Afternoon in Linen
Shirley Jackson
answer all questions in complete sentences using quotes to support.
1.) Why does Harriet refuse to play the piano or recite her poems?
Harriet refuses to play the piano or recite her poems because Harriet didn't want to be embarrassed, especially in front of her brother. "Howard couldn't contain himself any longer. Harriet writes poems about stars!"(p.157)
2.) Even before she is asked to, why does Harriet decide she won’t play the piano?
Harriet decides she wont play the piano even before they asked to because she is older than Howard. "He is bigger than I am, she thought, but I'm older. I'm ten. If they ask me to play the piano for them now, I'll say no."(p.154)
3.) Why is Harriet worried that Howard will tell “all the kids on the block” about her poems? (p. 155)
Harriet is worried that Howard will tell "all the kids in the block"(p.155) because she would get embarrassed.
4.) Why does Harriet insist she copied the poem out of a book?
Harriet insists she copied the poem from a book so Howard wouldn't tell anyone. "I copied it right out of a book."(p.158)
5.) Why does Harriet take the poems away from her grandmother and say, “And you can’t look at them anymore, either”? (p. 158)
Harriet takes the poems away from her grandmother and say "And you can't look at them anymore either"(p.158) because she doesn't want her grandmother telling anyone about them anymore.
6.) Is Harriet’s grandmother ignoring Harriet’s feelings, or is she unaware of them?
Harriet's grandmother is ignoring Harriet's feelings because she keeps on insisting her to recite it. "I don't have any of those poems. Well I have."(p.156)
7.) When Harriet will not play the piano, why does her grandmother insist that she recite her poems?
When Harriet said she will not play the piano, her grandmother insists that she recite her poems because she wants to show Mrs. Kator their achievements. "I think we ought to show her our really fine achievements on the other line."(p.155)
8.) When Howard gives her the poems, why does Harriet’s grandmother “kindly” ask Harriet, “Will you read them or shall I”? (p. 156)
When Howard gives her the poems Harriet's grandmother "kindly" asks Harriet, "Will you read them or shall I"(p.156) because she knows Harriet wont read them.
9.) After reading the poem, why does Harriet’s grandmother ask, “Now aren’t you sorry you made such a fuss about such a little thing”? (p. 157)
After reading the poem Harriet's grandmother asks, "Now aren't you sorry you made such a fuss about such a little thing"(p.157) because her grandmother irritated with her and Harriet did make a big fuss out of it.
10.) Why does Harriet’s grandmother apologize to Mrs. Kator for having read her the poem “under false pretenses”? (p. 158)
Harriet's grandmother apologizes to Mrs. Kator for having read her the poem "under false pretenses"(p.158) because she is embarrassed from Harriet.
Vocabulary:
1.) Recite (p. 155)
Quote: "I am going to ask her to recite them to you."(p.155)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): doing something orally
Synonym: present
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I had to recite one of my poems.
2.) Prejudiced (p. 155)
Quote: "even though I probably am prejudiced, that they show real merit."(p.155)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): biased
Synonym: unfair
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): My brother can sometimes be a little prejudiced to me.
3.) Merit (p. 155)
Quote: "even though I probably am prejudiced, that they show real merit."(p.155)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): talent
Synonym: excellence
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I show much merit when it comes to baseball.
4.) Pretenses (p. 158)
Quote: "I'm afraid I must apologize for Harriet and for reading you the poem under false pretenses.(p.158)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): circumstances
Synonym: make-believe
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I use to have a pretense friend.
5.) Deprecatingly (p. 158)
Quote: "Oh, they do, Mrs. Kator said deprecatingly."(p.158)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): shamefully
Synonym: disprove
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I deprecatingly let them play on my iPad.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when Harriet’s behavior seems reasonable and when her behavior seems unreasonable. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Harriet’s Behavior Seems Reasonable V. Harriet’s Behavior Seems Unreasonable
Reasonable
- She doesn't want to recite one of her poems because she doesn't want Howard to tell everyone in the block.(p.155)
- She also doesn't want to play the piano because she thinks it is embarrassing too.(p.154)
-She takes all the poems away from her grandmother so she wont get embarrassed anymore.(p.158)
-She didn't apologize to the visitors because she didn't do anything wrong, she just didn't want to be embarrassed.(p.158)
-She isn't sorry about her making a big fuss out of it either, because of her getting embarrassed.(p.157)
Unreasonable
- Harriet's behavior is unreasonable when she says she doesn't want to play the piano just because she is older than Howard.(p.154)
-She lies that she doesn't know how to play the piano. (p.154)
- She doesn't want to recite her poem, she doesn't have a reason for it.(p.155)
- She lies to her grandmother that she doesn't have any of the poems.(p.156)
-She lies that she copied the whole poem out of a book.(p.158)
1.) Why does Harriet refuse to play the piano or recite her poems?
Harriet refuses to play the piano or recite her poems because Harriet didn't want to be embarrassed, especially in front of her brother. "Howard couldn't contain himself any longer. Harriet writes poems about stars!"(p.157)
2.) Even before she is asked to, why does Harriet decide she won’t play the piano?
Harriet decides she wont play the piano even before they asked to because she is older than Howard. "He is bigger than I am, she thought, but I'm older. I'm ten. If they ask me to play the piano for them now, I'll say no."(p.154)
3.) Why is Harriet worried that Howard will tell “all the kids on the block” about her poems? (p. 155)
Harriet is worried that Howard will tell "all the kids in the block"(p.155) because she would get embarrassed.
4.) Why does Harriet insist she copied the poem out of a book?
Harriet insists she copied the poem from a book so Howard wouldn't tell anyone. "I copied it right out of a book."(p.158)
5.) Why does Harriet take the poems away from her grandmother and say, “And you can’t look at them anymore, either”? (p. 158)
Harriet takes the poems away from her grandmother and say "And you can't look at them anymore either"(p.158) because she doesn't want her grandmother telling anyone about them anymore.
6.) Is Harriet’s grandmother ignoring Harriet’s feelings, or is she unaware of them?
Harriet's grandmother is ignoring Harriet's feelings because she keeps on insisting her to recite it. "I don't have any of those poems. Well I have."(p.156)
7.) When Harriet will not play the piano, why does her grandmother insist that she recite her poems?
When Harriet said she will not play the piano, her grandmother insists that she recite her poems because she wants to show Mrs. Kator their achievements. "I think we ought to show her our really fine achievements on the other line."(p.155)
8.) When Howard gives her the poems, why does Harriet’s grandmother “kindly” ask Harriet, “Will you read them or shall I”? (p. 156)
When Howard gives her the poems Harriet's grandmother "kindly" asks Harriet, "Will you read them or shall I"(p.156) because she knows Harriet wont read them.
9.) After reading the poem, why does Harriet’s grandmother ask, “Now aren’t you sorry you made such a fuss about such a little thing”? (p. 157)
After reading the poem Harriet's grandmother asks, "Now aren't you sorry you made such a fuss about such a little thing"(p.157) because her grandmother irritated with her and Harriet did make a big fuss out of it.
10.) Why does Harriet’s grandmother apologize to Mrs. Kator for having read her the poem “under false pretenses”? (p. 158)
Harriet's grandmother apologizes to Mrs. Kator for having read her the poem "under false pretenses"(p.158) because she is embarrassed from Harriet.
Vocabulary:
1.) Recite (p. 155)
Quote: "I am going to ask her to recite them to you."(p.155)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): doing something orally
Synonym: present
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I had to recite one of my poems.
2.) Prejudiced (p. 155)
Quote: "even though I probably am prejudiced, that they show real merit."(p.155)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): biased
Synonym: unfair
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): My brother can sometimes be a little prejudiced to me.
3.) Merit (p. 155)
Quote: "even though I probably am prejudiced, that they show real merit."(p.155)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): talent
Synonym: excellence
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I show much merit when it comes to baseball.
4.) Pretenses (p. 158)
Quote: "I'm afraid I must apologize for Harriet and for reading you the poem under false pretenses.(p.158)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): circumstances
Synonym: make-believe
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I use to have a pretense friend.
5.) Deprecatingly (p. 158)
Quote: "Oh, they do, Mrs. Kator said deprecatingly."(p.158)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): shamefully
Synonym: disprove
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I deprecatingly let them play on my iPad.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when Harriet’s behavior seems reasonable and when her behavior seems unreasonable. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Harriet’s Behavior Seems Reasonable V. Harriet’s Behavior Seems Unreasonable
Reasonable
- She doesn't want to recite one of her poems because she doesn't want Howard to tell everyone in the block.(p.155)
- She also doesn't want to play the piano because she thinks it is embarrassing too.(p.154)
-She takes all the poems away from her grandmother so she wont get embarrassed anymore.(p.158)
-She didn't apologize to the visitors because she didn't do anything wrong, she just didn't want to be embarrassed.(p.158)
-She isn't sorry about her making a big fuss out of it either, because of her getting embarrassed.(p.157)
Unreasonable
- Harriet's behavior is unreasonable when she says she doesn't want to play the piano just because she is older than Howard.(p.154)
-She lies that she doesn't know how to play the piano. (p.154)
- She doesn't want to recite her poem, she doesn't have a reason for it.(p.155)
- She lies to her grandmother that she doesn't have any of the poems.(p.156)
-She lies that she copied the whole poem out of a book.(p.158)