Soto continues to smother his readers with delicious Mexican foods-on pg. 31 "...them from slicing through steamy carne asada and scooping up frijoles and papas in rips of warm torilla." Also on pg.108 "They went inside to a dinner of enchiladas, sopa, and frijoles." Soto's intergration of Spanish words and phrases helps readers to connect to Lincoln's heritage, and why he struggled in his new neighborhood and school, Columbus.
Showing posts with label Author Craft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Author Craft. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Author's Craft Moves - Simile
In the book Taking Sides, Lincoln and his mom, who are Hispanic, have moved from the Mission District in San Francisco to a suburb on the Peninsula. Lincoln is having difficulty adjusting to his new life and his new school, where there are very few Hispanic students. Lincoln was on the basketball team at his old school, Franklin, and is on the basketball team at his new school, Columbus. Lincoln's issues about his identity, moving to the suburbs, and changing schools come to a head when the two basketball teams are scheduled to play each other in a league game.
Gary Soto makes effective use of the author's craft of simile in Taking Sides. A simile is a figure of speech that uses like or as to compare two dissimilar things. Here are some examples from the text.
Lincoln was tired and sore from basketball practice and decided to take a bath. "While he rested in the water, steam rising like smoke from incense, he read the sports section of the newspaper." Lincoln thought about his old school, Franklin, and his new school, Columbus. "Franklin was a poor school, grim and sad because the kids were poor--but scrappy, like the Warriors. The Lakers were like his new school, rich and full of the right moves" (p. 30).
Lincoln was daydreaming in algebra class about his old girlfriend, Vicky. When his teacher called on him, "Vicky's image burst like a soap bubble" (p. 38).
After eating lunch, Lincoln went to look for a girl he liked named Monica. "His heart thumped like a basketball bouncing down the stairs" (p. 40).
One Saturday, Lincoln took the bus from the Peninsula to San Francisco, where he and his best friend, Tony, went to a thrift shop. Tony insisted that he had seen Lincoln's stolen television set in the shop. When they arrived at the thrift shop, Tony smiled. Tony's teeth "were as large as guitar picks" and "glowed white against his brown face." The thrift shop owner was an old man. "His teeth were stained and broken like jagged pieces of pottery" (pp. 56-57). Lincoln had an argument with Tony about whether or not to confront the old man about the television set. That night, Lincoln had a bad dream about a bear, who had "teeth yellow as candle flames" (p. 66). After waking from the dream, Lincoln took his dog, Flaco, for a walk on his street, "which was quiet and empty as an abandoned bird's nest" (p. 66).
Lincoln shot some hoops in a school yard with Monica. She "jumped, lean as a deer, and shot" (p. 76). While Lincoln and Monica shot hoops together, Monica jumped and caught her head under Lincoln's chin, causing him to fall and injure his knee. The next morning, "The knee was large and purple and hard as a nut" (p. 88). That night, when Lincoln returned home from school, his mom made dinner and Lincoln and his mom's boyfriend "feasted like starved warriors" (p. 108).
On the day of the big game between Franklin and Columbus, Lincoln ate lunch alone, outdoors. "He could hear the pep band in the cafeteria and imagined the cheerleaders jumping about like the sparrows he watched on the dead lawn" (p. 112).
When Lincoln arrived at the gym for the big game, "The pep band was setting up, the tuba honking like a fat goose" (p. 121). Lincoln scanned the crowd and saw his old girlfriend, Vicky. "She looked good, as usual, and Lincoln's heart leaped like a fish under his Columbus sweats. But it sank when he saw the dude sitting next to her--close" (p. 125).
These examples show how Gary Soto has used the author's craft of simile to create clearer, more vivid images in the book Taking Sides.
Gary Soto makes effective use of the author's craft of simile in Taking Sides. A simile is a figure of speech that uses like or as to compare two dissimilar things. Here are some examples from the text.
Lincoln was tired and sore from basketball practice and decided to take a bath. "While he rested in the water, steam rising like smoke from incense, he read the sports section of the newspaper." Lincoln thought about his old school, Franklin, and his new school, Columbus. "Franklin was a poor school, grim and sad because the kids were poor--but scrappy, like the Warriors. The Lakers were like his new school, rich and full of the right moves" (p. 30).
Lincoln was daydreaming in algebra class about his old girlfriend, Vicky. When his teacher called on him, "Vicky's image burst like a soap bubble" (p. 38).
After eating lunch, Lincoln went to look for a girl he liked named Monica. "His heart thumped like a basketball bouncing down the stairs" (p. 40).
One Saturday, Lincoln took the bus from the Peninsula to San Francisco, where he and his best friend, Tony, went to a thrift shop. Tony insisted that he had seen Lincoln's stolen television set in the shop. When they arrived at the thrift shop, Tony smiled. Tony's teeth "were as large as guitar picks" and "glowed white against his brown face." The thrift shop owner was an old man. "His teeth were stained and broken like jagged pieces of pottery" (pp. 56-57). Lincoln had an argument with Tony about whether or not to confront the old man about the television set. That night, Lincoln had a bad dream about a bear, who had "teeth yellow as candle flames" (p. 66). After waking from the dream, Lincoln took his dog, Flaco, for a walk on his street, "which was quiet and empty as an abandoned bird's nest" (p. 66).
Lincoln shot some hoops in a school yard with Monica. She "jumped, lean as a deer, and shot" (p. 76). While Lincoln and Monica shot hoops together, Monica jumped and caught her head under Lincoln's chin, causing him to fall and injure his knee. The next morning, "The knee was large and purple and hard as a nut" (p. 88). That night, when Lincoln returned home from school, his mom made dinner and Lincoln and his mom's boyfriend "feasted like starved warriors" (p. 108).
On the day of the big game between Franklin and Columbus, Lincoln ate lunch alone, outdoors. "He could hear the pep band in the cafeteria and imagined the cheerleaders jumping about like the sparrows he watched on the dead lawn" (p. 112).
When Lincoln arrived at the gym for the big game, "The pep band was setting up, the tuba honking like a fat goose" (p. 121). Lincoln scanned the crowd and saw his old girlfriend, Vicky. "She looked good, as usual, and Lincoln's heart leaped like a fish under his Columbus sweats. But it sank when he saw the dude sitting next to her--close" (p. 125).
These examples show how Gary Soto has used the author's craft of simile to create clearer, more vivid images in the book Taking Sides.
Author's Craft Moves - Metaphor
In the book Taking Sides, Lincoln and his mom, who are Hispanic, have moved from the Mission District in San Francisco to a suburb on the Peninsula. Lincoln is having difficulty adjusting to his new life and his new school, where there are very few Hispanic students. Lincoln was on the basketball team at his old school, Franklin, and is on the basketball team at his new school, Columbus. His issues about his identity come to the fore when the two basketball teams are scheduled to play each other in a league game.
Gary Soto makes very effective use of the author's craft of metaphor throughout the book. A metaphor is a figure of speech that suggests a likeness between two ideas or objects. Here are some examples of the use of metaphor in Taking Sides.
Lincoln has a dog named Flaco, whose leg was injured after they moved to the suburbs: "Flaco's leg was a balloon of bandages from a hit-and-run motorcycle accident" (p. 4).
When Lincoln took a shower after basketball practice, "the machine-gun burst of water bounced against his chest" and a "crown of suds grew tall and white on Lincoln's head" (p. 24).
When Lincoln got home from school, his mom was cooking and the "steam of cooking beans and potatoes uncurled into the air" (p. 28).
Lincoln asked a girl he liked named Monica to shoot some hoops with him on Saturday. When she said she was busy on Saturday, "The basketball in his heart went flat." When Monica suggested Sunday instead, "The basketball filled with air and went bumping down the stairs, out of control" (pp. 41-42).
One Saturday afternoon, when Lincoln was visiting his best friend, Tony, in San Francisco, Lincoln jumped the fence of his old school, Franklin, and tried to open his old locker. "He yanked on the lock but it wouldn't open its thick jaw" (p. 62).
Lincoln was talking with his new friend, James, about a nonleague basketball game that Franklin had lost to Columbus. Lincoln commented, "Remember, it wasn't a league match. Why bring out the big guns when it don't count?" (p. 71).
During the big game between Franklin and Columbus, "Coach Yesutis yelled at his players, stinking the air with cuss words" (pp. 126-127).
After the game, Lincoln, his mom, and his mom's boyfriend went out for pizza with the Franklin team. When one of the Franklin players asked Lincoln if he got into any fights at his new school, "Lincoln said life at Columbus was a piece of cake, unlike at Franklin, where it was knuckle city every day" (p. 134).
These examples show how Gary Soto has used the author's craft of metaphor to create more vivid images in the book Taking Sides. Some of the metaphors even tie directly into Lincoln's love of basketball by making use of the image of Lincoln's heart as a basketball--going flat, filling with air, and bumping down the stairs.
Gary Soto makes very effective use of the author's craft of metaphor throughout the book. A metaphor is a figure of speech that suggests a likeness between two ideas or objects. Here are some examples of the use of metaphor in Taking Sides.
Lincoln has a dog named Flaco, whose leg was injured after they moved to the suburbs: "Flaco's leg was a balloon of bandages from a hit-and-run motorcycle accident" (p. 4).
When Lincoln took a shower after basketball practice, "the machine-gun burst of water bounced against his chest" and a "crown of suds grew tall and white on Lincoln's head" (p. 24).
When Lincoln got home from school, his mom was cooking and the "steam of cooking beans and potatoes uncurled into the air" (p. 28).
Lincoln asked a girl he liked named Monica to shoot some hoops with him on Saturday. When she said she was busy on Saturday, "The basketball in his heart went flat." When Monica suggested Sunday instead, "The basketball filled with air and went bumping down the stairs, out of control" (pp. 41-42).
One Saturday afternoon, when Lincoln was visiting his best friend, Tony, in San Francisco, Lincoln jumped the fence of his old school, Franklin, and tried to open his old locker. "He yanked on the lock but it wouldn't open its thick jaw" (p. 62).
Lincoln was talking with his new friend, James, about a nonleague basketball game that Franklin had lost to Columbus. Lincoln commented, "Remember, it wasn't a league match. Why bring out the big guns when it don't count?" (p. 71).
During the big game between Franklin and Columbus, "Coach Yesutis yelled at his players, stinking the air with cuss words" (pp. 126-127).
After the game, Lincoln, his mom, and his mom's boyfriend went out for pizza with the Franklin team. When one of the Franklin players asked Lincoln if he got into any fights at his new school, "Lincoln said life at Columbus was a piece of cake, unlike at Franklin, where it was knuckle city every day" (p. 134).
These examples show how Gary Soto has used the author's craft of metaphor to create more vivid images in the book Taking Sides. Some of the metaphors even tie directly into Lincoln's love of basketball by making use of the image of Lincoln's heart as a basketball--going flat, filling with air, and bumping down the stairs.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Taking Sides, Author's Craft Moves- Hispanic Culture & Heritage
Taking Sides by Gary Soto is story about Mexican boy Named Lincoln who is plays basketball for Franklin Junior High in the Mission District, but Lincoln moves to a nicer area which he now plays basketball for Columbus Junior High. Lincoln struggles with his new identity and team!
Soto craft moves include Hispanic Culture and Heritage to a story of a boy that plays basketball for his new Junior High School. Soto adds "Spanish words or phrases" in the story which makes readers connect to their Hispanic culture and also students who are not Hispanic are connected to the character's Mexican culture. He starts off on page 2, "Do you know what time it is? It's early, hombre. It's still dark." Also, on page 3, "How are the vatos at school?" and "Are they made at me?" "Por que?" In additon, Soto adds another craft move for his readers to connect to their Hispanic Culture and Heritage by including authentic Mexican foods in Spanish. For example, on page 5, "Mijo, you have to eat more than toast," she said, tying her robe tighter. "Quieres un huevo? You want an egg?"
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Craft move- details
The author uses a lot of details in his narrative to create very vivid imagry of the settings in the book. Here is an example when Linc was on the bus going back to the Mission in chapter 5:
The bus rumbled from the slick comercial streetsof the suburbs to the litter-blown barrio of Lincoln's childhood. When he first boarded the bus, the few passengers, almost all of them retired people with carts for Saturday shopping, spoke English. But after twenty stops, after trim houses gave way to apartment buildings and poorly kept muffler and tire shops, the bus filled with brown faced raza. English gave way to singsong Spanish. Almost every woman had a child.
The bus rumbled from the slick comercial streetsof the suburbs to the litter-blown barrio of Lincoln's childhood. When he first boarded the bus, the few passengers, almost all of them retired people with carts for Saturday shopping, spoke English. But after twenty stops, after trim houses gave way to apartment buildings and poorly kept muffler and tire shops, the bus filled with brown faced raza. English gave way to singsong Spanish. Almost every woman had a child.
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