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The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine

The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine". Read the following summary silently, then reconsider your initial predictions. (3 minutes)Fourteen-year-old Deirdre is tired of being the centre of her father's life. She and her boyfriend, Brad, decide to find her father a girlfriend, and they choose

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The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine

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    1. “The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine” By Martha Brooks

    2. “The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine” Read the following summary silently, then reconsider your initial predictions. (3 minutes) Fourteen-year-old Deirdre is tired of being the centre of her father’s life. She and her boyfriend, Brad, decide to find her father a girlfriend, and they choose Rita, the cashier at their local grocery store. When they stage a romantic encounter, the set-up unexpectedly works, and this comic short story ends with the possibility of romance. (Deirdre – pronounced DEAR-DREE, DEAR-DRUH, DARE-DRAY, etc.) In groups of 3 or 4, compare your initial and revised predictions, noting similarities and differences. (5 minutes) Share with the class.

    3. “The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine” As you read “The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine,” track new information about Deirdre’s father. Here’s an example based on the narrator’s initial description of her boyfriend: *black hair, green stripe * half Japanese Now open your Crossroads textbook to page 60 and read the story. (Pages 60-66) When you are done, begin answering questions 1-7 from the question sheet. Deirdre’s father (Elliot): *Jamaican *soft hair *yeller *hugger *forty-six *has a paunch *looks like a bag lady when shopping *skinny *balding *wears glasses

    4. “The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine” (p.60) Answer the following questions in complete sentences or paragraph format. 1. a) What do you think the title of this short story refers to? b) Why do you think Brooks chose this title? The title of this story is symbolic. (A symbol is a person, place, thing, or event that stands for or represents something else. For example, a flag is a symbol of a nation.) Here, the crystal stars represent Elliot’s happiness, his joy. His life was dull, ordinary, and he was stuck in a routine. Now something new is sparking to life, and like the stars, he begins to shine, to feel happiness and excitement. Brooks most likely chose this title because it shows that there is a possibility for romance : the spark has been ignited. In addition, stars are often associated with romance. For example, the expression “he/she has stars in his/her eyes” means that this person is dazzled or enraptured, as with romantic love.

    5. “The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine” (p.60) Answer the following questions in complete sentences or paragraph format. 2. a) What is the problem Martha Brooks introduces at the beginning of the story? The problem is that the father is obsessed with taking care of his daughter, ignoring his own needs. b) What conflict does it produce? The conflict produced is that Deirdre feels guilty. (Human vs. herself) c) How are the problem and conflict resolved?  The problem and conflict are resolved by Elliot becoming interested in Rita, as we can assume that he will no longer be quite as obsessed with taking care of his daughter; therefore, Deirdre will no longer feel guilty. 3. Which of the characters could you identify with? Explain your reasons using details to support your position. Share your answers with the class.

    6. “The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine” (p.60) Answer the following questions in complete sentences or paragraph format. 4. Do you think the story offers a realistic portrayal of family life in Canadian society? Explain your reasons using details to support your position. Possible responses: Unrealistic – children setting up their parent with someone Realistic- loving family, single parent household, multicultural family Now, share your answers to questions 5-7 in groups of 3 or 4. You have 10 minutes! (Afterwards, we will discuss them as a class.) 5. Have you ever tried to get an adult to do something he or she didn’t want to do? Was it difficult or embarrassing? Explain in a brief paragraph. 6. What do you think is the theme of this story? (The theme of a story is what the main character, or the reader, discovers about life or people by the end of the story. Ex: betrayal, the importance of family, loneliness, the horror of war…) 7. What do you think will happen between Elliot and Rita after the story’s ending?

    7. Vocabulary Define and write a sentence using the following words. Make sure your definitions of the words match how they are used in the context of the story. You may work individually or with a partner if you whisper. tawny p. 60 unrequited p. 60 aversion p. 60 anguish p. 61 implausible p. 61 drab p. 62 tacky p. 62 dismally (dismal) p. 65 enigmatically (enigmatic) p. 65 mesmerized (mesmerize) p. 66

    8. Vocabulary Tawny of an orange-brown or yellowish-brown colour Unrequited (of a feeling, especially love) not returned Aversion a strong dislike or disinclination Anguish severe mental or physical pain or suffering Implausible not seeming reasonable or probable

    9. Vocabulary Drab lacking brightness or interest; drearily dull Tacky showing poor taste and quality Dismally (dismal) causing a mood of gloom or depression Enigmatically (enigmatic) difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious Mesmerized (mesmerize) capture the complete attention of (someone); transfix

    10. Verb Tenses The story is written in the present tense - in other words, the actions and events of the story are occurring as the character speaks.  For example, the story's first sentence, "Lisa Barnett, moving down the halls, books clasped against her chest, tosses tawny hair away from her eyes in one fluid motion,“ is an example of present tense. It's as if we were right there with the main character watching these events occur right now.  But, past tense would be: "Lisa Barnett moved down the halls, with her books clasped against her chest. She tossed her tawny hair away from her eyes in one fluid motion.” 

    11. Verb Tenses Other examples would be – "I wish somebody would say something out loud." vs. "I wished somebody would have said something out loud.“ "Overhead the crystal stars have just begun to shine." vs. "Overhead the crystal stars had just begun to shine."  Now, select 3 present tense sentences from the story and rewrite them so they are in the past tense. Which verb tense do you think is more effective for this story – present or past? Why?

    12. Point of View Short stories, such as this one, can be written in the first person point of view. The author uses I and me instead of the third person he or she. Write a short description of something that has happened to you recently in five to ten sentences using the first person "I" and "me". Then rewrite the very same description of the event in the third person using a name of a person and "he", "she". Finally, explain which version you prefer. (10-15 minutes) Share with the class. Finally think of the story as a whole. What did you like or dislike?

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