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 Taking sides. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taking sides. 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
Gary Soto Library Museum at Fresno City College opened February 2011http://http://www.fresnocitycollegerampage.com/gary-soto-museum-set-to-open-in-oab
Here is the website from Fresno City College about Soto's Library Museum : Just opened this Winter - "Gary Soto Library Museum" at Fresno City College. The Libray Museum is 700 square feet space that includes wirting memorabilia such as Soto's typwriters, manuscripts, first edition books, and his writing table. It is loctated in the "Old administration bldge, First floor, West Wing. Tours can be arranged: College Activities Office, 559-265-5711.
This would be a great field trip for students!
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?"
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Mission Dolores
The Mission District draws its name from Mission Dolores, which was founded on June 29, 1776. It is the oldest original intact Mission in California and the oldest building in San Francisco. Here are some photos of the front of the Mission, the interior of the Mission, and the graveyard.
Mission District Middle School
Here are some more photos of the middle school in the Mission District. I hope they will be helpful in visualizing Franklin Junior High School. There are photos of the outside of the school, murals on the outside of the school, students playing basketball outdoors, the gym, the auditorium, graffiti, and murals over the lockers.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
A 20th & 21st Century History of the Mission
This is a 20th and 21st Century History of The Mission, as told by the website for the film Quality of Life. The film is centered on two graffiti artists from The Mission.
Gentrification =
becomes..... 
From a mural in The Mission specifically aimed at Gentrification (notice the "For Rent" sign on the Transformer's foot, and how this Condo-bot is crushing all the residents in the neighborhood)
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Multicultural Books and videos for Children by Gary Soto
*Chato Goes Cruisin'
Language Note:
Audio and Texts in Spanish
Glossary for Spanish words
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.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
I Heard ItThrough the Grapvine by Marvin Gaye
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hajBdDM2qdg
When Lincoln was listening to the song "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye on the radio in his bedroom, I had forgotten how popular that song has been since Marvin Gaye recorded it in 1968. "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" was released in October 30, 1968. It was recorded earlier the year before in April 1967, Hitsville USA (Studio A) (Detroit, Michigan), Genre: Psychedelic soul. Gaye's version has since become a landmark in pop music. In 2004, it ranked #80 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. On the commemorative 50th Anniversary of the Billboard Hot 100 issue of Billboard magazine in June 2008, Gaye's version was ranked as the 65th biggest song on the chart. It was also inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame for "historical, artistic and significant" value.
Enjoy the music! CAROLINE
El Chicano Music
When reading the book, I remembered that Lincoln said his mom wanted an ablum "El Chicano" for her birthday present, p. 46. Here is the website and some information on "El Chicano". In addition, when I was on the website I clicked on "Media" and then clicked on "Music", and shows all their ablums from the 60's and 70"s-Pretty cool stuff! ENJOY!
El Chicano is an American Latin R&B/brown-eyed soul group from Los Angeles, California, whose influences can be found in rock, funk, soul, blues, jazz, and salsa. Their name is a sometimes controversial word which stands for Mexican-American people.
El Chicano is an American Latin R&B/brown-eyed soul group from Los Angeles, California, whose influences can be found in rock, funk, soul, blues, jazz, and salsa. Their name is a sometimes controversial word which stands for Mexican-American people.
Caroline
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Taking Sides- Now That We've Finished
I got to be honest... I didn't quite know what to make of the ending of Taking Sides. I am to assume that the "side" Lincoln took was with his old classmates and his "Latino heritage." Although strangely enough I don't think this could have been done without the help of his mom's white boyfriend (who also happened to have gone to Franklin). It all seemed very tepid and I don't feel like Soto went very deep. And more importantly-- nothing really happened!
I guess some of my frusteration is how black-and-white these two communities were portrayed in terms of differences. Which may make sense from Lincoln's perspective. But for some reason I don't believe that all the kids at Columbus at "stone ground crackers with brie." I guess what I would have liked to have seen from Linc, or Soto, was Lincoln being able to take some things from his new life and new school instead of immediately dismissing everything as "not him" and worse. Even Monica wasn't necessarily portrayed as a better aspect in his new life. Also when James had him over for dinner. His family was very nice to him. But all Soto/Linc kept mentioning was the venison.
In a lot of ways this story had elements that were similar to Everybody Loves Chris, in terms of issues with race, identity, socio-economics, friendship, family. But I feel like a show like Everybody Loves Chris is able to take the bad with the good when going to a (mostly) all white school.
I guess some of my frusteration is how black-and-white these two communities were portrayed in terms of differences. Which may make sense from Lincoln's perspective. But for some reason I don't believe that all the kids at Columbus at "stone ground crackers with brie." I guess what I would have liked to have seen from Linc, or Soto, was Lincoln being able to take some things from his new life and new school instead of immediately dismissing everything as "not him" and worse. Even Monica wasn't necessarily portrayed as a better aspect in his new life. Also when James had him over for dinner. His family was very nice to him. But all Soto/Linc kept mentioning was the venison.
In a lot of ways this story had elements that were similar to Everybody Loves Chris, in terms of issues with race, identity, socio-economics, friendship, family. But I feel like a show like Everybody Loves Chris is able to take the bad with the good when going to a (mostly) all white school.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Mission District Murals
I was looking through some old pictures of the mission district so I could see the differences of the neighborhood from 20 years ago compared to now. I didn't realize the murals along the mission district have been around for so long, I thought they were a recent thing. After some follow up, I found out there was a latino art explosion decades ago and that's when the murals began. Here's a link to some more murals: http://www.everydaycitizen.com/2009/05/public_murals_at_the_mission_d.html
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Recipe for Mexican Pinto Beans by Marcela Valladolid
Hi Group,
Since Lincoln is always talking about "Frijoles", I thought I would add that to our Blog. Here's a recipe for "Frijoles de la Olla" , Mexican Pinto Bean Stew by Marcela Valladolid. Marcela is fromTijuana, Mexico. I've made a couple of her dishes and they are delicious! The Mexican Bean Stew is delicious....
Here is the website: www.foodnetwork.com/marcela-valladolid/mexicanbean-stew
Thanks,
Caroline Randazzo
Since Lincoln is always talking about "Frijoles", I thought I would add that to our Blog. Here's a recipe for "Frijoles de la Olla" , Mexican Pinto Bean Stew by Marcela Valladolid. Marcela is fromTijuana, Mexico. I've made a couple of her dishes and they are delicious! The Mexican Bean Stew is delicious....
Here is the website: www.foodnetwork.com/marcela-valladolid/mexicanbean-stew
Thanks,
Caroline Randazzo
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