In ninth grade, you presented an interpretation of a poem through images for each line. This year, you will present a different kind of interpretation, one based on the words of the poem in a design using a word cloud application at tagxedo.com http://www.tagxedo.com There are also word clouds applications at http://worditout.com/word-cloud/make-a-new-one and at http://www.wordle.net Each element of the word cloud should refer to your interpretation of the poem. All work on this assignment must be done by you, without help from any other source (living or electronic). If you are familiar with FLASH, you may do a moving representation. See sample at http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=2ZQGAJWDZwM
Here’s what you do: Choose the same poem you have presented orally to the class.
1) THINK ABOUT THE POEM. Consider what we wrote in class, what we talked about in class, reflect on the general theme of childhood and growing up, and consider your own interpretation of the text. This is the most important part of the assignment. We have been noticing such elements as tense/time, pronoun/point of view, sentences (the grammatical structures)such other things as repetitions and patterns of syntax and of emphasis. What you need to write about is your idea of the poem, and then how the parts support that idea.
2) Interpret the poem by deciding on a theme. By identifying a theme, you will be able to emphasize certain words in the poem. Emphasize the words you think are central to the poem’s theme by repeating them (this will make them larger in your word cloud). You can keep words together by using a tilde (~) between words. For example, little~red~dress. Explain the connection between the theme and the word cloud.
3) Choose a color scheme for your word cloud. Explain how your color scheme relates to the theme. Your reason can’t be because you like the color. The reason has to be because of some element of the poem that corresponds to the poem.
4) Choose a font for your word cloud. Explain how your font relates to the theme. Don’t say that you thought the name of the font connected to the poem. Again, the reason has to be because of some element of the poem you wish to emphasize.
5) Choose a layout for your word cloud. Explain how the layout relates to the theme. Again, the reason has to be because of some element of the poem you wish to emphasize.
In writing about each element of the word cloud, try not to use the same words or phrases. Try to extend and deepen your interpretation of the poem as you review the elements of the cloud. We will talk more about this in class when you see the sample.
To present your poem, you need to save the word cloud as a pdf to post on the website.
Type up the explanation of each element of your word cloud and turn it in.
Format for Assignment:
Present the poem:
Poem:
My mother groand! My father wept.
Into the dangerous world I leapt:
Helpless, naked, piping loud;
Like a fiend hid in a cloud.
Struggling in my fathers hands:
Striving against my swaddling bands:
Bound and weary I thought best
To sulk upon my mothers breast.
Theme: Effect: Use the questions we have used in class to make a statement about the poem. This section should be 300 words.
Color:
Font:
Layout:
Shape:
Optional Comments: