Session One Part 2

Objective: Reading and writing for information and understanding, as assessed by:
- a written response to a text and related visual
- multiple-choice questions on basic comprehension.
Let's take a look at a past ELA Regents Part 2 exam and do the following: Read the entire text and graph.
Read the instructions and answer the following:

What kind of texts do you expect to read?
I expect to read an article and a graph about the Florida manatees.
What is a graph, and what kind of information does it elicit?
A graph is a chart that has data that is organized in a way that you can see what happened throughout a time period.
How can you compare the two?
The text tells you some of the leading cause of death to manatees and the graph tells you how many death.
What are they asking you to do in this essay?
They asked that in your essay you must explain why the Florida manatees are endangered and discuss methods that can be used to save the Florida manatee.
Is this a persuasive or informative essay? Why?
I think this is an informative essay because it is informing you how manatees are getting killed and the number of manatees are killed.
What thesis statement can you possibly write for this essay?
The Florida manatees is an endangered species that are being killed by the hundreds every year and there are some possible ways to help these endangered species from being extinct.
What if they wanted you to write a Letter to a senator, then how many paragraphs would you write?
The minimum of 4 and the maximum of 6 paragraphs i will write in the letter.

Fences

Do some research on the time period of this play and autobiography on August Wilson (in your own words) make this brief August Wilson's Bio: complete name, DOB, DOD, education, conflicts from childhood to adult, achievements, personal life, works.Time Period of the play Fences: what was going on at that time.Create a list of all the characters and what role they play, how are they related, protagonist, antagonist, conflicts so far.

August Wilson was born Frederick August Kittel on April 27, 1945 in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During August Wilson's teenage years his mother married a man named David Bedford, which made the family move to a white working neighborhood called Hazelwood. When living in Hazelwood he had to to deal with racial comments, and bricks were thrown through at window at their new home. August Wilson was the only black student at Central Catholic High School which he attended in 1959. While he attended this high school there were threats against him and he was also abused which drive him away to another high school called Connelley Vocational. When he was in the 10th grade at Gladstone High School in 1960, he dropped out because a teacher accused him to use someone Else's work. In order for August Wilson to an education he went to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. In 1962 he enlists in the U.S army your three years but instead he goes for one. In 1965 he changed his name of Frederick August Kittel to August Wilson. August Wilson bought a typewriter and begun to write poems. In 1968 he begun to write plays, which he continued to write throughout the years. On October 2, 2005 August Wilson died in Swedish Medical Center in Settle due to him being diagnosed with liver cancer. Achievements: New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom(1985), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom(1985), Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play: Fences (1987), New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play: Fences(1987), Pulitzer Prize for Drama: Fences(1987), Tony Award for Best Play: Fences(1987), Literary Lion Award from the New York Public Library(1988), New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play: Joe Turner's Come and Gone(1988), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: Joe Turner's Come and Gone(1988), Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play: The Piano Lesson(1990), New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play: The Piano Lesson(1990), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: The Piano Lesson(1990), Pulitzer Prize for Drama: The Piano Lesson(1990), American Theatre Critics' Association Award: Two Trains Running(1992), New York Drama Critics Circle Citation for Best American Play: Two Trains Running(1992), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: Two Trains Running (1992), New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play: Seven Guitars(1996), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: Seven Guitars(1996), National Humanities Medal(1999), New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play: Jitney(2000), Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play: Jitney(2000), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: King Hedley II(2001), Olivier Award for Best new Play: Jitney (2002), The Freedom of Speech Award at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival(2004), Make a Shift Award at the U.S. Play Writers(2005), Tony Award nomination for Best Play: Radio Golf(2007)
Sources: http://www.post-gazette.com/magazine/19991216awtimeline9.asp and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Wilson,

Characters:
Troy Maxson- Troy is the protagonist of the book Fences. Troy is a strong, hard working man who use to lifts gargage into trucks but then got to drive the truck. Troy is the husband of Rose, is the father to Lyons, Cory and Raynell. The conflicts that Troy had done was to force Cory to quit the football team and he cheated on his wife with a women named Alberta.
Jim Bono- Jim Bono is Troy's best friend and works with also works with Troy. In the book Fences Jim is called Bono or Mr. Bono. Jim married a women named Lucille who is best friends with Rose. On Friday Troy and Bono will be at Troy's house and they will both be drinking and talking.
Rose Maxson- Rose Maxson is Troy's wife of 18 years. Rose had a child with Troy named Cory. Rose believes in letting Cory do what he wants to do. Troy cheated on her with a woman named Alberta.
Lyons Maxson- Lyon is Troy's first son from a different woman. Lyon is a musican that dosen't earn a lot of money and his girlfriend Bonnie helps him with money. Sometimes Lyon relies on Troy to get money with he reseves but sometimes can't pay back.
Garbriel Maxson- Gabriel is Troy's younger brother. He was a solider in World War II, her got a head injury while in the war which required him to get a mental plate in his head and left him with to have mental problems.
Cory Maxson- Cory is the son of Troy and Rose. Cory is a hard working boy that wants to play football but Troy doen't want him to. Troy wants Cory to work at A&P but Corty lies to Troy that he is working at A&P so he can play football.
Raynell- Raynell is the daughter of Troy and Alberta. Rose let Raynell stay with them in the Maxson House. Raynell's mother Alberta died when Raynell was born.


Homework: Plot the play Fences.

Exposition - Its Friday, good friends Troy and Bono are at Troy's house. It is also payday for the two men. Troy and Bono are drinking and talking about their job as garbage men. Troy wants to be a driver not garbage men. Bono also thinks that Troy is cheating on Rose with a women named Alberta.
Rising Action - Troy and Rose are arguing about letting Cory do what he wants to do. Troy wants Cory to get out the Football Team and go work at the A&P. Rose wants Cory to do what he wanted to do, which was Cory to be part of the Football team and on weekends to work at the A&P.
Climax - Troy tells Rose that he is going to be a father. He was going to have a baby with another women named Alberta. Rose is mad that he did that and they were married for 18 years.
Falling Action - Rose tells Troy that Alberta died at giving birth and he has a baby girl. Rose takes Raynell as her own child but refuses to be Troy's wife. Cory leaves Troy's house for good.
Conclusion - Troy dies due to a heart attack. Cory comes home from the marines and reunites with the Maxson family. Cory finally respects his father. Cory and Raynell sings the blue song that Troy will always sing.

Story Map #3

Fences, By August Wilson

Characters & Characterization:

The Protagonist is Troy. Troy Maxson was a strong, hard working African American man who works at the Sanitation department, lifting garbage into trucks but then he got a promotion. Troy’s promotion was to drive the Sanitation truck. Troy is the husband of Rose, is the father to Lyons, Cory, Raynell and the older brother of Gabriel. The conflicts that Troy had faced was to force Cory to quit the football team and he cheated on his wife with a women named Alberta.
The Antagonist is Alberta. Alberta is Troy’s lover and they met in Tallahassee. Troy cheated on his wife Rose with Alberta because of this affair it caused problems in Rose and Troy’s marriage. Alberta dies while giving birth to her daughter Raynell and Troy is the father to Raynell.

Setting:

Setting Time:1957-1965

Setting Place: The yard and porch of the Maxson house.

State the importance of the setting:The Porch of the Maxson house is were Bono and Troy will spend every Friday sitting, drinking, talking about their lives, and taking about their jobs. The Yard of the Maxson house is where Troy and Cory will have their arguments about Cory wanting to be on the football team.

Vocabulary:
1- Alfalfa: A southwest Asian perennial herb (Medicago sativa) having compound leaves with three leaflets and clusters of usually blue-violet flowers. It is widely cultivated as a pasture and hay crop.
2- Irrespective: Characterized by disregard; heedless.
3- Madder: A southwest Asian perennial plant (Rubia tinctorum) having small yellow flowers, whorled leaves, and a red root.
4- Tallahasee: The capital of Florida, in the northwest part of the state. Originally a Native American village, it was settled by the Spanish after 1539 and founded as the capital of the Florida Territory in 1824. Population: 159,000.
5- Vulgar: Crudely indecent.

Plot:
Its Friday, good friends Troy and Bono are at Troy's house. It is also payday for the two men. Troy and Bono are drinking and talking about their job as garbage men. Troy wants to be a driver not garbage men. Bono also thinks that Troy is cheating on Rose with a women named Alberta. Troy and Rose are arguing about letting Cory do what he wants to do. Troy wants Cory to get out of the football team and go work at the A&P Supermarket. Rose wants Cory to do what he wanted to do, which was letting Cory to be part of the football team and Cory will have to work on weekends at the A&P Supermarket. Troy tells Rose that he is going to be a father. He was going to have a baby with another women named Alberta. Rose is mad that he did that and they were married for 18 years. Rose tells Troy that Alberta died while giving birth and he has a baby girl. Rose takes Raynell as her own child but refuses to be Troy's wife. Cory leaves Troy's house for good. Troy dies due to a heart attack. Cory comes home from the Marines and reunites with the Maxson family. Cory finally respects his father. Cory and Raynell sings the blue song that Troy will always sing.

2 Quotes:
"Some people build fences to keep people out and other people build fences to keep people in.”
This quote means that fences are build for two reasons. One reason for building fences is to keep certain people out. The fences are used as a border to make people stay out of their property. To make non wanted visits and strangers to stay out. The second reason for building fences is to keep certain people in. The fences are used as a border as will in this situation. To keep family, friends and extended family to stay close and safe.

"You can't visit the sins of the father upon the child."
This quote means that the bad things that the father has done has nothing to do with the child. The child did nothing wrong. The father and the child are not the same person they are two different people. The child shouldn’t be blamed for the father’s wrong doing. As much has you hate what the father has done you must give the child a chance.

Conflicts:

The conflicts that the Maxson family faced were internal. The conflicts were internal because each of the members of the Maxson family faced a problem internal. Troy faced the problem with telling his wife that he cheated on her with another women. Rose faced the problem that Troy cheated on her with another wife and how to cope with this problem. Cory faced the problem that Troy didn’t want him to play on the football team and Troy wanted Cory to work at the A&P Supermarket. The member in the Maxson family that had external conflicts was Gabriel. Gabriel was a soldier in World War II, he got a head injury while in the war which required him to get a mental plate in his head and left him with having mental problems.

Themes:
Death: Death had a little role in the book Fences with Troy. Troy said that he had faced death he had said “That death ain’t nothing” and he “done seen him.” Troy says that he had talk with death, Troy will call he Mr. Death. Troy will say that death will bring his army to get him they were marching straight at him like soldiers in a parade. Troy said that he looked dead in the eyes of death because the bible said that you have to be vigilant. Troy wrestled with death for three day and three nights. Troy will all ways say that “Death ain’t nothing but fastball on the outside corner.”
History: History also plays a little role in the book Fences with Troy, Cory and Lyons. When Troy was little he played baseball. Troy wanted to play baseball in the Major leagues but he couldn’t because he was a colored man. During that time colored men couldn’t play Baseball and Football. During the time Cory was in High School times had changed, that colored boys are playing ball now. They are playing Baseball and Football. Cory can see why Troy is so hard on him. Troy had a hard childhood, his father was mean and abused Troy. He had no mother going up. In this situation Lyons had the same experience when he was little. Lyons grow up without Troy around because Troy was in jail.

Literary Elements:
Suspense: a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety.
On Page 3-4 Bono and Troy were talking and drinking because it is Friday and it is their ritual. While their talking Bono starts to think that something is going on with Troy and a women named Alberta. Troy has been eyeing her and buying her drinks. Troy has also been walking to Alberta’s house when he is suppose to be at Taylor’s. This makes you wonder what is going between Troy and Alberta. Then on Pages 61-64 Bono finds out that Troy and Alberta were fooling around because Alberta is pregnant and Troy is the father.

Characterization: portrayal; description
On Page 8-9 you can understand why Troy is the way he is. Troy is a strong and hard working African American man. The reason he is that because of what happened when he was young. When Troy was young he played Baseball and he wanted to play in the major league but he couldn’t because colored were not allowed to play. So, Troy couldn’t play in the Major League, he had to find a job and had to face reality. That is the reason why he is so hard on Cory with the football team and Lyons with his music.

Imagery: the formation of mental images, figures, or likenesses of things, or of such images collectively.
On Page 64-72 Rose and Troy were talking about what happened with Gabriel and how he got arrest. Next it went to on to getting lunch and then it went to Troy telling Rose that he is going to be a father, which led them into arguing about Troy’s affair. Finally Troy grabs Rose arm and starts hurting her. Cory comes and tries helping Rose out by punching out Troy, which led to Cory getting strike two. The dialogue that happened in these pages were so believable that I can see Rose and Troy talking, then arguing with each other. I can also see Cory trying to help Rose when Troy grab her arm, Cory punching out Troy and Troy saying “Strike two.”

Annotated Bibliography:

Wilson, August, Fences. New York : New American Library, 1986
Fences is a powerful and dramatic play that August Wilson won is first Pulitzer Prize. Troy Maxson is strong, hard working man that faces a hardship life that in a world he never knew well and to a wife and son that he doesn’t understand as well too. Troy faces problems like everyone of us face with in everyday life.

Part 4 ELA Regents: Critical Lens (Outline)

Introduction:
"To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else" was quoted by Bernadette Devlin. I agree with the quote that to gain something you desire, some sacrifices will have to be made. The book Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, by Harriet Jacobs and How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, By Julia Alvarez show that in order for the characters to gain what they desire they first have to make some sacrifices.

Body I : Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs
1- An introduction to the main character Linda Brent.
2- Linda wants to protect her children she can't see her children grow up.
3- Linda became cripped because she spent 7 years in her grandmothers garret.

Body II: How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez
1- An introduction to who Carols Garica is like Carlos being a Political activist.
2- How his Political Act made him get into trouble.
3- Carlos had to move his family because of his Political Acts.

Body III: Both Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and How the Garica Girls Lost Their Accents.
1- Setting played a role in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.
2- Characterization played a role in How the Garica Girls Lost Their Accents.
3- How both novels compare to the quote.

Conclusion:
Restate my opinion on the quote and how the two novels show that in order for the characters to gain what they desire they first have to make some sacrifices.

Part 4 ELA Regents: Critical Lens

Objective: Students will comprehend, analyze "quote/critical lens," and apply it to two works of literature

“To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else.”
—Bernadette Devlin
The Price of My Soul, 1969

"To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else" was quoted by Bernadette Devlin. I agree with the quote that to gain something you desire, some sacrifices will have to be made. The book Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs and How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents By Julia Alvarez show that in order for the characters to gain what they desire they first have to make some sacrifices.



“I like flawed characters because somewhere in them I see more of the truth.”
— Nicolas Cage
“His Truth is Out There”from Los Angeles Times,November 12, 2000

"I like flawed characters because somewhere in them I see more of the the truth." was quoted by Nicolas Cage. I agree with the quote that imperfect characters are not what they seem you can see the truth coming out. The play The Crucible by Arthur Miller and the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger shows that imperfect characters can show the truth by simply the way they act around people.

Story Map #2[Revised] - Score: 89

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, By Harriet A. Jacobs

Characters & Characterization:
The Protagonist is Linda Brent. She is was an African American who was born into slavery. Linda didn’t know she was a piece of property until her mother passed away when Linda was six years old. Linda wanted to escape slavery when she was young, at the end Linda became free of slavery thanks to Mrs. Bruce. Linda is very close with her Aunt Martha who is also Linda’s grandmother. Linda was torn because she want to protect her two children Benny and Ellen. They were born into slavery which Linda didn’t want her children to be born into slavery.
The Antagonist is Dr. Flint. Dr. Flint’s daughter Emily owns Linda. Dr. Flint is Linda’s evil master who torments Linda daily. Dr. Flint tried to be Linda’s lover but it failed. Dr. Flint didn’t let Linda be sold to other people because Dr. Flint wanted to punish her for the affair she had with Mr. Sands. Dr. Flint said that Linda will be his slave forever. Dr. Flint went after Linda when she escaped to became free.

Setting:
Setting Time: 1820’s- 1840’s
Setting Place: A Southern Town that was not named, New York, Boston, England for a little while.
State the importance of the setting:
The Southern Town that was not named was were Linda was born and where Linda lived when she was a slave. It was also the Setting for the beginning of the book. New York was were Linda lived when she escaped after leaving Dr. Flint. Boston was were Linda fled to hide from when Dr. Flint went to New York to go find her. England was were Linda went with Mr. Bruce and Mary. They went to England because Mrs. Bruce died. So, Mr. Bruce and Mary went to visit Mrs. Bruce’s family. Linda can as Mary’s nurse.

Vocabulary:
Presumptuous: Going beyond what is right or proper; excessively forward.
Blasphemous(blasphemy) : An irreverent or impious act, attitude, or utterance in regard to something considered inviolable or sacrosanct.
Doctrine: A principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief, as by a religious, political, scientific, or philosophic group; dogma.
Nuisance: One that is inconvenient, annoying, or vexatious; a bother:
Tyranny: A government in which a single ruler is vested with absolute power.


Plot:
Linda Brent was born into slavery. Linda found out she was a slave at age six when her mother passed away. Then Linda was sent to live with her mothers mistress. The mistress treated Linda very well and she also taught Linda to read. But the mistress died a few years later. Linda got sent to the mistress sister’s daughter. Emily Flint who became the owner of Linda.However, Dr. Flint became Linda's new master. Dr. Flint tried to have a sexual relationship with Linda but it failed. A free African American who is also a carpenter falls in love with Linda and he wanted to marry her. The carpenter wants to buy Linda, but Dr. Flint didn’t want to sell her. So Linda had an affair with Mr. Sands as an attempt to be sold to someone else. They both had 2 children named Benny and Ellen. Dr. Flint didn’t want to sell Linda and the children to Mr. Sands. So he sent Linda to work at his son's the plantain. Linda discovers that her children will have to work on the plantation as well. Linda escapes the plantation and goes into hiding. Linda hides in her grandmother garret for seven years. As she hides she watch her children grow up. After seven years she escaped north. The chase begins to catch Linda. Dr. Flint goes to New York to catch Linda but he failed because Linda fled to Boston. Then Dr. Flint left and Linda returned to New York. Then Linda goes to England for a couple of months. After that she returns to New York and finds out Dr. Flint died. But then finds out that Emily her owner was coming to take her back. Mrs. Bruce Pays Emily three hundred dollars for Linda to be her slave. Finally Linda becomes free.


2 Quotes:
“Slavery is terrible for men but it is far more terrible for women”
This quote means that slavery was bad for men and women but it was more terrible for women. They were both treated badly and they were not respected as well. Men were abused physical and mentally. As for women they were abused physical, mentally and sexuality. The women couldn’t escape that type of abuse if they tried.
“According to Southern laws a slave, being property, can hold no property.”
This quote means to me that slaves were considered property so that means that they were not allowed to own anything. So if you were the slave and you had money and your owner asked you to give her that money. You had to give your owner the money you earned because you are property and property does not own nothing.


Conflicts:
The conflicts in this book was both external and internal. There were external conflicts that abused some of the characters throuhtout the book. Some of them were abused pretty badly. Like when Benny, Ellen and William went to jail so Dr. Flint can find out where Linda was hiding. It was Internal conflicts because Linda had in her mind to be free. But she had to children which made it hard for her. She didn’t know to take her children. So they can all be free.

Themes:
Slavery played a big role in this book. The institution of slavery didn’t treat African Americans right. Slaves were abused physical and sometimes women were abused sexually. They had to work while they were young. When Linda mother‘s mistress died she got sent to Dr. Flint. He treated her very badly and made her work when she was about 12 years old. When Linda had her children Benny and Ellen, she found out that they were going to be working at the plantation. Linda escaped to make sure they were not going to have to the same things she had to do.
Protection played a role in this book. Linda wanted to protect her children Benny and Ellen from Slavery. She didn’t want them to grow up the way most slaves grew up. They were all abused in some way. Linda wanted them to grow up somewhere well and where they can learn read. To do things that slaves will not do. So when Linda escaped she tried to protect them and herself.


Literary Elements:
Foreshadowing: To present an indication or a suggestion of beforehand; presage.
Page 3 and it continues on Page 5
This is an example of foreshadowing because it said on page 3 that “ I was born a slave: but I never knew it till six years of happy childhood had passed away.” This was the first sentence in the book. Then on page 5 the sentence tells you that when she was six years old her mother passed away and that she learned by the talk around her that she was a slave. It told you before hand that she was born a slave and she didn’t know until she was six years old. Then it told you how she found out.
Imagery: the formation of mental images, figures, or likenesses of things, or of such images collectively
Page 20
This is an example of imagery because it showed how the jail looked when Benjamin was in. It said that there was a jingle of chains and that when the moon had risen on the jail cell and it cast uncertain light through the bars of the window. Linda and Aunt Martha took Benjamin’s cold hands and they didn’t speak. It showed you how the jail looked when Linda and Aunt Martha went to visit Benjamin.
Suspense: a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety.
Page 36
This is an example of suspense because Linda falls in love with a free African American carpenter and he wanted to marry her. But Linda told him that she is a slave so her went to Dr. Flint and ask to buy Linda. Dr. Flint didn’t want to sell her. It was suspense because I wanted to find out if Linda was going to be brought by the free African American Carpenter.

Annotated Bibliography:
Jacobs, Harriet A. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. First Signet Classic Printing, New York, 1861
Incidents in the life of a Slave Girl is an authentic autobiographical account of slave life from the 1820’s to the 1840’s. Linda Brent was born a slave. Linda’s mistress died and Linda got sent to a different owner. The new master was a cruel and mean man. Linda wanted to escape this horrible life. So Linda ran away and hid in a garret which became her home for seven years. She eventually went to the North to escape slavery and Linda became free.

Story Map #1[Revised] - Score: 92

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, By Julia Alvarez

Characters & Characterization: The Protagonist was shared equally between the four Garcia girls because the story was about the changes they went thought when they immigrated to the United States. Carla is the oldest Garcia sister. Laura the Garcia sister's mother would always dress her in the color yellow. When she grew up she became a child Psychologist. Carla Had problems with relationships. She got married twice but both ended in a divorce. The first husband broke up with her. The second had a drug problem. Sandra is the second oldest Garcia sister. Laura the Garcia sister's mother would always dress her in the color blue. The nickname that was given was Sandi. Sandra is different from the Garcia girls because she got blue eyes and peach ice cream skin. Sandra was born this way because their grandfather married a Swedish Girl. When Sandra became an adult she had mental breakdowns. Yolanda is the third oldest Garcia sister. Laura the Garcia sister's mother would always dress her in pastel pink. The nickname that was given to her was Yoyo. She was a tomboy throughout her childhood. When she became an adult she became a school teacher. Sofia is the oldest Garcia sister. Laura the Garcia sister's mother would always dress her in the color white. The nickname that was given to her was Fifi. When she got older she started to like the color pink which was Yolanda was always dressed in. Sofia was the troublemaker in the family. She really didn't listen to Carlos(father) and Laura. The Antagonist was Trujillo's secret police. Trujillo was the Dominican Dictator who lived next door to the De La Torre Compound. Carlos was part of many political activities that were against Trujillo. Trujillo didn't like this so he sent his secret police to threaten Carlos and his fellow people.

Setting: Setting Time: Between 1956- 1989 Setting Place: Dominican Republic and New York Dominican Republic: The Garcia Family was from the Dominican Republic. Carlos and Laura would sent the girls back to the Dominican Republic so they can stay in contact with their extended family. New York: The Garcia family fleet to New York to get away from the Dominican Dictator Trujillo and his secret police.

Vocabulary:
Adolescent: growing to manhood or womanhood; youthful.
Credentials: anything that provides the basis for confidence, belief, credit, etc.
Vivacious: Full of animation and spirit; lively
Syringe: a small device consisting of a glass, metal, or hard rubber tube, narrowed at its outlet, and fitted with either a piston or a rubber bulb for drawing in a quantity of fluid or for ejecting fluid in a stream, for cleaning wounds, injecting fluids into the body, etc.
Ejaculating: to utter suddenly and briefly; exclaim.

Plot: The Garcia family is living in the Dominican Republic. The Garcia girls are having a great childhood there in the Dominican Republic. Yolanda remembers playing with her cousin Mudin. Sandra wanted to be an artist. The Garcia girls got gifts from their parents and grandmother from the United States. Then Carlos stated to have problems with Trujillo's leadership. Many didn't want Trujillo to be a leader. Carlos got involved with Political activities. Trujillo didn't like this so he send his secret police. Carlos then started to have problems with them so his family decided to go to the United States. The family moved to New York. The Garcia girls stated to have problems with people in the United States. They were having problems because of Immigration. The white people in the United States don't want immigrates to come. They want them to leave. The Garcia girls are learning to deal with it as they got older.

2 Quotes: "Good bulls sire cows" Carlos the Garcia girl's father would always say this. He would always say this because he didn't have any boys. He only had four girls and his wife. He lived with only girls and was the only man in his family. He meant by this quote was that good fathers parent girls. He tried to do the best he can do to father theses four beautiful girls.
“You have disgraced the family name.”
Carlos the Garcia girls ‘s father would always say this to his daughter Sofia when she was with a man who she was not supposed to be. She was supposed to be with her sisters. Sofia was with her boyfriend in a motel room. Sofia’s boyfriend pressured her to have sex with him. Carlos got mad at her and said that to her. Carlos didn’t want her to disgrace the family name because she can get pregnant and it will cause a big problem.

Conflicts:
The conflict the Garcia girls faced was both internal and external. The conflicts were internal and external because they faced many problems in the United States. The people in the New York didn’t want them living there. The girls didn’t know how to face the facts that they were hated because they were immigrants not because of the person they are. They really struggled when the girls first go to New York. They really wanted to go back home. They missed being back in the Dominican Republic with their family. The girls were having problems with their relationships. There relationships didn’t go the right way. Sometimes it rally messed them up. Some ended in divorces. They didn’t know what to do and it hurt them in side. They were young women that didn’t really know how to handle this type of situations they faced in there lives. They were young women that went to the Dominican Republic, New York, and they went to boarding school. So there parents were not around them a lot.

Themes:
Language: Language was a theme because the Garcia girls had trouble with the language of Spanish and English. When they were in the Dominican Republic they were young and they always speak in Spanish. Then when they moved to United States they stated to speak in English. The Garcia girls struggled with English. When they went back to see their extended family in the Dominican Republic they struggled to understand Spanish. Whenever the Garcia girls where in the United States or in the Dominican Republic they struggled with the language of English and Spanish.
Extended Family: Extended Family was a theme because when the Garcia family moved out of the Dominican Republic to New York. The girls missed the Dominican Republic so Carlos and Laura would send the girls to their extended family of the summer. Carlos and Laura send their daughter Sofia to the Dominican Republic to punish her because of the marijuana she had in her bedroom. Their parents send the girls with their extended family in the Dominican Republic so the girls won’t forget where they came from and the culture their parents experienced.

Literary Elements:
Imagery: the formation of mental images, figures, or likenesses of things, or of such images collectively.
On page 13 Yolanda is driving up the hill to go find guavas because she had a craving for guavas. As she went up the hill in her car she started to see wooden strands she keep looking of the guavas that she hasn’t seen in years. She sees the fruit piled high on the wooden stand. She then starts to describe the guavas. She says that there “pinkish- yellow mangoes, and tamarind pods oozing their rich sap, and small chew fruits on a rope to keep them from brushing each other.”
Foreshadowing: To present an indication or a suggestion of beforehand; presage.
On page 28 the narrator was talking about Sofia. They were taking about who she was and what kind of person she was. Then the narrator indicated that Sofia “was with no-stop boyfriends.” Which I found out it was true because in the book she had a lot of trouble with boys when she was young. One account was when she meet her husband for the first time. She left home and went on vacation with her boyfriend to Colombia. They broke up. Then she meets a German man in a few days and they fell in love.
Suspense: a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety.
On Page 87 and 88 Yolanda started to talk about a young man named Rudy Elmenhurst the third and why she didn’t sleep with him it was a mystery she said. I want to know what she meant by this. I found out that Rudy was a guy who Yolanda went out with for little while. They broke up because all Rudy wanted to do was sleep with Yolanda. Rudy admitted he wanted to sleep with Yolanda when they saw each other a few year later.

Annotated Bibliography:
Alvarez, Julia, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. Penguin Books, 1991
Julia Alvarez’s book How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents is about the Garcia family who lived in the Dominican Republic. When their father Carlos got involved with people that were against the Dominican dictator Trujillo the Garcia Family had to flee out of the Dominican Republic. The Garcia family had to flee to the United States. New York was very different from he Dominican Republic. The family struggled in different ways. The Garcia girls try not to forget where they came from so their parents would send them to the Dominican Republic for summer vacation. Julia Alvarez shows the uncertainties and joy of belonging to two different cultures.