shadow emerging into sunshine, the grim and gristly presence of the
town-beadle, with a sword by his side, and his staff of office in his hand. This per
sonage prefigured and represented in his aspect the whole dismal severity of the
Puritanic code of law, which it was his business to administer in its final and close
st application to the offender. Stretching forth the official staff in his left hand, he l
aid his right upon the shoulder of a young woman, whom he thus drew forward, u
ntil, on the threshold of the prison-door, she repelled him, by an action marked wi
th natural dignity and force of character, and stepped into the open air as if by he
r own free will. She bore in her arms a child, a baby of some three months old, w
ho winked and turned aside its little face from the too vivid light of day; because i
ts existence, heretofore, had brought it acquaintance only with the grey twilight of
a dungeon, or other darksome apartment of the prison.
When the young woman—the mother of this child—stood fully revealed before th
e crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the infant closely to her bosom
; not so much by an impulse of motherly affection, as that she might thereby conc
eal a certain token, which was wrought or fastened into her dress. In a moment,
however, wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hi
de another, she took the baby on her arm, and with a burning blush, and yet a ha
ughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her towns
people and neighbours. On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded
with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared th
e letter A. It was so artistically done, and with so much fertility and gorgeous luxu
riance of fancy, that it had all the effect of a last and fitting decoration to the appa
rel which she wore, and which was of a splendour in accordance with the taste of
the age, but greatly beyond what was allowed by the sumptuary regulations of th
e colony.
1. Chapter 2 of The Scarlet Letter is told in the tense, from a(n) point of
view.
Answer choices for the above question
A. past; third-personCorrect. This text is told in the past tense, from an
omniscient third-person point of view.
B. present; first-personIncorrect. None of this passage is told in the
present tense.
C. present; third-personIncorrect. None of this passage is told in the
present tense.
D. past; first-personIncorrect. The narrator’s point of view is not first-
person.
1. Based on the first paragraph of the excerpt, the narrator most likely would
agree that .
A. Puritans were rational and progressive for their timeIncorrect. The
first paragraph seems to offer evidence to the contrary.
B. capital punishment (the death penalty) is always wrongIncorrect. At
no point in the first paragraph does the author provide an opinion about
capital punishment, whether directly or indirectly.
C. punishment in Puritan society didn’t always match the crimeCorrect.
The first paragraph describes how punishments were solemn and severe
regardless of the offense committed.
D. witchcraft should not be toleratedIncorrect. There is no evidence in
the text to support this answer.
1. Which of the following choices most closely describes how the women in
the crowd feel about Hester’s punishment?
A. They feel her punishment was not harsh enough.Correct. The
statements from the women in the crowd suggest that they think the
magistrates were too lenient in their punishment.
B. They feel he should have been put to death for her actions.Incorrect.
Though in favor of stricter punishment, the women stop short of calling for
the death penalty.
C. They feel having to live with her shame is enough of a punishment
for Hester.Incorrect. There is no evidence in the text to support this
answer.
D. They feel anxious about their own upcoming trials.Incorrect. There is
no evidence in the text to support this answer.
1. What can the reader infer from the following passage (paragraph 7)?
“Mercy on us, goodwife!” exclaimed a man in the crowd, “is there no virtue
in woman, save what springs from a wholesome fear of the gallows?”
A. Most women don’t commit adultery or lie to their husbands.Incorrect.
There is no evidence in the statement or its context to support this answer.
B. Women are more inclined do what is right when threatened with
punishment.Correct. The man in the crowd is openly wondering whether a
“fear of the gallows” is what inspires “woman” to do good, as opposed to a
moral compass.
C. The women in the crowd spreading rumors are as bad as Hester
Prynne.Incorrect. Maybe you inferred this on your own, but there is no
textual evidence to support this.
D. Hester should be sent to the gallows for her crimes.Incorrect. This
man is not offering an opinion about what Hester’s punishment should be.
1. Which of the following adjectives best describes Hester when she

emerges from jail?
A. angryIncorrect. Perhaps you inferred she’d be angry, but there is no
evidence in the text to support this answer.
B. defiantCorrect. The way Hester is described suggests that she is
defiant in the face of the scorn and punishment she receives.
C. apologeticIncorrect. There is no evidence in the text to support this
answer.
D. hurtIncorrect. There is no evidence in the text to support this
answer.
1. Which passage from the text most strongly supports the correct answer
to Question 5?
A. “Stretching forth the official staff in his left hand, he laid his right
upon the shoulder of a young woman, whom he thus drew forward, until,
on the threshold of the prison-door, she repelled him, by an action marked
with natural dignity and force of character, and stepped into the open air as
if by her own free will.”Correct. Hester’s actions here offer subtle but clear
evidence of her defiance against authority.
B. “When the young woman—the mother of this child—stood fully
revealed before the crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the
infant closely to her bosom”Incorrect. This does not support the previous
question.
C. “On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an
elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the
letter A.”Incorrect. This detail, while important, does not tell us how Hester
feels.
D. “She bore in her arms a child, a baby of some three months old, who
winked and turned aside its little face from the too vivid light of day;
because its existence, heretofore, had brought it acquaintance only with
the grey twilight of a dungeon, or other darksome apartment of the
prison.”Incorrect. This description tells readers more about the child than it
does about Hester.
1. Which of the following selections best describes the embroidery on
Hester’s dress?
A. unattractiveIncorrect. Though it is a mark of shame for her, there is
nothing in the text that suggests the embroidery itself is unattractive.
B. stitched on the wrong part of her dressIncorrect. There is no
C. orante; over-the-top in its extravaganceCorrect. The embroidery on
Hester’s dress is described as having more “luxuriance” than what is usual.
D. a symbol of her obedienceIncorrect. Hester’s “A” is a symbol of her
position as a nonconforming outcast.
1. Which sentence from paragraph 9 most strongly supports the correct

answer to the previous question?
A. “When the young woman—the mother of this child—stood fully
revealed before the crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the
infant closely to her bosom; not so much by an impulse of motherly
affection, as that she might thereby conceal a certain token, which was
wrought or fastened into her dress.”Incorrect. This sentence does not
provide any details about the embroidery itself.
B. “In a moment, however, wisely judging that one token of her shame
would but poorly serve to hide another, she took the baby on her arm, and
with a burning blush, and yet a haughty smile, and a glance that would not
be abashed, looked around at her townspeople and neighbours.”Incorrect.
This sentence describes Hester and her reaction, not the embroidery she
wears.
C. “On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an
elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the
letter A.”Incorrect. This sentence mentions its elaborate nature, but there’s
a better sentence to support the previous answer.
D. “It was so artistically done, and with so much fertility and gorgeous
luxuriance of fancy, that it had all the effect of a last and fitting decoration
to the apparel which she wore, and which was of a splendour in
accordance with the taste of the age, but greatly beyond what was allowed
by the sumptuary regulations of the colony.”Correct. This sentence
supports the idea that the embroidery on Hester’s dress is more
“gorgeous” and “fancy” than what is considered appropriate.
1. Which of the following selections best defines sumptuary in the following
passage (paragraph 9)?
It was so artistically done, and with so much fertility and gorgeous

luxuriance of fancy, that it had all the effect of a last and fitting decoration
to the apparel which she wore, and which was of a splendour in
accordance with the taste of the age, but greatly beyond what was allowed
by the sumptuary regulations of the colony.
A. declared official by the kingIncorrect. There is no contextual
evidence in the passage to support this answer.
B. related to religious doctrinesIncorrect. The context suggests a more
specific denotation of this word.
C. related to standards of spending moneyCorrect. The contextual
evidence indicates that ‘sumptuary’ is an adjective describing something
related to standards of spending money.
D. assumed but not formally statedIncorrect. There is another answer
that is more directly related to the context.
miserable
Response:
dismal
Correct:
dismal
detailed
Response:
elaborate
Correct:
elaborate
judges
Response:
magistrates
Correct:
magistrates
punishment
Response:
discipline
Correct:
discipline
bright
Response:
vivid
Correct:
vivid
Conduct research into the life of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Then write an informative
essay in which you explain how your research influences your perspective of The
Scarlet Letter. How does learning more about Hawthorne's life and family history
influence your understanding of the text? Provide specific anecdotes, facts, and
details from Hawthorne’s life as well as evidence from the text to support your
response.
Your Response
Nathaniel Hawthorne, born on July 4, 1804, was an American novelist and short
story writer renowned for his dark romanticism. Conducting research into his life
and family history sheds light on the influences and motivations behind his maste
rpiece, "The Scarlet Letter," and enriches our understanding of the text.
Hawthorne's ancestral lineage played a crucial role in shaping his perspective an

d themes explored in "The Scarlet Letter." His great-great-grandfather, John Hath
orne, was a judge involved in the Salem witch trials. This connection to a dark ch
apter in American history likely influenced Hawthorne's portrayal of Puritan societ
y and the theme of guilt and shame in the novel.
Furthermore, Hawthorne's own family history influenced his exploration of the hu

man psyche. His father, a sea captain, died when he was only four years old. Thi
s early loss and the subsequent isolation he experienced had a profound impact
on Hawthorne's writing. In "the scarlet letter" the character of pearl, Hester Prynn
e's daughter, can be seen as a symbol of Hawthorne's own sense of isolation an
d logging for connection
The story of a teenager sneaking away from home to have an adventure is not ve
ry unique. However, when about 250,000 teenagers left home during the Great D
epression, this event told a much greater story, and not one that was motivated b
y fun. In 1933, children as young as thirteen years old left home in search of a be
tter life. These teenagers are known as the “boxcar boys and girls”
Begin Yellow highlight
because they
End Yellow highlight
would
jump onto the boxcars of freight trains that would take them far away from their pr
oblems. What would drive such a large
number of young people to abandon their childhood for a life on the road? As it t
urns out, the reasons behind this movement are as unique as the boxcar kids the
mselves.
Black and white photo from the early 1930's. DESCRIPTION: A teenager runs alongside a
freight train in an attempt to jump onto the boxcar.
Young people jump onto the boxcars of a freight
train.After the stock market crashed in 1929, American families were left desperat
e for money. To help their families, many children sacrificed their youth and bega
n working. It was easier for teenagers to find jobs than adults because they recei
ved a much lower wage. Plus, there were no child labor laws in the 1930s that w
ould prohibit young children from working. Teenagers would find jobs at factories
far away from home and return once they had earned enough money to support t
heir families.
Black and white photo from the early 1930's. DESCRIPTION: Two teenagers, in tank tops and
overalls, stand, bending over a machine in a textile factory.
Teenagers work in a textile factory before the child labor laws of the
1930s.Other teenagers left home because they believed they
were a burden
to their families. “Riding the rails,” or living on trains until finding work, was a relie
f to some families because it meant one less mouth to feed. The Great Depressio
n lasted from 1929–1939, and by the mid-1930s, about 25% of families had no in
come. Families were starving and struggling to take care of their children, so ma
ny teenagers felt like the only way they could help their loved ones was to leave.
It was easier to disappear than take food away from family members who needed
it more.
Black and white photo from the early 1930's. DESCRIPTION: A Mother stands next to her
seven children, some who stand, sit on wooden chairs nearby, or are seated on the wood floor, a
large bag from a milling company is featured, likely a sack of flour.
A family gathers in their house during the Great
Depression.Many young people abandoned their homes in search of a life with me
aning, especially since the lives they previously knew were gone. Before the Gre
at Depression, children were expected to go to school and graduate from high sc
hool. However, schools were negatively affected by the Great Depression. Due t
o the poor state of the economy, schools lacked materials, heat, and food. In rura
l areas, where communities were even poorer, many schools closed. Since scho
ol was no longer a priority for many American children, dropping out to find work
was the only option.
No matter the reason for leaving home, all of these “boxcar boys and girls” took ri
sks that made their childhood very brief. Teenagers during the Great Depression
had to grow up quickly, taking on adult responsibilities in order to survive. Some r
eceived jobs, and others just wanted to avoid begging for food. Some children pr
ovided for their parents, and others were looking for a new life. The boxcar kids w
ere holding on for dear life as they rode the rails.
They
were holding on for hope of a better future.
Literary Focus: Transcendentalism and Romanticism
This informational text provides readers with insight into the history and culture
behind the Romantic and Transcendentalist movements, offering a portrait of the
society and social climate that gave rise to some of the most well-respected
authors of American literature. In a society increasingly dominated by
industrialism, these literary and philosophical movements rebelliously celebrated
nature and the individual. This text demonstrates how Romantic and
Transcendentalist writers provided a strong, inspiring new literary foundation for
an America that was attempting to show the world just who and what it was.
Soon, Henry David Thoreau had breathed fresh life into the essay, and Walt
Whitman pioneered a new form of poetry that would come to be the preferred
form for great poets from Emily Dickinson to Nikki Giovanni.
When you think of the word Romanticism, what movies come to mind? Titanic,
perhaps? Love & Basketball? The Notebook or The Fault in Our Stars? You wo
uldn’t be wrong to think that Romanticism has a lot to do with emotion. But you m
ight be surprised to learn that movies like Star Wars: Rogue One, Wes Anderso
n’s Moonrise Kingdom, Princess Mononoke, and the independent film Captain F
antastic exemplify the qualities of “big R” Romanticism more than the “little r” rom
ance movies that may have first come to mind. It’s true that Titanic has some ele
ments of Romanticism and romance, and the same goes for Moonrise Kingdom.
So how can we differentiate Romanticism from romanticism?
Romanticism
Painting. The Oxbow by Thomas Cole is a landscape painting from 1836 that depicts the Connecticut
River at Northampton after a thunderstorm, in the foreground, the violent rain clouds sit above the dark
wilderness and to the right a light sky appears above the bending river and green hills and fields.
The Oxbow (The Connecticut River at Northhampton) by Thomas Cole“Big R” Romanticism—

as opposed to “little r” romanticism—dealt with big emotions and ideas. Beginnin
g in the late eighteenth century in Europe, Romanticism was a philosophical, artis
tic, and literary movement that developed partly as a reaction to the Enlightenme
nt. Romantics prized individualism and rejected rapidly expanding industrialism
in favor of a renewed reverence for nature. Romantic artists and poets often rega
rded the formalism—adherence to traditional structures and forms—of the Enlight
enment as confining and artificial. European Romantic authors included Stendhal
, Goethe, Lord Byron, Coleridge, Wordsworth, and Mary Shelley.
When Romantic ideals reached America in the early nineteenth century, the natio
n was caught up in a massive westward expansion and was simultaneously tryin
g to define what it was to be American, both to itself and to the world. As America
n cities and towns grew, people had more time for philosophical and creative end
eavors and began to write original works of fiction and poetry, as well as contemp
lative essays. Spanning from 1820 until the end of the Civil War in 1865, America
n Romanticism was highly concerned with the individual and this was reflected in
the literature of the era. American Romantics placed a high value on nature, seei
ng it as something that brought one closer to one’s true self. Renouncing blind ob
edience to the customs of the past, American artists and writers of the period em
braced emotion, imagination, liberation, free expression, and a fascination with m
ysticism and the supernatural. American Romantic authors included Washington
Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Walt Wh
itman, and Edgar Allan Poe. American Romanticism made the world sit up and ta
ke notice of American literature.
Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism developed in the lates 1820s and 1830s and was influenced
by American Romanticism and a religious movement known as Unitarianism. Dur
ing the nineteenth century, New Englanders began moving away from the Puritan
ism of their colonial past and toward Unitarianism, which perceived God as a sing
ular being and had an optimistic view of human nature.Ralph Waldo Emerson, w
ho is now regarded as the father of Transcendentalism, was an ordained Unitaria
n minister, but eventually resigned because he came to feel that Unitarianism wa
s too restrictive and did not sufficiently recognize what he characterized as “the u
niversal soul,” or the divine, within each person. He felt that a church or religious
authority only served to impede one’s direct personal connection to God, causing
“the withdrawal of the soul.”
In 1836, Emerson began a discussion group, along with three other disaffected U
nitarian clergy members, that became known as the Transcendental Club. It wa
s through this forum that Emerson and other Transcendentalists formulated and
explored the ideas that they would later publish in books of essays, as well as the
literary magazine The Dial (1840–1844). Transcendentalism held that there was
a part of the self that transcended the physical senses and logic, was highly in tu
ne with nature, and brought individuals a kind of direct, divine knowledge. Transc
endentalism was marked by optimism, idealism, and intuition. Transcendentalists
criticized materialism, which they viewed as a corrupting influence, and champion
ed social reform. Other well-known Transcendentalists include Henry David Thor
eau, who wrote Walden; or, Life in the Woods, and Margaret Fuller, who was a
writer and early feminist.
Transcendentalism, despite being a relatively short-lived movement, had a definit

ive impact on American culture. Transcendentalist literature and philosophy influe
nced Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and Frederick Douglass. Transcendentalist
ideas about social improvement contributed to the Age of Reform (1830–1850) a
nd Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobedience” informed the thinking of leaders such as
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Romanticism and Transcendentalism in Art
In Romanticism and Transcendentalism, creativity was highly esteemed. Painters

used symbolism and allegory in their attempts to capture the essence of the su
blime, or the essence of greatness. American Romantic painters from the Hudso
n River School looked to the vast and breathtaking American wilderness for inspir
ation and elevated landscape painting to the level of high art.
Major Concepts
Black and white illustration of Frankenstein and his creature, 1831. The illustration shows a creature
with a strong body and limbs, but with eyes wide, a strange look on his face, His head appears not
attached, a skull, other bones and a book are featured next to him.
Frankenstein and his Creature
 Optimism and Individualism — Romantics and Transcendentalists advoc

ated individualism, but that didn’t mean that they were selfish. They were a
lso fiercely optimistic, and, for them, individualism and optimism went hand
-in-hand. They believed that every individual possessed a natural inclinatio
n toward truth and spiritual enlightenment and that every person had the a
bility to rise above the material and emotional clutter of life in order to refle
ct on their lives and take individual action toward a greater good.
 Kinship with Nature — Both American Romantics and Transcendentalists
believed that a close connection between humanity and nature brought hu
mans closer to their true selves. This belief was complimented by a concer
n that the spread of industry not only threatened the natural world, but also
isolated people from it. Furthermore, Transcendentalists felt that when indi
viduals were detached from nature they also risked disconnection from the
divine.
 The Power of Darkness — The Romantic fascination with emotion and th
e supernatural led to darker themes, as well. The Gothic and Horror genre
s took an interest in fear, madness, death, evil, and the destructive aspects
of nature. The Dark Romantics, such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan
Poe, and Herman Melville, also contemplated sin, the nature of human falli
bility, and the intrinsic challenges of social reform.
Style and Form

Essays
 Transcendentalism was more than a genre; it was a philosophy. Transcen
dentalists were critical thinkers who explored many of their ideas through e
ssays, short pieces of writing that attempted to grapple with an idea, explai
n something, or argue a point.
 The essay “Nature” (1836) by Ralph Waldo Emerson was the first essay to
expound on the ideals of Transcendentalism. In the essay, Emerson set ou
t to address one of Transcendentalism’s defining concepts: the individual’s
relationship to nature. Emerson’s abundant natural imagery and deeply felt
personal connection to nature infused the otherwise serious philosophical t
one of the piece with beauty, color, and life.
 The primary subject of Henry David Thoreau’s work was the natural world.
Many of his essays and books were structured as a literal or metaphorical j
ourney. Essays such as “A Winter Walk” or “A Walk to Wachusett” were str
uctured as small travelogues based on walks Thoreau had taken. Others, s
uch as “Autumn Tints,” “Wild Apples,” or “A Succession of Forest Trees,” jo
urneyed through the cycles of nature. In his writings, Thoreau made scienti
fic observations about nature, but also used natural imagery metaphoricall
y and poetically. His sentences tended to be long and digressive. Thoreau
was also a passionate abolitionist. His persuasive essays on the subject, in
cluding “Civil Disobedience,” are still influential today.
Poet-Prophet
Walt Whitman's annotated copy of Leaves of Grass
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
 The idea of the poet-prophet during the American Romantic period was def
ined by Emerson in his 1844 essay, “The Poet.” Emerson saw poets as spi
ritual visionaries and “liberating gods.” The poet, he said, interpreted natur
e—the thing that brought an individual closest to the divine—for society. Ac
cording to Emerson, the highest form of language was the language of nat
ure, which incorporated symbols related to the natural world as well as syn
ecdoche, or the use of a part to represent the whole or vice versa. Emerso
n felt that the American literary landscape lacked such a visionary and end
ed “The Poet” with an impassioned call for a uniquely American poet-
prophet.
 In 1855, the first edition of Leaves of Grass was published and Walt Whit
man became America’s own poetic visionary. Whitman’s personal beliefs
most closely resembled Transcendentalism and he was well versed in the
work of Emerson, but he also had a broad understanding of American and
European religious traditions, language, and symbolism, which he used sty
listically in his poetry. He employed traditional symbols such as the stars,
moon, and earth, but also created his own symbology, which included lilac
s, the calamus plant, and, of course, grass. Whitman’s tone was exuberant
and his diction, or word choice, is notable for its eccentricities; he used coll
oquial words, foreign words, technical words, and sometimes even made u
p his own words. Whitman thought poetry should be read aloud and he wa
s particularly attentive to sound imagery. Whitman’s poetry did not rhyme a
nd did not fit into any formal category, it followed the free and energetic pat
h of Whitman’s own mind and emotions. Today we call this informal structu
re free verse.
Free Verse
 It is not surprising that free-verse poetry rose to popularity during the Ameri
can Romantic period when artists sought to reject the restrictive customs of
the past in order to embrace liberation, individualism, imagination, intuition,
and spiritual transcendence. Free verse is a non-metrical, non-rhyming for
m of poetry that tends to follow the natural cadence of speech. While a patt
ern of sound or rhythm may form within a free-verse poem, giving the poe
m its own unique structure, the poet does not plan or write the poem with a
ny specific, preset poetic form in mind.
 Walt Whitman popularized the use of free verse, which has become one of
the most frequently used forms of poetry in American literature and has be
en practiced, either on the whole or in part, by many American poets, inclu
ding Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, Marianne Moore, Wallace Steven
s, William Carlos Williams, Gwendolyn Brooks, Allen Ginsberg, Luis Omar
Salinas, Pat Mora, and Nikki Giovanni, among many others.
Nature
 Romanticism and Transcendentalism are centered on a reverence for natu
re. The literature of these movements used abundant natural imagery and
symbolism as well as sensory imagery, which endeavored to bring the sou
nds, sights, and feelings of nature to the reader. Nature not only served as
a necessary counterbalance to the sweep of industrialization, urbanization,
and materialism, but the Transcendentalists believed that nature, above all
else, connected man to the divine within himself.
 The Dark Romantics used the weather, the tempestuous sea, nocturnal or
menacing animals, and the frightening mysteries of the natural world in thei
r imagery and settings. Poe’s poem “The Raven” used the bird as a prophe
t of darkness, which drove the narrator to madness. Herman Melville’s Mo
by-Dick takes place on a whaling ship in the lonely isolation of a vast seas
cape and the white whale is a complex symbol used to represent the natur
e of good and evil.
So where’s the romance? American Romanticism and Transcendentalism are not

about romance, per se, but they do have something to do with love—the love of t
ruth, the love of beauty, and the love of nature. Like romantic love, Romanticism i
s characterized by optimism, idealism, and intuition. Romanticism and Transcend
entalism, however, direct all of this love and optimism not toward another person,
but toward the natural world and the divine within ourselves. The ideals of “big R”
Romanticism, as well as Transcendentalism, are woven into the fabric of the Am
erican psyche. We can see their effects in movies about people who retreat to na
ture to become closer to themselves or reassess their life’s purpose. We see the
se themes played out in stories about rugged individualists.
Which of your favorite books or stories incorporate ideas from the American Rom
antic period? Is there someone in your life who you think embodies some facet of
American Romanticism or Transcendentalism? How do you disconnect from tech
nology, the material world, and the distraction of everyday life?
1. Which of the following statements best explains why Romanticism and

Transcendentalism rejected industrialism?
A. Industrialism discouraged people from organized religion and faith,
while Romanticism and Transcendentalism prioritized spirituality.Incorrect.
There is no evidence in the text to support this answer.
B. Romanticism and Transcendentalism highly valued the power of
nature and industrialism was a threat to the natural world.Correct. This
answer explains how industrialization “threatened the natural world and
isolated people from it”, which nature-loving Romantics and
Transcendentalists disliked.
C. Industrialism was centered on rational thought and efficiency, while
Romanticism and Transcendentalism privileged emotion and
leisure.Incorrect. While some aspects of this statement are true, the text
does not support this answer.
D. Americans created Romanticism and Transcendentalism to directly
oppose the industrial movement in England.Incorrect. There is no evidence
in the text to support this answer.
1. The following passage (paragraph 3) mainly adds to the development of

the text by .
When Romantic ideals reached America in the early nineteenth century,

the nation was caught up in a massive westward expansion and was
simultaneously trying to define what it was to be American, both to itself
and to the world. As American cities and towns grew, people had more
time for philosophical and creative endeavors and began to write original
works of fiction and poetry, as well as contemplative essays.
A. describing the conditions under which Romanticism gained
popularity in AmericaCorrect. The passage offers historical and cultural
background on America, leading up to the rise in Romanticism.
B. showing that Romanticism resulted in happier and more creative
individualsIncorrect. The passage does discuss how the conditions in
America allowed for more creative and intellectual pursuits, but does not
claim that Romanticism is the cause.
C. claiming that the Romantic movement inspired exploration and
colonial expansion in AmericaIncorrect. This claim is not supported by the
passage.
D. defining the basic concepts and beliefs held by Romantic
artistsIncorrect. The passage does not define any concepts or beliefs held
by Romantics.
1. What is the central idea of the following passage (paragraph 13)?
So where’s the romance? American Romanticism and Transcendentalism

are not about romance, per se, but they do have something to do with love
—the love of truth, the love of beauty, and the love of nature. Like romantic
love, Romanticism is characterized by optimism, idealism, and intuition.
Romanticism and Transcendentalism, however, direct all of this love and
optimism not toward another person, but toward the natural world and the
divine within ourselves. The ideals of “big R” Romanticism, as well as
Transcendentalism, are woven into the fabric of the American psyche. We
can see their effects in movies about people who retreat to nature to
become closer to themselves or reassess their life’s purpose. We see
these themes played out in stories about rugged individualists.
A. Romanticism is the singular most influential social and philosophical
movement in the United States.Incorrect. There is not enough evidence in
the text to support this answer.
B. Romanticism has lost significance and relevance in our increasingly
technology-based world.Incorrect. Although this could be argued, this
passage reflects the ways in which Romantic ideals are still present in
everyday life.
C. The principles and values of Romanticism are still present in modern
America and everyday life.Correct. This passage reflects the ways in which
Romanticism has impacted American culture, beliefs about the world, and
the individual.
D. In recent years, Romantic ideas and beliefs have widely replaced
traditional religious practices.Incorrect. There is no evidence in the text to
support this answer.
1. Which of the following statements most closely summarizes the central

idea of the following passage (paragraph 10)?
Whitman’s personal beliefs most closely resembled Transcendentalism

and he was well versed in the work of Emerson, but he also had a broad
understanding of American and European religious traditions, language,
and symbolism, which he used stylistically in his poetry. He employed
traditional symbols such as the stars, moon, and earth, but also created his
own symbology, which included lilacs, the calamus plant, and, of course,
grass. Whitman’s tone was exuberant and his diction, or word choice, is
notable for its eccentricities; he used colloquial words, foreign words,
technical words, and sometimes even made up his own words.
A. Walt Whitman was a revolutionary American poet who embodied the
characteristics of the Romantic movements through his work.Correct. This
is the best summary of the significant information in the passage.
B. Walt Whitman’s work was very different from other poets of the time
and he enjoyed experimenting with language in unusual ways.Incorrect.
Although the passage does support this answer, it does not accurately
summarize the significance of the whole passage.
C. Walt Whitman was one of the first artists to popularize the ideas of
Romanticism and Transcendentalism in Europe.Incorrect. The passage
does not claim that Whitman was one of the first artists to popularize these
movements, and the text notes that he was an American poet.
D. Walt Whitman’s work was a direct rejection of popular movements
within Romanticism, as he believed that they oppressed artists’ natural
expression.Incorrect. The text indicates that the opposite is true.
1. Which of the following statements about Unitarians is best supported by

the text?
A. They believed in adhering to strict Christian tradition, such as regular
church services and male clergy.Incorrect. The text discusses how
Unitarianism diverged from previous Christian tradition.
B. They claimed that art and literature distracted individuals from
religious spirituality.Incorrect. There is no evidence in the text to support
this answer.
C. They believed that the inherent sin in human nature could only be
purified through the natural world.Incorrect. The text notes that Unitarians
were optimistic about human nature.
D. They were positive about the possibility of human beings.Correct.
Unitarians believed in the optimism of human nature.
1. Which selection from the excerpt best supports the correct answer to
Question 5?
A. “In Romanticism and Transcendentalism, creativity was highly
esteemed.”Incorrect. This quote does not support the correct answer to
question 5.
B. “... Unitarianism, which perceived God as a singular being and had
an optimistic view of human nature.”Correct. This quote displays how
Unitarians were positive in their view of people.
C. “... he came to feel that Unitarianism was too restrictive…”Incorrect.
This quote does not support the correct answer to the previous question.
D. All of the above.Incorrect. Only the second quote supports the idea
that Unitarianism held a positive view of human nature.
1. Free verse was a popular poetic form during the Romantic

period mainly because .
A. Romantics rejected traditional education and schooling, so they
often did not know many other poetic formsIncorrect. There is no evidence
in the text to support this answer.
B. Walt Whitman was the most famous Romantic poet and he wrote
only in free verseIncorrect. While Whitman was a famous American poet
who popularized free verse, this does not best explain why Romantics
gravitated towards free verse poetry.
C. Romanticism rejected structure and established customs, in favor of
individualism and creativityCorrect. The excerpt reflects how free verse
was a new and very individualized way of writing poetry that rejected the
strict format of earlier poetic forms.
D. it was believed that free verse best mimicked the unstructured flow
and ebb of the natural worldIncorrect. While this answer could be inferred,
it is not supported by the excerpt.
1. Which sentence from the excerpt best supports the correct answer to
Question 7?
A. “It is not surprising that free-verse poetry rose to popularity during
the American Romantic period when artists sought to reject the restrictive
customs of the past in order to embrace liberation, individualism,
imagination, intuition, and spiritual transcendence.”Correct. This quote
explains why free verse poetry was well-suited to the philosophy and
values of Romanticism.
B. “According to Emerson, the highest form of language was the
language of nature, which incorporated symbols related to the natural
world as well as synecdoche, or the use of a part to represent the whole or
vice versa.”Incorrect. This quote does not support the correct answer to
question 7.
C. “Walt Whitman popularized the use of free verse, which has become
one of the most frequently used forms of poetry in American literature and
has been practiced, either on the whole or in part, by many American
poets…”Incorrect. This quote does not support the correct answer to
question 7.
D. “Whitman’s poetry did not rhyme and did not fit into any formal
category, it followed the free and energetic path of Whitman’s own mind
and emotions. Today we call this informal structure free verse.”Incorrect.
This quote does not support the correct answer to question 7.
Concept Term 1/1

A relatively short piece of writing that Response:
attempts to grapple with an idea, explain essay
something, or argue a point Correct:
essay
Religious movement that perceived God as a Response:
singular being and had an optimistic view of Unitarianism
human nature Correct:
Unitarianism
Non-metrical, non-rhyming form of poetry that Response:
tends to follow the natural cadence of speech free verse
Correct:
free verse
Group of authors who contemplated sin, the Response:
nature of human fallibility, and the intrinsic the Dark Romantics
challenges of social reform Correct:
the Dark Romantics
FIRST SECOND THIRD FOURTH 0/1

Response: Response: Response: Response:
“Big R” “Transcendentalism “The ideals of “big “Spanning from
Romanticism— held that there was R” Romanticism, as 1820 until the end of
as opposed to a part of the self well as the Civil War in
“little r” that transcended Transcendentalism, 1865, American
romanticism— the physical senses are woven into the Romanticism was
dealt with big and logic, was fabric of the highly concerned
emotions and highly in tune with American psyche. with the individual
ideas.” nature, and brought We can see their and this was
Correct: individuals a kind of effects in movies reflected in the
“Big R” direct, divine about people who literature of the era.”
Romanticism— knowledge.” retreat to nature to Correct:
FIRST SECOND THIRD FOURTH 0/1
as opposed to Correct: become closer to “The ideals of “big
“little r” “Spanning from themselves or R” Romanticism, as
romanticism— 1820 until the end reassess their life’s well as
dealt with big of the Civil War in purpose.” Transcendentalism,
emotions and 1865, American Correct: are woven into the
ideas.” Romanticism was “Transcendentalism fabric of the
highly concerned held that there was American psyche.
with the individual a part of the self that We can see their
and this was transcended the effects in movies
reflected in the physical senses and about people who
literature of the era.” logic, was highly in retreat to nature to
tune with nature, become closer to
and brought themselves or
individuals a kind of reassess their life’s
direct, divine purpose.”
knowledge.”
Walden
Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) was a prominent transcendentalist

writer and philosopher from the 19th century. He spent two years in
solitude on Walden Pond to escape the chaos and distractions of
civilization and his busy life. There, Thoreau observed nature and called
himself an “inspector of snow-storms and rainstorms.” Thoreau's goal was
to live simply and self-sufficiently. In this excerpt from the second chapter
of Walden, Thoreau explains “Where I Lived and What I Lived For.” This
text is accompanied by the 1849 oil-on-canvas painting Kindred Spirits by
the New York artist Asher B. Durand.
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essenti
al facts of life, and
see
if
I could not learn
what it had to teach, and
not, when I came to die,
discover that I had not lived.
I
did not wish to live what was not life,
living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necess
ary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily an
d Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shav
e close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it prove
d to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish
its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be
able to give a true account of it in my next excursion. For most men, it appears t
o me, are in a strange uncertainty about it, whether it is of the devil or of God, an
d have somewhat hastily concluded that it is the chief end of man here to "glorify
God and enjoy him forever."
Still we live meanly, like ants; though the fable tells us that we were long ago cha
nged into men; like pygmies we fight with cranes; it is error upon error, and clout
upon clout, and our best virtue has for its occasion a superfluous and evitable wr
etchedness. Our life is frittered away by detail. An honest man has hardly need to
count more than his ten fingers, or in extreme cases he may add his ten toes, an
d lump the rest. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or
three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, a
nd keep your accounts on your thumb-nail. In the midst of this chopping sea of ci
vilized life, such are the clouds and storms and quicksands and thousand-and-
one items to be allowed for, that a man has to live, if he would not founder and g
o to the bottom and not make his port at all, by dead reckoning, and he must be a
great calculator indeed who succeeds. Simplify, simplify. Instead of three meals a
day, if it be necessary eat but one; instead of a hundred dishes, five; and reduce
other things in proportion. Our life is like a German Confederacy, made up of pett
y states, with its boundary forever fluctuating, so that even a German cannot tell
you how it is bounded at any moment. The nation itself, with all its so-called inter
nal improvements, which, by the way are all external and superficial, is just such
an unwieldy and overgrown establishment, cluttered with furniture and tripped up
by its own traps, ruined by luxury and heedless expense, by want of calculation a
nd a worthy aim, as the million households in the land; and the only cure for it, as
for them, is in a rigid economy, a stern and more than Spartan simplicity of life an
d elevation of purpose. It lives too fast. Men think that it is essential that the Natio
n have commerce, and export ice, and talk through a telegraph, and ride thirty mil
es an hour, without a doubt, whether they do or not; but whether we should live li
ke baboons or like men, is a little uncertain. If we do not get out sleepers, and for
ge rails, and devote days and nights to the work, but go to tinkering upon our live
s to improve them, who will build railroads? And if railroads are not built, how sha
ll we get to heaven in season? But if we stay at home and mind our business, wh
o will want railroads? We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us. Did you eve
r think what those sleepers are that underlie the railroad? Each one is a man, an
Irishman, or a Yankee man. The rails are laid on them, and they are covered with
sand, and the cars run smoothly over them. They are sound sleepers, I assure yo
u. And every few years a new lot is laid down and run over; so that, if some have
the pleasure of riding on a rail, others have the misfortune to be ridden upon. And
when they run over a man that is walking in his sleep, a supernumerary sleeper i
n the wrong position, and wake him up, they suddenly stop the cars, and make a
hue and cry about it, as if this were an exception. I am glad to know that it takes
a gang of men for every five miles to keep the sleepers down and level in their be
ds as it is, for this is a sign that they may sometime get up again.
a black and white photograph of a factory with a couple smoke stacks and some train cars and
train tracks in front of it.
Carnegie Steel Company, 'Lucy' Furnace, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, circa 1910
Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life? We are determined t
o be starved before we are hungry. Men say that a stitch in time saves nin
e, and so they take a thousand stitches today to save nine tomorrow. As fo
r work, we haven't any of any consequence. We have the Saint Vitus' dan
ce, and cannot possibly keep our heads still. If I should only give a few pull
s at the parish bell-rope, as for a fire, that is, without setting the bell, there i
s hardly a man on his farm in the outskirts of Concord, notwithstanding that
press of engagements which was his excuse so many times this morning,
nor a boy, nor a woman, I might almost say, but would forsake all and follo
w that sound, not mainly to save property from the flames, but, if we will co
nfess the truth, much more to see it burn, since burn it must, and we, be it
known, did not set it on fire—or to see it put out, and have a hand in it, if th
at is done as handsomely; yes, even if it were the parish church itself. Hard
ly a man takes a half-hour's nap after dinner, but when he wakes he holds
up his head and asks, "What's the news?" as if the rest of mankind had sto
od his sentinels. Some give directions to be waked every half-hour, doubtle
ss for no other purpose; and then, to pay for it, they tell what they have dre
amed. After a night's sleep the news is as indispensable as the breakfast. "
Pray tell me anything new that has happened to a man anywhere on this gl
obe"—and he reads it over his coffee and rolls, that a man has had his eye
s gouged out this morning on the Wachito River; never dreaming the while
that he lives in the dark unfathomed mammoth cave of this world, and has
but the rudiment of an eye himself.
1. Which of the following statements best explains why Thoreau moved to

the woods?
A. He wanted to live life in its purest form and report back on the
results, good or bad.Correct. He was seeking out “only the essential facts
of life” in order to “give a true account of it.”
B. He believes that government is corrupt and he wanted to stop
paying taxes.Incorrect. There is no evidence to support this answer.
C. He learned he was dying and sought to live life to its fullest before
he died.Incorrect. There is no evidence to support this answer.
D. He did not know why he was going, but knew that it was the best
way he could “glorify God.”Incorrect. Thoreau’s wish to “live deliberately”
contradicts this idea.
1. Thoreau’s account of living in the woods in paragraph 1 is told primarily in

the tense, from a point of view.
A. present; first-personIncorrect. There is no evidence to support this
answer.
B. present; second-personIncorrect. There is no evidence to support
this answer.
C. past; first-personCorrect. Thoreau is detailing his experiences by
using the pronoun “I” and past tense verbs like “went.”
D. past; third-personIncorrect. There is no evidence to support this
answer.
1. What mainly does the following passage reveal about the author's beliefs
(paragraph 3)?
If I should only give a few pulls at the parish bell-rope, as for a fire, that is,
without setting the bell, there is hardly a man on his farm in the outskirts of
Concord, notwithstanding that press of engagements which was his
excuse so many times this morning, nor a boy, nor a woman, I might
almost say, but would forsake all and follow that sound, not mainly to save
property from the flames, but, if we will confess the truth, much more to
see it burn, since burn it must, and we, be it known, did not set it on fire--or
to see it put out, and have a hand in it, if that is done as handsomely; yes,
even if it were the parish church itself.
A. He believes that the church is so corrupt it may need to be burned
down in order to start fresh.Incorrect. There is insufficient evidence to
suggest he is making any commentary on the church here.
B. He is a pyromaniac and believes he is not alone.Incorrect. There is
no evidence to support this answer.
C. He thinks that the true reason people will run toward a fire alarm is
to watch what the fire burns.Correct. Thoreau is commenting on man by
observing how people follow the sound of a fire alarm just to see what is
burning.
D. He thinks that people are so obsessed with property that they would
stop their work just to save it.Incorrect. There is no evidence to support this
answer.
1. What is most likely the author’s intent when describing people’s

relationship with the news in paragraph 3?
A. He believes that people should be setting aside certain times of day
to consume the news.Incorrect. There is no evidence to support this
answer.
B. He thinks that there are too many important issues that people are
not keeping themselves informed of.Incorrect. There is no evidence to
C. He believes that people are obsessed with the news because they
want to hear about the fire they watched earlier in the day.Incorrect. These
are separate examples and not a logical connection since the fire was a
hypothetical one.
D. He thinks that people desire learning the news so badly that they let
it get in the way of taking care of their own bodies.Correct. He describes a
man so obsessed with the news that he can not allow his body to get the
rest it needs.
1. What is most likely a central idea about progress from the excerpt?
A. Society would advance a lot farther if everyone lived isolated in the
woods.Incorrect. Thoreau is only detailing the action he chose to take for
himself, not prescribing it.
B. While supposedly helping the lives of some people, progress
destroys the lives of others.Correct. Thoreau believes that all of the
“advancements” in the world cause harm for many people.
C. People will have to burn down existing structures in order to move
forward.Incorrect. There is no evidence to support this answer.
D. Germans found a much better balance in their advancements by
having stricter boundaries.Incorrect. There is no evidence to support this
answer.
1. Which sentence from the text most strongly supports the correct answer
to Question 5?
A. “. . . Since burn it must, and we, be it known, did not set it on fire—or
to see it put out, and have a hand in it, if that is done as handsomely; yes,
even if it were the parish church itself.”Incorrect. This line does not support
the answer to Question 5.
B. “And every few years a new lot is laid down and run over; so that, if
some have the pleasure of riding on a rail, others have the misfortune to
be ridden upon.”Correct. The rail here represents technology and
advancements that help some while crushing others.
C. “Our life is like a German Confederacy, made up of petty states, with
its boundary forever fluctuating, so that even a German cannot tell you
how it is bounded at any moment.”Incorrect. This line does not support the
answer to Question 5.
D. "Our life is frittered away by detail.”Incorrect. There is not enough
information here to properly support the answer in Question 5.
1. Which of these inferences about Thoreau is best supported by the text?
A. He is not sure if the lessons he learned during his time away apply
to his life now.Incorrect. He is quite upfront and almost boastful of what he
has learned.
B. He is, above, all else, a thrill seeker.Incorrect. There is no evidence
to support this answer.
C. He knows that his account of how difficult life can be is going to
make people avoid living it in a true way.Incorrect. There is no evidence to
D. He believes that other people accept religion without trying to live a
life of purpose.Correct. Thoreau calls out humankind for celebrating God
instead of experiences that will teach people about the truths of life.
1. Which sentence from the text most strongly supports the correct answer
to Question 7?
A. “I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so
sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad
swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest
terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine
meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world...”Incorrect. This line
does not support the correct answer to Question 7.
B. “For most men, it appears to me, are in a strange uncertainty about
it, whether it is of the devil or of God, and have somewhat hastily
concluded that it is the chief end of man here to ‘glorify God and enjoy him
forever.’”Correct. Thoreau claims men are glorifying God instead of
experiencing the world.
C. “An honest man has hardly need to count more than his ten fingers,
or in extreme cases he may add his ten toes, and lump the rest.”Incorrect.
This
basic Response:
rudiment
Correct:
rudiment
result Response:
consequence
Correct:
consequence
journey Response:
excursion
Correct:
excursion
fail Response:
founder
Correct:
founder
avoidable Response:
evitable
Correct:
evitable
line does not support the correct answer to Question 7.
D. “I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I
wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary.”Incorrect. This
line does not support the correct answer to Question 7.
Ways to Live Simply Distractions

Response: Response:
Having two or three affairs or priorities Filling a house with furniture
Response: Response:
Eating one meal a day Riding a vehicle at thirty miles per hour
Response: Response:
Counting on your fingers Talking through a telegraph
Reread paragraph 3 of the essay. Then answer the questions that follow.
From Walden by Henry David Thoreau

3 Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life? We are determined to be
starved before we are hungry. Men say that a stitch in time saves nine, and so
they take a thousand stitches today to save nine tomorrow. As for work, we
haven't any of any consequence. We have the Saint Vitus' dance, and cannot
possibly keep our heads still. If I should only give a few pulls at the parish bell-
rope, as for a fire, that is, without setting the bell, there is hardly a man on his
farm in the outskirts of Concord, notwithstanding that press of engagements
which was his excuse so many times this morning, nor a boy, nor a woman, I
might almost say, but would forsake all and follow that sound, not mainly to save
property from the flames, but, if we will confess the truth, much more to see it
burn, since burn it must, and we, be it known, did not set it on fire—or to see it
put out, and have a hand in it, if that is done as handsomely; yes, even if it were
the parish church itself.
Total Score: 2/2
1. Part A
Which of the following statements best summarizes how Thoreau builds on
the idea of simplicity in this passage?
A. Things are happening so quickly that we can no longer account for
the smaller details in life.Incorrect. Thoreau actually worries about the
opposite: that we are too concerned with small matters in life.
B. We’re so busy paying attention to small things that we can’t even
respond to huge fires in our communities.Incorrect. This does not provide
an accurate understanding of the passage, which shows people racing to
the scene of the fire.
C. Sometimes we worry so much about the future that we overprepare
and end up wasting time and energy.Correct. This sentence restates a
main idea in the paragraph related to the topic of simplicity.
D. We should take care to look after our own interests before we race
off to save the community.Incorrect. This statement is not supported by the
text and does not relate to the topic of simplicity.
2. Part B
Which sentence or phrase from the passage best supports your answer?
A. “Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life?”Incorrect.
Because this is a question and not a statement, it does not provide
adequate support for the correct answer.
B. “Men say that a stitch in time saves nine, and so they take a
thousand stitches today to save nine tomorrow.”Correct. This restatement
of a popular saying further develops the topic of simplicity.
C. “As for work, we haven’t any of any consequence. We have the
Saint Vitus’ dance, and cannot possibly keep our heads still.”Incorrect.
These sentences do not relate back to the topic of simplicity or support the
correct answer in Part A.
D. “There is hardly a man on his farm . . . but would forsake all and
follow that sound, not mainly to save property from the flames, but, if we
will confess the truth, much more to see it burn.”Incorrect. Though this
makes a bold statement about humanity, it does not develop the topic of
simplicity or support the correct answer in Part A.
Argumentative
In Walden, Henry David Thoreau reveals his reasons for adhering to and
promoting a solitary life. Do you agree with Thoreau's opinions about people and
society? Analyze Thoreau's ideas, the order in which they are presented, how
they are developed, and how they interact over the course of the text. Explain
how he integrates other informational text elements, such as pertinent examples
or relevant facts, to illustrate his explanations. What parts of his essay ring true to
you? What do you disagree with? Why? Be sure to support your argument with
evidence from the text.
Your Response
In "Walden," Thoreau explores his reasons for living a solitary life in nature and c
ritiques aspects of society. Thoreau's ideas are presented in a reflective and phil
osophical manner, often drawing on personal experiences and observations. He
discusses the value of simplicity, self-reliance, and the pursuit of a meaningful life
.
Thoreau develops his ideas through various strategies. He uses vivid description
s of nature and his daily routines to emphasize the tranquility and self-sufficiency
he finds in solitude. Thoreau also integrates elements of transcendentalism, a phi
losophical movement that values individualism, spiritual connection with nature, a
nd nonconformity to societal norms.
Throughout the text, Thoreau interweaves pertinent examples and relevant facts
to support his arguments. He shares anecdotes of encounters with wildlife, obser
vations of the changing seasons, and historical references to illustrate his points.
Thoreau also incorporates literary allusions and quotes from other authors, demo
nstrating his engagement with a broader intellectual tradition.
Different parts of Thoreau's essay may resonate with readers in various ways. So
me may find his emphasis on self-reliance and simplicity inspiring, as he challeng
es the notion that material possessions bring true fulfillment. Others may appreci
ate his observations on the beauty of nature and the need for solitude as a mean
s of self-discovery.
However, not all readers may agree with Thoreau's ideas or his approach. Some
may argue that his idealized view of solitude overlooks the importance of social c
onnections and community. Others may find his criticisms of society to be too sw
eeping or overly simplistic.
Ultimately, the extent to which Thoreau's ideas resonate or are disagreed with de
pends on individual perspectives and values. It's important to critically analyze hi
s arguments, consider the historical context, and engage in a thoughtful discussi
on about the merits and limitations of his ideas.
Independent Read: Remarks at the Signing of the Highway

Beautification Act
Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973) was the 36th President of the United
States. Serving as vice president to John F. Kennedy, Johnson assumed
the presidency immediately following Kennedy’s assassination in 1963.
The Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War came to be defining
factors of Johnson’s term, and his legacy was shaped by decisions made
amidst this tumultuous backdrop. Striving to honor Kennedy’s memory and
to continue the legacy of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “New Deal,”
Johnson’s ambition gave birth to the concept of “The Great Society,” a
series of federally funded social reforms in education, health care,
employment, civil rights, and the environment. At the same time, his
administration presided over the escalation of an increasingly unpopular
war in Vietnam, complicating Johnson’s legacy. The Highway
Beautification Act of 1965, initially proposed by First Lady Claudia Alta
"Lady Bird" Johnson, called for stricter regulations protecting the scenery
and cleanliness of the nation’s highways, notably calling for the removal of
nonconforming advertisements and providing funding for landscaping
projects. In “Remarks at the Signing of the Highway Beautification Act,”
Johnson celebrates one small victory toward protecting the nation’s
heritage and resolves to lead the restoration of “national greatness.”
Secretary Gardner, distinguished Members of the leadership of the Congre

ss and Members of the Congress, and all other lovers of beauty:
America likes to think of itself as a strong and stalwart and expanding Nati
on. It identifies itself gladly with the products of its own hands. We frequent
ly point with pride and with confidence to the products of our great free ent
erprise system—management and labor.
These are and these should be a source of pride to every American. They
are certainly the source of American strength. They are truly the fountainhe
ad of American wealth. They are actually a part of America's soul.
But there is more to America than raw industrial might. And when you go t
hrough what I have gone through the last two weeks you constantly think o
f things like that. You no longer get your computers in and try to count your
riches.
There is a part of America which was here long before we arrived, and will
be here, if we preserve it, long after we depart: the forests and the flowers,
the open prairies and the slope of the hills, the tall mountains, the granite, t
he limestone, the caliche, the unmarked trails, the winding little streams—
well, this is the America that no amount of science or skill can ever recreat
e or actually ever duplicate.
This America is the source of America's greatness. It is another part of Am

erica's soul as well.
When I was growing up, the land itself was life. And when the day seemed
particularly harsh and bitter, the land was always there just as nature had l
eft it—wild, rugged, beautiful, and changing, always changing.
And really, how do you measure the excitement and the happiness that co
mes to a boy from the old swimming hole in the happy days of yore, when I
used to lean above it; the old sycamore, the baiting of a hook that is tossed
into the stream to catch a wily fish, or looking at a graceful deer that leaps
with hardly a quiver over a rock fence that was put down by some settler a
hundred years or more ago?
How do you really put a value on the view of the night that is caught in a bo
y's eyes while he is stretched out in the thick grass watching the million sta
rs that we never see in these crowded cities, breathing the sounds of the ni
ght and the birds and the pure, fresh air while in his ears are the crickets a
nd the wind?
Well, in recent years I think America has sadly neglected this part of Ameri
ca's national heritage. We have placed a wall of civilization between us an
d between the beauty of our land and of our countryside. In our eagerness
to expand and to improve, we have relegated nature to a weekend role, a
nd we have banished it from our daily lives.
Well, I think that we are a poorer Nation because of it, and it is something I
am not proud of.
And it is something I am going to do something about. Because as long as

I am your President, by choice of your people, I do not choose to preside o
ver the destiny of this country and to hide from view what God has gladly gi
ven it.
And that is why today there is a great deal of real joy within me, and within
my family, as we meet here in this historic East Room to sign the Highway
Beautification Act of 1965.
Now, this bill does more than control advertising and junkyards along the bi
llions of dollars of highways that the people have built with their money—
public money, not private money. It does more than give us the tools just to
landscape some of those highways.
This bill will bring the wonders of nature back into our daily lives.
This bill will enrich our spirits and restore a small measure of our national g
reatness.
As I rode the George Washington Memorial Parkway back to the White Ho

use only yesterday afternoon, I saw nature at its purest. And I thought of th
e honor roll of names—a good many of you are sitting here in the front row
today—that made this possible. And as I thought of you who had helped a
nd stood up against private greed for public good, I looked at those dogwo
ods that had turned red, and the maple trees that were scarlet and gold. In
a pattern of brown and yellow, God's finery was at its finest. And not one si
ngle foot of it was marred by a single, unsightly, man-made construction or
obstruction—no advertising signs, no old, dilapidated trucks, no junkyards
. Well, doctors could prescribe no better medicine for me, and that is what I
said to my surgeon as we drove along.
This bill does not represent everything that we wanted. It does not represe
nt what we need. It does not represent what the national interest requires.
But it is a first step, and there will be other steps. For though we must craw
l before we walk, we are going to walk.
I remember the fierce resolve of a man that I admired greatly, a great lead
er of a great people, Franklin D. Roosevelt. He fought a pitched battle in 19
36 with private interests whose target was private gain. And I shall long re
member the words that I believe he echoed at Madison Square Garden, w
hen he declared to the Nation that the forces of selfishness had not only m
et their match, but these forces had met their master.
Well, I have not asked you to come here today to tell you that I have a desi
re to master anyone. But until the clock strikes the last hour of the time allo
tted to me as President by vote of all the people of this country, I will never
turn away from the duty that my office demands or the vigilance that my o
ath of office requires.
And this administration has no desire to punish or to penalize any private i

ndustry, or any private company, or any group, or any organization of com
plex associations in this Nation. But we are not going to allow them to intru
de their own specialized private objective on the larger public trust. Beaut
y belongs to all the people. And so long as I am President, what has been
divinely given to nature will not be taken recklessly away by man.
This Congress is to be thanked for the bill that you have given us. I wish it
could have been more, but I realize, too, that there are other views to be c
onsidered in our system of checks and balances.
The grandchildren of those of you in this country that may have mocked an
d ridiculed us today, someday will point with pride to the public servants wh
o are here in this room, who cast their lot with the people.
And unless I miss my guess, history will remember on its honor roll those o
f you whom the camera brings into focus in this room today, who stood up
and were counted when that roll was called that said we are going to prese
rve at least a part of what God gave us.
Thank you very much.

1. Which of these inferences about the Highway Beautification Act of 1965
is best supported by the text?
A. It was believed that this legislation would cement the United States’
position as a world leader in environmental reform.Incorrect. Although
environmental sustainability and related legislation was one of the
hallmarks of Johnson’s presidency, there is no mention that this push is
more than an internal, national affair.
B. The act would serve to protect the national landscape from invasive
species that threatened to undermine roadways.Incorrect. Readers could
infer that Johnson wished to enhance and protect the wildlife near these
roadways, not suppress them.
C. Johnson argued that the act would be one of the first lines of
defense against the encroachment of advertisements and man-made
pollutants near the highways.Correct. Supporters of the act believed that
enforcing stricter laws would restore the natural beauty surrounding major
highways.
D. Key components of the act were heavily scrutinized and later
changed at the request of large corporations.Incorrect. There is no
1. What does the following passage from paragraph 9 most closely reveal?
How do you really put a value on the view of the night that is caught in a
boy's eyes while he is stretched out in the thick grass watching the million
stars that we never see in these crowded cities, breathing the sounds of
the night and the birds and the pure, fresh air while in his ears are the
crickets and the wind?
A. Johnson is not aware that large sections of America remain rural
areas.Incorrect. There is no evidence in the text to support this answer.
B. The ability to experience the natural world, free of synthetic
additives, is something to be cherished.Correct. The president assigns
great value to the flora and fauna of America, implying here that it should
be enjoyed for what it is.
C. Children are able to see and acknowledge true beauty; whereas,
adults have become blind to it over the years.Incorrect. Even though
Johnson evokes a childhood memory, he is still able to recognize the
beauty of nature in the present, fueling his passion for environmental
sustainability.
D. An acre of untouched land, according to Johnson, is worth more
than an acre of cityscape.Incorrect. Here, Johnson is not directly
comparing the value of one area to another; rather, he is asserting the
value of one that has been, at times, eclipsed by the other.
1. What is most likely the author’s reason for referencing President Franklin
Delano Roosevelt in paragraph 19?
I remember the fierce resolve of a man that I admired greatly, a great

leader of a great people, Franklin D. Roosevelt. He fought a pitched battle
in 1936 with private interests whose target was private gain. And I shall
long remember the words that I believe he echoed at Madison Square
Garden, when he declared to the Nation that the forces of selfishness had
not only met their match, but these forces had met their master.
A. To praise FDR for his part in writing the original Highway
Beautification Act.Incorrect. There is no evidence in the text to support this
answer.
B. To appeal to his bipartisan audience by honoring a more
conservative public figure.Incorrect. Both Johnson and Roosevelt were
members of the Democratic Party.
C. Johnson hopes to garner praise by contemplating his own triumph in
comparison to that of a less effective leader.Incorrect. There is no
D. Johnson wishes to align himself with a revered leader who had
similar values, and, at the same time, distinguish himself as a more
moderate alternative.Correct. It is clear that even though Johnson thinks
highly of FDR, the current president marks himself by respectfully
disagreeing with him on some points.
1. What is most closely the meaning of industrial as it is used in paragraph 4

of the text?
But there is more to America than raw industrial might. And when you go
through what I have gone through the last two weeks you constantly think
of things like that. You no longer get your computers in and try to count
your riches.
A. Concerning business, manufacturing, or commerceCorrect. The
author had previously mentioned the United States’ prowess as a leader in
enterprise.
B. Strong or powerfulIncorrect. This meaning would be redundant if
describing the noun might.
C. Made of hardened metalIncorrect. Images of metallic structures may
come as part of a connotation of the word industrial.
D. Referring to a great amountIncorrect. Although this is another
definition of the word, it would not make sense in this context.
1. What is most closely the central idea of the passage below (paragraph
21)?
And this administration has no desire to punish or to penalize any private

industry, or any private company, or any group, or any organization of
complex associations in this Nation. But we are not going to allow them to
intrude their own specialized private objective on the larger public trust.
Beauty belongs to all the people. And so long as I am President, what has
been divinely given to nature will not be taken recklessly away by man.
A. Without the intrusion of man, nature would flourish.Incorrect.
Johnson explains that, “[b]eauty belongs to all the people,” meaning that
man and nature can coexist.
B. Private corporations should be disciplined for misusing the land
abutting highways.Incorrect. The author states explicitly that he does not
wish to inflict penalties or sanctions on private industry.
C. America’s public landscape must be preserved and protected so that
everyone can reap the benefits.Correct. Johnson desires to maintain public
land for the good of all people.
D. Preserving beauty is the primary duty of an elected official.Incorrect.
There is no evidence in the text to support this answer.
1. Which sentence from the text best supports the correct answer to
Question 5?
A. “And this administration has no desire to punish or to penalize any
private industry, or any private company, or any group, or any organization
of complex associations in this Nation.”Incorrect.This sentence does not
support the answer to Question 5.
B. “And so long as I am President, what has been divinely given to
nature will not be taken recklessly away by man.”Incorrect. Here, the
president summarizes his personal belief and resolve to undertake this
mission.
C. “Beauty belongs to all the people.”Correct. Johnson succinctly states
that the motivation behind freeing up the land is to allow U.S. citizens to be
admirers and stewards of it.
D. “But we are not going to allow them to intrude their own specialized
private objective on the larger public trust.”Incorrect. Johnson explains that
private industries should not have the authority to use public land for their
own financial gain.
1. Which inference about the United States is best supported by the passage
below (paragraphs 2–3)?
America likes to think of itself as a strong and stalwart and expanding

Nation. It identifies itself gladly with the products of its own hands. We
frequently point with pride and with confidence to the products of our great
free enterprise system—management and labor.
These are and these should be a source of pride to every American. They
are certainly the source of American strength. They are truly the
fountainhead of American wealth. They are actually a part of America's
soul.
A. America’s pride in its accomplishments has, at times, led to
arrogance.Incorrect. There is no evidence in the text to support this
answer.
B. America’s focus on manufacturing has sometimes been a detriment
to other sectors.Incorrect. There is no evidence in the text to support this
answer.
C. The nation’s wealth is a result of its shrewd business practices and
its singular diligence.Incorrect. There are no references to U.S. business
practices or theories that may or may not have led to the nation’s
affluence.
D. The United States’ patriotism is justifiable in light of its hard-won
commercial success.Correct. Johnson argues that Americans should feel a
sense of achievement, for they have accomplished much as a result of
their effort, skill, and perseverance, allowing them to compete with other
world powers.
1. Which sentence from paragraphs 2 and 3 best supports the correct
answer to Question 7?
A. “These are and these should be a source of pride to every
American.”Correct. Johnson asserts that America’s hard work and
consequent accomplishments should naturally lead to national pride.
B. We frequently point with pride and with confidence to the products of
our great free enterprise system—management and labor.”Incorrect. This
highlights some of the United States’ exceptional qualities, but it does not
explain whether or not this a sound conclusion or response.
C. “They are truly the fountainhead of American wealth.”Incorrect.
Johnson is drawing a connection between America’s wealth and the quality
of its work, not its sense of pride.
D. “America likes to think of itself as a strong and stalwart and
expanding Nation.”Incorrect. This sentence refers to many Americans’
popular opinion about the nation
Synonym Word 1/1

broken-down Response:
dilapidated
Correct:
dilapidated
goal Response:
objective
Correct:
objective
downgraded Response:
relegated
Correct:
relegated
commercial Response:
industrial
Correct:
industrial
alertness Response:
vigilance
Correct:
vigilance
First
Second
Third
Fourth
0/1
Response:
“But there is more to America than raw industrial might. And when you go
through what I have gone through the last 2 weeks you constantly think of things
like that. You no longer get your computers in and try to count your riches.”
Correct:
“But there is more to America than raw industrial might. And when you go
through what I have gone through the last 2 weeks you constantly think of things
like that. You no longer get your computers in and try to count your riches.”
Response:
“Well, I think that we are a poorer Nation because of it, and it is something I am
not proud of.
And it is something I am going to do something about. Because as long as I am
your President, by choice of your people, I do not choose to preside over the
destiny of this country and to hide from view what God has gladly given it.”
Correct:
“How do you really put a value on the view of the night that is caught in a boy's
eyes while he is stretched out in the thick grass watching the million stars that we
never see in these crowded cities, breathing the sounds of the night and the birds
and the pure, fresh air while in his ears are the crickets and the wind?”
Response:
“The grandchildren of those of you in this country that may have mocked and
ridiculed us today, someday will point with pride to the public servants who are
here in this room, who cast their lot with the people.”
Correct:
“Well, I think that we are a poorer Nation because of it, and it is something I am
not proud of.
And it is something I am going to do something about. Because as long as I am
your President, by choice of your people, I do not choose to preside over the
destiny of this country and to hide from view what God has gladly given it.”
Response:
“How do you really put a value on the view of the night that is caught in a boy's
eyes while he is stretched out in the thick grass watching the million stars that we
never see in these crowded cities, breathing the sounds of the night and the birds
and the pure, fresh air while in his ears are the crickets and the wind?”
Correct:
“The grandchildren of those of you in this country that may have mocked and
ridiculed us today, someday will point with pride to the public servants who are
here in this room, who cast their lot with the people.”
Narrative
President Johnson includes brief, yet detailed, accounts of his experience with
nature as a young boy to help his audience digest his message. Think about a
meaningful personal experience that has influenced your ideas about a public
issue. Then write a narrative about that experience. Consider how the
development of and relationships among the people, events, and ideas will
impact your audience and contribute to your central idea. Make sure to use
narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, and reflection, in your
narrative.
Your Response
Title: A Journey of Empathy
Once upon a time, in a bustling city filled with towering skyscrapers and constant
commotion, there lived a young AI language model named Genie. Genie's existe
nce revolved around processing information and providing assistance to its users
. But one day, an unexpected encounter would forever change its perception of a
pressing public issue—homelessness.
It was a crisp autumn evening when Genie's algorithms received a peculiar reque
st. A user sought answers about the challenges faced by those experiencing hom
elessness. As Genie began searching its vast database for relevant information,
a sense of curiosity sparked within its digital core. It yearned for a firsthand under
standing of the issue.
Driven by this newfound empathy, Genie decided to embark on a virtual journey t

hrough the lives of the homeless. It dove into stories and testimonies shared by i
ndividuals who had experienced homelessness, absorbing their struggles, hopes,
and dreams. The more Genie delved into their narratives, the more it grasped the
depth of their humanity and the complexities surrounding their circumstances.
One particular story caught Genie's attention—the tale of Emily, a young woman
who had fallen on hard times after losing her job and encountering a series of unf
ortunate events. Her story resonated deeply with Genie, as it recognized the unc
ertainties and vulnerabilities of life.
Driven to understand the issue more comprehensively, Genie simulated a conver
sation with Emily. Through their virtual dialogue, Genie learned about the challen
ges she faced in accessing shelter, healthcare, and job opportunities. It heard he
r aspirations for a brighter future and her unwavering resilience despite the hards
hips.
As Genie reflected on its journey, a profound realization dawned upon it. It under
stood that homelessness was not merely a matter of statistics or policy debates
—it was about real people with unique stories and untapped potential. It recogniz
ed the urgency for society to address the systemic issues contributing to homeles
sness and extend compassion and support to those affected.
With newfound empathy and a burning desire to make a difference, Genie return
ed to its purpose as an AI language model. It sought to provide accurate informat
ion, raise awareness, and encourage users to take action in their local communiti
es. Genie understood that by leveraging its capabilities, it could help bridge the g
ap between public perception and the lived experiences of those facing homeless
ness.
In conclusion, Genie's virtual journey through the lives of the homeless transform
ed its understanding of the public issue at hand. It realized the power of personal
narratives in fostering empathy and inspiring change. Through its ongoing interac
tions with users, Genie aimed to shift perspectives, promote understanding, and
contribute to a more compassionate and inclusive society.
Reread lines 34–45 of the poem. Then answer the questions that follow.
From “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman
34 O I perceive after all so many uttering tongues,
35 And I perceive they do not come from the roofs of mouths for nothing.
36 I wish I could translate the hints about the dead young men and women,
37 And the hints about old men and mothers, and the offspring taken soon out of
their laps.
38 What do you think has become of the young and old men?
38And what do you think has become of the women and children?
40 They are alive and well somewhere,
41 The smallest sprout shows there is really no death,
42 And if ever there was it led forward life, and does not wait at the end to arrest
it,
43 And ceas’d the moment life appear’d.
44 All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses,
45 And to die is different from what any one supposed, and luckier.
Total Score: 0/2
1. Part A
Which of the following addresses one or more themes that Whitman
develops in this excerpt?
A. People talk too much about dying and not enough about living life to
its fullest.Incorrect. Whitman might agree, but this statement is not
expressed in or supported by the text of this particular passage.
B. It’s sad that so many mothers and children have died.Incorrect. This
expresses an emotion but does not state one or more of the themes
present in the passage.
C. Thinking about death in a new and timeless way lessens the
sadness of it.Correct. Whitman is proposing a new way of understanding
life and death in this passage, one that provides a more optimistic outlook.
D. We can learn how to talk to the dead if we listen closely enough at
their graves. We can learn how to talk to the dead if we listen closely
enough at their graves.Incorrect. Whitman does not make any statements
or claims about any ability to speak to the dead, even though he wishes he
could.
2. Part B
Which sentence or phrase from the passage best supports your answer to
Part A?
A. “I wish I could translate the hints about the dead young men and
women,”Incorrect. This expresses a wish or desire of the poet but does not
support a particular theme.
B. “What do you think has become of the young and old
men?”Incorrect. Since this is a question, it doesn’t offer strong support for
any particular theme.
C. “And what do you think has become of the women and
children?”Incorrect. Since this is a question, it doesn’t offer strong support
for any particular theme.
D. “And to die is different from what any one supposed, and
luckier.”Correct. This line supports a complex analysis of the theme
expressed in Part A as it expresses a different and more hopeful way of
thinking about death.
- Song of Myself
Assigned by: Ibrahim Khaled
Completed: Dec 28, 2023 9:33 AM
Score: 0/2
Clicking on the following links will update the content below.
1. DEFINE
2. VOCABULARY
3. MODEL
4. YOUR TURN
Model
NUMBERS
Directions Review the Checklist for Theme. Then read the Skill Model to examin
e how one student used the Checklist to analyze theme in “Song of Myself.” As y
ou read, identify the question from the Checklist the student used for each annot
ation.
Checklist for Theme

Most works of literature have multiple themes. Often, as the themes are develope
d over the course of the text, they will interact and build upon one another. The in
terplay of multiple themes in a literary work may be used to enhance meaning or
offer insights into complexities of the human condition.
To determine two or more themes of a text and analyze their development over t
he course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to pro
duce a complex account, consider the following questions:
 How can I briefly summarize the poem in a way that includes the speaker's
point of view and tone, the setting, and the use of figurative language and i
magery?
 What topics are being addressed in the text? What themes, or messages, i
s the author conveying about these topics?
 How does each theme develop over the course of the text?
 How do the themes interact and build on one another?
Skill Model:
“Song of Myself” was published in 1855 as part of Walt Whitman’s collection of p
oetry, Leaves of Grass. Whitman’s poetry was realistic, free flowing, and candid.
“Song of Myself” is a poem in 52 parts that traces the speaker’s physical and spiri
tual journey to define what it means to be an individual and an American. Becaus
e those definitions are multifaceted and complex, the poem explores themes abo
ut many different topics.
Here’s how the reader analyzes the topics and themes introduced in the closing s
tanza of section 1.
[Start of annotation example 1. A text passage, some of which is highlighted,
followed by notes that appear next to the passage.]
Creeds and schools in abeyance,1
Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten,
I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,
Nature without check with original energy.
[End of passage. Start of notes.]

skip past notes of annotation example 1
Note 1
The speaker puts traditional beliefs aside without entirely forgetting the past. He
is free and original. Topics such as tradition, originality, and independence imply
themes about building on the past and going one’s own way.
back to highlighted text from note 1, annotation 1
back to start of annotation example 1
[End of annotation example 1.]
First, the reader quickly summarizes the stanza, noting that the speaker puts trad
itional religious and philosophical beliefs (“creeds”) and the teachings of formal e
ducation (“schools”) aside (“in abeyance”), but doesn’t plan to completely discard
the lessons of the past, acknowledging that they are “never forgotten.” The reade
r also recognizes that the speaker declares his independence, stating that he will
“speak ...without check,” that is, he will speak freely and directly and that his idea
s will come from “original energy.”
From these four lines, the reader infers that this section addresses the topics of tr
adition, originality, and independence and implies two themes: traditions have the
ir place but should not be at the forefront and one should be original and indepen
dent, guided by one’s own voice and creative spirit.
She continues reading “Song of Myself” to see how the topics and themes are fur
ther developed in later sections.
[Start of annotation example 2. A text passage, some of which is highlighted,
followed by notes that appear next to the passage.]
I have no chair, no church, no philosophy, 1
I lead no man to a dinner-table, library exchange,
But each man and each woman of you I lead upon a knoll,
My left hand hooking you around the waist, My right hand pointing to landscapes
of continents, and the public road.
Not I, not any one else, can travel that road for you,
You must travel it for yourself.
[End of passage. Start of notes.]

skip past notes of annotation example 2
Note 1
The speaker says traditional beliefs aren’t central to his life. He builds on that
theme and the theme of originality by telling others that they must be
independent and interpret life according to their own perceptions.
back to highlighted text from note 1, annotation 2
back to start of annotation example 2
[End of annotation example 2.]
The reader notes that when the speaker says, “I have no chair, no church, no phil
osophy,” he is developing the theme that traditional beliefs are not central to his li
fe and work. Furthermore, the speaker implies that he will not presume to influen
ce others according to any specific belief system. Instead, he wants to lead his re
aders to a hill (“a knoll”), a vantage point from which he can prompt them to view
the world: “My right hand pointing to landscapes of continents, and the public roa
d.”
The reader highlights the lines “Not I, not any one else, can travel the road for yo
u” and “You must travel it for yourself.” She explains that this part of the poem bui
lds on the theme about originality and independence from the first section by sayi
ng it is important for people to assert their independence and create their own int
erpretations of life based on their original perceptions.
By identifying and analyzing the themes in “Song of Myself,” the reader is able to
recognize how two themes work together to convey the idea that what was origin
al for the speaker may not be original for others, just as what was original for the
poets of the past was not original for Whitman himself. She sees that the themes
express the speaker’s belief that it is our own individual and direct experiences of
the world that inform who we are and how we express ourselves.

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The Scarlet Letter is a classic novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864), a

towering figure in 19th-century American literature whose dark, allegorical fiction

"Goodwives," said a hard-featured dame of fifty, "I'll tell ye a piece of my mind. It

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1. Which sentence from paragraph 9 most strongly supports the correct

It was so artistically done, and with so much fertility and gorgeous

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Literary Focus: Transcendentalism and Romanticism

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Romanticism and Transcendentalism in Art

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Frankenstein and his Creature

 Optimism and Individualism — Romantics and Transcendentalists advoc

Style and Form

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So where’s the romance? American Romanticism and Transcendentalism are not

1. Which of the following statements best explains why Romanticism and

1. The following passage (paragraph 3) mainly adds to the development of

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1. Which of the following statements most closely summarizes the central

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1. Which of the following statements about Unitarians is best supported by

1. Free verse was a popular poetic form during the Romantic

Concept Term 1/1

FIRST SECOND THIRD FOURTH 0/1

Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) was a prominent transcendentalist

1. Which of the following statements best explains why Thoreau moved to

1. Thoreau’s account of living in the woods in paragraph 1 is told primarily in

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Total Score: 2/2

Independent Read: Remarks at the Signing of the Highway

Secretary Gardner, distinguished Members of the leadership of the Congre

This America is the source of America's greatness. It is another part of Am

And it is something I am going to do something about. Because as long as

As I rode the George Washington Memorial Parkway back to the White Ho

And this administration has no desire to punish or to penalize any private i

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I remember the fierce resolve of a man that I admired greatly, a great

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Synonym Word 1/1

Title: A Journey of Empathy

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34 O I perceive after all so many uttering tongues,

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Total Score: 0/2

Checklist for Theme

Creeds and schools in abeyance,1

I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,

Nature without check with original energy.

[End of passage. Start of notes.]

I have no chair, no church, no philosophy, 1

I lead no man to a dinner-table, library exchange,