Speaker. The speaker is the voice that speaks, or narrates, a poem or story. The speaker may or may not be the author. Poets, like writers of fiction, can create characters in their poems. As you read this poem, think about the speaker. Is the speaker the voice of the poet or that of a created character? Find reasons for your answer.
Image and Imagery. An image is language that creates a literal or concrete representation of an object or experience. An image is also the vivid mental picture created in the reader’s mind by that language. The combination of images within a poem is the poem’s imagery. What image or images stand out in this poem? Why?
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• History Connection. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, government agencies and churches set up boarding schools for Native American children. Government officials forced Native American parents to send their children to the boarding schools, where students were required to conform to the language, dress, and religion of white people.
• One of the customs Native Americans were forced to acquire was the use of English given names (first names) and surnames (last names). Even the English translations of Native Americans’ traditional names were often forbidden. Instead, government or church officials within Native American communities were encouraged to assign everyone new names, such as James Peterson, Robert Jackson, and Mary James.
Fill in the outer circles on a graphic organizer like the one below, with the different points the speaker makes in “Name Giveaway.” Then, summarize briefly the meaning of the poem.
To what degree is your name part of who you are? Why?
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