Guided_Practice_Activity

Guided Practice 4.2 C1: Ambition and Loneliness - Finding Themes

Introduction

There are three poems in your Sightlines 10 textbook whose titles state, in one word, the human emotion that will be explored - these are "Ambition" by Des Walsh (p.57), "Loneliness" by Emma LaRocque (p.95), and "Envy" by Yevgeny Yevtushenko (p.41). For two of these poems, you will be guided through a think-aloud process to find the theme. For the last poem, "Envy," you will answer some questions, and in the process discover the theme of the poem for yourself.

Instructions

Read "Ambition" and then consider the following think aloud questions.

1. What does the first line, "Once upon a time," remind you of?

**Answer**
Children's stories and fairy tales start with this phrase… but this poem does not have a happy ending.

2. Who is being described?

3. What do you think "his captivity" refers to?

**Answer**
Perhaps Marcus went to prison or an institution.

4. There are allusions (references) to "tales of gods" and "Argonauts and the Golden Fleece." What do these memories of books read represent?

5. Instead of writing a book about working in a kitchen, he has ended up desperate and hungry "outside a kitchen door." What might the theme of this poem be?

**Answer**
The theme of the poem is partly about ambition. In Marcus's case, ambition did not get him anywhere. His ambitions are just sad recollections now. We learn that some sort of confinement ended his reading, his dreaming. Life is not a "once upon a time" fairy tale.

6. Identify other possible themes for this poem.

**Answer**
Ambition is nothing without good actions.Life is difficult and good intentions do not guarantee good outcomes.Myths, legends, and fairy tales are misleading; happy endings are not common in real life.

Read "Loneliness" and then consider the following think aloud questions.

7. "Ah" might seem like an odd word to start a poem with. What does this say about the tone of the poem?

**Answer**
To begin a poem with an "Ah," an easy sigh, suggests that this topic of loneliness is not painful for the speaker.

8. Is the speaker male or female?

**Answer**
We do not know. Remember not to assume that the author is the speaker; it is not always the case.

9. What is the presumed answer to the poem's question?

10. What is a possible theme for this poem?

**Answer**
Loneliness is part of being human.For some, loneliness is part of their personality.