Thursday, April 10, 2014
"Shame" Question # 1
I never learned hate at home, or shame. I had to go to school for that. I was about seven years old when I got my first big lesson. I was in love with a little girl named Helene Tucker, a light-complexioned little girl with pigtails and nice manners. She was always clean and she was smart in school. I think I went to school then mostly to look at her. I brushed my hair and even got me a little old handkerchief. It was a lady's handkerchief, but I didn't want Helene to see me wipe my nose on my hand.
The pipes were frozen again, there was no water in the house, but I washed my socks and shirt every night. I'd get a pot, and go over to Mister Ben's grocery store, and stick my pot down into his soda machine and scoop out some chopped ice. By evening the ice melted to water for washing. I got sick a lot that winter
because the fire would go out at night before the clothes were dry. In the morning I'd put them on, wet or dry, because they were the only clothes I had.
Everybody's got a Helene Tucker, a symbol of everything you want. I loved her for her goodness, her cleanness, her popularity. She'd walk down my street and my brothers and sisters would yell, "Here comes Helene," and I'd rub my tennis sneakers on the back of my pants and wish my hair wasn't so nappy and the white folks' shirt fit me better. I'd run out on the street. If I knew my place and didn't come too close, she'd wink at me and say hello. That was a good feeling. Sometimes I'd follow her all the way home, and shovel the snow off her walk and try to make friends with her momma and her aunts. I'd drop money on her stoop late at night on my way back from shining shoes in the taverns. And she had a daddy, and he had a good job. He was a paperhanger.
1. How do the first three paragraphs of the essay help establish a context for the narrative that follows?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The first three paragraphs create the scene and explain his situation.
ReplyDeleteThese three paragraphs explain the state of mind of the character. They also help to describe the setting and society that the character lives in. It helps to explain why the character feels so bad towards the end of the narrative.
ReplyDeleteThese paragraphs show why he is ashamed of that day and why he has never gotten over that fear and shame because of he acted all smart and high and mighty and then the teacher shut him down and mad him feel ashamed if himself.
ReplyDeleteBased off of the title, one already knows the essay will have something to do with shame. However, from these three paragraphs, one can infer that the shame will come from the contrast between Mr. Gregory and Helene Tucker. She is portrayed as well-to-do, whereas he is very poor. The scene is set that perhaps the shame will come from the distinct, different, socioeconomic classes.
ReplyDeletealso his love for Helene
ReplyDeleteThe first three paragraphs of the essay help establish a context for the narrative that follows by establishing a feeling of hope, love, and connection with the audience. It prepares the reader for the disappointment ahead. It also shows why it was such a disappointment for him as a child.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that the first three paragraphs establish a feeling of hope, love, and connection with the audience. I think it immediately establishes a feeling of despair. We learn right away that he is poor and his family is not well-off. I
DeleteThe first three paragraphs shows how the narrator is thinking. They help you understand what kind of state the character is in.
ReplyDeleteThe first three paragraphs show how this boy lives in poverty, but tries his best to be presentable to Helene. He wants to do more in his life. Helene isn't only a girl he likes, but as it says, a symbol for what he wants in life.
ReplyDeleteThese three paragraphs foreshadow the things to come. He talks about the girl he is amorous for. He describes all the ways he works to try to be noticed and how amazing she is. But he hints at disaster as he mentions that from this and school he learns of hatred.
ReplyDeleteVery good, I think you are correct in that he hints at the disaster that is to come very quickly. Thanks for your participation!
DeleteThese paragraphs establish that the narrator is poor. He wants to impress Helene, so he tries his best to appear clean, proper, and average. He also does not want her to think less of him because of his situation, which is why he went out of his way to accomplish normality every time he saw her walking down his street.
ReplyDeleteYes! Very good, I think you are correct and it is important to note that he really wanted to appear as if he was "on her level" every time he saw her. :)
DeleteThe first three paragraphs set the mood and emphasize on the characters mood
ReplyDeleteThe first three paragraphs of the essay help establish the following narrative because they set the scene. They inform the reader that the narrator is poor, which will help with the story later in the plot. It also gives details that helps the reader understand the plot in later scenes. For example, when he describes his love, the reader can understand why he does such things for her, such as trying to beat her father's price.
ReplyDeleteVery good! I appreciate your participation!
Delete-replay to Kai- you cannot forget Her reaction to the teachers comment.
ReplyDeleteThe three paragraphs help establish important back ground information to understand what comes later during the story. It helps you understand how the boy feels and what he goes through in his poor life. And how he then learns the true meaning of embarrassment and hatred from his school.
ReplyDeleteDalton, I agree that the beginning paragraphs help to show his mindset as well as the setting that he lives in.
ReplyDeleteThe first sentence introduces the idea of hate and shame. The rest of the paragraphs help set up the situation and provide us with the background information. The second paragraph in particular, explains why he might have shame. This leads into the third paragraph of why he really felt shameful. If it wasn’t for Helene Tucker, his clothes, sickness, etc. might not have worried him as much; it was because of her that he washed his clothes every night knowing that he might have to put on wet clothes in the morning.
ReplyDeleteThe first three paragraphs set the setting to how the author is currently living and how affluent he is. This prepares you for what is going to come because of how he builds on top of it and his embarrassment in how poor he is. It also introduces the girl he loves which is his motive for hiding his humble beginnings.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Giles the destroyer I agree with what you said but I also believe it sets the mood as well
ReplyDeleteThe first three paragraphs of the essay help establish a context by basically giving the readers some back ground information. It tells the readers who Helene Tucker is and why the author was in love with her. These first 3 paragraphs also tell us a bit about Helene's life style and status. Also the author tells us about him self and his way of life style.
ReplyDeleteThe first three paragraphs show what type of character he is and the type of mood he is. He does what he can to get by in life and he also mentions the girl he likes . He tries to act his best when she in around because it she likes what she symbolizes.
ReplyDeletereply to Andrew
ReplyDelete=Yeah the love that practically turned into an obsession
The first three paragraphs help establish a context for the narrative that follows because it shows how determined Richard was to impress the young girl. He would even try to improve his appearance just for her. Even though Richard was a poor young boy who came from a poor family, he would still drop money on Helen's stoop late at night. The first three paragraphs set the scene for the rest of the story as it helps you realize how important Helen was to Richard and how much shame he must have felt when the teacher said to Richard that he does not have a Daddy (Richard was trying to top the amount of money Helen's father was giving to the Community Chest).
ReplyDeleteReplying to Madison Meyers:
ReplyDeleteI like how you said that the first three paragraphs reflect the narrator's thoughts. It also sets the scene for the story, such as how the narrator is poor.
Josh: The first three paragraphs of the essay help establish a context for the narrative that follows by establishing a feeling of hope, love, and connection with the audience. It prepares the reader for the disappointment ahead. It also shows why it was such a disappointment for him as a child.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I agree that hope and love are established. Though I was hopeful that the worst shame he would experience would come from his living conditions, the story ends with a very sad ending of him experiencing more embarrassment.
As far as love, I do not know where the love you are talking about is. There is “love” for Helene, but I don’t know that you can really call it that. His teacher was definitely not loving. He found love in his wife and children, but that is not a major theme of the story, just a little sidenote.
Reply to Auslynn-
ReplyDeleteI totally understand him as he resembles my past loosely.
Reply to Auslynn:
ReplyDeleteYou do a very good job on explaining the set stage for shame in the first three paragraphs. One gets the feeling that bad times are a'coming.
Anna Smith I have to agree that Helene is a symbol for what he wants in his life.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, I agree that the first three paragraphs are informative about what is going to happen and how it sets the plot for the post paragraphs
ReplyDeleteRachael:
ReplyDeleteGreat points! The beginning of every paper is important to setting up the entire story. Without it, we would have been confused while reading.
Jorge: The first three paragraphs show what type of character he is and the type of mood he is. He does what he can to get by in life and he also mentions the girl he likes . He tries to act his best when she in around because it she likes what she symbolizes.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this statement. I do believe that Gregory's story about Helene is an important part of the story.
Anna R.: And it also talks about how he tries hard to look neat and proper to empress Helen at all costs.
ReplyDeleteReply to my Prince Cristiano
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement of foreshadowing. If he didn't speak of his love for Helene, the reader wouldn't fully comprehend his actions later in the plot.
Reply to Madison- yeah I agree with you they help you understand how much in love the author was with Helene. And they also provide background on both their life styles.
ReplyDeleteReply to Andreea -
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that the first three paragraphs set the stage for both Gregory's family situation and his feelings for Helene. I found it important that even though he was poor, he'd still drop money on her doorstep to impress her.
Reply to Andrew
ReplyDeleteI agree with comment and I like how you cover everything in a couple of words. Quality over quantity!
Jorge I also believe it sets the mood
ReplyDeletethe first three paragraphs helps the author to help the reader to grasp the environment before the situation comes into play.
ReplyDeletehi, Video - Write My Essay for Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zgjvAnPI1A
ReplyDelete