Before Reading
Make a Cluster Chart
Read the definitions of elegy and speaker in Literary Tools on page 664. As you read, think about what you learn about the speaker of the poem. Consider characteristics of the speaker and what you learn about his values based on what he writes about. Make a cluster chart like the one on page 664 to record information about the speaker.
During Reading
Fill in the Chart
1. Listen as your teacher reads the first three stanzas of the poem aloud. What is the speaker describing? How do you think he feels about this scene?
2. Continue reading the selection on your own. Look for additional details about the speaker's characteristics, mood, ideas, and values, and record these in your cluster chart.
Fix-Up Idea: Visualize
The poem contains strong visual clues and sensory details. As you read, try to visualize the scene the speaker describes. As you put yourself in this place, think about the mood the poem creates. How does it feel to be in this place?
After Reading
Summarize What You Wrote
With a partner, discuss what you have learned about the speaker of this poem. Write a brief character sketch of the speaker.