How do you approach troubles? Do a quickwrite in response to the Reader’s Journal question. Share your ideas with a few of your classmates. Keep these ideas in mind as you read the selection.
1. Listen as your teacher reads the poem aloud. How does the speaker approach troubles? Is this similar to your approach to troubles?
2. Read the poem again, focusing on the speaker’s attitude. Do you think the speaker is an optimist or a pessimist?
If you are having trouble identifying the speaker’s feelings, try writing things down as you read. As you read, make a list of words that suggest a negative attitude and those that suggest a positive attitude. Circle the words that apply to the speaker. From your notes, would you describe the speaker as an optimist or a pessimist?
With your group from the Before Reading activity, discuss whether the speaker’s attitude makes him happy. Use evidence from the poem and your own experience to support your response.