American Lit American Dream Test

arduous

hard to accomplish or achieve (difficult, strenuous)

rectitude

the quality or state of being straight (righteousness)

avarice

excessive or insatiable desire for wealth or gain (greediness)

habitude

habitual disposition or mode of behavior or procedure (custom), native or essential character (inclination)

procure

to get possession of by special care (obtain, win, bring forth)

vigilance

to be vigilant (alertly watchful, especially to avoid danger)

unremitting

constant, incessant

prattle

to make empty talk (babble)

eradicate

to do away with as completely as if by pulling up by the roots

precept

a command or principle intended especially as a general rule of action

vex

to bring trouble, agitation, or distress to

foppery

foolish character or action

incorrigible

not reformable (unruly, delinquent)

artifice

clever or artful skill

felicity

quality or state of being happy (happiness)

arduous sentence

"bold and arduous project"

rectitude sentence

"uniform rectitude of conduct"

avarice sentence

"to our avarice and ambition"

habitude sentence

"to acquire the habitude of all these virtues"

procure sentence

"tends to procure that coolness and clearness of head"

vigilance sentence

"constant vigilance was to be kept up"

unremitting sentence

"against the unremitting attraction"

prattle sentence

"prattling, punning, and joking"

eradicate sentence

"attempt to eradicate all the bad herbs"

precept sentence

"with their precepts"

vex sentence

"faults in it vexed me so much"

foppery sentence

"kind of foppery in morals"

incorrigible sentence

"found myself incorrigible with respect to Order"

artifice sentence

"to this little artifice, with the blessing of God"

felicity sentence

"constant felicity of his life"

Which bill is Ben Franklin on?

$100 bill

How many virtues does Franklin try to master?

13

Which virtue does Franklin have the most trouble with?

Order

Who wrote "To Walt Whitman"

Angela de Hoyos

Which work: "hey man, my brother/world-poet"

"To Walt Whitman"

What is "To Walt Whitman" about?

Trying to include Whitman in Civil Rights Movement and draw attention to Native American people

Who wrote "The New Colossus"

Emma Lazarus

When was "The New Colossus" written?

1883

What form does "The New Colossus" follow?

Petrarchan Sonnet

Why is a Petrarchan Sonnet used in "The New Colossus"

Not Shakespearean Sonnet because America was trying to separate itself from the British and Shakespeare was British

Which is structure of "The New Colossus" like?

rigid structure

What is the subject of "The New Colossus"

The Statue of Liberty:

welcoming immigrants

Mother of Exiles

Why was "The New Colossus" written?

To raise funds for the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty to sit on

What is a Petrarchan Sonnet split into?

1st 8 lines: Octave

last 6 lines: Sestet

Where can "The New Colossus" be seen today?

On a bronze plaque at the bottom of statue

Which work: "Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,/With conquering limbs astride from land to land"

"The New Colossus"

Which work: "Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,/I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

"The New Colossus"

Who wrote "A Noiseless Patient Spider"

Walt Whitman

What is Walt Whitman also known as?

The Father of American Poetry

When was Walt Whitman around?

1800s, 19th century

Which war did Walt Whitman fight in?

American Civil War

What is the extended metaphor in "A Noiseless Patient Spider"

comparing a spider to a soul:

soul is surrounded by vastness trying to connect to something, just like how spider builds web, trying to make connections

What does free verse mean?

no rhyme schemes, structures, meters

Which work: "It launch'd forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself"

"A Noiseless Patient Spider"

Which work: "And you O my soul where you stand,/Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space"

"A Noiseless Patient Spider"

Who wrote "By the Bivouac's Fitful Flame"

Walt Whitman

bivouac

temporary camp without cover

Which work: "The shrubs and trees, (as I lift my eyes them seem to be stealthily watching me.)/While wind in procession thoughts. O tender and wondrous thoughts."

"By the Bivouac's Fitful Flame"

Which work: "Of life and death, of home and the past and loved. an of those that are far away"

"By the Bivouac's Fitful Flame"

Who wrote "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer"

Walt Whitman

Which work: "When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide and measure them."

"When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer"

Which work: "Till rising and gliding out I wander'd off by myself./In the mystical moist night air, and from time to time."

"When I Hear the Learn'd Astronomer"

Who wrote "I Hear America Singing"

Walt Whitman

How many people are in "I Hear America Singing"

12

Which word/phrase is repeated in "I Hear America Singing"

"singing"

Which roles are women shown in in "I Hear America Singing"

mother, young wife, and sewing and washing

Which work: "Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else"

"I Hear America Singing"

Which work: "Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs."

"I Hear America Singing"

Who wrote "Dream Variations"

Langston Hughes

Which movement was Langston Hughes a part of?

The Harlem Renaissance

Which work: "To whirl and to dance/Till the white day is done."

"Dream Variations"

Which work: "Dance! Whirl! Whirl!"

"Dream Variations"

Who wrote "I, Too'

Langston Hughes

What is Langston Hughes' song

His poems

When was "I, Too" written

1925

What literary device is present in "I, Too"

allusion to "I Hear America Singing"

Who is the speaker in "I, Too"

an African American servant to a white family

Which work: "They send me to eat in the kitchen/When company comes"

"I, Too"

Which work: "Tomorrow,/I'll be at the table/When company comes"

"I, Too"

Which work: "Besides,/They'll see how beautiful I am/And be ashamed"

"I, Too"

What is the tone of "I, Too"

strong, antagonistic, powerful, anger, tomorrow

Who wrote "The Negro Speaks of Rivers"

Langston Hughes

What is the theme of "The Negro Speaks of Rivers"

strength in heritage

Which work: "I've known rivers:/Ancient, dusky rivers."

"The Negro Speaks of Rivers"

Which work: "My soul has grown deep like the rivers."

"The Negro Speaks of Rivers"

Which work: "I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins."

"The Negro Speaks of Rivers"

Who wrote "Refugee in America"?

Langston Hughes

Which work: "There are words like 'Freedom'/Sweet and wonderful to say."

"Refugee in America"

Who wrote "Youth"?

Langston Hughes

Which work: "We have tomorrow/Bring before us/Like a flame."

"Youth"

Which work: "We march!"

"Youth"

Who wrote "The Circuit"

Francisco Jiménez

bracero

laborer

What is some background to "The Circuit"

after WWII, industrial boom and needed workers

Bracero Program - (Legal temp. workers)

1954 - "Operation Wet____"

1962 - 1M immigrants deported

When did Jiménez start school in "The Circuit"?

November (sixth grade)

What is the name of Jiménez's brother in "The Circuit"

Roberto

What was the name of the kind teacher in "The Circuit"

Mr. Lema

Which work: "Mr. Lema, my best friend at school"

"The Circuit

Which instrument did Mr. Lema offer to teach Jiménez?

trumpet

How did Jiménez know his family was moving?

All their possessions were in cardboard boxes