1a. Whom did Lucinda marry? How many years did she spend with him?
2a. At what age did Lucinda decide that she "had lived enough"?
3a. What does Lucinda call her sons and daughters?
4a. What qualities may have enabled Lucinda to live to be ninety-six?
5a. Is Lucinda's criticism of the younger generation warranted?
1b. What kind of life did Lucinda have with her husband?
2b. For what is "sweet repose" a euphemism?
3b. Why is life "too strong" for her sons and daughters?
4b. What was Lucinda Matlock's philosophy of life?
5b. Some people argue that each successive generation is weaker than the last. What truth, if any, do you see in this statement? How would you explain differences in strength between your generation, your parents', and your grandparents'?
Free Verse. What elements in this poem show that it is intended to sound like speech?
Tone. Make a chart. On the left, write lines that demonstrate the speaker's tone toward nature, weakness and sorrow, and life. On the right, explain what tone the lines reveal. One example has been done for you.
1. Write a tombstone inscription for Lucinda Matlock. Be sure to include an expression of her attitude toward life.
2. A eulogy is a formal statement remembering someone who died. Write a eulogy for Lucinda Matlock, to be read at her funeral. In addition to the activities she did in life, mention how she touched others' lives.
3. Imagine that you are Lucinda Matlock. Write a letter to the younger generation, explaining to them how you expect their attitudes to change and why. Use your own paper as necessary.
Clichés and Euphemisms. Identify the cliché or euphemism in each of the following sentences. Then rewrite the sentences, replacing the clichés and euphemisms with more original or more direct language.
1. Martin told Gwen that the company had given him a golden parachute.
2. The minister told Sasha that time heals all wounds.
3. Paul looked out the window and saw that it was raining cats and dogs.
4. Mrs. Smythe asked for the location of the powder room.
5. Deirdre told me her grandmother had passed on.
Designing an Internet Site. Research Edgar Lee Masters and the Spoon River. Use the Research Log below to record your findings. Next, design a timeline of Edgar Lee Masters's life and write the script you would use for a virtual tour of the Spoon River.
Timeline:
Script:
Notes on Edgar Lee Masters and the Spoon River:
Sources Used:
