1a. Where does the thing described in the first riddle come from? What do men do to it? What does it do to men?
2a. What hardships does the speaker in the second riddle undergo? What can never ease the speaker's wounds?
3a. What hardships does the speaker of the third riddle undergo? What benefits does the speaker bring to people in its new condition?
4a. What difficulties and hardships in Anglo-Saxon life are mentioned in the three riddles?
5a. Which perspective shared by the speakers of the riddles appealed the most to you? What did you enjoy about what this riddle revealed?
1b. What is the subject of the first riddle? (Hints: the wings in the riddle belong to bees, and honey is bathed "in a barrel.")
2b. What is the speaker of the second riddle?
3b. What is the speaker of the third riddle? How might the speaker bring about the benefits promised?
4b. Explain what different aspects of Anglo-Saxon life these riddles show you. What do these riddles reveal about Anglo-Saxon values?
5b. Explain whether, based on these riddles, you think you would have enjoyed living among the Anglo-Saxons.
Point of View and Speaker. Anglo-Saxon riddles are of two different types. In the first type, the speaker is the riddler. In the second, the speaker is the subject of the riddle. What point of view is presented in each of the riddles? Who is the speaker in each riddle—the riddler or the subject of the riddle?
Personification. Each of the three riddles is an example of extended personification. What specific examples of personification can you find in each of the three riddles?
1. Successful riddles use descriptive writing to help the reader figure out their object. Write a descriptive paragraph focusing on a setting—perhaps your room, your school cafeteria, or your locker. Appeal to sensory details, such as sight, sound, smell, taste, or touch and make your descriptive paragraph vivid enough so that someone who has never seen your setting before can imagine it clearly from your description.
2. Write the copy for an advertising brochure to describe a product that appeals to you, such as a stereo system, an item of clothing, a telescope, or anything else you find interesting.
3. Write your own riddle. Use vivid description to create a picture of your subject, but do not include so many details that the subject of your riddle is given away easily.
Proofreading for Errors in End Marks. Rewrite the following sentences, correcting the errors in end marks by adding punctuation as necessary.
1. People talk with me Why do they never talk to me
2. When people call on me I never answer them, but they usually answer me when I call
3. If I'm busy I will let you know; if I'm not busy I will let you talk to someone else
4. I come in a box, but I give you the world How amazing
5. Now I ask, "Can you guess what I am"
