A Day's Wait
Before Reading
A Day’s Wait
Short Story by Ernest Hemingway
Is it
R3.3 Analyze characterization as delineated through a character’s thoughts, words, speech patterns, and actions; the narrator’s description; and the thoughts, words, and actions of other characters. Also included in this lesson: W1.2 (p. 475), W1.3 (p. 475), LC1.4 (p. 475)
brave
to suffer in silence?
KEY IDEA Whether from an injury or a broken heart, everyone suffers at times. Some people try hard to keep their pain to themselves, while others believe it is better to share their thoughts and feelings with others. In “A Day’s Wait,” a young boy tries to be brave while suffering from an illness. QUICKWRITE Do you consider it an act of bravery to face pain on your own, or does it take more courage for you to open up to other people? In a journal entry, explain your answers to these questions.
466
literary analysis: style
Style is a writer’s unique way of communicating ideas. It is often not only what writers say but how they say it that gives stories meaning and makes them memorable. To identify a writer’s style, focus on these elements: • Word choice, or the author’s choice of language. Hemingway strives to use vivid verbs and precise nouns rather than using many adjectives and adverbs. • Sentence structure and variety. In this story, Hemingway often uses long sentences for descriptions and short sentences when characters are talking. • Dialogue, or conversations between characters. Hemingway relies heavily on realistic dialogue as a method of characterization. As you read “A Day’s Wait,” notice how these elements help create Hemingway’s unique writing style. An Adventurous Life Ernest Hemingway lived a life full of adventure. He was one of a group of writers called the Lost Generation. These writers rejected what they saw Ernest Hemingway as an American 1899–1961 focus on acquiring many possessions. Along with being one of America’s most famous writers, Hemingway was a
A Day’s Wait
Short Story by Ernest Hemingway
Is it
R3.3 Analyze characterization as delineated through a character’s thoughts, words, speech patterns, and actions; the narrator’s description; and the thoughts, words, and actions of other characters. Also included in this lesson: W1.2 (p. 475), W1.3 (p. 475), LC1.4 (p. 475)
brave
to suffer in silence?
KEY IDEA Whether from an injury or a broken heart, everyone suffers at times. Some people try hard to keep their pain to themselves, while others believe it is better to share their thoughts and feelings with others. In “A Day’s Wait,” a young boy tries to be brave while suffering from an illness. QUICKWRITE Do you consider it an act of bravery to face pain on your own, or does it take more courage for you to open up to other people? In a journal entry, explain your answers to these questions.
466
literary analysis: style
Style is a writer’s unique way of communicating ideas. It is often not only what writers say but how they say it that gives stories meaning and makes them memorable. To identify a writer’s style, focus on these elements: • Word choice, or the author’s choice of language. Hemingway strives to use vivid verbs and precise nouns rather than using many adjectives and adverbs. • Sentence structure and variety. In this story, Hemingway often uses long sentences for descriptions and short sentences when characters are talking. • Dialogue, or conversations between characters. Hemingway relies heavily on realistic dialogue as a method of characterization. As you read “A Day’s Wait,” notice how these elements help create Hemingway’s unique writing style. An Adventurous Life Ernest Hemingway lived a life full of adventure. He was one of a group of writers called the Lost Generation. These writers rejected what they saw Ernest Hemingway as an American 1899–1961 focus on acquiring many possessions. Along with being one of America’s most famous writers, Hemingway was a