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Introducing the Selections

Literary Skills Focus: Biographical Criticism

Reading Skills Focus: Taking Notes/Re-Reading

Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

In what different ways can people respond to tragic events?

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Introducing the Selections

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It is an ordinary day in Vermont.

Then, a terrible accident occurs.

A boy is sawing wood in his yard and looking forward to supper.

What do people do when tragedy strikes?

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Literary Skills Focus: Biographical Criticism

Some writers are deeply influenced by everyday life in the places they live.

They use that world in poem after poem and story after story.

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Literary Skills Focus: Biographical Criticism

These writers create works with people and scenes that have strong connections to people and scenes the writers know well.

When you read their works, you get a sense of

• specific places

• each writer’s attitude toward a place and its people

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Literary Skills Focus: Biographical Criticism

You use biographical criticism when you examine a text with the writer’s life in mind.

Biographical criticism looks at how a writer’s work relates to his or her

life experiences attitudes

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Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Reading Skills Focus: Taking Notes/Re-Reading

Taking notes and re-reading help you compare a text with details from the writer’s life.

• Take notes as you read both the text and the writer’s biography.

• Re-read both texts to be sure you have noted all the possible biographical connections.

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Reading Skills Focus: Taking Notes/Re-Reading

Into Action: As you read the two selections, use a chart like the one below to record the specific ways that Frost’s own life seems to be reflected in the text.

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Places livedFamily backgroundImportant experiencesWork/careerBeliefs/attitudes

Details in Biography

Details in Text

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer

Find It in Your Reading

You can tell from this poem that Frost knew what it was like to use a buzz saw—and knew the danger of such work.

As you read, note down how Frost describes the buzz saw—how it sounds and acts.

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Vocabulary

rueful adj.: regretful.

appeal n.: plea or call for help or sympathy.

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Vocabulary

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Vocabulary

Almost everyone has felt rueful at one time or another . . .

because almost everyone has done something that he or she regrets having done.

Luis felt rueful about his response to his opponent during the debate. In other words, he

a. felt proud of his response.

b. thought he would win the debate.

c. wished he had said something different.

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Vocabulary

Luis felt rueful about his response to his opponent during the debate. In other words, he

a. felt proud of his response.

b. thought he would win the debate.

c. wished he had said something different.

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Vocabulary

What do you do if you are unhappy with someone else’s decision?

You might make an appeal—a plea or call—for that person to change his or her mind.

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Vocabulary

The judge was deciding how large the fine for littering should be, so the guilty man lifted his eyes in appeal for

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Vocabulary

a. victory

b. sympathy

c. escape

Robert Frost: The New England Poet/Out, Out—

Vocabulary

The judge was deciding how large the fine for littering should be, so the guilty man lifted his eyes in appeal for

a. victory

b. sympathy

c. escape

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